Category Archives: Breakfast

Cream Cheese Banana-Nut Bread

Bread, Breakfast, Dessert February 12, 2026 Leave a comment

There are so many recipes for Banana Nut Bread and truthfully, they are all pretty good. I discovered this recipe about 10 years ago and decided it is the best recipe I have ever made for Banana Nut Bread, moist, dense with an intense banana flavor highlighted by toasted walnuts and cinnamon streusel topping. This recipe makes two loaves, great for gifting or freezing for later use.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup butter, softened
  • 1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 cups of all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 with dark spots) *
  • 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Process

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8 x 4-inch bread pans.
  2. Mix butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.
  3. Gradually add sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.
  5. COMBINE flour and next three ingredients
  6. Gradually add to the butter mixture at low speed until blended.
  7. Add bananas, vanilla and nuts.
  8. Spoon batter into two greased and floured bread pans.
  9. Top with streusel topping.
  10. Bake for 1 hour until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan.
  11. Cool pans on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans.
  12. Cool completely before slicing.

STREUSEL TOPPING

Ingredients

  • ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon.

Process

  1. Mix all ingredients for streusel together in a bowl.
  2. Sprinkle over the batter before baking
  3. Press streusel into the dough with the back of a spoon to ensure streusel is baked into the loaf and doesn’t shed when removed from the pan.

*Note: the riper the bananas (black even) the more banana flavor will impart in your recipe. I use frozen bananas that have been defrosted in the refrigerator, they are overripe and work wonderfully.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Bread, Breakfast January 4, 2026 Leave a comment

Soft buttermilk biscuits are a classic baked good renowned for their tender texture and rich flavor. Crafted with simple ingredients such as all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and generous amounts of buttermilk, these biscuits are a versatile addition to breakfast, brunch, or any meal. They can also serve as a base for savory toppings like fried chicken, sausage gravy, or cheese. Their delicate crumb and slightly tangy flavor from the buttermilk make them a favorite among bread lovers and a staple in Southern cuisine. In addition to their delicious taste and texture, these biscuits are relatively quick to prepare, making them an excellent choice for both novice bakers and experienced cooks. Their adaptability allows for variations, such as adding herbs, cheese, or spices to customize the flavor profile. Overall, soft buttermilk biscuits are a comforting, versatile, and timeless baked good that continues to be cherished across many households and culinary traditions.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the board
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ cup cold butter sliced into pieces, plus ¼ cup shortening (or ¾ cup cold butter, omit shortening)
  • 1-1/4 cup buttermilk * You can make your own buttermilk: Place a Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line. (if possible, use whole milk or heavy cream). Let stand for five minutes. Then, use as much as your recipe calls for.

Process

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

  1. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl
  2. Add shortening and butter. Cut butter and shortening into the flour until it resembles coarse meal, using a pastry dough cutter or two knives.
  3. Create a well in the middle of the dough, add the buttermilk all at once, and using a fork mix JUST until combined, do not beat.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a floured board.
  5. Fold the dough about 5 times, gently press the dough down to inch thick. Use flour to dust the board or counter if dough is sticking. Gently PAT (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it’s about 1/2″ thick.
  6. Use a round cutter to cut into rounds. You can gently press the scraps together and make a few more. Or pat dough into a square and slice 2-1/2” squares using all the dough.
  7. Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet. If you like soft sides, put them touching each other. If you like “crusty” sides, put them about 1 inch apart- these will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together.
  8. Bake for about 10-12 minutes- the biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom.

Important Notes:

  • Do not over-bake.
  • The key to real biscuits is not in the ingredients, but in the handling of the dough.
  • The dough must be handled as little as possible, or you will have tough biscuits.
  • Use a fork to mix the wet ingredients into the dry – do not stir to mix – just “fluff” together
  • Rolling with a rolling pin is a guaranteed way to overstimulate the gluten, resulting in a tougher biscuit, use your hands to pat the dough out
  • You can make these biscuits, cut them, put them on cookie sheets and freeze them, place in plastic bags when frozen for up to a month.
  • When you want fresh biscuits, simply place them frozen on the cookie sheet and bake at 450°F for about 20 minutes.
  • Lastly; break biscuits apart, do not cut them open with a knife.

