Cranberry Chocolate Bread Pudding with Citrus Butter Sauce

I always delight in taking an old-school recipe and giving it a twist. Bread pudding is no exception. I have several different versions here on the blog like, my Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Apple Cider Butter Sauce, my Blueberry Vanilla Bean Bread Pudding and my Apple Pie Croissant Pudding with Caramel Butter Foam Drizzle. In this version, fresh cranberries, chunks of chocolate and fresh oranges come together to make the ultimate holiday bread pudding that can be served for breakfast, brunch or even as a dessert.

What I love most about bread pudding is that the options are pretty endless with regards to the type or types of bread used. I've made it with leftover raisin bread, a day-old French loaf, croissants and sandwich bread. I actually prefer a combination of something hearty and something soft. So, in this recipe, I used mostly day-old French bread cubes with a few slices of soft sandwich bread cubes.

To prepare this recipe, the bread cubes get placed in a greased baking dish. Then, you'll be making a quick custard in a mixing bowl. After sprinkling on fresh cranberries and chocolate chunks, you'll pour the custard over it all. Next, you'll want it to soak for twenty minutes, at least, but you can store this in the fridge at this point - covered - until you're ready to bake it. {I have kept it overnight in the refrigerator at this point for an easy pop-in-the-oven breakfast option.} After baking, the bread pudding will need to rest slightly while you whisk up a quick, buttery, orange-infused powdered sugar sauce. This will get poured over the bread pudding at the time of service.

The result is a perfectly-spiced, custard-y center with a slightly crisp top. The cranberries impart a slightly tart component while the chocolate lends just the right amount of sweetness - it's a beautiful flavor balance between the two. And, the citrus-y sauce packs a magical punch of brightness and sweetness to finish everything off.

Yields 6 - 8 servings.

Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Banana Baked Oatmeal

"Crazy" has been the word of the week in our house. Not that our lives are typically slow-moving, relaxing or boring. But, recent days have been particularly busy and a bit chaotic. Zayne ended wrestling season this week with a team party and a youth wrestling tournament at which the high school boys worked at all day today. He, also, had a first date. {Dying.} Allanah had her final Snowball Dance this weekend. Our van was stolen from my husband's workplace {and thankfully, recovered a few days later}. All three kids are in the same play production, which means practices galore these days. And, I must mention that the kiddos and I have all been battling some type of flu for the past few weeks at varying times.

Having grab-and-go meals and snacks are a must for me these days. Since we are a huge oatmeal-loving family, baked oatmeal is a great option for us. It reheats pretty well and provides major fuel to power us through our day.

The combo of chocolate, peanut butter and banana here is pretty awesome. All three are incorporated into the oatmeal itself, then it gets topped with fresh bananas, chocolate chips and a peanut butter/honey dollop at time of service. I do have a couple of kids who prefer this without the toppings, however. They like a slice of this as-is to throw on a napkin on their way out the door.

Think of this as a cross between a bowl of traditional oatmeal AND oatmeal cookies ... just maybe not quite as sweet as normal cookies. Plan to adjust how you serve and top this based upon your family's preferences. My youngest asked to drizzle her slice with caramel sauce. {Quite the treat.} It is pretty moist when it is first baked. But, we actually prefer it cooled, the pieces individually wrapped up, stored in the fridge and reheated in the oven the next day. It becomes a little drier and more bar-like.

Serves 6 - 8.

No-Bake Cranberry Crunch Energy Bites

With three kids still living at home, we stay pretty busy. Two teenagers and a nine-year old make for an often hectic schedule. I don't think there are very many extra-curricular activities that my kids don't do {or, at least, haven't tried}. Currently, we are knee-deep in varsity wrestling for Zayne {our fourteen-year old}. Wrestling can be demanding and grueling on kids {as well as the families}. Weeknights are filled with practices and conditioning. Weekends consist of all-day tournaments that we often travel quite a distance to attend. To maintain his energy and fuel him through his day, our son needs lots of protein. And, typically, he needs food that he can take on the go.

When it comes to breakfast and snacks, these are his "go-to" many days. Actually, all of us munch on these and I always pack some when we're headed to sports activities. You'll seldom not find a batch of these in my freezer. They are full of pretty wholesome ingredients and they do a good job of keeping us full until mealtime.

