Recipe Roundup :: Fall Favorites

Pumpkin bread with chocolate swirl

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, stress levels for most are at an all time high. Last year I spent the holiday solo, and I found it was easier to make myself a small Thanksgiving dinner with just my favorite dishes and save other dishes for later in the weekend. Spread some holiday cheer all weekend long with these easy recipes highlighting favorite Thanksgiving flavors.

Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Swirl

I spent Sunday morning baking a loaf of this pumpkin bread from Real Simple. It's a genius recipe for brunch on Thanksgiving morning. It can easily be baked one to two days in advance and reheated while the family watches the Thanksgiving Day parade. The pumpkin flavor is not overpowering, more subtle in combination with the sweetness of the chocolate. And the loaf gets a nice crust while the bread overall is moist. This very well may become my go-to quick bread recipe. 

Cranberry Mostarda

Fresh cranberry sauce is always better and I was delighted to find this cranberry mostarda on Food & Wine. Mustard is probably my most-used condiment, and the recipe marries a cranberry base with mustard seed, orange zest and spices. A great option to compliment your Thanksgiving feast, this sauce would also pair nicely with pork chops and sausages. 

Brown Butter Skillet Cornbread

Make this cornbread for tonight's dinner or tomorrow's snack. With a combination of brown butter, buttermilk and maple syrup, it's not your average cornbread. And since the skillet is sure to give the cornbread a crispy crust, the leftovers will make a great savory cornbread stuffing to accompany that roast turkey on Thursday.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple with Pearl Onions and Crispy Sage

The name sounds long, but that's all the ingredients in this recipe from Food 52. Yes, count them four, and it takes only about 20-25 minutes to cook. With a busy holiday week, what more could you ask for. This dish would make a great Thanksgiving side, a change-up from your traditional potato and sweet potato side-dishes. Or keep this recipe in mind for a light but hearty meal before your Black Friday shopping.

Recipe Roundup :: Americana flavors

Ultimate Sticky Buns

It's Election Day. I'll be voting this morning, and you should too! Election Day also means a busy night for me, working in the newsroom, but it's always one of the most exciting. No matter how you're spending the remainder of your day, we all need to eat. So I've rounded up some recipes with classic Americana flavors.

Ultimate Sticky Buns
Sticky buns, they're one of my favorite treats. I spent yesterday morning tackling this recipe from one of my old Bon Appétit issues. I love to bake, but these sticky buns were more complex than what I make regularly. But it was definitely worth the extra time and effort. I love how the flaky exterior hides a soft, sticky center, and the toasted pecans and glaze are what really makes these ultimate sticky buns stand out.

Apple Dutch Baby
Some say there's nothing more American than apple pie. Well I can't wait to give apple dutch baby recipe a try. It combines all that cinnamon apple flavor with a fluffy oven-baked pancake and feels like the perfect dish for fall and family gatherings.

Caramelized Vidalia Onion and Potato Gratin
When people ask me my favorite food, I almost always answer potato. It's not an expected answer, but there's so much opportunity to make something amazing with them. And potatoes are a native crop to the Americas so it felt fitting to include them in this list. I like how Bobby Flay's recipe incorporates the sweetness of the onions to balance the otherwise savory dish. It's a little surprise from the traditional potato gratin.

Chocolate Chunk Blondies
I've always enjoyed watching Barefoot Contessa because Ina Garten's show is so inviting and her recipes are easy to follow. Even when the ingredients are unfamiliar or the list is long, I feel confident I can tackle them with ease. Blondies are a dessert bar somewhere between a cookie and a brownie. I am looking forward to trying this richer take on the tried-and-true chocolate chip cookie.

Citrus French Toast

Brunch is the perfect way to start your day. And whether I am cooking for myself or for a crowd, French toast is one of my favorite go-to recipes. Prep is quick and easy enough that you can chat with your guests and be eating in no time. This morning I decided to change it up and added a hint of citrus to my favorite recipe.

