I hope everyone reading this week has enjoyed breakfast week as much as I have. It's been a great reminder for me that breakfast is much more than a bowl of cereal or a toaster waffle. It's also been a great reminder that breakfast doesn't just have to be for breakfast. In addition, I've dug a little deeper into breakfast dishes that freeze well, and I'm looking forward to putting those into practice for unexpected brunch company, or simply a Saturday morning breakfast without the work.
So first up this morning is a recipe I haven't tried, but I will tell you...it looks amazing! In a rare moment this week, I watched the tail end of a Barefoot Contessa episode, and she made these amazing looking Herbed Baked Eggs. They looked decadent and delicious, and I knew I'd be sharing them here.
Herbed Baked Eggs
Recipe By :Ina Garten
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
6 extra-large eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toasted French bread or brioche -- for serving
Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and place the oven rack 6 inches below the heat.
Combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and Parmesan and set aside. Carefully crack 3 eggs into each of 2 small bowls or teacups (you won't be baking them in these) without breaking the yolks. (It's very important to have all the eggs ready to go before you start cooking.)
Place 2 individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Place 1 tablespoon of cream and 1/2 tablespoon of butter in each dish and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, pour 3 eggs into each gratin dish and sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place back under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked. (Rotate the baking sheet once if they aren't cooking evenly.) The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Allow to set for 60 seconds and serve hot with toasted bread.
This next recipe is something I never would have thought to try if someone hadn't brought some to my house. One of our friends brought cooked bacon one night to our weekly dinners, and I admit that at first I was puzzled by that plate of bacon. And then I tried it. It had been baked in brown sugar and was the most amazing bacon I'd ever eaten! So while I'm certain this isn't quite the recipe he used, this is the one I like, because it also adds a dose of heat to the sweet. By all means, leave the cayenne out of this recipe for Brown Sugar Pepper Bacon, but do try the bacon, you'll love it.
Brown Sugar Pepper Bacon
1 lb lean bacon
1/2 teaspoon black pepper -- (1/2 to 2)
1/4 teaspoon powdered chipotle pepper
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lay bacon on paper and sprinkle generously with optional black pepper, chipotle pepper and brown sugar.
Bake 10 minutes then drain fat from pan.
Bake 5 more minutes or until it's as crisp as you like.
So we've go eggs this morning, bacon, and I think we also need some potatoes, for a truly traditional breakfast plate. And I have to tell you, my absolute favorite way to eat potatoes in the morning is in the form of Hash Browns. And for me, it's the shredded kind that makes it's way to my plate. But have you ever been out to breakfast at Cracker Barrel and had their hash brown casserole? Yeah, now that's some good stuff, and I happen to have a similar recipe which I call MOB Potatoes, simply because it makes enough to feed a mob.
MOB Potatoes
1 2 pound package frozen hash browns, thawed
1 can reduced fat cream of chicken soup*
1 pint reduced fat sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup melted butter, divided
2 cups crushed corn flakes
Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, combine hash browns, soup, sour cream, onion, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of melted butter. Mix well. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, combine corn flakes and remaining melted butter. Mix well and sprinkle over the top of the hash brown mixture.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 oven for 1 1/2 hours.
Makes about 12 good size servings.
* You can use other "cream of" soups if you desire. Celery and mushroom work particularly well.
And finally today, what would breakfast be without a beverage of some kind. Normally, I'm a coffee girl, occasionally accented by a cup of juice, but mostly, it's coffee. But this recipe is for something completely different. A few months back I received a box of Rice Dreams brand Horchata from my swap partner. It was incredible. A drink made from rice milk, flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, and it was just delicious and refreshing. Perfect for any occasion. Sad for me, I haven't been able to find this pre-made Horchata anywhere around me, so I had to search out a recipe to make it myself. It takes some thinking ahead, but it's completely worth it.
Horchata
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups skinless almonds
1 inch cinnamon bark
8 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Wash and drain the rice.
Using a spice grinder (an electric coffee grinder works well too), grind the rice until fine; combine with the almonds and cinnamon bark.
Add 3 1/2 cups water and let sit overnight, covered.
Blend rice mixture until smooth using a blender.
Add 2 1/2 cups of water and continue blending.
Add sugar and vanilla extract.
Strain horchata into a bowl first using a metal strainer and then a double layer of cheesecloth; finish with up to an additional 2 cups of water until it achieves a milky consistency.
Serve cold or over ice.
Well, thanks for sticking around for Breakfast Week! It's been fun and I hope you've found lots of great ideas here at Tummy Treasure. I know I've had some great reminders, and I'm determined to concentrate my efforts on making breakfast more often.
Showing posts with label Breakfast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breakfast. Show all posts
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Breakfast From a Friend
Do you know what the best breakfast is? The one you don't cook yourself. Breakfast is probably my favorite meal to go out for. I don't know if that's because it's actually pretty difficult to wreck breakfast foods or what, but I love going out to breakfast. Almost as good as going out for breakfast is having it brought to you. We have some close friends that we get together with once a week every week. These are the friends that introduced us to Indian food- bless their souls! Once this year we did a breakfast night, and this Cheesy Leek Casserole was what my friend brought. Oh my gosh, eggs and buttery leeks truly belong together, we all had a difficult time backing away from the casserole dish once we were finished eating. I suspect this would reheat rather nicely in the microwave as well.
