brunch

Name: Breakfast Pizza with Hash Brown Crust
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Pound frozen hash browns; 2 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted; 4 Eggs; 1 1/2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided; Salt and freshly ground pepper; 6 Slices bacon, cooked and chopped; Freshly chopped chives

Breakfast Pizza with Hash Brown Crust

March 23, 2020 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Breakfast pizza takes everything we love about a diner style breakfast and combines it in a single, delicious dish. Crispy hash brown crust topped with gooey cheese, crispy bacon and beautiful over easy eggs. Great for tasty breakfast or a quick, weeknight meal. This breakfast pizza with hash brown crust will be an instant hit.

We are a pizza loving family. From traditional and simple pepperoni or sausage to more nontraditional like chicken artichoke, we truly love them all.

However, I believe it’s a toss-up as to what my family craves more. Pizza or breakfast.

I truly believe my husband would be a-okay with breakfast for supper every night of the week. And the rest of the family follows closely behind. He’s always up for any type of breakfast food, but a traditional breakfast tends to be his favorite.

Give him a plate with bacon, eggs, biscuits and some crispy potatoes and he’s good to go.

So, this breakfast pizza with hash brown crust takes all the elements my family so enjoys and combines them to make a tasty pizza perfect for breakfast, or breakfast for supper.

It starts with a crust made of hashbrowns and baked to crispy perfection. Toppings can be as simple or elaborate as you desire. I opted for a more traditional route including crispy bacon, gooey cheese and cracking whole eggs right on the pizza. After being baked to an over medium stage, the egg yolks create a deliciously buttery sauce that is utterly dreamy and the perfect “sauce” to drag your breakfast pizza through.

This is so easy to make and was a hit with the entire family. While this is great for breakfast it would also be ideal for a quick and filling meal any night of the week!

Breakfast Pizza with Hash Brown Crust

Yield: 8 Slices

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Breakfast pizza combines all the elements of a classic diner meal in a single dish. Crispy hash brown crust is topped with gooey cheese, crispy bacon and perfect over medium eggs. Truly breakfast perfection.

Ingredients

1 Pound frozen hash browns
2 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
4 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 Slices bacon, cooked and chopped
Freshly chopped chives

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non stick cooking spray.
Combine hash browns, 1/2 cup cheese, salt and pepper and mix to combine.
Place mixture on prepared baking sheet and form into a pizza shape.
Drizzle with melted butter.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden.
Remove and top with cheese, crack eggs on top and sprinkle bacon over the top.
Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.*
Top with freshly cut chives and salt and pepper.

Notes

*Sausage would also work in place of or along side the bacon.

*For the second bake, 15 minutes will yield slightly runny eggs. Bake 18-20 for less runny eggs.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 636Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 264mgSodium: 730mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 4gSugar: 1gProtein: 25g

Nutrition is gathered and calculated based on the ingredients used by Nutritionix. Nutrition can vary for a recipe based on numerous factors such as precision of the measurements, brands of products, freshness of ingredients or the source of the nutritional data.

Nutella and Cream Cheese Baked French Toast

March 18, 2020 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Nutella and cream cheese baked French toast is the things dreams are made of. Fluffy bread schmeared with creamy Nutella and bits of tangy cream cheese are combined and coated in a rich custard. This is the perfect dish for any special occasion or for a fun, indulgent Saturday morning breakfast.

I’ve long had an obsession with the dreamy, creamy chocolate and hazelnut spread we know as Nutella. Guilty confession, I can totally eat it by the spoonful’s! Honestly, I’ve got no shame about it.

However, for those of you who have a little more class I have a options for you too! I mean, there’s the ever indulgent Nutella roll ah-mazing! But, for those of you who aren’t crazy about pastry making, I have another option for you.

Nutella and cream cheese baked French toast.

Nutella baked French toast is what breakfast dreams are made of. As if things couldn’t get any better, all the prep work happens the night before. Can’t you just hear the angel voices singing?!?!?

