Easy Lemon Danish

A friend of mine pointed me in the direction of this recipe a few weeks ago.  This morning I started to make it and, while I was mixing up the filling, decided I really wanted it to be lemony.  So I experimented and it turned out amazingly well!

Easy Lemon Danish
Adapted from The Adventures of Kitchen Girl

2 tubes crescent roll dough
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
zest of half a lemon
3 T. lemon juice
1 egg

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T. lemon juice
pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Unroll one package of crescent roll dough and lay it in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Pinch the seams together and press out as much as possible.  If the dough doesn't reach all the way from edge to edge, roll up the side that's not up against the pan a bit so the filling doesn't all run out when you pour it in.

For the filling, mix cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and egg, mixing until smooth.  Pour over dough.  Open remaining tube of dough and lay it over the top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until dough is golden brown.  Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes.

For the glaze, mix powdered sugar, lemon juice and salt until smooth.  Pour over danish and smooth it out with an offset spatula or knife.  Cut into squares and enjoy!  

Fried Apple Waffle Topping

Once upon a time, I used to can quarts and quarts of apple pie filling.  It was our favorite waffle topping, and we ate waffles and apples at least twice a month.  Then, I found out that my beloved recipe isn't safe for canning (it used cornstarch as a thickener, and you must use Clear Jel for food safety).  So that was the end of that.  Nowadays, I mostly turn my apples into applesauce, but I do can a few quarts of apple slices in syrup and spices that I thicken in a pot to top the waffles.

But when apple season is upon us, and we have a plethora of fresh apples from our backyard tree, I love to make this - with hints of butterscotch and spice, it is equally beautiful over waffles or a dish of ice cream.

Fried Apple Waffle Topping
Makes three generous servings

4 cups peeled, cored, and sliced cooking apples (Gala, Granny Smith, etc.)
2 T. butter
3 T. brown sugar (either light or dark will work here)
1/2 tsp. mixed spice (your choice - apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, cake spice, or a mixture of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg all work here)
1/4 tsp. salt

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add apples and saute for two to three minutes.  Add sugar, spices and salt.  Continue cooking for 10 - 15 minutes, until the apples are soft and the sauce is slightly caramelized.  Serve hot.

Apple-Filled Crescents

The other day, I ran across this recipe for Apple Walnut Butterhorns.  "Looks great!" I thought.  But, I don't care for walnuts, so I decided to modify it a bit.  I thought about using pecans but wasn't sure how that would go over with my girl, so I left the nuts out.  Left the glaze off since I'm watching my diet right now.  Tweaked it a little more, and here's what I ended up with.  Delicious!

Apple-Filled Crescents

1 small green apple, peeled and diced
3 T. brown sugar
1/4 t. pumpkin pie spice
12 raw crescent roll triangles (I used the recipe from the link above, but used butter instead of shortening, but you could also use 1 can of dough)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine apple, brown sugar, and spice.  Lay the individual triangles out on a parchment-lined baking sheet (you don't have to use parchment, but I found that the filling oozed a little, and I hate scrubbing pans).  Top the wide end of each with a small spoonful of the apple mixture.

Roll each crescent from the wide end, stretching and tucking the dough to make sure the mixture is covered.

Bake at 375 for 12 - 14 minutes or until the rolls are brown. 

My daughter and I think these are great just the way they are, but if you want a glaze you can follow the recipe in the link up top.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Apple Spice Muffins

Ok, I haven't actually tasted these yet - they're in the oven now. They sure smell good baking, though!

I started with this recipe for a base and went from there...

2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cloves
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. milk
1/2 c. plain yogurt
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 c. chopped cooking apples (such as Granny Smith)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin pans. In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients (pastry flour through cloves). In a smaller bowl, mix oil, milk, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla. Combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Fold in apples.

Put batter in muffin tins, and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 24.

Perfect poached eggs

I'm on an egg kick lately, and there's nothing quite like a warm, creamy poached egg to start your day...

Use the freshest eggs you can find. I always look for a sell-by date that is at least a couple of weeks away. The fresher the egg, the better the whites will hold together in the water. I always cook them two at a time, in my 1 quart saucepan. Here's how:

Fill your pot will water to about 2 inches below the top of the pan. Put on the stove, cover, and bring to a full boil. Meanwhile, crack your first egg into a custard cup or similar small dish (this will let you pour the whole egg in at once, instead of in a stream as it would come out of the shell).

When the water is boiling, add a pinch of salt and stir to dissolve. Turn the heat to low, and lift the pot off the burner (this ensures that the water won't be boiling when you put the egg in, which would break up the whites). Holding the custard cup very close to the surface of the water, slip the egg in.

Return the pot to the burner, and let the egg cook gently while you crack the next egg into the custard cup. Using a spoon, carefully push the egg that is cooking over to one side of the pan. Slip in the second egg. Let simmer (do not boil!) for five to seven minutes, until the yolk is the desired firmness. Remove with a slotted spoon.

When you pour the egg in, you'll get a little stringiness from the outer whites. Don't be alarmed by this. If your egg is fresh enough, the center white and yolk should hold together nicely in a little pillow.

It takes a little practice to know when the eggs are cooked to your liking, but you can tell by pressing gently on the yolk. When the yolk is runny, it gives easily to gentle pressure (careful not to break the yolk!). As the yolk cooks, it resists the pressure more and more. I like my eggs just a tiny bit runny, so I cook them for about five minutes. Hubby likes his hard, so I cook his for about seven. If you like really runny yolks, you'll probably only want to cook them for three or four minutes.

What's for breakfast?

Breakfast is an odd meal for me. I'm not a morning person, so in the past I haven't been awake enough to think about eating a REAL meal before work.

Growing up, mom would make us hot cereal, or french toast, or pancakes before school. Never cold cereal - we couldn't afford it. Until I was in high school (when Mom went back to work), cold cereal was a treat we looked forward to having at Grandma's house. Of course, Grandma would let us pick out whatever kind we wanted, sugar content be damned! Pass the Cookie Crisp, please!

I didn't eat breakfast on weekdays during most of high school, and part of college. Once I started working, though, I found I really needed it. Most mornings I just ate cold cereal. Sometimes the healthy stuff - I love shredded wheat and the occasional box of, yes, bran flakes. Sometimes the stuff masquerading as healthy - just because Cracklin' Oat Bran has the word "bran" in the title, it's not a health food, believe me! And, of course, sometimes it just has to be Cookie Crisp (or Lucky Charms for hubby).

Since I'm now up at 5 am with hubby, and don't leave the house till 7:30, I find I have some time on my hands in the mornings. And I've discovered the wonders of the quick hot breakfast. It's like having weekend breakfast on a plain old Monday morning! Excellent!

I've developed a fondness for oatmeal, a food I loathed and detested as a child. Of course, I prepare it completely differently than my mom did! I have several variations - pumpkin, apple (either with bits of dried apple cooked in it, or with fried apples dumped on top if I have extra ambition), plain sweetened with maple syrup, or plain sweetened with molasses. Of course, it has to be made with MILK. This is critical. Part fat-free half and half if I have it. I can put a pot of it on the stove on low heat, go take my shower, and when I come back, rich, creamy, yummy oatmeal. And if I don't have time even for that, I mix all the ingredients together the night before, let it soak in the fridge overnight, and then nuke it for two minutes in the morning and it's just as good!

Sometimes, I'll make up a whole loaf of French toast on the weekends. Then I freeze the slices on a cookie sheet, pop them in a freezer bag, and, voila! Toaster french toast. Just heat and eat.

This morning, I had two fried eggs, toast (on homemade bread with homemade jelly, yum!), and canned pears. Plus coffee and orange juice. On these mornings, I just hop in the shower five minutes early (my mornings are pretty well routinized, so I pay close attention to time). Then I use those five extra minutes to cook my eggs. While the eggs and toast are cooking I putter around the kitchen a little - I either get a head start on pulling my lunch together, or work on dishes, or, like this morning, I swap out the laundry left in the washer and dryer last night.

Of course, some mornings I'm just a zombie and I NEED that box of cold cereal. I have shredded wheat for that. Or sometimes I sneak a bowl of hubby's granola. But I find the hot breakfasts stick with me better and I don't need to snack as much at work.

So what's YOUR breakfast routine?

Waffle mix

I'm mainly posting this for me - so I'll know where to find it when I want it again. Guessing most of you don't keep powdered eggs on hand, even if you have powdered milk...but if you do, well, here you go! If you don't, this recipe is the same thing, just with fresh ingredients instead of powdered...

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons powdered egg
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container. To use, mix with two cups water.

Makes enough for one meal for hubby and me, with 1 - 2 leftover for the dogs...

Potato Pancakes

This makes a great side dish, and is also a good breakfast food!

4 cups peeled, grated potatoes (about 2 large)
3 eggs
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 tablespoon chopped dried chives (optional)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
black pepper to taste

Heat a non-stick griddle to medium low (about 250 degrees). Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Spray griddle with non-stick cooking spray, and then spoon potato mixture onto the griddle, forming fairly flat patties. Cook 8 - 10 minutes on each side, until the potatoes are cooked through and the patties are nicely browned.

Serve with applesauce or sour cream.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

I made up this recipe one day when I was craving something pumpkin-y. It's very filling and very good! You can skip the cardamom if you don't have it (I probably have the world's biggest spice cupboard, LOL!). It says two servings, but really I can eat the whole thing for breakfast myself and it keeps me going till lunch, which is rare for any breakfast food.

1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup nonfat milk
Pinch of ground cardamom
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp sugar

Mix all ingredients.
Cook over low heat for 20 minutes, or until thick.

Number of Servings: 2

Waffles/pancakes

This is the recipe I grew up with. I'm not saying it's the best recipe out there, but it's simple and tasty.

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
milk

In a small bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Add the eggs and enough milk to make the right consistency of batter.

For waffles, you want it kind of thick - like milkshake consistency. Otherwise it'll run right out of the waffle iron.

For pancakes, you want it fairly thin - like cake batter consistency.

If you're making waffles, you could add two tablespoons of cooking oil to the batter, but I prefer to leave the oil out and just spritz the waffle iron with some cooking spray.

When we make waffles, we always top them with fruit (hubby doesn't like syrup for some odd reason, so he puts jam on pancakes but wants fruit on waffles). We either use the little cans of frozen, sweetened, sliced strawberries, heated up, or apple pie filling, which we try to can a bunch of every year. But you can eat them however you like them!

Bran and Raisin Muffins

This isn't my recipe, and I don't know where I got it (ran across it in my Word files today). I just made them for the first time, and boy are they good!

1-1/2 c. unprocessed wheat bran
1-1/4 c. milk
1-1/2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/3 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cloves
1/2 c. melted butter or margarine
1/4 c. light molasses
1 egg
1/2 c. raisins

Combine bran and milk and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients and set aside. Stir molasses into melted butter/marg, then beat in the egg. Add butter mixture to soaked bran, then add all into dry ingredients. Stir in raisins last. Spoon into 18 muffin cups and bake at 400 deg for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

A new recipe

Invented this for breakfast this morning - YUM, YUM!

Potato Sausage Skillet (serves 2)

2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut in 1/2-inch dice
3 garlic cloves, peeled and each cut into three chunks
1 cup cooked sausage (the loose kind, not the links)
2 T. melted butter
2 T. olive oil
1/2 jar (the little bitty jars) diced pimento
onion salt
smoked paprika* (available at www.penzeys.com)
fox point seasoning* (available at www.penzeys.com)
black pepper

In a medium saucepan, boil the potatoes and garlic just until tender. Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the butter, olive oil, and sausage (if you use a nonstick skillet you won't need nearly so much oil and butter). When the potatoes are soft, add them to the skillet, along with the pimento. Sprinkle seasonings to taste on top. Fry until golden brown.

* Smoked paprika and Fox Point Seasoning are my two new favorite seasonings. I've only ever seen them at Penzey's. I'm sure regular paprika would work fine. Fox Point is a mixture of salt, shallots, chives, and I can't remember what else, so you could add some dried chives (or fresh, for that matter) and some extra salt to the mix instead.

It was a fabulous breakfast - I served it with cinnamon-sugar foccacia bread and a fresh fruit salad of Asian pear, honey crisp apple, banana, and pomegranate seeds.

Yum, yum!