Cheesy Leek Casserole
3 leeks
1/2 medium onion
2 green onions
2 Cups milk
8 large eggs
1 tsp. mustard powder
1 tsp Penzey's Fox Point Seasoning
6 to 8 slices French bread -- cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
Saute the leeks, onion, and green onions in 2 tsp of olive oil over medium high heat.
In a large bowl combine milk, eggs, mustard powder and Fox Point. Whisk together well. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Add sauteed vegetables to the eggs, along with the cubed bread and shredded cheese. Add enough bread cubes to soak up most of the eggs. It should be “juicy”, but not soupy. Spread the egg mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350° for approx. 1 hour.
This next recipe is one that my friend shared when I had an abundance of eggs and I was looking for something to do with them. I'd never heard of Eggs Goldenrod, but I threw it together, and I daresay, it came in a close second to me to biscuits and gravy, it's really very good.
Eggs Goldenrod
6 hard-boiled eggs
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 slices bread toasted
I. Melt butter, add flour and stir until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Add milk very slowly stirring as you add Continue to stir and cook over a low heat. Cook until the mixture starts to thicken.
2. Add salt and pepper to mixture and set aside.
3. Peel boiled (or steamed, which works even better) eggs and chop. Add them to the white sauce.
4. Toast bread and slice it diagonally.
5. Arrange the bread slices on a plate and pour the sauce over the toast.
6. Garnish with a sprinkling of paprika (the sweet Hungarian kind not the hot Spanish, unless you like that).
Then there's this last recipe, which is proof that great minds do think alike. I made something similar to this last week for dinner one night. Everyone loved it, and I even wrote about it for Kids Cuisine, it was that good. Our variation had apples and brown sugar in it as well, but this Dutch/German Oven Puff Pancake is all that AND a bag of chips. In fact, I have a vague memory of going out to breakfast with my family when I was young, and my Mom ordering something similar at a restaurant and it coming out all huge and puffy and completely filled with a luscious fruit salad. I wonder if that's an accurate memory...
This puff pancake is one of our favorites! We serve it with maple syrup but, fruit on top is always a nice touch!
Dutch/German Oven Puff Pancake
6 eggs
1 cup skim milk
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Beat eggs until well aerated Add milk and beat again Add salt and flour and beat on low, just until blended.
3. Meanwhile, put butter into a 9 x 13 baking dish, or two round cake pans, or two large cast iron skillets and place in the preheated oven to melt the butter and heat the pan(s). Tip pans to spread butter evenly.
4. Pour batter into the warm pan(s) and place In the oven Bake for 15 minutes.
I have just one more recipe for you this morning. It's kind of a bonus from my friend. She made this absolutely decadent Cinnamon Cream Syrup to accompany my Overnight French Toast one week. This syrup is amazing, and much easier to put together than you would think.
Cinnamon Cream Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon -- (1/2 to 3/4)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
Combine the first four ingredients and bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Cook and stir for 1 minute. Cool for 5 minutes and stir in the evaporated milk.
The syrup keeps well in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for weeks. To reheat, warm slowly or it will overcook and become stringy.
Cheesy Leek Casserole
3 leeks
1/2 medium onion
2 green onions
2 Cups milk
8 large eggs
1 tsp. mustard powder
1 tsp Penzey's Fox Point Seasoning
6 to 8 slices French bread -- cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
Saute the leeks, onion, and green onions in 2 tsp of olive oil over medium high heat.
In a large bowl combine milk, eggs, mustard powder and Fox Point. Whisk together well. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Add sauteed vegetables to the eggs, along with the cubed bread and shredded cheese. Add enough bread cubes to soak up most of the eggs. It should be “juicy”, but not soupy. Spread the egg mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350° for approx. 1 hour.
This next recipe is one that my friend shared when I had an abundance of eggs and I was looking for something to do with them. I'd never heard of Eggs Goldenrod, but I threw it together, and I daresay, it came in a close second to me to biscuits and gravy, it's really very good.
Eggs Goldenrod
6 hard-boiled eggs
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 slices bread toasted
I. Melt butter, add flour and stir until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Add milk very slowly stirring as you add Continue to stir and cook over a low heat. Cook until the mixture starts to thicken.
2. Add salt and pepper to mixture and set aside.
3. Peel boiled (or steamed, which works even better) eggs and chop. Add them to the white sauce.
4. Toast bread and slice it diagonally.
5. Arrange the bread slices on a plate and pour the sauce over the toast.
6. Garnish with a sprinkling of paprika (the sweet Hungarian kind not the hot Spanish, unless you like that).
Then there's this last recipe, which is proof that great minds do think alike. I made something similar to this last week for dinner one night. Everyone loved it, and I even wrote about it for Kids Cuisine, it was that good. Our variation had apples and brown sugar in it as well, but this Dutch/German Oven Puff Pancake is all that AND a bag of chips. In fact, I have a vague memory of going out to breakfast with my family when I was young, and my Mom ordering something similar at a restaurant and it coming out all huge and puffy and completely filled with a luscious fruit salad. I wonder if that's an accurate memory...
