Chicken and Waffles

All the rap guys eat it so why cant I? I was a little excited, ok alot excited to make this for dinner because it gets such hype. I told my kids this is what i was cooking and i got a look of concern and argued with my plus 3, mind you are all under 3.5 feet, as to how and why you cant put these together. But at the end of the day... Plates were empty, licked clean and request for it again have already been made. BAM whose awesome now? Yep this mom is! I stole (ok borrowed) Emeralds recipe for the waffles because they are so du-lic-ous. BAM


Whatcha Need:

 2lbs of Chicken tenders (or you can use chicken breasts cut in chunks or strips)

1 cup all purpose flour

2TBS of salt

2TBS of Pepper

2TBS of Onion Powder

1 tsp of Garlic Powder

1 tsp of Cumin

1/2 tsp of Paprika

Vegetable oil, for frying

*Add a splash of Hot sauce to chicken before breading if you like a little PUNCH

 Waffles:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Unsalted butter, topping

How to Make this Junk:

Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and paprika. Combine remaining spices with flour then roll your chicken in the seasoned flour.

Add 1/2 to 3/4 inch oil to a large, heavy skillet. Heat to approximately 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Place chicken pieces in hot oil. Cover, and fry until golden, turning once, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels

Waffles:

Preheat a waffle iron and lightly greased. Into a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together.

In a clean bowl, beat the eggs. Add the butter and buttermilk and beat to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix well.


Pour the batter into the hot waffle iron and cook until golden brown and lightly crisp.

Remove and if desired, top with a slice of butter, and serve with the chicken and maple syrup.

Cinnamon Buns

Enough Said. eat, pray (you don't gain weight), love.

Dough:
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1 C. warm water (105-115 degree)
2/3 C. plus 1 tsp. granulated sugar, divided
1 C. warmed milk
2/3 C. butter
2 tsp salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
7-8 C. all-purpose flour, or more if needed

Filling:
1 C. melted butter, divided (2 sticks)
1 3/4 C. granulated sugar, divided
3 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 C. chopped walnuts, optional
1 1/2 C. raisins, optional

Creamy glaze:
2/3 C. melted butter (1 stick plus 2 Tbsp.)
4 C. powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4-8 Tbsp. hot water

In a small bowl mix together warm water, yeast and sugar and set aside. Allow to proof and get all bubbly (about 10 minutes). In a large bowl, mix milk, remaining 2/3 cup sugar, melted butter, salt and eggs; stir well and add yeast mixture. Add half the flour and beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour until dough is slightly stiff (dough will be sticky).

 

Turn out onto a well-floured board; knead 5 -10 minutes. Place in well-buttered glass or plastic bowl, cover and let rise in warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

When doubled, punch down dough and let rest 5 minutes. Roll out on floured surface into a 15 x 20 inch rectangle ( or comparable size)

To prepare filling: Spread 1/2 cup melted butter on your rolled out dough. Mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over buttered dough. Sprinkle with walnuts and raisins, if desired.

Roll up jellyroll-fashion and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 12 to 15 slices. Coat bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking pan and a 8-inch square pan with remaining 1/2 cup melted butter, then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.

 Place cinnamon roll slices close together in pans. Let rise in warm place until dough is doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until rolls are nicely browned. Cool rolls slightly.

  

To prepare glaze: In medium bowl, mix melted butter, powdered sugar and vanilla; add hot water 1 Tbsp. at a time until glaze reaches desired spreading consistency. Spread over slightly cooled rolls

*recipe found courtesy of a fellow foodie. Its a must keep and pass down forever one!

Grandpa's Red Hot Apples

My Grandfather, My Hero. A sense of calm comes over me when i think of him. I am so blessed that at the ripe old age of 94 i still have him around. He is one of the most honorable men i have ever known and man am i proud hes my grampy. My grampy was a notorious homemade apple sauce man. He could make anything from a Jonnathan Apple. When i smell these apples cooking i am overwhelmed with memories of being with my grampy. Memories i will cherish forever. Anytime i need a dose of my grampy an cant make the long trek to PA i just make these... Brings me back to that place every time, that place i always wanna be, 6 years old hugging my grampys leg.

Whatcha need:

Apples of your choosing (I always do Jonathan's if i can find them because they are the old mans fav)
Red Hot candie
water

Whatcha do:

Core your apples and place them in a 9X12 pan

Pour your red hot candies in the opening (where the core use to be in case your confused)

Put a little bit of water in the bottom of the pan ( bout a 1/2 inch)

Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 375 for 30-45 minutes until your apples are soft.

The aroma of these apples will fill your home and bring the warm straight to your heart!

From my grampy to your family, enjoy!

