Just Like Mom Would Make...but bread!

So, my mom makes this Betty Crocker Coffee Cake that is PHENOMINAL! It is probably the best coffee cake ever. When I was little I wouldn't eat it. Why? Because I thought it's name rang true...COFFEE cake. I hated coffee. As soon as I took the leap and tried it, I never looked back.

When my mom makes it, we practically have to fight each other to get a piece. Especially if my brother-in-law Rich is there. He has been know to hide the pan in his car.

I love cinnamon! And brown sugar! I am the person that eats the lumps of brown sugar...is that odd?  I have a life long love affair with cinnamon toast, cinnamon cereals and also cinnamon essential oils. YUMMY!! My kids now have this same love... they drive me crazy with the amount of cinnamon/sugar they use when making toast. We have a special "CINNAMON/SUGAR" shaker so it can easily be applied to their butter soaked toast. See??? I'm totally a healthy mom!! ;) Sidebar: I hate butter. I hate everything about it. I would NEVER put it on my toast or bread...I'll eat it in something, but never, ever on anything. Bleh.

Anyways...when I came across this recipe for Cinnamon Coffee Cake Bread, I never dreamed it would be this good! I baked a loaf on Sunday when my mom was still here. I ended up sending it home with her to eat! I immediately made another 2 loaves! Seriously so good! And super easy! I don't like anything that takes a lot of time or energy to make. The hardest thing about this recipe is the buttermilk! I always have some on hand...for pancakes...but a lot of people don't. So if you don't have buttermilk in your fridge I highly suggest you grab some and make this quick bread!

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter at room temperature

1 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup brown sugar

2 heaping tablespoons ground cinnamon

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with non stick spray. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Mix the buttermilk and vanilla in a measuring cup and set aside. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside. In a bowl cream the butter and white sugar together and then add in the eggs one at a time. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix to combine, then add 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat this and end with the flour. Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and top with 1/3 of the cinnamon mixture, repeat so that the final layer of cinnamon mixture is the topping on the bread. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

 

 

XOXOXO

PS...I now LOVE, LOVE, LOVE coffee.

Chocolate...It's healthy! Okay...maybe not.

Do you remember the Hershey's Syrup that you could buy in a can? I don't even know if they sell that stuff anymore! But I can remember the can sitting in the fridge with the yellow top on it...using that can opener (the triangle one) to open it! That starts a totally different topic when I think about those can openers. I sure wish they still sold Ecto Cooler Hi-C drink!!

 

So a friend posted a picture on Facebook the other day...HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE SYRUP. She said it was easy...and delicious. So I had to try. This is a different recipe that what she used...but I guarantee that you won't be disappointed.

 

It has no preservatives! I bet you could even use carob powder if you were looking for a more "heatlthy" chocolate. I can't wait to use it in some milk...on ice cream...or just eat it with a spoon. ENJOY!!

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup water

Dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

 

In a small saucepan, add sugar, cocoa, and salt.  Whisk together gently.  Add water.  Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Cool.  Store in the refrigerator.

 

XOXOXO

 

 

Foolproof scones! Go ahead....try them!!

Today I made these scones. Baking is nothing new for me. I would do it every day if I had the willpower to not eat all of it! I have a weakness for sweets...candy, cookies, cake, frosting. I love it all.

 

I recently took part in a women's ministry at church called Apples of Gold. It was a 6 week bible study run by some awesome women! Every Tuesday I was welcomed into their homes for a cooking demonstration, bible study, encouragement and conversation!

 One of my favorite things that we made were these scones! I had to make them again today, as I have been CRAVING them!

 

AND...I proudly ate them for all 3 meals!

 

 

Items Needed:

3 C flour

1/2 C sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

6 T cold butter (no substitutions)

1 C vanilla yogurt

1/4 C + 2 T milk; divided

1 1/3 C fruit...dried OR frozen

2/3 C vanilla or white chips

 

*In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and soda.

 

*Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

 

*Combine yogurt and 1/4 cup milk; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened.

 

*Knead in the white chips. Fold in your fruit. If you choose to use frozen you are going to want to knead it less, or your dough will take on the color of the fruit. (I formed a pocket with my dough and placed the frozen fruit inside and closed it).

 

*Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper, then pat the dough into 2 - 9" circles. Cut each circle into 8 wedges; separate wedges.

 

*Brush with the remaining milk.

 

*Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

 

*Use glaze to drizzle over the  scones.

 

I didn't really have a recipe for the glaze...but this is what I used:

2 1/2 C powdered sugar

2 T room temperature butter

1 1/2 tsp almond flavoring

Enough milk to make the consistency right

 

Add first three ingredients together in a zip lock bag, mixing well...add small amounts of milk until the desired consistency is reached. Cut a small hole in one tip of the bag and use that to pipe your gaze on. No mess to clean up!

 

 

Serve warm!

 

xoxoxo

 

Happy 9th Birthday, Olivia Grace!

I created a new blog! And what a better start than with a post about my sweet little girl! She made me a mommy for the very first time!

Today is a bittersweet day. It was a day of joy mixed in with a little sadness.

Why? My baby girl is growing up so fast - happiness because she is growing into such a sweet young lady. She is so loving, caring, sweet, amazing, smart and beautiful. No matter how old she is, she will always be my baby girl!

I fell in love with Olivia long before I knew who she was. Dreaming of what she would be like as a child, adult and someday parent herself. What would this baby choose as a profession? Would she look like me or Ben?

Right before she was born I begged Ben to name her Presley (this is understood if you know MY love for Elvis). He refused this suggestion insisting "Olivia Grace was perfect".  It really was! She was born weighing 8 pounds 2 ounces...the smallest person I had ever held. And she was all MINE.

My heart has hurt so many times when she has been sick, or hurt herself (her middle name, Grace, means nothing...she inherited my clumsiness), felt sad, or when people have been unfair and unkind.

This beautiful girl makes me laugh daily with her witty responses, fun loving spirit and silly, fun attitude. She loves music and dancing around the house. The love she has for her brothers melts my heart, and often gives me a glimpse into the future as to the mommy she will be.

I am always making new memories but I have to remind myself to slow down and enjoy each and every moment because they truly do pass way too fast.

I am so grateful and thankful that I have her as a daughter. No matter how many birthdays may come and go, she will always be my little girl. With each passing year, she grows sweeter and more beautiful. I am so blessed that God thought I would be the perfect mom for her.

So my dear, sweet Olivia Grace, thank you for being a wonderful daughter. For giving me so many reasons to smile. Thank you for the many hugs and kisses you give me everyday, and for always letting me know that you appreciate me...most of all, thank you for showing me that I'm the luckiest mommy there ever could be.

Proverbs 31:29 
"Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all."
 

May all of your wishes and dreams come true...

XOXOXO