Orange Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Sugar Biscuits

Biscuits: day three.

This is it.  I hope you're not sick of the word biscuit, but this is the last day of my biscuit blurb.  The grand biscuit finale, per se.

Bread pudding has always intrigued me.  I've only had it about twice in my life and both times it was pretty darn good, but it's just not really something I consider baking at home when I'm in the mood for a sweet treat (usually the term "cookie" comes to mind).  But I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to make; however, it also helped that I started Saturday afternoon with the intention to simply make buttermilk biscuits, which turned into cinnamon sugar biscuits, which turned into this bread pudding.  I was just having too much fun and my creative baking juices kept flowing, so I kept going, and this was the end result: chopped cinnamon sugar biscuits drizzled with an orange sauce and baked until puffed and golden.  I really need to make these puddings more often.

Orange Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Sugar Biscuits

Makes one 9x13-inch pan

4 cups cinnamon sugar biscuits, cut into small cubes
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest of 1 orange

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine eggs, milk, melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and orange zest.  Pour mixture over biscuit cubes and let sit about five minutes.  Pour into greased 9x13-inch baking pan and bake, uncovered for 50 minutes until puffed and golden on top.

Adapted from Mikey's In My Kitchen.

Mom's Cinnamon Sugar Biscuits

I'd say I had a pretty good childhood.

I grew up in a nice neighborhood, attended a fairly reputable school system, was exposed to music (took piano lessons third grade to my senior year- my brother and I still play a mean Heart and Soul), sports (tried ice skating, soccer, and tennis, but in the end the only sport I got into was Sporty Spice), and religious activities (oh how I wish I could still attend camp and it wouldn't be weird).

My parents took us on trips (heck, they still do), put me through college, even hired their lawyer to help find my dog when I lost her three years ago (this is a story for another day- or a novel...mom.  Or just wait for the movie.  It's a crazy story.)  They've never failed to show their love for their children (my mom still insists I take anything I want from the pantry after I come for a visit) and their love for each other (just the other day my sister and I were talking about how my dad has always been so good about showing his love for my mom...42 years of marriage later).

Growing up, my mom often made these cinnamon rolls as a fun treat for a weekend breakfast.  Now her forte isn't exactly baking (she can bake, she just prefers to cook the savory stuff.  And she's good at it. She's part Martha Stewart sans the blogger bashing and criminal record), but she sure makes a killer cinnamon roll. I'll admit, she just used the biscuits from a can, which you can absolutely do too (ps I actually bought some Pillsbury as a back up plan), but I figured I would jazz up a few of my buttermilk biscuits with some childhood memories.  My mom is a genius.

Mom's Cinnamon Sugar Biscuits

Makes 20 2-inch biscuits (or 10 Pillsbury biscuits)

1 recipe buttermilk biscuits (or 1 (12-ounce can) of 10 Pillsbury biscuits)
1/4 cup butter, melted in small bowl
1/4 cup sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or more, depending on your preference), blended in small bowl

Prepare biscuits according to recipe (or can) directions.  Before baking, dredge each biscuit in melted butter then in sugar-cinnamon mixture.  Place on prepared baking sheet and bake according to recipe directions.

Adapted from my mom.

Sour Cream Chocolate Bit Cake

Nathan loves this cake.



So much that when I first confronted him a couple weeks back about what kind of cake he would like for his big birthday, he replied "hmmm I don't know".  Then, the day before The Day, I asked once more and was yet again met with the same response. 

Now how does this prove that he loves this cake?  After making it my mission and pondering over and perusing through a couple of mouth-watering baker cookbooks to come up with something creative that I know he would love, I suddenly recalled this cake- a tried and true and previously requested almost weekly sweet treat that hasn't been made in far too long.  So after last years banana cake with maple cinnamon icing, and the marbled gooey butter cake I made the year before, both of which he obligingly ate the evening of his birthday and which I proceeded to polish off in the following nights single-handedly, I opted for this safe cake- a tender cinnamon cake sprinkled with chocolate chips and sugar.  Not exactly what you'd call a traditional birthday cake but once you stick some candles in it no one will ever know the difference.

Happy birthday, Nathan!

Sour Cream Chocolate Bit Cake

Makes one 8x8-inch pan

3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon sugar

Mix butter with 1/2 cup sugar until blended, then beat in the egg.  Stir flour with baking powder, soda, and cinnamon, then blend with creamed mixture.  Mix in the sour cream.