Now, there’s lots of different ways to make a stuffed French toast. Heck, there are numerous recipes floating around for Nutella French toast. However, this is on of my FAVOURITE ways to make French toast.

This version allows all the preparation to take place the night before and I’m all for make ahead recipes that allow me to just pop the food in the oven in the morning. That’s something I can do before I even have had one drop of coffee!

While I love the simplicity of tradition French toast, it’s truly one of my guilty pleasures. Oh how I love simple French toast with a sprinkle of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. There are times where I need to be able to toss something in the oven and not think about it.

Enter the baked French toast.

Nutella sandwiches are made and ripped up, placed in a dish and layered with bits of cream cheese and then bathed in a delicious simple custard. The mixture sets overnight allowing the bread to soak up all the yummy custard. The final step is baking, and during the baking process the Nutella melts and creates almost a sauce of sorts and the cream cheese melts and creates little tangy puddles of goodness.

I adore the combination of the creamy and sweet Nutella agains the tangy bits of cream cheese. The two flavors truly balance one another. This is sweet enough on it’s on and truly doesn’t require any syrup for serving. Although, after baking I did drizzle a little melted Nutella over the top and it was truly devine!

This Nutella baked French toast is decadent and delicious. It’s perfect for Valentine’s day, Mother’s or Father’s Day, or any day you desire a meal that’s just a little more special.

Looking for more French Toast recipes:

Nutella and Cream Cheese Baked French Toast

Yield: 9 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Additional Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 9 hours 10 minutes

Nutella and cream cheese baked French toast is the things dreams are made of. This is perfect for special occasions or for a fun Saturday morning breakfast.

Ingredients

12 Slices thick, white bread*
1 (14 oz) Jar Nutella
1 (8oz) Brick cream cheese
6 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups milk
1/2 Tsp vanilla*
Pinch of salt
1/4 Tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Spray a 9x9 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl combine milk, eggs, vanilla, salt and cinnamon and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Make 6 Nutella sandwiches. Spread a generous tablespoon of Nutella on 6 slices of bread, top with remaining bread slices.
Rip the sandwiches in pieces, placing half of the pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan.
Cut ( or pinch pieces) the cream cheese into pieces. Place half of the cream cheese bits on the bottom layer of bread.
Top the mixture with the remaining bread and gently press the mixture down. Scatter remaining cream cheese over the top.
Slowly pour the milk mixture over the casserole.
Cover the casserole with plastic wrap, place in refrigerator and allow to sit for at least 2 hours or overnight.

To Bake-

Remove from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350.
Place the room temperature casserole in oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, until baked through and the top is slightly crispy.
Remove from oven, drizzle more Nutella over the top if desired. Serve.
Alternately, you may remove from refrigerator, place in a cold oven, turn oven on and all the casserole to come to temperature as the oven heats up. This will alter the baking time to 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Notes

*Brioche bread may also be used in place of plain, white bread.

*This is a great recipe to use up older, dried bread.

*Store brand hazelnut spread can be used in place of the name brand spread.

*I used cookie butter extract in place of vanilla.

*Any type of milk may be used, I used whole as I had that on hand.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 9 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 298mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 10g

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through a provided link we may earn a small portion of revenue at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

White Chocolate Raspberry Scones

February 24, 2020 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

White chocolate raspberry scones are loaded with fresh, tart raspberries and bits of creamy white chocolate. The perfect marriage of flavors in a deliciously flaky scone.

When it comes to breakfast pastries I believe the lines truly blur as to whether the classification is breakfast or dessert. Honestly, I’m totally okay with that!

Breakfast is one of those meals, that in my opinion, rules need not apply. Calories are not counted and cookies are completely acceptable. Breakfast pastries are truly a weakness of mine, and I’m particularly fond of scones.

I’m not sure what it is about the simple scone, but it tops my list of morning carb options. Flaky, butter and tender scones are amazing. Schmear a bit of butter on the, add a spoon of jam or lemon curd and my-oh-my I’m a happy camper.

