bread Archives | Mama Harris' Kitchen

Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread with French Vanilla Glaze

April 18, 2017 by MamaHarris 1 Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SplashofDelight #CollectiveBias

Every year this season is a busy one, this year has been no exception. Spring is always my favorite season, with more sunshine and pretty flowers, less wind and rain. It’s also when we celebrate often, between two of our kids’ birthdays, my birthday and Mr. Harris’ birthday, Easter, Mother’s Day – it’s a busy time for us! It’s also a time when we’re looking back at old memories and creating new ones, but sometimes this mama can get tired. Planning all of these events and dealing with all that comes when the school year is winding down means that I often need a pick-me-up. You all know my love for coffee runs deep, but the coffee isn’t the only important part of my cup. The creamer can make or break a good cup of coffee.

Now, I prefer a bit of variety in my creamers. Sometimes I might want a more traditional rich and creamy French Vanilla flavor that sweet and mellow. Others I might want to indulge a bit with Cold Stone Creamery™ Sweet Cream flavor that’s a more sweet indulgence reminiscent of rich, fresh homemade ice cream. I’ve even been known to splash both International Delight® creamers in the same cup!

Not only do I practically run on coffee, I also love to bake. No matter how busy life might get, there’s something soothing and calming to me about baking. Every single time it amazes me how just a few simple ingredients can combine to create such delicious little treats, and quick breads are one of my favorites. Since the Spring season can get so busy and we always have something going on, it’s great to have something you can slice and serve to unexpected company, or to sit down with during a quick moment alone to savor with your favorite cup of coffee.

This cinnamon swirl quick bread is a special one, because it combines those two favorite International Delight® creamer flavors that I love, the Cold Stone Creamery™ Sweet Cream is added to a simple bread batter and really enhances the taste. No extracts are needed! Add it the bread batter to a loaf pan, combine brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans to create a streusel swirl in the middle of the bread, and then top the bread with the rest of the cinnamon brown sugar mixture.

I created a glaze with powdered sugar and French Vanilla flavor to pour all over the top of the bread. Once the bread is cooled the glaze hardens just a bit and the bread is a dream. It’s like a coffee cake and a cinnamon roll combined into a glorious slice of bread. It’s the perfect pairing to an afternoon cup of coffee over ice and great conversation with a good friend.

This particular cup of coffee was made over ice and I used a frother for the creamer to make it thick like whipped cream. Add just a bit of sweetener and some cinnamon sprinkles, served with a couple slices of cinnamon swirl quick bread and a few orange slices and we have a scrumptious start to the day.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread with French Vanilla Glaze

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

55 mins

Get a boost on Spring Baking with this cinnamon swirl quick bread topped with a French vanilla glaze and some sweet surprise ingredients!

Author: Mama Harris' Kitchen

Recipe type: Bread

Ingredients

Cinnamon Streusel

⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Bread

2 cups all purpose flour
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup International Delight® Cold Stone Creamery™ Sweet Cream
½ cup milk
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 large egg

French Vanilla Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons International Delight® French Vanilla

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the cinnamon streusel and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients (flour, sugars, baking powder, salt), then stir them together until well combined.
In another mixing bowl, add the International Delight® Cold Stone Creamery™ Sweet Cream, milk, oil and egg. Whisk together until smooth, then slowly add to the dry ingredients while mixing together.
Prepare a medium loaf pan (about 8.5 x 4.5) by spraying with non-stick spray and add about half of the bread batter to the pan. Spoon half of the streusel into the pan, then top with the remaining bread batter. Use a butter knife to spread the streusel and create a slight marble effect. Sprinkle the remaining streusel ingredients on top of the bread, then bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. Once a toothpick inserted comes out clean, it's done.
Remove the bread from the oven, and as it cools, prepare the French Vanilla Glaze.
Once cooled, remove the bread from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool.
Once cooled (but still warm to touch) pour the glaze over the top of the bread, letting it drip a bit down the sides. Let bread cool completely before cutting into it.
Serve with coffee (cold or hot) and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1-2 slices

What’s your favorite creamer flavor?

Be sure to share in a comment, and you can find the flavors I’ve shared here and more at your local Walmart in the dairy aisle.

Don’t forget to save for later by pinning the image below. Just hover over the photo and click “pin it” to save to your favorite Pinterest board.

Cheesy Garlic Bread

February 21, 2017 by MamaHarris Leave a Comment

You ever make something so easy and simple that when someone asks you for the recipe you just feel silly giving it. It’s literally the easiest thing. That’s how I feel about this Cheesy Garlic Bread.

This bread is basically a staple in my house. If I make spaghetti, ghoulash, chicken alfredo pasta, or any other assortment of meals that are traditional staples – you can guarantee that this bread is being made too. It’s also the one thing that every single member of my family will eat, from the vegetarian to the health conscious to the picky littles. They all love the bread.

Many of my friends and family will come to eat dinner with us, or visit during different time of day I’ll often offer leftovers for them to try. No matter how good my spaghetti is they just go crazy for the bread. And then they just figure the recipe can be found on my blog. It’s almost embarrassing every time I tell them no, this particular recipe isn’t there. I honestly never thought to add it because it’s so easy breezy. So here I am, typing out the recipe for those very special people – and for you too!

There’s no strict measurements, to be honest I’m guessing at most of them. I just do a shake of this and a handful of that. I usually choose French or Italian bread loaves, although you can use Sourdough or a wheat variety as well. Sometimes I’ll pick up the other French or Italian loaves that have the herbs in the crust or the flakier crust, but this time I chose something simpler. A sweet French bread loaf is a classic and is guaranteed to be delicious.

Now, if you’re like me you might be shopping for the week instead of just that day when you pick up your bread loaf. I always buy them freshly baked from the bakery, so they’re typically in the paper packaging with one side exposed. I find if you leave them in that packaging for more than 12-15 hours the bread hardens. I keep it in the paper packaging, then place it in a plastic grocery bag and tie it in a knot. This helps prolong the softness of the bread for a few days, however there’s nothing quite like freshly baked bread.

Also important, a good serrated bread knife. This is a key investment, because a dull knife will pull and break your bread and you’ll be left with a headache – that still tastes great. So get some good knives!

Delicious tasting, quality butter is also very important. It’s definitely one of the highlights of the recipe and you can absolutely taste the difference. Be sure to use real (quality) butter for this, not margarine. I prefer to use salted butter, but because of the garlic salt that’s also used in this recipe, it can quickly get too salty for some people. For that reason unsalted butter is completely fine.

Since this is a quick recipe that I make, usually while noodles are boiling right before a dish is complete, I use mostly dried ingredients and seasonings. It’s important to use good quality ingredients to really bring the flavor out. While cheap garlic salt or dried herbs might be okay for some recipes, I definitely recommend splurging for the good stuff to keep stocked in your pantry. It really makes a world of difference!

The cheese is important in this recipe as well. Too much and it will be an oily mess. I wrote Mozzarella into the ingredients because it’s ultimately my favorite, but I’ve also used Cheddar mixed with Mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese as well. A good melty cheese with a flavor you love is what’s important. Mozzarella is a classic.

A quick drizzle of your favorite olive oil over the top of all the butter, seasonings and cheese really helps to transform this bread into something truly special. Don’t skip this step!

Oven temperatures do vary, but once the crust is a slightly crisp and golden color and the cheese is beautifully melted is when your bread is perfect. Let it cool before cutting in, being sure to swat little hands from grabbing before it’s ready (trust me on this).

Cheesy, buttery, melted goodness. It’s so easy, too!

If your kids like helping in the kitchen, making this bread is a great task to give to them. Mine, however, like to steal the grated cheese. Hey, I have to pick my battles.

My favorite way to serve this bread is with a big plate of spaghetti. Mr. Harris insists on having a huge pot of spaghetti at least 2-3 times a month, so this bread and a side salad are what helps me get past the monotony of repeated meals. I’m one that likes to experiment and have new things constantly, but when the family loves those tried and true traditional dinners, what can you do?

Pass the cheesy garlic bread and enjoy.

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Save Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

12 mins

Total time

17 mins

This toasty, cheesy garlic bread is full of flavor and is so easy to put together. It's a great compliment to many of your favorite family meals.

Author: Mama Harris' Kitchen

Recipe type: Bread

Serves: 10-12 slices cheesy garlic bread

Ingredients

1 loaf of French or Italian Bread
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons garlic salt
½ tablespoon dry basil
1½ cup shredded mozzarella
½ tablespoon dry Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons Parmesan Romano cheese
½ tablespoon dry parsley
extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the bread loaf in half lengthwise.
Lay both halves out, face up, and spread the butter over the portion that's been cut.
Sprinkle over the buttered halves with garlic salt and basil.
Sprinkle the cheese, then top with Italian seasoning, Parmesan Roman, and parsley.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining with a silicone mat or parchment paper, then lay the prepared bread on top, drizzling with the olive oil.
Bake in preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the edges are golden.
Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting into slices.
Serve warm and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1-2 slices

Does your family have a meal that they love to enjoy multiple times a month? I’d love to hear it!

Don’t forget to save for later by pinning the image below. Just hover over the photo and click “pin it” to save to your favorite Pinterest board.

Light and Fluffy Blueberry Muffins

February 3, 2017 by MamaHarris 11 Comments

Blueberry muffins are quite the classic. When I think of muffins, they’re usually one of the top three flavors I envision. The only problem is that, until now, I could never get just the right recipe figured out for them. They can be a bit tricky, what with those luscious berries that are known to sink to the bottom. So many recipes thicken the batter, but then the muffin itself is a bit dense. One time I tried fixing that by adding brown sugar to the mixture, but when the blue color ran through the batter it ended up turning a bit greenish. They tasted good, but not pretty for photos. After more than a few tries, I’ve finally gotten my recipe for these light and fluffy blueberry muffins just right.

The muffin is light… and fluffy… and the blueberries give just the right texture and color. With the addition of orange zest, vanilla extract and cardamom and nutmeg, they’re flavorful and far from boring. I might even venture to say that you could even add another 1/2 cup of blueberries if you really like them bursting with berries.

I actually whipped these up recently because I’ve been having a hard time these past few months. I was in a pretty bad car accident last October and the healing has been slower than I’d anticipated. Residual trauma and pain, coupled with the busy holidays and the stress of this election season left me stress baking earlier this week. There’s nothing more soothing to my soul than baking up something delicious, and I happened to have just enough blueberries that I’d stored away in the freezer to make these little treats.

Of course, I love to do things a bit differently, so I thought adding some orange zest would liven up the flavor a bit for these traditional muffins. Tossing them in with the sugar before adding the other ingredients is a great way to get a citrus-sweet base. Instead of using room temperature butter, I also melted it and let it cool just a bit before adding it to the sugar. This helps to switch up the consistency of the muffins.

This is also the part where you add the milk. Any percent of milk is fine, you could even use buttermilk if you like. I used good ol’ 2% because that’s what’s in my fridge. You also want to separate your eggs. This is what helps make this recipe nice and fluffy. Add the yolks after the milk with the vanilla extract and save the whites for a few steps down.

In addition to the usual ingredients, you know, flour, baking powder and salt, I also added some ground cardamom and nutmeg for some depth. Trust me on this. You’re going to mix these together and then mix them up with the wet ingredients (don’t overmix!).

Now it’s time for those egg whites! Mix them on high speed until they get really thick and frothy, usually about 2 minutes or so. This will be what makes the muffins super fluffy and not so dense. Now fold it into the batter and add a little bit of the batter to each muffin cavity in your muffin pan. This helps prevent the blueberries from sinking too far.

Now we’re ready for the star of the show, those delicious, beautiful blueberries! I often like to buy fresh fruit like berries and bananas and freeze them for later use. They’re perfect for smoothies when they’re frozen, because you don’t have to add any ice, just toss them in and add some liquid. For these muffins I kept the berries frozen, but I did rinse them just a bit before adding them to the batter so the color wouldn’t run too much into the batter. Fold them in and fill up that pan, then sprinkle the tops with some raw sugar!

Once done the berries will burst inside the muffins and you’re left with these beautiful and surprisingly fluffy berry-full muffin. Cut them open when they’re still warm and slather a bit of butter to take it over the top! These are the type of muffins you can throw together when a friend pops in for coffee or when you need something to grab on the go for breakfast that week. They’re also great for stress baking, just saying!

5.0 from 4 reviews

Light and Fluffy Blueberry Muffins

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

These light and fluffy blueberry muffins are just what you need for those mornings on the go and are so easy to whip up in a flash!

Author: Mama Harris' Kitchen

Recipe type: Breakfast

Cuisine: American English

Serves: 12 muffins

Ingredients

¾ cup granulated sugar
zest of one orange
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, separate the yolks from the whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1½ cup (fresh or frozen) blueberries
2 teaspoons turbinado sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar with the orange zest.
Add melted butter, then whisk together until smooth. Add milk and do the same.
Separate the eggs (yolk from whites) and put the egg whites aside for now. Whisk the yolks in with the sugar and butter mixture, add the vanilla extract.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom and nutmeg.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, whisking until just combined.
Take the egg whites that you had set aside, and beat them on high with a stand or hand mixer until stiff peaks appear. Fold the egg whites into the batter.
Prep your muffin pan by spraying with non stick baking spray (or use muffin liners) and add about a tablespoon of the batter to each muffin cup.
Carefully fold the blueberries into the batter, then divide evenly into the pan.
Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with coarse sugar (turbinado sugar) before baking.
Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 375 and continue to bake for about 20-25 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow a few minutes to cool, then remove each muffin from the pan and place on cooling racks.
When ready to serve these muffins are delicious sliced in half and spread with a bit of butter. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 muffin

Do you stress bake too? What’s your favorite thing to bake when stressed?