Pour batter into a greased 8x8-inch baking pan.  Scatter the chocolate bits evenly over the batter, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until cake just begins to pull away from sides of pan. 

Adapted from my mom's 80's Sunset cookbook. 

Cinnamon Swirl Sweet Potato Bread

Counting down the days...

We're at t-minus 13 days to Thanksgiving and I don't think I've ever been more ready.  Ready for seeing family, making pie, eating pie.  And sleep.  And stuffing.

I think I literally have been counting down since November one (I was even tempted to go all kindergarten on myself and make a construction paper chain).  But now, with less than two weeks to go, the only thing that stands between me and a few days of turkey-filled R-and-R is, well, pie.  A lot of pie.  Not for me and not for you, but for all those folks who go the easy route and order their pies pre-mixed, poured, baked, and boxed.  (Sorry, however I have an inkling if you're reading a food blog you're probably the type of person who intends to make their own pies for the big meal.  Yup.)  One order alone next week consists of fifty pumpkin.  help. 

Lucky for me though, pumpkin is easy as...pie.  (take note, you bakery orderers!)  And while it's not my favorite dessert on turkey day (unless is involves chocolate), I do love me a good sweet potato pie which has a similar flavor and consistency but is oh, just oh-so-better.  But no, as many times as I've said pie in this post I did not make you a sweet potato pie, however I was itching to do something with this fall flavor and baked up a little loaf and doused it with cinnamon sugar.  Oh fall, how I love you and all your fall-y flavors.
 
Cinnamon Swirl Sweet Potato Bread

Makes one 9x5-inch loaf pan

1 (15-ounce) can sweet potatoes in syrup, drained (or one pound peeled, cooked, diced sweet potato)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 tablespoon white vinegar + 1 cup milk, mixed and let sit for 5 minutes)

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup granulated sugar

In small bowl, first combine 1 tablespoon cinnamon and 1/3 cup granulated sugar.  Set aside.

Combine sweet potatoes, egg, vanilla, and sugars in large mixing bowl.  Mix on low speed and slowly add oil.  Add flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Mix until well blended, then slowly add buttermilk, mixing until combined. 

Pour half of the batter into lightly greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.  Sprinkle evenly with a little more than half of cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Pour the remaining batter on top and finish with the rest of the cinnamon-sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Chelsea Original :) 

Sweet Potato Casserole Crumb Cake

This is gonna be quick for two reasons.

#1: I'm busy.

#2: You're busy.

But you know, once Thursday is over and things calm down and you've done all your turkey basting and football watching and Black Friday shopping (oh who are we kidding, we all know it's turning into Black Thursday now), you might want to make this crumb cake with those leftover yams (or you could just grab some more at the store seeing as they're about 10 cents a pound right now). 

Ok, I said this would be quick so let me wrap things up.  This cake = good.  The crumb topping = makes the cake.  Buttery, sugary goodness loaded on top of a moist, fall-flavored cake.  Make it.  Eat it.  Heck, call it a coffee cake and eat it for breakfast. 

p.s. Happy Turkey Day to ya!  Hope your day is filled with fabulous friends, family, and food!

Sweet Potato Casserole Crumb Cake

Makes one 9-inch springform pan

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes

2 large eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup apple cider (I actually used steeped Pumpkin Chai Tea)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

Crumb Topping

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, sweet potatoes, and eggs. Beat until smooth.  Mix in the oil, applesauce and apple cider (or tea).  Add the flour, cinnamon and baking soda and mix until fully incorporated.  Pour into greased 9-inch springform pan.

In a mini-food processor pulse the crumb topping ingredients (butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon) until blended but crumbly (you can also do this using your hands).  Sprinkle over top of cake.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Adapted from Cupcake Project.



Pumpkin Cranberry Apple Bread

aka fall wrapped up in a little tiny loaf

We had some company over the weekend.  And I thought I'd make a little somethin' somethin' for breakfast.  That's where this bread came in. 

You see, I contemplated picking up a loaf of pumpkin chocolate chip bread at work for our special guests; however, my parents are...how should I say this...classy.  Meaning they don't do chocolate for breakfast.  Maybe traditional would be a better word...(But don't get me wrong.  They know a good thing when they hear it.  Afterall, it was my mom who ordered us all a warm piece of cinnamon bread pudding with whisky sauce on Friday night.  Comfort food at its finest.) 

Anywho, that classiness/traditionalness (new word?) actually worked in everyone's favor.  As a result, I came up with this bread: a moist pumpkin loaf studded with red cranberries and cinnamon-sugar tossed apples.  Autumn in your mouth, really. 

Pumpkin Cranberry Apple Bread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

1 cup pumpkin puree (about half of a 15-ounce can)

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 apple, peeled and chopped

1 cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt; set aside.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together eggs, 1 cup sugar, vegetable oil, water, and pumpkin puree until smooth. Gradually add in dry ingredients, whisking until just combined.

In small bowl combine cinnamon and sugar.  Toss with chopped apples.  Fold apples and cranberries into pumpkin mixture.  Spread evenly into prepared 9x5-inch loaf pan. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in fridge for 3-4 days.

Adapted from Erin Cooks.

Cinnamon Apple Cake

I'm setting a record.

I verrrrrrrrry rarely make the same recipe more than once.  There are just too many goodies flooding the web and recipes sitting in the cookbooks in my kitchen and ideas floating through my head with potential to become an edible creation.  But I have been on a kick lately to share all of my tried and true favorites with you.  First my favorite banana bread, then the pumpkin cookies, followed by my go-to cornbread.  This here cake makes number four.  (btw this means it's delicious).

Now despite the fact that I have made this cake on a couple of other occasions, I had issues this time around.  So let me warn you: read the recipe ALL the way through.  Seriously.  Maybe it was just me but I had some major problems with the sugar.  (It gets divided and used in three different parts of the process- first in the batter, then tossed with the apples, then sprinkled on top).  I could not wrap my head around it for some reason and added too much cinnamon here/not enough sugar there...ugh!  Whatever.  It still turned out great and was as moist as I remember, so in the end...I win.

Oh, and as a favor to you I'm rewriting the recipe and directions so it's easier to follow.  You're welcome.

Cinnamon Apple Cake

Makes one 8x8-inch cake

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup margarine, softened

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 large chopped and peeled apple (I used granny smith)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat sugar, brown sugar, margarine, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add eggs and vanilla, beating until mixed. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

Combine 1/8 cup sugar and cinnamon. Combine 1 tablespoon cinnamon mixture and apple in a bowl, and stir apple mixture into batter. Pour batter into an 8-inch square pan coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack.

Adapted from Cooking Light.

Chunky Peanut Butter White Chocolate Snickerdoodles

TGIF.

It has been one H-E-double-hockey-stick-acious week for me.  

Extra early mornings and extra late nights so the weekend is verrrrry welcome.  (But it also makes me appreciate my usual schedule!)  I was wise and prepared in advance though: I made a batch of these cookies last weekend and they have been my late night indulgence all week long.

This cookie is my own creation- from the dough (I make a couple thousand cookies every week so I'm beginning to figure out what makes an awesome cookie) to the choice of chip (white chocolate chips this time, no crazy salt and vinegar), to the cinnamon sugar coating.  Just a little something I dreamed up and it turned out fabulous; soft and chewy with the perfect ratio of pb to white chocolate to cinnamon.   Yay me!  And yay weekend!

Chunky Peanut Butter White Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Makes 28 cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup extra chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars until fluffy.  Beat in the egg and mix until smooth.  Add the flour mixture and mix until combined.  Fold in white chocolate chips.

In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

Scoop dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake at 350 for 9-12 minutes. 

Chelsea Original!

Cappuccino Angel Food Cupcakes

I don't like coffee.

But for some strange reason I had the urge to buy this grinder simply because it involved the words "sugar" and "chocolate".  I'm a sucker.

No really, I have a strong aversion to anything with even the slightest hint of coffee.  With one exception: Braum's Cappuccino Chunky Chocolate Ice Cream.  Best stuff on earth.  Not Snapple. 

But a special occasion prompted me to break out this grinder.  And this occasion also prompted me to finally make something that's been sitting on my kitchen bucket list since the inception of this blog.  (I've barely put a dent in the thing!):  my older sis turns __ today!  (Not sure if she's hit the point where she doesn't want to tell people her age so I'm gonna play it safe).

Anywho, my sis, Melissa (aka Mel) has a birthday today and I know her pretty well so I know that she typically likes her bday cake of the angel variety and I also know she loves Starbucks.  So I chose to combine the two and make her a special treat for her special day. 