This puff pancake is one of our favorites! We serve it with maple syrup but, fruit on top is always a nice touch!
Dutch/German Oven Puff Pancake
6 eggs
1 cup skim milk
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Beat eggs until well aerated Add milk and beat again Add salt and flour and beat on low, just until blended.
3. Meanwhile, put butter into a 9 x 13 baking dish, or two round cake pans, or two large cast iron skillets and place in the preheated oven to melt the butter and heat the pan(s). Tip pans to spread butter evenly.
4. Pour batter into the warm pan(s) and place In the oven Bake for 15 minutes.
I have just one more recipe for you this morning. It's kind of a bonus from my friend. She made this absolutely decadent Cinnamon Cream Syrup to accompany my Overnight French Toast one week. This syrup is amazing, and much easier to put together than you would think.
Cinnamon Cream Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon -- (1/2 to 3/4)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
Combine the first four ingredients and bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Cook and stir for 1 minute. Cool for 5 minutes and stir in the evaporated milk.
The syrup keeps well in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for weeks. To reheat, warm slowly or it will overcook and become stringy.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Breakfast Around The World!
A week about breakfast just wouldn't be complete without some International flair added to it! After all, everyone eats breakfast. So this morning I have a little bit of breakfast from several different places, and trust me when I say I had to force myself to stop. I have four recipes to share this morning, but it easily could have been twenty-four. Breakfast around the world is exotic and delicious and is making me very hungry this morning.
First up, we visit the Emerald Isle known as Ireland. Well known for their potatoes in Ireland, among many, many other things. This exotic Irish Potato Omelet is just a little bit different from the addition of mashed potatoes. It's delightful, and for an extra treat, be sure and sprinkle on some lovely Irish Cheddar Cheese.
Irish Potato Omelet
4 large eggs -- whites and yolks separated
1 large potato -- cooked and mashed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh chives -- chopped
2 teaspoons butter
salt and pepper
Separate the eggs and beat the yolks. Add, the mashed potato to the yolks, mixing thoroughly. Add the lemon juice, chives, and salt and pepper.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the potato mixture.
Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet or omelet pan over low-medium heat. Cook the omelet until golden (3-5 minutes), then run under the broiler to finish and puff the omelet.
Serve immediately.
And before we completely leave this region of the world, I thought a stop in Great Britain would be necessary as well, particularly in the region of Wales and their wonderful Welsh Rarebit. This recipe has dozens of different variations. My mom's rarebit is completely different- and I suspect came from her mom. Her rarebit has an addition of a tomato sauce poured over the cheese- comfort food for sure. But this version is also delicious and well worth the effort to make the cheese sauce.
Welsh Rarebit
4 slices dense -- hearty brown bread
1 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
5 tablespoons dark ale (NOT beer)
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
salt and pepper -- to taste
Preheat a broiler.
Toast the bread slices in a toaster to golden brown.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cheddar and the dark ale.
When the cheese melts, add the butter, Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and the cayenne, and whisk together until smoothly melted and combined, 1-2 minutes.
Cut each piece of toast in half, diagonally, and arrange on a pie plate.
Pour the cheese mixture over the toasts so they are covered completely.
Place the platter under the broiler and broil until the cheese bubbles and starts to scorch in places, about 2 minutes.
Remove from the broiler and serve piping hot.
Now we're going to head to one of my favorite countries to dine in, India. I know very few people who've tried Indian food and don't immediately become addicted. There's something warming and comforting about most Indian Cuisine, and breakfast is no exception. Eggs in particular seem to be made for the spice blends in India, so these Curried Poached Eggs should be no surprise here. Usually I see hard-cooked eggs in a tomato curry sauce, so these eggs are a delightful surprise. You can serve them on toast, as suggested here, but they would be amazing served over a bowl of dal or wrapped up in some hot fresh naan with one of the many Indian pickles.
Curried Poached Eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
4 eggs
4 slices thick crisp buttered toast
Fill medium saucepan with about 3 inches of water.
Stir in coriander, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
Break one egg into a small dish.
Gently slip egg into water.
Repeat with remaining eggs.
Cook in barely simmering water for 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and drain well.
Serve immediately on crisp buttered toast.
And finally, a stop a little closer to home for a take on my favorite breakfast- Huevos Rancheros. we have a local restaurant that makes the best Huevos Rancheros I've ever had (Kary's if you're reading this locally!). The combination of tortillas and eggs and salsa and beans is nothing short of amazing- and they do it right. The thing about Huevos Rancheros is that when you cook it for a small crowd, it gets a little tedious and annoying, so this Huevos Rancheros Hotdish makes it accessible for six people at a time- with only one moment of assembly for the cook. You could likely multiply this by as many people as you want, just increase accordingly. I like it with a side of beans and sour cream- and I also leave off the olives. But feel free to adjust this to suit your tastes.
Huevos Rancheros Hotdish
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green peppers
2 cloves garlic -- minced
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon flour
2 cans tomatoes -- (16 ounce) drained and chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup white wine
6 eggs
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese -- shredded
1/4 cup ripe olives -- sliced (optional)
Saute onion, green pepper and garlic in olive oil.
Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
Add next 7 ingredients and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Pour sauce into a 9x13 baking dish.
Make 6 indentations in the sauce and break an egg into each, gently.
Sprinkle with cheese and olives.
Bake at 350 degrees F.
for 15 minutes or until eggs are set.
Serve immediately.
So far during breakfast week I've shared 14 recipes in one week! There are still two more days to be had here. I wonder what I'll be sharing next! Come back to find out, and don't forget, you have a little more time to submit your breakfast favorites to me at tummytreasureATgmailDOTcom. I'd love to see your favorite recipes!
First up, we visit the Emerald Isle known as Ireland. Well known for their potatoes in Ireland, among many, many other things. This exotic Irish Potato Omelet is just a little bit different from the addition of mashed potatoes. It's delightful, and for an extra treat, be sure and sprinkle on some lovely Irish Cheddar Cheese.
Irish Potato Omelet
4 large eggs -- whites and yolks separated
1 large potato -- cooked and mashed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh chives -- chopped
2 teaspoons butter
salt and pepper
Separate the eggs and beat the yolks. Add, the mashed potato to the yolks, mixing thoroughly. Add the lemon juice, chives, and salt and pepper.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the potato mixture.
Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet or omelet pan over low-medium heat. Cook the omelet until golden (3-5 minutes), then run under the broiler to finish and puff the omelet.
Serve immediately.
And before we completely leave this region of the world, I thought a stop in Great Britain would be necessary as well, particularly in the region of Wales and their wonderful Welsh Rarebit. This recipe has dozens of different variations. My mom's rarebit is completely different- and I suspect came from her mom. Her rarebit has an addition of a tomato sauce poured over the cheese- comfort food for sure. But this version is also delicious and well worth the effort to make the cheese sauce.
Welsh Rarebit
4 slices dense -- hearty brown bread
1 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
5 tablespoons dark ale (NOT beer)
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
salt and pepper -- to taste
Preheat a broiler.
Toast the bread slices in a toaster to golden brown.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cheddar and the dark ale.
When the cheese melts, add the butter, Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and the cayenne, and whisk together until smoothly melted and combined, 1-2 minutes.
Cut each piece of toast in half, diagonally, and arrange on a pie plate.
Pour the cheese mixture over the toasts so they are covered completely.
Place the platter under the broiler and broil until the cheese bubbles and starts to scorch in places, about 2 minutes.
Remove from the broiler and serve piping hot.
Now we're going to head to one of my favorite countries to dine in, India. I know very few people who've tried Indian food and don't immediately become addicted. There's something warming and comforting about most Indian Cuisine, and breakfast is no exception. Eggs in particular seem to be made for the spice blends in India, so these Curried Poached Eggs should be no surprise here. Usually I see hard-cooked eggs in a tomato curry sauce, so these eggs are a delightful surprise. You can serve them on toast, as suggested here, but they would be amazing served over a bowl of dal or wrapped up in some hot fresh naan with one of the many Indian pickles.
Curried Poached Eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
4 eggs
4 slices thick crisp buttered toast
Fill medium saucepan with about 3 inches of water.
Stir in coriander, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
Break one egg into a small dish.
Gently slip egg into water.
Repeat with remaining eggs.
Cook in barely simmering water for 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and drain well.
Serve immediately on crisp buttered toast.
And finally, a stop a little closer to home for a take on my favorite breakfast- Huevos Rancheros. we have a local restaurant that makes the best Huevos Rancheros I've ever had (Kary's if you're reading this locally!). The combination of tortillas and eggs and salsa and beans is nothing short of amazing- and they do it right. The thing about Huevos Rancheros is that when you cook it for a small crowd, it gets a little tedious and annoying, so this Huevos Rancheros Hotdish makes it accessible for six people at a time- with only one moment of assembly for the cook. You could likely multiply this by as many people as you want, just increase accordingly. I like it with a side of beans and sour cream- and I also leave off the olives. But feel free to adjust this to suit your tastes.
Huevos Rancheros Hotdish
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green peppers
2 cloves garlic -- minced
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon flour
2 cans tomatoes -- (16 ounce) drained and chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup white wine
6 eggs
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese -- shredded
1/4 cup ripe olives -- sliced (optional)
Saute onion, green pepper and garlic in olive oil.
Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
Add next 7 ingredients and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Pour sauce into a 9x13 baking dish.
Make 6 indentations in the sauce and break an egg into each, gently.
Sprinkle with cheese and olives.
Bake at 350 degrees F.
for 15 minutes or until eggs are set.
Serve immediately.
So far during breakfast week I've shared 14 recipes in one week! There are still two more days to be had here. I wonder what I'll be sharing next! Come back to find out, and don't forget, you have a little more time to submit your breakfast favorites to me at tummytreasureATgmailDOTcom. I'd love to see your favorite recipes!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The Doctor Knows Best
Who better to turn to than an almost-physician for great breakfast recipes! With harried hours and on-calls, I imagine breakfast for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is a great way to go. Claire from Cooking Is Medicine sent in four of her favorites to share this week. And okay, I'm definitely hungry now for all of them!
The first recipe from Claire this morning is for one of her Daddy's Specialties- Pancakes. I completely agree with her assessment that pre-made mix pancakes can't even begin to compare with the homemade version. I also love the idea of making the pancakes with buttermilk, and then adding just a dash of vanilla. I bet that vanilla puts the pancakes into awesome territory. Thank goodness Claire was there to save her roommate and friends from pancake-mix disaster.
I'm also beginning to think that Claire's Daddy has some kind of gift when it comes to preparing breakfast. I'm sure it was wonderful to wake up every Saturday morning to homemade pancakes from Dad, and then to have him branch out and do waffles to- I would have been in heaven. There's nothing like a good waffle- with all those perfectly square holes just waiting to fill with syrup or jam or sugar. I may just be pulling out the waffle iron today, because Daddy's Waffles look fantastic!
Daddy’s Waffles
¾ cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 T sugar
1 egg, separated
2 T oil
½ cup milk
¼ tsp vanilla
Preheat waffle iron. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Combine liquids in a smaller bowl. If you want fluffier waffles, separate the egg and whip the egg whites separately while you put the yolk in with the wet ingredients. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. If you separated the egg, fold in the egg whites after mixing the dry and wet ingredients. Follow waffle iron instructions for cooking time. Daddy cooks ours about 3 minutes 30 seconds. Enjoy
with your favorite topping: syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream, fruit, jam.
Claire also frequently can be found whipping up many varieties of muffin on her blog. I adore muffins and don't make them near often enough. These blueberry muffins are pretty different from other muffin recipes I've seen. They're slightly flat- so they look more like a cross between muffin tops and biscuits. This recipe was enough to bring both of Claire's parents out of lurkdom to comment on how wonderful they are- so I'll take that as a high recommendation!
Blueberry Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup blueberries
Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles a crumbly mixture. Combine egg and buttermilk. Stir into the dry mixture. Blend in blueberries.
Dump onto floured surface and knead 4-5 times. Roll or pat to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a 2.5 inch biscuit cutter. Place of a baking stone or sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and drizzle with a glaze if desired.
And then we have the Christmas tradition that Claire grew up with- her family's Breakfast Casserole. How could this not be delicious- eggs, sausage, bread, cheese, all baked up together. It looks really good and I bet it smells fantastic baking up in the oven on Christmas morning-or any other morning for that matter. Thanks Claire for all the awesome breakfast recipes today! They all look so comforting and delicious, I think I need to go find that waffle iron now...
The first recipe from Claire this morning is for one of her Daddy's Specialties- Pancakes. I completely agree with her assessment that pre-made mix pancakes can't even begin to compare with the homemade version. I also love the idea of making the pancakes with buttermilk, and then adding just a dash of vanilla. I bet that vanilla puts the pancakes into awesome territory. Thank goodness Claire was there to save her roommate and friends from pancake-mix disaster.
I'm also beginning to think that Claire's Daddy has some kind of gift when it comes to preparing breakfast. I'm sure it was wonderful to wake up every Saturday morning to homemade pancakes from Dad, and then to have him branch out and do waffles to- I would have been in heaven. There's nothing like a good waffle- with all those perfectly square holes just waiting to fill with syrup or jam or sugar. I may just be pulling out the waffle iron today, because Daddy's Waffles look fantastic!
Daddy’s Waffles
¾ cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 T sugar
1 egg, separated
2 T oil
½ cup milk
¼ tsp vanilla
Preheat waffle iron. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Combine liquids in a smaller bowl. If you want fluffier waffles, separate the egg and whip the egg whites separately while you put the yolk in with the wet ingredients. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. If you separated the egg, fold in the egg whites after mixing the dry and wet ingredients. Follow waffle iron instructions for cooking time. Daddy cooks ours about 3 minutes 30 seconds. Enjoy
with your favorite topping: syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream, fruit, jam.Claire also frequently can be found whipping up many varieties of muffin on her blog. I adore muffins and don't make them near often enough. These blueberry muffins are pretty different from other muffin recipes I've seen. They're slightly flat- so they look more like a cross between muffin tops and biscuits. This recipe was enough to bring both of Claire's parents out of lurkdom to comment on how wonderful they are- so I'll take that as a high recommendation!
Blueberry Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup blueberries
Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles a crumbly mixture. Combine egg and buttermilk. Stir into the dry mixture. Blend in blueberries.
