Breakfast | onedadskitchen

Butter Up Some Cinnamon-Raisin Swirl Breakfast Loaf

For me, many mornings for breakfast are nothing more than a cup of coffee and a piece of fruit, but occasionally I also love to have a piece of toast along with it. It does not matter to me if it is an English muffin, a bagel, a roll or a piece of any kind of bread, I just really like to have a piece of toast, particularly with an egg, for breakfast. Ever since I was a kid I always really enjoyed cinnamon raisin bread as a piece of toast. That warm bread with the warm, plumped up raisins and the hint of cinnamon across the bread just smells great while it is toasting and tastes even better with a little bit of soft butter on it. This made me want to try to make my own cinnamon raisin bread so we could have some for Christmas morning this year after we opened presents. I found this recipe from Williams-Sonoma and it seemed to fit everything perfectly, so I gave it a try.

Cinnamon-Raisin-Swirl Breakfast Loaf

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) quick-rise yeast

3 cups bread flour, or as needed

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1/2 cup of cold water, the milk, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the 4 tablespoons of room temperature butter and the yeast. Add 2 1/2 cups of the bread flour and the salt. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add enough of the remaining to make a soft dough that does not stick to the bowl. Remove the paddle attachment and fit the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Knead the dough on medium-low speed, adding more flour if needed, until the dough is smooth but soft, about 6 to 7 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball.

Lightly butter a large bowl and add the dough and turn to coat it with the butter. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in bulk, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll out the dough into a 9-inch square. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon, the raisins and the remaining 1/4 cup of the sugar. Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around all sides. Roll up the dough into a log and pinch the seam to seal it. Transfer the dough to the loaf pan, seam side, and lightly press the top of the dough to evenly fill the pan. Loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough stand in a warm spot until the dough rises to the top of the pan, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the loaf gently with the melted butter. bake the bread until the top of the loaf is golden brown and the bottom, when the loaf is carefully removed from the pan, sounds hollow when rapped on the bottom with your knuckles, about 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the loaf onto the rack, then invert it again and let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

The bread came out perfectly and let it sit overnight, wrapped, before slicing it on Christmas morning and it sliced perfectly. There was a nice swirl throughout the bread and the bread had great chew and texture with a nice crust. Of course, the true test for me was when it was toasted and it was perfect. I loved the smell of the bread as it was baking in the oven, but it seemed even better in the toaster and made great toast for Christmas morning. I would make this bread any time as it was pretty easy to do and turned out a great loaf.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on December 26, 2014 in Breads, Breakfast, Cooking

Tags: cinnamon raisin bread, cinnamon raisin bread recipe, cinnamon-raisin-swirl breakfast loaf, raisin bread recipe, williams-sonoma

Christmas Brunch Recipes and Ideas : Food Network

24 Dec

Christmas Brunch Recipes and Ideas : Food Network.

There’s still time to put together some ideas for a great Christmas breakfast or brunch. Food Network gives you some ideas that are easy to put together and look fantastic. I’ll be back after the Christmas holiday with some fun recipes I have tried. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and thanks for following along!

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Posted by MikeG on December 24, 2014 in Biscuits, Breads, Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Eggs, Fruit, Holidays, Potatoes, Sausage

Tags: Christmas brunch, Christmas brunch ideas, Christmas brunch menu, Christmas brunch recipes, food network, Food Network Christmas brunch ideas

Bacon 25 Ways – NYTimes.com

17 Dec

Bacon 25 Ways – NYTimes.com.

It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like bacon, and it can be a very versatile ingredient, fitting into every course of a meal and breakfast, lunch and dinner to boot. You can also cook it in a variety of ways – in the microwave, on the stovetop, on the grill or in the oven. In the New York Times, Mark Bittman has put together 25 easy and fantastic ways that you can use bacon in various dishes and ways. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on December 17, 2014 in Appetizers, Beans, Beef, Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Grilling, Lunch, Picnic Fare, Pork, Potatoes, Poultry, Rice, Salad, Sandwiches, Seafood, Side Dishes

Tags: 25 bacon recipes, 25 recipes using bacon, bacon 25 ways, mark bittman, new york times, NYT Cooking bacon 25 ways, NYT Cooking bacon recipes

12 Buttermilk Recipes for Every Meal from Breakfast to Dessert Slideshow – Bon Appétit

06 Dec

12 Buttermilk Recipes for Every Meal from Breakfast to Dessert Slideshow – Bon Appétit.

I find myself using buttermilk quite often as an ingredient in all types of recipes, from biscuits, breads and cakes to chicken and everything in between. It is pretty versatile and adds some great flavor to all kinds if dishes. Bon Appetit has put together 12 recipes that make use of buttermilk so you can incorporate it into a bunch of different meals. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on December 6, 2014 in Biscuits, Breads, Breakfast, Cakes, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dessert, Dinner

Tags: 12 buttermilk recipes for every meal, bon appetit, Bon Appetit 12 buttermilk recipes, buttermilk recipes, ways to use buttermilk

Go Ga Ga for Gogola!

