Boosted Banana Muffins

 *** I've had a senior moment- I can't find my pics, so imagine yummy muffins,
I'll get back to you on the pictures.

My family used to look like this

Parents included...

and now it looks like this...

Granted there are no parents in this pic...

One kiddo is serving an 18 month church mission

The morning of departure

and two just left for school in Utah

Kiddo #1 and #3 off to USU

So needless to say,
my grocery shopping looks a little different lately-
and I have a lot of bananas that end up looking like this

rather than this :)

I've been making a lot of things out of BANANA,
bread, muffins, cake, smoothies...

You get the idea right??

I decided to go a little crazy one day when I saw this cereal-

Sorry for the fuzziness; it says Cinnamon Hazlenut

I have used it's sister cereal to make cranberry muffins
for like a ZILLION years!

Cranberry Almond Crunch

So I figured I could come up with a yummy recipe using
a cereal with a name like that!

To borrow a phrase from Mary Poppins-
these were Practically Perfect in Every Way...

The second time I made them,
I made them in Jumbo Muffin Tins and
topped them with a chunky cinnamon streusel.
We took them to a school breakfast-
EVERYONE who ate them wanted to know where
I had gotten them and they were the first muffins gone
(this up against the HUGE Costco/Sam's Club Muffins
that are more of a dessert than a breakfast food)

Try 'Em-
You won't be disappointed


Banana Muffins

2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
1 box of Post Cinnamon Hazelnut Cereal
     (Or Post Crunchy Pecans Cereal)
2 eggs
2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. butter
2 ripe bananas, mashed

2 TBSP. maple syrup
1/2 tsp each, cinnamon & nutmeg

Beat eggs and buttermilk together & syrup.
Stir in melted butter.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, soda, cereal and spices.
Add milk mixture and stir with as few strokes as possible.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, adjusting cook time to size of muffin.

*** My littles request these to be made with chocolate chips-
which just makes them YUMMY TOO!!

Sweet Potato Cupcakes

DO NOT RUN AWAY SCARED!!

On a recent trip to Nashville, TN
(is there any other Nashville??)

we pulled a Peterson!

What's a Peterson you ask?
Well a "Peterson" is when you
become overly and compulsively
obsessed about something-
okay, OKAY, OKAY
that something is most likely FOOD!

We went to every small bakery we could
find that sells Cupcakes-

and for us, the smaller, quainter the bakery
the better!

Completely on accident, we discovered this 
adorable little bakery in an old house.

The owners still live in the house,
with their daughters and cook from their
kitchen-
it is amazing! I absolutely loved this place

we went back twice in one day!!
Well we asked what was the FAVORITE and 
as if angels sang from on high-
the gals all said "Sweet Potato"-
"Well no thanks" says I,
but my husband said
"I'll take 2".
Well my Sweet Lemonade Cupcake 
was good, 
but it weren't nothin' compared to his
little Sweet Potato Cupcake
(which explains why we went back)

Well, my kids have been obsessing about
this cupcake since we got home,
especially the oldest daughter who wasn't 
with us for this trip.

As we searched for recipes and ideas,
we came across a recipe for a healthy 
version of a Sweet Potato Cupcake-
I have one daughter who is very carefully
monitoring her sugar/dairy/gluten right now
so this seemed like a PERFECT recipe to try!

They were GOOD! 
As with most gluten/dairy/sugar free stuff
it was different-
but not so different that we cared!

So if you find yourself limited in one 
of these little sections 

than you might want to give these 
little treasures a chance.

We didn't want to mess with frosting,
so we made a little maple glaze

and than topped them with whipped
cream- our dairy free friends used
a soy option! Than we sprinkled a 
little cinnamon & sugar on top.

 Sweet Potato Cupcakes

1 cup sweet potato puree

1/2 almond milk 

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1 cup sucanat (or raw cane sugar)

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 tsp ginger, grated

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

(You can use any gluten free flour too)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp sea salt 

Preheat oven to 350°F and line pan with cupcake liners. 

In a large bowl mix sweet potato, milk, vinegar, oil, 

sucanat, vanilla and ginger. In another bowl sift together

the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. 

Slowly stir the wet ingredients into the dry, careful not to

over mix. 

Scoop a few tablespoons of the batter into the cupcake
liners, about two-thirds full. Bake for 20 minutes, or to
pass the toothpick test. Let cool in a covered dish.


MAPLE FROSTING

1/2 cup coconut milk
1 1/2T cornstarch
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 t vanilla

In a small saucepan mix the milk and cornstarch
until they are dissolved. Add the syrup and using a
fork or whisk, stir the mixture over medium heat
until it is thick. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile,
 cream the butter and vanilla until they are well
mixed and then beat in the cooled syrup mixture.
Beat on high until the frosting is fluffy.

*** I will say, ours never got really fluffy. It was
more like a glaze. So we glazed the cupcake
with it and used whipped topping (a soy version
for our lactose free gal) and sprinkled with
sugar & cinnamon mix. YUM. 

Scotch Pull Aparts

My family has been making this recipe
for over 30 years. I have no idea
where it originated, who's it is
or how it came to be part of my life-
but my kids get excited every night
that they see me put these together.

I used to make these with
Rhodes frozen rolls,
but now I just make them
when I make this homemade bread
The family agrees,
they like it better with homemade

Scotch Pull Aparts

18 frozen rolls
1 c. mini marshmallows
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar

The night before: In a buttered bundt pan, arrange frozen rolls. 
Sprinkle with marshmallows.

In a small saucepan, melt butter with cinnamon
and brown sugar.

Bring to a boil, making sure 
the sugar dissolves well.

Pour over rolls.

Cover with waxed paper coated with Pam
to keep from sticking. Let rise overnight.

In the morning: Preheat oven to 350.
Sprinkle with nuts if desired.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Let stand for 10 minutes before inverting
on to a serving plate. 

Enjoy!! 

Puff Oven Pancakes

This is truly one of my
Go-To Breakfast Recipes-
it is fast,
hot,
filling and
Delicious-
plus it is one that with
a simple swap out,
using coconut milk
instead of milk-
ALL of us can and WILL eat this!
It is a MIRACLE!!!

Puff Oven Pancakes
(also known as Pop Eyed & German)

9 eggs
1  1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. milk
dash of salt
1 cube butter

Turn oven on to 425. Place the butter in an
11 x 13 casserole dish.

Place in the oven to allow the butter to melt

while you mix the remaining ingredients.  
Don't melt the butter
in the microwave or on the stove top,
melting it this way allows the pan
to heat up before pouring in the egg
mixture. I am convinced this makes a
difference.

Beat the remaining ingredients together.

Pour over melted butter.

Bake for 25 minutes or until
puffy and golden brown.

Serve immediately topped with
powdered sugar, syrup and
fruit (if desired).

Cinnamon Swirl French Toast

No rocket science here-
just a little flour, cinnamon
and effort
& Breakfast is served.

I love to use My Favorite White Bread Recipe
for the Cinnamon Swirl Bread

to make the yummiest EVAH
French Toast-

it is thick,
it is flavorful,
and it brings morning delight-

I am pretty sure all good grades in our home
are a direct result of this breakfast staple!!

Favorite White Bread

I LOVE this Bread Recipe,
it was given to me by a friend
a ga-zillion years ago-
and I haven't made or even looked
for a different white bread recipe since.

You can do everything with this recipe.
Cinnamon rolls- YUP!

Right before rolling up, I like my cinnamon rolls big & fat!

French Bread- YUP!

we made mini french breads for homemade sub sandwiches. more lunchroom envy

Pizza Dough- YUP again.
sorry no picture, we don't make pizza anymore :(

Our favorites,
besides just straight up are,
Cinnamon Swirl,

which we love to use for cinnamon swirl
french toast,

OHHHhhhhhhh,
did I say Heavenly Breakfast?
and mini loaves for school lunches-

Mama loaves and Baby loaves all together, yummy no matter how big they are

My kids come home EVERY time
they take these little cuties to school

and tell me how ALL their friends told them
they are so lucky to have these little
breads for lunch.