Also, don’t forget to PIN this recipe! (Hover over the picture below and click the “Pin it”)

Herb and Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

August 1, 2016 by MamaHarris 11 Comments

Special thanks to Clover Farms for sponsoring this recipe for herb and cheddar buttermilk biscuits. #ChooseClo

I’ve been on a bit of a savory kick lately, and these herb and cheddar buttermilk biscuits are no exception! My family loves a good biscuit, and my husband has been known to sneak a few refrigerated biscuits into our cart whenever we grab some groceries, so I figured it was time to try my hand at making my own biscuits with a savory twist. These definitely did not disappoint!

I used a food processor to mix up my batter, but you can also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or go the more traditional route using a pastry cutter and kneading the dough by hand. The key is to mess with the dough as little as possible, for beautiful flaky biscuits that rise high!

The bits of pimentos and cheddar cheese made these biscuits such a pretty color, and the flecks of herbs and spices really satisfied my eyes, I love colorful food. It just tastes better. These biscuits are the perfect texture and mix of flavors, not overpowering, but enough to close your eyes and enjoy that doughy goodness.

Being in Northern California there’s so many local brands I love to try. For this recipe I used Clover Farms Buttermilk, Unsalted Butter, and Sharp Cheddar Cheese. What sets Clover Farms apart from other dairy producers is its innovative approach to the dairy business. Clover was the first dairy processor to elevate milk from a commodity to a specialty food by establishing the North Coast Excellence Certified (NCEC) Program. This has set some of the most rigorous standards in the dairy industry which surpass those of the state and federal governments. Clover was also the first dairy to become American Humane Certified, said “No” to the synthetic growth hormone rSBT, and made an early entrance to provide and support organic dairy products. As part of the standard of excellence, Clover cows are raised on small, local family-owned farms that follow sustainable agricultural practices and tend small herds on spacious ranches, where the cows are well treated and healthy. Clover Farms are also American Humane Certified and must demonstrate environmental consciousness and stewardship of land. Clover milk is not from cloned cows and annual averages of bacteria counts meet National Centers for Environmental Prediction’s (NCEP) set standards. Be sure to follow the hashtag on social media, and if you’re in the Northern California area check out the link and see if some of the upcoming events are going to be in your area!

These biscuits are delicious on their own, but I’m even considering making a breakfast sandwich with them or serving them with some delicious chicken wings! That cheddar cheese melted over the top really takes these to another level too, you need to see for yourself!

Herb and Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
7 tablespoons cold Clover Farms unsalted sweet butter
3/4 cup cold Clover Farms buttermilk
1 cup cold shredded Clover Farms sharp cheddar cheese PLUS extra to sprinkle tops of biscuits with
3 tablespoons minced pimentos

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Begin by adding the flour, baking powder, garlic salt, dried herbs, baking soda, pepper, and paprika to a food processor. Pulse a few times until blended well.
Cut the cold butter into small pieces and pulse once each time after each piece of butter is added. Mixture should be be a bit coarse.

*If you don’t have a food processor, you can mix the dry ingredients together and then use a pastry cutter to break up the cold butter.

Next, add the buttermilk, cheese, and pimentos.

*If you don’t have a food processor, just create a pile in your mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and hollow out the center a bit. Add the milk, the cheese and pimentos to the center.

Pulse the food processor a few times just until the dough forms together and sticks together.

*If you don’t have a food processor you can knead the dough together by hand, just until it forms a ball and begins to stick.

Lightly flour a flat surface and pat your dough down gently until it’s about 1 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or a 2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out the circles for your biscuits. Don’t twist as you go down or up with the cutter, just go straight down and back up. Once you have the biscuits cut out, knead the dough again and flatten and cut out the remaining biscuits.

*The first biscuits will always rise a little higher as they’ve been kneaded less times. The trick is to roll and knead the dough as little as possible for maximum rise.

Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat, and add your biscuit rounds. Sprinkle with your extra cheddar cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 13-15 minutes, until golden.

Cut the warm biscuits down the middle, add a bit of butter and serve.

Enjoy!

Herb and Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 9 biscuits

Serving Size: 1 Herb and Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuit

Herb and Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

Perfect alone or filled with your favorite toppings, these herb and cheddar buttermilk biscuits are full of flavor and delightfully easy to make.

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
7 tablespoons cold Clover Farms unsalted butter
3/4 cup cold Clover Farms buttermilk
1 cup cold shredded Clover Farms sharp cheddar cheese PLUS extra to sprinkle tops of biscuits with
3 tablespoons minced pimentos

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Begin by adding the flour, baking powder, garlic salt, dried herbs, baking soda, pepper, and paprika to a food processor. Pulse a few times until blended well.
Cut the cold butter into small pieces and pulse once each time after each piece of butter is added. Mixture should be be a bit coarse.
Next, add the buttermilk, cheese, and pimentos.
Pulse the food processor a few times just until the dough forms together and sticks together.
Lightly flour a flat surface and pat your dough down gently until it's about 1 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or a 2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out the circles for your biscuits. Don't twist as you go down or up with the cutter, just go straight down and back up. Once you have the biscuits cut out, knead the dough again and flatten and cut out the remaining biscuits.
The first biscuits will always rise a little higher as they've been kneaded less times. The trick is to roll and knead the dough as little as possible for maximum rise.
Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat, and add your biscuit rounds. Sprinkle with your extra cheddar cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 13-15 minutes, until golden.
Cut the warm biscuits down the middle, add a bit of butter and serve.
Enjoy!

Notes

*If you don't have a food processor, you can mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl and then use a pastry cutter to break up the cold butter. Create a pile in your mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and hollow out the center a bit. Add the milk, the cheese and pimentos to the center. Knead the dough together by hand, just until it forms a ball and begins to stick.

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/08/herb-cheddar-buttermilk-biscuits/

What would be your favorite way to enjoy these herb and cheddar buttermilk biscuits?

Be sure to follow Clover Farms on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest and follow the hashtag #ChooseClo ! Also, don’t forget to PIN this recipe! (Hover over the picture below and click the “Pin it”)

Cheesy Bean Dip with a Kick!

January 19, 2016 by MamaHarris 5 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #YesYouCAN #CollectiveBias

This was a weekend of some seriously emotional football games. Wow.

I know this time of year is really exciting and intense for football fans, and there was no exception of that at my house. There was yelling, excitement and even disappointment. As per usual, but at least we had this cheesy bean dip (with a kick) to help us through. This dip, aka “the dip”, is tasty and comforting which makes it the perfect dip to add to your game day table. Or for any occasion, really. It’s so simple to throw together with some of my favorite pantry staples, and even though it’d be great to serve with chips or chopped vegetables I love to serve it with some warm and toasty bread sticks. There’s just something so comforting about warm bread dipped in cheesy goodness that can make the most emotional football fan feel just a little bit better.

