Category: Recipes

Posted on

Last Minute Valentine’s Day Breakfast

When I had a little more time and energy and I loved putting a lot of effort into creating a fun holiday event. But nowadays putting together a few simple, yet fun foods at the last minute is about all I can manage. Today I’m sharing a Valentine’s Day breakfast you can pre-prep tonight with foods you probably already have in your pantry.

I’m already a procrastinator but Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that always seems to sneak up on me and fall through the cracks. this breakfast is my go-to for special days and celebrations. It checks all the boxes for being easy, prep-ahead, delicious, and fun for everyone in the family.

You can start today by prepping Weekend Baked Eggs. You’ll grate the cheeses, cook your breakfast meat, and mix together your egg base and store them in the fridge separately overnight. Tomorrow all you’ll need to do is pour the eggs over the cheese and meat then put it in the oven an hour before you want to eat. If you don’t have breakfast meat in your fridge or freezer, no problem, just leave it out!

Next, you’ll mix up a batch of Whole Wheat Scones. These are best if the dough sits in the refrigerator overnight which makes them perfect for a relaxing Valentine’s Day morning. They only take about 15 minutes to bake so they’ll be ready in a jiffy. Serve them with your egg casserole, or save them for later and have a mini Valentine’s Day tea party.

Now you can sit back and relax or work on a few Valentine crafts until tomorrow. I’ll have a post a little later today with some cute garlands you can make with your kids or some friends.

In the morning while your oven preheats, assemble the egg casserole and set it aside. Rinse some raspberries and strawberries and lay them out on a dishtowel to dry. Get a double boiler going on the stove and start chopping up some melting chocolate.

Your oven is probably ready about now so go ahead and get your eggs baking. They take a good hour so you have plenty of time to finish up the other goodies. Spread out some foil near where you will be dipping your strawberries and begin dipping your berries as soon as the chocolate is nice and smooth.

If your kids are old enough this is a great project to give them while you drink a cup of coffee with your feet up. My 13-year-old could handle this task with ease.

if you’re feeling extra fancy, you can melt down some white chocolate as well and use a fork to drizzle lines back and forth across the milk chocolate. Even if they get a little clumpy, your family will think they are decadent!

Next up, White Chocolate Stuffed Raspberries which sound a lot fancier than what they are. All you’re going to do is literally stuff a white chocolate chip into a raspberry. If it is a big berry, add two! I’m not kidding; it’s that easy. Neither my husband nor my daughter loves white chocolate, but they said they were delightful. Again, get your kids to help if you feel they are up to the task.

Your eggs are probably about ready now. As soon as they are out, turn your oven up to 400 and pull your scones out of the fridge to slice and bake. Pour yourself a tasty drink from this post and get ready to plate up your festive Valentine’s Day Breakfast.

Are you a procrastinator, too, or have you had your Valentine ducks in a row for weeks now? Give this menu a try and let us know your favorite part. Happy Valentine’s Day!

XOXO

Shan and Doe

Posted on

Three Simple Non-alcoholic Drinks for Valentine’s Day

Our families love a festive drink for any kind of celebration. Tonight we’re sharing three simple drinks that can be enjoyed by the whole family. With only a few ingredients, that can be found at most any grocery store, these drinks are a perfect last-minute addition to your Valentine’s Day menu. Their bright red color will brighten any day but are especially fun for this LOVEly holiday.

Cran-Raspberry Spritzer

Ingredients for Cran-Raspberry Spritzer

Can you make a festive drink any simpler than this? Unlikely. Just two ingredients are all it takes to make this bubbly beverage. Simply mix equal parts of a cold juice of your choice, cran-raspberry is our favorite, and chilled lemon-lime soda, like Sprite or 7-Up. But your family doesn’t need to know you’re not a master mixologist. Mix the juice and soda in a fun goblet and garnish with a few fresh berries and everyone will want to make a toast in your honor!

Cran-Raspberry Spritzer

Italian Cream Soda

Dori was introduced to Italian Cream Sodas while she was in high-school (can it be that was more than 25 years ago?!) and has been hooked on them ever since. They seemed to be pretty common on the west coast, but don’t seem to be as popular farther east.

Ingredients for Italian Cream Soda

The fun thing about Italian Sodas is their versatility. The base recipe is simple. Layer 8 ounces of cold club soda, 4 TBSP flavored syrup, and 2 TBSP half & half in a glass filled with ice. Your cream may separate a bit on occasion, but it doesn’t affect the taste of the drink.

Fruit-based syrups are ideal for Italian Sodas: strawberry, raspberry, lime, etc. Caramel, coconut, and vanilla are delightful also. We used vanilla-flavored syrup because it’s the easiest to find at the grocery store. We’ve topped it with 2 TBS grenadine to give it a lovely pink-y red hue. If you’re feeling decadent, top it with some whipped cream and sprinkles. You can leave out the cream if you want and it’s still delicious.