Dump onto floured surface and knead 4-5 times. Roll or pat to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a 2.5 inch biscuit cutter. Place of a baking stone or sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and drizzle with a glaze if desired.
And then we have the Christmas tradition that Claire grew up with- her family's Breakfast Casserole. How could this not be delicious- eggs, sausage, bread, cheese, all baked up together. It looks really good and I bet it smells fantastic baking up in the oven on Christmas morning-or any other morning for that matter. Thanks Claire for all the awesome breakfast recipes today! They all look so comforting and delicious, I think I need to go find that waffle iron now...
Breakfast Casserole
1 lb. sausage
6 slices bread, cubed
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
pepper, to taste
Brown sausage and drain. In a 13X9 casserole layer cubed bread, sausage, and cheese. Combine eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour over bread, sausage, and cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 40 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
A Cozy Bowl of Porridge
I grew up on porridge. Hot cereal in the morning was an economical way to feed five hungry children before school without breaking the bank every week. It also was much easier on The Mom than being a short order cook and serving up whatever everyone really preferred. And the "fancy" breakfast food like pancakes and french toast were reserved for dinners to stretch the grocery budget to it's max. So it was the many forms of porridge for us every morning before school. Most often it was oatmeal- sometimes flavored with apples or raisins. Sometimes though it was Cream of Wheat (my personal favorite) or Malt-O-Meal- both the plain and chocolate variations. I also clearly recall The Mom making a breakfast porridge once out of rice and we were all so excited to be eating something different...
As a result, I love porridge in all it's forms. (Well, now I do, then not so much.)It's comfort to me. When I am under the weather, the first thing I reach for is a bowl of oatmeal. A close second being a bowl of Cream of Wheat with plain buttered toast. And while oatmeal is my hands-down favorite, there are so many different forms of breakfast porridge, that I could probably eat a different one every day of the year and still have tons left to try out. Porridge can essentially be made with any grain- oats, barley, quinoa, millet, and polenta to name a few. Some forms of porridge cook slowly on the stove, some cook in the microwave, and still others cook overnight in their own special way. So today's trio of recipes is dedicated to hot steaming bowls of porridge. But before I get to that, an honorable mention needs to go out to recipes in the Recipe Trove that I also love, Baked Quinoa, and Oatmeal with Pineapple & Golden Raisins. Both delicious- be sure to check them out too.
First up, is a recipe you are going to LOVE. It's for a homemade oatmeal mix. So much better for you than those pre-portioned flavored oatmeals, but with the convenience of the preservative laden packets. Switch up the fruit to whatever you have on hand- I'm partial to dried blueberries or snipped apricots myself. Fruity Homemade Oatmeal Mix is quick to toss together, and quick to cook on a hurried morning.
Fruity Homemade Oatmeal Mix
6 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup dried apples or other dried fruit
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar -- packed
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENT
8 cups water -- 1/2 cup per serving
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients.
Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.
Yield 8 cups total.
To prepare oatmeal: Shake mix well and measure out 1/2 cup oatmeal into bowl, add 1/2 cup water, and microwave for 3 minutes.
Or on a stove top, in a saucepan, bring water to a boil; slowly stir in 1/2 cup mix.
Cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat.
Cover and let stand for 1 minute or until oatmeal reaches desired consistency.
Source:
"from Light & Tasty magazine"
This next recipe is a completely different spin on a bowl of oatmeal. Muesli is traditionally a Swiss breakfast dish that "cooks" overnight in the fridge. I think that most often it is eaten cold straight out of the fridge. The oatmeal softens overnight in the milk, creating a very creamy and delicious bowl of breakfast. No worries though, if you prefer your porridge hot, a quick zap in the microwave can turn a bowl of Muesli into exactly what you're looking for. And once again, you can vary the additions to whatever you have on hand.
Muesli
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon honey
1 apple -- peeled and grated
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, walnuts, or pecans
1 cup low-fat yogurt (any flavor you would like, I prefer vanilla)
Combine oats, milk and honey and leave soaking in the refrigerator overnight.
Next morning, add the grated apple, hazelnuts and yogurt.
And finally this morning a porridge collection would not be complete without a variation of my Southern favorite-grits. I love grits! While my favorite way to eat them is with a little cheese and a fried egg, grits are also delicious with the addition of a few sweets. These Sweet Breakfast Grits are sure to charm you into loving grits if you don't already do so.
Sweet Breakfast Grits
2 1/2 cups 2% milk
1/2 cup quick-cooking grits
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
sliced fresh peaches, nectarines, strawberries, diced apples, or whole berries
Combine the milk, grits, honey, and salt in a saucepan.
Heat the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
Once the mixture has reached boiling, lower the heat to simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes or until nicely thickened.
Serve warm, topped with fruit.
Monday, October 8, 2007
It's Breakfast Week!