RECIPE NOTES:  I prefer a combination of peanut butter AND almond butter for this recipe. However, I have made these just using peanut butter and they turn out well. {I really wouldn't recommend utilizing just almond butter.} Also, I use a combination of cacao nibs {found at health food stores or online} AND mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can simply use chocolate chips, if desired. This recipe is pretty versatile as long as you follow the basics with regards to the peanut butter, oats, honey and rice cereal. Basically, taste as you go along and look for a texture that can be easily shaped into balls, but isn't too sticky. I find that the exact measurements for this recipe can change depending on what brand/style of peanut butter or almond butter that I use.

Yields 2 - 2 1/2  dozen "bites" {balls}. 

Roasted Spiced Pears and Cranberries

Pears are a favorite in our household. Any time I utilize them in my cooking and baking, I know I'll be in the good graces of my family. This recipe is one that takes little effort to prepare and only requires a handful of ingredients. The aromas that will fill your house while this is roasting are so cozy and delightful ... a truly intoxicating holiday scent.

Once roasted, the pears and cranberries can be served up with whipped cream or ice cream. They, also, can be mounted atop waffles, pancakes or oatmeal. (A good dusting of powdered sugar to top everything off once plated won't hurt anything either.)

And, to note ... even if you'd like to omit the cranberries, the roasted pears are fabulous all on their own. But, the cranberries do lend the perfect amount of tartness that really compliments the sweetness of the dish ... especially if pairing with sweet whipped cream or ice cream after cooking.

Apple Pie Croissant Pudding with Caramel Butter Foam Drizzle

This fall-inspired dessert is somewhat of a cross between traditional bread pudding and apple pie. This is an incredibly simple recipe to make and one that requires mostly pantry ingredients that many of us already keep on hand. I've made an abundance of bread pudding-style desserts throughout the years, but this one was declared "the best" by my husband and kids during recipe testing. And, I think I have to agree!

Let me start by saying that subbing in croissants for run-of-the-mill bread when making bread pudding already is a game changer. The inclusion of croissants takes bread pudding to a completely different level ... a really, really good level. So, this recipe is already elevated drastically because of those flaky, buttery croissants.

I must mention that one of the things that turns me off from some bread puddings is that sometimes it tastes as if I'm eating bread baked up in sweetened scrambled eggs. (Anyone else?) Some recipes just simply call for way too many eggs. Here, you'll find that there is only one whole egg and one egg yolk in the custard, which results in no over-the-top egg-y taste or texture.

Cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg come together in the custard base to flavor up this dessert. (And, your house will smell awesome while this bakes, too.) Next, I break open a can of apple pie filling to dollop atop the dessert to really drive home the autumnal flavor.

The highlight of this dessert has to be the sauce, however. I'm telling you, guys ... I don't even know how to describe it in words. It's so incredibly different than any other dessert sauce I've ever made, but I think it just might be the best. Something magical happens due to the addition of baking soda in the sauce. It gets all frothy and foamy. It's so insane in theory, yet it is definitely insanely amazing in taste. I beg of you ... do not skip the Caramel Foam Drizzle sauce.

Slow Cooker Overnight Apple Crisp Oatmeal

We are an oatmeal-cooked-overnight-in-the-slow-cooker kind of family. It's sorta become an obsession over the past few years. We love waking up to a hearty breakfast awaiting us - especially on busy mornings. I've shared with you several variations on my basic recipe like, my carrot cake version (my personal favorite). I wanted to incorporate apples and warm, fall-inspired spices in my newest version of cooking steel cut oats in the slow cooker. But, I, also, wanted there to be a twist. My mind went to apple crisp, a dessert that I make often for my family.

The premise of this recipe is to start with steel cut oats (I really don't recommend cooking any other type of oats overnight in the slow cooker ... unless you want totally mushy oatmeal). Then, a few basic ingredients like, milk, water, brown sugar and butter get stirred in. Warm, fragrant spices like, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg are stirred in. Chunks of crisp apple are then added before lidding the slow cooker as you head off to bed.