Italian Sodas are wonderful year-round and kids love coming up with different combos and mixing them by themselves. For a fancy, at-home brunch, try making an orange cream soda using pulp-free orange juice and vanilla syrup. (You’re welcome!)

Vanilla and Grenadine Italian Cream Soda

Shirley Temple Upgraded

Ingredients for a Shirley Temple

Sometimes we forget about the old stand-bys, but Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to bring back this classic sipper. We’re making it feel a little fancier by riming our champagne glass with whipped topping and a generous sprinkling of sugar sprinkles.

This one doesn’t really require measuring, just fill your glass 3/4 of the way with chilled lemon-lime soda or ginger ale and then add in a healthy splash of grenadine. Adjust the flavor to your preference, but whatever you do, don’t skimp on the maraschino cherries; scooping them out and munching down is the best part!

Shirley Temple Upgraded

You don’t have to spend a lot of money, take a lot of time, or have a ton of ingredients to mix up a festive drink to delight the whole family. You can even keep most of these in your pantry and then whip them out any time something or someone needs a littel celebrating.

What do you think; will your family loves these drinks as much as ours do? We think so! Give them a try this Valentine’s Day weekend and let us know which is your favorite.

XOXO

Shan and Doe

Posted on

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Scones

Jump to Recipe

Scones are one of the easiest pastries to learn to bake and these are perfect for beginners. They come together quickly and the overnight rest in the refrigerator makes them pretty forgiving.

The ingredients are ones I almost always have in my pantry so when I decide to make a special treat these are often what I choose. They are a family favorite for sure. They also make wonderful gifts to drop off with friends and neighbors!

One thing that will help your scones turn out beautifully is to measure out your buttermilk and measure and cube your butter then place them both back into the refrigerator until the recipe calls for them. Keeping things cold makes a big difference. I don’t even preheat my oven until the scones are assembled, sliced, and ready to bake.

Combine the dry ingredients and give them a good mix to break down any large clumps of brown sugar. Little lumps are ok and actually make for little bursts of flavor in the baked scones.

Pull the buttermilk and butter out of the fridge. Toss the cubed butter in the flour and then cut it into the dry mixture until the butter is the size of large peas.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly stream in the buttermilk until the dough just comes together. There will still be a little dry flour in the bottom of the bowl, that’s ok; it will get incorporated when you knead it by hand.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and carefully knead it a few times, just to incorporate the crumbs and make the dough fairly smooth and not too sticky. Handle the dough as little as possible so as not to melt the bits of butter.

Divide the dough in two and pat each half into an 8 inch circle. The sides won’t be smoothly round and that’s ok.

The scones are best if you can put them back in the refrigerator for a while before you bake them. I prefer to leave them overnight and bake them the following day.

Place each round in a zip-top bag or wrap them tightly with cling wrap and refrigerate. If you need to bake them right away, leave them in the fridge until the oven is completely preheated.

When you are ready to bake the scones, preheat the oven and then pull the scones out to slice once the oven has come to temperature.

Place the circles on an ungreased baking sheet (I use a pizza stone). Cut each circle into 8 triangles. Separate the triangles so they aren’t touching and bake until they are just beginning to turn golden brown around the edges. This will only take 14-16 minutes. You want to avoid over baking them so they aren’t dry.

Transfer the baked scones from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack so they don’t sweat and get soggy.

These scones are soft and fluffy and are delicious warm or cold, served with butter, jam, and fresh whipped cream. Make a batch and tell us who you shared them with!

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Scones

Light and flaky scones that can be prepped ahead and baked the next day.
Print Recipe
Course Snack, tea time
Servings 16 scones

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
  • 1 TBSP baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 cups cold butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 c cold buttermilk

Instructions
 

  • Cut the butter into small cubes and measure out the buttermilk. Place both back in the fridge to keep cold until they are needed.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a food processor, combine the dry ingredients.
  • Stir well to combine and break up any large pieces of brown sugar. Smaller lumps are ok.
  • Take the butter from the fridge and sprinkle it around the flour mixture int he bowl, trying not to handle it too much.
  • Blend on medium speed (or pulse in the food processor) until the butter is the size of peas.
  • With the mixer on, slowly stream in the buttermilk until the dough just comes together. There will still be a tablespoon or so of dry flour at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Turn the dough out onto a floured surface being careful to pour the dry flour onto the top of the dough so it can be folded in.
  • Knead the dough just a few times with your hands until it comes together and isn't very sticky. Be careful not to handle the dough too much as that will make the scones tough.
  • Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a circle about 8 inches in diameter.
  • Place each circle in a zip-top bag or wrap tightly in cling wrap and place them both in the refrigerator until the oven is preheated and you are ready to slice and bake them. They are best if left in the fridge overnight but are still delicious if baked the same day.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°. Once it is preheated, remove the scone circles from the refrigerator and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  • Slice each circle into 8 triangles.
  • Separate the triangles so they aren't touching and bake just until the edges begin to brown. This will take about 14-16 minutes. Do not overcook the scones or they will be dry.
  • Let the scones sit for just a few minutes once they are out of the oven and then serve them with soft butter, lemon curd, jam, and fresh whipped cream.
Keyword breakfast, buttermilk, prep-ahead, scones
Posted on

