Baked Apple French Toast

Happy Monday! Did you have a good weekend? Are you staying warm? Today's recipe might help; it's Baked Apple French Toast from Work It, Mom!

I made this for breakfast with a friend. We had a great time, and I liked this because it was ready to throw in the oven early when I wasn't up to thinking very clearly. :D Plus, it was good - not too sweet, which I appreciate. I added extra cinnamon to the apples. :) The crusts on the baguette were a little difficult to cut through, so if I want to do a bit more prep work, I MIGHT cube all the bread, instead of just slicing it.

I served some bacon on the side, and it was a warming, comforting, easy breakfast! :)

OK, I'm outta here. Have a WONDERFUL day! Be blessed, friend!

Cream Cheese Apple Bread

It's FRIDAY!!!! We're home, trying to get back into the swing of things. :D BUSY time ahead of us, for SURE!

Today's recipe is for Cream Cheese Apple bread, from Today's Creative Blog.

Let me just say that Mom put this one together for me. So I don't know if the cream cheese vanished into the dough, or what happened - but it doesn't look like the one on the blog.

It IS a YES, PLEASE, recipe however! I made this for a Stampin' Up! class, and everyone loved it. It's incredibly moist and flavorful.

I think I'll keep the recipe, and maybe double the cream cheese part. I mean, I love cream cheese, so it can't HURT... :D

OK, I'm outta here. :D Have a WONDERFUL weekend. Be blessed, my friend!

Harvest Pear Crisp

Welcome to Wednesday! Are you having a good week? I hope so! Kenn and I are still gone. :D

Today's recipe is for Harvest Pear Crisp from My Recipes.com.

This is another YES, PLEASE! recipe - it's originally from COOKING LIGHT, which means my mom won't groan too much about its ingredients. :D And we used oat flour instead of white/wheat, so my dad could enjoy some of it, too.

Mom put it together for me, because I got crazy busy the day I was going to do it - and the pears my friend, Maria, brought over needed to be used before I had another free day. Thanks, Mom and Maria!!! :)

Mom used pecans, even though the recipe said walnuts - and it was SOOOOOOOOOOO good!!!!

Let me know if you've tried anything I've shown you yet! :D I hope you have a wonderful day. Be blessed, friend!

Soft Amish Sugar Cookies

Welcome to Friday! :) I hope you've had a good week. Do you have a busy weekend coming up? I certainly do - it seems to pile up all at once! :D

So, today's recipe is one I tried a while ago - see the hearts? :D Yes, it was Valentine's Day. I had to make cookies for something at church, which was cancelled. So Kenn got these. :D He was happy! They're Soft Amish Sugar Cookies from Cookies & Cups.

I didn't change a thing about them. I did find that I needed to push the sprinkles/hearts on top in a bit, or they slide right off. :) They also freeze well, which is ALWAYS a plus. :D

Let me know if you try them!

OK, I'm outta here. :D Have a WONDERFUL day, my friend! BE BLESSED!

School Lunchroom Cafeteria Rolls

Happy Friday!!! I hope you've had a wonderful week, and are looking forward to celebrating Christ's resurrection this weekend!!!

Today's recipe is for these School Lunchroom Cafeteria Rolls from allrecipes.com.

(That's funny. I got these off Pinterest, but it's the second allrecipes review in a row!)

These are a DEFINITE YES, PLEASE! It does make a LOT; I made them to take to a family who needed a meal, and I'd been wanting to try them. I mean, who doesn't remember with deep fondness those wonderful rolls?!?! :::::::::::::sigh::::::::::::::: :D

I made FIVE of these tins, and put three in the freezer. That was February 22. I pulled the last pan out of the freezer Wednesday! (And I'll be making another batch this coming week, for company and for the freezer!) Seriously. If you take a lot of meals to other people, or you have unexpected company, or you'd like to have fresh bread quickly on any given day, this is a great way to do it. To freeze it, I just formed the rolls, wrapped the pan, and put it in the freezer. On the day I want them, I pull them out and let them thaw on the sideboard, then cook them off according to directions.

OK, I'm outta here! HE IS RISEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! be BLESSED, friends!

Baked Eggs

Happy Friday! :) I hope you've had a good week!

