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A few months ago I was asked to prepare an appreciation breakfast - for the Maternity Resource Center housed at IBC.  WOW - I was honored, thrilled and challenged.  After giving it some thought I agreed to the challenge!  I had never been the sole provider of a meal of this magnitude.  Approximately 40 people would be attending and I was the creating of the menu and prepare of the food.  I was so excited.  I began thinking through ideas - making sure I had a large variety and tried to meet various dietary restrictions, food allergies, etc.  Alas I developed a menu that provided variety, tastes of the season and could be semi-easily prepared.  In early June I  sent the menu to the board for their reviewand approval.  APPROVED!

The breakfast was scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 24.  I knew that most of my baked good/pastry-like items would need to be prepared prior to that morning leaving ample oven space and time for those items that had to be handled the morning of.  So I blocked off all of Friday evening to bake and prep dishes for Saturday.  With the help of my Mom and youngest sister, I was able to accomplish all of my goals for Friday evening, and then they did a tag team operation on Saturday to provide additional assistance. I was doing well with the stress and only began to min-freak out around 8:15 when I wasn't sure I'd meet my deadline.  Breakfast lines would open at 9:15 a.m. - following a welcome and prayer.  I was at the church on Friday from 6:15 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. - my youngest nieces and nephew did assist in making/prepping some of the dishes and also begin gracious taste testers...their favorite the Apple Pie Muffins.  We had a few oops moments - but we recovered them nicely...actually the dish we had the biggest OOPS with - was a dish that everyone raved over!  I did receive a few "war wounds" - a couple of burns...one will be left on my arm as a reminder of this personal food challenge!

My goal was to be back at IBC by 6:30 a.m. - but thanks to the heavy fog that morning I was 10 min. late to making that goal.  However, I quickly made up the time and breakfast was ready to be served at 9:08 a.m. - can I get a "WOOT WOOT!"  I thought I'd share some of the recipes with you.  Many of the ladies who attended asked for copies - and those have been e-mailed.  A couple of other ladies even asked if I catered or would consider catering...WOWZAS really?  I never thought my food was catering quality.  But I told them that while I don't have a catering business, I'm always open to considering an opportunity to bless others with my love of food.

~Menu~

Breakfast Casserole

Veggie Breakfast Casserole

Sausage Pinwheels

Redskin Roasters

Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Granola Bars

Coffee Cakes - Cinnamon Swirl, Blueberry Sour Cream and Pumpkin

Muffins - Wild Berry and Apple Pie

Fruit - Grapes, Bananas, Oranges, Cantaloupe (the non-listeria outbreak version) and Strawberries

Drinks - Coffee (Reg & Decaf), Assorted Hot Tea, Milk, Juice - Orange and Cranberry

A few of the recipes I used are below...I knew you'd want your own copy!


Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake (Source:  "Help My Family is Hungry")

1 package yellow cake mix
1 package (3 ounces) vanilla instant pudding
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350*, Spray Bundt pan with vegetable oil.

Place cake mix, pudding mix, oil, eggs and sour cream in a mixing bowl, and beat on low with an electric mixer for 8 minutes. In a small bowl stir together remaining ingredients.

Pour a third of the cake batter into prepared bundt pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of the sugar mixture on top. Draw a knife through the two mixtures to create a marble effect. Repeat two more times, using remaining batter and sugar mixture.

Bake 1 hour. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then dump onto serving platter. (I sprinkled the top with confectioner's sugar)  Servings:  12


Pumpkin Coffee Cake (Source: Allrecipes.com)

Topping:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold butter (I only use real butter)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cake:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325*. Spray and flour a 9x13 cake pan.

In a small bowl, combine sugars and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the sour cream, pumpkin and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture. Beat on low just until blended. Spread batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with topping mixture.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Servings:  16


Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Source: Allrecipes.com)

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 5/8 cup all purpose flour (5/8 is 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I used fresh)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease and flour a 9-inch bundt pan.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into the batter, just until blended. Fold in the blueberries.

Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Sprinkle half of this mixture over the batter in pan. Spoon remaining batter over the top, and then sprinkle with remaining pecan mixture over. Use a knife or thin spatula to swirl the sugar layer into the cake.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the crown of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack. Invert onto a serving plate - tap firmly to remove from pan. Dust with confectioner's sugar just before serving.  Servings:  12


Sausage Pinwheels (aka Sausage Swirly Doos) (Source:  Allrecipes.com)
1 pound Sausage Roll (uncooked)
1 can crescent roll dough
Shredded cheddar cheese

Remove crescent roll dough from the can.  DO NOT separate rolls.  Roll out dough to a 16x4 inch rectangle - pulling dough as needed, making sure not to create holes in the dough.  Carefully spread uncooked sausage in and even layer over the dough.  Sprinkle with desired amount of shredded cheese.  Roll the dough lengthwise to form a long roll.  Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 15 min.

Preheat oven to 350*.  Using a serrated knife, cut dough into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet (make sure it has edges).  Bake 15-20 minutes, or until sausage is cooked through. Serve hot.  Refrigerate leftovers.


Apple Pie Muffins (Source:  Allrecipes.com)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups diced apples (I used Fuji)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper muffin cups.

In a large bowl, stir together 2 1/4 cups flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate smaller bowl, mix together the egg, buttermilk, 1/2 cup melted butter, vanilla and 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar until sugar has dissolved. Pour into the flour mixture and sprinkle the diced apple into the bowl as well. Stir just until everything is blended. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin, filling the cups almost to the top.

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour and cinnamon. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of melted butter while tossing with a fork until well blended. Sprinkle this over the tops of the muffins.

Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pressed.   Servings:  12


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