SRC Reunion: Savoury Pull Apart Bread

So.
I haven't been here in a while.
I seem to say that a lot.  It's totally true, and a little embarrassing.  I work in a building right now where people actually say, "She's a food blogger,"  and I want to correct them and say I'm a lapsed one who still enjoys posting pictures of the new things I make to Instagram.  Just because I don't write doesn't mean I don't still make new things all the time.
When Sarah from the Secret Recipe Club proposed a reunion for the anniversary of the club, I asked if I could come out of retirement.  I'm so glad she said yes.  I'm also pretty sure retired sounds better than lapsed.
For those not familiar with the Secret Recipe Club, food bloggers were given another blog from the group (in secret), and the blogger than chooses a recipe and makes it.  Then everyone reveals who has who's blog at the same time.  It was a whole lot of fun, and I always enjoyed meeting new bloggers and trying different things.
For this round, I was assigned Tara's blog at Tara's Multicultural Table.  Tara is a married mother of 2 who is a former picky eater.  Her blog is filled with recipes from around the world.  She even had Canadian Butter Tarts...but they have pecans in them, which is sacrilege.  I am totally #TeamRaisin.  I considered Breakfasts, which included these Pumpkin Fantail Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Icing , and the Spinach Feta Wrap is totally up mine and J's alley.  I also considered a variety of cookies, but ultimately, I chose a carb to go with Sunday night chili.
In Secret Recipe Club, I made a lot of bread.  Like, when I didn't know what to make, I would choose a bread.  Once again, I chose a bread.  And it's so good.
I present to you now from Tara's Multicultural Table, Savoury Pull Apart Bread:

#TastyParTEA: Earl Grey Waffles

So.
I agreed to take part in an event that was celebrating all things tea.  And I enjoy tea...but usually black with a little sugar in winter, or iced with lemon and sugar in summer.  And frankly, orange pekoe is about as exciting as we get in my purchasing around here.
But despite the fact that I am not a tea snob, I do know what a good cuppa tastes like.  Each year for Christmas, one of the gifts that I buy my mother is the Little Black Tea Collection from Steeped, which includes the most wonderful Earl Grey known as Earl Grey de la Creme.  And it is.  Smoky, creamy and with the most delicious finish.  It's a great tea.
Earl Grey tea is tea flavoured with oil of bergamot.  It is used to flavour baked goods, sauces and chocolates.  When I looked for a recipe featuring tea, I started at the Steeped website.  I saw this, and was sold.
I present to you now Earl Grey Waffles:

#TastyParTEA: The Giveaway!

So.
I signed up for another event.  But this one is totally in line with fall.  As the days get shorter and colder, I am more wont than in summer to drink tea.  And this event is all about the good stuff.

A baker's dozen bloggers have come together to share different recipes that use tea during the month of November. Whether you're a fan of sweet or savory #TastyParTEA's creations will make your mouth water.

See all the posts on our Facebook page, check out the pins on our Pinterest board, or follow the conversation on social media with hashtag #TastyParTEA.

We Are the #TastyParTEA Bloggers...

listed alphabetically by blog name

A Day in the Life on the Farm

A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Amy's Cooking Adventures

Café Terra Blog

Cookaholic Wife

Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Famished Fish, Finicky Shark

Jane's Adventures in Dinner
Kahakai Kitchen

Making Miracles
Our Good Life

The Gluttonous Geek

Things I Make (for Dinner)

Our Blog Tour Schedule...

The Giveaway...

Our generous sponsors have contributed prizes for this event.

The giveaway will begin on November 12th and end on November 21st
and is open to US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Our Sponsors*...

and how you can find them around the internet

Charles Viancin

on the web, on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Pinterest

The Republic of Tea

on the web, on Twitter, on Facebook, on Pinterest, on Instagram

*Disclosure: Bloggers received complimentary products from sponsors for the creation of this event. This is a sponsored post that contains affiliate links.

Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are our own.*

#SecretRecipeClub: Cinnamon Roll Muffins

So.
It's time for another edition of Group A's reveal for the Secret Recipe Club!  Actually, it's a rather sad occasion as this will be the final reveal day for Group A.  Sarah E has decided to send us out on a high note, and the club will be folding.  I've had almost 3 wonderful years searching other blogs for a recipe to make and share.  It's been exciting to see what people think worth sharing from my own little corner of the internet.  I'll need to find a new challenge.
So, this time when I went looking for my last recipe with the club, I decided I had to stick with what I do best - breakfast carbs.
My monthly email sent me off to peruse Sights, Bits and Bites.  Marla is relatively new to the kitchen, and says she works in the smallest kitchen known to mankind.  I also did that until recently.  She loves cats, but currently has a boyfriend and a pet hamster.  I don't think I recommend having the hamster and cats simultaneously, but cats are a lovely way to pass the time.
While looking through Marla's recipes, I came across a few things to consider:  Freezer Breakfast Burritos looked easy and yummy, as did Lasagna Soup, which needs to make an appearance on my Sunday night supper table (and in my lunch) soon.  But carbs as always screamed my name.  Like my last reveal, this recipe is somewhat of a portion controlled one.  But no matter.  Once can always eat 2.
I present to you now Sights, Bits and Bites' Cinnamon Roll Muffins:

#SRC Bonus Post: Monkey Bread Muffins

So.
I haven't been a very good blogger recently.  I have, however, managed to keep up with my Secret Recipe Club posts if nothing else.  I love being given a reason to explore someone else's blog and make a recipe.  Sometimes, it's a challenge to make something that I've always wanted to try.  Sometimes, I make something that just sounds way too good.
Always, I procrastinate.
This month, with 5 Mondays, our fearless leader Sarah put out the call for a special reveal day of fall dishes.  I was thrilled to be assigned April's blog over at Home Sweet Homestead.  April is a wife and monther who is a Flexitarian after the onset of adult allergies and food intolerances.  I loved going through her recipes and saw many things that interested me including these Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies  and this Peanut Butter Cheesecake Dip.  Apparently, peanut butter makes me think fall.
Unfortunately, I haven't made either yet.  With time running short, I whipped up a breakfast treat with lots of cinnamon.  It's not pumpkin, but it is delicious.  And monkey bread is always fun.  Who doesn't love monkey bread?
I do, obviously.  I present to you now Home Sweet Homestead's Monkey Bread Muffins:

Secret Recipe Club: Sopa de Arroz

So.
We are in the midst of a kitchen renovation.  The obvious question is to ask why I would do something so asinine as to say that I would participate in Secret Recipe Club when I don't have a kitchen.  The good news is I made this just before the renovation started.  Now, I'm looking forward to it being over so I can start cooking again.
This month, I was thrilled to be assigned and excuse to spend some time in La Cocina de Leslie!  My very first month with SRC, Leslie made my Peanut Butter Crunch Cake.  I was so excited to have a chance to peruse Leslie's blog and make some good, authentic Mexican food.
Leslie lives in Mexico with her husband and 4 children.  She's even written a cookbook called Taqueria Tacos that is being released on my birthday.  J and I are both huge fans of Mexican food.  We had our first date at Mi Hacienda, a Mexican restaurant in Toledo, and that's where he proposed as well!  I wanted to make Leslie's Shredded Chicken Tacos de Mole because it reminded me greatly of my favourite Chicken Enchiladas Poblanas from Mi Hacienda, but I couldn't find the mole paste, and a mole sauce was more work that I was up for.  (But if you are up for the work, Leslie has options for homemade mole sauce!)
Enter this recipe.  I was making a shredded pork in the crockpot to mix with black beans and Mexican rice to make burritos so that I would have things in the freezer for eating during the reno.  I needed a good recipe for Mexican rice.  Leslie's recipe from her mother in law doesn't disappoint.
I present to you now from La Cocina de Leslie, Sopa de Arroz (Mexican Rice):

#Secret Recipe Club: Peanut Butter Banana Bagels

So.
It's time for another episode of the regular Secret Recipe Club!  Once a month, a group of bloggers get together, are given another blog to peruse in secret, choose a recipe and make something from their assigned blog.  I so enjoy doing this every month, and look forward to seeing whose blog I will be looking through for something delicious.
This month, I was thrilled to be paired with Erin of the The Spiffy Cookie.  I've enjoyed working with Erin in the past on multiblogger events, and enjoy drooling over her pictures of food on Instagram.  Erin, like myself, isn't a fan of mushrooms; but she does love all things peanut butter and chocolate (also like myself) and bakes...a lot.  How could I not make something peanut buttery after looking through her blog?
I seem to be on a breakfast kick at the moment, so I considered her Pumpkin Pecan Waffles and even something somewhat healthy with her Carrot Cake Oatmeal, but then I found this.
I have been intrigued by recipes containing PB2, but have never tried it.  I also decided to challenge myself and make something that I hadn't made successfully before:  bagels.  With bananas in the freezer, I was ready to go!
I present to you now The Spiffy Cookie's Peanut Butter Banana Bagels:

#SRC Bonus: Lunch Lady Brownies

So.
Today is my first day back at work after being off for the summer.
I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this, seeing as it's my 7th school in the past 10 years.  While there are no students until next week after Labour Day, I need to finish unpacking and get my head around what is to come.  For me, this is not a great thing.
What is good, however, is that there are 5 Mondays in August, and we're celebrating with a special edition of The Secret Recipe Club that's all about back to school.  What's even more fun about this reveal day is that it's cross-group, so I'm not paired with someone in my regular group A for this week.  Next week, I'll be back with my Group A on Monday's reveal.
There are so many options when you consider back to school.  Around here, it means soups that I can take for lunch, or something I can pull out of my freezer for a quick meal, or something that I can make for a hearty breakfast.  I had so much fun looking through Ashley's blog, Cheese Curd in Paradise for something that might fit one of these catagories, and I wasn't disappointed.
Ashley had a ton of things that I pinned while browsing, including these Strawberry Cream Muffins to use up the strawberries that came in my produce box this week; I also thought about this Chicken Bacon Ranch Tot Casserole because come on...all in one dish?  Sign me up!
I finally opted for a dessert that can easily be frozen, and is even nut free, so totally work-takeable (as opposed to my regular SRC choice for next week).  The name even screams school - even though I work in an elementary school and there's no cafeteria.
I present to you now a Cheese Curd in Paradise's Lunch Lady Brownies:

Breakfast: Chocolate Zucchini Chocolate Chip Waffles

So.
After last summer's fun with my friend's waffle iron, I kept thinking I should buy one of my own.  I thought about it for a whole year (which I am wont to do), and finally picked one up on the cheap at Kohl's when J and I went to celebrate a friend's 50th birthday in Toledo.
But what to make first?  I have an absolute pile of waffle recipes pinned to my Breakfast board on Pinterest.  There's pumpkin, and snickerdoodle, and gingerbread...but I was looking for wow factor for the first waffles from the new toy.
I started searching again for something with wow factor, that would use things in my fridge.  I'm pretty sure I picked it with this recipe. Seeing as I had buttermilk leftover and a couple of zucchini from our Good Food Boxes, this was a no brainer.  Seeing as there was cocoa and chocolate chips involved, I'd found my wow factor.
Even better?  This made enough for 2 brunches the day of and more for the freezer for later.  You know, when I want a bit of a day brightener.  That can always be achieved through chocolate chips for breakfast.
I present to you now The Candid Appetite's Chocolate Zucchini Chocolate Chip Waffles:

Freezer Friendly: Walnut Zucchini Muffins

So.
Despite the fact that as I write this we haven't been on vacation yet (Friday's coming!), I've started planning for my Back to School cooking extravaganza.
Three years ago, I discovered the genius of freezer meals.  After buying a Taste of Home freezer magazine, I tried cooking and freezing meals that would make my life easier upon my return to work.  It totally does make my life easier.  We eat at home during a stressful time with the startup of school and being away weekends for football.  I've started my lists and my inventory of the deep freeze so that we have some more healthy choices than the nearest restaurant.
To that end, I'm stocking not only dinners but breakfasts as well.  I need something that can be quick, or on the go; but not just peanut butter toast when I can't think of anything else.  My Christmas present from last year has been a help:  a Hamilton Beach breakfast sandwich maker that we pull out maybe once a week.  I also try and stock bagels, and often have cooked breakfast sausage links so I can make quick scrambled egg wraps.  I also enjoy muffins from time to time.
My mother makes lots of different muffins that are delicious, and if you look at my index I make lots of different flavours too,  Muffins freeze well, are portable, and can use up things that are lurking in your produce drawer.
Speaking of produce, if you and I are friends on Facebook, I've been posting pictures of my Good Food Boxes this summer from The Stand in Burford.  J and I have eaten more fresh fruits and vegetables for an incredible price because of these boxes!  We've had things like this:

 Every week, there is a head of romaine lettuce, and a field tomato.  The rest is seasonal, so we've had carrots, new dug potatoes, garlic, corn, green onions, peppers of all colours, field and hot house cucumbers, green and yellow beans, cherry tomatoes, garlic scapes, red onions, and zucchini.  We've been picking up the box and then meal planning to use as much as possible from the box.

 Fruit-wise, we've had tons of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, peaches, and yellow plums.  J eats the blueberries.  The rest are left up to me.
I've been freezing what we can't eat (mainly strawberries and beans), and knowing that in winter we will have lots of things to choose from out of the excess of our bounty from the summer.

But there are many things that we get that can't be frozen.  And vegetables like zucchini need to be made into another form to be frozen.
When I saw this recipe in my Taste of Home freezer magazine, it was like it was meant to be.
I present to you now Harriet Stichter from Milford, Illinois' Walnut Zucchini Muffins: