Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes & Blueberry Lemon Sauce

It's a lazy Sunday.  The sun was shining early this morning but now it's clouded over and the weather forecast has waivered between freezing rain and rain and then topped off with snow.  It was time to bring a little sunshine into a brunch.  

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

1 tbsp. lemon zest

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. butter, melted

1 large egg

3/4 cup milk

Mix together dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.  Stir in wet ingredients.  Heat your griddle.  Melt a little butter on it before starting your pancakes.  When the pancakes are bubbling and turning golden on the first side, flip carefully and cook the second side.

Blueberry Lemon Sauce
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
2 tsp cornstarch
10 oz blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 dash cinnamon (optional)

Whisk together the sugar, water and cornstarch in a small saucepan.  Add in the blueberries, lemon juice and zest and bring to a boil.  Stir until the sauce thickens, remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon.  Serve warm or cold.

Spicy Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts

These chicken breasts stay so moist, thanks to the bacon, and are perfect for a weeknight dinner since prep is easy and you just put them in the oven and let them bake with no fuss.  I'm showing that I made 2 but there's enough of the brown sugar mixture for 4 breasts, just add in 2 additional slices of bacon for each.

Spicy Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts

2 boneless chicken breasts

4 slices of bacon (I used thick slice, Applewood smoked)

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

Mix together brown sugar, chili powder and salt in a bowl for dipping the chicken in.  Wrap the chicken breasts in bacon and roll in the brown sugar mixture.  Place in a non-stick aluminum foil lined baking pan.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350° or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°.

Chocolate Ricotta Cake & Nutella Icing

I grew up eating chocolate cake.  It was a little on the dry side but the icing was awesome and a glass of milk made everything good.  This cake is the opposite - very moist.  In fact so much so that you won't even need a glass of milk.  

Chocolate Ricotta Cake

Sift together ~

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup  Double- Dutch dark cocoa (I use King Arthur)

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

In another bowl, mix together ~

1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese

2 large eggs and 1 yolk

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup hot water

Stir the dry ingredients gradually into the wet.  Place in a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean at 350°.  Allow to cool completely before icing.

Nutella Icing

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup Nutella

2 tbsp. milk

2 cups powdered sugar

Chocolate & Potato Chip Cookies

I’ll admit that I’m fascinated with all foods that contain potato chips.  I’m working on a brownie recipe but for the moment I decided to make chocolate chip cookies with ripple chips.

 

Chocolate & Potato Chip Cookies

 

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup ripple potato chips, crushed

12 oz chocolate chips

 

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add in the egg and vanilla.  Gradually stir in the dry ingredients.  Fold in the potato chips and then the chips.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Scoop out onto parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350°.

Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells

If your family loves Chicken Parmesan, then they will love these stuffed shells full of chicken and creamy ricotta cheese. 

Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells

1# chicken tenders, cooked and fork shredded

15 oz ricotta cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 large egg

1 tsp oregano

¼ tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

30 large pasta shells, cooked al dente

1 ½ cups red pasta sauce

In a large bowl combine the cheeses, chicken, egg and spices.  In a greased 9 x 13 pan, place the pasta sauce at the bottom evenly.  Stuff each shell.  I found using an ice cream scoop (the one you use for meatballs) works perfectly.  Line the pan with the shells and bake for 30 minutes at 350°.  Remove from oven and sprinkle 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese on top and return to the oven until it melts.

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Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

If you love lemon and poppy seeds, this is a perfect bread for snacking or to serve guests. 

 

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 large egg

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup lemon juice or lemonade

1 tsp lemon zest

2 cups flour

1 tbsp poppy seeds

 

Cream together butter and sugars.  Add in egg and yogurt.  Fold in the baking soda, salt, poppy seeds and lemon zest.  Gradually alternate stirring in the lemon juice and flour.  Place mixture in a greased loaf pan.  Bake for 70 minutes at 350°.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan and placing on a cooling rack.

Peach Bread

This is a delicious bread full of peach chunks and the recipe makes 2 loaves.  One for you and one to freeze for later or giveaway to a close friend or family member.  I used frozen peaches and put them in the food 

Peach Bread

3/4 cup butter softened

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups peaches, chopped

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour

Cream together butter, cream cheese, vanilla and sugar.  Fold in peaches.  Add in dry ingredients gradually.  Divide the dough and spread evenly into 2 greased loaf pans.  Bake for 60-70 minutes.  Test with a wooden cake tester to make sure it's fully cooked.  Cool for 20 minutes before cutting into.