Friday, June 29, 2012

Birthday Pancakes!

Light and Fluffy Pancake Batter
+
Food Coloring
+
Whipped Cream & Sprinkles
=
One Happy Birthday Girl!

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Daughter Ava who turns 8 today!
I love you more than you'll ever know!
 

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Fresh Strawberry Muffins!


Went Strawberry Picking today at Dew Fresh in Cambridge and picked two big buckets full of berries!  Wasn't sure what to do with the berries, went more for the experience with the kids than the berries them self.  HOWEVER by the time we got home about 1/3 of the berries were gone.  Kids ate themselves sick in the car on the way home!  I made strawberry shortcake for dessert. . .and here are the Light and Fluffy Fresh Strawberry Muffins we'll be enjoying for breakfast!  These are just the right amount of sweet, super tender, and very light!  Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
Additional Sugar


1.  Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and mix well.

2.  Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture. Add vanilla. Gently stir in strawberries.

3.  Spoon batter into muffin pans.

4.  Sprinkle additional sugar over muffins.

5.  Bake at 475ยบ for 20-25 minutes.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Pecan Praline Baked French Toast



When Dave and I were in Door County we ate at a Restaurant called Julie's Park Cafe for breakfast. Dave ordered this Pecan Praline French Toast and LOVED IT! So for Father's Day I decided to attempt to re-create it for him. He said this was right on! The kids LOVED it too! Which why wouldn't they . . .it's like eating dessert for dinner. Not so much healthy, but it's Father's Day!

Pecan Praline Baked French Toast

1 French bread loaf 
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted 
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3/4 cup chopped pecans
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup half and half
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Cut 10 (1-inch-thick) slices of bread. Reserve remaining bread for another use.

2. Stir together brown sugar and next 2 ingredients; pour into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

3. Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients. Arrange bread slices over pecans; pour egg mixture over
bread. Cover and chill 8 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake bread 35 to 37 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.