Welcome to a week of breakfast features here at Tummy Treasure. I love breakfast, and I thought it was high time to do some blogging about breakfast. In thinking about this week's blog posting, I was thinking about all the breakfasts I enjoy, and I wondered if there is a blogger out there doing just breakfast. I haven't found one yet, but if someone knows of one, please share, I'd love to check it out. Of course, while looking for breakfast blogs, I found so many more new-to-me food blogs, so watch for updates to the blog roll in the days to come. So many great food blogs, so little time. :-)
So for today's breakfast post, I thought I'd share a trio of recipes.
Three recipes that are all slight variations of the breakfast delight known as quiche. Quiche gets a bad rap for being pretentious and snobby, when really it's so simple to make, and as an added bonus-it freezes very well. The key to quiche is in the eggs and milk, the proportions must be just right- the perfect blend of egg and milk or cream to make the eggs custard like- and not like baked eggs. In addition, quiche is one of the few things that I will willingly purchase pie crust for. I don't know why that is, but I prefer my quiche in a pre-made crust. Either refrigerated or frozen works just fine here. And the fillings are limited only by imagination.
There's the traditional Quiche Lorraine, made with Swiss cheese and ham. I've also seen some variations that include spinach as well, but my recipe is just the ham and cheese. And mustard. You must add dry mustard to the eggs as well- without the mustard you just have quiche. But with the mustard you have Quiche Lorraine. Slightly nutty from the cheese, slightly salty from the ham, it's the epitome of perfect quiche. Be sure to note the freezing instructions- it works beautifully, you'd never know this puppy came out of a freezer!
Quiche Lorraine
1 1/2 cups grated natural Swiss cheese
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup finely chopped cooked ham
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 unbaked pie shell -- (9 inch)
1.Preheat Oven to 375ºF.
2.Combine the cheese and flour and sprinkle into the pie shell.
3.Spread the ham evenly over this.
4.Combine the eggs, milk, salt and mustard.
5.Beat until smooth and pour evenly over the cheese and ham.
6.Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the custard is set.
7.Serve warm, garnished with chopped parsley.
8.To freeze: Prepare recipe through step 5. Wrap well with saran wrap and then foil. Freeze.
9.To serve: Thaw in fridge overnight. Bake as directed.
But perhaps you're in the mood for a more manly version of Quiche Lorraine? I submit to you the humble Rochester Quiche. I pulled this recipe of Recipezaar quite some time ago when I was looking for something a little different. Instead of ham we have bacon, and instead of milk we use a richer half & half. Mushrooms and onions are sauteed in bacon fat before adding to the quiche, and a tiny scattering of bleu cheese really brings it all together. This one I haven't tried freezing, but I don't see why it wouldn't work the same as the Quiche Lorraine.
Rochester Quiche
1 deep dish pie shell -- prebaked
6 slices bacon
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup onions -- chopped
3 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons blue cheese -- crumbled
1 1/2 cups Swiss cheese -- shredded
Preheat oven 425F degrees.
In skillet fry bacon til crispy, drain on paper towel.
Remove most fat from skillet then saute' mushrooms and onions til browned.
In bowl combine eggs, half and half, pepper.
Crumble bacon onto bottom of prepared pie shell.
Then add the onions and mushrooms.
Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over all.
Top with the grated Swiss cheese.
Place your pie plate onto a baking sheet to catch drips and to aid in moving quiche to the oven.
Pour egg mixture carefully over contents.
Bake at 425' for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350' bake another 20-25 minutes til center is set and knife inserted in center comes out clean.
And finally today, a third recipe for a different quiche- Cheese and Sausage Quiche. I like this one for several reasons. The first is because of the sausage. You can use any kind of sausage you like, and by changing the sausage, you completely change the quiche. While standard breakfast sausage is awesome, you could easily use Italian sausage for a fun twist, or Polish sausage for yet another flavor. Let your sausage guide you. The second thing I like about this quiche is the evaporated milk instead of cream. You can use a reduced fat evaporated milk to lower the fat content while maintaining the richness evaporated milk contributes. This one also freezes well, but you do need to watch the bake time- I've had this one take longer, I suspect because of the moisture content of the peppers.
Cheese and Sausage Quiche
1 lb ground sausage
1 sliced onion
1/3 cup green peppers -- chopped (optional)
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon flour
2 beaten eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 unbaked pie shell
Brown the sausage and remove to a mixing bowl. Remove most of the sausage drippings from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon of drippings in pan.
Place sliced onion in drippings from sausage and cook until onions are translucent.
Mix browned sausage and cheese with green pepper. Add flour and mix until coated with flour.
Place in unbaked pie shell.
Place onions on top of of sausage mixture.
Combine eggs, evaporated milk, parsley, pepper, seasoning salt, and garlic powder. Mix well.
Carefully, pour egg/milk mixture evenly into the pie shell.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until quiche is set
Let set for 10 minutes before serving.
And finally, to me the best thing about quiche is that it is a fantastic make-ahead dish. It microwaves with little to no loss of integrity, so you can bake it up on the weekend when you have time, and serve yourself slices of quiche all week long for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Someone who may be into once a month cooking could assembly line several quiches in a row up to the point of baking and freeze them. It wouldn't take much to line up 3 or 4 pie shells and fill them up with ingredients. Impressive enough for company, cozy enough for a breakfast for two. Quiche, it's a great thing!
