Cinnamon Swirl Bread

I never used to eat breakfast until I started working. I always try to have something different each week. I also don't give myself a lot of time to eat breakfast so it has to be something I grab and go. This bread fits my criteria! It is also one of the easiest things I have made before. It took me probably 10 minutes to make and that includes pulling out all of my ingredients!
Chad and I each had a slice as a snack and it was delicious. The cinnamon flavor was great and the bread was moist. I will definitely make this often since it is so easy and delicious.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Source: Sing For Your Supper
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup cooking oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9″x5″x3″ loaf pan. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Combine the 1 cup of white sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl or mixer bowl. In a separate bowl, beat egg. Stir in buttermilk, vanilla and oil. Make a well in the flour mixture and add the egg/buttermilk mixture. Stir just until mixed. Do not over-mix.
Pour half of the batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon mixture. Repeat With a wide rubber scraper or spatula, swirl mixtures together with a down and up circular motion.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until done. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Peach Cobbler

My husband's Grandpa has been in bad health for the last few months. I have been giving him some of my jars of jam. He really enjoys it and why not give him great food to enjoy right now.

I thought I would also bring him a peach cobbler to enjoy before the end of the season. I searched on Food Network's website for a peach cobbler recipe. I pretty much already knew the best recipe would come from Paula Deen. I first found a video of her making this cobbler. The video shows just how easy this recipe is. Make sure you follow the exact directions she gives. Especially making sure you use self rising flour or add baking powder to your flour if it isn't self rising.

This was delicious and I love the crust. I will definitely use this recipe again and use different fruits as well.

The Lady and Sons Peach Cobbler

Source: Paula Deen Food Network website

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1 cup milk
1 (28-ounce) can sliced peaches in heavy syrup, un-drained (use fresh peaches if available; see note*)
Cinnamon, for sprinkling, optional
Vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream, for serving
Directions
*If they are available, by all means use fresh peaches. In a saucepan, mix 2 cups fresh peach slices with one cup sugar and one cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir often, making sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Substitute this for the canned peaches.

*Cook's Note: The most important part of this dish is not stirring the mixture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Put butter in a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish and place in the oven to melt. Stir sugar and flour together and mix well. Slowly add milk and continue stirring to prevent the batter from lumping.

Being careful not to burn yourself, remove hot baking dish containing melted butter from oven; pour batter directly over butter in baking dish. Do not stir.

Spoon fruit on top of batter, then gently pour syrup on top. Do not stir. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of batter, if using. (The most important part of this dish is not stirring the mixture at this point in the recipe.)

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Your batter will rise above your fruit, producing the most wonderful of crusts. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

Peach Crisp

I picked up some peaches on sale today with hopes to just slice them up and enjoy with my breakfast or lunch. Well as I waiting on my husband to get home so I could start dinner, I was checking out the What's Cooking board. Of course someone had to ask for a peach cobbler recipe which got me thinking :)

I searched around allrecipes.com for something I had all the ingredients for and was super simple.

This recipe gave me all of that. I put this whole thing together and had it all cleaned up in about 15 minutes. That is my kind of dessert recipe!

Peach Crisp

Source: allrecipes.com

6 peaches- peeled,pitted and sliced

1/4 tsp almond extract (I was out so I just used vanilla)

1/2 cup AP flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbs brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease an 8 inch square baking pan.

Place the peaches in the bottom of the baking dish and sprinkle with the almondy extract.

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter until the mixture resmbles crumbs.

Sprinkle the flour mixture in an even layer over the top of the peaches and bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes, until the peaches are bubbling and the top is browned.

Grilled Honey Balsamic Chicken

I left school today with absolutely no energy. I really wanted to push this dinner to another night and instead just grab some fast food. On my way home I had to convince myself to stick with dinner and get it done. Alas, I stuck with it and also whipped up a dessert! What???

I am so happy I didn't give in and was able to try something new. This chicken is delicious. It received compliments from my husband which is always a plus! I served this with mashed potatoes and corn. (It was supposed to be corn on the cob but the grocery had not a single good looking cob!)

Enoy such a simple and delicious meal!



Grilled Honey Balsamic Chicken
Source: Delish

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste

Pound chicken to even thickness. Approximately 1/2inch to 3/4 inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper. In large dish (or ziploc bag) combine oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and garlic salt. Add chicken and allow to marinate 2-3 hours or overnight. Grill until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Pizza Baked Spaghetti

I took dinner to some friends last night that just had a baby. This meal was one of the easiest meals I've put together! I made pizza baked spaghetti, corn on the cob, garlic bread and dessert.

Pizza Baked Spaghetti
Source: The Burton's Block

Ingredients:
Spaghetti (I used an entire box which made a large casserole pan)
Jar of spaghetti sauce
1 Bag of mozzarella cheese
Pepperonis

Cook the spaghetti then layer ingredients in a greased pan.
Noodles, sauce, cheese pepperoni
Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

Parmesan Orzo

I am always on the search for side dishes besides our usual corn or green beans.

This orzo was simple and delicious which made it perfect to add to out list of sides.

Source:

Loves to Eat

3 tbs butter

1-1/2 cups uncooked orzo pasta

1-1/2 cans (14.5 ounce) chicken broth

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup and 2 tablesoons chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

3 tbs chopped fresh basil

Directions:

Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in orzo and saute until lightly browned.

Stir in chicken stock and bring to boil. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.

Mix in parmesan cheese and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfew to shallow bowl. Garnish with basil sprigs.

Strawberrry Jam

A few weeks ago some friends and I got together to make jam! My friend Liz had made it in the past and was willing to show us how it's done. I am so excited I now know how to do this. I feel like it's something I can now cross off my cooking to-do list!

I'll admit before we made this jam I didn't actually really eat much jam or jelly. I mean I kept a jar of grape jelly in the fridge to use at times but that's about it. Well let me tell you in the 3 weeks since we've made this I am almost through my first jar. I have been looking for ideas on how to use it besides pb&j and toast.

I would encourage you to try this sometime it was so easy!

I don't have a recipe for this. We just followed the directions on the pectin package.

Here is my version of the steps.

Mash your strawberries- We used a potato maser and pastry cutter, it would be much easier to use a food processer just don't puree the strawberries.

Add the pectin to the strawberries.

Boil the strawberries.

Once it reaches a rolling boil add the sugar and stir on the stove for one minute.

Remove from the stove and funnel the jam into jars.

*You will probably want to skim the foam off

Close the jars and place in boiling water for 10 minutes and TA-Da you have jam!