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

I had a craving for some yummy muffins and i happen to have blueberries on hand... So guess what i made? Duh! They are so good. Its a good breakfast to go for you or family or just a nice little snack!

Whatcha Need:

1 cup  milk

2 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup  granulated white sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter chilled and cut into small pieces

2 cups  fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 tablespoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

How to do it:

Preheat oven to 350.  Place rack in middle of oven. Line 16 - 18 muffin cups with paper liners or spray with a non stick vegetable spray.

In a measuring cup mix together the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives (The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.) 

Remove one cup of the mixture and set aside in a separate bowl to make the streusel topping.

To the remaining muffin batter, gently fold in the blueberries and lemon zest.  Add the milk and egg mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. (Do not over mix this mixture or the muffins will be tough when baked.) 

Fill each muffin cup with the batter, using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Fill any unused muffins cups with water to prevent the pan from warping.

For streusel topping:  Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and drizzle over the reserved 1 one cup of streusel topping. Mix together with a fork until it is crumbly and looks like coarse meal. 

Sprinkle a couple of  teaspoons of the streusel over the top of each muffin.

 Place in the oven and bake until very lightly browned and firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 - 22 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.

 

Makes 16 - 18 regular-sized muffins.

Monkey Bread

Although I’m almost certain there are no actual monkeys in this recipe ( even though i convinced my plus 3 their was and we had to buy it at Wal-mart), it’s still very good.


And you know the best part about this here Monkey Bread? It’s easy. Hard to mess up, honestly. You’ll be just fine.

Here’s what you need:


3 cans Buttermilk Biscuits (the Non-flaky Ones)
1 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons (to 3 Teaspoons) Cinnamon
2 sticks Butter
½ cups Brown Sugar

 How ya put the monkey together:

First preheat your oven to 350 because you will need it soon.

* BWOP!! * — That was the sound of the biscuit can popping open. You didn’t know I was a sound effects master, did you? Now open up all three cans of biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters

At this time you’ll want to combine the 1 cup of regular sugar with 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon. I use 3 teaspoons of cinnamon and this gives it a fairly strong cinnamon flavor. If you’re not so hot on cinnamon, cut it back to 2 teaspoons. Dump these into a 1 gallon zip bag and shake to mix evenly.

Drop all of the biscuit quarters into the cinnamon-sugar mix. Go ahead…all of them. Yes, they’re sticking together right now, but just trust me.

Once all the biscuit quarters are in the bag, seal it and give it a vigorous shake. This will get all those pieces unstuck from one another and nicely coated with the cinnamon-sugar. You might have some excess sugar left over and that’s okay.

Spread these nuggets out evenly in your bundt pan. I suppose you might want to grease this pan before doing this, but I’m pretty sure the gallon of butter we are about to add will keep it safe. Un-greased always works for me.

At this point, you’re going to want to melt those two sticks of butter together with 1/2cup of brown sugar. This can be light or dark brown sugar.

Stir together over a medium-high heat until the two become one. Sure, you could do this in the microwave, but it would be way less cool.


Once the brown sugar butter has become one color, you can pour it over the biscuits. Try to avoid sticking your finger under this heaven-sauce as it’s really, really hot. (*Knows from experience*)

At first…it’s going to look like too much. It’s okay though. Did I mention that this is not a low-calorie snack?
Bake this @ 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes until the crust is a deep brown on top. It should like like this.

If you have the willpower, allow this to cool for about 15-30 minutes before turning it over onto a plate. If it doesn’t slide right down onto the plate, give it a few love-taps until it plops. It’ll hold.

The smell is to die for, but the taste is life itself. I would endorse this Monkey Bread as the next presidential candidate.

Now, I’m not completely sure why this stuff is called “Monkey Bread”, but I think it has something to do with the fact that people seem to stand around it making primitive noises, jumping up and down, and picking at it incessantly. Taste it and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Sausage Gravy

Today my best friend Jenny & her baby James came over for breakfast and she always has gravy on her mind. Its always a prerequisite to serve sausage gravy when she is attending breakfast at my house. I have successfully made Baby James a fan too! This is an easy- must- know- how breakfast food that every woman needs to know how to make. Whether your a country bumpkin or city stiletto girl, who turns down gravy? And no man does either! The way to anyone heart is through sausage gravy & biscuits!

Whatcha Need:

 1lb of sausage- I use mild because i still have young plus 3
1 quart of Heavy Whipping cream
3-4 tablespoons of dried minced onions
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup of flour- may need a little more or a little less. use your better judgement

How to make this junk:

1) Crumble your sausage as normal- DO NOT DRAIN GREASE!

2) Turn stove to medium and add your onions and flour; let flour cook down for about a minute. This will sop up all the grease!