Ingredients
4 slices french bread, sliced thick
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 tbsp agave syrup
3 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp orange peel
Powdered Sugar

Steps
1. Whisk milk, eggs, agave syrup, orange juice and vanilla extract together.
2. Add cinnamon and orange peel. Mix until evenly distributed in batter.
3. Soak french bread in mixture for 5 minutes, or overnight.
4. Preheat a griddle to medium-high heat.
5. Place French toast on griddle for 2-3 minutes. Flip and continue for 2-3 minutes until both sides are golden.
6. Serve with a drizzle of agave syrup and dusting of powdered sugar.

Serves 2

Recipe Roundup :: Comfort Foods

Before long, it'll be rainy day, gray skies and cooler weather. There's just something about curling up on the couch with a good book and a bowl mac and cheese. Comfort foods are called so for a reason, but I'm always on the hunt for an interesting twist. Here's a few of my recent finds.

Sriracha Honey Fried Chicken and Cheddar Beer Waffles

I recently learned about a new trend "waffling," essentially putting unexpected foods into a waffle iron to see what happens. I'll admit I was skeptical at first, but then the idea actually intrigued me. However while waffles are a brunch staple, I'll order in a restaurant, a waffle iron is one of the few gadgets missing from my kitchen. I've never really been able to justify it, knowing it would probably gather more dust than oil. But this recipe from FWx has me wanting to run to the store right now. It throws some of my favorite flavors into the same dish, ones I might never have put together. Cheddar and beer are perfect compliments, I don't know why I never considered using them together in a biscuit batter or waffles as FWx did. And the honey and sriracha, perhaps unexpected, sound like a great spicy-sweet glaze for fried chicken.

Fried Eggs

My breakfast staple. I could eat eggs over easy day in day out, even with all the talk that eggs can lead to bad cholesterol. I loved this roundup from Food 52 because it speaks to one of my favorite aspects of cooking. No two cooks are the same, give them the same recipe and every person will put their own spin. Even with a simple fried egg, there are endless ways to make it. My preferred technique is similar to Emily Vikre's -- a frying pan on medium-high heat and a pad of butter, and I remove the pan from the heat when I flip my egg. It's been fun trying these other methodologies to see how the end result differs.

Macaroni & Cheese Muffins

Mac and cheese, I've been known to make lists of restaurants to try based on hearing they have a great macaroni and cheese, I've got one entire cookbook devoted entirely to the dish, and I will constantly experiment with different cheeses and mix-ins. I made these macaroni and cheese muffins for a going-away potluck a while back, and they're much easier to eat while mingling carrying around a bowl and spoon. What's great about this recipe is the addition of the Dijon mustard and butternut squash puree.

Bourbon Apple Cake

I immediately cut out the recipe card for this from the back of this past month's Real Simple magazine. Of course, it's got bourbon, apple and vanilla, an absolutely delightful combination of flavors. But what really intrigued me was the use of grits in the cake batter. This is definitely on my "Must Bake" list, and I can't wait to share with you how it turns out. 

Bourbon Brulé

Bourbon has been my spirit of choice now for a while. While I usually drink it neat or with one or two ice cubes, I do enjoy finding creative cocktails that utilize it. The bourbon brulé from NY Times Cooking combines some flavors I wouldn't have imagined trying together all at once -- bourbon, orange, ginger and sherry. If it tastes as good as it looks in the picture, it'll make a worthy drink for holiday celebrations.

Sweet Potato Fries

I love sweet potato fries. What I really need to find is a place that serves endless baskets. But let's be serious, they're really not that difficult to make at home, I've just never tried. I found this great recipe on NY Times Cooking, just six ingredients and barely any time at all. What took me so long?

Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Scones

I can't usually go a weekend without baking something, and this weekend was no exception. The weather has finally cooled down a bit in Phoenix, I woke up to temperatures in the 70s! So this morning I decided to incorporate one of my favorite flavors of fall, cinnamon apples, into scones. I remember eagerly watching my mom prepare scones when I was growing up, but I never really paid close enough attention to make them myself. When I first tried making scones myself a few years ago, I realized they are quite easy to prepare and take relatively little time to bake. And scones are like biscuits in that you can easily transform them from a morning pastry to a savory side dish, simply by changing up the mix-ins to your batter.

