Cranberry-Lemon Buttermilk Muffins

I recently posted a blog about breakfast and brunch foods that are easy to make ahead for Christmas morning. Lest any of my readers doubt that I practice what I preach, below are step-by-step instructions and photos for making the cranberry-lemon muffins described in that blog. I asked my family to review both that blog entry and last year's similarly-themed post, and then asked if they had any request for this year's Christmas breakfast. My kids have been on an egg kick lately, so it was no surprise that the requested the Egg Puffs from this year's list, and my husband was in favor, as well. But being the carb fanatic that I am, I wanted to include some kind of bread or muffin as well, and since I had a half a bag of cranberries and a bottle of buttermilk left over from Thanksgiving, this was the perfect recipe.

The complete recipe is posted at the bottom, but here are my step-by-step instructions. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!

The first step is, of course, to gather all your ingredients: sugar, lemon (or lemon zest), flour, butter, vanilla, baking powder, salt, buttermilk, an egg, and cranberries.

Next, line a dozen standard-sized muffin cups with paper liners. If you don't want to use liners, I don't see any reason you couldn't just grease the muffin tins. But if you want to freeze the muffins, the liners are probably a good idea to keep them stable.

In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar with 2 teaspoons lemon zest. I didn't feel like measuring, so I just zested my lemon until it felt right. You don't usually get to guesstimate in baking, but this is really an adjust to taste" situation. Also, don't use too small of  a bowl, because you'll be reusing it shortly.

 Using a fork, whisk the zest into the sugar until it all seems to be evenly distributed.

Set aside 1/2 cup of the mix.

To the remaining 1/4 cup of lemon sugar, add 1/4 cup flour and whisk together with a fork (this is why you don't want your bowl to be too small.) 

Add two tablespoons of cold butter and cut in with a pastry blender, fork, or two knives.

I prefer using two knives like scissor blades to cut in the butter initially, then I find it works best to just get in there with (clean, dry!) fingers and mix until everything is evenly crumbly. This is the streusel to top the muffins.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, the remaining 1/2 cup of lemon sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature), 6 tablespoons melted butter, 1 egg (also at room temperature), and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

 Whisk it all together until there are no streaks of butter or egg.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and gently fold it in until combined. Make sure to scoop all the way under the center of the batter to mix in any pockets of flour. The resulting batter will be quite thick, halfway between batter and dough.

Fold in the cranberries until evenly distributed.

Distribute batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. The batter will pretty much fill the cups.

Top each muffin with a generous amount of streusel. Really heap it on, there's plenty.

Pop them in the oven at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

 Take them out when the tops just start to get golden brown.

I let the muffins cool in the tins for a few minutes, then popped them out with a butter knife just in case the streusel stuck to the tins as it cooled. But there was very little spillover, and sticking was not a problem at all.

 I let them finish cooling on a wire rack.

Gorgeous and festive! Happy eating!

Full recipe:

3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 1/4 cups flour, divided
1/2 cup butter, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, warmed to room temperature
6 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Line a 12- cup muffin pan with paper cups.

In a small bowl, blend together the sugar and the lemon peel. Set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture.

Add 1/4 cup flour to the remaining 1/4 cup lemon-sugar and whisk together. With a fork or pastry blender, cut in 2 tablespoons of cold butter until the mixture is crumbly.

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, the remaining 1/2 cup lemon-sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour. Stir until just combined. Fold in the cranberries. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins generously with the reserved crumb mixture. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and spring back when lightly touched.

Once completely cooled, muffins can be stored in an airtight container, or frozen in freezer bags. Frozen muffins may be reheated individually in microwave or bake the entire batch in a 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

Make-Ahead Christmas Brunch, 2017 Edition

Last year, I posted a collection of recipes for wonderful brunch foods that can be prepared ahead of time for Christmas morning. But just in case you've already used all those and are looking for some new ideas for this year, here are a few more breakfast and brunch recipes that can be popped in the oven before you start opening presents and enjoy once everything has been opened.

Sticky Lemon Buns
If you want something a little different from traditional glazed cinnamon buns or pecan rolls, try these refreshing lemon buns with a sticky cream cheese glaze. The recipe makes 12 large buns so there will be plenty for all and maybe even leftovers for an afternoon snack. (Then again, maybe not.)

For the dough:
1 envelope active yeast

3/4 cup milk, warmed ("handwashing warm")
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 lemon, zested
4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

For the filling:
1 cup sugar
1 lemon, zested
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup lemon juice

For the glaze:
1 lemon, zested and juiced
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

For the dough: In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warmed milk and let it sit for a few minutes. Stir the butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and 1 cup of the flour into the milk and yeast mixture. Stir in the salt and nutmeg. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft yet sticky dough. Knead for 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, pliable, and stretchy. Lightly grease the top of the dough with vegetable oil, and turn the dough over so it is coated in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise until doubled, about an hour.

