Amish Baked Oatmeal

This is another version of baked oatmeal from my friend Kaly Batson. 

We love the baked apples on top! Serves 9.

3 cups oats (I used instant)

3/4 cup white sugar

2 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a glass 9" casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Combine all ingredients and pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until set in the center. Top with milk & sugar, berries or Baked Apples Topping.

Baked Apples Topping:

3-4 apples, peeled and sliced

Dab of butter or spray butter

cinnamon & sugar

Place apples in a glass dish and top with butter  and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for about 2 minutes. 

Nutritional info (9 servings, without apples):

・494 calories ・16 g fat ・113 mg cholesterol ・619 mg sodium ・77 gms carbohydrate ・5.3 g dietary fiber ・14 g protein

Baked Oatmeal

My sister-in-law Kari gave me this recipe for a yummy, healthy, hot breakfast. It is apparently a Weight Watchers recipe, though I couldn't find the exact recipe online to include the link. Serves 9. 

2 3/4 cup Old-Fashioned oats (or 2 1/14 cup Quick oats), uncooked

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cups raisins or any combo of dried fruit

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 1/3 cups skim milk

4 egg whites, lightly beaten or 1/2 cup egg substitute

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9" glass pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients (oats through salt) and mix well. In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients (milk through vanilla). Mix both combinations together and pour into prepared pan. Bake 40-50 minutes or until center is set and firm to touch. Cool. Top with milk or yogurt or eat alone. (We ate ours HOT). Store leftovers in fridge.

Makes 9 squares @ 2 WW Points+ each.

Nutritional info: ・213 calories・3.5 g fat ・1.9 mg cholesterol ・334 mg sodium ・43 g carbohydrate ・3 g dietary fiber ・8 g protein

Pumpkin Waffles with Warm Buttermilk Syrup

I cannot over-emphasize how AMAZING these waffles and this syrup are. I seriously think they are the best breakfast ever! The waffles are flavorful, with the perfect amount of spice and they bake up somewhat crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I've made them twice and I CRAVE them! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! 

I did double the waffle recipe to yield 8 full-size Belgian waffles (pictured above), cut the butter in half and compensated by adding a little more milk. We had plenty for our family and enough leftovers for the next day's breakfast. Recipe from my friend Paige Smedley.

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons baking powder

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 3/4 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

6 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Mix dry ingredients together and set aside. Separate egg yolks (reserve egg whites) and beat yolks slightly. Add milk, pumpkin, butter and vanilla to the yolks. Add to dry mixture. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and fold gently into mixture (do not over mix). Spoon into greased waffle maker per maker directions. Yield: 8 full-size Belgian waffles

BUTTERMILK SYRUP

The syrup will double in size when you stir in the baking soda, so make sure your pan is big enough. Recipe from my friend Polly Yoho.

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Add buttermilk, sugar and butter to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and immediately add vanilla and baking soda. Serve warm over waffles, pancakes or German pancakes. 

Yield: 1 3/4 cups syrup.

30-Day Bran Muffins

My Mom made these for us over the holidays and I've been craving them ever since! These high-fiber muffins make a great breakfast or snack, the muffins freeze well and the batter stores in the fridge for up to 30 days! My Mom often makes a few at a time so they are fresh and hot out of the oven. What's not to love about that? I love them with raisins, but I have one child who prefers them without. We love them with butter and honey. Either way, they are delish! 

There are SO many very similar recipes online.  My Mom uses one from the Favorites cookbook. 

This recipe (below) makes about 8 dozen muffins (use the biggest bowl you have to mix!), so if you'd like to make a half batch, here's the recipe for 4 dozen: Spark People

4 cups Kellogg's All-Bran cereal (looks like little sticks)
2 cup boiling water
1 cup margarine
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
5 cups flour
5 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoons salt
4 cups (1 quart) buttermilk
2 cups Bran Flakes cereal (such as Post Bran Flakes)

1 (15 oz. box) seedless raisins, optional (or dried cranberries. Fresh blueberries would be great too!)

