Breakfast Archives - Page 7 of 8

Cranberry Pecan Yogurt Scones

I have been a fan of Victoria Hamilton’s Vintage Kitchen Mystery series and was delighted to find out that Victoria writes a Teapot Collector Mystery series under the name of Amanda Cooper. Recently I had the pleasure of reading her brand new release, THE GRIM STEEPER, the third book in her series and found I’ve been missing out!

When her grandmother, Rose Freemont, is hospitalized with a suspected heart attack, Sophie Taylor begs to take time off from her sous chef de cuisine position in the Hamptons. Denied permission, she quits. Not that Sophie is a quitter by nature but her grandmother means the world to her and she feels that she should be back in Gracious Grove, New York, to help out.

Out of a job, Sophie returns to work in her grandmother’s tearoom, Auntie Rose’s Victorian Tea House. With Rose’s health returning they plunge themselves into planning the Fall Fling, the town’s Tea Party, which Cruickshank College is sponsoring. In the midst of the preparations, a scandal rocks the college, involving her maybe boyfriend, Jason Murphy. Dean Asquith has accused Jason of accepting bribes to inflate the grades of the school’s star basketball player. Jason’s reputation and job are on the line and when the Dean is found dead in front of Auntie Rose’s Tea House, Sophie knows she’s going to have to find the culprit since the police have Jason in their sights.

THE GRIM STEEPER is the epitome of a cozy mystery! I love how the author connects the reader to the small town feel of Gracious Grove, where every body knows every one. Sophie’s grandmother is a sweet character and her group of teapot collectors, The Silver Spouts, adds charm and some humor when they decide to help with the investigation. The conflict between Sophie and her mother didn’t seem forced and there’s a hint of a mystery to what really happened between them. I’m hoping that relationship will be fully explored in the next book. Auntie Rose’s Victorian Tea House is some place I’d love to visit, especially to browse their teapot collection…have I mentioned I have a “few” teapots myself? And of course no tearoom would be caught without having scones.

Amanda (aka Victoria) has graciously provided a delicious recipe for Cranberry Pecan Yogurt Scones. Healthy yogurt replaces some of the butter in the recipe while still providing tender, flaky pastries. The ruby, tart cranberries and the buttery crunch of the pecans add just the right amount of flavor. My taste testers were clamoring for the recipe before the scones barely cooled! I’ve also included a short video tutorial at the bottom of the page, so you can see how simple these are to mix up.

A huge thank you to Amanda Cooper (Victoria Hamilton) for providing an autographed copy of THE GRIM STEEPER to one lucky winner! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe for a chance to win. Contest ends Thursday, February 18, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) Open to Canadian and U.S. residents only.

Cranberry Pecan Yogurt Scones

Makes eight generous sized scones

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour (use the ‘lightly spoon into measuring cup and level’ method)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (1/3 cup) cold butter – if you are using salted butter you can omit salt from the recipe.
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F).

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt (if you are using it).

Add in butter, bit by bit, mixing as you go. Rub it in with your fingers, if you like, but leave small pebbles of the cold butter in the mixture.

Stir in the cranberries and pecans, and then the yogurt. Mix gently, but thoroughly. It may take a bit to get all the dry ingredients worked into the yogurt.

Form dough into a ball. Place on a greased or parchment paper covered baking sheet and pat into a circle about a 1/2-inch thick.

Sprinkle with sugar – you could use turbinado or another decorative sugar for this, if you want, but plain sugar works just fine.

Cut into eight pie shaped segments, but don’t separate the wedges!

Bake at 425 degrees (F) for about 20 minutes, or until edges are slightly crisp and the top is lightly browned. It may need as little as 18 minutes, or as much as 22, but don’t over or under bake the scones!

The scones will break apart nicely into perfect wedges. These are delicious warm or cold, with butter or not, and also stand up well to preserves or jams like Cranberry Apple conserve or cherry jam. Perfect with tea of any kind!