The dip is really simple, it may surprise you but it’s a mix of canned items and fresh ingredients making it such a breeze to whip up at a moments notice. Using canned items like RO*TEL Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies along with Rosarita Green Chile and Lime Refried Beans, freshly shredded cheese and sautéed onions along with an additional kick from the added jalapeños. This dip is so simple, but it really does make such an impression.

The bread… oh the bread. There’s really nothing as delicious as fresh bakery bread. I’ve been a longtime fan of the bakery bread at Walmart, there’s such a variety it’s sometimes difficult to choose just one item. I always get the French and Italian breads, but these garlic and herb bread-sticks were also delicious. Once warmed in the oven they were toasty with a slight crisp to them, but still soft and luscious as bread should be.

When I shop weekly I get my staple items. I have a pantry that I keep stocked full with products that are always perfect to add to a variety of dishes. Canned refried beans are always on the list, they’re an easy protein and perfect for my vegetarian daughter to get some additional iron in her diet. Although I do like to make my own refried beans in a slow cooker, the canned variety are perfect for those times when you’re coming up with a meal in a pinch and don’t have hours to plan. I also stock up every time on RO*TEL because they are a perfect way to add both color and flavor to most meals with a bit of a kick from the green chilies. Fresh onions and garlic are also a part of each and every shopping trip and I always make sure I have a few different cooking sprays on hand. Fresh bakery bread is always a part of my list, I serve it with spaghetti, or create sandwiches and meals with it. This dip is a great way to use up all of those pantry staples in a super tasty way, so it’s something I serve often. My family has even dubbed it simply, “the dip” so that I always know what they want.

One thing about onions, they make me cry. Like, a lot. My eyes burn, and I’ll have tears just rolling down my face while I’m chopping an onion. The food processor helps, however I don’t always want to get that out or deal with cleaning it, so I’ve found that if you cut the onion on each end and peel the paper skin off, then submerge it in a bowl full of cold water for 15 minutes it does help with the whole crying issue.

Just pat the onion to dry and chop as usual. I still have a little bit of sensitivity, but it’s greatly reduced by soaking in water.

Another easy trick for quick prep is to spray my cheese grater with non-stick cooking spray like PAM before grating my cheese. Not only does this help immensely when I’m grating really soft cheese, it also allows for an easier clean up when I’m washing that cheese grater.

Win! Speaking of winning, now that most of my favorite teams are out for the Big Game next month, I’ll just have fun hosting on Game Day and munching on my favorite foods. I’m so excited that the game is hosted in my hometown this year! I’ll be sure to serve some of my top favorite game day food, like this cheesy bean dip!

Ingredients:

1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
2 (16 oz) cans Rosarita Green Chile and Lime Refried Beans
2 (10 oz) cans RO*TEL Original, undrained
1/4 cup nacho sliced jalapenos, chopped
garlic salt
PAM nonstick cooking spray
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Begin by sautéing the onions in 1-2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil with a bit of salt and pepper. Remove from heat once the onions are a bit soft and fragrant.

In a mixing bowl, combine the Rosarita beans, the RO*TEL tomatoes (keep 2 tablespoons of tomatoes aside for the topping), the sautéed onions, the chopped jalapeños, and a few shakes of garlic salt. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.

Spray a deep dish pie plate with non-stick PAM cooking spray, then spread out the bean mix evenly across the pie plate. Top with the shredded cheese.

Add some extra slices of jalapeños, then add the reserved RO*TEL to the middle. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool, top with the chopped cilantro.

While the dip is cooling, heat up the bread so it’s warm and toasty. I used Garlic and Herb breadsticks that can be found in the Walmart bakery. Just heat them up a few minutes in the oven and they’re ready to go!

Serve with some appetizer plates.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Bean Dip with a Kick!

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Cheesy Bean Dip with a Kick!

This kickin' cheesy bean dip is an absolute crowd pleaser, serve with toasty warm bread and you'll soon be everyone's favorite!

Ingredients

1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
2 (16 oz) cans Rosarita Green Chile and Lime Refried Beans
2 (10 oz) cans RO*TEL Original, undrained
1/4 cup nacho sliced jalapenos, chopped
garlic salt
PAM nonstick cooking spray
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Begin by sautéing the onions in 1-2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil with a bit of salt and pepper. Remove from heat once the onions are a bit soft and fragrant.
In a mixing bowl, combine the Rosarita beans, the RO*TEL tomatoes (keep 2 tablespoons of tomatoes aside for the topping), the sautéed onions, the chopped jalapeños, and a few shakes of garlic salt. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
Spray a deep dish pie plate with non-stick PAM cooking spray, then spread out the bean mix evenly across the pie plate. Top with the shredded cheese.
Add some extra slices of jalapeños, then add the reserved RO*TEL to the middle. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool, top with the chopped cilantro.
While the dip is cooling, heat up the bread so it's warm and toasty. I used Garlic and Herb breadsticks that can be found in the Walmart bakery. Just heat them up a few minutes in the oven and they're ready to go!
Serve with some appetizer plates.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/01/cheesy-bean-dip-with-a-kick/

Are you rooting for any teams that are still in the running for the Big Game?

Let me know if you’re an avid fan or if you just like the game day food. Either way, you can find everything you need for your Game Day food spread at your local Walmart. Be sure to check out the bakery section for some delicious breads and the produce section for fresh ingredients. You can also find the Rosarita beans in the Hispanic aisle and the RO*TEL in the spaghetti sauce aisle. If you need some more nonstick cooking spray, the PAM can be found in the baking aisle!

Jumbo Raspberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

October 20, 2015 by MamaHarris 1 Comment

Isn’t it crazy how much our lives change in such a short amount of time? I remember about 7 or 8 years ago how my mornings would go. My husband, then my fiance, would leave to work in the wee hours of the morning before the kids and I were even awake. I’d rush every morning, throw the kids in their clothes, get presentable and take my makeup with me, drop them off at the bus stop because my commute was too long to be able to take them to school that early, and then I’d brave about an hour to an hour and a half of a commute to get to work only about 25 minutes away. All before 8:00 AM.

Breakfast? Not likely.

My mornings were so rushed, dealing with pre-teen moods, and sluggish elementary age children that wanted to drag their feet. Thankfully their schools had breakfast, but I was left rushing off to work and if I had an available few minutes I’d stop at the corner market near my work and grab some snacks. Maybe a juice and a muffin or breakfast/granola bar, then I’d head promptly to my break room at work to grab some of the coffee they offered to employees.

I often look back at those periods of my life and marvel at how rushed we always were. I’d like to think that now I’d organize our time a bit better. Have a better schedule. But you never know, it’s always easier to look at those things from a different perspective once you are no longer living that life.

Those muffins I would pick up though before work? I always chose the jumbo sized ones that were full of poppy seeds. I would leave it on my desk at work and dig my fingers in, eating a little bit at a time for hours while I worked. I don’t miss those days, but sometimes I do miss those muffins.

