Secret Recipe Club: Brioche

For my first Secret Recipe Club post I was lucky enough to get to choose a recipe by none other than Rebecca from A Dusting of Sugar.  Her blog is fairly new, but there is a nice variety of recipes and you can bet I'll be visiting again soon!

On top of the great recipes, if you are lucky enough to live in her area, Rebecca also does custom cake and dessert orders.  Not being much of a baker myself, that would come in handy.  I wonder if she delivers to Utah? 

One thing about her blog that intrigued me was the vegan recipes.  Now, being highly carnivorous myself, (think T-Rex) I've never even tried to make anything vegan.  We've gone meatless once in a while, but I've never worried about the milk and eggs.  So her blog has a lot of new thing for me to try.

I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I'm really not much of a baker.  I love to cook, but not bake.  Breads are something I'm not super confidant making.  So as I was reading through the blog I ran across a posting for Brioche.  Its something I'd heard of but never attempted to make.  The reason I chose this recipe is that Rebecca said what awesome French Toast this bread makes.  French Toast?  I'm all over it!! Its my favorite breakfast food.

The dough was an absolute dream to work with.  If all bread dough was as smooth and silky as this was, I'd be baking it every day!  Just the texture of the dough gave me a hint of what the finished bread would be like.

So how was the finished bread?  In a word, unbelievable!  The crumb is so soft and tender.  And the color it gets from the egg yolks is so beautiful.  It was light and buttery and delicious.  And Rebecca was right, French Toast is amazing made from Brioche.

Would you look at how high it rose in the oven?  How could it be anything BUT light and delicious!

Brioche

Makes 1 loaf

2/3 cup milk
1½ tsp dried yeast
5 egg yolks, at room temperature, lightly beaten
3 cups flour, plus extra for dusting
2 T sugar, plus extra for dusting
10.5 T butter, diced and softened

For brushing: egg wash

  

Warm milk until it reaches around 100-110 degrees F. Combine yeast, 1 tsp of sugar .and half the milk in a bowl, stirring to dissolve. Stand in a warm place until foamy (8-10 minutes)

Whisk remaining milk with egg yolks in a bowl and set aside.

Mix flour, remaining sugar and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a dough hook, until combined. Make a well in the center, add yeast mixture and yolk mixture. Beat on medium speed until a smooth dough forms (4-5 minutes).

While mixing, gradually add one-third of butter at a time, beat until dough is elastic and pulls away from sides of bowl (8-10 minutes).  Transfer to a lightly buttered bowl, cover and stand until doubled in size (1½-2 hours). 

Punch dough, knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth, shape into a loaf and place in an 9"x 5" greased loaf pan. Cover, stand until doubled in size (30 minutes-1 hour). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.

Brush top with eggwash, dust with sugar, bake until golden and risen (25-30 minutes).

Source:  A Dusting of Sugar

Breakfast Taquitos

This is the final installment in Breakfast Week (for now).  I still have a few more recipes to try and I'll post them as I try them.  But I hope these recipes will help make your busy school mornings run a little more smoothly.  I like that the kids that have to leave early can still go to school with stomachs filled with fast, nutritious foods, ready to learn, even if they are eating as they run to the bus stop.

These taquitos might be my kiddo's favorite breakfast item so far.  I think it has something to do with the tortillas.  But these are really good.  They are also easy, which always works for me.  There's no chopping or cutting involved.  They are also portable and freeze really well.  They get the flavor from salsa and cheese.  The eggs are moist and the tortilla slightly crispy.  Delicious!

Breakfast Taquitos
Makes about 16 taquitos


1 Tbs. butter
12 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. kosher salt (less if you use table salt)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used Monterrey jack and cheddar, but queso would be good too.)
1/2 cup salsa
16 (6 inch) flour tortillas

Heat the oven to 425°.  Spray a baking sheet with non stick cooking spray.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl.  Whisk in the sour cream, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Heat the butter in a skillet and add the egg mixture to the pan.  Gently scrape the bottom of the pan and fold the eggs over to scramble.  When the eggs are slightly under cooked, remove from heat.  Add the cheese and salsa and gently combine.  You don't want to break the eggs into tiny pieces.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave for a few seconds to make them easy to roll.  Place a 1/4 cup of the egg mixture down the center of the tortilla and roll up tightly.  Place seam side down on the baking sheet.  Lightly spray the tops of the tortillas with cooking spray.

Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown and crisp.

To freeze:  After the taquitos are rolled, but before they are baked, put them in the freezer and allow them to freeze individually before transferring them to a freezer bag.  To reheat:  Heat the oven to 425° and bake for 20 minutes or until heated through and golden brown.

Ham and Cheese Omelet Roll

Welcome to Mommy's Menu--home of the customizable make ahead breakfasts!  I've had a ton of fun toying around with breakfast foods.  There are so many different ways to make breakfast nutritious and easy.

This is so easy to put together and the eggs turn out light, fluffy and delicious.  Anything you put in an omelet, you can put in this roll.  Sauteed green peppers and onions, sauteed mushrooms, cooked asparagus, crumbled bacon, seeded, diced tomatoes, the list is endless.  Just don't use more than about 1 1/2 - 2 cups of filling (not including the cheese) and you'll be just fine.  Again, this picture is the vanilla version I made for my onion and green pepper hating children.

Ham and Cheese Omelet Roll
Makes about 12 slices


4 oz. softened cream cheese
3/4 cup milk
2 Tbs. flour
1/4 tsp. kosher salt (just a pinch of table salt)
12 eggs
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard (Don't leave this out, its delicious)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 cups finely chopped, fully cooked ham (I used a good quality lunch meat, but leftover ham would be even better.  You can also substitute 2 cups of your favorite omelet fillings)

Line the bottom of a greased 15 x 10 baking sheet with parchment paper.  Grease the paper and set aside.

 In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and slowly add the milk until smooth.  Add the flour and salt and mix until  combined.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until the mixture is homogeneous.  Add the cream cheese mixture and mix well.  Pour into your prepared pan.

Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are puff and set and golden on the edges.

Remove from the oven and use the parchment paper to remove the egg from the pan.  Immediately spread with mustard and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese.  Sprinkle with ham or other toppings and remaining cup of cheese.  Roll up from the short side, peeling the parchment paper away while rolling.  Place the roll back on the baking sheet and put back in the oven for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

To freeze:  Allow the roll to cool completely before slicing.  Slice into 12 pieces and lay them flat on a greased baking sheet.  Freeze.  When frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.  To reheat, cook in the microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes or until hot and the cheese is melted.

Source:  A family recipe

Instant Oatmeal Mix

Instant oatmeal.  The breakfast we all love to hate.  I love that its quick, easy and inexpensive.  I hate that it tastes artificial and is full of ingredients I try not to feed my kiddos.  I was intrigued when I saw this homemade version and thought it would be fun to try.  It actually turned out to be really good.  The best thing about it is that it can be customized to anyone's tastes.  I'll be that even oatmeal haters can find a combination they like.

This recipe is open to a ton of variations.  If you don't use dried fruit, you can use fresh or frozen fruit of your choice.  I like using frozen fruit because it cools the oatmeal as you stir it in.  Here are some more mix in variations.

Nuts- Pecans, almonds, cashews, etc.

Jams and preserves- Just add a spoonful or two.

Syrup or sugar- Maple syrup or a berry flavored syrup would be yummy.

Yogurt- A flavored yogurt will add flavor as well as a creamy texture.

Pudding mix- A little dried pudding mix can be added to change up the flavor.  Mix in a tablespoon or so with your favorite fruit.  Butterscotch with dried apples, white chocolate and dried cranberries, etc.

Nut butters- Try Nutella or peanut butter and fresh bananas.

Instant Oatmeal Mix
Makes 14 half cup servings


6 cups quick cooking oats
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup dried fruit or nuts (Optional.  You can use dried cranberries, raisins, dried apple, dried mango, etc.)

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine all the ingredients and mix well.  Store in a cool dry place for up to 1 month.