The Frittata

Breakfast, Dinner Ideas, Lite and Weight Watcher Recipes, Side, Vegetables December 6, 2025 Leave a comment

Eggs for breakfast, lunch or dinner, did you know that every part of the egg is edible, even the shell. Ground egg shells are sometimes used as a food additive to deliver calcium. Although egg color is a largely cosmetic issue, with no effect on egg quality or taste, I am fortunate enough to live among farmers and ranchers who have hens that lay blue, green, pink, brown and white eggs, Easter eggs all year round. These eggs are the freshest and I believe taste about as good as an egg can taste. Regardless of where you get your eggs, they are versatile and healthy. This recipe is a basic recipe for a baked Frittata, you can use your favorite vegetables and cheese to make it totally your own recipe. A tossed salad and a slice of frittata for dinner is a complete meal.

Spray a deep pie plate, 11”x5” 7” oven proof dish, or muffin cups with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350F.

Ingredients

  • 5 eggs & 3 egg whites
  • 3 Tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
  • Dash of salt
  • Dash of pepper
  • 1-2 Tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley

Directions for Egg Mixture

  1. Beat all ingredients together
  2. Mix egg mixture with you choice of vegetables and cheese
  3. Bake in a preheated 350F. oven for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Add-in Ingredients in ½ cup increments, up to 1-1/2 cups

  • sautéed

Old Fashioned Nuns Puffs

Bread, Breakfast, Dessert November 30, 2025 Leave a comment

A light, tender pastry that can be filled like a cream puff or eaten “as is” drizzled with

honey. They are so easy to make and you won’t be disappointed. They are not cake, a muffin, or a doughnut.  They are sunken after baking but oh so moist and delicious I guarantee you won’t eat just one.

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ cup butter
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 4 eggs

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F. degrees

  1. Heavily grease 12 muffin cups, be sure to grease the tops and edges.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
  3. When the butter is melted, add the milk and bring to a boil.
  4. Add flour all at once and stir until a ball forms and does not fall apart.
  5. Remove from heat for 5 minutes.
  6. After 5 minutes, add one egg at a time and beat with a wooden spoon for one minute.
  7. Continue with each egg beating with wooden spoon for a minute.
  8. Divide the batter between each muffin cup.
  9. Sprinkle the top with sugar.
  10. Bake for 30 minutes.
  11. Remove from oven and remove buns from muffin tin.
  12. Drizzle with honey and enjoy while warm.

Moist Banana Nut Bread You’ll Love

Bread, Breakfast, Dessert November 28, 2025 Leave a comment
Banana Streusel Bread

There are so many recipes for Banana Nut Bread and truthfully, they are all pretty good. I found this recipe about 10 years ago and discovered it is hands down the best recipe I have ever made for Banana Nut Bread, moist, dense with an intense banana flavor highlighted by toasted walnuts or pecans and a cinnamon streusel topping.

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup butter, softened
  • 1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 cups of all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 with dark spots)
  • 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy
  2. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy
  3. Add eggs one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition
  4. COMBINE flour and next three ingredients
  5. Gradually add butter mixture at low speed until blended
  6. Add bananas, vanilla and nuts
  7. Spoon batter into two greased and floured 8 x 4-inch bread pans
  8. Top with streusel topping
  9. Bake for 1 hour in a 350°F. degree oven or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan.
  10. Cool pans on wire rack for 10 minutes and remove from pan
  11. Cool completely before slicing

STREUSEL TOPPING

Stir together ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar; ½ cup chopped toasted nuts; 1 tablespoon melted butter; 1 tablespoon flour; 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon. Sprinkle over batter before baking. It may be necessary to cover the last 15 minutes with foil to prevent overbrowning.

