Raspberry Streusel Muffins

I love muffins.  I make them all the time and never get tired of the great variety of flavors one can combine to create just the taste for which one craves.  Hope you like this one!
 
INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cup frozen or fresh raspberries (toss frozen raspberries with 1 tablespoon flour)

Topping:

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon



DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Blend with a whisk.  In a separate bowl, mix the egg, yogurt, milk, vanilla, and almond extract.  Add melted butter.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the liquid ingredients.  Mix until just blended.  Gently fold in raspberries.  Fill greased muffin tins two-thirds full.

For topping, combine ingredients in a small bowl.  Sprinkle each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of topping.  Bake for 20 - 22 minutes or until done. 

This will make 6 large muffins or 12 regular size muffins.  Regular size muffins will take less time to bake (about 18 minutes).
  
The Beechmont Inn Bed & Breakfast
http://www.thebeechmont.com  
Kathryn White
Bed and Breakfast Foodie
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Baked Blueberry French Toast with Blueberry Orange Sauce

Today is national Blueberry Day. I have no idea who comes up with what day is what. It would make more sense to me to have blueberry day in, say, July when blueberries are fresh picked. That said I love blueberries and freeze them by the case when they are in season. We use them all year long in Lemon Blueberry Pancakes, Blueberry Cobblers, Blueberry Brulees, and this recipe, Baked Blueberry French Toast with an orange blueberry sauce.   This graces our tables even in the dead of winter.  It is bright in flavor, easy to make, as perfect for a Christmas Brunch as it is for a Mother’s Day brunch and a wonderful ‘do ahead’ recipe.  I have successfully used frozen mixed berries for this recipe or all blackberries when they are in season. No matter what the berry this will be a winner on your table.

So, this morning I am raising a cup of coffee and sending a cheer for Blueberry Day!

Baked Blueberry French Toast



12 slices white bread cubed
12 oz cream cheese, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 cup blueberries, sliced strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or any mixture of berries desired
12 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/3 cup honey
1 orange, zest only
 

In a greased 9x13 baking dish, place half of the cubed bread to cover the bottom of the dish.
Top the bread with cream cheese that has been cut into 1 inch cubes.
Sprinkle half of the blueberries over the top.
Repeat the above 3 steps one more time till all bread, cream cheese and blueberries are used.
Drizzle with the 3 Tablespoons of melted butter.
In a separate bowl beat the eggs.
Add the milk, honey and orange zest.
Pour over the layers of bread, cream cheese and blueberries.
Cover with saran and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Next day, 1 1/2 hours before serving remove from the refrigerator and allow to temper for up to half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and continue to bake for another 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.   Remove from the oven, sprinkle lightly with confectioners sugar and serve with Blueberry Orange Sauce
This cuts into squares nicely or can be served directly from the baking dish.

Servings: 10
Yield: 9x13 pan

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Oven Temperature: 350°F


Blueberry Orange Sauce



This sauce was created to go with the Baked Blueberry French Toast. It is also wonderful served with pancakes, waffles and ice cream. I am sure it would be wonderful poured over shortcake as well.

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cup blueberries, raw
1 tablespoon butter

In a small saucepan combine the sugar, cornstarch and orange rind.
Add water and stir.
Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.
Stir in the blueberries. Reduce heat and simmer 8-10 minutes.
Add butter and stir till melted.

Serve warm.

Servings: 12
Yield: Twelve 2 Tablespoon servings

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes


Swiss Woods Bed and Breakfast
 http://www.swisswoods.com
 Debbie Mosimann
Bed and Breakfast Foodie
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Country Rhubarb Cobbler Pie

 Rhubarb is as much a sign that spring has arrived as is the first robin. Spring has arrived and so has rhubarb! At long last. And this is one of my favorite rhubarb recipes, adapted from one found on epicurious.com.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2 pieces

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup whole milk

1 large egg

1 large egg separated

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400F.

Grease a 10-inch pie plate (or a 2 1/2 quart oval gratin dish) and chill.

Toss rhubarb with brown sugar until coated.

In a food processor (or a large bowl), mix the flour, baking powder, and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Add the cold butter pieces and mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (If you are not using a food processor, blend butter into flour mixture and a pastry blender.)

Whisk the whole egg and the egg yolk together with the milk.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the wet ingredients, using a rubber spatula, gradually incorporating the flour, forming a soft, sticky dough.

Transfer 1/2 of the dough to the chilled pie plate or dish. Pat the dough over the bottom and halfway up the sides.

Spoon the rhubarb and any juices onto the dough.

With a spoon, spoon the remaining dough in small mounds evenly over the rhubarb.

Lighting whisk the egg white and a few drops of water. Lightly brush the top pastry with the egg wash. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.

Bake in the middle of the oven until the rhubarb is tender and the crust is golden, 30-40 minutes. Cool on a rack.