To prepare oatmeal:

Place 1/2 cup of mix in a microwave safe bowl.  Add 3/4 cup water to the mix and microwave uncovered, on high for 45 seconds.  Stir and cook an additional 45 seconds or until bubbly.  Let stand 1-2 minutes.

Serve with milk, extra sugar, and fresh fruit.

**I've found that my kiddos can't eat all their breakfast when I use 1/2 cup of the dry mix.  So I've been using 1/3 cup of mix and about 2/3 cup water.**

Source:  Real Mom Kitchen

English Muffin Bread Breakfast Pizzas

This is a super hearty make ahead breakfast.  My family has loved these.  The great thing about them is that you can customize them however you want.  This is a picture of the vanilla version I made for my kiddos--just bacon and cheese.  My hubby's had a lot more good stuff on it.  You can play around with the toppings and have fun with them.  I did some with cheese, bacon, green onions and red peppers.  I even put some partially steamed broccoli on a batch that I made.  Since I'm having a love affair with pesto right now I'm going to try putting a little pesto in with the eggs next time.

I love that one little item can meet my breakfast standard of a carb and protein all at once.  I make sure they have some fruit to go with it and its perfect!  Fresh strawberries or melon would be great.

I only have one word of caution.  If you are using sausage, ham or bacon on these, then leave the salt out of the egg mixture or it will be too salty.  You don't want to dehydrate your kids on the way to school.

English Muffin Bread Breakfast Pizzas
Makes about 10 pizzas


8 eggs
3 Tbs. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
About 15 dashes of Tabasco sauce (this doesn't add heat, just flavor)
1 loaf of English muffin bread sliced quite thick  (You can also use English muffins)

Toppings:

Cooked crumbled bacon
Chopped ham
Cooked sausage
Cheese
Green onions
Red peppers
Chopped tomatoes
Steamed broccoli
Be creative!!

Heat the oven to 400°.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray generously with non stick cooking spray.

In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt and Tabasco sauce.  Soak the English muffin bread in the egg mixture so both sides are coated.  Don't let it get too soggy.  Place on the baking sheet.

Top as desired then sprinkle with cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the egg is set.

After baking, loosen the pizzas from the pan and let them cool completely.  Freeze them individually on the baking sheet then transfer to a freezer bag.  To reheat, microwave them for 1 1/2 minutes or heat them in the oven or toaster oven for 10-15 minutes at 350°.

Recipe source:  Adapted from Our Best Bites

English Muffin Bread

I don't have a picture yet because the bread is still in the oven, I'll post it in a little while.

Here is a yeast dough for dummies!  This is one of my favorite bread recipes.  I'm sharing it now because you'll need it for the next breakfast recipe that I'll be posting in a few minutes.  This bread is so simple.  There's no need to worry about getting the dough the right consistency or long rise times.  This dough should be the consistency of a stiff batter rather than an actual bread dough.  So you'll be spooning it into your bread pans.  It also only has to rise once, so its quick by homemade bread standards.  This is also one of the ugliest breads you'll ever see.  The tops will be lumpy and bumpy, but that's the way its supposed to be.

Now let me tell you why I love it.  First, it tastes just like English muffins.  It even has all those wonderful holes that soak up the butter or jam.  It also makes awesome french toast.  Its a sturdier loaf, so it doesn't fall apart like some of the uber-soft store bought bread.  And finally, it is sooo cheap to make.  You'll pay over $3.00 a bag for decent English muffins, when a loaf of this costs around 50 cents.

English Muffin Loaves
Makes 2 loaves


5 1/2 to 6 cups flour
2 pkgs. instant dry yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 cups milk
1/2 cup water
Cornmeal

Measure the flour by lightly spooning it into a cup.  Combine 4 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking soda.  Heat the liquids until warm.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.  Stir in enough more flour to make a stiff batter.  The dough will be very sticky.  Spoon into two 8 x 4 bread pans that have been well greased and sprinkled with cornmeal.  Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes.  This bread rises quickly, so keep an eye on it.  Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

Recipe source:  My friend Patty B.