I do top this at the time of service with an apple crisp-style topping that I make a bit prior to starting the oatmeal in the evening. (The crisp topping takes about 40 minutes to bake, but only a few minutes to prep.) It is totally optional, but therein lies the "crisp" part of the recipe. Alternatively, some store-bought basic granola could be sprinkled on top if you don't wish to make the topping from scratch.

NOTE: I cook this oatmeal in a metal bread pan that fits perfectly down into my oval slow cooker. I loosely crumple up a piece of foil, place it on the bottom of the slow cooker insert, pour in about four cups of hot water and place the bread loaf pan atop the foil. A steam effect is created. Following this method ensures that the oatmeal does not burn and clean-up is a lot easier. This, also, ensures that the oatmeal stays moist and very creamy.

Yields 4 - 6 servings.

Southern-Style Sausage Gravy {Over Biscuits}

My Kentucky-born grandmother was the queen (in my book) of making the most magnificent biscuits and "white pepper gravy" loaded with chunks of browned breakfast sausage. Weekend breakfasts of Sausage Gravy and Biscuits were a staple in my childhood. I am always leery ordering the same when I am dining out because there is rarely an occasion when the gravy comes close to measuring up to my grandmother's version.

So, I make it often at home. I wasn't lucky enough to have my grandma's recipe written down ... and frankly, I highly doubt she ever had or followed an actual recipe. But, I did spend years by her side watching and helping her prepare this dish. And, after many years of tweaking and perfecting the recipe as an adult myself, I think I now come close to what was served to me as a child.

I want to mention that the purpose of this post is to share with you my gravy recipe - not a biscuit recipe. Being honest, I often cheat and purchase frozen biscuits that simply need baked off in the oven. However, when I do take the time to make biscuits from scratch, I almost always use Alton Brown's Southern Biscuits recipe. I've found the recipe to be the best for yielding ultra-soft, tender, fluffy biscuits that most resemble my grandmother's.

Ultimate Morning Glory Muffins

My mother made Morning Glory Muffins all during my childhood. I didn't care for them much when I was young, but came to totally love them by the time that I reached my teens. They fueled me through Saturday volleyball tournaments, road trips with friends and shifts working at our local grocery store. They are hearty, hefty, healthful and downright delicious muffins that hold a special place in my heart.

I shared my mother's version on the blog a few years ago. And, while those are fabulous in their own right, I have come to prefer this version these days. The recipes aren't incredibly different, but these do have the inclusion of crushed pineapple (which adds a ton of moisture and additional flavor to the muffins) and I've made a few other changes that I think make these the Ultimate Morning Glory Muffins.

These muffins are loaded with a bounty of ingredients like, grated carrots, chopped apples, shredded coconut, dried fruit, crushed pineapple, grated zucchini and lots of flavor-boosting spices. The ingredient list may seem long, but the majority of the items are pantry staples that most of us tend to keep on hand. And, the ingredients that you may need to purchase are typically pretty inexpensive ones. You get a lot of "bang for your buck" with these muffins as they are super filling. Just one muffin usually does a great job of really keeping the belly full in between meals or stepping up to the plate as a grab-and-go breakfast option. They freeze incredibly well (I think they are best eaten chilled, by the way), so making a large batch to keep in the freezer throughout the week is so handy.

Yields 12 - 14 Muffins

Baked Apple, Chocolate & Almond Oatmeal

I'm not going to beat around the bush. I'm not gonna sugarcoat anything. I am simply going to get straight to the point and tell ya like it is. You need this oatmeal in your life. Seriously. Like, if I could convince you to make only one recipe from my blog, I think it would be this one. Baked oatmeal - done right - can be life-changing.

It may not be fancy. It may not look like much. Heck, I'm sure you're thinking that I am crazy getting all coo-coo over oatmeal. But, there are just so many reasons why baked oatmeal rules. It's an incredibly, insanely inexpensive recipe to make. It is healthful and filling. It's an awesome dish to feed a crowd if you happen to have guests in town or friends over for brunch. The possibilities to flavor it and change it up to suit your fancy are endless. If you're making it for only one or two people initially, you'll have leftovers (which means you can have breakfast ready to pop in the microwave throughout the week). And, most importantly - it takes almost ZERO time of hands-on work.

Have I convinced you yet?