So for today's breakfast post, I thought I'd share a trio of recipes.
Three recipes that are all slight variations of the breakfast delight known as quiche. Quiche gets a bad rap for being pretentious and snobby, when really it's so simple to make, and as an added bonus-it freezes very well. The key to quiche is in the eggs and milk, the proportions must be just right- the perfect blend of egg and milk or cream to make the eggs custard like- and not like baked eggs. In addition, quiche is one of the few things that I will willingly purchase pie crust for. I don't know why that is, but I prefer my quiche in a pre-made crust. Either refrigerated or frozen works just fine here. And the fillings are limited only by imagination.There's the traditional Quiche Lorraine, made with Swiss cheese and ham. I've also seen some variations that include spinach as well, but my recipe is just the ham and cheese. And mustard. You must add dry mustard to the eggs as well- without the mustard you just have quiche. But with the mustard you have Quiche Lorraine. Slightly nutty from the cheese, slightly salty from the ham, it's the epitome of perfect quiche. Be sure to note the freezing instructions- it works beautifully, you'd never know this puppy came out of a freezer!
Quiche Lorraine
1 1/2 cups grated natural Swiss cheese
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup finely chopped cooked ham
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 unbaked pie shell -- (9 inch)
1.Preheat Oven to 375ºF.
2.Combine the cheese and flour and sprinkle into the pie shell.
3.Spread the ham evenly over this.
4.Combine the eggs, milk, salt and mustard.
5.Beat until smooth and pour evenly over the cheese and ham.
6.Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the custard is set.
7.Serve warm, garnished with chopped parsley.
8.To freeze: Prepare recipe through step 5. Wrap well with saran wrap and then foil. Freeze.
9.To serve: Thaw in fridge overnight. Bake as directed.
But perhaps you're in the mood for a more manly version of Quiche Lorraine? I submit to you the humble Rochester Quiche. I pulled this recipe of Recipezaar quite some time ago when I was looking for something a little different. Instead of ham we have bacon, and instead of milk we use a richer half & half. Mushrooms and onions are sauteed in bacon fat before adding to the quiche, and a tiny scattering of bleu cheese really brings it all together. This one I haven't tried freezing, but I don't see why it wouldn't work the same as the Quiche Lorraine.
Rochester Quiche
1 deep dish pie shell -- prebaked
6 slices bacon
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup onions -- chopped
3 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons blue cheese -- crumbled
1 1/2 cups Swiss cheese -- shredded
Preheat oven 425F degrees.
In skillet fry bacon til crispy, drain on paper towel.
Remove most fat from skillet then saute' mushrooms and onions til browned.
In bowl combine eggs, half and half, pepper.
Crumble bacon onto bottom of prepared pie shell.
Then add the onions and mushrooms.
Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over all.
Top with the grated Swiss cheese.
Place your pie plate onto a baking sheet to catch drips and to aid in moving quiche to the oven.
Pour egg mixture carefully over contents.
Bake at 425' for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350' bake another 20-25 minutes til center is set and knife inserted in center comes out clean.
And finally today, a third recipe for a different quiche- Cheese and Sausage Quiche. I like this one for several reasons. The first is because of the sausage. You can use any kind of sausage you like, and by changing the sausage, you completely change the quiche. While standard breakfast sausage is awesome, you could easily use Italian sausage for a fun twist, or Polish sausage for yet another flavor. Let your sausage guide you. The second thing I like about this quiche is the evaporated milk instead of cream. You can use a reduced fat evaporated milk to lower the fat content while maintaining the richness evaporated milk contributes. This one also freezes well, but you do need to watch the bake time- I've had this one take longer, I suspect because of the moisture content of the peppers.
Cheese and Sausage Quiche
1 lb ground sausage
1 sliced onion
1/3 cup green peppers -- chopped (optional)
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon flour
2 beaten eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 unbaked pie shell
Brown the sausage and remove to a mixing bowl. Remove most of the sausage drippings from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon of drippings in pan.
Place sliced onion in drippings from sausage and cook until onions are translucent.
Mix browned sausage and cheese with green pepper. Add flour and mix until coated with flour.
Place in unbaked pie shell.
Place onions on top of of sausage mixture.
Combine eggs, evaporated milk, parsley, pepper, seasoning salt, and garlic powder. Mix well.
Carefully, pour egg/milk mixture evenly into the pie shell.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until quiche is set
Let set for 10 minutes before serving.
And finally, to me the best thing about quiche is that it is a fantastic make-ahead dish. It microwaves with little to no loss of integrity, so you can bake it up on the weekend when you have time, and serve yourself slices of quiche all week long for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Someone who may be into once a month cooking could assembly line several quiches in a row up to the point of baking and freeze them. It wouldn't take much to line up 3 or 4 pie shells and fill them up with ingredients. Impressive enough for company, cozy enough for a breakfast for two. Quiche, it's a great thing!
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