I must declare coffee = awesome in this recipe!  It's there but not enough to make me furrow my brow and pucker my lips and run to the sink to spit up the disgusting bitterness that all things coffee-flavored usually carry.  And they're pretty light so you can average about three or four a day, like me :)

Cappuccino Angel Food Cupcakes

Makes 18 cupcakes

1/2 cup cake flour (or 1 tablespoon cornstarch + fill the rest of the 1/2 cup with all-purpose flour)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

6-7 large egg whites (1/2 cup + 1/3 cup)

3/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons ground coffee

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Sift flour and powdered sugar through sieve set over a small bowl.  Set aside.

In large mixing bowl with whisk attachment, beat egg whites, cream of tarter, salt, coffee, and cinnamon at medium speed until foamy.  Increase speed to medium-high; beat until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted.  Sprinkle in granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until sugar has dissolved and egg whites stand in stiff, glossy peaks when whisk is lifted.  Beat in vanilla extract. 

Sift the flour mixture, one-third at a time, over the beaten egg whites.  Fold in each addition with a rubber spatula until the flour mixture is no longer visible. 

Drop 1/4 cup-fulls into muffin tins lined with cupcake liners.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed.  Serve topped with whipped cream and a few turns of the grinder! (Or sprinkle with a mixture of 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon).

Adapted from The Good Housekeeping Cookbook.

Peach Cinnamon Frozen Yogurt

It's official.  I'm obsessed with ice cream this summer.  I have seen and bought so many delicious frozen treats at the grocery store, I have actually considered putting a second freezer in the garage.  Four kinds of popsicles, two containers of blue bell, ice cream sandwiches, and now this homemade frozen yogurt are the current inhabitants competing for space in our shrinking freezer.  And, on top of that, I have a growing list of treats I intend to make (and others to buy) while the weather is still warm. 

But let me tell you about this most recent cold treat I created the other day.  Some fruity fro yo that is quick, easy, and only requires four ingredients.  Just toss them in your ice cream maker and let the machine do all the work.  It's the perfect summertime flavor combination of peaches and cinnamon and wonderfully light and refreshing on a hot afternoon. 

Peach Cinnamon Frozen Yogurt

Makes 1 quart

1 (15 ounce) can peach slices in juice

2 cups vanilla yogurt

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Drain peaches, reserving 1/2 cup of juice. Puree peaches in food processor or blender.

Combine peaches, reserved juice, yogurt, sugar, and cinnamon in canister of ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturers' directions.

Adapted from AllRecipes.

Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Rice Krispie Treats

See those guys up there?  They've got something special tucked inside them.  These guys down here:



Something recently occurred to me.  I have failed to inform you of my love for all things cinnamon:  snickerdoodle cookies, cinnamon spice oatmeal, cinnamon ice cream, cinnamon rolls, cinnamon gum, cinnamon mints, I love it all! 

Last week, Nathan surprised me with a Sock It To Me cake from the grocery store and I proceeded to eat the entire thing.  Myself.  I didn't complain.  I literally sat there and thanked him for not eating any as I was forking down the last slice.

But it had me thinking that I haven't made anything that called for even a pinch of cinnamon in far too long!  It is a trajedy, I know.  So I am going to amp up the cinnamon today with some krispie treats wrapped in cinnamon bun marshmallows (yes, these actually exsist) and studded with snickerdoodle cookie dough truffles.  That sound good?  That taste realllllll good.  

Hello Mr. Krispie.

Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Rice Krispie Treats

For the Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Truffles:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar + 2 teaspoons cinnamon for rolling truffles in

In a medium size bowl add the flour, spices, salt, and cream of tartar. Set aside.  Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in vanilla.  Slowly add flour mixture, alternating with condensed milk, beat well after each addition.

Shape balls into 1-inch balls and place into an air tight container. Roll them into the cinnamon sugar just like you would a snickerdoodle cookie. Store in freezer for at least 3 hours.  Makes 48 truffles. (Keep the extras in the freezer for a periodic afternoon indulgence).

For the Rice Krispie Treats:

3 tablespoons butter
1 (8-ounce) bag cinnamon bun marshmallows (I found these at Target)
10 snickerdoodle cookie dough truffles, chopped up
6 cups rice krispies cereal

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat.  Add in marshmallows and stir until melted and well-blended.  Remove from heat and add cereal and truffles.  Stir until well-coated.  Press into 7x11-inch baking dish.  Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Truffles adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody.