January is National Baking Month and we can think of no better way to warm your kitchen (and heart!) than by baking something special to share with loved ones!  For chilly mornings at home, we love to set the oven to 350 degrees and create delicious baked breakfast treats.  Here are a few of our favorites:

Bacon, Tomato and Cheddar Breakfast Bake with Eggs

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound bakery white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (16  cups)
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound sliced applewood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • One 28-ounce can whole Italian tomatoes—drained, chopped and patted dry
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 pound extra-sharp cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons snipped chives
  • 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • Salt
  • 8 large eggs
  • Hot sauce, for serving

 

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9×13-inch glass baking dish. In a large bowl, toss the bread with the olive oil and spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the bread is golden and lightly crisp.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain; reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat in the skillet.
  3. Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and crushed red pepper and cook until any liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes.
  4. Return the toasted bread cubes to the bowl. Add the contents of the skillet, along with the bacon, shredded cheeses, chives and broth. Stir until the bread is evenly moistened. Season with salt. Spread the mixture in the baking dish and cover with lightly oiled foil.
  5. Bake the bread mixture in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is crispy, about 15 minutes longer. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and, using a ladle, press 8 indentations into the bread mixture. Crack an egg into each indentation. Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Serve the breakfast bake right away with hot sauce.

 

Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • One 10-ounce package frozen raspberries, not thawed
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

 

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a small saucepan, warm the milk over moderately low heat until it reaches 95°. Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook and stir in the sugar and yeast. Let stand until the yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the softened butter, eggs, grated lemon zest and sea salt. Add the flour and beat at medium speed until a soft dough forms, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is soft and supple, about 10 minutes longer.
  2. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands 2 or 3 times. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly buttered bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
  3. Line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend up the short sides. Butter the paper and sides of the pan. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll it into a 10-by-24-inch rectangle.
  4. In a medium bowl, toss the frozen raspberries with the sugar and cornstarch. Spread the raspberry filling evenly over the dough. Tightly roll up the dough to form a 24-inch-long log. Working quickly, cut the log into quarters. Cut each quarter into 4 slices and arrange them in the baking pan, cut sides up. Scrape any berries and juice from the work surface into the baking pan between the rolls. Cover the rolls and let them rise in a warm place until they are puffy and have filled the baking pan, about 2 hours.
  5. Preheat the oven to 425°. Bake the rolls for about 25 minutes, until they are golden and the berries are bubbling. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 30 minutes.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the butter and heavy cream until the glaze is thick and spreadable.
  7. Invert the rolls onto the rack and peel off the parchment paper. Invert the rolls onto a platter. Dollop glaze over each roll and spread with an offset spatula. Serve warm or at room temperature.

And for those days when you want to go out to breakfast in Denver, allow your friends at The Original Pancake House to bake you one of our favorite breakfast treats.   Our oven-baked omelets are always a crowd-pleaser. With your choice of filling and a side of our buttermilk pancakes, we promise you’ll head home happy!