Baked Waffles with Raspberry Cream Cheese

Oh my Ya'll! 

You're gonna love this tasty dish.....I found it in a Cooking with Paula Deen magazine and feel like I've 'struck gold' with this one!

(My friend Lois, took me to Chicago for my birthday a few years ago.  We saw Paula Deen Live and laughed ourselves absolutely silly.  I want to be just like Paula when I grow up! I love her sweet spirit and that she's always so 'common and every day'. Her recipes are mighty fine too.) 

I had to have TWO pieces of this for breakfast. It's so delicious! No way could I stop at one. *-*

I changed up the recipe a tad because I had raspberries on hand and had frozen waffles that needed to be eaten too, so this was the perfect dish for me to make.

Ya'll know I'm a big-time cream cheese hound!

My waffles were round and they worked fine, but I would suggest using square ones, just because they fill in the pan better.

I also used Splenda brown sugar blend and sugar free syrup.  No one would have ever guessed. 

I can't imagine it tasting a bit better than it did already!!

I love that it's an overnight dish so it's wonderful for brunch or lunch...any time of day!

It was simple to put together - no hassle.  Your older kids could even make this one.

I'm sure blueberries, or even apples, would work in this recipe.  Make it your family's favorite choice.

BAKED WAFFLES WITH RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE

8 frozen buttermilk waffles

4 Tb. cream cheese, softened

1-1/2 c. sliced fresh raspberries (or strawberries)

(I cut the raspberries in half, but you wouldn't have to)

1-1/4 c. milk

6 lg. eggs

1/4 c. maple syrup (I used sugar free)

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

(I used 1/4 c. Splenda brown sugar blend)

1/2 c. butter

Garnish: fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange waffles in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Toast for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Spray an 11" X 8" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Line waffles in a single layer on the bottom of dish.  Spread cream cheese over waffles.  Top with raspberries. Arrange remaining waffles over raspberries. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and maple syrup.  Pour mixture over waffles.  Cover and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 375. In a small saucepan, whisk together brown sugar and butter over medium high heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts.  Pour over waffles.  Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until set in the middle.  Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Top with additional raspberries if desired.

(Using Splenda, I baked mine about 22 minutes - be sure to start checking early for doneness)

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             Ingredient Spotlight - Berries

Gooseberry Patch Roundup - Favorite Fruit Weekend Potluck

Chicken Enchiladas

I've had this one in my files for some time...it's finally getting posted!


I prefer Mexican food over all other ethnic dishes. And this is definitely a favorite!

It's delicious and easy and we enjoy it often. Makes a great company dish also.

Sorry I can't post a picture of these delicious eats after they're cooked, and cheese is melted.

When I made these, I put them in the freezer for my daughter and family.

They are SO tasty and easy to put together. I love that they're moist too.

AND yes...they can be frozen ahead too! 

But they're not in Deb's freezer for long, because her whole family loves them and they get eaten quickly.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

(From The Better Baker)

1 Tb. butter

1 (4 ozs) can diced green chilies

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 c. sour cream

1-1/2 c. cooked cubed chicken

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

6 - 12 flour tortillas

1/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 9" X 13" X 2" baking dish.  In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and saute green chilies and garlic powder.  Add cream of mushroom soup and sour cream; mix well. Reserve half of the sauce; set aside. 

To remaining half of sauce, add chicken and 1/2 c. of cheese. Stir. Fill tortillas and roll up; place seam side down in baking dish.  In small bowl, mix the remaining sauce with milk. Spoon over tortillas and top with remaining cheese.  Bake 30 - 35 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

When I don't have the chilies, I substitute salsa instead.  You can also use cream of chicken soup if you prefer it over mushroom.

Lemon/Blueberry Biscuits & Peach/Blueberry Crisp

I LOVE BLUEBERRIES!

And they're sooo good for you! They're loaded with vitamins and are high in fiber and low in fat. Recent studies tell us that of all fresh fruits and vegetables, blueberries provide the most health-protecting antioxidants, those valuable elements which prevent cancer-causing cell damage and may limit the changes wrought by age related diseases.


When a friend served me this dish, warm from the oven, topped with ice cream, I knew I had to have the recipe. It's one among many delicious recipes in my cookbook "Recipes & Recollections from The Better Baker".

What a delightful combination the peaches are with the blueberries. Peaches are great for your skin too.

PEACH-BLUEBERRY CRISP

 3 - 4 peaches, about 1-1/2#, peeled and sliced into wedges
2 c. blueberries, cleaned
1 hp. TB. cornstarch
2 TB. lemon juice
1/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. light brown sugar
5 TB. (unsalted) butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 2.5 qt. baking dish. In a large bowl, combine peaches, blueberries, cornstarch, lemon juice and sugar; set aside. In small bowl, combine flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; stir in brown sugar, then butter, mixing by hand until blended and crumbly. Spread fruit mixture in prepared baking dish and sprinkle with oatmeal mixture. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.

Yield: 6 - 7 servings



I began making this recipe many years ago. I found it in a Taste of Home magazine.

It's deliciously wonderful.  If you choose to make these sugar free/fat free...no one will guess. They are healthy nibbles of yumminess!

I think the marriage of lemon and blueberry is a perfect match....and that resulting thought is expressed beautifully in this biscuit.

Oh...another thing that I adore about this recipe is that you stir it by hand. No need to get out the mixer and dirty the beaters. 

It's easy to make and very tasty.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, and add the blended wet ingredients, then stir.  I love using my curved spatula...or spoonula, as Rachel Ray calls it.

I enjoyed some warm biscuits and hot tea in the middle of the afternoon!  Such pampering!

LEMON BLUEBERRY BISCUITS

(From The Better Baker)

2 c. all purpose flour (I replaced 1/3 c. with whole wheat)

1/3 c. sugar (I used Splenda)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 carton (8 ozs) lemon yogurt

(I only had vanilla, so I added a tsp. or lemon flavoring to yogurt)

1 egg, lightly beaten (or 2 egg whites)

1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted

(I've substituted liquid Butter Buds to make this totally fat free)

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

(I like a little more lemon 'zing', so I add a little more lemon flavoring even when I use lemon yogurt)

GLAZE:

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 Tb. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Combine yogurt, egg, butter and lemon peel; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in blueberries. Drop by tablespoonsful onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake 15 - 18 minutes or until lightly browned. (Remember the Splenda 'rule'...it bakes faster). Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm biscuits.

Yield: 1 dozen 

Simple Patriotic Foodie Designs

I wanted to share some ideas for adding fun and creativity to your holiday weekend!

My husband is retired from 20 years of military service, and our home is decorated in red, white & blue....all over the place.  Here's just a peek..

I have been given many nice things also. 

I love dressing up food for patriotic holidays too. (It's just a 'given' for this 'Better' Baker I guess!)

This is a simple idea I did a couple of years ago.

I baked a cake mix in a 9" X 13" pan, placed it on a cutting board and after frosting, I used small jelly belly jelly beans to make a flag.  A long pretzel rod makes for a good flagpole.  I used gel in a tube to make the USA.

Give it a try.....or a salute! 

(Hubby and I both get 'decked out' for these special holidays too, and when I've gone into church with my r,w & b scarf, earrings and purse, one of the dear older ladies salutes me. How fun!)

I've also baked a brownie mix in a cookie sheet or a pizza pan - it takes about 13 - 15 minutes to bake.  I topped it with a cream cheese/whipped topping mixture, then decorated with berries.  You can either make the star outline with blueberries or strawberries.  I added some glaze to the berries for one of these fun presentations.

Star Spangled Brownies 

ENJOY A FABULOUS WEEKEND OF FUN, FOOD, FELLOWSHIP AND FREEDOM!

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Weekend Potluck

Lemon Curd Bars

Three in One Recipe Day!

Three versions of a lemon bar - take your pick!

I had never tried lemon curd before now, but will definitely try it again!

A friend gave me a jar of it and so I used this easy recipe that I found at allrecipes.com for Lemon Curd Bars.

It was wonderful!! 

The lemon curd is tangy but not as much as I thought it might be...it made some awesome and tasty bars.  Good enough to share!

This recipe was quick and easy to make.

I easily mixed 4 simple ingredients - patted 2/3 of it in the bottom of the pan - covered it with the lemon curd, then added coconut and toasted almonds to the remaining crumbles, sprinkled it over the top and baked.

Soo....if you don't have lemon curd, but are hungry for some lemon bars, check out my dear friend Angie's recipe - at A'lil Country Sugar for Best Lemon Bars in the World, using everyday ingredients from your kitchen. I've made them too and they were truly OUT OF THIS WORLD!

This is my picture of them...I ran out of powdered sugar =(

LEMON CURD BARS

1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 (10 ozs) jar lemon curd
2/3 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. toasted and chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 375. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter. Add flour, sugar and baking soda.  Mix until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Pat 2/3 of mixture into the bottom of a 9" X 13" baking pan (ungreased). Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove and let cool slightly. 

Spread the lemon curd over the baked layer. To the remaining 1/3 of crumb mixture, add the coconut and almonds.  sprinkle over the top of the lemon curd.

Lower temp to 350. Bake bars for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Enjoy every yummy bite!

I'm guessing if you want a different flavor, you could use any favorite jam instead of the lemon curd.  The crust is buttery and so delicious. 


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After I had this post typed up, I saw my sweet friend Betsy's recipe for Three Layer Lemon Bars at My Five Men .  This recipe has been a 'hit' (in the top #3!) at some linky parties so be sure you check it out also.  YUM-OO!!!!

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