Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

One of my favorite breakfast treats is chocolate chip coffee cake. My mom used to buy one on special occasions when I was growing up. She bought them from a wonderful bakery and I have yet to find another coffee cake to compare. Fortunately, she knows how much I love that coffee cake and she usually buys one whenever we visit.

Since I can't have my favorite coffee cake more often, this one is a great substitute! It is moist and dense, yet still light at the same time. It all depends on the bite you take.
Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

• 3 c. flour
• 2 1/4 t. baking powder
• 1 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 3/4 c. butter or margarine
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 c. sour cream
• 2 t. vanilla
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 1 3/4 c. chocolate chips

1. Grease a 13x9 casserole dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together and set aside. In a second small bowl, combine 1/2 c. sugar with 2 t. cinnamon and set aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, beat together 1 c. granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter until creamy. Stir in eggs, sour cream and vanilla until fluffy. Slowly add flour mixture to mixing bowl and combine.

4. Spread half of the batter into prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Top with 3/4 c. chocolate chips. Carefully spread remaining batter on top of chocolate chips and repeat topping, using the rest of the cinnamon-sugar and 3/4 c. chocolate chips.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. If desired, melt the remaining 1/4 c. chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave and drizzle over cooled coffee cake.

Originally published on my other blog, A Simple Walk.

Bacon, Cheese & Egg Biscuit Cups

I've had the idea for these cups floating around in my head for a long time. I've always loved appetizer-type dishes made with canned crescent rolls or biscuits. However, I wanted to be able to make similar dishes with a made-from-scratch dough. So I finally tackled that project this weekend and I am so happy with the way they turned out.

This recipe makes 2 dozen, so there are plenty to stick in the freezer to enjoy later. We reheated a frozen batch for lunch today and they turned out wonderfully! These are definitely versatile enough for breakfast or lunch.

Bacon, Cheese & Egg Biscuit Cups
For Biscuit Dough:

• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 2 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 T. sugar
• 1/2 c. butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

1. In a large bowl, whisk or sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk and egg until dough comes together. Knead a few times by hand and set aside.

For Filling:

• 6 eggs
• 3 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 c. milk
  
• 1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• To taste: hot sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper...or any other seasonings you'd like to add

1. Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Stir in cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add other ingredients and stir to combine.

To assemble:

1. Using about 2 T. of biscuit dough at a time, press into the bottom, and 3/4 of the way up the sides, of lightly greased muffin tins. Pre-bake at 400 degrees for 3 minutes.
2. Pour 1/4 c. egg mixture into each pre-baked biscuit cup and bake for 12-15 minutes longer, until eggs are completely set and biscuit cups are slightly browned.
Stop by The Happy Housewife for more Hot Breakfast Challenge.

This post is also being linked to:

• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace
• Tasty Tuesday at Forever, Wherever
• Kitchen Tip Tuesday at Tammy's Recipes
• Tackle-It Tuesday at 5MFM
• I Am Blissfully Domestic at Blissfully Domestic

Cinnamon-Apple Stuffed French Toast

Your breakfast might never be the same again - not after you try this! I have to admit, this was a complete experiment but it turned out SO good. I couldn't wait to share it here.

I've wanted to come up with a fun, new breakfast option for us for awhile, so this was a fun tackle. And probably the most tasty one yet!

Cinnamon-Apple Stuffed French Toast

• 1/4 c. butter
• 2 apples, peeled and cubed
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  
• 12 slices thick, hearty bread (I used a whole wheat sandwich-cut bread. The bread needs to be hearty enough to stand up to the filling.)
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 T. vanilla
• 1/4 t. cinnamon
• Extra butter for the skillet

1. Melt 1/4 c. butter in a small skillet. Add apples, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook 5-8 minutes until apples start getting tender.
2. In a bowl, add cream cheese and apple mixture. Stir until well combined. (This can be made the night before and kept refrigerated.)
3. Add about 2 T. filling to the center of one piece of bread. Spread out a little but don't go all the way to the edges. Top with another slice of bread to make a sandwich. Repeat with all.

4. Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Dip sandwiches in egg mixture as you would for regular French toast. Cook in a hot, greased skillet, 3-4 minutes per side.
This post is being linked to:

• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace
• Kitchen Tip Tuesday at Tammy's Recipes
• Tasty Tuesday at Forever, Wherever
• Tackle-It Tuesday at 5MFM

And stop by The Happy Housewife for the Hot Breakfast Challenge.

Chocolate Chip Breakfast Biscuits

We like a lot of variety in our breakfast routine. It's so easy to just stick with the oatmeal or pancake stand-bys, but I try to rotate things as much as possible. At the very least, I make sure we do not eat the same thing two days in a row.