Over the years I’ve made several variations of scones, both sweet and savory. The latest flavor combination is that of juicy, sweet raspberries and creamy white chocolate. Pair these delectable pastries with a cup of hot coffee and your breakfast game perfection.

These scones go a bit further. I’ve sprinkled them with a little raw sugar which give them that little added crunch that is very reminiscent of those in a bakery or the store. A drizzle of white chocolate dresses them up a bit and enhances the flavor that much more.

As with most baked goods, these are their best shortly after coming out of the oven. However, I wouldn’t discourage baking a batch (or two) at the beginning of the week and starting your morning with one or two of these!

I love these scones slightly warmed and as is. Although, I believe they would be delicious with a pat of butter or even some lemon curd.

Rasbperry White Chocolate Scones

Yield: 8 Scones

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Flaky, buttery scones loaded with fresh, tart raspberries and bits of creamy white chocolate. Perfect with your morning cup of coffee or your afternoon tea!

Ingredients

2 Cups Flour
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp orange zest
1/2 Cup (1 stick) Unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt*
1 Egg
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Fresh raspberries
1/3 Cup White chocolate
1/4 Cup White Chocolate, for drizzling
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp Sugar in the Raw

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest. Whisk to combine, set aside.
In another bowl combine yogurt, egg and vanilla and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Place the cubed butter in the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, or fork, cut the butter in the flour mixture until incorporated, or until there are small clumps of flour and butter.*
Add the yogurt mixture and fold the ingredients together.
Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead about 10-15 times, until dough sticks together. Be sure not to overwork the dough as you don't want to melt the butter.
Roll the dough out in the shape of a rectangle that is approximately 16 inches in length.
Sprinkle the raspberries over half of the rectangle, followed by the white chocolate. Fold the empty end of the dough on the raspberry filled end. Gently press the edges to seal.
Cut dough in 8 triangles. Place on the prepared baking sheet, brush with heavy cream and sprinkle raw sugar over the tops. Place in the preheated oven and bake 15-20 minutes, until the tops begin to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Once cooled, melt additional white chocolate and drizzle over the scones.
Store scones in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Notes

*Regular plain or vanilla yogurt will work in place of the Greek yogurt. Sour cream would also be a great substitute.

*The butter does not have to be completely incorporated, but it should be at least pea sized bits. The clumps of butter will help yield a flaky scone after baking.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 286Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 363mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 2gSugar: 20gProtein: 7g

This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn a small portion of revenue, at no added cost to you, if you purchase an item using a provided link. Thank you!

Banana Coffee Cake

February 7, 2020 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

This banana coffee cake is a terrific way to use up any rip bananas sitting around. The cake is moist and fluffy with terrific banana flavor and hints of cinnamon. The streusel topping is not to be overdone; crispy sweet streusel piled high on the cake. It’s perfection in every bite.

It isn’t out of the norm for me to have a bunch of bananas sitting on my counter at any given time. My family is truly hit or miss as to whether the bananas will be devoured before they are the perfect ripeness for whipping up a baked good.

More times than not, I typically have at least two bananas that are anxiously awaiting me to use them in some sort of baked good. Banana bread is easy and typically my go-to, but this time I opted to go a different route.

Coffee cake!

I’m an avid lovers of all things with streusel. But, honestly, what’s not to love? Sweet, crunchy, buttery goodness piled high on a fluffy sweet bread. It’s perfection!

I think a coffee cake is only as good as it’s streusel. It’s honestly the best thing about coffee cakes. It’s a great way to eat a big, sugary topped piece of cake for breakfast and have zero guilt! Am I right?!?

So, when I started creating this recipe streusel was a definite priority. But, that can needed to be delish too. I mean it’s a fine balance. It’s needs to be moist, have enough flavor to hold it’s own without being overpowering and it can’t be overly sweet.

I’m pretty sure this banana coffee cake is the perfect balance. It has an amazing banana flavor with a hint of cinnamon. It’s flavorful, delicious and moist without being overpowering. Then there’s the streusel.

