Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake

recipe from Alexandra Cooks

Serves 6-8
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup buttermilk
* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.
4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Lemon zest makes this recipe soooo yummy!

This is considered a "breakfast" recipe but I actually served it as a dessert with some vanilla frozen yogurt on top, and with coffee too of course!:) 

Cinnamon Muffins

Cinnamon Muffins
My friend Jamie Palmer Wise found this great recipe in Under the Magnolias: A Tasteful Tour of Athens. Thanks Jamie, once again, for sharing a delicious recipe that you found!

Ingredients:
* 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
* 1 1/2 c. sugar
* 3 eggs
* 2 1/4 c. self-rising flour
* 1 tbsp. cinnamon
* 3/4 c. milk
* 3/4 c. pecans (or raisins)

Directions:
* Preheat oven to 350
* Cream butter & sugar (until there are no lumps). Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour & cinnamon alternately with milk, mixing well after each addition. Stir in pecans (or raisins). Spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Yields 20 muffins.

Hamburger Corn Casserole

Hamburger Corn Casserole
from: Jessi Nickelson

This is a very easy and delicious casserole. It's a whole meal in itself!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
3/4 c. onion, chopped
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
6 oz. egg noodles
1 c. sour cream
bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Brown the meat and onion.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine meat, onion, corn, soups, sour cream, and noodles.
4. Pour all the ingredients in a baking dish and top with bread crumbs.
5. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Valentine Brownie Cupcakes

Valentine Brownie Cupcakes


You'll make yourself and your Valentine very happy with these!

Make the pan of brownies ahead of time so that they can thoroughly cool.
Best Brownies
Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 cup white sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
4. Allow these to cool thoroughly, preferably until the next day.
5. Take a small heart shaped cookie cutter and cut out the hearts.

Next, bake your cupcakes. The cupcake recipe is from Kelly Eason. She substitutes margarine and soy milk, instead of butter and regular milk, to make this recipe work for her lactose intolerant child.
Cupcakes
Ingredients:

* 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
* 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 3/4 c. butter, softened
* 1 3/4 c. sugar
* 3 large eggs, room temperature
* 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
* 1 1/4 c. milk
* 1 container of Pillsbury Valentine's Funfetti Frosting (sprinkles included)
* 1 bag of Jet-Puffed HeartMallows (Marshmallows)Strawberry Flavored


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°F.

In bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt with a wire whisk.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix until completely combines. Slowly add flour alternately with milk. Mix until smooth. Bake until slightly brown on top.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, add frosting. Then with a butter knife, cut a small indention in the top and add a brownie heart standing up. Add sprinkles or sugar crystals if desired.

Enjoy!

Lasagna

Lasagna
by: Ronna Corsini & Katie Corsini Reid

This delicious recipe is from our pastor's wife, Katie. She watched her mom make it this way growing up. Katie said, "You can choose to leave out the olives. Sometimes I use Ricotta instead of Cottage Cheese and you can use any combination of ground beef and/or Italian sausage. I also add more or less tomato sauce if it seems dry. Enjoy!"

I personally love this recipe! We had the whole Boyd Family over and there wasn't a bite left! I can't wait to make it again!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 of a medium sized onion
1 box lasagna noodles
1 jar or can of pre-made spaghetti sauce
1 small can of sliced olives
garlic to taste (powder, minced, or fresh)
2 c. of cottage cheese
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Chop the onion and cook it while browning the ground beef.
2. Boil the noodles if you have the regular kind. I use the "oven ready" noodles that you don't have to boil.
3. Once the meat is cooked, drain off the fat and return it to the stove on low heat.
4. Add the spaghetti sauce, olives, garlic, and cottage cheese. Mix all of this together while cooking on low heat.
5. Layer the bottom of a 9x13 pan with 3 noodles. Top it with meat/sauce mixture and then sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top. Repeat these layers: noodles, meat/sauce mixture, cheese, until you've used up your ingredients.
6. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until bubbly. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

Bran Muffins

Bran Muffins
by: Barbara Jackson & Jamie Wise

These turned out great! I love the texture! Don't leave out the pecans because I feel that is the key ingredient--oh SO GOOD! Thank you, Jamie and Barbara for sharing this delicious recipe!

