Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

I've been hearing a lot about ch-ch-ch-chia seeds lately.

Full of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.  So tiny but so good for you!

I was excited to experiment with chia seed pudding.

A no-cook pudding that tastes like dessert but is healthy enough for breakfast!  I tried 3 different variations and this chocolate one was my favorite.  I love it in the morning with some sliced bananas, strawberries and coconut on top.

1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup vanilla coconut milk
2 Tbs. cocoa
2 Tbs. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of sea salt

Mix all together in a glass container or jar and refrigerate, covered, overnight (or at least a few hours).  

A couple of things about chia seed pudding...
*You can make any kind you want as long as you use the ratio 1/4 cup chia seeds to 1 cup liquid.  Try almond milk, regular milk, any sweetener and different flavors.
*This pudding is not as thick as regular pudding.  I kept thinking it would get thicker but it didn't.  It is thick enough to eat with a spoon.

The Perfect Omelette

Years ago on Oprah, I saw a segment about how to make the perfect omelette.  I have been using this method ever since and it really does work.  I have egg issues and cannot eat eggs unless they are very well-cooked.  No egg juice!  I never order eggs at restaurants because I'm too afraid of egg juice.  So I love this method because I can make sure my omelette is well-done!

Step 1:  Crack two eggs into a bowl.  Add 1 Tbs of water.  Whisk really well with a fork.

Step 2:  Pour eggs into an already butter/sprayed pan that has been heating over low-medium heat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  With a spatula, push in the sides to the center and let the eggs fill in the gaps.  Do this like 3 times until there is no more runny eggs.  Then flip.

Step 3:  Add toppings to one side of the omelette.  Then fold over the other side.  Cook for about a minute on each side.

Step 4:  Serve and enjoy!!

SCRAMBLED EGG SANDWICH WITH AVOCADO AND GRUYERE

I am not an egg lover! There--I said it. To eat eggs, they have to be disguised so as not to taste like--well, eggs! I've been trying all summer to eat better and especially eat a better breakfast. We have an upcoming wedding and we don't want to be the "chubby parents" in the photos.  This has become one of my favorites. I absolutely LOVE Gruyere cheese and I could bathe in cilantro (well, maybe not really).  You can make all sorts of substitutions for this sandwich--this recipe is definitely not rocket science!! I usually can't eat both of these--I give one to my husband! He LOVES eggs!!

Cooking spray

4 eggs
1 tbsp milk
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
2 pieces of bread, toasted & buttered (I prefer 9 grain or or honey wheat)

2 slices Gruyere cheese (or other cheese of your choice)
Avocado, sliced

Cilantro

Heat the cooking spray in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk the eggs together with the milk, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Pour in the egg mixture. Constantly fold the egg mixture from the bottom of the pan to the top. This will keep it from overcooking and the middle section will stay soft and fluffy. Do this constantly for 1 or 2 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

Meanwhile, place your bread into the toaster and toast; butter the toast when finished. Immediately lay the slices of Gruyere cheese on the hot buttered bread slices. Slice the avocado into slices.

Layer the scrambled egg on top of the buttered  toast and cheese followed by slices of avocado.  Sprinkle with cilantro if you love it.  Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Ham Strata

I made this yummy breakfast casserole for a baby shower.  I put it together last night and baked it this morning.  Everyone at the shower loved it!  I will definitely be making this again.  

Ham Strata

3 cups shredded hash browns
3/4 cup grated cheese
1 cup cooked diced ham or bacon
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
4 beaten eggs
1 can evaporated milk (12oz)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt

Grease a quart square baking dish or casserole dish.  Layer hash browns evenly on bottom. Sprinkle with cheese, ham and green onions.  In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper.  Pour over potato mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until center is set.

*Can be chilled or refrigerated overnight.

CREAM CHEESE STUFFED MONKEY BREAD

I signed up to get recipes by email from Rhodes Dough. Most of the recipes I have deleted--I would NEVER make them. This one however, caught my eye and it is a keeper!! My apologies to Rhodes though. The grocery was out of Rhodes so I bought the generic rolls and I must say they were absolutely fine!! If you have Kroger in your area; that's the kind I used. Quite a bit cheaper too. We had some company this weekend and EVERYONE loved these. They were gone quickly. Next time I will add pecans. We love nuts around here. We are nuts around here!!

20 Rhodes (or other brand) frozen dough rolls-thawed but not raised
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup)
4 T. cinnamon sugar (1 T. cinnamon, 3 T. sugar, mixed)
8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature

Combine cream cheese with 1/2 c. of the brown sugar. Mix well and set aside.
Melt butter and then add remaining 2 c. brown sugar and stir well. Bring to a light boil to caramelize. Pour 1/3 of the mixture into bottom of a bundt pan. Take one roll at a time into your hands and stretch it into a small circle. Place approx. 1 T. of the cream cheese/sugar mixture into the middle and pinch closed into a ball. Evenly place 8 of the filled rolls in the bottom of the pan, on top of the caramelized mixture. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar on top of the 8 rolls Pour an additional 1/3 of the sugar mixture on top. ** Repeat the process with the remaining 12 rolls for the second layer. First the dough balls, then the remaining cinnamon sugar and finally the remaining sugar mixture..