It may seem like a lot when you’re making it, but trust me. You need every last morsel of this goodness It’s sweet, buttery, crunchy and truly sets off all the flavors.

While this banana coffee cake is always a great option for breakfast; it’s perfect for brunch, holiday breakfasts and even dessert. It’s a simple recipe but packed with so much flavor and is a definite crowd pleaser!

Looking for more ways to use up bananas?

Check out some of these other banana recipes–

Banana Coffee Cake

Yield: 9 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

This banana coffee cake is a great way to use up any ripe bananas you have sitting around. Moist and fluffy cake banana flavored cake with hints cinnamon and tangy sour cream then piled high with delicious and buttery crunchy streusel.

Ingredients

For the Cake-

1 1/2 Cup flour
1 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp baking soda
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp cinnamon
3/4 Cup mashed bananas (I used 3 small bananas)
1/2 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup brown sugar
1/3 Cup sour cream
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp oil
1 Egg
1 Tsp vanilla

For the filling-

1 Tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp sugar

For the Streusel-

3/4 Cup Flour
1/3 Cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tsp cinnamon
1/3 Cup walnuts, optional
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

Instructions

Preheat ovent o 350. Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and whisk to combine. Make a well in the center. Set aside.
In a separate bowl combine bananas, sugar, brown sugar, sour cream, oil, egg and vanilla and whisk to combine.
Pour the banana mixture in the well of the dry mixture. Gently whisk to combine.

For the filling-

Combine cinnamon, sugar and brown sugar in a small bowl and stir to combine.

For the streusel-

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, except walnuts. Using a fork, mash the ingredients together until crumbly.
Roughly chop the walnuts. Add the walnuts*, if using, and mix into the mixture.

To assemble-

Pour half the batter in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the filling mixture evenly over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter evenly over the filling mixture. Top with the streusel.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the top doesn't wiggle when moved.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting.

Notes

*When making any baked good with bananas, the spottier the banana the better. This is going to give a sweet, bold banana flavor.

*When mixing the batter, it's best to mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another. Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together, being sure not to overwork the batter.

*Do not over mix the streusel, it will become a paste and not get that crumble you're going for. I used room temperature butter, but you can also heat in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it up a bit.

*Using nuts in the streusel is optional. If you don't like walnuts, pecans or almonds would work well too.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 9 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 387Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 340mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 2gSugar: 31gProtein: 5g

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SRC: Banana Blueberry Muffins

October 17, 2016 by Lynsey 7 Comments

I can’t remember the last time I made muffins. And you know what, that is just a shame!

Muffins are one of my favorite breakfast treats and afternoon snacks. During the fall I adore pouring a hot cup of coffee, grabbing a muffin and sitting on the back porch listening to the birds chirp and feeling the crisp fall air. It’s my own little quiet retreat before I face the chaos the day has to throw at me.

Now that the weather will finally be cooling off this week here in Arkansas, I couldn’t think of a better item to choose for my secret recipe club assignment.

This month I was given the blog Tea and Scones. Dorie, the writer and photographer behind Tea and Scones is a food lover after my own heart; she loves food, to eat, and baking. But, her favorite treat to bake is the scone and does she have a variety of recipes to choose from! I was extremely tempted to make one for the swap, but I had some frozen blueberries and ripe bananas on hand so I went for the muffin. But, rest assured I will be making some of her scone recipes (as well as others) so very soon.

So, let’s chat about the recipe at hand real quick. Aside from muffins, I love the combination of blueberries and bananas. They are a match made in heaven in smoothies, and I’ve had a banana blueberry bread that is amazing. So when I came across this muffin recipe I knew I had to make it!

I am so glad I did! The combination of blueberries and bananas did NOT disappoint. The bananas lent a delicious flavor to the bread as well as helped to keep it moist. And the blueberries, well, they added sweetness, as well as, bits of juiciness in each bite. These muffins are amazing and pair perfectly with a cup of hot coffee. They are also perfect to snag for a quick breakfast on the way out the door or for a sweet afternoon snack.