20 Nov

I knew as soon as I saw this recipe that I would be trying it shortly. I saw this recipe at the New York Times Cooking website and immediately thought it would be a good idea. The recipe is for gogola, which are banana beignets that are traditionally served as par of the Hindu holiday of Phagwah. They are basically a lot like fried donut holes except the make use of some great ingredients and, of course, bananas, which are one of my favorite things to have in desserts. This recipe is very easy to put together with just a few ingredients, so if you have some very ripe bananas on hand this can be a perfect use for them.

Gogola (Banana Beignets)

5 very ripe bananas (brown, not black)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon almond extract

¾ cup sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 large pinch freshly grated nutmeg

1 large pinch ground cinnamon

¼ cup (or more) evaporated milk

Vegetable oil for frying

Powdered sugar (optional)

Using a potato masher or large fork, mash the bananas in a large bowl. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract and the sugar, and mix the ingredients well.

In another bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon. Combine the flour and banana mixtures and pour in the evaporated milk. Mix until the mixture is smooth and thick, like waffle batter, adding a little more evaporated milk if needed. Set the batter aside to rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Heat 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy pot set over medium heat to 350 degrees. Drop the batter by heaping teaspoonfuls into the oil and fry until the beignets are golden brown on both sides, turning once when the edges are firm, about 3 minutes. Drain the beignets on paper towels. Cook just a few at first and taste one to make sure that there is enough sugar included and that the insides are cooked through. If the inside is runny, reduce the heat so the gogolas cook more slowly. Cook the remaining batter in batches.

Serve the gogola immediately, or keep them warm in a 200-degree oven for up to 2 hours. Sprinkle the gogola with powdered sugar just before serving, if desired.

These were an incredibly tasty treat that made a perfect dessert. They were just a bit sweet with great banana flavor throughout and they were just the right bite size where you could have a few (or ten) and really enjoy them. This is a good alternative to making a donut recipe as it may not take as much effort and they were great for dessert or as a nice breakfast treat with a cup of coffee in the morning. This would probably be good with other fruits besides bananas as well if you wanted to try something different.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on November 20, 2014 in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Dessert, Snacks

Tags: banana beignets, donut recipe, gogola, gogola recipe, New York Times Cooking, NYT Cooking gogola

Better Bake These Banana Bread Muffins with Browned Butter Glaze

10 Oct

I haven’t posted anything in a couple of days because I have been busy trying to get caught up with work and because our oven when on the fritz the other day and refused to ignite. I was able to cook on the stovetop but we were pretty limited in what we could have, but thankfully my brother helped me out and I got the part to fix the oven and he was able to get it going again today, so I can get back to cooking meals and treats again tonight. In the meantime, I can let you know about a recipe I tried a week ago when I had some bananas that were passing their prime and needed something to do with them – fast. I knew I could make some banana bread or some banana muffins, but how about combining the two and topping them off with a nice glaze? That sounded even better and I came across this recipe at Cooking with Ruthie for baked banana bread donuts with a browned butter glaze that I chose to make as muffins instead. I am sure they make great donuts too if you have the right donut pan, but muffins were the easier way to go for me this round so that’s what I did.

Baked Banana Bread Muffins with Browned Butter Glaze

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup applesauce

3/4 cup sugar

2 whole eggs plus 4 egg whites

2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)

2 teaspoons baking soda

4 overripe bananas

1/4 cup butter

2 cup confectioner’s sugar

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons milk

In a large bowl, blend the butter, applesauce, sugar, eggs and egg whites with a hand mixer. Slowly add in the all-purpose flour, lemon juice and baking soda and mix on high for about 2 minutes to mix the ingredients well. The batter will appear glossy when it is done. Mash the bananas in a separate bowl and gently fold in the bananas to the batter until they are well incorporated.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a muffin pan lined with muffin papers, fill each paper with batter until it is about 2/3 full. The batter should make 18 to 24 muffins. Bake the muffins in the oven for about 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins in the pans on a wire rack for about minutes, then turn them out onto the wire rack to finish cooling.

