Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake

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When is it okay to eat cake for breakfast?

When you call if a "breakfast" cake!  One that has blueberries in it.  Oh, and buttermilk.  Both blueberries and buttermilk are breakfast items so that qualifies as a breakfast right?

Look at it like a coffee cake...

So I saw this recipe on my favorite addiction, Pinterest, and had to make it.  Hot blueberries fresh from the oven are another addiction of mine.  I'm sure that nobody can resist a blueberry bursting in your mouth.

BUTTERMILK BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST CAKE

Let me confess that "I LOVE THIS CAKE"!  A moist and tender cake filled with blueberries that give the sweetness a burst of tart.  Each bite leaves you wanting more.  Dangerous, I know.

This would be the perfect cake to serve at an Easter Brunch.  It would also do well at potlucks, as a hostess gift, or at bridal or baby showers.  It's easy to make and everyone will love it!

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake


½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar for sprinkling
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup flour
cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.   In a medium bowl cream the butter, lemon zest, and 3/4 cup of sugar with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla and whisk until combined.

To a small bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk.

Toss the blueberries with 1/4 cup of flour.  Fold in the blueberries into the batter. 

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with non-stick spray. Spread batter into the pan. Sprinkle batter with a tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool in the pan 15 minutes on a wire rack.  Serve.  

Adapted from Alexandra's Kitchen

Naan Pizza - 2 Variations (Pesto Chicken Pizza and Pepperoni)

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Individual Naan Pizza made your way!

We love pizza in our house but don't eat it as often as I would like.  So when we decided to throw a  get together with friends MGG asked if we could make pizza. So I had the idea of letting our guests make their own individual pizzas and knew that Naan Bread would be the perfect way to accomplish that.

Now I've made pizza using many vehicles as the base.  My recipe for homemade Pizza Dough is the best.  I've also made grilled pizza using pita bread.  English muffins, tortillas, and even a can of biscuits will work in a pinch.  Naan Bread is another perfect platform for pizza and a great way to serve kids at a birthday party, friends over for game day, or just a quick lunch or dinner for your family!

NAAN PIZZA - 2 VARIATIONS

(PESTO CHICKEN PIZZA AND PEPPERONI PIZZA)

Pepperoni Pizza

Pesto Chicken Pizza

We decided to do a dry run before the actual party.  So we made 2 variations of Naan Pizza.  Pepperoni (my all time favorite) and Pesto Chicken Pizza.  I must say that I loved my Pepperoni pizza but the Pesto Chicken Pizza was to DIE FOR!  And the best part is that you can get it in the oven in no time and in 10 minutes dinner is served!

Pesto Chicken Pizza

Enjoy!





Naan Pizza - 2 Variations
(Pesto Chicken Pizza and Pepperoni)



Pepperoni Pizza

1 Naan Bread (individual size)
4 Tablespoons pizza sauce
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, sliced (from fresh whole mozzarella)  (I used Galbani)
Pepperoni

Spread pizza sauce on naan bread.  Top with pepperoni and sliced cheese.  Place on a baking sheet.  Bake in the oven at 450 degrees for 10 minutes until cheese has melted and edges of the bread has browned slightly.

Pesto Chicken Pizza

1/2 cup precooked chicken, shredded

4 Tablespoons pesto

4 Tablespoons pizza sauce

1 Naan Bread (individual size)

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, sliced  (from fresh whole mozzarella)  (I used Galbani)

Red, Yellow, and Orange Bell pepper, sliced into rings

fresh tomato, diced

1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated

In a skillet over medium low heat, add the shredded chicken and 2 Tablespoons of pesto.  Stir to combine and heat.  In a small bowl add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of pesto and the pizza sauce and mix until blended. 

Spread pizza sauce on Naan bread.  Top with chicken pesto mixture.  Top with slices of mozzarella cheese, bell pepper slices, and chopped tomato.  Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.  Place on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 450 degrees for 10 minutes until cheese has melted and edges of the bread has browned slightly.

Damn Good Garlic Roasted Potatoes

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I grew up on meat and potatoes. 

Potatoes were a staple in our house and Mom made them all different ways.  I remember her teaching me how to make French fries, the fried kind in a cast iron skillet.  We made them all the time to go with Burgers and Hot Dogs, Steaks, and just because.   Oh how I love potatoes!

I still have that cast iron skillet we made the French fries in but these days it's used for other things and my French fries and baked in the oven!  Such a healthier approach to cooking potatoes, don't you think?  Plus roasted potatoes are outrageously good! 

So say you want to make my Jack Daniel's Whiskey Marinated Flank Steak and want a great side dish.  How about Damn Good Garlic Roasted Potatoes?  Oh yes please!  They are the perfect side dish to any beef, chicken, or pork dish.  If you are a garlic lover then these are made for you.  Not 1 but 2 types of garlic are used in this dish to give it that intensely garlicky flavor.  One is garlic powder and the other is a garlic infused olive oil.  I have to tell you these are sizzling good potatoes that taste like fries.

DAMN GOOD GARLIC ROASTED POTATOES

They roast at a high temperature to give you a crispy outside and tender inside.  They are so good that I never make the "fried" fries anymore.  I found I like these just as well and don't miss the fat that goes along with frying.  You'll love them too.  Try them today!

Enjoy!




Kitchen Note:  This recipe uses Garlic Infused Olive Oil.  I've made mine and included instructions below, or you can purchase it.  Other uses for it are over steamed vegetables, in salad dressings, use to sauté chicken or toss with pasta.




Damn Good Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 large russet potatoes

Garlic powder

Garlic infused Olive oil:

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 head garlic

Directions:

To make the Garlic infused Olive oil:  Smash and peel cloves of garlic. Transfer to a medium pot, add olive oil, and heat over medium-low heat until bubbles form around garlic, about 3 minutes. Cook for 10 minutes, on low so the garlic does not brown to much.  Remove from heat and let cool about 45 minutes.  Store in a sealed tight jar.

For the potatoes:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Peel potatoes, cut into planks lengthwise.  Cut each plank into long fries.

Place fries on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Just enough to lightly coat.  Toss fries in oil.

Separate fries out on the pan so they are not touching.

Sprinkle with garlic powder.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 min.  Take fries out and turn them over so they brown on the other side. Return to oven and bake another 10-15 min. until crispy.