Basic Crepes

I have tried several recipes for just your everyday "basic" crepe, but none works better than the one I learned from friends while I was abroad.  You can experiment with adding all sorts of things--I personally only do 'sweet' and not 'savory' crepe recipes, so I always add a dash of nutmeg and a few dashes of cinnamon!

Ingredients:
1 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C milk

2 eggs

1/2 C water
1/4tsp salt
2 TB butter, melted
Toppings (optional): Lemon & powdered sugar, jams, syrup, fruits, Nutella, chocolate sauce

In a medium bowl, mix flour and milk.  Carefully add two eggs, incorporating the first before adding the second.  Next gradually add the water.  Next add the salt and melted butter, mixing until the batter is smooth.

Pre-heat a pan over medium heat.  Once heated, pour 1/4 C batter into the pan.  Immediately tilt the pan in circular movements so the batter coats the surface evenly.

Cook crepes ~2 minutes, until the bottom is slightly browned and the edges begin to cook, then flip and cook the other side.

Serve with all sorts of delicious toppings and enjoy!

If you have kids or a real sense of adventure, I also recommend doing some fun colored crepes -- just add a few drops of food coloring and there you go!

Oatmeal Bites

Want some amazing, healthy, on-the-go breakfast?  This will definitely be your go to recipe!  The best thing about it is that you can bake these, freeze them, and pop them in the microwave on your way out the door!

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 C applesauce
5 C old-fashioned oats
2 1/2 C milk
1/4 C flaxseed meal (buy this bulk, much cheaper!)
1/4-1/2 C honey (more honey = more sweetness)
1 TB ground cinnamon
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping ideas: frozen/fresh fruit, dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  In a medium sized bowl, mix the eggs, vanilla, applesauce and honey together. Carefully add in oats, baking powder, flax, and cinnamon.  Mix in with the wet ingredients, then pour in the milk.  Make sure the mixture is thoroughly incorporated.  This batter WILL look runny--don't be scared by this.   

Line a two 12 muffin pan trays with paper liners.  Fill liners halfway full (between 1/8 and 1/4 C per muffin liners).  If adding toppings, put them on top or mix in with the batter at this stage.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.  Cool and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/personal-sized-baked-oatmeal-with-individual-toppings-gluten-free-diabetic-friendly//

Earl Grey Muffins

I am an avid tea drinker, so it was fitting that I stumbled upon a recipe for tea-flavored muffins and I just HAD to try them!  The taste is very subtle, but very delicious---even for those non-tea drinking people!

Ingredients:
4 Earl Grey tea bags
1 C milk
2 1/2 C self-raising flour
3/4 C granulated sugar
1 TB poppy seeds
1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs
To glaze: honey/powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.

Warm the milk until it is nearly boiling in a small pan (make sure to watch it carefully-you don't want the milk to burn on the bottom of the pan!), then take off heat, add the tea bags, and let it steep.

Put flour, sugar, and poppy seeds in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.  Add milk mixture (removing tea bags first of course!), butter, and eggs.  Mix gently either with a mixer, spoon, or whisk until smooth.  Spoon the mixture into the prepared liners and bake for 15 minutes or until the top is browned and a toothpick inserted in the muffin come out clean.

**Note: Overcooking them will dry them out!

Cool the muffins on the rack for 10 minutes.  Pour a dab of honey on the top, and brush it around covering the entire top with a knife or your (clean) fingers.  Sprinkle a pinch of powdered sugar and serve!

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Muffins

Ingredients:

1 2/3 C flour

1/3 C granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla (or vanilla extract)

3/4 C milk

1/3 C applesauce

Brown sugar

Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F and line your muffin tin with papers.  In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Next carefully mix in the egg, milk, vanilla, and applesauce.  

Fill your muffin papers about 1/4 full.  Try not to overfill them or you won't have enough batter later.  Once this is done, sprinkle a think layer of brown sugar over the batter -- it doesn't have to be perfect!

Next take the remainder of the batter and spread it over the top of the cinnamon.  Using a toothpick, mix the batter and cinnamon together in a circular motion to get a 'swirled' affect --this will help the brown sugar to come out in little swirls when you take a bite! Do this to all 12 muffins.

Finally top with a pinch of cinnamon and granulated sugar.  Pop the tray into the oven to cook for 15 minutes then enjoy!

Adapted from: http://thehappyhousewife.com/cooking/brown-sugar-cinnamon-muffins/

Dutch Baby Pancakes

Now this recipe is definitely one of my absolute favorites that I have tried out--so if you have a major sweet tooth [or as my Hungarian flatmates say "Sweet lips"] this recipe is definitely for you!

Dutch Baby Pancakes

Pancakes:

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

6 Tbs butter

Begin by preheating your oven to 450 F (or 232 C), and place the rack in the middle.  Put 10" cast iron skillet (or other heavy ovenproof pans...I personally just used a small metal square baking pan since we didn't have any others!) in the oven to preheat.  

In a large bowl, beat eggs until they are frothy.  Then add milk, flour, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Beat until the mixture is creamy (a few minutes, it's ok if there are a few lumps!)  Next, working VERY QUICKLY, remove the pan/skillet from the oven, melt butter to coat the pan.  Pour all of the batter into it and return immediately to the oven.  Backe 20-25 minutes until puffy and golden brown on the edges, remove from the oven and eat immediately!

Now the original recipe called for adding lemon juice and powdered sugar on the top to taste.  Instead, I decided to add a lemon glaze on top, followed by a hearty dash of powdered sugar.  The result? Delicious heavenly breakfast.  Just try it!

Glaze:

Milk

Lemon juice

powdered sugar

I specifically did not add any amounts of the ingredients, based soley on the fact that it is up to your own personal like of how lemon-y you like things, and such.  Experiment to try and find the best mix!

Recipe adapted from: http://whiskingaway.com/2010/07/10/dutch-baby-pancakes/