So much so, that months ago I attempted to recreate them. The results were disastrous, which is why you never saw them. I attempted a healthier approach, but they ended up tasting like sawdust. Maybe I’ll perfect my healthier muffins, but these… these are scrumptious. I switched up the muffin flavors a bit, they still have poppy seeds sprinkled all over, but they also include fresh raspberries and a delicious sprinkling of lemon. Yum!

What I learned from my muffin disaster months ago is that poppy seeds can tend to dry out the batter or make it dense. So instead of adding whole eggs to the creamed butter, I added just the yolks, then whipped up the whites and added them towards the end to create a lighter crumb. I also used plain yogurt (you can substitute with sour cream or buttermilk as well) and I began by making them at a higher heat for a few minutes, then lowering the temperature for the duration of the baking time. This allowed a bit of a heat shock to make the muffin tops puff quickly so you have a beautiful, round topped muffin to enjoy, just like the ones I used to buy.

Even though my mornings now look a little bit different and our family has grown to now include two more kids and two dogs, I’m still able to enjoy my favorite kind of muffins in the same manner while I work (from home). In fact, I’m digging in now as I type this up. Delish!

Ingredients for Jumbo Raspberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
zest of 2 lemons
2 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1.5 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed and patted dry
raw sugar for muffin tops

Directions:

Begin by creaming the butter on low speed, then slowly add in the sugars. While adding sugars, also add the zest.

Add egg yolks, then vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds.

While continuing to mix on a low speed, slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. The mixture will be almost crumbly in texture.

Once mixture begins to come together, add the yogurt, then the lemon juice.

Remove mix from mixer, then beat the egg whites in a separate bowl on high until frothy and thick.

Fold egg whites into mix with a spatula.

Then fold in raspberries.

Line your jumbo muffin pan with jumbo sized liners, spray lightly with baking spray. Add muffin mix to each liner, they will be full almost to the top. Sprinkle with raw sugar

Bake for 5 minutes at 400 degrees, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and set the timer for about 25-30 minutes, depending on your oven. Once tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean, then they are done! Remove from oven and let cool just a bit.

You can also remove the muffins from the pan after a few minutes and let cool on muffin racks.

These are delicious served warm, either with a bit of butter spread on or even as is. They also taste just as good all the way cooled down, perfect for grabbing on the go for a snack or quick breakfast!

Enjoy!

Jumbo Raspberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 43 minutes

Yield: 6 jumbo muffins

Serving Size: 1 jumbo muffin

Jumbo Raspberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Big, jumbo size bakery style raspberry lemon poppy seed muffins. It's a classic flavor with a big twist that you're sure to love!

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
zest of 2 lemons
2 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1.5 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed and patted dry
raw sugar for muffin tops

Instructions

Begin by creaming the butter on low speed, then slowly add in the sugars.
While adding sugars, also add the zest.
Add egg yolks, then vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds.
While continuing to mix on a low speed, slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
The mixture will be almost crumbly in texture.
Once mixture begins to come together, add the yogurt, then the lemon juice.
Remove mix from mixer, then beat the egg whites in a separate bowl on high until frothy and thick.
Fold egg whites into mix with a spatula, then fold in raspberries.
Line your jumbo muffin pan with jumbo sized liners, spray lightly with baking spray. Add muffin mix to each liner, they will be full almost to the top.
Sprinkle with raw sugar
Bake for 5 minutes at 400 degrees, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and set the timer for about 25-30 minutes, depending on your oven. Once tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean, then they are done!
Remove from oven and let cool just a bit.
You can also remove the muffins from the pan after a few minutes and let cool on muffin racks.
These are delicious served warm, either with a bit of butter spread on or even as is.
They also taste just as good all the way cooled down, perfect for grabbing on the go for a snack or quick breakfast!
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2015/10/jumbo-raspberry-lemon-poppy-seed-muffins/

What do your own mornings look like?

Black and Blue Sweet Rolls with Lemon Glaze

June 9, 2015 by MamaHarris 4 Comments

It’s the time of year for fresh fruit and farmer’s markets, and I love it! I know I have berries on the brain lately, but I just can’t help it. When the weather warms, I just seem to prefer fresh fruit or tutti fruity desserts, Recently I received some pure Irish butter from Kerrygold as a part of the their loyalty program, and I knew exactly what I wanted to make with it. Dessert pastry with fresh berries, of course!

What I love about Kerrygold’s butter, aside from it’s pure deliciousness, is that it’s made with milk from grass-fed cows that are free of growth hormones. It’s perfect for baking because of the higher butterfat content that leaves pie crust flakier and everything so delectable. I decided to make a fruity version of cinnamon rolls, but without the cinnamon. Instead, I’d fill it with blackberries and blueberries, a bit of sugar, and a delicious lemon glaze that pairs perfectly. Allow me to introduce you to black and blue sweet rolls with lemon glaze. They’re the perfect blend of sweet and tart without being overbearing and are a delicious choice for breakfast or brunch. Of course, I don’t follow the rules so this is a treat I could snack on anytime of day.

There’s just a bit of lemon zest baked right into the dough, and if blackberries or blueberries aren’t your thing this would be amazing with any seasonal fruits. You can customize the filling to use this recipe year round!

Ingredients for the Sweet Rolls Dough:

(adapted from this dough recipe from A Beautiful Mess)

3 tablespoons warm water
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2.5 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) Kerrygold unsalted butter
1 cup milk
2 cups unbleached bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
zest of one small lemon (about 1 teaspoon)

Ingredients for the Black and Blue Filling:

6 oz blackberries, cut in half, then sliced 3x
4 oz blueberries
1 tablespoon sugar

Ingredients for the Lemon Glaze:

juice of one large lemon
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:

Begin by combining the water and sugar in a small bowl, stirring until combined. Add the yeast and let it sit for about 5-6 minutes until it begins to foam up. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium/low heat, then add the milk to your mixture until warmed.

Add the flours and salt to your mixing bowl, once combined add the milk mixture and the sugar and yeast mixture, mixing on low with a dough hook until your dough comes together and forms a ball. Remove bowl from stand and cover for 1-2 hours, allowing it to rise.

Once the dough has doubled in size, place it on a floured surface.

Stretch the dough out into a rectangle shape, then roll out with a rolling pin until dough is thin and even.

Cut the blackberries in pieces that are about the same size of the blueberries.

Cut the dough into 10-12 slices, then add the fruit on top. Sprinkle with sugar, then roll up the pieces.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, then place the rolled up dough in a 9 inch round baking pan that’s been sprayed with non stick cooking spray, then cover with wrap and allow to rise a bit another 40 minutes or so.

Place the pan in the preheated oven and let bake about 30 minutes, the fruit will liquefy a bit at the bottom of the pan.

Immediately after removing the rolls from the oven, mix up the glaze. Once they’ve cooled a few minutes, begin to casually drizzle the glaze all over the tops of the rolls.

Cut the rolls apart with a sharp knife, then move to a cooling rack.

Serve while still warm, they’re delicious!

Enjoy!

Black and Blue Sweet Rolls with Lemon Glaze

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 10-12 sweet rolls

Serving Size: 1-2 sweet rolls

Black and Blue Sweet Rolls with Lemon Glaze

Sweet rolls filled with blackberry and blueberry, then topped with a tangy lemon glaze. These rolls offer the perfect breakfast pastry for the season!

Ingredients

Sweet Rolls Dough Ingredients:

3 tablespoons warm water
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2.5 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) Kerrygold unsalted butter
1 cup milk
2 cups unbleached bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
zest of one small lemon (about 1 teaspoon)

Black and Blue Filling Ingredients:

6 oz blackberries, cut in half, then sliced 3x
4 oz blueberries
1 tablespoon sugar

Lemon Glaze Ingredients:

juice of one large lemon
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

Begin by combining the water and sugar in a small bowl, stirring until combined. Add the yeast and let it sit for about 5-6 minutes until it begins to foam up. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium/low heat, then add the milk to your mixture until warmed.
Add the flours and salt to your mixing bowl, once combined add the milk mixture and the sugar and yeast mixture, mixing on low with a dough hook until your dough comes together and forms a ball. Remove bowl from stand and cover for 1-2 hours, allowing it to rise.
Once the dough has doubled in size, place it on a floured surface.
Stretch the dough out into a rectangle shape, then roll out with a rolling pin until dough is thin and even.
Cut the blackberries in pieces that are about the same size of the blueberries.
Cut the dough into 10-12 slices, then add the fruit on top. Sprinkle with sugar, then roll up the pieces.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, then place the rolled up dough in a 9 inch round baking pan that's been sprayed with non stick cooking spray, then cover with wrap and allow to rise a bit another 40 minutes or so.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and let bake about 30 minutes, the fruit will liquefy a bit at the bottom of the pan.
Immediately after removing the rolls from the oven, mix up the glaze. Once they've cooled a few minutes, begin to casually drizzle the glaze all over the tops of the rolls.
Cut the rolls apart with a sharp knife, then move to a cooling rack.
Serve while still warm, they're delicious!
Enjoy!

Notes

PLEASE NOTE*** Prep and cook time do not reflect the rising time for the yeast!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2015/06/black-and-blue-sweet-rolls-with-lemon-glaze/

What are some of your favorite breakfast pastries?

You can find more recipe ideas on the Kerrygold website!

Orange-Cranberry Scones with Cinnamon-Citrus Glaze #drinkTEN

October 5, 2014 by MamaHarris 9 Comments

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. As always, all opinions are mine alone.

Can you guess my husband’s favorite soda, like, ever? It’s not clear and it’s not brown, in fact it’s orange. Yes, he loves his Sunkist. Whenever we have a party or a get together, that’s one of the first soft drinks he picks up. Not even realizing that other people may prefer the other flavors. What can I say; he’s a creature of habit.

It’s no secret that soda can be one of my not so best kept secret ingredients in my baking. 7-Up cake is one of my most popular recipes, and just recently I made little strawberry soda cakes and I also made some Dr. Pepper Brownies. While some of you may enjoy sipping your soda pop through a straw, I like to bake with mine. A few days ago I was shopping at Food 4 Less, which is under the Kroger family of companies, and I noticed a new soda that I just knew my hubby would love. It’s Sunkist TEN, which only has ten calories per serving with the same great taste he loves. It doesn’t even taste like diet soda. He was happy with my purchase, and so was I because that meant I could play with it and create another soda recipe!

The orange flavor inspired me to look at some of the fall flavor combinations that I love. One fall recipe I’m sure to make every year using oranges is my cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It features fresh cranberries and orange juice, and I even grate a bit of orange zest in there for some extra pop. I also make a cranberry crumble coffee cake every year around the holidays and it has that same flavor combination. Usually when I think of orange I envision summertime, but add some cranberries to the mix and it’s an instant holiday party. So I decided to whip up some scones with the Sunkist TEN, and added some orange zest and cranberries. Soda creates a light cake with a nice crumble when baking, which I thought would be interesting since scones tend to be heavy and dense. I know when I think of scones I’m reminded of a heavy, solid and hard alternative to biscuits. I’ve had some great scones, but I know that it’s easy to accidentally end up with a heavy brick, and I surely didn’t want that!

I did use self-rising flour in this recipe because I wanted the scones to puff up, and that they did. My eight slices were rather large, so you can alternatively roll this into a square disc and cut the dough into squares, then cut each square diagonally for a smaller triangular shape. I liked the large scones and although they felt heavy they were surprisingly light when bit into. That touch of cinnamon in the glaze adds just the right oomph to a delicious recipe.

Orange-Cranberry Scones Ingredients:

1/4 cup orange zest (about 2 large navel oranges)
1/3 cup white granulated sugar
4 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 large egg
1 cup Sunkist TEN
1 cup fresh cranberries

Cinnamon-Citrus Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons juice from navel orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and raise the rack to an upper middle spot.
Place cranberries in a bowl or pot of hot water, almost boiling. Let steep for a few minutes, then drain.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the orange zest with white sugar, mixing by hand.
Add in the self-rising flour and salt and cut through with a pastry cutter or butter knife.

In a separate bowl combine the egg and the cream, whisking together.
Add the Sunkist TEN to the bowl and fold it in.

Place the flour mixture on a large, flat surface and create a well with the powder.
Carefully pour the liquid mixture into the middle, and fold it in until just combined.

Add the cranberries and fold them in until dough just begins to form.

Turn out dough on a floured surface and form a disc shape.
Sprinkle with a little bit of flour to prevent drying, and let sit for about ten minutes. This is when I preheat my pan; I find it helps to use an already heated pan.

Cut into triangle shapes. I cut eight rather large pieces, you can either cut the pieces smaller or turn the dough into a square shape, then cut into squares and cut into each square diagonally, creating a triangular shape.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and carefully place the cut dough onto the sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35-45 minutes*, or until top layer is golden and inside dough is cooked through.

*If you’ve cut smaller pieces it may need less cooking time.

While the scones are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small mixing bowl add the powdered sugar and cinnamon, and then add the milk, juice from the orange and vanilla extract. Mix together until smooth.

Remove scones from the oven and allow to cool. I just love all those orange flecks of zest. So pretty!

Drizzle the glaze over the top of the scones.

Transfer to a serving dish.

Enjoy!

Orange-Cranberry Scones with Cinnamon-Citrus Glaze #drinkTEN

A festive recipe for the upcoming holidays, orange-cranberry scones made with a cinnamon-citrus glaze and a surprise ingredient!