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Cranberry Scones

I always associate the ensuing holidays with cranberries and pumpkins. Their jeweled tones bring colorful notes to the table, with cranberries bringing a wonderful tartness which provides a nice contrast to all kinds of dishes. When I came across the book CRANBERRY BLUFF by Deborah Garner, I was smitten for many reasons! Her cover art makes me want to step in and visit this quaint Bed and Breakfast and then anything with cranberries is going to catch my attention. I was even more excited to find out as I browsed through the book that Deborah included Aunt Maggie’s Cranberry Cottage Cookbook, which contains 15 cranberry related recipes! Of course I would be remiss in not telling you that the author crafts a delightful cozy mystery that pulled me in from the very beginning and kept me guessing until the end….

Molly Elliott has moved to coastal Northern California after inheriting Cranberry Cottage Bed and Breakfast from her Aunt Maggie. Molly is happy to have escaped Tallahassee, Florida where she was a suspect in a bank robbery after being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Plus it didn’t help that she looked very similar to one of the bank robbers. Even though she is cleared the media won’t leave her alone and she started receiving threatening notes. Moving clear across country couldn’t have come at a better time.

Molly is settling into the routine of running her Bed and Breakfast. She carefully screens all guest reservation requests to make sure there are no connections to her former life in Florida. When five guests arrive, a newly-wed couple, a senior citizen who loves to shop and knit, a salesman, and a smooth-talking handsome man who claims to be working on his novel, things begin to go awry. Her guests all seem to be hiding something and then she finds out that the trouble she left back in Tallahassee has followed her to California. Someone wants the robbery money back and she’s left trying to prove her innocence all over again.

One of the things Molly serves her guests for breakfast is cranberry scones. Tender, flaky pastry studded with tart sweet dried cranberries, these can be made ahead and then rewarmed and served with butter and your favorite jam. The perfect choice for a quick Thanksgiving breakfast while preparing your feast or for serving to your own overnight guests. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to view my video tutorial on how to make these Cranberry Scones.

Thank you, Deborah, for allowing me to share your delectable recipe!

As a bonus for my readers I am offering a Kindle copy of CRANBERRY BLUFF by Deborah Garner. Please comment below to be entered. Contest ends Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 11:59 pm PST. Winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) and will have 5 days to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Cranberry Scones

Ingredients

1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter
4 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 – 2 teaspoons coarse sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, combine milk and 2 tablespoons of the beaten egg; add to crumb mixture just until moistened.

Stir in cranberries.

Turn onto a floured surface and knead gently 6 – 8 times.

Pat into a 6-inch circle.

Cut into six wedges.

Separate wedges and place on a greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheet.

Brush with remaining egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake at 425 degrees for approximately 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

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Ham & Gruyère Quiche

Holidays are fast approaching which means family and friends gather together to celebrate. Most people have their traditional holiday dinners established but often when guests stay overnight it can be a struggle to decide what to fix for breakfast or brunch. One of my “go-to” dishes is Ham & Gruyère Quiche. I can prep all the ingredients the night before along with a fruit salad and sometimes my Overnight Cinnamon Rolls. The next morning it takes only a moment or two to pull it together and pop it into the oven. While the quiche bakes I am free to serve coffee and/or mimosas to my guests and enjoy all the holidays have to offer without the stress of being stuck in the kitchen.

Our family also enjoys this for dinner served with a green salad and my crusty No-Knead Rustic Bread… and if there just happens to be leftovers, this quiche easily reheats in the microwave to make the perfect lunch the next day.

Ham & Gruyère Quiche

Ingredients

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese (or Swiss cheese)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups Half & Half
4 eggs, room temperature, slightly beaten
3/4 cup chopped ham (optional)
3 tablespoons sliced green onions
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
9-inch unbaked pie crust

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Whisk the Half & Half, eggs, salt and pepper together.

Sprinkle the chopped ham and sliced onions on the bottom of the unbaked pie crust.

Toss the cheese with the all-purpose flour and sprinkle over the ham and onions.

Pour the egg mixture over the cheese mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 – 55 minutes. The center of the quiche should barely jiggle and an instant read thermometer should read 180 degrees when inserted into the middle of the dish.

Allow the quiche to rest 10 – 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Holly Holliday’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Autumn is my favorite time of the year. Typically in Southern California (and unfortunately this has NOT been a typical year!) the air is cool and crisp while the sun still provides some warmth. I love the rich flavors autumn brings as well with warming spices such as cinnamon, which pairs perfectly with pumpkin and apples. The best of autumn harvests….