Ingredients

1 granny smith apple

1 tbsp brown sugar

Cinnamon

1 tbsp butter

2 cups flour

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a small sauce pan, melt 1 tbsp butter. 

3. Dice apple into small chunks, about the width of your thumb. (You want them large enough to maintain a slight crunch after baking the scones)

4. Add apples, brown sugar and cinnamon to the melted butter. Stir so that apples are fully coated. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder together in a large mixing bowl.

6. Cut in butter, until flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

7. In a small bowl, beat eggs and whisk in buttermilk, milk and cinnamon apples. 

8. Add all at once to flour mixture, and stir with a fork until batter is just moistened. 

9. Turn out dough onto a flour surface and form into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Cut dough into triangles.

10. Arrange scones on a lined baking sheet so they are not touching.

11. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown.  

Makes 16 small or 8 large scones

Try everything

My motto when it comes to food is "try everything at least once." While that philosophy definitely has the potential to lead you astray and it is easy to let preconceived notions about a particular food or flavor influence us, more often than not I am pleasantly surprised by own tastebuds. This motto is the reason I've come to love oysters on the half shell, quinoa and chai tea, just to name a few favorites. One of the many reasons I enjoy dining out is that it's a welcome opportunity to try something new. Chefs are constantly experimenting, so even if I get a favorite dish like salmon or pasta, many times it is paired with something I would not have imagined. Sometimes it's a a new flavor for me, like the first time I tried grits or pâté. And sometimes it's a new use for a tried-and-true standby, have you ever tried zuchinni chips? If I had enough, I'd never stop eating them.

At least once. Everything is worth revisiting. Our tastes evolve over time, and recently I have discovered a newfound affinity for many foods I abhorred as a child. Brussel sprouts are perfect roasted with bacon and shallots. My friend Leigh Anne led me to an appreciation of all things pumpkin and squash. I am still a hold out on pie, as I will always prefer apple, pecan or really any other option before pumpkin pie. But I have tried and enjoyed pumpkin bread (which makes a mean french toast), roasted butternut squash and white chocolate pumpkin truffles. That last one is a real surprise, as I'm usually not one for white chocolate either. My most recent and exciting discovery was cauliflower. It was always the vegetable sitting there on the veggie platters, and I never touched it. I always thought it had no flavor, probably because I so often tried it raw. But I have come to learn that cauliflower is quite versatile when cooked, absorbing the flavors around it. It makes a great loaded au gratin replacing potatoes and just last week I tried a delicious recipe for buffalo cauliflower bites.

Recipe roundup. This probably will come as no surprise to those of you who have read my blog from the beginning or follow me on twitter. I own at least a few dozen cookbooks, subscribe to two magazines devoted entirely to food and countless others that boast substantial cooking sections and dozens of blogs and email blasts with daily recipes, restaurant lists and more. I am constantly tabbing my magazines and cookbooks with sticky notes and printing out recipes from the web that I want to try. The ever-growing stack is a mental cue to try something new rather than rely on making the same old thing week in and week out.

So with that in mind, I am going to start regularly including this feature, highlighting recipes I found and loved, or ones I am anxious to try. (Click on the names to link to the original recipe.)

     

Cheesy buffalo cauliflower wings (left) and Canal House peach jam

Cheesy buffalo cauliflower wings
The aforementioned cauliflower bites. After trying an au gratin a coworker brought in for a potluck, I did a search for more cauliflower recipes to test out and found these on the blog Jessica in the Kitchen. It's funny how your mind plays tricks on you based on your memories of certain flavors. If someone else had made this recipe, I don't know that I would have known I wasn't eating chicken.