Today's recipe is Baked Eggs from UseRealButter. :)

I'm thinking of this for future use as more of a how-to. I really want to experiment with the type of dish, and see if I can't get the egg to cook a little more uniformly. Some of you may not be aware that I have a "thing" with crunchy or browned eggs - I just don't like it. It may be a texture thing; I have lots of issues with textures. :D But this recipe left the outer part of the white crunchy - you could hear it when you put your spoon in!

Overall, it was tasty - what's not to like? :) And I like the fact that you could make one or a dozen in about the same time; it would just take more prep time.

So relax this weekend, and maybe make yourself a lazy breakfast. Or come make it for me - I wish I could have breakfast delivered by the universe, so I wouldn't have to do anything until I come fully awake. (Usually sometime in the afternoon... :D )

OK, I'm outta here! Have a wonderful weekend, my friend! Be BLESSED!

Crumb Donuts

Good Wednesday Morning! I hope you're enjoying your week - the weather here is pretty finally. ;) I hope you East-Coasters are able to start digging out!

Today's recipe is for crumb donuts from Dessert for Two.

First of all, I didn't tweak a thing. :) Unless it was spices - I tend to put more spice in than is called for. But that's not really a tweak, right? More of a personal preference? :D

I really didn't feel like there was enough batter for six donuts. I made it fit six, because that's what the recipe said to do, but they were so skinny! I'm not sure if I would double the batter, or fill less spaces in my pan, but they needed more.

There was also a TON of the glaze left. I mean...! I didn't want to glaze the whole donut, and that wasn't the plan for the recipe, either - it's more like glue to hold on the crumb topping.

Tastewise, these were pretty plain. I'm going to hold on to the recipe, and if I ever go back and do them again, I'll probably tweak it out of the park. LOL! So you decide: is that a NO, THANK YOU or a YES, PLEASE review?!? :D

Have a wonderful day! Be BLESSED!!!

"How the Grinch Crinkled Christmas" Cookies

Happy Friday! I know I'm a little late. I've not done much today, even though I had the BEST intentions... :D I did watch the latest episode of SHERLOCK. Wow, *everything* about it was brilliant. I do wish they'd give us a few more episodes per season! :D

ANYWAY. This recipe's been hanging around since the beginning of December for me to share with you. These are what *I* refer to as simply Grinch Cookies, from Delicious Meliscious.

I, personally, was quite ambivalent about this recipe. A couple of people told me they really liked them, however, so I'm not sure if they'll hang about next year or not. :) I do like the color of them - they add quite a nice bit of contrast to a cookie platter.

Perhaps if I could figure out a better cake mix flavor. (I'm not really big on cake mixes lately; I'll use one in a pinch, but would prefer not to!) I love French vanilla flavoring in beverages, but it bores me in anything else. :D

I think, when it comes to this cookie, you'll have to try it yourself and see. :) You tell me: is it a YES, PLEASE! or a NO, THANK YOU! ??? :D

OK, I'm outta here to go do nothing once more. :D Have a WONDERFUL weekend! Be BLESSED - and welcome (tomorrow) to FEBRUARY!

Spumoni Biscotti

Happy FREEZING Wednesday!!! Brrrr, is it cold!!! That air coming in the front door is enough to make me gasp. LOL!!!

Today's recipe is for Spumoni Biscotti from Recipe Gold Mine.

I won't make you wait. This was a definite YES, PLEASE! from everyone who ate them. :)

My sister and my mom, both, were pretty vocal about how much they enjoyed these. The cherries, even though you pat them dry, make this biscotti moister than most. So if you really enjoy that crunch, you won't QUITE get it with these, but they are good.

Spumoni is the classic Italian combination of pistachios and cherries. And that makes this cookie fit under the "Christmas cookie" classification. But I have the stuff to make another batch, whenever Mom feels like she needs a special treat. ;)

I drizzled white chocolate over the tops of these, to decorate them up a bit. Mom feels better about eating them if there's no topping on them. And these honestly didn't need the added flavor. Although I'm not saying white chocolate ever HURTS the taste of a cookie... :D

OK, I'm outta here! Have a WONDERFUL day! Stay warm, and be BLESSED!

"Outback" Black Bread: Copycat

Happy Wednesday! Are you having a good week? Are you staying WARM, people?!??! :D

Today's recipe would be a good recipe to try today - what's better when it's below freezing outside than a warm loaf of homemade bread?! It's "Outback" Black Bread: Copycat from Freida Loves Bread.

Now, first let me tell you: finding caramel coloring locally is nearly impossible. I put a bottle on my Amazon wish list and got it for Christmas. One bottle will last me a long, LONG time - it's huge! So you might want to consider splitting a bottle with a friend or five...

When I finally had all the ingredients in one place, I made this bread. It's a YES, PLEASE!

Mine made two whole loaves and one tiny one. I love having things like this in the freezer, for when someone I care about needs a meal delivered. So we cut into the tiny loaf, and then one of the big ones - and I put the other loaf in the freezer as soon as it cooled, because we really did love this bread! :) My mom is still mentioning how GOOD it was... :D

Now, I didn't use the cornmeal. I sprinkled oats on top of the loaf before it baked, instead. I have to be in the right mood for the grittiness of cornmeal. :) The oats were a nice textural contrast without being too much so.

OK, I'm outta here! :) Have a WONDERFUL day! Let me know if you try this recipe! :) Be BLESSED!!!

Caramel Apple Stuffed Biscuits

Welcome to Wednesday! Are you having a good week? I'm spending most of today with a dear friend, and I'm so looking forward to it! :)

Today's review is for another recipe; this one is for Caramel Apple Stuffed Biscuits from Cookies & Cups.

First, let me say I took the lazy way out; I used canned biscuit instead of mixing up the Bisquick. Mom had given us a 5-count can of Grands, and I wanted to use it before it went bad. Also, I haven't had a chance to put together a home version of Bisquick yet, and I don't want all the unhealthy stuff that is in it. (I know, like the Grands were any better...)

Anyway. That made this recipe super easy. :) And they were surprisingly yummy! Just enough glaze stuck to the tops - most of it ran off. :D The filling was tasty, and when they were warm, they perfumed the air with that wonder fall smell of cinnamon and apples. :)

If you're looking for a quick something to make, either for breakfast, dessert, or a quick snack, I think these fit the bill just fine - that's a YES, PLEASE! :) If you're cooking for someone who has to watch their carb intake, this is a NO, THANK  YOU. Whew!

Have a wonderful day! Be BLESSED!!!

Bread Machine Challah

Happy Wednesday! :) This is GOOD stuff, people - I'm telling you already it's a YES, PLEASE!!! You want to go make this now. Mom was sad Dad had gone gluten-free, because it would have made incredible French toast. :)

I didn't do anything differently to this. Be sure your yeast isn't too old, and you'll get a great rise out of it! I did butter the top when it came out of the oven, but that's all I did differently from the recipe from Dine & Dish.

OK, I'm outta here - I have SO much to do! :D The show may be over at the beginning of October, but the procrastinating from the last eight weeks is starting to catch up with me, and there's LOTS to do!! Christmas will be here soon! Ho, ho, ho! :D

Strawberry Almond Scones

Good Monday afternoon! :)

Friday, I got to stamp with my hostesses - well, all except Kathy, who had a preschool graduation to attend. :) I decided to make something sweet to share - and this is what we did!

These are strawberry almond scones from Love and Olive Oil.

Now, then. I didn't have whole wheat pastry flour, but I really wanted to try the flavor combination. So I used one cup of whole wheat flour, and 1/4 cup more unbleached AP flour. It wasn't enough. I really thought the WW would be more thirsty, but there simply wasn't enough flour in these to hold their shape. They turned out more like those muffin tops. :D Or a soft cookie. Which wasn't a BAD thing.... :D

These are a YES, PLEASE!; everyone seemed to enjoy them a lot. I sent most of them home with everyone else. :D

Next time, I will use the full amount of WW flour. And instead of slicing the strawberries, I will dice them; there was a lot of batter that didn't have a taste of strawberry in it.

I normally don't like almond-flavored anything, but I really did like this flavor combination. They were relatively easy to make, too - and they smelled so buttery while baking!

Let me know if you try making them, and if you modify the recipe. :) Ooooh, these would be good as blueberry-lemon, too.... :D Have a wonderful day! BE BLESSED!!!!