This morning, I needed a breakfast that would come together quickly but still be a treat for my husband's birthday. Then I remembered - chocolate chip breakfast biscuits! I've made these quite a few times in the past and they are always a HUGE hit. For whatever reason though, they've been forgotten about until today. They are so good that I doubt I'll be making that mistake again!
Chocolate Chip Breakfast Biscuits

• 3 c. flour
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 T. baking powder
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1-2 c. chocolate chips
• 1/2-1 c. milk

1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Stir in chocolate chips.

2. Add the milk, a little at a time, just until dough comes together. If you accidentally add too much milk and the dough becomes sticky, just add a little more flour.

3. Roll out dough and cut, or just drop 1/4 c. portions onto a baking sheet. (That's what I did.) Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until fully cooked and lightly browned on top.

Don't forgot to visit Shannon's blog for more Works For Me Wednesday.

Morning Glory Muffins

This recipe has been tweaked over and over again and I've gotten it to the point where I don't think I could possibly add anything else to it. (Although nuts would make a nice addition too. I usually leave them out though.) The muffins turn out so moist and delicious.

This recipe makes about 3 dozen, so it's a great one when you want to stock the freezer.

Morning Glory Muffins

• 2 c. whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 c. white flour (You could probably go less or more either way between the two types of flour.)
• 2 1/2 c. sugar
  
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. nutmeg
• 1/2 t. ginger
• 2 t. baking soda
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 c. shredded coconut
• 1 c. raisins
• 2 apples, peeled and grated
• 4 carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 c. mandarin oranges, drained
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 c. applesauce
• 1/2 c. vegetable or canola oil
• 2 t. vanilla
• Optional: coarse sugar
  

1. Stir together the flours, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

2. I a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and stir to blend well. Slowly add in the dry ingredients until fully incorporated.

3. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full. If desired, sprinkle coarse sugar on top of the muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
Stop by The Grocery Cart Challenge for more recipes.

Bacon Waffles

I've written about these before on my other blog, but because there is just no other breakfast recipe that could possibly compare, I had to share them here too.

Bacon waffles are the ultimate choice in breakfast food for me. A crispy, chewy waffle filled with pieces of crispy bacon, drenched with syrup and a little butter - what could be better? Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), not a single restaurant within a 30 mile radius of our house has these on their menu. As soon as I saw the waffle maker I got for Christmas, I just knew I would have to christen it with a batch of these sinful waffles.

Bacon Waffles

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 t. maple extract, optional
• 1/2 lb. cooked and crumbled bacon (Perfect for leftover bacon.)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Temper or cool the melted butter and add to the egg mixture, along with the extracts. Fold in the bacon.

3. Bake according to the instructions on your waffle maker.

You can certainly use this bacon method with your own favorite waffle recipe, or even in pancakes. They freeze perfectly and reheat nicely in the toaster.

Stop by Blessed With Grace for more Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Ham & Cheese Strata

This is such a versatile meal. The seasonings can be changed, the meat can be switched or eliminated altogether, the cheese can be swapped with something else, and so can the bread. And the best part? Almost every combination turns out delicious! It is also great for breakfast or dinner!

Ham & Cheese Strata

• 8 slices bread, white or whole wheat
• 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 c. ham, chopped
• 2 1/4 c. milk
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 t. salt
• 1/4 t. dry mustard
• 1/4 t. paprika
• 1/4 t. pepper

1. Cut the crusts off 5 slices of bread and set aside. Place remaining 3 slices of bread and the removed crusts into the bottom of a greased 13×9 casserole dish.

2. Layer the ham and cheese on top of the bread. Cut the remaining 5 slices of bread in 1/2 and layer on top in two rows.

3. Combine the milk, eggs and seasonings in a small bowl. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Find more tummy-tempting goodness at Blessed With Grace and head over to $5 Dinners for more $5 recipe challenge.

Notes and A Quiche Recipe

I'll be stealing some time in the kitchen to make this yummy dinner tomorrow night.

If you want to see my menu plan for the week, I posted it on my other blog here.

On the Cooking During Stolen Moments blog plan for this week, I'll be posting a full game plan that includes Chicken Parmesan fingers and garlic spaghetti. I'll also be posting some more recipes that I'll be making throughout the week. And I will do a few posts on time management in the kitchen and how I stick to our $350 grocery budget. If you have any questions, recipe or full game plan requests, please let me know and I'll answer those this week too.

Sausage, Spinach & Cheese Quiche

• 1 pie crust for single crust pie
• 1 T. butter or margarine
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 c. frozen spinach
• 4 eggs
• 1 c. milk
• 1/2 lb. bulk sausage or 1 pkg. brown & serve sausage, sliced
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. pepper
• 1/2 t. mustard powder
• 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and prebake empty pie shell in pie plate for 3 minutes.

2. Melt butter in a skillet. Add the green pepper and onion to the pan. Cook until onion is tender. Add frozen spinach and cook until warmed through. Set aside and cool.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Stir in veggie mixture and sausage. Stir in seasonings and cheese.

