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Showing posts with label Breakfast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breakfast. Show all posts

Monday, February 24, 2014

English Muffin Bread

This is an old recipe that I found in my Grandmother's cookbook and I've wanted to try it for a long time.  And what better time to make some homemade bread than on a dark and rainy weekend.  With such a short list of ingredients this is also a great baking project for kids.  They will love the smell of fresh baked bread!


This bread gives you a nice crunchy exterior, just like an English muffin, with a light, moist interior, which makes it an ideal bread for jam or marmalade.  I tried this with my favorite blackberry jam and it was heavenly.  The only thing it needed was a cup of tea to go with it.


This recipe was really easy to make and the prep time only took about 5 minutes.  After that the bread needs to rest for an hour or so, then 25 minutes in the oven and you have 2 loaves of warm bread ready to serve.  The bread has a solid texture that is also great toasted.

1 cup  1% Milk
1 cup  Half and Half
1/2 cup  Water
5-3/4 cups  Flour, divided
2  .25 oz pkgs  Active Dry Yeast
1 TB  Sugar
1 tsp  Salt
1/4 tsp  Baking Soda
Cornmeal

Grease 2 - 9 X 5 inch loaf pans with butter then dust lightly with the cornmeal; set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the milk, half and half and water over medium heat until very warm but not boiling.

Combine 3 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.  (A stand mixer with a dough hook works great.)

Add the warm milk and water to the flour mixture and beat well.  Stir in the remaining flour to make a stiff batter. (If the batter is too sticky, add one or two tablespoons of flour, as needed.)  Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, sprinkle the tops of the batter lightly with cornmeal, cover with plastic wrap, place a light towel over the top and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake the bread for 25 minutes, then remove loaves from the pans and cool on a wire rack.  Store in an airtight container.  Bread freezes well for up to 60 days.  Enjoy!!

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Spicy Italian Frittata

Tonight we decided to revisit one of my favorite breakfast recipes, our version of a Spicy Italian Frittata. A frittata is a type of omelet that has the ingredients mixed with the eggs instead of being folded inside the way you would cook an omelet.  This also makes it easy to cook a family sized meal in one pan.  With the spices in the Italian sausage and a little extra heat from Tabasco and taco sauce, this is a flavorful meal that the whole family will enjoy.

The reason this recipe makes my list of favorites is because it also makes a quick and hearty weeknight dinner.  So, with our chilly weather, tonight was the perfect night to make breakfast for dinner.


This is a simple meal to prepare and if you already have the sausage cooked, the rest of the meal comes together in about 25 minutes.  Once you cook the potatoes, the eggs are scrambled in the same skillet and the seasonings are added at the end.  Very quick and easy.  We served our Spicy Italian Frittata with Asiago and Black Pepper Biscuits and a little hot salsa on the side.

6 medium Red Potatoes, diced
1 medium Onion, chopped
1/3 lb. (about 6 oz) Hot Italian Sausage, cooked and chopped
3 - 4 Jumbo Eggs, lightly scrambled
3 TB Sour Cream
3/4 cup grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
3 TB Taco Sauce
1/2 tsp Hot Pepper Sauce (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
Green Onions and Sour Cream for Garnish

Place diced potatoes in a large skillet and add just enough water to cover potatoes. Cover the potatoes and simmer 6 minutes. Add chopped onion, hot sauce, garlic salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 5-6 minutes longer.

When potatoes are lightly browned, fold in cooked sausage. Move potato/sausage mixture to the side of skillet, add the eggs to the other side and cook about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Fold eggs into the potatoes and sausage. Add sour cream, grated cheese and taco sauce, stir gently into mixture, cover and remove skillet from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions.  Makes 5 servings.

Monday, December 31, 2012

Pumpkin Butter Smoothie

This yummy Pumpkin Butter Smoothie is a delicious way to start your day and, with only 3 or 4 ingredients, it only takes a few minutes to prepare.  As our first creation using Pumpkin Butter, it was a great success and will be perfect for our busy weekday mornings that start much earlier than I wish they did!

Coming in at about 215 calories and 20 grams of protein, this smoothie is full of yummy pumpkin flavor.  For an added boost of potassium, add half of a banana to your smoothie and you're still under 300 calories.


1/4 cup  Pumpkin Butter
1 cup  1% Milk
1/2 scoop  Optimum Nutrition Vanilla Ice Cream Protein Powder
1/2  Medium Banana, optional

Combine all ingredients in a small blender for 30 seconds and serve.

Pumpkin Butter

A few weeks ago, my family and I stopped by a local farmer's market where we discovered Amish Pumpkin Butter.  We had all tried apple butter before but pumpkin butter is a different thing all together, with a flavor similar to pumpkin pie, with lots of cinnamon and cloves.