Banana Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups flour

3/4 Cup sugar

1 1/2 Tsp baking soda

1/4 Tsp salt

1 Cup bananas, mashed

1/2 Cup butter, melted

1 Egg

2 1/2 Tbsp milk

1 Cup frozen blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Place muffin liners in the muffin tin and set aside, or spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Toss the frozen blueberries in one tablespoon of flour and set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the mashed bananas and butter, stir to incorporate. Add 3/4 of the blueberries to the mixture and fold into the batter.

Fill the muffin tins two-thirds of the way, top each with a few of the remaining berries. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: Tea and Scones

*I added a streusel topping to mine, simply because I believe streusel makes EVERYTHING better. However, you may omit the streusel topping if you wish. It’s a mixture of 3 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour, pinch of salt, 5 tablespoons melted butter. Mix together then sprinkle over the batter before placing in the oven.

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Roasted Marshmallow Coffee

September 22, 2016 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Subtly sweet, caramel infused coffee topped with marshmallow creme and toasted marshmallows. Roasted marshmallow coffee is indulgent, caffeine filled and a deliciously indulgent way to start your day!

Happy, official, first day of fall!

Even though it doesn’t quite feel like fall outside, I couldn’t keep myself from whipping up a fun, fall-inspired coffee to sip on this morning. While pumpkins definitely SCREAM fall, I didn’t go there…yet. (Trust me, there is plenty of time for some yummy pumpkin recipes, and I promise I have some to share!)

Instead I went for roasted marshmallows. Channeling the goodness of cool air, bonfires and holding marshmallows over an open fire allowing them to get all brown, slightly charred and crispy on the outside while being melty and creamy on the inside! Oh, my mouth is watering just thinking about all that goodness!

That’s right, people! I sweetened this coffee with a dash of cream and a super easy (like takes less than 5 minutes) simple caramel sauce and then topped with not one, but two kinds of marshmallows. A hefty dollop, or two, covers the top of the mug followed by a handful of mini marshmallows. Then the fun happens. You get to play with fire!

How many times do you get to say that? “Hang on a sec while I torch the top of your coffee”! I broke out my kitchen torch and let the flames roll (carefully, of course). My kitchen, for a brief moment, smelled like a campfire full of toasted marshmallows.

The end result. Well, of course, nothing less that pure awesomeness!

This coffee could definitely be enjoyed in place of your coffeehouse coffee. It’s indulgent, rich, and gives you that does of caffeine you need to take on the day and all it has in store. It could also double as a dessert, or be that pick-me-up you need in the afternoon.

The next time you want an indulgent caffeine treat that is full of fall goodness, look no further than this roasted marshmallow coffee. It will NOT disappoint!

Other delicious coffee recipes:

Roasted Marshmallow Coffee

Yield: 1 Mug

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 8 minutes

Subtly sweet, caramel infused coffee topped with marshmallow crème and roasted marshmallows. Roasted marshmallow coffee is the perfect way to get your caffeine fix!

Ingredients

8 Oz strongly brewed coffee
3 Tbsp heavy cream or half & half, divided
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
3 Heaping Tbsp marshmallow creme
Mini marshmallows

Instructions

Place both sugars in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar begins to melt. Once the sugar begins to melt, remove from heat and add two and a half tablespoons of cream and stir vigorously. Set caramel mixture aside.
Pour coffee in a mug and add 2-3 tablespoons of the caramel. Stir to combine.
Gently pour 1 tablespoon of cream over the coffee. Top with marshmallow creme and mini marshmallows.
Using a kitchen torch, toast marshmallow creme and marshmallows. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 344Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 49mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 0gSugar: 40gProtein: 2g

This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a small portion of revenue, at no additional cost to you, if you purchase an item through our page. Thank you.

Belgian Liege Waffles

April 11, 2016 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Belgian Liege waffles are the waffle of all waffles. They start with a sweet yeast dough that is studded with pearl sugar that caramelizes once cooked. The final product is a waffle that has crispy edges, a fluffy center and little crispy pockets of caramelized sugar.

So, I’ve seen liege waffles. Heard about the goodness and decadence that surrounds them. That they truly are the waffle of all waffles. Magical, even. But…there was one problem. I’ve never tasted one.

Until now. And well, it was better than anything I could have imagined.

My friends, it truly doesn’t get any better than these waffles right here. Promise!

These aren’t your average waffles, these little jewels are true Belgian waffles. Made with sweet yeast dough {don’t run away, it’s super easy, promise} and a secret ingredient.

Aside from the sweet yeast dough, pearl sugar is the key to true liege waffles. It’s gently folded in the dough right before going onto the hot plates of the waffle maker.

The end result is nothing short of life changing. A fluffy, soft inside, slightly crispy outside and then there’s those chunks of pearl sugar that caramelize and create little pockets of sugary pockets of heaven that will make you weak in the knees.

There are countless ways to enjoy this delectable breakfast treat. Fresh from the waffle iron with a dollop of butter or sprinkle of powdered sugar truly is hard beat. A schmear of Nutella and a sprinkle of fruit, a dollop of cookie butter, peanut butter and jelly, cream cheese. I mean, the list is truly endless.

These waffles make an amazing and indulgent breakfast treat, perfect for a special occasion, holiday meal, for guests or just an occasional splurge They are also perfect for dessert. Add a scoop or two of ice cream, drizzle of hot chocolate or caramel syrup and a dollop of whipped cream and viola!

So, whether you’ve been to the little town of Liege, Belgium or just want to be transported away for a few minutes, these waffles will certainly do the trick…as well as spoil you on waffles from this point on!

Liege Waffles

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients:
1 Package dry yeast
1/3 Cup lukewarm water
1 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/8 Tsp salt
2 Cups plain flour
3 Eggs
1 Cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Cup pearl sugar, store bought or homemade*

Instructions

Combine the dry yeast, water, sugar and salt in a bowl and gently mix. Set bowl aside for about 15 minutes. This allows the mixture to develop and the yeast to bloom (get foamy).
Pour flour in a large bowl, make a well in the center and pour the yeast mixture in the well. Knead using hands or dough hook and an electric mixer. While kneading, add the eggs, one at at time. Once the eggs are mixed in then add the butter, about 2 tablespoons at a time until all of it is incorporated. Once all the ingredients are completely incorporated the final dough should look like a cross between a cake batter and bread dough.
Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours.
About 15 minutes before making the waffles, add the poear sugar and gently mix into the dough. Allow to rest for 15 minutes, while the waffle iron is heating.
Once the waffle iron is hot and the dough has rested, spray the iron with non-stick cooking spray, add about 3tablespoons to 1/4 cup of dough to the center of the iron. Close the iron and cook for about 5 minutes, until golden brown with crunchy outsides and caramelized sugar.
Serve warm.

Notes

*Pearl sugar, or chunks of sugar, are crucial for this recipe. It helps to yield a caramelized dough full of melted sugar pockets. You can buy pearl sugar, make your own use sugar cubes. If you use sugar cubes, place them in a bag, seal the bag and use a meat mallet to break them up. You still want fairly large chunks of sugar, so be sure not to beat them too much.

*The dough does require some resting time, so if you are going to make these waffles for breakfast the dough can be made the night before. When you get to the rising stage in the direction, simply cover the dough with plastic wrap, place in the refrigerator and allow to rise overnight. Remove from the refrigerator the next morning, allow to rest for a few minutes then add the pearl sugar and continue with the cooking process.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 602Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 174mgSodium: 88mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 1gSugar: 37gProtein: 8g

Ham and Cheese Scones

March 25, 2016 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Let me just start by saying that it’s taking everything in me then some to pull myself away from these warm, cheesy, fresh-from-the-oven scones. But, I figured if I love them soooo much then I probably need to hop on here and tell y’all all about about them and their awesomeness!

I’ve made plenty of scones, but never any savory. And now, after tasting these I’m asking myself why in the world it has taken me this long to cross over to the savory side.

If you’ve never had a scone they are similar to a biscuit; slightly crunchy on the outside, flaky and tender. These particular scones have a hint of sweetness that helps cut the saltiness from the ham and cheese and the green onions bring a pop of color and burst of freshness.

I can picture these scones going with oh, so many things. A big ol’ pot of cheesy potato soup, or any soup for that matter, with a big green salad, a dollop of butter and cup of coffee, maybe even topped with some sausage gravy. Oh, and since it’s Easter and there will be an abundance of leftover ham, these could even be slathered with some mustard and topped with ham and cheese to make the most amazing ham and cheese sandwiches E.V.E.R.

I mean, the options truly are endless.

Savory Ham and Cheese Scones

Ingredients:

2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 Tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
6 Tbsp chilled butter, cubed
3 Green onions, thinly sliced-greens and whites
3/4 Cup EZ Carve (or leftover) ham, finely chopped
1/4 Cup shredded sharp cheddar
3/4 Cup shredded extra sharp white cheddar
2 Eggs
1/3 Cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
Splash of hot sauce, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat and set aside.

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, sugar and baking powder and whisk to combine. Add the butter, using two knives or a fork cut the butter in. Don’t over work, leave chunks of butter. Add the green onions, ham and cheese and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl combine eggs, yogurt or sour cream and hot sauce, if using, and whisk to combine. Pour into the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead a few times then form the dough into a disk. Gently roll out into a circle that is about a half inch in thickness. Using a sharp knife, cut into 8 triangles. Place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about a half inch between each.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and serve warm or room temperature.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Carrot Cake Baked French Toast

March 24, 2016 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Carrot cake baked French toast is the breakfast of all breakfast. The combination of carrot cake and all it’s warm, delicious spices meets the breakfast classic of French toast and deliver a decadent breakfast treat.

Breakfast. It’s one of my favorite meals of the day. Why? Well, there are several reasons. Breakfast isn’t just for mornings., it’s for anytime of the day. Salty bacon, eggs of all sorts, biscuits, gravy, pancakes, waffles, I mean the list truly does go on and on. Not to mention it’s the only meal where it’s acceptable to eat dessert (or at least infuse those flavors and elements) for an actual meal.

I mean think about monkey bread, that’s sweet, sugary and so indulgent. I believe it’s a recipe that can be enjoyed as either breakfast or dessert. Another one of those is french toast. Bread, coated in an egg mixture, fried and drizzled with honey and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Another one of those that truly could be dessert or breakfast.

And then there is the world of fusion. Taking two beloved foods, mashing them together to come up with the ultimate of recipes. Lately I’ve become obsessed with food fusion. The end results were pure decadence and the ultimate breakfast or brunch treats.

Carrot cake baked French toast.

Whaaaat???

You read right, my friends. I truly believe this would be the result if a carrot cake and French toast had a baby! And this little love child is just in time for the celebration of all Spring celebrations. Easter!

I am beyond obsessed with this French toast and so ecstatic I FINALLY get to share it with y’all! It has all those flavors we know and love from carrot cake. The shredded carrots, tons of warm spices like cinnamon, allspice, cloves and nutmeg. The beloved, tangy cream cheese even makes an appearance!

Oh, and you know what? To finish it off, it’s topped with a hearty drizzle of cream cheese glaze! This is the Easter breakfast (or brunch) of all Easter breakfasts.

This is a sight that is truly magical! But what truly puts this recipe over the top is the cream cheese drizzle. Oh-My-Goodness! People, this stuff is truly amazing.

Whether you’re planning a big meal for the entire family or just a small, intimate gathering, this French toast needs to make an appearance at your Easter celebration.

You don’t have to save it just for Easter, this is one of those recipes that once you taste it you’ll be hooked and making it ALL-THE-TIME!

Carrot Cake Baked French Toast

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

All the amazing flavors you love about carrot cake come together with the breakfast classic of French toast. Warm spices, carrots and tangy cream cheese help make up this delicious breakfast treat.

Ingredients

2/3 Cup loosely packed shredded carrots
6 Oz cream cheese, room temperature*
1/4 Tsp vanilla
1/4 Cup brown sugar
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground allspice
Pinch ground cloves
1/2 Tsp cinnamon
8 slices thick (Texas toast) white bread
6 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups milk
1 Tsp vanilla
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp brown sugar
For the cream cheese drizzle
2 Oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 Tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp heavy cream or milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x9 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Place the shredded carrots between 2 paper towels or kitchen towels, place a heavy pan on top of the paper towel to soak some of the moisture from the carrots. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place cream cheese in a bowl and beat until smooth. Add vanilla, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and cinnamon to the cream cheese and beat on high until combined. Add the shredded carrots and stir to combine.
Spread even amounts of the mixture on 4 slices of bread, top with remaining slices of bread to make a sandwich. Rip the sandwiches in pieces and place in the prepared baking dish.
Combine eggs, milk, vanilla and brown sugar in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly pour over the sandwich pieces, being sure to coat them all.
Place in the preheated oven and bake until set, about 30-45 minutes. {During the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking, increase the oven to 400.}
Once golden brown and set, remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

For the Cream cheese glaze-

Place the cream cheese in a bowl and beat on high until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until combined and the mixture is smooth. Add cream, or milk, and stir to combine. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more milk. You want to be able to drizzle the glaze, but it still remain thick enough to stick to the French toast.
Cut the toast, place on places and drizzle with the glaze.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator.

Notes

*You may use regular, light or Greek yogurt cream cheese in this recipe. I have used them all and they all turned out delicious.
*Since there is quite a bit of cream cheese in the sandwiches, it will seem like that bread and eggs mixture isn't baked through. Once the bread starts to crisp and turn golden brown, the toast should be cooked through.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 9 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 303Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 316mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 11g

Tiramisu Coffee

March 5, 2016 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Okay people, brace yourselves. I’ve got 2 words for you. Ready? Tiramisu. Coffee.

Aaaaahhh!

To say I’m excited about this recipe is truly an understatement. Tiramisu is in the top 3 of my all-time-favorite desserts. Ever! I love those fluffy lady fingers soaked in coffee then layered with sweet, creamy mascarpone cheese and dusted with cocoa powder. Oh mu-goodness!

I love tiramisu, but it’s really not deemed a breakfast food even though coffee is a huge component of this amazing dessert. I could trick myself and tell my self it’s okay and indulge in a huge piece of tiramisu with my morning cup of coffee, but then I would have guilt. And there is no way I’m going to let guilt ruin one of my favorite desserts ever.

So, I did something ingenious! If I do say so myself. I made tiramisu coffee.

TIRAMISU COFFEE!!!

Y’all, this stuff is amazing. Bold coffee, light chocolate flavor and then there’s that lightly sweet and airy cream floating throughout the coffee. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and cocoa powder.

Tiramisu Coffee

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Tiramisu coffee is everything you love about that infamous dessert of espresso soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese and cocoa powder without all the work. This coffee comes together in minutes and is rich, bold perfection.

Ingredients

1 Mug strong brewed coffee, hot
1 Tsp dark cocoa powder*
1/4-1/2 Tsp Stevia or other sweetener
1 Oz Rum, optional*
For the mascarpone cream-
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 1/2 Tsp mascarpone
1/2 Tsp sugar
1/8 Tsp vanilla
For serving-
Fresh whipped cream
Cocoa powder

Instructions

Add cocoa powder, sweetener (to taste) and rum, if using. Stir to combine.

For the cream-

Combine cream, mascarpone, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thickenend and frothy. *
Hold a spoon, dome side up, over coffee and slowly pour theh cream over the spoon allowing it to fall in the coffee, do not stir.
Top with a spoonful of fresh whipped cream, dust with cocoa powder and serve.

Notes

*Rum extract may be used in place of actual rum, just use a tiny drop in it's place.

*To make the cream, you may place all ingredients in a mason jar, seal and shake until thick.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 509Total Fat: 43gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 129mgSodium: 205mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 6g

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