Ingredients

For the Orange-Cranberry Scones:

1/4 cup orange zest (about 2 large navel oranges)
1/3 cup white granulated sugar
4 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 large egg
1 cup Sunkist TEN
1 cup fresh cranberries

For the Cinnamon-Citrus Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons juice from navel orange
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and raise the rack to an upper middle spot.
Place cranberries in a bowl or pot of hot water, almost boiling. Let steep for a few minutes, then drain.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the orange zest with white sugar, mixing by hand.
Add in the self-rising flour and salt and cut through with a pastry cutter or butter knife.
In a separate bowl combine the egg and the cream, whisking together.
Add the Sunkist TEN to the bowl and fold it in.
Place the flour mixture on a large, flat surface and create a well with the powder.
Carefully pour the liquid mixture into the middle, and carefully fold it in until just combined.
Add the cranberries and fold them in until dough just begins to form.
Turn out dough on a floured surface and form a disc shape.
Sprinkle with a little bit of flour to prevent drying, and let sit for about ten minutes. This is when I preheat my pan; I find it helps to use an already heated pan.
Cut into triangle shapes. I cut eight rather large pieces, you can either cut the pieces smaller or turn the dough into a square shape, then cut into squares and cut into each square diagonally, creating a triangular shape.
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and carefully place the cut dough onto the sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 35-45 minutes*, or until top layer is golden and inside dough is cooked through.
*If you've cut smaller pieces it may need less cooking time.
While the scones are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small mixing bowl add the powdered sugar and cinnamon, and then add the milk, juice from the orange and vanilla extract. Mix together until smooth.
Remove scones from the oven and allow to cool.
Drizzle the glaze over the top of the scones.
Transfer to a serving dish.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2014/10/orange-cranberry-scones-cinnamon-citrus-glaze-drinkten/

#drinkTEN | #CollectiveBias

Have you ever baked with soda pop?

Roman Meal Bread – Bakery Fresh Whole Grains {GIVEAWAY!}

September 18, 2014 by MamaHarris 13 Comments

Disclosure: I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Roman Meal. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

I have a confession to make. I have a love/hate relationship with sandwiches.

You see, my husband LOVES sandwiches. Loves them. If he could, he’d take three sandwiches to work a day. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

What’s even worse is that now this has rubbed off on our youngest boys. Every day D-Man wants a sandwich to take to school in his lunch box. Then when he gets home he wants another sandwich. Then there’s RoRo, he could eat 3 sandwiches a day too!

Now, call me crazy, of course sandwiches are easy to make. I know many women would LOVE to have this problem that their husband and kids always want sandwiches. But I’m a food blogger, and sandwiches can be so boring!

As you can tell, I’m not much of a sandwich person. Actually, I take that back. I love hot sandwiches. Toasted or grilled and it’s the best thing since… well sliced bread.
(Ha! See what I did there?)

You want to know something that makes me not mind all these sandwiches that my family is devouring? Roman Meal bread. Have you ever tried it?

I remember the first time I brought a loaf home, Big G was so excited! He had childhood memories of his grandmother (Big Mama) making him sandwiches with Roman Meal bread, and it was always their favorite brand. Since Roman Meal bread is always baked fresh, locally in regional bakeries across the United States, it’s not always available at every retailer or grocery store. I just so happened to find it at a small local grocery store chain in my town. This means it was delivered freshly baked bread to my local grocery store, and it also means Roman Meal bread is never frozen and shipped long distances. This is good news for us, because meals always taste better when prepared with fresh ingredients!

Roman Meal has been an American favorite for generations and was one of the first companies to offer whole grain bread nationwide. They’ve been baking healthy whole grains into their breads for over 100 years, and they have their recipes down pat. This bread is light, fluffy and not as dense or heavy as other whole wheat products out there. It’s made from a sweet and soft whole grain blend of whole wheat, whole rye, wheat bran, wheat germ and flaxmeal, with hints of honey and molasses.

What’s the deal with whole grains? Well, whole grains are a good source for vitamin D, calcium, and fiber and they also help with digestion and weight management. Studies have shown whole grain intake may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of Roman Meal bread (2 slices) has 21 grams of whole grains – more than 40% of the recommended daily value of whole grains**.

If you’re not familiar with the brand, this is a perfect time to get to know them! Roman Meal is having a Baked Fresh Sweepstakes during the month of September! You can enter the sweepstakes on Facebook and here’s a few of the rules:

One grand prizewinner will receive $2,500; several others will win free bread coupons!
This sweepstakes ends September 30th.
You will receive a $1 off coupon when you enter the sweepstakes.

Whole Grains Month is September 1st- 30th, 2014 and the theme is “Make the Switch”. Use delicious whole grain recipes to incorporate more whole grains in your diet!

You can also join the Roman Meal Newsletter and receive a $1 off coupon! By signing up you can stay up to date on the latest products and nearby locations that sell the Roman Meal products or follow them on Facebook or Twitter. You can also visit the “Simple Meals” Pinterest board for easy whole grain recipe ideas.

Roman Meal offers dozens of tasty and healthy whole grain recipes the entire family will love. Check out some of the great tasting Roman Meal Recipes for you to try with your family made with Roman Meal Breads, and (thankfully) a lot of the recipes are not just sandwiches! There’s plenty of fun recipes like this cobbler that I have pictured and there’s also stuffed tomatoes, egg cups, and even stuffing. If sandwiches are your thing, there’s some amazing hot AND cold sandwiches listed too!

I also have some exciting news! Not only can you enter to win the sweepstakes on Facebook, but you can also enter my own giveaway for Roman Meal coupon vouchers so you can try this delicious bread yourself!

Here’s how to enter:

Prize: One (1) set of Roman Meal coupon vouchers.

Giveaway runs through the evening of September 26th.

Eligibility: Winners are limited to the continental United States and must be 18 years of age or older. See full contest rules in the rafflecopter form. You will be notified via the email you used in the rafflecopter form if you win, and you will have 48 hours to respond, or a new winner will be chosen.

Enter using the rafflecopter form below. You can sign into the form with Facebook, or you can use your name and email address. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

**The USDA recommends 48 grams of whole grains per day.

Fun Fall Recipes: Caramel Apple Bread and Milkshakes!

September 12, 2014 by MamaHarris 14 Comments

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.
As always, all opinions are mine alone.

We’re only a few weeks away from the official beginning of Fall, and I’m already knee deep in Fall Recipes. I just can’t help it, Fall to me is cool, brisk weather, when leaves change color and the sun sets earlier. It’s also cinnamon, pears, apples and caramel, and a season for baking.

Can you tell it’s the most wonderful time of the year in my eyes?

I love everything about Fall Recipes. What I love even more is that not only is October is both National Apple Month AND National Caramel Month – but there’s also a National Caramel Apple DAY in October! To help you prepare for it early I wanted to bring you a few caramel apple recipes based on the newest flavor this season from M&M’s! Yes, there’s a new flavor for the season, and it’s called Candy Apple, based on the delicious caramel apples you can find at most harvest festivals and carnivals.

Last week I was on a mad search for this flavored candy, and unfortunately it’s more elusive than I thought because I couldn’t find it anywhere within 100 miles of me! No worries though, I picked up a few of my other favorite M&M candies and decided to incorporate them into my own apple recipes that I created, inspired by all the wonderful ideas on the Flavor Of Fall tumblr page. You can also download couponds for $1 off any two (2) Mott’s sauce or Mott’s juice drink and $1.50 off any two (2) M&M’s brand chocolate candies, both will help you make these fun Fall recipes!

I made some homemade caramel, and it’s just enough to use in both of these recipes. It’s so easy to make, just be sure that you don’t cook the water and sugar too long because it can be quick to burn! For the bread I based the recipe on my most recent banana bread recipe, making a few changes by adding diced apples and Mott’s applesauce instead of oil and drizzling the homemade caramel between layers of batter to create caramel swirls. It tastes just like caramel apple, and I made the glaze by using Mott’s apple juice! I topped it with some crushed M&M’s for fun color and an extra oomph. Everyone loved it!

The milkshake was super easy, and I added apples, applesauce and apple juice in addition to caramel and vanilla ice cream. It’s thick and has a bite to it, just like granny smith apples and a smooth sweetness thanks to the caramel. Since it’s still 100 degrees here in California, this really hit the spot and reminded me that the Fall season is just around the corner

Homemade Caramel

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter

Caramel Apple Bread

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup applesauce
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
2 tablespoons of prepared caramel *see recipe above

Apple Icing

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1-1/2 tablespoon apple juice
*1/4 cup milk chocolate M&M’s, crushed for garnish

Caramel Apple Milkshake

3 cups vanilla ice cream
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons prepared caramel *see recipe above
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*whipped cream & caramel for garnish

Directions:

Begin by making the caramel. Over a medium/low heat combine the water and sugar and stir together. Bring to a boil swirling the pan every 30 seconds or so.

After about 8-10 minutes the sugar will start to brown. Once it turns an amber color, quickly remove from heat and stir one final time.

Add the cream, then margarine and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Start by preparing the bread. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and sugars in a bowl. Mix well, then set aside.

In another large bowl, add the eggs and vanilla and beat on low until combined. Add the apple sauce and continue to mix.

Slowly add in the dry mix, 1/3 at a time while the mixer is on low.

Add the apples to the last 1/3 of the mixture, and fold it in to the mixture.

Preheat oven to 350, and spray a loaf dish with non stick cooking spray.
Put about 1/3 of the mixture in the bottom of the loaf pan.

Spread about one tablespoon of caramel over the batter.

Spread the next 1/3 of the batter on top, bringing it out to the edges of the pan and smoothing over the caramel layer.

Spread the last tablespoon of caramel over the batter.
Spoon the last 1/3 of the batter on top, being sure that it’s evenly spread over the pan.
Place in preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the bread is baking, combine the powdered sugar, milk and apple juice for the icing and crush the M&M’s for the topping.

Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool.

Drizzle with icing…

…then top with M&M’s.

Then cut into bread slices.

To prepare the milkshake, add all ingredients (except garnish) to a blender.

Mix on low until combined, then pulse at the end.Drizzle a little caramel around the inside of your cup, then pour the milkshake in.

Top with whipped cream and caramel, add a cute straw.

Enjoy your Fall treats!

Caramel Apple Treats!

I'm channeling my favorite Flavors of Fall early with these two caramel apple recipes, using homemade caramel sauce!

Ingredients

For the Homemade Caramel:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter

For the Caramel Apple Bread:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup applesauce
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
2 tablespoons of prepared caramel *see recipe above

For the Apple Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1-1/2 tablespoon apple juice
*1/4 cup milk chocolate M&M's, crushed for garnish

For the Caramel Apple Milkshake:

3 cups vanilla ice cream
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons prepared caramel *see recipe above
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*whipped cream & caramel for garnish

Instructions

Begin by making the caramel. Over a medium/low heat combine the water and sugar and stir together. Bring to a boil swirling the pan every 30 seconds or so.
After about 8-10 minutes the sugar will start to brown. Once it turns an amber color, quickly remove from heat and stir one final time.
Add the cream, then margarine and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Start by preparing the bread. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and sugars in a bowl. Mix well, then set aside.
In another large bowl, add the eggs and vanilla and beat on low until combined. Add the apple sauce and continue to mix.
Slowly add in the dry mix, 1/3 at a time while the mixer is on low.
Add the apples to the last 1/3 of the mixture, and fold it in to the mixture.
Preheat oven to 350, and spray a loaf dish with non stick cooking spray.
Put about 1/3 of the mixture in the bottom of the loaf pan.
Spread about one tablespoon of caramel over the batter.
Spread the next 1/3 of the batter on top, bringing it out to the edges of the pan and smoothing over the caramel layer.
Spread the last tablespoon of caramel over the batter.
Spoon the last 1/3 of the batter on top, being sure that it's evenly spread over the pan.
Place in preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
While the bread is baking, combine the powdered sugar, milk and apple juice for the icing and crush the M&M's for the topping.
Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool.
Drizzle with icing, then top with M&M's.
Then cut into bread slices.
To prepare the milkshake, add all ingredients (except garnish) to a blender.
Mix on low until combined, then pulse at the end.Fun Fall Recipes: Caramel Apple Milkshakes - Mama Harris' KitchenDrizzle a little caramel around the inside of your cup, then pour the milkshake in.
Top with whipped cream and caramel, add a cute straw.
Enjoy your Fall treats!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2014/09/fun-fall-recipes-caramel-apple-bread-milkshakes/

#FlavorOfFall | #CollectiveBias

Do you remember my recipe last year using seasonal M&M’s too? I made mini white chocolate cheesecakes inspired by last years seasonal flavor (the white chocolate candy corn M&M’s) and I added a copycat Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice to the mix also using Mott’s Apple Juice.

They were so good! This year I headed to Walmart for my supplies and picked up my M&M’s where I can always find them, in the candy aisle.

I also picked up the Mott’s Apple Juice and Applesauce at Walmart too!

What’s your favorite creamer flavor?

Does your family have a meal that they love to enjoy multiple times a month? I’d love to hear it!

Do you stress bake too? What’s your favorite thing to bake when stressed?

Herb and Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits Ingredients:

Directions:

What would be your favorite way to enjoy these herb and cheddar buttermilk biscuits?

Ingredients:

Directions:

Are you rooting for any teams that are still in the running for the Big Game?

Ingredients for Jumbo Raspberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins:

Directions:

What do your own mornings look like?

Ingredients for the Sweet Rolls Dough:

Ingredients for the Black and Blue Filling:

Ingredients for the Lemon Glaze:

Directions:

What are some of your favorite breakfast pastries?

Orange-Cranberry Scones Ingredients:

Cinnamon-Citrus Glaze Ingredients:

Directions:

Have you ever baked with soda pop?

Here’s how to enter:

Homemade Caramel

Caramel Apple Bread

Apple Icing

Caramel Apple Milkshake

Directions:

What are you favorite recipes that include M&M’s or Mott’s?