Sometimes I pull out the cereal boxes, slice a banana, and refuse to feel guilty about it. But most days I want to feed my family something more nourishing. My man really likes having eggs and bacon with his coffee so he gets that pretty much every day. It's not much trouble and, really, he's worth it! I could fix that for everyone but we tend to eat breakfast in shifts around here. And, since cold scrambled eggs don't suit anyone but the dog and I don't want to stand at the stove all morning, I need other options.
Solution: muffins and breakfast breads. Bonus feature is that I can prepare a bunch and stash in the freezer so as to really streamline my morning routine.
Here's a few recipes that are great for preparing in advance and freezing.... and that our family likes:
Blueberry coffeecake
4 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 TBS plus 2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Crisco
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
Mix all ingredients together.
Stir in 2-3 cups blueberries
Divide the batter between two greased 8x8 pans
On top:
Mix 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup flour, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 cup butter and sprinkle topping on each pan of batter.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Top with glaze of powdered sugar and milk mixture (as much as you like!)
Banana bread with chocolate chips
Cream together 2 sticks butter (softened) and 2 cups sugar
Add 4 eggs and mix well
Stir in 4 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
Add 1 tsp vanilla
2 cups mashed bananas (4-5)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips
Spoon into well-greased loaf pans (4 small or 2 large) Bake at 350 for 1 hour
Strawberry bread
3 cups plain flour
1 tsp each salt and baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
2 cups sugar
Mix dry ingredients together. Make well in center and stir in mixture of
3 eggs, beaten, 2 cups crushed strawberries, 1 1/2 cup oil
Add 1 cup chopped pecans if desired
Pour into greased loaf pans (2 large or 3 small) Bake 1 hour at 350
Fruit muffins (blueberry, strawberry, peach)
2 cups plain flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp each baking soda and salt
2 tsp baking powder
Mix together.
Stir in 2 beaten eggs, 3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk, 1/4 cup oil
Add 1 cup fruit (or chocolate chips!!)
Fill well-greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes
Apple butter cake
1 cup melted butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
Mix well.
Add 2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp each cloves and nutmet
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
Stir in 3 cups peeled and grated apples
Bake in well-greased loaf pans at 325 for 1 1/2 hours
CORD muffins
In addition to striving for efficiency, I am all about being frugal. And I hate to waste anything, especially food. So we often have "CORD" for dinner (clean out refrigerator day) and lots of times I serve CORD muffins. Here's the basic recipe and you create your own, using up whatever ingredients you have on hand
2 - 2 1/2 cups grain (can be flour, oatmeal, corn meal or cereal - if using cooked oatmeal, use up to 1 cup cooked and the rest flour)
1 cup milk
1/4 cup fat (oil, melted butter - half of this can be applesauce)
1 egg
1/2 cup sweetener (sugar, brown sugar, honey, sugar substitute)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups additions such as nuts, fruit, spices that work well together, jelly, etc)
Combine in order given. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 way and bake at 4oo for 18-20 minutes
The key is to prepare ahead of time and have stashed in the freezer for mornings. Microwave to thaw while cooking some bacon, slice a banana, boil an egg, and you have a breakfast buffet ready for your family!
Solution: muffins and breakfast breads. Bonus feature is that I can prepare a bunch and stash in the freezer so as to really streamline my morning routine.
Here's a few recipes that are great for preparing in advance and freezing.... and that our family likes:
Blueberry coffeecake
4 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 TBS plus 2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Crisco
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
Mix all ingredients together.
Stir in 2-3 cups blueberries
Divide the batter between two greased 8x8 pans
On top:
Mix 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup flour, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 cup butter and sprinkle topping on each pan of batter.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Top with glaze of powdered sugar and milk mixture (as much as you like!)
Banana bread with chocolate chips
Cream together 2 sticks butter (softened) and 2 cups sugar
Add 4 eggs and mix well
Stir in 4 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
Add 1 tsp vanilla
2 cups mashed bananas (4-5)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips
Spoon into well-greased loaf pans (4 small or 2 large) Bake at 350 for 1 hour
Strawberry bread
3 cups plain flour
1 tsp each salt and baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
2 cups sugar
Mix dry ingredients together. Make well in center and stir in mixture of
3 eggs, beaten, 2 cups crushed strawberries, 1 1/2 cup oil
Add 1 cup chopped pecans if desired
Pour into greased loaf pans (2 large or 3 small) Bake 1 hour at 350
Fruit muffins (blueberry, strawberry, peach)
2 cups plain flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp each baking soda and salt
2 tsp baking powder
Mix together.
Stir in 2 beaten eggs, 3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk, 1/4 cup oil
Add 1 cup fruit (or chocolate chips!!)
Fill well-greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes
Apple butter cake
1 cup melted butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
Mix well.
Add 2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp each cloves and nutmet
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
Stir in 3 cups peeled and grated apples
Bake in well-greased loaf pans at 325 for 1 1/2 hours
CORD muffins
In addition to striving for efficiency, I am all about being frugal. And I hate to waste anything, especially food. So we often have "CORD" for dinner (clean out refrigerator day) and lots of times I serve CORD muffins. Here's the basic recipe and you create your own, using up whatever ingredients you have on hand
2 - 2 1/2 cups grain (can be flour, oatmeal, corn meal or cereal - if using cooked oatmeal, use up to 1 cup cooked and the rest flour)
1 cup milk
1/4 cup fat (oil, melted butter - half of this can be applesauce)
1 egg
1/2 cup sweetener (sugar, brown sugar, honey, sugar substitute)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups additions such as nuts, fruit, spices that work well together, jelly, etc)
Combine in order given. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 way and bake at 4oo for 18-20 minutes
The key is to prepare ahead of time and have stashed in the freezer for mornings. Microwave to thaw while cooking some bacon, slice a banana, boil an egg, and you have a breakfast buffet ready for your family!