Think Inside the Box

I'm just saying it right now, I promise I won't totally nag on boxed muffin mix. I actually adore you, Betty Crocker. You provide the easily prepared sweets for my, at times, hectic life. What would the world be like without Betty Crocker and Pillsbury boxed mixes, you ask? Well, everyone would know how to make homemade brownies! Or we would manage to live without. But let's not think about those scary thoughts.

Betty Crocker, you're a magnificent lady!

Anywho, just in case you don't know, I absolutely loathe Twinkies, pre-made pie filling, and other plastic(I mean cream) filled cake things. But boxed muffin mix is fine with me!

Sometimes you get the little fake blueberry pellets that just appear quite unappetizing. But we were lucky enough to stumble across this beauty:



Wild Blueberry boxed muffin mix...with a can of real blueberries!! I was ecstatic. So I got to work right away(ok, maybe a couple days after the purchase of the muffin mix)


Contents of box: 1 pouch of mix, 1 can of little baby blueberries.

So, then you can strain, rinse(the berries), and mix!


Then fill a 12-cup muffin pan with paper muffin liners. I started out using my 100% eco-friendly, recycled, and unbleached muffin cups. Then I ran out and was stuck between gold cups and Christmas tree ones. I was most definitely between a rock and an extremely hard place.


But I finally settled on the gold ones. Fill all the cups to, you know, 2/3 or 3/4 full. It can even be 4/5 if you really want.


I found some leftover streusel in the fridge and threw that on top for crumbly deliciousness!

Pop them in the oven for the recommended time. Look at those golden, crispy tops only to reveal the moist and flavorful insides.


There's tomorrow's breakfast in under 30 minutes!! And to think it all came from a box : )

Peanut Butter Pancakes

These are SO good and this recipe uses Bisquick(Gotta love quick biscuits) but I am currently working on a recipe that is completely from scratch. Smooth peanut butter would probably be best although I have never tried chunky so tell me how it goes. I have this wierd thing where I try to put lots of different stuff in pancakes so if anyone has any creative pancake fillers or toppers, feel free to comment!

What you need:
1 cup Bisquick mix
1 egg
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips(depending on your chocolate needs. Mine are pretty needy)

What you do:
Preheat griddle, which I think is the easiest way to make pancakes, or frying pan to about medium heat. One time I made a ton of toast on a griddle, but that is a whole other story! Mix egg, milk, and peanut butter. It may look totally nasty but when in doubt, keep whisking! Add the Bisquick when the wet stuff is all mixed. Now you can add the chocolate chips or you can sprinkle them on once your pour the batter on the griddle. Drop a plethora of dollops on the warm griddle and when they are golden, flip. When all the pancakes are fluffy and toasty pile on a plate and add a dollop of butter(yeah butter!) and eat. Bon appetit! And yes, I had to eat a bite before taking the picture : )

Breakfast In a Cup!

After many trials, I have perfected my all-together-all-you-need-breakfast in a cup!! I make them in my ramekins and they are so cute! You can also use breakfast sausage instead of ham. You may want to make them the night before and then cook them in the morning or you can even cook them the night before and then just reheat them in the morning! Dee-lish!

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded hashbrowns(or cubed if you really have to: )
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp milk
1 egg-beaten
1/4 cup cubed ham

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup of cheese. Separate into four ramekins and top with the remaining cheese. You may want to place all the ramekins into a bigger pan so you can transport them easier. Put into the oven and cook for about 25-30 minutes. Yes, I realize there are only three ramekins in the picture. That is because the fourth one barely made it out of the oven before being gobbled up : ) I am sorry, it just looked so delicious. Bon appetit!

Breakfast Sandwiches

These are great if you are not a huge breakfast food person or if you don't have much time to make breakfast. They are fast and healthy. Double bonus!

Ingredients:
1 english muffin, cut in half
1 slice of ham
1 egg
1 slice of cheese

But a small dab of butter in little frying pan. Beat egg and add a splash of milk. Pour egg into frying pan and turn on med-high heat. Keep scrambling until done. Assemble sandwich as follows: Bottom half of muffin, ham, egg, cheese, top half of muffin. Put on a plate and microwave for about twenty seconds so cheese will melt. Enjoy your morning treat!

Breakfast

This is our breakfast section. It is full of healthy recipes to start your day!