[Epicurious recommends serving the cobbler pie with a whiskey cream make with 1 cup chilled heavy cream, 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar,1 tablespoon whiskey, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla whipped into stiff peaks. I don't think this is 

necessary but of course that is up to you.]

Birchwood Inn

 http://www.birchwood-inn.com
Ellen Gutman Chenaux
 Bed and Breakfast Foodie
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Caramel Sauce

This is a simple sauce that is a terrific topping for pancakes and French Toast.  Try it on ice cream, too, or pound cake.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound light brown sugar
1/2 pound butter (2 sticks)
1 pint heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

Melt brown sugar and butter in medium saucepan over low heat.  Be careful not to scorch the sugar.  Periodically whisk the mixture to blend as the butter melts.  When the butter and brown sugar are melted and thoroughly blended, remove from the heat and slowly pour the heavy cream into the mixture.  Whisk to incorporate the cream until blended.

Serve warm.  May be stored in the refrigerator for a week and reheated.

The Beechmont Inn Bed & Breakfast
http://www.thebeechmont.com/
Kathryn White
Bed and Breakfast Foodie
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Banana French Toast...Yum

A guest just emailed and requested this recipe that I served to them last week.  It features sauteed bananas and a home-made caramel syrup.  Yum!

INGREDIENTS

12 one-inch slices of bread (we use Portugese Soloio, which is a dense, thick bread)
4 large eggs
3 cups half and half
4 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

4 - 6 bananas, sliced in thick chunks
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
Cinnamon and nutmeg to sprinkle on top

DIRECTIONS

For French Toast:  Combine eggs, half and half, melted butter, syrup, vanilla and cinnamon in medium bowl and whisk until blended.  Place bread slices in large oblong dish and pour egg custard over bread so each is coated.  Soak for only about 5 minutes.

For Banana topping:   Melt butter in skillet on stove over medium heat.  Add banana slices and top with brown sugar.  The brown sugar will melt into the butter.  Add cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg to taste.  Depending upon how ripe the bananas are, you'll only need to cook them about 3 to 4 minutes or they'll turn to mush. 

Heat griddle to medium high heat and oil (I set my electric griddle to 350 degrees).  Place bread slices on griddle and cook both sides for about 4 minutes each. Move to plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and add the bananas on top.  Serve with Caramel Sauce.

The Beechmont Inn Bed & Breakfast
http://www.thebeechmont.com
Kathryn White
Bed and Breakfast Foodie
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Chocolate Glaze

This is an easy recipe for a good chocolate glaze.  I use it on the Triple Chocolate Cake, our favorite brownies or out of a bowl with a spoon....just kidding on that one!
For Triple Chocolate Cake or a small pan of brownies, I do cut the recipe in half. 
Opposed to what is commonly believed, you CAN have too much of a good thing!
INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pinch of salt
1/4 cup half and half
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

In a very small sauce pan, melt the butter.  Heat should be very, very low.
Add cocoa powder, salt and half and half and stir until the lovely chocolate mixture starts to thicken.  That will be about two minutes.
Remove from the heat before it starts to boil.
Stir in the confectioners' sugar (and you really should take the couple of minutes it takes to sift it!) and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and shiny.
The William Henry Miller Inn
http://www.millerinn.com/
Lynnette Scofield
Bed and Breakfast Foodie
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The World's Easiest Cake

Pretty much as with all of our recipes, this comes with a story---growing up in the fifties, my mother was not much of a pie baker but she was a wonderful cake baker.   One of the most popular at the time, was Wacky Cake.  Translated that meant that you would mix all of the dry ingredients in the bowl you used for baking; made three indentations for the liquid ingredients and then pour cold water over all. What resulted was a rich, delicious cake that we loved!
When the Inn first opened, we hosted an all day meeting.  Before we were doing our own catering, the world famous, Moosewood Restaurant (and Moosewood is our neighbor---two blocks away) catered lunch.  Winnie was preparing to serve lunch and said as she was setting out this lovely cake--"you MUST try our vegan cake!"   My brother happened to be at the Inn at the time and we simultaneously took a bite.  Then looked at each other and in unison said, "It's WACKY cake!!"
The moral of this story is that little did we know on the north side of Syracuse in the 50's that we would be ahead of our time!
Feel free to frost with a lovely cream cheese icing; a chocolate ganache or just place a knife and fork across each other and sprinkle with powdered sugar creating a fun picture on top of the cake.
But most of all, enjoy!


INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup very cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
5 Tablespoons oil (canola preferred)
DIRECTIONS

My mother's recipe goes like this:  Sift dry ingredients into a 9X9  inch pan.  Poke three holes in the dry ingredients and into each put vanilla, oil and vinegar.   Pour cold water over all and stir well.
My preferred method is to use a mixing bowl to be sure that I have everything well incorporated.  I also grease the 9X9 inch pan.
Bake 30 minutes (usually not a minute more) at 350.

The William Henry Miller Inn
http://www.millerinn.com/
Lynnette Scofield
Bed and Breakfast Foodie
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