This particular recipe calls for steel cut oats, so make sure you are not using rolled oats. The recipe requires that you soak the oats overnight in water so that they cook up quicker in the morning. So, don't forget that step. And, I really encourage you to try using a dark chocolate infused with chili (THIS is my favorite) for this recipe. Any type of chocolate should work (probably even chocolate chips), but there's just something magical about the tiny bit of heat that comes from using spicy chocolate in this recipe.

Yields 4 - 6 servings.

Blueberry Vanilla Bean Bread Pudding

This recipe is incredibly simple and quick to throw together. Some of my bread pudding recipes are loaded with a long list of ingredients, but this one requires just a handful of basic pantry/fridge staples and some berries. Everything comes together beautifully to create a dish that can be served for breakfast, brunch or dessert.

If you have some day-old bread, milk, eggs and sugar, you have the foundation for bread pudding. From there, it's pretty much just about flavoring(s) and any add-ins that suit your fancy. I love the combination of blueberries, lemon and vanilla. (Here, I've utilized a vanilla bean to amp up the vanilla flavor, but a good-quality vanilla extract would work wonderfully, as well.)

Whether you serve this hot out of the oven, at room temperature or cold out of the fridge is entirely up to you. I have found that most people who enjoy bread pudding have an opinion on which of the three they prefer. So, it's totally up to you.

Yields 6 - 8 servings.

Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal with Peaches

I adore recipes that allow me to assemble the ingredients well in advance so that there is little work at meal-time. This baked oatmeal is one of those fabulous recipes. A hearty, healthful breakfast is just a few simple steps away. Assemble the oatmeal at night prior to heading to bed. Toss some fresh fruit into the mix in the morning. Pop the dish into the oven. Brew up some coffee. And, grab some spoons!

 

Using steel cut oats is key here (they are easily found in the cereal/oats section of most supermarkets these days). They hold up well in the fridge overnight amidst the creamy, perfectly-spiced liquid and have such an awesome texture once baked up in this sensational breakfast dish.

Fresh peaches are used here, but this baked oatmeal works great with any fruit that I've tried (blueberries are another favorite add-in for us in this recipe). And, frankly, I think this recipe would work even if you didn't add any fruit into the mixture.

I bring together a little shredded coconut, chopped nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and maple syrup to really enhance the oats. I, also, mix a little quinoa in with the steel cut oats, but it can be omitted if you're not a fan or don't have it on hand. (Just replace the quinoa with additional oats.)

To serve, scoop some of the baked oatmeal into a bowl, top with a sprinkling of brown sugar (or a drizzle of honey) and pour on a little milk or cream right before digging in.

Serves 4 - 6.

Coconut and Quinoa Granola

Making granola at home is so easy and allows for you to control the ingredients. I've made lots of versions of granola through the years, but this recipe has really caught on in our house as the top contender to nab the title of "Best Homemade Granola Ever."

 

 

I just recently started adding quinoa to my granola. Doing so results in unexpected, yet fun little pops of texture and crunch. And, I like that the quinoa doesn't even have to be cooked prior to assembling the granola.

Granola is one of those recipes that can be adapted easily according to what is on hand and taste preferences. If you like pecans instead of sunflower seeds, go for it. Prefer a stronger cinnamon flavor? Use two teaspoons instead of one. Just be sure to keep the general measurement guidelines the same as you go along.

When I make granola, my family utilizes it mostly as a topping for yogurt. We almost always serve that with some sort of fresh fruit or a good-quality jam/preserve. If we want the granola more for snacking on its own, I usually toss in some dried fruit after the granola comes out of the oven ... we prefer the combination of raisins, dried cherries and dried apricots added in.

I will mention that this granola is not overly sweet. Honey and a little brown sugar are included in the ingredient list, but I don't like my granola cloyingly sweet. I should note, also, that I use unsweetened coconut, but sweetened can be used if desired. We usually serve our granola, yogurt and fruit "bowls" with honey drizzled on top, so that gives everything a little touch of additional sweetness, too.

20+ Scrumptious Breakfast Recipes from Joyously Domestic

 

Whether you're looking for something to feed the kiddos as they're heading out the door on a busy school morning or you're wanting something special for a weekend brunch, this collection of breakfast recipes is sure to bring some pizzazz to your morning meals. From overnight slow cooker oatmeal to an all-in-one breakfast casserole, you're sure to find some breakfast inspiration here.

Peanut Butter, Banana and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal "Muffins"

Hello. Remember me?

I have been on a hiatus (of sorts) from blogging any new recipes for a couple of months while we're remodeling a house that we just took possession of in July. (Are we close to completion? Thank you for asking. But, nope. Not even close. We're getting there, though.) We've been up to our eyeballs in cabinet staining, drywall work, mudding and such ... all those super-de-duper fun things that come along with most remodeling adventures.

I have barely been cooking or baking from-scratch recently. (I know - gasp.) Our new house is just a few miles from where we currently live and we're not moving in until most of the renovations are done. So, we've been at the new house working during our "free" time which has meant that my hubby and kids have been mostly living on take-out, pizza, granola bars and string cheese. (I wish I were kidding.)

This past weekend, however, I couldn't take it anymore. I was dying to get into the kitchen - even if it meant giving up a couple hours of working at the new place. So, I made a big pot of my Cheesy Potato Soup and kept it warm in my slow cooker to transport over to the new house. (Nothing says gourmet, by the way, like soup served in Styrofoam cups and eaten with plastic spoons.)

And, these scrumptious "muffins" were made ... and quickly devoured.

These are not quite actually muffins in the true sense of the word - they are chewier and a bit denser than traditional banana muffins. (Having no flour in the mix makes them a little different than muffins, as well.) Regardless, they are darn yummy and are great on the go! They actually remind me of Quaker Oatmeal To Go Breakfast Bars - if you've ever had those.

Who doesn't love the combination of chocolate, peanut butter and banana? They're made with stuff most of us usually have on hand and they're ready to pop in the oven in just a matter of minutes. They'll carry you through the morning and are, also, great for after school snacking.

Overnight Vanilla and Coconut Oats with Cacao Nibs

I've been following My Whole Food Life for quite some time now. Melissa's blog is one chocked full of creative recipes that are vegan and made using unprocessed ingredients. She is quite an inspiration. She is known for her overnight oat recipes and I've been wanting to try some of them for a long while now. Since she recommends eating the oats cold in the morning (they can be heated if desired), I was waiting until warmer weather arrived to delve into making some batches. I recently adapted one of her coconut vanilla versions to my liking and I am now officially hooked.

 

I love the texture and healthfulness of this recipe. And, as odd as it may sound, I can't believe how refreshing oatmeal can be when prepared this way. Know that this isn't your typical, hot oatmeal, however. It is meant to be eaten cold and it isn't overly sweet.

I can't wait to experiment with other flavors and variations. In my house, we live on steel cut oats made overnight in the slow cooker in the winter months. But, I am totally loving these oats cold out of the fridge now that we're waking up to warm temps here in Michigan.

Melissa uses steel cut oats on their own in her overnight oats recipes, but suggests using rolled oats if you don't want that extra crunchy texture and if you desire a smoother result. I used a combination of both and thought it was perfect.

This recipe makes enough for one serving. It can easily be adapted to make several servings at once.

Blueberry Swirl Cinnamon Rolls with Lemon Glaze

My family has a love affair with cinnamon rolls. We have my Ultimate Overnight Cinnamon Rolls every Christmas morning (and admittedly many other mornings throughout the year) and we've, also, come to love my Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls. Using berries in cinnamon rolls is something rather new to me, but this recipe has made me a true believer in the "amazing-ness" of berries in sweet rolls.

I choose blueberries, but I'm sure that other berries would be just as divine. (I'm thinking frozen cherries next time actually.)  In doing research for this post, I read many times that using frozen blueberries is important. Fresh blueberries apparently don't give up as much of their juices during the baking process.

Blueberries and lemon are a match made in heaven in my world. So I, of course, incorporated lemon into the glaze. The result was nothing short of heavenly.

My recipe uses frozen bread dough as a shortcut. So, the prep for these rolls is rather easy. And, these can even be made the night before and baked off in the morning for a sweet breakfast with little fuss. After arranging the rolls in your baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and store overnight in fridge. Allow to proof in the morning, then bake according to recipe directions.