Let rise for 30-45 minutes. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. You may need to lay a piece of foil over top of pan after 30 minutes if buns start looking too brown. I did this step.

Remove from oven and immediately invert onto a LARGE plate. The caramel mixture will run all over so make sure the plate is large. I did it onto a cookie sheet. Serve warm or at room temperature.

These raise REALLY high and the rolls are large. Most monkey bread is cut smaller.

**Next time I will add 1/2 cup chopped pecans to each layer.

Buttermilk Pancakes

My husband is a pancake connoisseur, so he is always looking for the perfect pancake! Last weekend we found this recipe on allrecipes.com and it is a winner at our house. They are really delicious! We weren't going for healthy with these ones. I'm sure there are healthier pancakes out there... but if you want a real treat, try these. We ate them with this coconut syrup and we were in heaven!

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. You can flick water across the surface and if it beads up and sizzles, it's ready!
3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, using a wooden spoon or fork to blend. Stir until it's just blended together. Do not over stir! Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/2 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

LEMON CURD

My neighbors trimmed their HUGE lemon tree and put the branches out for bulk pick-up last week. There must have been 150 HUGE lemons still on the branches, so I helped myself and juiced ALL of them. I had 1 gallon of lemon juice! I froze most of it in ice cube trays and put in Zip locks for further use, because I can't tell you how many times I just need one or two tablespoons of lemon juice and don't have a lemon. My cute friend Ang gave me this recipe for lemon curd--I tried it--we ate it on pancakes and I have been sneaking "little" tastes from the jar in the fridge about 3 (maybe 5) times a day. It is so good! You can use it on scones or hot rolls or spoon it over pound cake with whipped cream! One of my new favorites!!

1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6-8 large lemons)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
1 cup sugar
6 large eggs
1.5 sticks butter (12 tablespoons) cold, UNSALTED butter cut into bits
Zest lemons and set aside. Halve lemons and juice. Whisk together juice, zest, sugar and eggs in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Cook over medium low heat for about one minute. Then slowly add bits of chilled butter, whisking frequently, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of a whisk and the first bubble appears on the surface (about 5-6 minutes).
Press curd through a large sieve into a shallow casserole dish (a 9×13 Pyrex works well). Cover the surface with plastic wrap to keep a film from forming on the surface of the curd. Chill overnight or for 8 hours before serving. Stores for several weeks. I store in a jar with a tight lid.

**It thickens a lot when it chills, so warm what you are going to use for a few minutes in the micro-wave and it will thin and become more pouring consistency.

Baked Oatmeal

This stuff is really good.  I mean really good.  It is just as awesome the next day reheated in the microwave which makes for an easy pleasey breakfast.  

Baked Oatmeal 
3 cups oatmeal, either quick or old-fashioned


3/4 cups brown sugar


1/4 cup oil


1/4 cup applesauce


1 cups milk


2 beaten eggs


1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder


1/2 teaspoons salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 9x9-inch baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with milk and/or fresh fruit.

 Recipe adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe  (I know usually her recipes are untouchable but I really liked the changes)

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

It seems to be the season for showers (baby and bridal) and I have used this recipe many times for a brunch menu for above said showers. It is really good to make ahead if you have company and you want to have a delicious breakfast and "wow" them. It's always an option to leave out the green chile--but we like our food spicy around here. Credit goes to my good friend, Kaylene for this recipe!!

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
(can be doubled)

Mix together:

1 small can chopped green chilis (optional)
1 large bag of shredded hashbrowns
diced green onion (amount of your preference)
1 med container cottage cheese
2 cups grated chedder cheese
2 cups cubed ham, cooked bacon, or sausage (pick your fav)
Beat 1 doz eggs and pour over the mixture.
Mix well.

Bake at 350 uncovered for 1 hour or until set and slightly brown on top. This can also be made ahead and frozen (raw) and brought out for guests. When frozen cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 1st hour covered 2nd hour uncovered.

Coconut Syrup

We love breakfast at our house! I used to be a die hard cereal eater (like my sis Holly) but ever since marrying my husband, his love for a yummy homemade breakfast has rubbed off on me. The other day was his 30th birthday so we had these waffles with all the trimmings and a new syrup his mother introduced us to. Its amazing! I usually don't like flavored syrups, but this one is really delicious. Add some sliced fruit and whipped cream and its like dessert.

Coconut Syrup

1 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup butter (1 cube)

1/2 Cup buttermilk

Mix all together in a saucepan and heat to dissolve sugar and melt butter

Then add:

1/2 tsp. baking soda (this causes it to foam up so use a medium pan)

1 tsp. coconut flavoring (found near the spices)

Cinnamon Muffins

Dessert for breakfast you ask? YES! Worth it? YES!
These sweet and delicious muffins are from my husband's family and have become a Conference tradition in our house. Get a big glass of milk or water ready before you eat them because they are super sweet and rich, but that cinnamon taste is soooo good. Don't forget the sauce- its the best part!!

Muffins...
1/2 Cup butter
3/4 Cup sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 Cup flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 Cup milk

Sauce...
1/2 Cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 Cup milk
3 Tbsp light corn syrup
2 Tbsp butter

Cream butter, sugar, and eggs; combine dry ingredients and gently blend into creamed mixture. Stir in milk. Spoon into lightly greased or paper-lined muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
For sauce, combine sugar and cinnamon, then add all other ingredients. Cook on stove until thickened. Serve over top of warm muffins. Makes 1 dozen.
(I keep the burner on low or med-low. I don't let the sauce boil. Once you stir it on the stove for 5-10 minutes and take it off, the sauce will thicken as it cools)

Creme Brulee French Toast

Last week, my friend, Tiana, introduced me to this perfectly delicious french toast.  I am forever changed.  I have been thinking about this amazing breakfast dish since I left her house.  I texted my sisters about it and have been raving about it to my husband over and over.  Yes, folks, it is that good.  Just make it already.  Alright?  Alright.

photo courtesy of Sarah's Cucina Bella

Creme Brulee French Toast

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs. corn syrup
1 loaf French bread
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

In a small saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat.  Stir until smooth.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.  Cut bread into thick slices and trim crusts.  Arrange slices in pan, squeezing them to fit.  In a bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, vanilla and salt.  Pour evenly over the bread.  Cover with foil and chill in refrigerator overnight or at least 8 hours.  Let french toast come to room temperature before baking.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until puffed and edges are golden.  Serve with fresh whipped cream and berries.

Apple Syrup

Brett's mom was making this syrup one day when we were over there swimming.  She told me to taste it and see if it tasted good.  I am always available to be a taste-tester, but I honestly didn't think I would love it because I don't usually like things that involve a warm fruity taste.  But I grabbed a spoon and gave it a try and holy cow it was so good I couldn't believe it.  Next thing you know, we are all gathered around the pot with our plastic spoons, inhaling this amazing syrup.  I came home and made it for BC and he loved it on his waffles.  Next time we're going to try it on ice cream.  Or maybe we'll combine ice cream, waffles, and the syrup.  The possibilities are endless!

1 cup sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 cups apple juice (I used Trader Joes)
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 cup butter

*In a saucepan, warm the apple juice and then add the combined sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.  Boil for one minute or until thick.  Remove the pan from the heat and add butter and lemon juice.  Stir until butter is melted.  Serve over pancakes, waffles, ice cream, cake, etc.

Envy My Cooking Guest Post

Hello Becoming Betty readers

We are Karla & Jenny from Envymycooking!
We are so excited to be blog swapping today!

We are going to share with you one of our favorite things to make in the morning and even for a little after school snack

Monkey Bread

Ingredients

4 cans Biscuits( i just got the ones from walmart- the walmart brand)

Cinnamon

Sugar

Butter




Directions

Make cinnamon sugar in a medium bowl

In another bowl take a half of cube of butter and melt it

Now:


Open biscuits can and grab one biscuit and tear in half!

Roll into a ball and drop in butter.

pick ball up with fork and place in Cinnamon/Sugar (make sure its well coated with cinnamon/sugar all the way around)

Than place in a pan!

Line them up in a row but leave a 1/2 inch between each one!

Throw them in oven at 350 degrees and bake for 10-12 min..

Enjoy!

We just love this recipe so much and so do our kids!

Thanks so much to Becoming Betty for so many of their delicious recipes already given..keep them coming!

If you would like to see more of us come check us out HERE .

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Every year on Christmas we go to my parents' house for brunch and Brett's parents' house for dinner.

This year was different because Nat and Dave are coming tomorrow, so we are having Christmas with my family on Tuesday the 28th.  Ask me how excited my kids are that we are doing Christmas all over again.  So excited.

So my parents came to our house for a big Christmas breakfast.

We had waffles, sausage, scrambled eggs, orange slices and biscuits and gravy.

As much as I love biscuits and gravy, I don't make it very often because it just isn't a very healthy way to start out the day.

But on Christmas we aren't concerned with healthy.

I decided it was time that I made real biscuits from scratch, so I got out my Cunningham family cookbook and used one of Brett's grandma's recipes.  You can't go wrong with her recipes.