Combine All-Bran and boiling water in a large bowl. Cream margarine and sugar, and add to bran. Add eggs. Mix dry ingredients, and add alternately with buttermilk, then add Bran Flakes. Stir in raisins (or dried cranberries or fresh blueberries) if desired just before baking.

Keeps up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator. I use a large cookie scoop to get just the right amount of batter.

Bake in muffin cups at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Nutritional information per muffin (without raisins): 134 calories, 2.5 grams fat, 3.5 grams protein, 27 grams carbohydrate, 2.8 grams dietary fiber, 18.5 mg. cholesterol, 251 mg. sodium

Biggest Loser Oatmeal Pancakes

These pancakes are a new favorite at our house. I know you may be skeptical when you first read the ingredients (I was a little) but give them a try and you will be hooked! They almost taste like a mix between a pancake and french toast. My whole family loves them. My three year old calls them "the most delicious pancakes ever in the world."

Ingredients:6 egg whites1 cup rolled oats, dry1 cup cottage cheese2 teaspoons sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon1 teaspoon vanilla 

Instructions:  In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Heat a griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. For each pancake pour 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle. Flip when they start to bubble. Cook until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batches, spraying the griddle as needed. Makes about 10 pancakes.

Christmas & holiday recipe roundup!

Christmas season is in full swing and we wanted to highlight a few of our favorite holiday recipes. Christmas for me is about Christ, family and friends, giving and generosity and... food! Food always seems to play a part in creating memories, traditions and comfort. So, enjoy baking and giving away yummy treats, making memories over delicious meals, celebrating with friends at a party or giving your children something to get nostalgic about when they think back about Christmases of their childhood.

Happy holidays from all of us at Boy Cheese Sandwich!!!

• For Christmas morning:

Sausage Breakfast Casserole
German Pancakes
Apple Puff Pancakes
Amish Breakfast Casserole
Chile Casserole
Kathy's Coffee Cake
French Toast Casserole

• Christmas cookies and home-baked gifts:

Nana's Caramels
Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Rods
Hot Fudge Sauce
Mom's Sugar Cookies
Waffle Brownies
Earthquake Cookies
Mint Brownies
Meltaways
Sand Art Brownies
Peanut Butter Bars
Easy Pretzel Turtles
Thin Mint Crackers

• Non-food gift:

Christmas Potpourri

• Christmas appetizers:

Cranberry Salsa
Wassail
Artichoke Dip

• Christmas salads:

Christmas Salad
Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
Pear Salad

• Christmas desserts:

Gingerbread White Chocolate Blondies
Mom's French Pear Pie
Eggnog Cupcakes
Cranberry Bundt Cake with Warm Butter Sauce
Apple Torte with Lemon Sauce

• Meals for Christmas day, after presents -or- for Christmas Eve:)  Most are make-ahead, so you can just warm it up or bake it when family is around and hungry!

Three-Bean Christmas Chili
Classic Cheese Fondue
Chocolate Fondue (pictured below)
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Ski Country Pasta
Mom's Minestrone Soup
Cranberry Chicken
Mimi's Cafe Corn Chowder with Ham
Mom's Lasagna

Apple Puff Pancakes

German pancakes were always an anticipated breakfast treat when we were growing up. This is a new spin on the original, with the addition of apples, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. I make this occasionally for dinner or for a weekend breakfast. These taste and smell amazing right out of the oven!

3 Tablespoons butter

2 apples, peeled & thinly sliced

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Mix the milk, vanilla, flour, sugar, eggs, salt & cinnamon in a blender until smooth and set aside. Place butter in a 9 x 13" pan and bake for 3-5 minutes, or until butter melts. Remove pan from oven and arrange apple slices in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle brown sugar on the apples and pour batter over the top. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until puffed and lightly browned. Top with syrup, if desired.

Serves 6. 

Kathy's Coffee Cake

I had a brunch with friends this week, so I made my favorite coffee cake. This recipe comes from family friend Kathy Newton and it is DIVINE! I remember being giddy when Kathy would bring this over at Christmas when I was younger.

Cream together:

       1 cup butter or margarine

       2 cups sugar

       2 eggs

       1 cup sour cream (I use reduced-fat sour cream)

       1 tsp. vanilla

Add:

       2 cups all-purpose flour

       1 tsp. baking powder

       1/2 tsp. salt

Spread half of the batter into a greased tube pan. Sprinkle with half of the topping (Below). Repeat with remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining topping. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 50-60 minutes. Let cool in pan.

Topping: Mix well:

        1/2 cup brown sugar

        2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Roll Cake

I love cinnamon rolls. My Mom and I have always said that if we had a last meal on Earth, they would be part of it. Believe it or not I have found something I love more...this cake. It has all the gooey flavor of a cinnamon roll with a fluffier cake texture, plus it is a lot easier to make than cinnamon rolls (no rolling pin required, yay.) This is great as a dessert but would also work for a breakfast/brunch. 

Cake:

3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix all the cake ingredients together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes. 

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Pour over cake while still a little warm. 
recipe from Life as a Lofthouse

Cinnamon Batter-Dipped French Toast

This recipe comes from my friend Tisha, who has some amazing recipes on her blog. This recipe is like a mix between pancakes and French Toast!

2 cups Bisquick (biscuit mix)
1 1/4 cups milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
12 slices bread

Heat griddle or skillet. Spray with cooking spray. Stir Bisquick, milk, cinnamon, vanilla and eggs until blended. Dip bread in batter and drain excess batter into the bowl. Place on hot griddle. Cook 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve with syrup and whipped cream, if desired. 

"Hole in Ones"

 These are also known as an "Egg in a Basket" or "Bird in a Nest." My husband grew up eating these and they are a favorite last-minute meal at our house, since I usually have eggs and bread in my fridge...

Bread

eggs

Cut out a small circle of each piece of bread using a biscuit cutter, a small glass or a knife.* Heat a skillet or griddle and spray with cooking spray. It is really yummy if you butter both sides of the bread, but I find that it's fine without. Place the cut bread on the hot pan, then crack an egg in the hole of each slice. Flip over when the egg begins to set and cook the other side.

*I fry the bread circles I cut out as well and my kids love them.

Coconut syrup

**Recipe from my dear friend Jules, whose hand is scooping up this yumminess in photo above!


1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 cup sugar (I usually put in 3/4 c. to make me feel better)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. coconut extract

Place first three ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat and add soda and flavoring. It will fizz, so give it a few minutes to settle down--the foam eventually settles. Store in the fridge--I usually heat it up a little in the microwave before using. YUM!

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

My family LOVES pancakes, but we usually only get to make them on the weekends when we're not rushing out the door to school. This weekend I made these fluffy, light, lemony pancakes. Like our favorite Cottage Cheese Pancakes, they have more protein and fewer carbohydrates than most pancakes, which works well for this diabetic:)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt 

1 1/2 cups low-fat milk

1 (15 oz.) carton low-fat or non-fat ricotta cheese

5 eggs, divided

1 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbs. fresh lemon zest

1/2 cup lemon juice (juice from 2-3 lemons)

1. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. 
2. Crack the egg whites into a small bowl and place the egg yolks in a separate bowl. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside. 
3. Add the milk, ricotta cheese, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice to the egg yolks and mix well.
4. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Fold in the beaten egg whites. 
5. Heat a non-stick griddle or pan to about 325° F. (medium heat). Spray with cooking spray, then drop pancake batter by 1/4 cups onto hot griddle. Flip when bubbles form around the edges and cook on the other side.
6. Serve hot with maple or berry syrup or fresh berries. This raspberry sauce would be divine too! 

Makes about 30 pancakes.

*Nutritional info (per pancake): Calories: 53, Fat: 0.9 g., Carbohydrates: 8.3 g., Dietary fiber: 0.2 g., Protein: 3.1 g. 

...OR TRY THESE OTHER YUMMY PANCAKE RECIPES:

Best Breakfast Crepes

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

German Pancakes

Swedish Pancakes 

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Homemade Trail Mix

This healthy and delicious snack is originally from Cooking Light, March 2010, but I got the recipe from my friend Ali Taylor. My kids love it sprinkled over yogurt! It would also be a great snack for lunches or hikes!

1/4 cup unsalted pumpkin seed kernels (pepitas)*

1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seed kernels*

   * I substitute 1/2 cup almonds, coarsely diced for pumpkin and sunflower kernels

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 Tbs. brown sugar

2 Tbs. canola oil

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp. ground cardamom

2 cups old-fashioned oats -OR- rolled barley flakes

1/4 cup toasted wheat germ 

1/3 cup dried blueberries

1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. Place pumpkin and sunflower seeds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or tin foil.  Bake for 5 minutes in preheated oven. Cool for 5 minutes. *If kernels are already toasted, skip roasting and go to step #2.
2. Combine syrup, canola oil, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and cardamom in a medium bowl. Stir in toasted pumpkin and sunflower kernels (or diced almonds), oats (or barley) and toasted wheat germ.
3. Spread mixture in a single layer on a parchment paper or tin foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes at 325° F, stirring every 8-10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and cool granola in a pan on a wire rack. Stir in blueberries and cranberries. Store in an airtight container. Serve over yogurt, as granola cereal or as a snack. Makes 4 cups (serving size= 1/3 cup)

Nutrition per serving: CALORIES 181 ; FAT 6.5g (sat 0.7g,mono 2.3g,poly 2.8g); CHOLESTEROL 1mg; CALCIUM 13mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.4g; SODIUM 59mg; PROTEIN 4.5g; FIBER 3.7g; IRON 1.4mg

Double Chocolate Waffles

My son requested waffles for dinner tonight (love it!) and my search for a recipe turned up this yummy recipe by Alton Brown. You might just want to have these for dessert!

4 Tbs. butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 eggs

2 cups buttermilk (or substitute almost 2 cups milk + 2 Tbs. vinegar)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Melt the butter and set aside to cool. 
2. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking powders, baking soda, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. 
3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, melted butter and vanilla, then add the buttermilk.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix well, then let rest for 5 minutes. 
5. Heat the waffle iron and spray with cooking spray.
6. Pour waffle batter onto waffle iron and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Close iron and cook until done. (You could omit chocolate chips from cooking and sprinkle on top of waffles after they are cooked.)
7. Serve waffles hot with with your choice of butter, maple syrup, sliced bananas, peanut butter, strawberry or raspberry jam or syrup, fresh fruit or whipped cream.

Makes about six (8") round waffles or four (10") square waffles.

Best Breakfast Crepes

**We have tried many different crepe recipes, but this one from Alli is our very favorite!! So good in fact, that I did not get a picture of the finished product before they were all gone! Guess I'll make them again tomorrow!

3 cups milk
3 eggs
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 TBSP butter, melted
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 TBSP sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt

Mix milk, eggs, vanilla and melted butter in blender. Add flour, sugar baking powder and salt and blend until smooth. Heat a 6-8" non-stick skillet over medium heat for about a minute, then grease pan with butter. Immediately pour 1/3 cup of the batter into skillet and rotate until spread over the bottom. Cook until edges just begin to brown, then run a spatula around the edge and flip to cook the other side. Serve warm with your favorite toppings. We love fresh fruit and Nutella or peanut butter, cinnamon & sugar, powdered sugar and jam. These crepes are so delicious that my kids often skip the fillings and gobble them up plain!

Homemade Hot Oatmeal

My husband and I have been making our own hot oatmeal mix for a few years now. We make a big batch, store it in an airtight container, so it's easy to make a hot, comforting breakfast in about 2 minutes. We buy our ingredients at Sprouts, but you can find these items in bulk at many grocery and health food stores. You'll be surprised how inexpensive and delicious it is. Ingredients can be adjusted to your taste!

Dried fruit:

          Craisins (dried cranberries)

          Golden seedless raisins

          Dark (Thompson) raisins

          Pineapple

          Mango

          Blueberries

Nuts:

          Sliced or slivered almonds or other nuts

Oats:

          Rolled oats (Old-Fashioned, NOT instant)

Optional: 

          Dry milk powder (this makes it extra creamy!) We add about 1/2 cup per batch.

          Protein powder (vanilla or unflavored are delicious & add a little protein)

1. Mix the dried fruit and nuts in a large bowl.
2. Add the oats and dry milk and/or protein powder, if desired and mix well. Store in an airtight container.
3. To make a single serving, add a half cup of oats mixture with a cup of water to a microwave-safe cereal bowl. Heat on high for about 2 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Can top with milk, fruit and brown sugar, if desired. 

***Stovetop directions: Bring 1 1/4 cups water to a boil, add 1/2 cup oats mixture, stir, then turn heat down, cover and simmer until water is absorbed.

Tropical Breakfast

I LOVE this breakfast! My husband and I ate it several times this week. It's warm, creamy and delicious. It can be made with either oats or brown rice. Recipe from Keeping Up Cookbook.

          1 (8 oz.) can pineapple tidbits, with juice

          1 cup water

          1 cup old-fashioned oats*

          1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk, well-shaken* (I use lite coconut milk)

          2 Tbs. brown sugar

          1/4 tsp. salt

Optional toppings:

          banana slices

          shredded coconut

          toasted sliced almonds

Drain juice from pineapple into a saucepan. Set pineapple aside. Add water, oats, coconut milk, brown sugar and salt and stir well. Bring to a boil, then decrease heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until thick. Stir in pineapple and dish into 2 or 3 bowls. Top with bananas, coconut and/or almonds and drizzle with a little coconut milk, if desired.

*Brown rice variation:  Substitute 1 cup instant brown rice for oats. Add drained pineapple juice, water and rice to a saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Simmer, uncovered, until water is absorbed, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in 1 (13.5 oz.) can coconut milk, brown sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to lowest setting and simmer and continue to cook, uncovered, until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Stir in pineapple. Dish into bowls and add toppings, if desired. (Rice will continue to absorb the liquid, so serve immediately for optimal creaminess).

Amish Breakfast Casserole

In my opinion you can never have too many breakfast casserole recipes. They are great for entertaining, holidays or just everyday. Here is another yummy one!

1 lb. breakfast meat (diced ham, bacon or sausage)

1 medium sweet onion, diced

4 c. frozen shredded hash browns, thawed 

6 eggs. lightly beaten

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/4 c. shredded swiss cheese

1 1/2 c. cottage cheese (small curd)

In large skillet cook meat and onion until meat is cooked through (or bacon crispy) and onion is soft. If using ham just cook the onion alone and add the ham with all other ingredients. In large bowl combine all other ingredients. Add meat and onions and pour all ingredients into lightly greased 9x13 pan. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes before cutting 

Mexi-Puff

This reminds me of Chile Relleno. It would make a great brunch or a fun dinner! Recipe from Keeping Up Cookbook...

           12 eggs
           1/2 tsp. salt
           1/2 cup flour
           1 tsp. baking powder
           2 cups cottage cheese
           1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
           1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
           1/4 cup butter, melted (I omit and don't notice the difference)
           1 (4 oz.) can green chilies, drained

Optional toppings:
           sliced avocados, salsa, sliced black olives & sour cream

Preheat oven to 350° F. Whisk together eggs, then add remaining ingredients (except toppings). Pour into a greased 9 x 13" baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes. Serve warm with desired toppings. Serves 6.