Ingredients:
* half of a 20 oz. box Raisin Bran cereal
* 2 c. buttermilk
* 1 1/4 c. brown sugar
* 2 1/2 c. plain whole wheat flour
* 2 1/2 tsp. soda
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1/2 c. cooking oil
* 2 large eggs
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp. cloves
* 3/4 c. pecans
* 1 c. raisins

Directions:
* Combine the following: Sugar, oil, eggs – then the buttermilk. Next mix this mixture with all dry ingredients. Beat well with mixer. Add nuts and raisins. Spray muffin tin.
* Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes depending on size of muffins.

*freeze well

Candy Cane Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies

Eric has fond childhood memories of his mom making these. And my dear friend, Cheryl, recommended these to me because she has been making them for 20 years now and they are one of her favorites! I made these tonight and they are indeed delicious! The almond extract is the key ingredient that make them so yummy!:)

By: Susie Horne & Cheryl Dillon

1/2 c. butter softened
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. confectioners sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red food color

Heat oven to 375. Cream the butter, shortening and confectioners sugar. Add egg and flavorings. Blend in the flour and salt. Divide the dough in half and blend food color into one half. Take a little bit of dough from 2 colors and roll each ball out into a nice long snake, then do the same with the other ball, then place them side by side and roll them/twisting them together, pressing lightly; then curve them at the top for the candy cane shape and put on the cookie sheet.
Bake about 9 minutes, until set. They harden more as they cool on the cookie sheet.

Cheryl says, "I actually also make these around Halloween and make orange dough and I do the same thing with the dough, twist 2 snakes together, but I put them in the circle shape and then some green dough at the top for the stem. I try to think of every way I can make these cookies!"

Pumpkin Pancakes

Here's a Thanksgiving breakfast that the whole family will enjoy!




Pumpkin Pancakes
by: Susie Horne/ Cheryl Dillon

Ingredients:

2 c. all purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ c. milk
1 c. pumpkin
4 eggs, separated
¼ c. butter, melted

Directions:

*In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
*Combine milk, pumpkin, egg yolks, and butter in another bowl. Pour into dry ingredients. Stir just until blended.
*Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter.
*Preheat griddle, grease lightly. Pour on batter, about ¼ cup for each pancake. Cook until tops bubble and is dry and bottom browned. Turn and cook other side until browned. Makes about 2 dozen 3-4 inch pancakes.

No Fail Sugar Cookies

I got this great recipe from a sweet friend, Amy, in Macedonia. She also had a butterfly theme for her daughters 1st birthday and the cookies were so delicious! I asked her for the recipe and she said she had found it on www.food.com. The URL is http://www.food.com/recipe/no-fail-sugar-cookies-108172.





No Fail Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

6 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
2 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
4. Mix well.
5. Chill for 1 to 2 hours.
6. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes.
7. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges.

Santa Fe Soup

Santa Fe Soup (some call it "Taco Soup")
by: Barbara Childs

Ingredients:

* 1 lb ground beef
* 1 med chopped onion
* 1 pack Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
* 1 pack Taco Seasoning mix
* 1 tsp. garlic
* 1 28oz. can diced tomatoes
* 1 can Rotel tomatoes, undrained
* 1 can pinto beans, undrained
* 1 can black beans, undrained
* 1 can kidney beans, undrained
* 1 can shoe-peg corn, undrained

Directions:

Brown beef and drain. Next add the onion and seasoning packets, adding ½ -1 cup water with seasonings. Put in large pot then add all the cans. Stir and cook on low for 2 hours. You may have to add extra water. You can add another pound of meat and another package of taco seasoning if you are serving a lot of people. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.

You can also make this in the crock-pot very easily! Cook your meat and add it to all the other ingredients in the crock pot. Wa-la! So incredibly yummy!

Ultimate M&M Cookies

I got this recipe from a holiday cookie exchange in Wake Forest, NC during our seminary days.

Ingredients

1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 12-ounce package M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies
3/4 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into butter/sugar mixture. Stir in M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies and nuts, if desired. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft. Do not overbake. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; cool completely on wire racks. Store in tightly covered container. Makes about 3 dozen 3 inch cookies.

Toffee Grahams

Toffee Grahams
by: Cristina Beck
Cristina was my supervising teacher when I did my student teaching in Toccoa, Georgia. She gave me this delicious recipe.

