Common Cuisine |

Dry Ingredients:

• 6 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups of raw almonds
• ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
• ½ cup sesame seeds
• ½ cup ground flax seed
• Optional: 1 cup dried fruit (add after cooked) –date pieces, cranberries, etc.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together, and then stir into dry ingredients. Stir well to mix thoroughly.

Spread the mixture into two baking dishes. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until evenly golden brown. Stir 2-3 times during baking to ensure even browning. If you use fruit, stir in once it has cooled. Store in the refrigerator. Makes about 12 cups.

Remember to check my post for Approximate Measures to see how many lemons it takes to get that much zest and juice!

• 2 (7 oz) pkgs blueberry muffin mix
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Topping:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Line 8″ loaf pan with foil. Lightly coat with cooking spray.

Combine muffin mix, sour cream, water, egg, zest, and lemon juice in large bowl until moistened. Spread into prepared pan. Mix flour, sugar and butter with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes, then remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely before cutting.

12 servings.

This is a good protein-intensive breakfast for a large family or overnight guests, especially those who enjoy a taste of the Southwest. It is also a good carry along for breakfast or brunch potlucks. Start the night before, and then plan to serve breakfast about 90 minutes after removing from the refrigerator in the morning.

• 1 pound bacon
• 2 Tbsp butter
• ½ onion, chopped
• 3 tbsp roasted red peppers, chopped
• 1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies, drained
• 7 thick bread slices, cut into 1” pieces
• 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack or pepper jack cheese
• 8 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• ½ tsp chili powder

Cook bacon in skillet over medium high heat, turning occasionally. Drain on paper towels. Crumble.

Melt butter in skillet. Add onions and cook and stir until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in peppers and chilies. Remove from heat and set aside.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl until well beaten. Add milk and chili powder; mix well. Stir in onion mixture.

Grease a 13 x 9 glass dish. Arrange bread cubes in bottom of pan. Sprinkle crumbled bacon and cheeses over bread. Pour egg mixture evenly over all. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator and let stand for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300. Remove cover and bake 60 to 70 minutes, until center is set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 14.

When we moved into our new house a few months ago, I began a new tradition of making breakfast for dinner once a week. We have all enjoyed the weekly treat, and I have had lots of chances to work on the health factor of the pancakes. This version pleases me for health, and pleases my husband for still tasting like pancakes should.

I grind the almonds and flaxseed in a coffee grinder that I have dedicated to spices. Don’t grind the nuts too much or you will end up with nut butter!

• 1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c whole wheat flour
• 1/4 c ground almonds
• 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla

Combine dry ingredients (flours, ground nuts and seeds, baking powder, salt) in a large bowl. Add milk, egg, butter and vanilla and mix until combined. Mix should be runny.

Heat a large frying pan or griddle over medium high heat. When a drop of water sizzles on the surface, add a little butter to the pan. Allow it to melt and spread over the surface of the pan.

Using a scant (just a little less than) 1/4 cup of batter per pancake, pour 3 or 4 pancakes in the pan. Cook about 2 minutes until batter bubbles and the bubbles begin to break. Check the underside to make sure it is getting golden brown. Flip pancakes with a spatula and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Store finished pancakes in a pyrex dish in the oven while you finish making the rest. To continue, add another dollop of butter and repeat until batter is used up.

Serve with a shot glass of real maple syrup for dipping, to help control how much syrup is consumed.

Serves 4.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I need to grab breakfast on the run. And the easy solution too often ends up being a pop-tart or coffee-shop pastry, which only serves to set me up for blood sugar crash an hour later. These muffins are a great alternative, and include a little spice to wake you up as well as a dose of protein to feed your brain.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 c buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 Tbsp melted buttermilk
• 1 bunch thinly sliced green onions
• 1 cup diced ham or smoked sausage (6 ounces)
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup finely diced red pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Coat 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray, or line with muffin cups and spray those.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pepper, salt and cayenne.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil and butter. Stir in green onions.

Add wet ingredients to dry and mix with a rubber spatula just until moistened. Scoop batter into the prepared pan, filling muffin cups very full.

Bake until tops of muffins are browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes, then loosen edges with a knife and transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm.

To store, wrap muffins individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month. To reheat, remove plastic wrap, cover the muffin with a paper towel and microwave for 30 to 60 seconds.

Makes 12 muffins.

This is one of those fun recipes that could serve as a breakfast or dessert. It’s also a great dish for kids to help with. Have them roll the apples in the dough for you, and they will feel as if they created the dish themselves.

• 2 medium Granny Smith apples
• 1 package (6 large or jumbo) refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 Tbsp butter
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup very finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8” square baking dish. Peel and core apples. Cut each apple in 6 pieces.

Unroll crescent roll dough. Separate triangles, then cut each in half from the point to the wide end. Starting at wide end, wrap each apple section in a dough triangle and place in pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Combine butter, sugar and orange juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over dumplings. Sprinkle pecans over top.

Bake 30 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve warm, spooning some of the syrup from the baking dish over dumplings. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

Serves 12.

This recipe is decadently good, yet so simple I was able to make it on impulse, with no special trip to the grocery store. It is not a “diet” recipe by any stretch, but I can justify it on a Saturday morning when everyone will be working hard around the house burning energy all day. This also uses less sugar and butter than the original recipe.

Notice the only time consuming step is thawing frozen bread dough. Make it yourself from scratch early in the morning, for a little more love (and sugar) and a little less forethought. “From Scratch” instructions follow the recipe below.

This recipe got me thinking about making my own nutrient-boosted dough from scratch, and freezing it until I am ready to use it. Like many things I do in the kitchen, I don’t think it would be difficult. It just requires a little planning. I will post the results of any research I dig up!

Thawing time: overnight
Morning prep time: 75 minutes

ROLLS:
1 loaf frozen white bread dough
6 Tbsp butter (3/4 stick), softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

ICING:
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
dash salt

Set frozen bread loaf in a 13″ x 9″ baking dish. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray, cover loaf, and set in refrigerator. Allow to rise overnight. HINT: Set your butter out on the counter now, so it will be soft by morning.

75 minutes before breakfast time, stir together 6 Tbsp softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Remove loaf from refrigerator; save your piece of plastic wrap. Place loaf on a floured surface and roll to 12″ x 9″. Spread sugar mixture on dough, leaving 1″ empty along one long edge. Sprinkle raisins and nuts over sugar mixture. Then, starting along the other long edge, roll the dough into a 12″ log. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the last 1″, and pinch the edge onto the log.

Using dental floss or a sharp knife, carefully cut the log in half, then in half again. Cut each quarter into three equal parts. Set the twelve pieces on end into lightly greased muffin cups. Cover with the saved piece of sprayed plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375.

Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in muffin cups for a few moments while making the icing.

Melt 2 Tbsp butter and cream cheese together in microwave. Mix in powdered sugar, vanilla and salt.

Remove rolls to a serving platter, and drizzle with the icing. Serve warm.

Makes 12.

OPTION: Place all rolls in a 13″x 9″ dish, and bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm, directly from the dish.

DOUGH FROM SCRATCH:
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 egg

Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in margarine; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes. Proceed with rolling and spreading processes above.