Stuffed French Toast from Mikaela's recipe Site

I got this recipe from Mikaela Ovenell. So I copied her directions here for you. The credit goes to her. These were an amazing breakfast for our 2 year anniversary. They are very filling and very delicious! 


Ingredients:
6 oz. cream cheese, softened 
1/4 c. white sugar
1/4 t. cinnamon
pinch ground nutmeg
8 slices white sandwich bread 
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 c. whole milk 
1 large egg
2 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. all-purpose flour 

Directions:
Mix the cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons of the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a small bowl until smooth. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until chilled, about 20 minutes. 
Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Arrange the bread on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and bake until slightly dry, about 15 minutes; set aside, leaving the oven on. 
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over 4 pieces of the bread, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the edges. Lightly press the remaining slices of bread over the top to make 4 sturdy sandwiches.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and whisk it together with the milk, egg, vanilla, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the flour until smooth. Pour the batter into a large shallow dish.
Lay 2 sandwiches in the batter and soak both sides, about 1 minute per side. Meanwhile, melt 1 more tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until beginning to brown, swirling to coat the pan.
Remove the bread from the batter, allowing excess batter to drip back into the dish and lay in the hot skillet. Cook until golden brown on both sides,a bout 2 1/2 minutes per side (*Seriously set the timer and let it cook for 2 1/2 minutes; don't bother it. If you set it on medium heat and cook it for that time, it won't burn... patience, young grasshopper!). Transfer the French toast back to the wire rack and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches, butter, and batter. Serve with Grade B maple syrup (or whatever you'd like).

Banana Cupcakes with Vanilla buttercream frosting

Oh my goodness. These cupcakes are to die for! I love Banana anything and these cupcakes do it for me! I got these recipes from a fun baking book I have called Hello, Cupcake. This is such a fun book to have if you like throwing parties or making treats for people for any occasion.

I made these for my mother for her birthday, she also like banana anything so I knew they would be a hit!

Cupcake mix:
1 2/3 flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 medium ripe bananas
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 stick unsalted butter softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk together the first 4 ingredients. In a different small bowl mash the bananas with the buttermilk. In another medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Then add the eggs one at a time. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the banana mixture in batches. Stir in Vanilla.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes till golden brown. Let cool completely.

Vanilla buttercream frosting:
1 container (16oz) Marshmallow Fluff
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Spoon Marshmallow fluff into large bowl. Beat with mixer on low (this stuff is STICKY but it will loosen up as you mix it) Gradually add the butter pieces one at a time. Add the vanilla extract and the 1/2 cup powdered sugar.

Whooollllaaa!!

Sweet Vanilla Chai Pancakes

Josh and I may not be coffee drinkers but we do love a cup of chai every now and then. And not just any chai, but we like ours creamy, sweet and flavorful, thats why we drink Big Train Chai. This chai is AMAZING. It is Christmas in your mouth. Hmmmm!

I woke up this morning wanting Pancakes so I decided to try some Chai mix in my whole wheat pancake mix. I use the whole wheat and honey pancake mix which all you need is water. Then I mixed a half a scoop of chai into the batter though, I think next time I would do a whole scoop, possibly even another half. Then I cooked my pancakes and put my butter and maple syrup on them...yum yum yum yum in my tummy.

Just remember that you can basically put anything in pancake mix and it will turn out fine. I have done fruit, peanut butter, chocolate chips, chai, yogurt, and any type of flavored powder like vanilla or fruit flavored. Try something New!

Turkey Meatball Soup

Yum Yum Turkey Meatball Soup

3 cups cut fresh green beans (I used 2 cans cut green beans)
2 cups baby carrots
2 cups chicken broth (I used a little more cause I like it to be soupy)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cans stewed tomatoes (14 1/2 oz each)
1 package (12oz) refrigerated fully cooked italian turkey meatballs
2 cups frozed corn (I used 2 cans of corn)

Whenever you can, trade out fresh veggies for canned veggies, it just makes life easier on shopping and it is cheaper, though not as fresh and healthy probably...your choice.

In a large saucepan or soup kettle, combine the first 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil. reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, meatballs and corn. Cover and cook over med-low heat for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are heated through. Six servings! This was a healthy and delicious meal. And it only took 30 minutes and not much effort!

Mexican Lasagna

This is an easy to make dish and it makes 6 servings.

2 tsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

2 tsp ground cumin

1 can diced tomatoes with chiles (14.5oz)

1 can black beans (15 oz) rinsed

1 can corn (11 oz) drained

1 can mild enchilada sauce (10 oz)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

5 (8 inch) whole-wheat tortillas

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream for garnish

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 3-qt round baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add cumin and stir in. Add tomatoes, beans, corn and enchilada sauce and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

3. Put 1 tortilla in baking dish. Top with 1 1/2 cups mixture then sprinkle with 1/4 cups cheese. Repeat layer four times.

4. Cover with foil and bake 20-25 minutes until bubbly. Cool for 5 minutes and cut into wedges and serve with sour cream on top. Yummy in my Tummy!

Easy Banana Bread

This is a very simple Banana Bread recipe.

Ingredients:

3 or 4 bananas mashed

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups flour

Beat all ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon except add the flour last. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Crisco a 4x8 pan, spoon mixture into pan. Bake for 1 hour, though I like it to be soft and slightly undercooked so I only cook it for 55 minutes or so. Yummy yummy banana bread!