1 box graham crackers
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. butter
1 c. chopped pecans

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Arrange graham crackers close together to cover the cookie sheet. Combine butter and brown sugar in small saucepan; cook until mixture comes to a boil. Add pecans; spread mixture over graham crackers. Bake in 350 degree oven 10 minutes or until bubbly; cool 10 minutes. Cut each graham cracker in half and remove to a cooling rack. Serve cold.

Seven Layer Bars

Seven Layer Bars
recipe from my friend Clayne

Ingredients

* 3/4 c. melted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
* 2 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
* 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 c. butterscotch chips
* 1 c. chopped walnuts
* 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 1 1/2 c. shredded coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Mix melted butter and graham cracker crumbs and put in a 11x17" baking pan. Press flat.
3. Layer chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, nuts, and coconut over crumbs. Pour condensed milk last.
4. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool.

Coffee Punch

Coffee Punch
So delicious!

Ingredients:
12 c. coffee
1 c. sugar
1 container Nesquick liquid chocolate milk(1/2 gal.)
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 container Breyers coffee ice cream
1 small container whip cream

Brew 12 cups of coffee the night before. While the coffee is still hot, mix it with 1 c. sugar. Put this in the refrigerator overnight.

Before serving:
Add 1 container of Nesquick liquid, 1 tbsp. vanilla, 1 container of Breyers coffee ice cream, and 1 small whip cream all to the coffee.

Watermelon Baby Carriage

I got this idea from my dear friends, Summer and Erin. They made one of these watermelon baby carriages for my baby shower in Macedonia. Last week I was able to make this one for my friend Jamie's baby shower.




Watermelon Baby Carriage

You Will Need:

1 large watermelon
Assorted fruit such as berries, kiwi, melons, and grapes
flowers (for garnish, if desired)
1 grapefruit or orange for wheels
1 kiwi for hubcaps
decorative bow
toothpicks
sharp knife

Instructions:

1. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of the watermelon to provide a stable base.

2. Using a sharpie marker, make an outline of a carriage. Use a sharp knife to make the cuts.

3. Hollow out the bottom of the watermelon and reserve the fruit for the fruit salad.

4. Cut out the handle from an unused piece of watermelon (scrape away any excess fruit.)

5. Attach the handle with toothpicks.

6. Using toothpicks, attach wheels made from orange slices and hubcaps made from kiwis.

7. Fill the carriage with approx. 4 cups of fruit salad.

8. Attach a bow to the top and arrange flowers around the base.




*There are YouTube videos that are helpful to watch before carving a baby carriage. Simply go to www.youtube.com and in the search window type "watermelon baby carriage". Several videos will appear that will assist you in making your watermelon baby carriage.

Zucchini and Tomato Casserole

Zucchini and Tomato Casserole
by: Karen Blackburn

3 large or 4 medium zucchini, washed & sliced crosswise
3 large tomatoes, peeled & sliced
1 large sweet onion, sliced
1 1/2 c. cracker crumbs
1 c. grated sharp cheese
salt & pepper
1 can tomato paste, diluted
1 stick butter
1 tbsp. brown sugar

Sprinkle brown sugar over tomatoes. Alternate zucchini, tomatoes, and onions in a buttered casserole, sprinkle each layer with crumbs, cheese, salt, and pepper and dotting with bits of butter. Put a layer of tomato paste over it all. Lastly, put a top layer of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Breakfast Pie

Breakfast Pie
by: Jamie Palmer Wise

1 large pie crust (refrigerator section of grocery store near the cookie dough)
8 oz. sausage (cooked & drained) - I use turkey sausage
1 c. eggs (about 4 eggs)
3/4 c. skim milk
6 oz. cheese
1 c. chopped (optional):
-mushrooms
-onions
-bell pepper
1 tsp. salt & pepper

1. Bake pie crust (350 F for 10 min.) and let it cool.
2. Cook sausage and drain it.
3. Put 1/2 of the cheese in the crust and spread sausage over it.
4. Then add veggies and the rest of the cheese.
5. Lastly add the mixture of salt, pepper, milk, and eggs.
6. Bake 45 min. at 375 F.

This makes for a pretty & delicious dish.