crust

Sassy Sausage Breakfast Pie

Sassy Sausage Breakfast Pie
Sassy Sausage Breakfast Pie

Sassy Sausage Breakfast Pie



Recipe by: Adapted by Willow Bird Baking from my mother-in-law’s recipe
Yield: 8 servings

Oh my gosh, pie crust and sausage, y’all. This breakfast pie is the bee’s knees. Mike’s mom always makes it for Christmas breakfast and we dream of it all year long! I added a little jalapeño (which you can adjust to your taste) to give it a slight kick, but it won’t make your nose run or eyes water. I recommend serving this with a sweet side — maybe fruit and some coconut meringue dip, which I’m sharing on the blog later this week — and mimosas for a special Sunday brunch.

Ingredients:
9-inch pie shell, unbaked (homemade or store-bought)
1 pound breakfast sausage
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese (or other Swiss cheese)
4 eggs
1 cup half and half (or light cream)
1/4 cup chopped orange/yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 medium jalapeño, finely chopped (adjust to your heat preference — this gives a slight kick)
1/4 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out the pie dough and place it in a pie plate, crimping the edges. Place this in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Brown the sausage and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Mix the cheese and sausage and place into the pie shell. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs and cream together. Mix in the peppers and onion. Salt and pepper the mixture. Pour it into the pie shell over the meat and cheese, adjusting to be sure all the ingredients are spread out. Bake for 40-45 minutes until set and golden. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. I love to serve the pie with Frank’s Hot Sauce, which complements the flavor perfectly!

Willow Bird Baking’s 13 Best Recipes of 2013

Willow Bird Baking's 13 Best Recipes of 2013

Happy New Year! My head is spinning with thoughts of resolutions and responsibilities for the upcoming year, but let’s relax first and just enjoy some edible reflection, shall we? You guys have good taste. Here are Willow Bird Baking’s 13 Best Recipes of 2013, as chosen by your visits. At the end, I’ve included a few recipes that didn’t make the “Most Popular” list but are actually some of my favorites from the year!

Want to gather lots of amazing recipes from other blogs, too? I’ve just created a Best of 2013 Recipes Pinterest board where you can see “Best of” posts from some of my favorite blogs. This is one of the best times of the year to gather top eats from around the internet! While you’re there, make sure you follow me on Pinterest. I’m kind of a food lover, in case ya didn’t know. My pins are gonna make you hungry.

Without further ado, Willow Bird Baking’s 13 Best Recipes of 2013:

1. Lemon Cheesecake Morning Buns
Lemon Cheesecake Morning Buns

These things totally deserve their “Most Popular” title. They are absurd.

2. The Ultimate Moist, Fluffy, Ridiculous Coconut Cake
The Ultimate Moist, Fluffy, Ridiculous Coconut Cake

YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT COCONUT.

3. Pumpkin Cheesecake Pillow Popovers
Pumpkin Cheesecake Pillow Popovers

These use premade crescent dough! So easy.

4. Key Lime Pie Cheesecake with Sky-High Meringue
Key Lime Pie Cheesecake with Sky-High Meringue

Tangy, sweet, and stunning! Such a show-stopper.

5. Gooey Chocolate Coconut Cream Skillet Cake
Gooey Chocolate Coconut Cream Skillet Cake

DID I MENTION HOW I FEEL ABOUT COCONUT.

6. Strawberry Coconut Cream Pie
Strawberry Coconut Cream Pie

CO.CO.NUT.

7. Boozy Icebox Cake
Boozy Icebox Cake

It’s like regular icebox cake, but (duh) better!

8. Bailey’s Hazelnut Chocolate Tiramisu
Bailey’s Hazelnut Chocolate Tiramisu

Bailey’s makes any dessert totally nuts.

9. Chocolate Poke Cake with Whipped Coconut Icing
Chocolate Poke Cake with Whipped Coconut Icing

COCONUT, Y’ALL (and my new favorite frosting in the universe).

10. Biscoff Spread Gooey Butter Cake
Biscoff Spread Gooey Butter Cake

I don’t know what got into me, but I have no regrets.

11. White Sheet Cake with Fluffy Whipped Icing
White Sheet Cake with Fluffy Whipped Icing

Just like those awesome sheet cakes you buy at the store (with the fluffy frosting, not the weird crusty stuff).

12. Lasagna Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Lasagna Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Hearty, delicious meal.

13. Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake
Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake

Pumpkin and Tres Leches: two of my faves combined.

…And a few of my personal favorites from this year:

1. Samoa Monkey Bread with Ganache Dipping Sauce
Samoa Monkey Bread with Ganache Dipping Sauce

It’s a crime that this recipe didn’t go viral. It’s nuts!

1. Buttery Coconut Almond Pull-Apart Bread (with Heavenly Coconut Cream Glaze)
Buttery Coconut Almond Pull-Apart Bread (with Heavenly Coconut Cream Glaze)

Coconuttttt.

1. Flan Tres Leches Cake
Flan Tres Leches Cake

For when you can’t decide between making flan and making tres leches cake, and also you’re feeling a little crazy. So good.

1. Limoncello-Spiked Shortbread Icebox Cake with Fresh Raspberries
Limoncello-Spiked Shortbread Icebox Cake with Fresh Raspberries

The shortbread makes all the difference here! And the Limoncello, obv.

1. The Ultimate Sausage Breakfast Buns
The Ultimate Sausage Breakfast Buns

Pure decadence. Don’t skip the syrup drizzle.

1. Gooey Carmelitas
Gooey Carmelitas

Gooey, chocolatey masterpiece.

1. Lemon Raspberry Gooey Butter Cake
Lemon Raspberry Gooey Butter Cake

Bright, springy, fresh! I love lemon.

1. Sausage & Corn Chile Con Queso Taco Ring
Sausage & Corn Chile Con Queso Taco Ring

Again, HOW did this recipe not go viral? TASTE IT. JUST TASTE IT. It’s like the best thing I’ve ever eaten.

1. Dutch Roomboter Banketstaaf (Flaky Pastry with Almond Filling)
Dutch Roomboter Banketstaaf (Flaky Pastry with Almond Filling)

This is also the best thing I’ve ever eaten. Don’t question me.

Don’t forget to see what others have cooked up on my Best of 2013 Recipes Pinterest board. Happy happy happy almost-2014!

Spiked Mocha Mousse Bars

Spiked Mocha Mousse Bars
Spiked Mocha Mousse Bars

Spiked Mocha Mousse Bars



Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: 9 servings

I was surprised by how quick and simple this recipe turned out to be — and how amazing! I loved spiking it with creamy Bailey’s Hazelnut Liqueur. Forget buying a fancy coffee; why not make a fancy coffee bar for dessert?

Crust Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons icing sugar

Ganache Ingredients:
6 tablespoons heavy cream
about 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (I love Ghirardelli’s 60% cacao chips)

Coffee Mousse Ingredients:
1 3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons water
4 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
3 tablespoons Bailey’s Hazelnut Liqueur (or Kahlúa)
2 cups well-chilled heavy cream
chocolate covered espresso beans (optional, for topping)

Directions:
Make the shortbread crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9 x 9 in. baking dish with a foil sling. Cut the butter into the flour and icing sugar and press into the baking dish (I used a food processor to cut the fat into the flour — about 6 pulses — and then the bottom of a glass to press the mixture into the pan). Bake 18-20 minutes or until light brown. Set on a wire rack to cool.

Make the ganache: While the shortbread is baking, place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan (or microwave it for a couple of minutes). Once the cream reaches a simmer, pour the cream over the chocolate and let it stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk in small circles until a smooth ganache has formed. Set it aside until your crust is finished and has cooled for a few minutes, and then pour it over the crust (it’s okay if it’s not cooled all the way). Place the chocolate covered crust in the fridge to chill until the ganache is set into a firm layer.

Make the coffee mousse: Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside as an ice bath (I just stopped up my sink and used it). Place 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan and sprinkle the envelope of gelatin evenly over the top. Let it soften for 2 minutes. Add in the sweetened condensed milk and instant espresso powder. Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the gelatin is dissolved and the mixture is smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, whisk in the Bailey’s (or Kahlúa), and then transfer the saucepan to the ice bath. Cool, whisking frequently, until the mixture is cold and thick.

In the meantime, whip the chilled heavy cream to stiff peaks. Stir about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cold espresso mixture to lighten it up, and then pour this mixture into your remaining whipped cream, folding it in gently until there are no streaks. Pour this mixture over your chilled ganache. Chill the entire dessert until it’s set up nicely (a few hours). Lift the bars out of the pan, slice into 9 servings, top each bar with a chocolate covered espresso bean, and serve.

Strawberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars with a Shortbread Crust

Strawberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars with a Shortbread Crust



Recipe by: Adapted from King Arthur Flour (crust) and Shared Sugar (cheesecake)
Yields: about 18 bars

These cheesecake bars are the perfect summer treat: sweet, creamy, tangy, buttery, and easy to prepare!

Crust Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Cheesecake Layer Ingredients:
32 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 eggs
5-6 tablespoons lemon juice, depending on how tart you usually like your lemonade!
lemon zest from one lemon (reserve a little to sprinkle on top)
1 cup sugar
strawberries, quartered*
powdered sugar for topping
*Note: I probably bought 2 pints of strawberries but didn’t quite use them all. I didn’t quarter mine because I thought they’d be pretty whole, but they were a bit hard to eat and I’ll quarter them next time I make this recipe!

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9 x 13 in. baking dish with a parchment paper sling. Cut the butter into the flour and confectioners’ sugar and press into the baking dish (I used a food processor to cut the fat into the flour, and then the bottom of a dish to press the mixture into the pan). Bake 20 minutes or until light brown. Let cool on wire rack.

In a bowl with an electric mixer, add the cream cheese, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar. Mix until the ingredients are creamy and the cream cheese is fully incorporated. Pour into the pan with the cooled crust. Then evenly distribute the strawberries.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until filling is set. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Then refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into bars and sprinkle with powdered sugar and/or lemon zest.

Red, White, and Blue Desserts!

Happy 4th of July! Here are some red, white, and blue desserts for your celebration. And don’t forget the sparkling raspberry lemonade and soft pretzel dogs, while you’re at it.

RED

1. Red Velvet Cheesecake
2. Itsy Bitsy Berry Cream Pies
3. (Freshly Picked!) Strawberry Cream Pie
4. Gooey Butter Strawberry Shortcake (add blueberries too, if you’d like!)



WHITE

1. The Ultimate Moist, Fluffy, Ridiculous Coconut Cake
2. Limoncello-Spiked Shortbread Icebox Cake with Fresh Raspberries (add blueberries too, if you’d like!)
3. Tres Leches Coconut Cake Trifle
4. White Sheet Cake with Fluffy Whipped Icing



BLUE

1. Itsy Bitsy Berry Cream Pies
2. Fresh Blueberry Pie
3. Blueberry Cream Cheese Almond Braid
4. Blueberry Walnut Bread


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