Breakfast of a Champion

Yes, it's Tuesday. Yes, I'm just now writing a blog post about my Saturday morning breakfast. Yes, it was an absolutely delicious breakfast.

The whole family was home on Saturday morning, so we made an event out of it and had a big, yummy brunch! 

On the menu was: apple coffee crumb cake with brown sugar glaze, baked cheese grits, turkey bacon, and fruit.

And the good news? I have TWO recipes for you! 

I found the crumb cake recipe on one of the absolute BEST blogs I read. 

The cheese grits were made at a wedding shower I went to a couple of weeks ago. So, because of my excessive love for cheese grits, I got the recipe and made it right away! 

Apple Coffee Crumb Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

Apple Coffee Crumb Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

Yield: 12-16 servings

Ingredients

Crumb Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar


2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups peeled, cored, and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 

Brown Sugar Glaze:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges. 

3. To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. 

4. To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Cut into squares and serve.

Baked Cheese Grits 

Baked Cheese Grits

Ingredients 

6 cups water 

1 ½ cups grits (cooked on the stove) 

½ stick real butter 

3 cups sharp cheese 

3 eggs 

salt & pepper

Directions

Boil water – gradually stir in grits. Cook covered on low-med for 5-7 minutes until thick. Add butter and cheese. Temper the eggs by adding a small amount of hot grits a little at a time to the eggs. Then add remaining grits mixture and salt and pepper. Bake @ 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Add more butter and cheese to the top before baking.