For the filling: While the dough is rising, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with the tips of your fingers until well combined. Add the butter and beat until thick and creamy. Add the ginger and nutmeg. Slowly add the lemon juice and whip. It should be a thin yet still creamy mixture of butter and sugar. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour, or until you are ready to assemble the rolls.

Assembly: Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking dish with baking spray or butter. On a floured surface, pat the risen dough into a large but thick rectangle, about 10 x 15 inches. Spread the dough evenly with filling. Roll tightly, starting from the top long end. Stretch and pull the dough taut as you roll, to keep the filling inside. Cut the long roll into 12 even rolls and place each in the prepared baking dish. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour or until puffy and doubled. At this point, you can refrigerate the rolls. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or a towel, and place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Remove from fridge and allow to rise at room temperature for 1 hour before baking. Bake at 350  for 35 minutes.

For the glaze: While the rolls are baking, combine the lemon juice and cream cheese and beat until light and fluffy. (Reserve the lemon zest.) Add the powdered sugar and blend until smooth and creamy. When the rolls are done, smear them with glaze and sprinkle the reserved lemon zest over top to garnish. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving, but serve warm.

Ham and Cheese Casserole
Breakfast casseroles are like any other kind of casserole: It's best to start with a basic recipe, but then feel free to adjust the ingredients to your own (and your guests') taste and what you have on hand. This recipe is an excellent starting point, but feel free to use bacon or cubed ham in place of the pancetta, any other kind of bread instead of challah, and your favorite combination of cheese

4 cups cubed challah or similar bread (3/4-inch cubes)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, diced
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Grease an 8-inch square baking dish and spread the cubed bread in the bottom. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another heavy skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat and sauté the pancetta until the fat is almost all rendered and it begins to get crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Whisk the eggs, milk, dry mustard, nutmeg, thyme, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.

Spread the pancetta over the bread cubes, then layer the onions on top. Sprinkle grated Gruyère on next, and then pour the egg mixture over the entire thing. Press down on the top gently, so that all of the bread cubes get soaked a bit with the egg mixture. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, remove from allow to sit at room temperature while oven preheats to 350°F. Bake, uncovered, 35 to 50 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Check the interior with a knife; if it comes out clean the bread custard is baked through. (Cover with aluminum foil near the end of cooking if the top is already browned.)

Sausage and Grits Quiche
I love sausage, I love grits, and I love quiche. This casserole is definitely a triple win for me!And with the spinach, you can even pretend it's healthy.

1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach
1 (16-oz.) package pork sausage
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked grits
1 cup grated Asiago cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar, divided
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons white cornmeal

Thaw spinach; drain well, pressing between paper towels, and set aside. Slit sausage casing and crumble into in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook about 5 minutes, until no pink remains. Drain and set aside.

Combine chicken broth, cream, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in grits, and return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, whisking occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in Asiago, pepper, and 3/4 cup cheddar until melted. Mixture will be very thick. Gradually stir about one-fourth of hot grits into eggs; stir egg mixture into remaining hot grits. Stir in spinach and sausage until blended. Sprinkle bottom and sides of a lightly greased 10-inch deep-dish pie plate with cornmeal. Spoon grits mixture into pie plate; sprinkle with remaining cheddar.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, then bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before serving.

Lemon Cranberry Muffins

Saving your appetite for a big Christmas dinner later? Or perhaps you already spoiled it with all the candy in your stocking? Either way, if you're looking for a lighter breakfast, these sweet-tart muffins are the way to go. 

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
¾ cup plain yogurt
⅓ cup vegetable oil

1 egg
3 teaspoons lemon zest, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups flour
½ cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (thawed), coarsely chopped

Whisk together ½ cup sugar, yogurt, oil, egg, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the yogurt mixture and fold until almost blended. Gently fold in cranberries. Divide the batter among 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray or lined with paper liners. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the tops of the muffins. Bake the muffins at 400 until golden brown and they spring back lightly to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Muffins can also be made up to 1 month ahead and frozen, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. To reheat from frozen, remove plastic, wrap muffin in a paper towel and microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds.

Bacon and Egg Empanadas
Cream cheese and cheddar give these empanadas a hearty richness that'll keep up your energy for a whole day of visiting. Throw a bag of them in the car for a great on-the-road snack.