Rustic Quiche with Ham, Asparagus and Cheese

Quiche is one of those things I love making when I want to use up some leftover ingredients that I have on hand in the fridge. Also, it's something pretty simple to throw together since I usually keep pie crust in the freezer or fridge. Sometimes I have store-bought or sometimes I have some discs of homemade. The filling possibilities are pretty endless with quiche - spinach, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, asparagus, ham, bacon or sausage. For this go-round, I used ham, green onions and asparagus. And, of course, there's cheese in there - lots of cheese!

And, truth be told ... I hate messing with crimping or fancying up the edges of pie crusts. So I just cut off the excess, leave it as-is and label the recipe rustic. (Sounds legit to me!)

Yields 8 slices.

Bananas Foster Cinnamon Roll Bake

I purchased two eight-count packs of cinnamon rolls on sale at a supermarket bakery last week. They looked so good in the package, but were a little on the dry side. I immediately had the idea to turn them into some type of breakfast-y casserole or bake. What I came up with is essentially a bread pudding, but this is a little less custard-y than traditional bread puddings.

One of our family's favorite desserts is bananas foster and after recently being given a bottle of rum extract, I knew I wanted to utilize it to take this recipe over the top. I'm positive, however, that you could use a good quality vanilla extract or even some booze (wohoo!) in place of the rum extract ... and this would still be just as heavenly.

I've seen cinnamon roll bread pudding made using many types of cinnamon rolls, so I'm sure the kind from the tube in the refrigerated section at the store (or even the frozen kind) that you bake at home would work great, too, in this recipe if you didn't want to purchase already-baked ones as I did.

This was a huge hit at Sunday's family brunch at my mother's house. It feeds a good-size crowd and was the perfect sweet treat to go along with our savory breakfast dishes.

Serves 10 - 12. (This recipe could easily be halved if serving a smaller crowd.)

Sausage Gravy and Biscuits Breakfast Bake

My daughter started driver's training this week. And, while I am completely overjoyed for her and in total celebration of this exciting milestone in her life, I will freely admit to feelings of sadness since I know that a teenager getting their license means less of a need for mom and dad. It's a big deal. Yes, it's the beginning of a new stage in her life, but it's, also, the ending of one. Another one of our children is entering the transition in adulthood. One child closer to an empty nest.

And, let us not overlook the obvious - it's a reminder that I am getting old(er). Ughh! On the flipside, it's a reminder to cherish every moment and every stage of life. My, oh my, how the time truly does go by oh, so fast.

Since we have a few weeks of non-stop evening driver's ed classes filling up our schedule on top of quiz bowl and play practices, I know sitting down to home-cooked meals as a family right now is going to be a challenge. Our schedule will mean eating very early dinners (like, four o'clock early). Yesterday's dinner was actually a breakfast recipe that we've come to love - this breakfast bake to be exact.

There's not much to say - it's simple, scrumptious and super satisfying. It's great for a weekend breakfast or as a breakfast-for-dinner option. All of our favorite breakfast components are combined into one casserole - biscuits, sausage gravy and cheesy eggs.

NOTE: I chose this time to leave the biscuits whole, but they can be cut into fourths if you'd like. Doing so allows more of the gravy, eggs and cheese to coat more biscuit surface.

Serves 4 - 6.

Ham and Cheddar Scones

Let me just say that I could barely pull myself away from these fresh-out-of-the-oven and oh, so scrumptious scones to even write up this post.  Seriously.  These babies are so amazing.  As I write, I have a big pot of cheesy potato chowder on the stove to buddy up with these scones for our dinner soon.

If you've never made scones, they are pretty much similar to a biscuit.  They are flaky and tender just a like a good biscuit should be.  They get a little toasty on the exterior, but the interior just melts in your mouth.  Most of the scones I've ever made have been sweet like, my Blueberry Scones with Lemon Drizzle Glaze.  I swear every time I make any type of scones that I will double the batch next time, but I never do.  I just know I would really overindulge then.

These Ham and Cheddar Scones make a great accompaniment to soup, but are, also, fabulous as-is with a little butter for breakfast. You can jazz these up any way you like - a little garlic powder or fresh herbs added in would be super yummy.

Yields 8 scones.