And with just a few quick
steps and a little kneading-
You too,
can be the Queen Mama Bee
at lunch time.

WHITE BREAD
courtesy of Kitty Marshal

6 c. warm water                                      1 c. sugar

3 TBS. Yeast

Let sit for 5 minutes.  Add:

1 1/ 2 TBS. Salt                                       1 c. oil

13-15 c. flour

Mix 5-10 minutes.  Let sit 5-10 minutes.  Put in nonstick or greased pans. Let rise to double it’s size then bake at 350 for 20- 35 min.  Makes 6 1# loaves or 4 1 1/ 2 # loaves. 

Bread recipe options:

1.  Wheat Bread:

Substitute 1- 10 cups of flour with whole wheat flour.

2. Honey Wheat Bread:

Replace all or some of sugar with honey.  Remember honey is twice as sweet as sugar

3. Multi- Grain Bread:

Add 1-3 cups dry rolled oats or multi grain cereal to replace part of flour.  You can also add nuts or sunflower seeds.

4. Dinner Rolls:

Replace 1/ 2- 1 cup of oil with an equal amount of shortening, margarine or butter.  Form into balls.  Brush with egg.  Raise to double in size. Bake 20- 30 minutes.

5. Wheat Rolls:

Same as dinner rolls, except replace 1- 7 cups white flour with whole wheat flour.

6. French Bread:

omit oil and sugar (1-2 T. Of each could be added if desired).  To prepare pan, grease and dust with corn meal.  Brush with egg, sprinkle with sesame seeds (if desired), and slice top with sharp knife.  Bake as above.

7. Cinnamon Rolls:

use 1/4 or 1/ 2 of recipe for white bread.  Roll out 1/4 “ thick into a rectangle.  Spread butter over dough and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar (or sugar and orange zest).  Roll up and cut in rounds.  Bake as above.  Frost with favorite frosting.  For orange rolls, use orange juice instead of milk or water for frosting and add orange zest.  

8.  Pull apart bread:

take small pieces of dough and dip in melted butter or margarine.  Dip into one of these: instant butterscotch pudding, cinnamon sugar, orange sugar.  Drop in pan, sprinkle with remaining sugar.  Let rise and bake as above. 

9.  Recipe can also be used for pizza crust.                                    

Blueberry Breakfast Casserole

It has blueberries,

Does that make it healthy?
Full of anti-oxidants?
Luscious & Delicious?

1 & 1/2 ain't bad right??

It also has butter (dairy)
oats (grains)
and sugar-
most of that is good for you too, right??

This is my children's favorite
Saturday Morning Breakfast

This goes together same day,
so I don't like to make it if I am short on time.

First, gather yourself some yummy blueberries,

in my dream world,
I would pick them from my beautiful backyard
garden area,
in my real world,
I get them from the local market.
Sweeten them with some sugar.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl,

Grab a can of biscuits from the fridge,
separate the dough and cut each biscuit into quarters

Dip each quarter in melted butter

and coat with brown sugar/cinnamon mixture

Arrange in a single layer in a 9 inch square baking dish
that has been generously greased.

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the oats.

Spoon sugared blueberries over the oats and biscuits
and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of oats.

 Drizzle remaining butter over the top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes,
until cake is golden brown and center is done.

Cool 10 minutes. Serve Warm and enjoy a
Wonderful Saturday


Blueberry Breakfast Casserole

1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
12 oz. can buttermilk biscuits
1/2 c. melted butter
1 c. quick rolled oats, separated
1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries
1/2 c. sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Generously grease 9 inch square baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon
and mix well with a fork.
Separate the biscuit dough. Cut each biscuit in quarters.
Dip each piece in melted butter and coat with brown sugar mix.
Arrange in a single layer in baking dish.
Sprinkle with 1/2 c. oats.
Combine blueberries and sugar in a bowl and toss to coat,
spoon over the oats and biscuits and sprinkle with
remaining oats. Drizzle remaining melted butter on top.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cake is golden brown
and center is done.
Let cool.
Serve warm.