Preheat oven to 350 F
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
3 cups apples, peeled, diced
1 1/2 cups of granulated white sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup applesauce
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Line muffin pans with muffin liners
2. In large bowl, combine flour, apples, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon
3. Stir in oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla
4. Fill muffin cups to top
5. Optional: Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar if you like
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes
7. Cool 5 minutes before serving. ENJOY!

Makes 16 muffins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, mix together:

2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup apricot nectar/juice
3 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange zest
3/4 cup sugar

Once combined add and stir until just combined:
1 1/2 cup flour
2 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat:
4 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
Beat for about eight minutes or until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the batter and then add:
2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen). Do not over mix batter. Divide into muffin cups and bake about 30-35 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool muffins on a rack.

Makes 12 muffins

While your at it, start your day off with a cup of coffee along with your muffin. Now you can enhance the coffee flavor you love with Coffee-mate Natural Bliss, a new all-natural dairy creamer made with only milk, cream, a touch of sugar and pure natural flavor. Flavors like sweet cream, vanilla and caramel add just the right touch of sweetness and delicious flavor for your perfect cup every time.  Like us on Facebook for offers, news and more!

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by COFFEE-MATE via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of COFFEE-MATE

I have been looking for a great banana bread recipe and wanted to pass this one along. It is so easy and is perfect for the morning or an afternoon snack. I can’t think of a better way to use your leftover bananas!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, smash together using a wooden spoon:
1/3 cup melted butter
3 to 4 bananas, smashed

Then mix in:
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

Once smooth, mix in:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips (optional, but not according to my kids!)

Batter will be very thick. Transfer to a 4×8 buttered loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before removing from pan.

Challah bread is far and away the best bread for making french toast.  We like to pick up a loaf of Challah bread from the San Francisco Farmer’s Market on Saturday’s and have this great Challah French Toast on Sunday mornings!

Challah Bread French Toast Ingredients:
4 Eggs
1 1/2 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Honey
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Butter
1 Teaspoon Virgin Olive Oil
1 Loaf of Fresh Challah Bread

Challah Bread French Toast Instructions:

Step 1: Combine the eggs, milk, honey, sugar, vanilla and salt in a bowl.

Step 2: Cut the Challah Bread into slices about 3/4 of an inch thick (should come out to about 8 pieces)

Step 3: Pour half of the liquid mixture into a shallow baking dish.

Step 4: Place the 8 slices of bread into the baking dish, coating the bottom of the bread with the liquid mixture.

Step 5: Pour the remaining mixture over the bread, soaking the pieces for about 5 minutes.

Step 6: Heat a pan on the stove on medium, melt the butter and oil.

Step 7: Cook the soaked pieces of bread in the pan – roughly 3 minutes per side.  Since all the slices won’t fit in the pan at once, when you remove the first batch from the stove, keep the french toast pieces warm in the oven.

Step 8: Serve & enjoy!  Popular french toast toppings include butter, powdered sugar, syrup, raspberries, and blueberries.

In a small sauce pan, melt and mix together:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon corn syrup

Once sugar is dissolved pour into a 9×13 inch baking dish.  Cut about a 1/2 loaf of french bread into thick slices and remove crusts.  Arrange slices on top of the butter and sugar mixture in a single layer.  In a small bowl whisk together:

3 large eggs

1 cup half and half cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

Pour egg mixture over the bread slices.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  The next day preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bring dish to room temperature and then bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until lightly puffed and brown.

Serves 4

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine:
2 cups flour
7 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Then using two knives, a food processor, or pastry cutter, cut into the flour mixture:
6 tablespoons cold butter

Cut butter into the four mixture until it is crumbly and there are no chunks of butter. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together:
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons half and half
1 egg
Fold wet ingredients into the flour and butter mixture. Form the dough into a ball and pat it out onto a lightly floured surface until dough is about 1 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut those three portions diagonally to that you have 6 triangular slices of dough. Place onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes. Scones should turn lightly brown, cool on a wire rack. While the scones are baking, make the glaze by whisking these ingredients into a small bowl:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons half and half
When scones are cool brush or drizzle glaze on top.

Makes 6 scones

This is a great Fall recipe for pumpkin muffins. I love pumpkin and use it whenever I can. This would be a great addition to a Thanksgiving dinner or even a quick snack for the morning after Thanksgiving before shopping.

1 ½ cups all-purpose white flour or whole white wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Topping:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar (either white or light brown)
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cold butter (cut in small pieces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin pan with foil or paper liners.
1. Gently whisk together flour and baking powder in a small bowl.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, sugar, baking soda,salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger until smooth. Then, whisk in flour mixture just combined.
3. In another bowl, use a fork to mash together butter with remaining topping ingredients until coarse.
4. Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about ¾ full), then generously sprinkle tops with topping mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for regular muffins or 15 to 17 minutes for mini muffins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes, and then transfer muffins to rack to cool further.

(Makes approximately 12 to 14 regular muffins or double the amount of mini muffins)

A puffed Dutch Baby Pancake is a fabulous weekend breakfast treat. I love adding strawberries to a dutch baby pancake, but really any fruit will do.

Strawberry Dutch Baby Pancake

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup of milk
2/3 cup flour
1/2 stick melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the ingredients above in a blender.

Melt some butter in a cast iron skillet.

Add 4-5 sliced strawberries to the skillet, then add the batter on top.

Bake for 35 minutes, and dust with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

In a medium bowl, mix together:
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon sugar

Once combined, add:
3/4 cup flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon unsweetened coco powder

Mix well then add:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1 banana, chopped

1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, chopped

Give the pancakes one last stir, then cook on greased skillet or pan.  Serve with powdered sugar or whipped cream if desired.

Serves 4

I made this for Easter brunch and it was amazing. It was savory and rich without being heavy. You can add in additional vegetables, such as a chopped Roma tomato or 1/2 bag chopped cooked spinach for more color, but then it is no longer a traditional quiche “Lorraine”.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out one Pie Pastry Crust (recipe to follow) or store brought pie pastry crust to fit a 9 inch glass pie plate or tart pan. Carefully line pastry with foil, gently pressing the foil to the bottom and side of the pastry. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 2-3 minutes or until pastry just begins to brown. If bubbles form in pastry, gently press them down. After removing from oven, reduce heat to 325 degrees. Sprinkle onto pastry crust:

8 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 cup of shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup finely diced onion
If adding a vegetable, add chopped vegetable now.

In a small bowl, whisk together:
4 eggs
2 cups half and half (can use fat free)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pour egg mixture over bacon, cheese and onion in the pastry crust. Bake for 45 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8

Pie Pastry Crust Recipe
This recipe makes enough for two 9-inch pie crusts.

In a shallow bowl, mix together:

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add:

6 tablespoons vegetable shortening

6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces

Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut the mixture until it resembles crumbs. Slowly start adding ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, using a fork or pastry blender to combine the mixture. Continue to to this just until the dry ingredients cling together, but mixture is not too wet. You could add up to 6 tablespoons of water. Divide mixture, wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour before rolling out.