Prep-ahead Weekend Baked Eggs

Jump to Recipe

Weekends seem like the perfect time for a big breakfast, but making scrambled eggs and bacon for a large family can be time-consuming. This baked egg casserole makes a hearty breakfast a cinch! This recipe is a favorite because it can be prepped ahead, then assembled and baked the next morning, making weekend breakfast quick and virtually mess-free.

This casserole recipe is very flexible. The measurements work well with as little as 10 eggs or as many as 18, but the cook times may vary a bit. If you don’t have breakfast meat you can leave it out without any adjustments and the eggs are still delicious.

Canadian bacon and freshly grated cheddar wait to be whisked into an egg casserole.

Use whatever cheese you have on hand or a mixture of multiple kinds. Freshly grated will always be my recommendation, but pre-grated bagged cheese will work as well. Any breakfast meat is delicious in this casserole; try bacon, sausage, or even sliced up, sauteed Canadian bacon.

Layer the cheese and breakfast meat into your casserole dish and set it aside while whisking up the eggs, milk, and seasonings. The flour will clump in pieces and that’s fine.

If you’re using crumbled bacon in the casserole you can wait until after pouring the eggs over the cheese and sprinkle it on the very top so it stays nice and crispy.

Give the egg mixture one last whisk then pour them over the cheese and breakfast meat. Bake uncovered for 45-60 minutes at 350. If the eggs are sunken in the middle still keep cooking; the center will puff up like a souffle when it’s cooked through and then deflate once it’s out of the oven.

If you are prepping the eggs ahead, cover the cheese and meat in the casserole dish, and transfer the eggs to a covered bowl or zip-top bag, then refrigerate overnight. The next morning set the pan on the counter while your oven preheats. Give the eggs a little stir to combine again, then pour over the cheese and meat layers. Bake as directed.

These have been a family staple for two decades now. They have been taken to many pot-luck meals, shared with friends after a new baby, enjoyed many Christmas mornings, and even been know to be whipped up on a weekday!

Give them a try this weekend and let us know which breakfast meat is your favorite!

XOXO

Shan and Doe

Baked Eggs

Cheesy breakfast casserole that can be prepped ahead of time then assembled and baked the next day.
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast

Ingredients
  

  • 12 eggs
  • 1 3/4 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 heaping tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4-6 cups colby-jack cheese, grated
  • 2 cups breakfast meat, cooked and crumbled optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350° and llightly butter a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
  • Spread all the grated cheese in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
  • If you are adding breakfast meat layer it on top of the cheese. (if using bacon I like to add it very last after the egg mixture so it stays crispy)
  • Set the casserole dish aside for later.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, crack the eggs and add the milk.
  • Using the whisk attachment on the mixer, whisk together until the egg yolks are mostly broken up.
  • Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until mostly incorporated. The flour will be lumpy, that's ok.
  • Give the eggs one last whisk and then pour it over the cheese and breakfast meat in the casserole pan.
  • Place casserole in the center of the oven uncovered and bake for 45-60 minutes. The eggs are done when they are a light golden brown and the center has completely puffed up above the sides. The center will deflate and flatten once it's removed from the stove.
  • Let the casserole stand for just a few minutes before slicing.
Keyword breakfast casserole, breakfast meat, cheese, eggs, prep-ahead
Posted on

Doe’s Versatile Bell Pepper and Corn Chowder

Jump to Recipe

My family eats soup almost year-round, but we eat A LOT of soup when it’s damp and grey outside. This creamy, cheesy, chowder is one of my favorites and I don’t even like bell peppers! The ingredient list looks a little long, but don’t let that deter you; most of the things you’ll probably find in your pantry and fridge already. Once everything is chopped, the soup comes together very quickly.

Another great thing about this soup is that’s it’s versatile. I think of it as a way to use up leftovers or the last bits and pieces of things hanging around in the fridge. Some extra crumbled bacon from last night’s baked potato makes a great topping for this soup. Substitute the cheeses for whatever you have in your fridge–the pepper jack is the only one I’m not willing to leave out!