Cinnamon Bread Pudding with Vanilla Bourbon Sauce

Dinner Ideas, Dessert, Breakfast, Bread November 27, 2025 Leave a comment

This is the absolute best recipe for bread pudding. it will fill your home with warm, welcoming aromas of brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. It also makes a wonderful addition to your holiday brunch. With the holidays around the corner, I feel the need to share some of my favorite recipes for you and your family. This rich, comfort food and so addicting.

Ingredients for Pudding

  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 10 cups chopped day old bread or pastry
  • 3 cups Half-and-Half
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions Bread Pudding

  1. Mx bread, brown sugar, Half & Half, whipping cream, sugar, eggs and cinnamon ingredients in a large bowl and let sit for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Preheat oven to 350F. degrees.
  3. Spray a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray to cover the bread pudding while it is baking.
  4. Pour bread pudding batter into pan. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour or until center of pudding is firm.
    1. NOTE: This can be made about 1 or 2 days in advance, reheat at 250F. degrees for 30 minutes before serving

Ingredients for Vanilla Bourbon Sauce

  • 4 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ to ½ cup bourbon
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)

Directions Vanilla Bourbon Sauce

  1. Pour heavy cream into a heavy saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Stirring constantly to keep from scalding, continue to boil until cream is reduced by almost half, about 30 minutes.
  2. Add brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and bourbon and allow to boil until sauce thickens slightly (another 15 minutes). For extra thick sauce, add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the boiling liquid, stirring constantly.

Serve warm, drizzling sauce over the top of each pudding square after placing on a plate.

Portabella Mushrooms stuffed with Goat cheese, Olives and Avocado

Breakfast, Dinner Ideas, Side February 8, 2015 Leave a comment

Paleo

Stuffed with goodness!

I purchased two large portabella mushrooms yesterday with no plan on how I was going to use them. I looked in my refrigerator this morning and pulled out items I thought would make a great stuffing; Kalamata Olives, sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, onions, white button mushrooms, a chili pepper, goat cheese and  half of an Avocado. Turned out, this was a stellar breakfast without dairy, meat or gluten. Great dish for lunch or dinner too!
Ingredients:
• ¼ cup of sliced Kalamata Olives
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 4 or 5 sun dried tomatoes, sliced into strips
• ¼ cup diced sweet onion
• 1 chili pepper, seeded and chopped or 1 tsp. dried pepper flakes
• ¼ cup sliced white button mushrooms
• 1 oz goat cheese
• ½ Avocado – slice lengthwise in 4 slices, turn and slice the opposite direction into chunks
• ¼ tsp Kosher salt or sea salt
• Sprinkle of freshly grated pepper
• 2 large Portabella Mushrooms, stems removed
Directions:
1. Heat oven broiler
2. Rub the two large portabella mushrooms with olive oil
3. Broil for 5 minutes, stem side down, remove from oven
4. Slice the Kalamata Olives, and the sun-dried tomatoes, heat the teaspoon of olive oil in a pan and add olives and tomatoes. Stir-fry on med-high heat for about 4-5 minutes until the olives are crispy. Remove from pan to a dish
5. Turn heat down to medium add the diced onions and mushrooms and stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are browned and onions are soft. Remove onions and mushrooms from pan.
6. Add chilies to remaining olive oil, if needed replenish with another teaspoon of olive oil and sauté until limp.
7. Add the olive, tomatoes, onion and mushrooms mixture to the pan with the chilies, turn heat down to med-low and add goat cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted, remove from heat. Stir in chunks of Avocado.
8. Turn the broiled mushroom caps over to expose the gills, fill the caps with the mixture and return to the broiler, broil for about 3-4 minutes until hot.
Enjoy!