Canal House peach jam
I don't think I will ever run out of uses for peaches. And this is one of my favorite new recipes for using them up before they turn bad. My favorite Bon Appétit got the seasonal-cooking superstars from Canal House to share this gem. And I love that it keeps to just the essentials, peaches, sugar and lemon juice.  I cut the recipe down based on what I had left, but if you don't you'll have plenty to share with friends as hostess gifts or "just-because" treats.

Proscuitto pesto pizza twists
From the blog A Zesty Bite, I found this recipe when I was looking for ideas for a cocktail party with some of my colleagues. I adjusted it slightly, using crescent dough instead of pizza dough. Besides the simplicity of preparation, it was a great finger food which is always a plus when you're entertaining.

Cinnamon polenta pancakes
Pancakes are one of my favorite go-to breakfasts. I know my favorite recipe by heart, and I can whip it up just as quickly as scrambled eggs or oatmeal. This was a great find for a heartier twist on traditional buttermilk pancakes.

Sour chocolate cake
This is first up on my to try list. I was sold when I read chocolate cake. A new twist with some tang from vinegar and it has cinnamon. Though I may lose the crumby texture, I'll probably try substituting butter as I am not huge on using shortening in my recipes. I may just whip this up for dessert tonight.

Lemon Poppyseed Biscuits

Last night I once again found myself craving something sweet that would let me savor some of my favorite summer flavors. Berries and peaches are among my favored produce, so I'm always looking for new ways to use them! A tried and true summer favorite is strawberry shortcake, but it's one of the recipes I most often play around with. Whether it's chocolate or the lemon poppyseed biscuits that follow, there are so many interesting combinations off such a basic concept.

I served these lemon poppyseed biscuits with sliced peaches and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. But it's a biscuit that's not too sweet and could easily pair well with other fruits, whipped cream or even just a pad of butter. While I definitely see myself bring this recipe out for a future brunch party, it'd be perfect for a bridal shower tea or dessert like I enjoyed last night.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tarter
1 1/2 tbsp poppyseeds

1 stick butter, softened

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon extract

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and cream of tarter and poppyseeds in a large bowl. Mix well.

3. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

4. In a small bowl, mix buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon extract.

5. Pour liquids all at once into flour mixture. Mix until well combined, the batter may still be lumpy. 

6. Drop biscuits onto the lined baking sheet, using a spoon and spatula to form small mounds.

7. Bake for 10-11 minutes, until golden.

Makes 6 biscuits.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Lemon poppyseed muffins are one of my favorite treats. I found that many of the recipes I tried from cookbooks resulted in a heavier or cake-like muffin. After a bit of experimentation, I developed this recipe that I'm really happy with. The results are airy muffins with great lemon flavor. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp poppy seeds

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

zest from 1 lemon

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon extract

1/4 cup oil

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.

3. In a medium bowl, beat eggs. 

4. To the eggs, add milk, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract and oil. Mix well.

5. All at once, fold egg mixture into dry ingredients. Stir until just combined, but do not overmix.

6. Scoop 1/4 of muffin dough into lined muffin tins.

7. Bake muffins for 12-14 minutes until golden on top. 

Makes 15 muffins

Hashbrown Enchilada Casserole

Nothing is better than sharing a great meal with friends, so it seemed only fitting to celebrate my birthday with a brunch. What's more I spent more time planning what to serve than actually cooking, but that's as it should be. Most of my menu consisted of baked goods, that I could prepare ahead of time. But I wanted something heartier for the table, yet still easy so I wouldn't spend my entire morning cooking. Anyone who knows me know how much I love potatoes, and southwestern flavors. Thus, the inspiration for my hashbrown enchilada casserole. The recipe went over really well with my brunch guests, and what I really love about this recipe that you can set it and forget it. All the ingredients go in a slow-cooker overnight and in the morning, it's ready to serve.