Biscuits:
2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter)
2/3 cup milk

*Put dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix really well.  Cut in cold butter with a fork until mixture is fine and crumbly.  Stir in milk and turn dough onto a floured surface and knead gently 10-12 times.  Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness and cut out biscuits (I used a glass).  Place on cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Makes about 16 biscuits.

Sausage gravy:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
half and half
milk
salt/pepper
1 lb. sausage, browned

*Melt butter on stove.  Mix in flour and stir for a minute or so.  Add about a cup of half and half, and then as much milk and as you need.  I think I added about 3 cups.  Season with salt and pepper and then add sausage.  Stir on heat until thickened.  Serve over biscuits.

Zucchini Frittata

I think breakfast just became my favorite meal of the day.

Fresh basil first thing in the morning? Sign me up!

I felt so fancy eating this for breakfast and BC said he felt like he was eating breakfast at a resort. (We don't get out much).

My kids took one look and said no way, but it was only enough for two people anyway, so la ti da.

It tasted so deluxe and don't even get me started on the smell. 

H-E-A-V-E-N-L-Y.

1 zucchini, finely grated

4 eggs

1 medium tomato, sliced thin

8 or so small basil leaves

2 Tbs. fresh parmesan, grated

fresh ground pepper

dash of salt

*Preheat broiler and place rack 12 inches from heat.  Beat eggs in a bowl and set aside.  Heat a skillet on stove over medium heat.  Spray with cooking spray and saute zucchini until tender (2 minutes).  Pour in beaten eggs and cook, without stirring, until eggs are mostly set (3 minutes).  Arrange tomato and basil on top.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Then sprinkle with parmesan.  Place skillet in oven under broiler until eggs are golden and cheese is bubbly (3-5 minutes).  Let sit for a few minutes in skillet before serving.

*Found this recipe in the Arizona Republic.

*FYI: You may or may not know that my sister, Holly (founder and CEO of Becoming Betty), had a new baby boy and moved across the country to New York.  That's why she has been M.I.A.  I expect great things from her now that she is settled in her new (really cute) kitchen back in Albany.  Let's see some of those East Coast recipes, Holl!!

Coffee Cake

One thing I love about my husband is that he loves baking. If he is craving something, he will just look up the recipe and make it. He usually talks me into helping him, not because he needs my help but he likes the company. We made this over conference weekend and again since. Its suppose to be for breakfast but lets be honest- its about as healthy as dessert.

Ingredients:

• Topping:
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• Cake:
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Topping. In small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly. Set aside.

Sift 1 1/2 cups sifted flour with baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a medium bowl, beat together beaten egg and 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and mix well.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square or 9-inch layer-cake pan. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tests done. Partially cool in pan on wire rack. Cut coffee cake into squares while still warm.

Spinach Frittata

I made this for dinner the other night and thought it was mighty good! I got the recipe from my Martha Stewart cookbook.

half a bag of fresh spinach
1/2 onion, chopped
1 Tbs. butter

Saute onion and butter in saucepan. Then, add spinach and cook until done. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

4 large, whole eggs
8 large egg whites
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

In a bowl, whisk eggs until foamy. Add cheese, salt and pepper. Wipe saucepan out and spray with cooking spray. Add egg mixture to pan and stir in spinach. Turn heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes. Then bake in oven (in the saucepan) for 30 minutes at 375.

*Make sure saucepan is oven safe.
*Don't grab handle after you take it out of oven. It will burn your hand! I learned the hard way.

THREE GRAIN MUFFINS

I bought a little muffin cookbook at the check-out stand a few weeks ago (total impulse buy) and this recipe was in it. I made them this morning for breakfast and they were quite tasty. A little butter on them didn't hurt.

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
heaping 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
heaping 1/4 c. yellow cornmeal
1/4 t. salt
1 c. rolled oats
1 c. buttermilk
2 large eggs
6 T.oil
1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 and line a 12 cup muffin pan with liners. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.

In another bowl lightly beat the eggs and add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.

spoon into prepared muffin pan. Bake for about 15-20 min. (I baked for only 15 as they seemed done enough).

**Next time I'm going to add a little orange zest and substitute a little of the buttermilk with orange juice. I think that sounds tasty. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Mexican Brunch Corn Bread

I made this cornbread today because a) it sounded delish and b) I haven't posted a recipe for a LONG time. It is more delicate than regular cornbread so I ate it with a fork. It is very moist and not too spicy. Perfect for a brunch or a mexican fiesta!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup cornmeal
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 can diced, green chilies
1 can cream style corn
1/2 cup shredded jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Add dry ingredients and chilies, corn and cheeses. Mix then pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Reduce oven heat to 300 and bake for 1 hour.

P.S. I just noticed that this recipe is already on our blog! Rats. Oh well.