Pancake and Veggie Sausage Muffins

I used to love eating pancake and sausage on a stick, but I haven't eaten them since becoming vegetarian. Thanks to the many varieties of soy products, I came up with this healthier version of the delicious pairing of pancake and sausage.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/4 c. milk
1 egg
3 Tbsp melted butter
Gimme Lean ground veggie sausage
Syrup
Olive oil for frying

Recipe:
The above pancake ingredients make awesome fluffy homemade pancakes if you're looking for a simple pancake recipe.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Makes 12 muffins.

Roll out 12 balls of the veggie sausage. Fry balls in about one tablespoon of olive oil until browned.

Meanwhile, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Whisk in the milk, egg, and melted butter making sure not to over-mix. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full with the pancake batter.

Drop one "meat"ball into each muffin cup, and press down slightly so that the batter will cover the ball. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Serve immediately and drizzle with syrup.

Bloody Mary Seasoning

Who doesn't love a Bloody Mary?  They make it acceptable to drink in the morning! But I've found it's difficult to make a quality one at home without using a store bought mix . This seasoning turns plain tomato juice into tasty homemade Bloody Mary mix.

Ingredients:
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp tarragon
1/8 tsp oregano
1 tsp black pepper

-This makes enough seasoning for several drinks. Add 3/4 tsp to your favorite Bloody Mary recipe.

There are many ways to make a Bloody Mary and everyone has their own preferences on taste and spiciness. I played around with a few recipes and came up with this one; it has a ton of flavor, but you can tone it down a bit by adding less juices:

5.5 oz V8 juice
2.5 oz vodka
3/4 tsp bloody mary seasoning
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp pickle juice
1 tsp olive juice
few dashes of hot sauce
optional 1/2 tsp horseradish

Combine everything in a shaker with ice. Shake until well mixed, and pour into a pint glass over ice.
I used pickle, olive, and jalapeno slices for garnish.

I like them spicy!

Blueberry Cream Souffle

Here is another recipe from my anniversary brunch.

Ingredients:
1 pkg cream cheese
5 c. french bread, cubed
1 c. fresh blueberries
4 eggs
1 c. milk
1/4 c. maple syrup

Blueberry Syrup:
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. blueberries
1/2 tsp vanilla
(makes 1 cup)

This recipe is halved so that I could make smaller portions and bake it in my souffle dishes. Double it to make in a large casserole dish.


Recipe:
Place the bread cubes and blueberries in a large bowl. Cut half of the cream cheese into small cubes and toss with the bread cubes and blueberries.  Spray the soufflé dishes, and over-fill with the bread mixture.

Soften the rest of the cream cheese in the microwave. Wisk together the cheese, eggs, milk, and syrup until well blended. Pour over the bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Before baking bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. In a saucepan on the stovetop, blend the sugar, corn syrup, and blueberries. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.

Let the baked soufflés cool for a few minutes before serving, and top with blueberry syrup.

Fresh Peach Bellini

Ingredients:
2 peaches
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
Champagne or sparkling wine

Recipe:
Cut the peaches into small pieces and place them in a blender along with the lemon juice and sugar. Blend until pureed. Spoon about 2 oz of peach puree into a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine.

Spinach Cheese Strata

This year for our anniversary we stayed in and I made a fancy brunch. The menu included spinach and cheese strata, blueberry cream souffles, fresh pineapple, and peach bellinis. 

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen spinach, thawed and drained
4 c. Italian or French bread, cubed
1 c. cheddar cheese
1 c. mozzerella cheese
4 eggs
1 1/4 c. milk
salt and pepper


Recipe:
In a pan over medium heat melt the butter, and sauté the onions for about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and spinach, and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

Spray a 2 ½ quart baking dish and layer the bottom with half of the bread cubes. Top with half of the spinach mixture and half of each of the cheeses. Repeat with the remaining bread, spinach, and cheese.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and salt and pepper until blended. Pour the mixture over the bread, spinach, and cheese.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 8 hours for up to 1 day.

When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator and let it sit for 30 minutes before putting it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.