Blueberry Coffee Cake

I recently discovered these new recipe cards at my local Publix. They are not the Publix Apron's Meals, but a different group of individual recipes called "recipes that make cents", and I found them in some racks over in the produce section. I grabbed about 10 of them, excited to try some new things. The first recipe I attempted was for a blueberry-filled coffee cake.

I am in a book club that meets every month and the month of November was my turn to host. We read the book "Sundays at Tiffany's" by James Patterson, which I really enjoyed, and because the main character had brunch with her mother every Sunday, I decided my theme would be brunch! Coincidentally, brunch is my favorite meal ever. Plus, this was a great opportunity for me to try out this new recipe.

It was a definite success. Everyone brought a different brunch item and we stuffed ourselves with deliciousness. Lani (Pleasurecooker blogger) made an amazing breakfast cheesecake that I will be trying to make very soon - check out her blog for some awesome recipes. Another fellow book club member, Kelly, made delicious potato casserole, and she has a great blog as well.

If you like blueberries, you will love this recipe. The bread has a cake-like texture and it's very light and moist. I think it could double as a dessert served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cinnamon/brown sugar topping is just the right amount of sweetness. And my favorite part - this recipe is so EASY. Enjoy!














Blueberry-Filled Coffee Cake (recipe found at Publix by Try-Foods Intl')
Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries (I used frozen blueberries, thawed)

Cinnamon topping ingredients
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat an 8x8 pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together flour and baking powder. Then add sugar, oil, and egg and beat together. Stir in orange juice and vanilla to combine.
2. For cinnamon topping - in seperate bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon ingredients for topping. Add oil and stir until crumbly. Set aside.
3. Spread half of the batter into baking pan. Sprinkle with half the blueberries, and half the cinnamon topping. Repeat layers.
4. Bake 35-45 minutes (use toothpick test.. I had to bake for 45 minutes). Let cool before cutting.

Banana Bread with a little chocolate-y goodness

I had bananas that were very ripe and I only like eating green bananas.. so instead of wasting them I decided to make some banana bread. I had all of the ingredients already because it basically just uses the normal baking staples. I used a Paula Deen recipe and it came out pretty delicious. I added chocolate chips because I think bananas and chocolate are just a match made in heaven. By the way, this recipe makes 2 loaves so it's great for making one for you, and one for a gift!

1. 1 cup butter, softened
2. 1 1/2 cups sugar
3. 4 large eggs
4. 3 cups all-purpose flour
5. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6. 1 teaspoon salt
7. 2 cups ripe, mashed, bananas
8. 1 cup chopped pecans (I omitted these because my husband doesn't like nuts)
   
9. 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
   

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans.
2. In a medium bowl and with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring well. Add bananas and pecans, stirring just until combined. Spoon batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove from pans, and allow to cool completely on wire racks.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread!

What better way to kick off my food blog than with a holiday gift recipe?? This is one of my faves, I give these little bread gifts to coworkers and friends because it is budget friendly, cute, and also thoughtful!

I found this recipe online a few years ago while searching for a simple bread recipe to fill these ceramic mini loaf dishes I bought in the Michael's $1 section. (Michael's has been selling these little loaf dishes every holiday season and hopefully they will continue to do so because it's a great deal) When I came across this recipe I just had to try it because it sounded so different. It ended up being delicious and now my friends can't wait for me to make it again each year! It is also one of the easiest recipes I have ever come across, so even if you are not a baker you should be able to pull this off and impress some people. :)

CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN BREAD

3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 1/4 cups oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° Grease mini loaf pans.

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl. In another bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil. Stir into dry ingredients until moistened. Then add chocolate chips.

Pour into pans.

Bake approx 45 minutes to 1 hour. (toothpick test to make sure they're done)














I like to wrap the dishes in cellophane, tie with some nice ribbon, and then add a little something. Last year I attached little holiday candles. This year I did a little ornament.