4. Pour into pie plate. Bake at 425 degrees for 5-10 minutes, until crust edges are browned. Remove from oven and cover edges with tin foil. Put back in oven and back for 30-40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting.

Blueberry Pancakes

Blueberry Pancakes

• 2 c. flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1 t. baking soda
• 3 T. sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 c. buttermilk
• 4 T. melted butter
• 1 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen (If using frozen, do not thaw first.)
  

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar together in a medium bowl. Stir in eggs, buttermilk and butter. Do not over stir the batter, small to medium lumps are fine.

2. Pour about 1/3 c. batter onto a hot, greased skillet or griddle. Add blueberries immediately. Cook until edges are dry and center is bubbly. Flip and cook for one more minute. Repeat as needed.

This recipe was originally published on my other blog, A Simple Walk.

Head over to Grocery Cart Challenge for lots more great recipes.

Homemade Bisquick Mix & Cheeseburger Pie Recipe

Last week I wanted to make the classic bisquick cheeseburger pie for dinner. I grew up with this dish and always loved it. My family has always enjoyed it when I've made it in the past also. But it had been a long time since we had it, mainly because we no longer buy bisquick.

For a long time I have wanted to tackle making a really good bisquick substitute. Everything I have tried has been really lacking though. So I finally decided to combine some of the recipes I found and came up with this wonderful alternative.

Homemade Bisquick Mix

• 5 c. flour
• 2 T. baking powder
• 2 t. salt
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. dry milk powder
• 3/4 t. baking soda
• 1/2 c. butter or margarine

1. Combine all of the dry ingredients. Cut butter or margarine into the mixture with a pastry cutter or two knives until crumbly. Store in a well-sealed container in the freezer.

**To make pancakes, combine 1 1/2 c. mix with 1 egg and 1/2 - 1 c. water. (Start with a 1/2 c. water and add more as needed until desired consistency.)



Cheeseburger Pie

• 1/2 - 1 lb. ground beef or turkey
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 c. homemade bisquick mix
• 2 c. water
• 4 eggs

1. Brown ground beef with onion, salt and garlic powder. Place in a greased 9 x 13 casserole pan.
2. Cover with cheese. (If you are making this ahead of time, let the beef cool first.)
3. Whisk together mix, water and eggs. Pour over beef and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

**This is very stolen moments-friendly. I made this at 10:00 am and it sat, uncooked, in the refrigerator until half an hour before dinner.

Head over to 5MFM for Tackle-It Tuesday and The Lazy Organizer for Talk-About Tuesday.

Quick & Easy Pancakes

Whenever I'm able to steal away to the kitchen for about 15 minutes, I usually can find something that needs to be done. If our meals for the day are done, if I'm not in the middle of freezer cooking, and if I don't have any other baking to do, I usually make pancakes.

Pancakes are one of my favorite things to have on hand in the freezer for quick breakfasts. (Muffins and French toast are my other favorites.) They freeze wonderfully and reheat quickly. They're also versatile enough that we can eat them for lunch.

They also make a quick snack. We like to cut them into strips, warm in skillet with some butter, and then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon while still warm. This is a favorite treat with the kids.

Here is the recipe I use for our freezer pancakes. When I'm making special breakfasts I sometimes use a more elaborate recipe, but this one is perfect for everyday.

Pancakes

• 4 t. baking powder
• 1 1/2 c. white flour
• 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2/3 c. dry milk powder
• 1/2 t. cinnamon, optional
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 c. water
• 2 T. oil, melted butter, or applesauce
• 1 t. vanilla

1. Whisk together baking powder, flours, salt, sugar, dry milk powder and optional cinnamon.
2. Whisk in eggs, water, oil, butter, or applesauce, and vanilla.
3. Pour about 1/4 c. of batter on a hot, greased griddle for each pancake. Makes about 2 dozen pancakes.

The nice thing about this recipe is that it is easily halved, doubled or tripled. Also, after step 1, you can put the mix in jar or container and keep on hand for last minute preparation.

This mix is also friendly to add-in ingredients. I've successfully added chocolate chips, bananas or blueberries to the pancakes.

To freeze them, I stack as many as we'll need for breakfast in a plastic freezer bag. If you want to be able to use just a few at a time, freeze the pancakes on a cookie sheet before putting in the bag so that they don't stick together.

To reheat, I usually just defrost and warm them in the microwave. You could also thaw the pancakes in the freezer over night then warm for a few seconds on each side in a skillet, or on a cookie sheet in the oven for a few minutes.

If this is your first time to my new blog - welcome! I hope you'll spend a few minutes looking around. (You may be familiar with my two other blogs - A Simple Walk and Happy To Be At Home.) I'm still getting things settled here and trying to keep up with the posting. I hope to have it all fixed up and working like clockwork, with a new recipe daily and at least 3 full game plans weekly, within the next week or two.

You can find more Frugal Friday over at Crystal's blog.