The base recipe is delicious even without the addition of meat. Rotisserie chicken is an excellent, easy addition, as are those leftover spiral-sliced ham chunks you have stashed in the freezer.

It’s not an overly spicy soup, even with the jalapeno and pepper jack, so even your little ones can eat it. If you like it spicier sautee some red pepper flakes with the vegetables at the beginning.

I think soup always calls for some kind of bread or biscuit. We love these copy-cat Red Lobster Biscuits.

Let us know if you give this soup a try, we’d love your feedback!

XOXO

Doe

Doe’s Versatile Bell Pepper and Corn Chowder

A simple, creamy chowder that can be made as is, or add chicken or ham.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 TBSP olilve oil
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery finely chopped
  • 3 bell peppers (yellow, red, orange) deseeded and chopped
  • 1 jalapeno deseeded and chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic pressed or minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 3 cups frozen sweet corn kernels
  • 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 /4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1 heaping cup colby jack cheese (plus extra for topping) shredded
  • 1 heaping cup pepper jack cheese (plus extra for topping) shredded
  • 2 cups chicken breast cooked and shredded (OPTIONAL)
  • 2 cups ham cooked and diced (OPTIONAL)
  • crumbled bacon for topping

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Once the foaming has subsided, add onions, celery, peppers, jalapeno, and garlic and sautee until fragrant and tender.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the vegatables and stir to make a roux. Cook for 2-4 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste. Be sure to stir it frequently so it does not burn.
  • Carefully add the chicken stock all at once. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the broth begins to thicken a bit (10 mins or so), stirring occasionally.
  • Add the cream cheese, salt, and pepper, and cook until the cream cheese melts into the broth. If you are adding cooked chicken or ham, add it as well and cook until heated through.
  • Turn heat off and stir in half and half and both cheeses.
  • Ladle into bowls and top with extra cheese and crumbled bacon.
Keyword bacon, chicken, chowder, corn, ham
Posted on

Shan’s Whatever You’ve Got Soup

As you may have gathered from my sister Doe, I am not a menu planner. Is this a problem for me? Yes, yes it is. But I am one of those people who has to be hungry for something in order to want to make it for dinner.

Has this been a problem for my family? Yes, yes it has. Many a night I am just a girl standing in front of the refrigerator asking it to tell me what to make for dinner. I may have a lot of ingredients, but no ideas. 

Every few years I’m inspired by Doe’s menu planning and give it a try. I start out weak, work up to mediocracy, and then fizzle out. It’s not my spiritual gift! That’s why I love this soup. I usually have the ingredients on hand (because I use whatever I have on hand) and this time of year it’s something I crave often!

I call it Whatever Ya Got Soup

The very best thing about this soup? You really do use whatever you have on hand. Do you have some leftover green beans and corn from yesterday’s dinner? Throw them in the pot. A random can of sliced carrots in the pantry? Throw them in the pot, too! A bag in the bottom of the freezer with only a few frozen peas? You got it, toss em in!

Maybe you don’t have any ground beef but you’ve got some kidney beans or some great northern beans–that’s fine–just substitute the beans for the beef.

Most any pasta will do for this soup, even broken up spaghetti pieces, but if you don’t have pasta, just throw in a diced raw potato or two.

You could put just about anything in and it makes a nice hearty meal, especially served alongside some yummy bread! One of my favorite bread recipes to make is from the cookbook “New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.” 

This is a great book with a lot of wonderful recipes and most are very simple. I use the Master Recipe and if I keep a batch of dough in the fridge I can whip up a couple of small loaves in about an hour and a half. It makes a lovely rustic round loaf.

Hopefully, if you’re a non-planner like me, I’ve given you a little hope and maybe some dinner inspiration. Let us know if you give this soup or bread a try!!

XOXO,

Shan

Shan’s Whatever Ya Got Soup

A simple soup that can be made using whatever meat and veggies are hanging around in the pantry and fridge.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course, Soup

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 5 cups liquid beef broth, water, or a mix of both
  • 1 package onion soup mix dry
  • 2-3 cups mixed vegetables frozen,canned, or both
  • 28 ounce can tomatoes diced, chopped, or stewed
  • 1-2 cups uncooked pasta any short pasta will work
  • grated parmesean for topping bowls

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot brown the ground beef, drain, and return to the cooking pot.
  • Add 5 cups of whatever combination of liquid you've chosen and the soup mix. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.
  • Allow the broth and cooked beef to simmer over medium heat for 30-40 minutes then add the canned tomatoes and vegetables. Cook unitl the vegetables are your desired tenderness.
  • Add the uncooked pasta (I usually use elbow noodles) and cook al dente.
  • Ladle into bowls and top with a little grated parmesan cheese.
Keyword easy, ground beef, simple, soup, tomatoes, vegetables