For the glaze, melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, watching the butter carefully to see when it reaches a medium brown color and has a nutty aroma. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in 1 cup of the confectioner’s sugar at a time, adding 1 tablespoon of milk as the mixture thickens to help thin it out. Adjust the milk as necessary so that it stays thick enough to stay on top of the muffins. Add the vanilla to the mixture and whisk until the glaze is smooth. Drizzle the warm glaze over the tops of the muffins. The glaze will set quickly so you want to work quickly while it is warm and pourable. Cool the muffins again and serve.

The muffins had that great banana bread texture and flavor so they came out perfectly, and the glaze added a touch of sweetness to the muffins that plain banana muffins did not have in the past. I think you could get even better flavor out of the glaze and jazz it up a bit if you added a bit of banana liqueur or some dark rum to give it a bananas foster type of flavor. Maybe next time around I will give it a try. I think these would be great donuts too, but I only have the mini donut pan and it would have taken several batches to make them, so I opted for muffins instead. This is a nice alternative to banana bread if you need something to do with extra bananas.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on October 10, 2014 in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Dessert, Fruit

Tags: baked banana bread muffins, baked banana bread muffins with browned butter glaze, banana bread, banana bread donuts, banana bread muffins, banana muffins, Cooking with Ruthie

A Quick Breakfast Any Time – Potato-Bacon Breakfast Tacos with Monterey Jack

22 Sep

Personally, I am not much of a breakfast person myself. I usually am happy with just a cup of coffee and maybe a piece of fruit, but Sean likes breakfast and needs something to get him going for a long day at school, so I am always trying to come up with something that he will enjoy and maybe even ask for again instead of just cereal or breakfast bars. I think I may have hit on something when I tried this recipe from Bon Appetit for potato-bacon breakfast tacos with Monterey Jack cheese. They are quick and easy to make and you can really put anything you want in them to fit your particular tastes in the morning. This recipe makes 8 servings, so you can adjust it to make whatever you may happen to need for you and your family.

Potato-Bacon Breakfast Tacos with Monterey Jack Cheese

4 ounces bacon (about 6 slices), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 6-inch flour tortillas, warmed

8 eggs

2 tablespoons butter

Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, shredded (for serving)

1 avocado, sliced, for serving (optional)

Hot sauce (for serving)

In a medium skillet set over medium-high heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels so it can drain. Do not pour off the fat from the skillet.

In the same skillet that you cooked bacon, add the potatoes and cook, stirring often, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a plate or bowl and season them with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a large bowl to blend them. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat until the foam subsides. Add the eggs and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the skillet with a heatproof spatula to form large curds, until the eggs are just set, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the eggs from the heat and mix in the bacon pieces with the eggs.

Fill the warmed tortillas with the egg mixture and the potatoes and top with your favorite toppings, such as shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, sliced avocado and hot sauce.

Of course, you can top these with whatever type of cheese you like best, sautéed onions, peppers, any other warmed vegetable you might like, breakfast sausage or really just about anything else that you like to go with your eggs. You get all of your favorite breakfast flavors in each bite of the taco and they take only minutes to make in the morning. You can make things even easier for yourself and use a can of diced potatoes or some frozen diced potatoes or even better, leftovers, to make this in an even faster time. Sean really liked it so I know he’ll be asking to have this one again.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 22, 2014 in Breakfast, Cooking, Eggs

Tags: bon appetit, breakfast taco recipe, breakfast tacos, potato-bacon breakfast tacos with Monterey Jack

A Morning Treat or Fine Dessert – Peach and Blueberry Cobbler

02 Sep

While going to farmer’s markets is a great way to support your own local economy, buy directly from the farms around you and get great produce and other items for great prices, one thing I have found is that some people do tend to go a little overboard with the amount they buy in relation to what they will eat before it will all spoil. I have to admit I am guilty of this at times as things can look great and I get all of these ideas in my head as to what I can do and make with what I buy, but the reality is that sometimes I just do not have the time to do it. When I was checking over what we had just he other day, I discovered some peaches and blueberries I had forgotten about and I wanted to do something to make a quick dish with them before they went pas the point of no return. The easiest thing to do with fruit like this I have found is to make some sort of cobbler or crumble. Thus this recipe from Kitchen Daily for a peach and blueberry cobbler came at the perfect time and was put to use right away.

Peach and Blueberry Cobbler

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 ripe but firm peaches (about 1 pound), pitted and sliced into eighths, or 3 1/2 cups frozen peaches

2 cups (1 pint) fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the butter and vegetable or canola oil in a large cast-iron skillet or a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan. Heat the skillet or pan in the oven until the butter is melted and fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the whole-wheat flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, sugar and vanilla extract and stir the mixture until it is combined.