This creamy spread is so delicious, we kept thinking of more and more ways to use it.  And as expected, the jar was empty within a few days.  So my mission was clear, I needed to make our own.

So far we have used this butter on pancakes and English muffins, and it also makes a great Pumpkin Butter Smoothie for a quick breakfast.  In addition to tasting yummy, it's also good for you! Just 1/4 cup of Pumpkin Butter comes in at about 55 calories and provides 150% of your Vitamin A requirements for the day.

2 15-oz cans  Libby's Pure Pumpkin
1 cup  Apple Juice
1/2 tsp  Allspice
1/4 tsp  Cloves
1 cup  Brown Sugar, packed
1 TB  Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp  Nutmeg
2 tsp  Apple Cider Vinegar

Combine all ingredients, except vinegar, in a large saucepan.  Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring several times.

Remove from heat and stir in the cider vinegar.  Cool to room temperature then transfer to a glass container and store in refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Crustless Quiche

Crustless quiche or egg casserole?  Regardless of the name, this fluffy egg dish with a mild green chili and spinach filling makes a delicious breakfast or brunch, or in this case a great weeknight meal. 

Since most mornings we are way too busy to fix a "fancy" meal, serving breakfast for dinner is something our family has always enjoyed.  Eggs are a great comfort food and they are also an inexpensive way to feed a family.  Plus with this dish, you'll even have leftovers for a quick breakfast.

12 Eggs
1/2 cup  Flour
1 1/4 tsp  Baking Powder
1/4 cup  Butter
4 oz can  Diced Green Chilies
1 pkg  Frozen Spinach, defrosted and water squeezed out
1 cup  Large Curd Cottage Cheese
2 1/2 cups  Grated Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Melt butter in a glass 13 x 9 inch baking dish and set aside.

In a large bowl beat the eggs until blended, then add all of the remaining ingredients and stir until combined.  Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake for 25 - 35 minutes or until golden on top and the center is set.

Serve with salsa, sour cream or hot sauce, a side of roasted potatoes and your favorite sausage or bacon.  Makes 8 servings.  Enjoy!!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Quiche Two Ways Makes a Great Dinner

A simple quiche can make a very satisfying meal and it can be customized to your own tastes with ingredients you already have on hand.  Usually when people hear the word "quiche" they think of Quiche Lorraine, which is an elegant dish made using Gruyere cheese, which can be a little pricey.  Although it is quite delicious, Gruyere is also not always a favorite with kids.  For this recipe we made the whole family happy by making 2 different varieties of quiche at once.

  
  

  

The first option was a Bacon/Red Onion/Mushroom quiche and the second was a Ham/Green Chili/Cheddar Cheese quiche that was a huge success with the kids.  (The picky eater didn't even mind the chilies..lol.) 

This recipe is a great way to use up leftovers and is very budget friendly.  You could easily serve this once a week and make a different variety each time.  Anything can be thrown in with the eggs.  Try any combination of leftovers like fresh tomato, white or red onions, scallions, leeks or broccoli.  If the veggies are fresh, just saute them lightly in a little butter just until softened, then add to the quiche. (You will want to keep the amount of liquid as low as possible so it does not dilute the egg custard.)

For protein you could try pepperoni, salami, leftover lunch meats like ham or turkey, and any variety of cheeses.  Just mix and match the ingredients until you find your favorite combination.

I did cheat a little on the crust for this batch.  Although homemade crust is so very light and flaky, (I  have a recipe for homemade crust somewhere and I'll post it later) when you're crunched for time the store-bought crust will work just fine. 

1  pkg  Pie Crust, 2 shells
8  Strips of Bacon, cooked and crumbled
8  Large Eggs
2 cups  Milk
1 cup  Half and Half
3 TB Sour Cream
1/4 tsp  White Pepper
1/4 tsp  Black Pepper
1 tsp  Kosher Salt
1 TB  Butter
1/2  Red Onion, thinly sliced
4-5 oz  Mushrooms, any variety, cleaned and cut into quarters
1 cup  Ham, diced
1  Small Can Diced Green Chilies
2 cups  Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Open pie crusts and cook according to package directions, with one crust in the bottom of each pie plate.  (I used 2 deep pie pans so the crust can be pulled high up on the sides.)  Be sure to pierce the crust lightly with a fork to allow the steam to escape.  If you have pie weights, these are used to keep the crust flat while cooking.  **No pie weights??  No problem.  Lay a large square of heavy duty foil on the counter and place 1 cup of dried beans in the center.  Fold the edges up tightly until the foil packet will fit inside the pie plates.  These can be reused many times!

While the crusts are cooking get your filling ingredients ready.  In a large bowl, scramble the eggs and add the milk, half and half, sour cream, salt and peppers.  Set aside.

In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat and saute the red onions and mushrooms.  Set aside to cool slightly.

When shells are cooked, place the filling ingredients in each pie plate.  For the first quiche, layer the bacon on the bottom, then spoon the red onion and mushroom mixture over the bacon.  Sprinkle with 1 cup cheddar cheese.

For the second quiche, place the ham, green chilies and cheddar cheese in the pie plate in layers.

Carefully add the scrambled egg mixture to the pie plates, making sure not to overfill the shells. If you have any egg mixture left over, it can be refrigerated and safely used the next day.

Bake the quiche at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until quiche filling is set and the top is lightly browned.  Serve with sliced tomato and avocado or a tossed salad.  Enjoy!

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Banana Bread with Oat Flour

Nothing tastes better than a slice of warm banana bread.  This recipe is very easy to make and makes use of a few bananas that may have been sitting on the counter for a little too long.  Prep time is only 15 minutes, so this recipe is simple to throw together and it can bake while you're having dinner.


This Banana Bread also provides some health benefits.  I am always trying to incorporate oat flour into standard recipes and I love the difference in texture and the added health benefits of the oats.  To add oats to your favorite recipe, try replacing 1/3 of the regular flour with oat flour.  I have found that with most recipes you can replace up to half of the flour with oat flour and not need to change the amount of liquid in the bread.  If the batter does seem a little too thick, just add 1-2 tablespoons additional liquid as called for in the recipe (milk, applesauce, water, etc.).  Enjoy!!

2 1/2 cups  All Purpose Flour
1 cup  Oat Flour (ground Quaker Oats work great)
4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup Butter or Margarine, melted
4 Eggs, well beaten
1 cup Sugar or equal amount of Splenda
2 tsp Vanilla
4 medium Bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350. Combine both flours, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt. In separate bowl, combine butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla; add to flour mixture and stir only until flour is moistened. Fold in mashed bananas. Pour into 2 well-greased 8" x 4" loaf pans and bake for 60 - 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

** Time Saver -- For quick and easy clean up, line the loaf pans with foil and do not grease.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Banana Bread in the Bread Machine

Nothing tastes better than a slice of warm banana bread on a cold day.  Unfortunately, bread takes a little extra time to prepare and bake.  With this recipe, the bread machine will do all of the work for you and you get to enjoy all of the cinnamon-banana goodness.

A few years ago bread machines were quite trendy, but their popularity has since faded and most people pushed this handy appliance to the back of their shelves.  With winter upon us, this is a great time to pull out that bread machine and make a loaf of delicious and healthy banana bread.  By including the whole wheat flour the end result is a more compact loaf, which only intensifies the banana flavor, and increases the health benefits. 

** Bread Machine Recipe

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 cup Sugar
5 TB Cinnamon Applesauce
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 Eggs
1 TB Hot Water
2 1/2 Large Bananas ( or 3 small bananas)
Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture

Place ingredients in the pan of a bread machine.

Select the DOUGH setting and press start. Mix the bread about 5 minutes until the bananas are well combined into the batter. If needed, use a rubber spatula to push dough from the sides of the bread pan.

After the 5 minutes, when the dough is well blended, press STOP and sprinkle the top of batter with the Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture.

Select the BAKE setting and press start. The Bake Cycle time may vary with machines, but cooking time will be about 50 - 60 minutes.

To test bread for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the bread. If the bread is done, the toothpick will come out clean. If there is dough on the toothpick, reset the machine and BAKE 10 to 15 minutes longer.

When the bread is completely baked, remove pan from bread machine and cool.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Mushroom, Green Pepper & Feta Casserole

If you have not tried growing your own green peppers, you are really missing out. Peppers are very easy to grow and they taste so sweet and fresh when used directly from your own garden.  You can even grow a single pepper plant in a large pot.

This breakfast casserole also makes a quick and healthy dinner, and can be on the table in less than 1 hour. Serve this on a Monday night and you will have a quick-to-reheat-breakfast for the rest of the week.

8 oz. Sliced Portobello Mushrooms
1 large Green Bell Pepper, chopped into 3/4 inch squares
1-2 tsp  Olive Oil
3 Green Onions, white and green parts, minced
1 cup crumbled Feta Cheese (or more, to taste)
18 Large Eggs
1/2 tsp Fresh Tarragon (optional, but recommended)
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray 10 X 14 glass casserole dish with non-stick spray.

Heat non-stick skillet, add 1 tsp olive oil, and saute mushrooms and peppers 2-3 minutes, until softened. Spread mushrooms-pepper mixture in bottom of casserole dish.  Crumble feta cheese over top of mushroom-pepper mixture.