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3⁄4 teaspoon seasoning salt
1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
2⁄3 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons butter
5 eggs, beaten
1 (7 1/3 ounce) can refrigerated jumbo flaky biscuits
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 egg white, slightly beaten

1 -2 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)

In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese, parsley, seasoning salt, and pepper until blended. Stir in cheddar and set aside.

Melt butter in a 9 inch skillet over medium heat; add eggs and cook without stirring until eggs begin to set on bottom. Draw spatula across bottom of skillet to form large curds. Continue cooking until eggs are slightly thickened but still moist. (Do NOT stir constantly). Remove from heat and let cool.

Flatten each biscuit into about a 5 inch circle. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the tops of dough circles, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Top evenly with eggs and crumbled bacon. Fold dough circles in half over mixture, pinching edges to seal. Place 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Brush top with egg white. Press sealed edges with the tines of a fork. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Bake at 375 14-16 minutes until golden brown. Remove empanadas with a spatula onto a wire rack.

When completed cooled, store in a ziploc bag. Reheat in microwave for 1-2 minutes at 50% power.

French Toast Casserole
Similar to make-ahead oven baked French toast, this recipe is similar to bread pudding in that it uses bread cubes instead of whole slices of bread. It makes adjusting serving sizes much easier for little bellies (and larger ones that need just a few more bites of breakfast).

1 loaf French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (10 cups)
8 eggs
3 cups milk
4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3⁄4 teaspoon salt

For the topping:
2 tablespoons butter, cubed
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Toppings: maple syrup, honey, whipped cream, fresh fruit

Place bread cubes in a greased 13x9x2-inch baking dish. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Dot with butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving with your choice of toppings.

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
This recipe cooks in the crockpot on low for 5-7 hours - but you know you'll be up till midnight and the kids will be up at 5am, so that works out just about right, right? Turn it down to "warm" when you get up and it'll be just fine.

1 (26 ounce) bag frozen hash browns
12 eggs
1⁄2 cup milk
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
16 ounces sausage (maple, sage or regular sausage.)
16 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, sliced


Spray crock pot with nonstick spray and evenly spread hash browns at the bottom. Whisk 12 eggs in a large bowl and add the milk. Sprinkle in mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well and set aside.

Slit the sausage casing and crumble the meat into a frypan. Brown over high heat, drain (reserve fat) and set aside. In the reserved fat, sauté the garlic and onions until translucent. Add sausage, onions and garlic on top of hash browns. Top with shredded cheddar and stir all ingredients until well mixed. Pour the egg mixture over everything and spread out evenly. Cover and set on low for 5-7 hours. Lower heat to warm until ready to serve.

Caramel Monkey Bread
This pull-apart is a great "nibbling" recipe if your family is too excited about Christmas to sit down and focus on breakfast. It also goes well with coffee for parents who stayed up a bit too late the night before (or who were woken up too early).

3 (10 count) packages refrigerated biscuits (can also used frozen bread dough, thawed)
2⁄3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1⁄2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cut tube of biscuits into 4 parts lengthwise. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a large ziploc bag. Add rolls and shake to coat. Spray a bundt pan with nonstick spray and arrange coated biscuits in the bottom of pan. Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Pour over biscuits. Bake at 350 25-30 minutes. Let cool and turn out of pan.

If preparing ahead, warm in the oven for a few minutes before serving.

Egg Puffs
These single-serving puffs can easily be adapted to each family member's taste by adding sausage, mushrooms, and onions (or any other desired ingredients) to the individual servings.

4 large mushrooms, sliced
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1⁄2 cup butter, divided
1⁄2 cup flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
10 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
1 cup crumbled pork sausage, fully cooked and drained well

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, saute the mushrooms and onions in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Set aside. In same skillet brown and crumble the sausage. Drain well on paper towels.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine eggs and cheeses. Melt remaining butter; add to egg mixture. Stir into dry ingredients along with sausage crumbles, and mushroom mixture. (You can also reserve the sausage and mushroom mixture and add to selected servings after filling the cups with egg mixture.) Fill greased muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
Carefully run a knife around the edge of each muffin cup to loosen before removing.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

What's Christmas morning without a big mug of hot chocolate? Go gourmet and make a big batch in the crock pot on Christmas Eve. You can throw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it in the morning, either in the crockpot or one serving at a time in the microwave. 

1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/3 cup hot water
4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
1/2 can (7 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 stick cinnamon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

4 cups milk

In a small bowl, combine the hot water and the cocoa powder and stir until smooth. In the crockpot, combine the bittersweet chocolate, condensed milk, cinnamon stick, cinnamon powder, nutmeg, chili powder, milk, and cocoa powder mixture. Heat on low for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so.
Serve warm with marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, or chocolate shavings.

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