Add the melted butter mixture to the batter in the bowl and stir to combine them. Pour the batter into the hot skillet or pan. Spoon the peaches and blueberries evenly over the batter.

Return the skillet or pan to the oven and bake the mixture until the top of the cobbler is browned and the batter around the fruit is completely set, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the skillet to a wire rack to coll the cobbler for at least 15 minutes. Serve the cobbler warm.

Of course, you can also make this ahead, cool it and remove it from the skillet and keep it for after dinner. I warmed up the pieces in the microwave before we served them, but you could also put the whole skillet back in a warm 350 degree oven for a few minutes just to warm it through. This is perfect to serve with some ice cream or whipped cream (or both) as a dessert, but having a slice with your coffee in the morning also makes for a very tasty breakfast. You get the great mix of the fruit together with a simple recipe. The whole-wheat flour adds some flavor and texture to the dish, but I think you could just as easily use all-purpose flour instead if you prefer it. In either case, it was a perfect solution on how to use the fruit (and you could really use any fruit here that you happen to have around, fresh or frozen) and get a nice dish from it.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 2, 2014 in Breakfast, Cakes, Cooking, Dessert, Fruit

Tags: blueberry cobbler, fruit cobbler, Kitchen Daily, peach and blueberry cobbler, peach cobbler

12 Easy Smoothies for Hot Days — Recipes from The Kitchn | The Kitchn

21 Jul

12 Easy Smoothies for Hot Days — Recipes from The Kitchn | The Kitchn.

Smoothies can be a quick and refreshing snack, breakfast or lunch any time, but particularly during the hot summer months where you may not feel like making anything for breakfast or lunch and just want some cool that is easy to make. The Kitchn has put together 12 easy smoothie recipes for you that are perfect for you and your family during the summer. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on July 21, 2014 in Beverages, Breakfast, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Fruit, Lunch, Vegetarian

Tags: 12 easy smoothie recipes, easy smoothies, smoothie recipes, smoothies, The Kitchn

A Breakfast Treat – Homemade Whole-Wheat English Muffins

12 May

English muffins has always been one of those things that you love to have but never even consider making at home on your own. it just seems like they would be complicated and difficult to make and they probably would not taste as good if you made them yourself. When I saw this recipe in the New York Times a few weeks back, I could not believe how simplistic it seemed and it almost seemed like there was no way these were going to be anywhere close to the English muffins you get so used to having at diners or buying in the store. The fact is that they are really is to make, only take a few ingredients and not a lot of time or effort and you can have you own English muffins whenever you want them.

Homemade Whole-Wheat English Muffins

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup warm milk

1/2 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Cornmeal, as needed

In a small bowl, combine the yeast and 1/3 cup of warm water (registering 105 to 115 degrees) and let it rest until the yeast has dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and put it in a large bowl. Whisk in the plain yogurt, milk, honey, salt and the yeast mixture. Add the whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour and the baking soda to the bowl and beat the mixture thoroughly with a spoon or rubber spatula until it is well combined. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow it to rest in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly dust a small baking sheet with some of the cornmeal.

Place a large skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Using a large ice cream scoop or a 1/2 measuring cup, drop the batter into the skillet to form round muffins about 4 inches in diameter, mounding the batter in the center. you may have to use your fingers to help get the dough out of the scoop or cup, so be careful around the hot pan and don’t worry if they do not come out perfectly circular (English muffins aren’t perfect circles most of the time). Repeat the process until you have three muffins in the skillet, leaving the rest of the batter for a second batch. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the skillet with a lid or a baking sheet and cook the muffins for 3 to 5 minutes, until the bottoms are a golden brown. Watch them carefully to make sure they do not burn.

Uncover the skillet and flip the muffins using a spatula. Cover the skillet again and cook the muffins for 2 to 4 minutes longer or until the other sides are also golden brown. Place the muffins on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process using the remaining batter and another tablespoon of the butter.

Bake the muffins in the oven for 6 to 9 minutes, or until the muffins are puffed and cooked through. Split the muffins with a fork and toast before eating.

As I said, I was skeptical at first but these English muffins come out great. They are so easy to make and taste fantastic you can easily find yourself saying you will never have to buy English muffins again. You get a much better tasting muffin than what you get in the package. It is certainly fresher, comes out crisper and has a nice yeast taste to it. I am going to experiment and try making them just with all-purpose flour next time to see how they come out, but the whole wheat ones are phenomenal and it really takes no effort at all to make them. With the cost of a package of 6 English muffins between two and three dollars a pack, I made eight of my own for a fraction of that and used ingredients I have around the house. It is definitely worth making and trying these on your own.

That’s all I I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!