As my mind turns towards cooler weather and autumn foods, I was happy to discover that numerous authors also follow the trends of the seasons. I recently picked up TOWN IN A PUMPKIN BASH by B.B. Haywood, which is the fourth book in the Candy Holliday Murder Mystery series. I was immediately transported to the small town of Cape Willington, Maine which is preparing for the annual Halloween pumpkin bash festival. Candy Holliday works for the local newspaper but agrees to help her best friend, Maggie, run a pumpkin patch which in turn helps out an elderly farmer keep the pumpkins from going to waste.

Candy and Maggie also offer a Pumpkin Hollow Haunted Hayride for their customers with a few fun and spooky things set up along the ride. Just as they are getting ready to start their tour a man, who only introduces himself as T.J., joins the group. As they enter their “graveyard” to check out the headstones they find someone has left a real dead body lying there…and it becomes apparent that the person was murdered.

It doesn’t take long for Candy to find that the murder victim, Sebastian Quinn, was the same man who was supposed to meet with them that morning to rent a supposedly “haunted” house. To add to the haunt factor, they found his dead body in the same location where an unsolved and unnamed murder victim was found twenty years previous. Being a reporter, Candy is pulled into wanting to find out what happened to both Sebastian and the unknown murder victim. On top of that, T.J. turns out to be trying to lure her into finding an old diary missing from a prominent family. It’s up to Candy to find the threads that tie an old diary, an unsolved murder, and the dead body in her pumpkin patch together before another innocent person becomes the next target.

Even though I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series this was still a very enjoyable book. It was easy to get to know the characters and a bit of their back stories without getting confused. There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot that kept me guessing and turning pages long after I should have been asleep… The author also has a “mystery” running through the series of books which intrigues me and I will certainly be reading them to find out more about the story.

I enjoyed this book not only for it’s ability to keep me guessing but also for providing the ambiance to celebrate the season with the story along with several yummy pumpkin recipes! It was hard to decide which one to make and share but in the end Holly Holliday’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread won me over with the addition of chocolate chips to a traditional autumn quick bread. This bread is amazingly tender and full of creamy bittersweet chocolate chips and crunchy walnuts with a hint of seasonal warming spices. The perfect way to welcome fall!

Thank you to B.B. Haywood for allowing me to share Holly Holliday’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread recipe!

I have also provided a quick video tutorial on how to make this incredibly yummy bread so make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to view.

As a bonus for my readers, I’m giving away a copy of TOWN IN A PUMPKIN BASH. Please comment below and one lucky winner will be randomly chosen. Contest ends Thursday, October 8th at 11:59 pm. Winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) Open to U.S. residents only.

Holly Holliday’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pumpkin, fresh or canned
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/4 cup water or milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together the flour, sugars, and baking soda.

In a second bowl, mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, water, and spices together.

Combine the pumpkin mixture with the dry flour mixture.

Add the chocolate chips and nuts.

Pour into a well-buttered loaf pan.

Bake for 50 – 60 minutes until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.

Take out of pan and cool on a rack or board.

Holly Holliday made this bread for Candy’s birthday every year. Happy 40th birthday, Candy!

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Cinnamon Apple Fritter Bread

Years ago before my granddaughters were born, I had the lovely opportunity to spend several days in Connecticut with my dear cousin, Mary, during autumn when the leaves were changing. Sunshine warming our faces in the crisp air, we enjoyed the quaint New England town and it’s spectacular scenery. Apples had recently been harvested and small roadside stands were in abundance offering just about any apple product you could think of. My most memorable apple treats were the small apple fritters that just about every produce stand offered. Cinnamon-y apples encased in a light dough then deep fried and tossed in a vanilla glaze…I can still taste them! Unfortunately, I haven’t found anything even coming close to resembling those delightful fritters once I returned home. That being said, when I saw recipes for apple fritter quick bread all over the internet I knew I wanted to make it with the hopes of capturing some of those tasteful memories without having to utilize a deep-fryer…of which I don’t own.

My family and test tasters gave my version high marks! Lots of cinnamon and vanilla flavors that melded nicely with tart apples. The quick bread stayed moist and flavorful with it’s layers of apples, brown sugar and cinnamon, while the glaze created a slightly crunchy topping reminiscent of the deep-fried apple fritters. The bread comes together quickly and uses pantry staples which I like since I can throw it together at a moment’s notice. It is also easy to adapt for dairy-free diets.

Enjoy and happy autumn!

Cinnamon Apple Fritter Bread

Ingredients

Apple Filling:

2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into small cubes
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Brown Sugar Mixture:

1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Bread Batter:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk

Glaze:

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon whole milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9” x 5” loaf pan or spritz with non-stick cooking spray that contains flour.

Apple Filling:

Sprinkle the chopped apples with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Toss to coat the apples then set aside.

Brown Sugar Mixture:

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Set aside.

Bread Batter:

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon together. Set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer beat the butter with 2/3 cup granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Mix in vanilla extract.
Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and stir until blended on low speed.
Add the milk to the batter and stir just until it is completely incorporated.

Putting it together:

Drain any liquid from the apple mixture and discard liquid.
Spread half the batter into the bread pan and top with half the apple mixture. Sprinkle half the brown sugar mixture on top of the apples.
Layer the remaining batter into the loaf pan, then repeat adding the remaining apples and brown sugar mixture.
Pat the brown sugar mixture down on top of the batter then, using a butter knife, swirl the brown sugar and apple mixture through the batter.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Bread should be golden brown and feel fairly firm to the touch. A wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out without any doughy batter clinging to it. Apples may cling to the skewer making it appear that the bread might not be done, so use the touch test as well.
Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert bread onto a plate and then transfer to a serving platter, right side up.

Glaze:

Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and milk together until the glaze is smooth. Drizzle over the warm bread.
Let the bread cool before slicing.

Walnut Zucchini Bread

With summer in full swing gardens are becoming prolific with zucchini and all sorts of other fresh bounty. When I was growing up, my parents always had a garden and squash was one of the biggest crops we harvested. I remember my mom making zucchini bread often. Sweet and tender quick bread that used lots and lots of vegetable oil and not nearly enough of the zucchini she was trying to get through.

I came across the following recipe in the magazine Cook’s Illustrated and was very intrigued. They used 1-1/2 POUNDS of zucchini and only 1/4 cup of vegetable oil! I adapted and changed the recipe to suit my family then waited for my family’s comments. My husband said it sounded weird before trying and then helped himself to another slice. Before tasting, my granddaughter said she’d rather have one of my sourdough rolls but after having a bite of the zucchini bread put the sourdough roll back and took a big piece of the veggie bread. My step-daughter took one bite and said “YUM! But this is pretty unhealthy, right?” ….I’ve made this recipe three times within the last 2 weeks…I think this healthy version of zucchini bread is definitely a keeper!

Walnut Zucchini Bread

The secret to making this zucchini bread moist without all the oil is to squeeze as much liquid from the zucchini as possible. Don’t skip that step otherwise you’ll end up with a gummy mess.

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds zucchini, shredded (4 – 4-1/2 cups PACKED shredded)
1-1/4 cups (8.75 ounces) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2.7 ounces) white whole wheat flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 tablespoon coarse sparkling sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.

Toss shredded zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon salt and set aside for at least 10 minutes while you gather remaining ingredients.

Once zucchini has rested, place shreds in the middle of a clean kitchen towel. Gather the ends together and tightly twist to extract as much liquid as possible. You want to extract at least a minimum of 1/2 cup liquid from the zucchini. Discard the liquid.

Whisk brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla together in a medium-sized bowl.

Add the zucchini to the sugar mixture.

Whisk the both flours, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt together in a large bowl.

Gently stir the zucchini mixture into the flour mixture.

Mix until thoroughly incorporated but be careful to not overmix.

Stir in the walnuts.

Pour the batter into the greased pan and sprinkle with the coarse sparkling sugar.

Bake 60 to 70 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out with a few crumbs attached. Just make sure the crumbs are moist but not gooey or wet.

Remove bread from the oven and allow to cool in pan for 30 minutes.