Ingredients
1 bag frozen cubed hashbrowns
2 bell peppers
1 onion
2-3 medium-size tomatoes
1 can green chiles
2 cups cheddar jack or jalapeño jack cheese
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried jalapeño 

Steps
1. Dice bell peppers, onion and tomatoes.
2. Combine sour cream, milk, eggs and spices. Beat well.
3. In a slow-cooker on low heat, layer half of the hashbrowns, then half of the bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and green chiles. Lastly add a layer of cheese. Repeat with the remaining half of the hashbrowns, vegetables and cheese. 
4. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the hashbrown casserole. 
5. Cook for 6.5 hours, then lower the slow-cooker to warm until you're ready to serve. 

Serves 8-10

French Toast Casserole

Thanks to my loyal readers, I know it's been a while. I've been busy traveling and working, but my recent adventures have given me some new restaurants and ideas. Stay tuned! 

Recently I've been fascinated with finding new ways to re-purpose my leftovers. Working a night shift, I tend to make a few meals on my weekend that I can eat throughout the week. But who wants to eat the same thing twice in one week if you don't have to. I've had great luck turning my pulled pork into a sweet potato and pulled pork hash for breakfast. But today, I've got something really simple for my favorite meal of the day -- brunch! I took my tried and true mix for my french toast, and combined it with some leftover baguette overnight. All in all it takes about 10-15 minutes the night before and 25-30 minutes in the morning, while you're getting ready for your day. 

Ingredients

1/2 leftover baguette (or a fresh demi baguette)

1 1/2 cups milk

4 eggs

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 stick butter

Steps

1. Cut or break leftover baguette into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces.

2. Grease a baking dish and arrange baguette pieces in an even layer.

3. Combine milk, eggs, honey, vanilla and cinnamon and beat well. 

4. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover and let rest in the fridge overnight. 

5. In the morning, heat oven to 350 degrees. 

6. Melt butter. Add brown sugar and mix well. Spread over the top of the french toast mixture.

7. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. 

8. Serve with fresh fruit, syrup or powdered sugar.

Serves 3-4

Blueberry Oat Pancakes

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup half & half
1 egg
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup oats
1/3 cup cup frozen blueberries

Steps
1. Preheat griddle on stove.
2.  Combine flour, brown sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a separate bowl combine half & half, egg and oil and beat well. Add all at once to dry ingredients.
4. Mix in oats and blueberries.
5. Pour 2 inch circles onto griddle. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. 

Serves 2

Oatmeal Raisin Scones

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter, softened and cut into pieces

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

1/3 cup oats

3/4 cup milk

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Butter or line baking sheet.

3. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking sodad and cinnamon.

4. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

5. Add raisins and oats and mix well.

6. Combine milk with dry mixture, mixing until dough begins to come together. Do not overknead.

7. On a floured surface, form dough into 1/3 inch rectangle and cut into triangles.

8. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden.

Serves 4-6

Bourbon Buttermilk French Toast with Blackberries

Ingredients:
3 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp honey
1/3 cup bourbon
4 slices thick cut Italian bread or brioche
Blackberries
Powdered Sugar

Steps:
1. Mix eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, honey and bourbon. Beat well.
2. Soak bread in egg mixture overnight.
3. On a medium hot griddle, cook french toast for 2-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
4. Top with fresh blackberries and powdered sugar.

Serves 2

Pork, Pepper and Potato Frittata

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 boneless pork chop
Italian seasoning
1 cup diced potatoes
1 bell pepper
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Black pepper
Cheese (optional)

Steps:
1. Dice pork chop into 1/4 in. chunks. In an omelet pan, saute pork in olive oil with Italian season and pepper until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
2. In the same pan add 1/2 tbsp. olive oil and diced potatoes. Cook about 8-10 minutes, making sure to brown all sides.
3. Add bell pepper and caramelize lightly. 
4. In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Beat well.
5. Add pork back to the pan, then add egg mixture. Cook about 5 minutes, until egg begins to become firm and then slide onto a plate. Flip into pan to cook other side, for about 5 more minutes. 
6. Serve with cheese if desired.

Serves 1-2

Hint of Orange Pancakes

 

What started as a disappointing morning when I woke up craving pancakes but realized I had no milk, turned into a great opportunity for some experimentation. Knowing that buttermilk pancakes get their light, fluffy consistency from the lactic acid, I tested using 1 part orange juice and 2 parts water in place of the milk in my basic pancake recipe. I also added some additional oil to make up for the lack of milk-fat. The resulting pancakes had a hint of orange flavor, and an airy consistency. Now this success leaves me wondering what to try next time, perhaps it'll never be simple pancakes again.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp canola oil
1/3 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1 egg

Steps:
1. Preheat a skillet to medium heat. 
2. Combine dry ingredients and mix well. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, water and egg. 
4. Add all at once to flour mixture. Stir until smooth. 
5. Pour pancake batter onto skillet in 2-3 inch rounds. When bubbles begin to form in batter, flip pancake and cook for additional 1-3 minutes or until lightly brown. 
6. Serve with butter and syrup as desired.

Serves 2-3

Five Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 grapefruit

2/3 cup yogurt

1/4 cup orange juice

1 banana

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup frozen blackberries

2 cups ice

Steps:

1. Juice grapefruit.

2. In a blender, combine grapefruit juice, orange juice and yogurt. Blend until well mixed.

3. Add in banana, strawberries, blackberries, and ice. Blend on high until consistency is thick and smooth.

4. Serve immediately.

Serves 2

Fajita Frittata

Ingredients:

1/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1 tbsp butter

1/4 red bell pepper

1/4 yellow onion

2-3 Chinese mushrooms

1-2 chicken breast tender, pre-cooked (leftovers work great)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp roasted cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cilantro

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 avocado

Steps:

1. Beat milk and eggs well.

2. Dice chicken.

3. Cut bell pepper, onion, and mushroom into small chunks.

4. In a skillet, combine olive oil with bell pepper, onion and mushroom. Cook on medium heat until onions are translucent and grill marks begin to appear.

5. Add cumin, coriander, cilantro and garlic salt to pan. Toss and add chicken.

6. After 2-3 minutes, remove from pan and set aside.

7. Add butter to pan and pour egg. When egg begins to cook on edges, add chicken mixture.

8. Cover with a lid until egg is fully cooked. Then add cheese and let melt.

9. Serve topped with avocado slices.

Serves 1-2

French Toast with Blackberry Cream

Ingredients

3 eggs

4 slices Texas toast

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp honey

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

4 tbsp blackberry jam

Fruit, for topping

Steps

1. In a shallow baking dish, combine eggs, vanilla, honey, cinnamon and 2 tbsp whipping cream. Mix well.

2. Drench one slice of bread at a time in the egg mixture.

3. Heat a griddle to medium heat, and cook french toast slices until golden brown, flipping once.

4. In a mixing bowl, beat 1/2 cup whipping cream until it begins to stiffen. Fold in blackberry jam.

5. Serve french toast slices topped with blackberry cream and fruit if you desire.

Serves 2

Berry Citrus Smoothie

While I love adding yogurt or ice cream to smoothies for a creamier consistency, what's great about this smoothie recipe is that it packs a lot of flavor but only includes fruit and fruit juice. It's a nice healthy alternative for a post-workout pick-me-up or to jump start your day. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup orange juice

1/3 cup strawberries

1/3 cup blackberries

1/3 cup blueberries

1 cup ice cubes

Steps

1. Combine pineapple and orange juice with berries in a blender.

2. Blend until well mixed.

3. Add ice cubes and continue to blend until smooth. Add additional ice if needed until consistency is thick.

Serves 1-2

Feta & Prosciutto Frittata

Ingredients:

3 eggs

4 tbsp milk

3 slices prosciutto

2 tbsp chives

Olive oil

3 tbsp feta cheese

Steps:

1. In a bowl, beat eggs and milk.

2. Cut prosciutto into small pieces.

3. Heat a skillet lightly covered in olive oil. Pour egg mixture into skillet.

4. Add chives and prosciutto. Cook, continually spreading egg to edges to cook evenly.

5. Flip frittata and cook on other side.

6. Top with feta cheese.

Serves 1