Category: Breakfast

Cheesy Pecan Biscuits
Breakfast · Recipes

Cheesy Pecan Biscuits

enbrookshireLeave a comment
Cheesy Pecan Biscuits

I am always looking for a reason to bake and looking for even more of a reason to make biscuits! I wanted something savory and with a touch of sweet, so I decided to pair these Cheesy Pecan Biscuits with some Country Ham and Blackberry Mustard. These biscuits are fast and easy to make and will leave your guests wondering if you spent all day in the kitchen whipping them up! You can easily make these ahead of time or right before serving. I hope you like this recipe as much as we do!

Cheesy Pecan Biscuits

CHEESY PECAN BISCUITS

Ingredients:

  • 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup butter (cold, I grated my butter with a cheese grater on the fine side)
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
  • 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Parsley (optional)
  • 1 Tbsp melted butter (optional)
  • Finishing salt (optional)

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper.
  • Cut in butter and cream cheese using a pastry blender.
  • Stir in cheese and pecans.
  • Gradually add about 1 1/4 cup heavy cream, stirring until dry ingredients are just moistened, adding additional cream if needed.
  • Prep a workspace for kneading, rolling and cutting biscuits by lightly flouring surface and turning out dough; knead 5 or 6 times or until dough has fully come together.
  • Lightly dust a rolling pin with flour and roll dough to about 1-inch thickness. Using a biscuit cutter (or as my dad used to do it, you drinking glass) to cut dough into round biscuits (I used a 2-inch biscuit cutter). You will need to re-roll and repeat the process for any scrap dough.
  • Place biscuits on a lightly greased baking sheet.
  • Brush the tops of the biscuits with the extra heavy cream and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
  • Once out of the oven and on a cooling rack top with melted butter and a sprinkle of parsley and finishing salt (if desired).
  • Enjoy!
Banana Pumpkin Strudel Muffins
Breakfast · Recipes

Banana Pumpkin Strudel Muffins

enbrookshireLeave a comment
Banana Pumpkin Strudel Muffins

Looking for a yummy and sweet breakfast to whip up for your favorite people? Well, this muffin is right up your alley! Everyone in my house loves a delicious muffin and we really enjoy bananas, pumpkins and strudels….so I decided to combine them all into one scrumptious muffin. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much we do!

Banana Pumpkin Strudel Muffins

BANANA PUMPKIN STRUDEL MUFFIN

Ingredients:

Muffin

  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground clove
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin purée
  • 2 very ripe bananas, smashed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk

Crumble Topping

  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground clove
  • 6 Tbsp butter, melted

Strudel Icing

  • 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp milk

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, clove and salt for the dry portion of the muffin mix; mix thoroughly.
  • In a separate bowl mix the pumpkin, bananas, oil, eggs, milk and both sugars of the muffin mix.
  • Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and fold together being careful not to over stir.
  • Place muffin liners in muffin tin and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Fill muffin liners 3/4 full and set aside to rest.
  • In a small bowl mix all of the crumble topping ingredients together until well mixed; top each muffin with a top layer of crumble.
  • Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick test comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool in muffin tin for 10 minutes before moving to a cool rack to finish cooking completely.
  • While muffins are cooling; mix all ingredients for strudel icing. Place in piping bag and pipe onto muffins once muffins have finished cooking.
  • Enjoy!
  • These muffins can be stored on the counter in an airtight container for one day or in the fridge for up to a week.
Hello Fall Pumpkin Bread
Breakfast · Recipes

Hello Fall Pumpkin Bread

enbrookshireLeave a comment
Pumpkin Bread

Cool temps, football, changing leaves and everything pumpkin….oh how I LOVE Fall! There’s perhaps no better way to kick off pumpkin season than whipping up this delicious pumpkin bread. It’s great for breakfast and can even be served up as a sweet treat. I prepared this loaf for an after lunch dessert for my in-laws. It not only makes the house smell amazing, but is super easy and fun to make with the kids. Nothing says Fall like my favorite pumpkin bread…now I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Pumpkin Bread

PUMPKIN BREAD

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prep loaf pan with butter to prevent sticking; set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl; sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well.
  • In another large mixing bowl; cream together eggs, both sugars, milk, oil and purée until well combined.
  • Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and incorporate well.
  • Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes. Slightly cover with a tent of aluminum foil to prevent over browning, but still allowing room for rising; continue to bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
  • Once bread is done; allow to cool in loaf pan for 10 to 20 minutes, then remove from loaf pan and allow to cool on wire rack until completely cool.
  • Slice and serve!
  • Enjoy!
Pecan Carrot Zucchini Bread
Breakfast · Recipes

Pecan Carrot Zucchini Bread

enbrookshireLeave a comment
Pecan Carrot Zucchini Bread

Looking for a sweet and healthy treat to start your day? Well, this Pecan Carrot Zucchini Bread is everything that you’re looking for. It’s simple to make, sweet, healthy and leaves your kitchen smelling like a crisp fall day. It will only take a few ingredients to make this deliciously healthy bread and this type of recipe is yet another great way to get the kids involved. Now, I hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Pecan Carrot Zucchini Bread

PECAN CARROT ZUCCHINI BREAD

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • A dash of freshly ground nutmeg
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 Tbsp applesauce (or 1 kids pouch)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 medium/large zucchini, shredded (about 3/4 cup)
  • 3/4 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp all purpose flour

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prep loaf pan by using unsalted butter and rubbing it thoroughly throughout the pan; dust buttered pan with 1 1/2 Tbsp of flour and dump any extra flour. This will prevent the loaf from sticking to the pan.
  • Shred zucchini and carrots in a large bowl and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl sift flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg together to make sure all dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
  • In a smaller mixing bowl add white and brown sugar, eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract; mix thoroughly.
  • Add wet ingredients to dry and mix together for about 1 minute or until thoroughly mixed.
  • Fold in zucchini, carrots, and pecans.
  • Add to prepped loaf pan. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Check bread for browning. If it is the color you like place tin foil on top to prevent further browning and place back in oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Test the bread to see if it isdone by using a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done.
  • Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack; may take about an hour.
  • Enjoy!
Banana Bread Crunch Muffins
Breakfast · Recipes

Banana Bread Crunch Muffins

enbrookshireLeave a comment
Banana Bread Crunch Muffins

I’m not going to beat around the bush….these muffins are AMAZING! Muffins are perhaps my favorite sweet-treat breakfast and we love making them as much as we love eating them plus the smell is guaranteed to make your kitchen smell fabulous. This recipe is both easy and quick, so they are perfect for making on the fly or for prepping for the busy week ahead. They taste delicious while warm or cool and they keep for about a week…if they last that long! What makes these delicious muffins so special is the crunchy topping which has both a toasted and sweet flavor.

My daughter helping to mix the muffins.

Making muffins is one of my favorite ways to teach my three-year-old about baking. I even used this recipe as a science lesson for her and she felt like such a big girl while mixing the ingredients together. She also really enjoyed putting the topping on each muffin, but I’m sure her favorite part is getting to eat one! This is overall an easy recipe to get the kids involved. Now, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Banana Bread Crunch Muffins

BANANA BREAD CRUNCH MUFFINS

Ingredients:

For muffins:

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed

For crunchy topping:

  • 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 Tbsp butter, softened
  • 1 Tbsp pecans, crushed
  • A tiny dash of Sea Salt

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Prepare a muffin tin by adding muffin liners and spraying liners with a bit of nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together. In a separate bowl mash bananas and mix in egg and sugar.
  • Combine wet ingredients into dry and mix well.
  • Pour into muffin liners and tap muffin pan to allow for even muffins.
  • Make the topping by mixing together all ingredients until crumbly.
  • Top each muffin with a generous amount of crunchy topping.
  • Bake for 17 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the muffins comes out clean.
  • Enjoy!
Asparagus Breakfast Tart
Breakfast · Recipes

Asparagus Breakfast Tart

enbrookshireLeave a comment
Asparagus Breakfast Tart

I love nothing more than eating crunchy asparagus, salty bacon, creamy Parmesan cheese, yolky eggs, and crispy puff pastry. the best word to sum up this delicious recipe is simply YUM! If you’re looking for an easy recipe that is super tasty…this one is for you!

I love making this recipe for my family as a fast and easy dinner, but I have also made this as a brunch with a small side salad for my friends. This dish doesn’t just look impressive but tastes impressive as well. I typically cook the bacon first as I like to drain and dab off any grease as not to make the pastry crust soggy. I also coat the asparagus in a touch of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder to give it a stepped up flavor. Once I’m ready to put it all together I prep the pastry sheet and start building the tart. A fun way to get the kids involved is to let them carefully crack the eggs on the tart just before baking. I even let my daughter help with sprinkling the Parmesan cheese on top. Now, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Asparagus Breakfast Tart

ASPARAGUS BREAKFAST TART

Ingredients:

  • 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3 to 4 eggs
  • 1 bundle of asparagus, trimmed
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • Dash of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Toss asparagus in olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Set aside.
  • Roll out puff pastry to desired size on a lightly floured surface. Food up each side and tuck corners to make a border. Using a fork, polk holes throughout the center of the pastry. Move to parchment paper lined baking tray and refrigerate for about 10 minutes.
  • Arrange asparagus on tart within the borders of the tart, add bacon being sure to leave room for eggs. Add half the cheese, then carefully crack eggs onto tart being careful to not break the yolks. Top with remaining cheese.
  • Generously brush border with beaten egg for a golden crust.
  • Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the egg whites are set; egg yolks should still be wiggly.
  • Allow to cool and sprinkle with parsley.
  • Enjoy!
The Simplest Avocado Breakfast Open Faced Sandwich
Breakfast · Recipes

The Simplest Avocado Breakfast Open Faced Sandwich

enbrookshireLeave a comment
Avocado Breakfast Open Faced Sandwich

These days I’m all about keeping it simple, but delicious. That’s why this open faced sandwich is my favorite because it’s both of those things! This is another recipe that I could eat at anytime throughout the day. It’s filling, light, refreshing and by keeping it open faced you are cutting carbs if that’s your thing.

I always keep tomatoes, eggs and bacon in the house, but we aren’t big bread eaters unless we are making sandwiches like these. If you have seen some of my other posts you know that I talk a lot about good quality ingredients. It is important to go all out on a really yummy bread for this recipe since it’s the vessel that holds this masterpiece together. We usually grab some fresh bakery bread for these sandwiches and the one pictured here is from our favorite local bakery. I really like their multigrain bread because it is super sturdy and can hold up to the avocado, egg yolk and juicy tomatoes.

There are so many textures going on in this sandwich which I enjoy because it keeps things interesting. The slightly toasted bread, creamy avocado, crunchy bacon, juicy tomatoes, and silky egg yolk…see…SO MANY TEXTURES! The most important part here is the Sunny Side Up Egg…you need to cook it on the stovetop first then slide it into the oven to finish for a beautiful egg. If Sunny Side Up isn’t your favorite…you could scramble or even poach an egg and this sandwich would still be a winner. Now, I hope you enjoy this recipe and find it as satisfying as we do!

Avocado Breakfast Open Faced Sandwich

Avocado Breakfast Open Faced Sandwich

Ingredients:

  • Sliced sandwich bread; lightly toasted (I use good quality bakery bread, I used multigrain)
  • Half an avocado, smashed
  • 3 slices of cooked bacon
  • 1 tomato, thick sliced
  • 1 egg, cooked Sunny Side Up
  • Parsley for garnish

Directions:

  • Top bread slice with mashed avocado.
  • Lay bacon on top of avocado.
  • Put two thick slices of tomato on top of bacon.
  • Carefully place egg on top of tomatoes (you don’t want the yolk to break yet!)
  • Top with parsley.
  • Enjoy!
Rich and Delectable Brunch of BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole
Breakfast · Recipes

Rich and Delectable Brunch of BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole

enbrookshire1 Comment
BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole for a brunch.

When I became a mom I found the loveliness in a fulfilling brunch. My girl likes to sleep in on most Saturday’s and this gives me the opportunity to sneak downstairs and make a delicious brunch that is sure to carry my family over until well into the afternoon. Before the Covid Quarantine, Saturday’s had our family on the go….whether it was going out of town to visit grandparents, running our weekly errands or traveling to the NC Zoo (our favorite place!) we were ALWAYS on the go! With all that traveling and going we need something that keeps us going! That’s why I like a filling brunch of BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole.

Today I’d like to share two recipes that are always a quick, easy and fulfilling hit at my house…the BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole. Now I know I said this is a great brunch, but we have enjoyed this for breakfast, brunch, lunch and even dinner….we just prefer it for brunch since it is so filling.

I really enjoy cooking for my family and if there is one thing that we all love it’s cheese! I like experimenting with different cheeses for my Hash Brown Casserole and I know my family loves the richness of a strong extra sharp white cheddar, but this is where you can get really creative by using whatever cheese your family enjoys. I also like to use my cast iron skillet to make the Frittata because it cooks up so fast and is always full of flavor.

The casserole takes the longest to cook, so that would be a good time to have a big cup of coffee and start to prep the frittata ingredients. The Frittata takes less than 10 minutes to make from start to finish, so I always start my frittata after I pull my casserole out of the oven to cool…this will ensure that your entire meal comes together perfectly and everything will be warm. Here are the recipes for both the BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole. I hope you enjoy making and eating these as much as we do!

BLT Frittata

BLT Frittata

Ingredients:

  • 8 large eggs
  • 3 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 cup salad greens (I used herb salad mix)
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • Chives to finish

Directions:

  • Set oven to broil.
  • Heat skillet up on stove top to medium heat.
  • Whisk eggs together with salt and pepper, pour into skillet. Cook eggs without storing until eggs begin to set on bottom and sprinkle with chopped bacon.
  • Place skillet in oven and broil eggs for 3 to 4 minutes or until eggs begin to brown and are set. Carefully remove from broiler.
  • Combine lettuce mix, tomatoes, olive oil and vinegar into a bowl and toss to coat.
  • Once frittata has cooled, top with a sprinkle of chives and the greens mixture in center for a nice presentation.
Hash Brown Casserole

Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

  • 1 (32 oz) bag of frozen hash browns, thawed
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 (10.25 oz) can of cream of chicken soup
  • 1 (8 oz) container of sour cream
  • 2 cups extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • Parsley for finishing

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Stir all ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined.
  • Place mixture into a well greased 13×9 casserole dish.
  • Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
  • Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
  • Add a sprinkle of parsley to finish.
Breakfast · Lunch · Recipes

Sunday Brunch – Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Bacon and Sunny Side Up Eggs

enbrookshireLeave a comment

Our family had a late night last night, so we opted to sleep in and make a late Sunday Brunch this morning. Nothing hits the spot more than fresh eggs, bacon, Parmesan cheese and brussels sprouts on a lazy Sunday morning! I made my Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Bacon and Sunny Side Up Eggs which always seems to be a crowd pleaser at our house. This recipe is easy to make, easy to clean up, rich, and will leave you feeling full and satisfied all day!

Fresh eggs, bacon, brussels sprouts and a touch of Parmesan cheese is all you need to make this delicious brunch.

My husband is a huge fan of brussels sprouts and he likes them with a dash of salt and pepper, garlic and onion powered and a small drizzle of olive oil. I always cut the brussels down into quarters for the larger one and half size for the smaller ones. I like to cook brussels in the air fryer for a fast and crispy result. I also cook my bacon ahead of time to allow it time to cool and be chopped into fresh bacon pieces. I usually cook my bacon in the oven at 350 degrees F on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper for about 10 minutes or until done. Cooking the bacon on parchment paper makes for a stress free and easy clean up!

Prepping the Brussels sprouts.

It’s also important to get the eggs out of the fridge early, so they come up to room temperature before frying them. I use a pat of butter and I make sure that my pan is nice and hot when the eggs go in to ensure they cook evenly and that the yolk will be perfectly runny. I finish my sunny side up eggs in the oven to get all of the egg whites cooked through. This recipe is easy, delicious and rich! I hope you enjoy it!

Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Bacon and Sunny Side Up Eggs

Ingredients:

  • 4 large eggs; cooked sunny side up
  • 4 strips of thick cut bacon; cooked, drained and chopped into pieces
  • A bundle of fresh Brussels sprouts; rinsed, quartered/halved, seasoned
  • Parmesan cheese; freshly grated
  • Salt and peppper

Directions:

  • Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Add brussels sprouts to air fryer and set time for 10 to 13 minutes. Shake basket half way through.
  • While brussels are cooking, make sunny side up eggs.
  • Once brussels are done remove from air fryer to plate, top with bacon pieces and eggs.
  • Shave fresh Parmesan cheese over top and add a dash of salt and pepper.
  • Enjoy!

This recipe easily feeds 4.