Beat eggs with the tarragon and black pepper. (Avoid adding salt as Feta cheese contains a fair amount of salt). Bake about 45 minutes, or until casserole is firmly set and top is slightly browned. Serve hot. Serve with a little bit of low-fat sour cream and salsa on top.

Note:  Breakfast casseroles like this reheat very well in the microwave. It can be frozen, but for best results, allow to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. Enjoy!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Apple Crumble Muffins

This is a perfect recipe for the upcoming fall apple season. These muffins are tasty for breakfast but are also great for your kids lunchbox or as an after school snack.


With one apple and a few minutes of prep time, you can make delicious Apple Muffins that taste just like Apple Pie!

Cinnamon Crumble Topping
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
2 TB Melted Butter
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Muffin Batter
3/4 cup Brown Sugar, Packed
1/4 cup Canola or Vegetable Oil (you can also substitute applesauce for lower fat content)
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup Milk
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/8 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 large Apple, such as Red Delicious or Granny Smith

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the crumble topping ingredients together and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the milk, egg, vanilla, oil and sugar. In another bowl combine the dry ingredients, then add the dry ingredients to the milk/egg mixture, and blend together gently.

Next, dice the apples into very fine pieces. This will allow the apples to cook into the batter. Add the apples to the batter and stir gently until combined. Spoon into paper-lined or well-greased muffin cups, top each muffin with a teaspoonful of the cinnamon crumble mixture and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.   Makes about 12 muffins.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Pumpkin Pie Shake

15 oz  Canned Pumpkin - 1 can (not pie mix)
1/4 cup  Raw Cashews
1/4 cup  Low-Fat Milk, (or Vanilla Soy Milk)
2 TB  Maple Syrup
1/4 cup  Chai Tea Concentrate
2 TB  Milk Creamer (or Soy)
2  Dashes Cinnamon
2  Dashes Nutmeg
Pinch of Salt
1 1/2 cups ice (or for a treat, coconut water ice cubes)
Optional: 1/2  Frozen Banana, Pinch of Flax Seed Oil/Meal for added nutrition

Add all your ingredients, except the ice, to the blender.

Blend on high until smooth. The pumpkin will make this smoothie thick, so be patient while blending. Add a bit more milk if needed.

Keep blending and slowly add in the ice. Make sure it blends icy-smooth! Again, if you need to add a bit more liquid, do it gradually. You can always do a taste test before pouring and modify as needed to suit your own tastes.

If desired, for extra flavor and nutrition, add a few extra cashews.  Pour into glasses, and sprinkle with cinnamon on top. Makes 2 - 3 servings.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Many people only use Pumpkin in the fall months and they are missing out on a delicious and healthy treat. Pumpkin can be used in smoothies, breads, soups or these yummy pancakes. While very low in calories, Pumpkin is rich in potassium, magnesium and iron plus the antioxidant beta-carotene.
1 1/2 cups  Milk
1 cup  Pumpkin Puree
1 Egg
2 TB  Vegetable Oil
2 cups  Flour
3 TB  Brown Sugar
2 tsp  Baking Powder
1 tsp  Baking Soda
1 tsp  Ground Allspice
1 tsp  Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp  Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp  Salt
Oil, as needed, for grilling pancakes

In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, and oil. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a separate bowl. Then stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.


Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve with warm maple syrup.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Greek Scrambled Eggs

2 tsp Butter or Olive Oil
8 Eggs, beaten
2 Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 oz Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the butter in a skillet over moderate heat. Pour in the eggs and cook until partially set, stirring constantly. Add the remaining ingredients and stir gently until cooked to the desired consistency.

Serves 4 to 6.

Homemade "Instant" Oatmeal

1/2 cup "Quick-Cooking" Oatmeal
1/2 cup Water or Milk
1/4 cup or less of Sugar (to taste)
Dried Fruits of your choice - raisins, blueberries, cherries, apples, apricots, dates, etc.
Fresh Fruit if you like - bananas, berries, etc.
Spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, depending on what combination you are making
Squirt of honey, jam, or chopped fruit for garnish

Combine all, according to taste. Microwave on high 1-2 minutes, until oatmeal is thickened. Garnish as desired (with honey, syrup, chopped bananas, etc.) This is great for kids to design their own flavors!

Suggested combinations - apples and cinnamon, pumpkin pie (use canned pumpkin or pumpkin pie spice), peaches and cream, strawberries and cream, peanut butter and jelly, tropical (bananas, pineapple, mangoes, dates, coconut), lemon-blueberry, maple syrup-brown sugar, maple syrup and pecans.