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

Okay, so the picture doesn't do justice to just how good these muffins are.  These muffins are incredible.  These muffins could probably negotiate world peace.  Maybe not, but they are certainly something to devour like its your last meal savor and enjoy every last crumb.  The raspberries are tart, and the lemon flavor....  Well, you get the idea how much I love these.  You want to know something else about these muffins?  They freeze like a charm.  A few seconds in the microwave and you (and your kiddos, if you'll share) can be enjoying their lemony berry-ness.  I stocked my freezer with a double batch of these and the Breakfast Blueberry Muffins I posted a while back.

One tip I have for making muffins.  This may sound dumb, but I never use the paper muffin cups for muffins.  Want to know why?  Because I hate when I pull off the wrapper and half of the muffin comes of with it.  So just grease up the muffin pan and keep the paper liners in the cupboard.  You won't want to waste one crumb.

Lemon Raspberry Muffins
makes 16 muffins


2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup half and half (you could use whole milk too)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (If using frozen berries, do NOT thaw)

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, combine the eggs, cream, oil and extract.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in raspberries.  Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until just golden.  Cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.  Freeze individually on a baking sheet then transfer to a freezer bag.  Heat in the microwave until thawed and warm.

Source:  My friend Erica T.

Ham Egg and Cheese Muffins

Its time to talk breakfast!  With school starting and my kiddos needing something nutritious in the mornings, I've really started taking breakfast seriously again.  Let me start by saying, we are NOT a cold cereal family.  My kiddos might get cold cereal 10 or 12 mornings a year.  Its just too expensive, especially when they eat 2 or 3 bowls in a sitting.  I also don't think its healthy.  The labels might say whole grain, but I just can't go for all the other ingredients.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so I try to make it as nutritious as possible.  I always try to make sure my kiddos have a protein and a carb at breakfast and often we have fruit with it as well.  It just helps keep them feeling full longer.

The problem I have with breakfast is that my kids leave at different times of the morning.  My oldest daughter, Bailey, has to leave the house at 6:10 am to catch the bus.  My boys, Colton and Wyatt, leave at 7:10 am for the car pool to their charter school, and my 3 younger girls, Brandee, Brinlee and Brylie, hop on the bus at 8:05 am. With a schedule like that I can't cook individual breakfasts every day.  I would be insane.

So, what's a mom to do?  I spend one day a month cooking breakfast items that can be frozen and quickly re-heated in the toaster oven or microwave.  Egg dishes freeze great as do muffins and coffee cakes. For these little egg muffins, all it takes is 10-15 minutes in the oven (or about 1 1/2 minutes in the microwave if you must) and they are hot and taste fresh.  If they're really running behind they can eat on the way out the door.

Ham, Egg and Cheese Muffins
Makes about 30 muffins

12 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
1-2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mixture of cheddar and Monterrey jack)
1-1/2 cups ham, cubed or chopped (I used a good quality lunch meat)
Salt to taste (I didn't add much because the ham made it salty enough)
2 green onion, sliced thin (optional)
1 1/2 cups frozen shredded hash browns, partially thawed

Heat the oven to 400° and grease the muffin tins.

In a large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, sour cream, pepper and dill until well mixed.  Make sure the whites and yolks are really well mixed.  Add in the cheese, ham and green onion and salt, if desired.  Mix well.

Place a small amount of hash browns in the bottom of each muffin cup (I filled each cup about 1/4 of the way up with hashbrowns).  Then spoon the egg mixture over the hash browns.  You want each muffin cup filled about 3/4 of the way full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a light golden brown on top.  Remove from oven and run a knife around the edged of each muffin.  Allow to stand for about 10 minutes before removing from pans.  Cool completely, then freeze individually on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag.

To re-heat, microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes or until hot.  Or bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until hot.  (We love the toaster oven for this.)

Source:  A Mommy's original recipe

Breakfast Blueberry Muffins

We call these Breakfast Blueberry Muffins, but they are great anytime.  I make a big batch of these little wonders and freeze them for breakfast.  A few seconds in the microwave and they are hot and ready to eat.  They are great on busy mornings or when we're running late.  I serve them with some fruit or scrambled eggs and they make a nice addition to the morning meal.  They are also great at Sunday dinner, or as an afternoon snack. And I love the bright flavor the orange zest gives them.

Breakfast Blueberry Muffins
Makes 24 muffins

4 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. orange zest (optional)
2 cups frozen blueberries (do not thaw)

Topping:

2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the milk, orange zest and vanilla and mix well.  Stir in the dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in the frozen blueberries.  Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full.  Combine the sugar and nutmeg and sprinkle over the muffins.  Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 

**Feel free to substitute fresh berries for the frozen!**

Source:  A family recipe

French Toast Casserole with Fruit Syrup

What a perfect plan ahead breakfast.  It would be great on holiday mornings since all you would have to do is pop it in the oven.  I'm thinking Christmas or Easter.  My family loved this.  You could serve it with maple syrup or even with whipped cream, but I made this fabulous fruit syrup.  Since I do a lot of home canning I always have canned fruit on hand.  This also makes a great ice cream topping.

French toast casserole
Serves 8-10

2 tsp. butter, softened
8 slices white bread, cut in 1-inch cubes
7 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used our cheap sugar-free syrup)
4 T granulated sugar, divided
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp.  nutmeg1/4 t cardamom
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with butter and fill the dish with bread cubes, distributing evenly.  In large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, maple syrup, 2 T sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.

Pour this mixture over the bread cubes, and press down over the surface of the casserole with a spatula to help the bread soak up the liquid.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature before baking.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes with the foil still on.  Remove the foil and bake another 30-35 minutes or until the casserole if puffy and brown.  Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into squares and topping with the chopped pecans.  Serve with fresh fruit.  Refrigerate all leftovers.

Fruit Syrup

1 quart apples, peaches or pears, sliced or a bag of frozen berries, thawed
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 cup water

Drain the fruit thoroughly and place the juice in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil.  In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, sugar, cornstarch and water.  Mix into the boiling juice and stir until thickened.  Add the fruit and serve.

Source:  French Toast Casserole from Doug T.
Fruit Syrup from Ruth D.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup

'Tis the season for pumpkin!  If I had my way I'd eat it all the time.  Especially since I've been making my own pumpkin puree.  Yummy!  A dear friend gave me this recipe.  She said it is a family favorite and I can see why!  Colton, my 16 year old, told me I could make these every day.  I settled for making a whole bunch and freezing them so he can toast them for breakfast every morning.  It worked great and it means I can get an extra half an hour of snooze time.  We think this is the perfect fall breakfast!

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 1/4 cup flour
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup pumpkin
2 Tbs. melted butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Combing the dry ingredients in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients and then add to the dry and mix just until blended.  Cook on a hot griddle until golden brown.  Serve with cinnamon cream syrup.

Cinnamon Cream Syrup

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup evaporated milk

In a saucepan, add all ingredients except the milk.  Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.  Add the milk and serve warm over pancakes or waffles.

Source:  Marcene P.

Blueberry Sausage Breakfast Cake

When I first got this recipe I was intrigued.  I really wanted to try it, but I was afraid that my family would think it was wierd.  Sausage and blueberries don't seem like a match made in heaven.  Boy was I wrong!  This is fabulous!  Now I'm wondering why I waited so long to try this.  My entire family loved this and I can't wait to make it again!  You'll want to double the blueberry sauce or you'll run out like we did.

Blueberry Sausage Cake
Serves 12-15

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
8 oz. sour cream
1 lb. pork sausage, cooked and well drained
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the flour mixture and sour cream, beating until combined.  Fold in the sausage and berries.

Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle nuts on top.  Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Serve warm with blueberry sauce (recipe below). 

Blueberry Sauce

1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar and cornstarch.  Add the water and blueberries.  Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir 2 minutes more.  Stir in lemon juice.  Cool slightly.  Makes 2 cups sauce.

Source:  Wayne L.