Baked Eggs in Ham Cups – easy

Breakfast, Dinner Ideas, Fun Stuff May 10, 2014 Leave a comment

baked eggs ham crispsNeed a great breakfast for mom that is easy and delicious? Try this recipe. You can leave your eggs whole or beat them with your vegetables and cheese.  Serve with a side of roasted red potatoes, steamed asparagus and fruit salad.  You can substitute the shallots with a small red or sweet onion, use your favorite vegetables, if you don’t have sour cream, substitute plain yogurt. The possibilities are endless. You can’t mess this up. Makes 6

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup finely chopped shallots
• 2 cups of any vegetables you love, suggestions: chopped mushrooms, chopped red pepper (or jarred roasted red peppers)
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil or butter
• ½ cup of your favorite shredded cheese
• 2 tablespoons of sour cream or yogurt
• 6 slices of Virginia Ham
• 6 large eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1. Melt and heat your butter, or coconut oil, or olive oil in a large pan on medium heat
2. Sauté your favorite vegetables, and the chopped shallots until soft. Stirring often.
3. If adding spinach, slice it into small pieces – add last after your vegetables are softened just to wilt it. You don’t want mushy spinach.
4. Spray your muffin tins with baking spray, this recipe makes 6
5. Line each muffin cup with a slice of ham, ends will stick up and hang over the sides. baked eggs ham crisps2
*If making scrambled egg cups: using an egg beater or fork, beat your eggs with 2 tablespoons of milk, a pinch of salt and pepper, divide your sautéed vegetables in each of the muffin cups and pour egg mixture into each cup using a ladle. Sprinkle a tablespoon of shredded cheese on top of each cup.
*If leaving eggs whole, divide the sautéed vegetables among the 6 muffin cups 

  1. Crack one egg into each cup, sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper
  2. Sprinkle a tablespoon of shredded cheese on top of each cup
  3. Bake for 15 minutes until eggs are set and cooked to your likeness

Maple Bacon

Appetizers, Breakfast, Dessert, Dinner Ideas, Fun Stuff April 24, 2014 Leave a comment

maple baconMaple glazed bacon, who doesn’t love the smell and taste of bacon, dress it up with a coating of pure maple glaze and you have a gourmet dish or appetizer. Glazed maple bacon can add a savory note to desserts, just crumble the bacon into maple flavored frosting for cupcakes.  Or consider sweet and savory appetizers; wrap maple bacon around sweet potato slices, or asparagus before baking. Wrap around prawns or cream cheese stuffed jalapeno peppers, or small smokey links before baking. Maple syrup adds a sweet note to thick-cut bacon slices, which are obviously delicious served right  alongside pancakes, eggs or waffles.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup (use the real stuff)
  • 12 slices good-quality thick-cut bacon
  • coarse ground pepper (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

  1. Pour the maple syrup into a shallow bowl and give each bacon slice (both sides) a generous dip in the syrup.
  2. Lay the bacon on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with pepper if desired.
  3. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the bacon over and bake until it is crisp at the edges and caramelized on the bottom, another 10 to 15 minutes.*Note: this cooking time is depending on the thickness of your bacon, keep an eye on it while baking so it does not burn, especially if using a thinner bacon.
  4. Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
  5. Lift the slices from the liner so they don’t stick after cooling. Cool for about a minute, transfer to a long platter to serve.

Blueberry corn muffins

Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Dinner Ideas, Salads March 29, 2014 Leave a comment

Ingredients

Muffins:

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 whole egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup shortening, melted
8 ounces dried blueberries


Vanilla Butter:

1 stick butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 whole vanilla bean

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

For the muffins: Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, milk, baking soda, egg and vanilla. Slowly incorporate the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add the melted shortening, stirring constantly. Stir in the dried blueberries (you can use a little more or a little fewer if you’d like).

Pour into a greased mini-muffin pan, trying to make sure the blueberries stay evenly distributed. Bake until golden brown, 10 minutes or so.

For the vanilla butter: Combine the softened butter, sugar and the caviar from the vanilla bean. Stir until totally combined, and then spread into a ramekin and serve with the warm muffins. (Butter can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.)