3) Add your cream now

4) use a whisk and keep stirring your cream/ sausage mixture until thick. DO NOT allow to boil. Bad things could happen. Like curdled milk. yuck!

5) Salt & pepper to your taste ( i always over pepper because it tastes soooooo good!)

6) allow to simmer while you continue to stir to thicken to your liking.

Serve warm and over buttery delicious biscuits or toast

BEEN THERE DONE THAT NOTE: If sauce doesn't thicken to your liking put a little bit of corn starch &  a little bit of water in a small dish and make it into a paste and pour into gravy. Will Thicken right on up ya'll

The Christmas Casserole

This recipe is one big memory in a casserole dish. For as long as i can remember, the aroma of this egg casserole filled many Christmas mornings at my house growing up. I remember my mother cooking this dish in her pink sponge painted stoneware dish and can still see her making her way through all the wrapping paper and box trash galore in her night-gown and slippers to serve our family the mandatory breakfast. Christmas wasn't the same unless this was being served in between the stocking opening and cookie munching our family did. I have carried on this tradition with my own little plus 4 with hopes that they will remember me like i so dearly remember my mother on special days.

Whatcha need:

16 slices of bread- I remove the crust because my little ones prefer it that way

lots of butter

9 eggs

Dash of cream or milk

4 cups of cheddar cheese

salt & pepper

Cooked Breakfast meat (bacon or crumbled sausage- optional)

How ya make it:

1) Butter both sides of each slice of bread & cut into bite size pieces then place in

    lightly greased casserole dish

2) Now in a medium bowl, crack all your eggs, add your cream, salt & pepper and beat  (like your making scrambled eggs)

3) Pour egg mixture over bread

4) Add cheddar cheese and stir gently (this is where you would add your meat if you choose)

5) Pop that bad boy in the oven at 375 for about 30-45 minutes or until golden brown and eggs have cooked

I hope this dish brings as much comfort to your home as it has mine

Breakfast egg cups

Breakfast again. We only do it everyday....

Here is a quick easy recipe that is easy for on the run moms (and dads, i don't hate)

Whatcha need: we'll do it for one so its easier to multiply for our mathematically challenged (like myself)

2 Slices of sandwich bread
Any 2 slices of meat you desire i.e.: Bacon, ham
Little bit of cheese (a pinch will be fine)
1 egg
Butter
and some salt and pepper

Lets get this party started.....

1) Start out rolling your bread flat, but not wafer flat

2) Use a large biscuit cutter and cut 2 circle pieces (1 per slice, in case you were confused)

3) In a LIGHTLY greased muffin tin, put bread in, over lap if necessary but do not break!

4) lightly butter your bread

5) add in cheese to your liking

6 )add in meat

7) Lastly crack open that egg and pour right on top!

Salt & pepper to your taste then cook in the oven at 375 for 15-20 minutes, longer if you prefer non-runny eggs

Been there, done that note: If you have thinner pans, watch food, will burn! If you don't use all muffin slots, always space these out leaving empty ones in between, makes for even cooking!

The Breakfast Puff

Well today is Saturday and what better way to start your weekend than with a ooey gooey could be french toast muffin? So thats what i decide. I just had a melt down (no pun intended) beacuse i gave Faith, my 5 year old, a 'broken' muffin.. Oh the Joys? Right? <insert reassurance here>

So lets start here...

Whatcha need :

Puffs

3 Cups All purpose flour
3 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup of butter
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Roll around coating junk:

2 sticks of butter (never said it was a healthy breakfast did I?)
1 1/2 cup of sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1) Preheat that large appliance call the oven to 350

2) Grease those muffin tins.. Lightly, i'll wait........ Ok enough now... Always getting carried away arent you? You only need a little, I promise it wont stick just because you didnt use the whole can....

3) In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt & nutmeg- Set aside now, We'll come back.

4) In a separate large bowl i call the Kitchen Aid, cream together the sugar and butter (again no promises this was a healthy food)

5) Now the fun part! Alternate your flour & Milk mixtures, try it in 3rd's if possible. Always start with Flour and end with flour - Never forget this or you will be forever doomed! Just kidding, but no really remember this for future baking!

6) Fill those LIGHTLY (hehe because i know you over greased them) muffin tins about 2/3 way full

7) Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, Once done remove muffins from tin and set aside

8) Now on to the best part.... The roll around yummy goodness. The coating! Melt the butter and put in a small bowl, and in separate bowl combine your sugar and cinnamon

9) Dip your warm muffins in the butter, coat thoroughly.....

10) Then roll them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Dont be stingy!

11) Now you have the cinnamony-sweet perfection! These deliciciousness of these beauties is not to be underestimated!

Enjoy, then run around or go to the gym!