Tag Archives: Breakfast Recipes
Breakfast in Bed – Oatmeal Cakes
Post by Alison Hein.
Just last week, I had a long, fascinating conversation with my friend Tim who works for Charles P. Rogers – all about oatmeal!
“You need to do more with savory oatmeal dishes,” Tim said.
“Hmmm,” I stalled. “But I don’t really care for savory oatmeal.”
“That’s okay, but I want to get my kids to eat more oatmeal. It’s good for your health – you know, blood pressure, cholesterol – all that good stuff.”
“Well,” I said. “You’ve got to use the slow cook oats. Steel cut oats are very good. How about with a little cinnamon and fresh ground nutmeg? And, have you tried cooking your oatmeal overnight in a crock pot?”
“Oh,” Tim replied. “I like the sound of nutmeg. I’ll try it. You can cook oatmeal in a crock pot?”
“Yup. Start the night before, and in the morning, your oatmeal will be thick and creamy, with all the rough edges cooked out. I like to cook oatmeal with apples, maybe a touch of cider. But if you really like savory flavors, how about toss in a little cheese? Or a fried or poached egg on top?”
“This is a lot of oatmeal information,” Tim responded.
Oops. Sorry Tim! You know how excited I get about breakfast foods. How about something we can both enjoy? Savory oatmeal cakes, baked with just enough honey to keep them flaky and moist. You can top yours with a slice of cheese, Canadian bacon, or smoked salmon, and I’ll smear mine, hot from the oven, with fresh creamery butter and sweet raspberry jam.
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (one half stick) cold butter
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon honey
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.
In large bowl, mix together oats, flour, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and cut into dry ingredients until mixed in and crumbly. Add milk and honey to dry ingredients, stirring until just mixed in.
Turn batter out onto lightly floured board. With floured hands, divide into two equal pieces and shape into large balls. Press each ball into a flat round and cut into quarters. Place scones on baking sheet. Place in oven and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until tops begin to lightly brown. Serve warm, with your choice of sweet or savory toppings.
Makes 8 oatmeal cakes.
Breakfast in Bed – BLP Sandwich
Post by: Alison Hein.
What, you never heard of a BLP? Well it stands for “Bacon Loves Pineapple”. It’s true! All you have to do is take a look on Pinterest and you’ll see what I mean: there are bacon-wrapped pineapple skewers, some with shrimp, or jalapeño peppers or sriracha; bacon pineapple cheeseballs, made with cream cheese, walnuts or red onion; bacon pineapple pizzas strewn with mozzarella, cilantro, or chicken (this might be overkill); and even bacon pineapple upside down cakes and bacon pineapple doughnuts! Sure as day, these two ingredients are downright in love with each other.
My BLP is simple – just place some crispy bacon, a slice of Swiss cheese and some fresh pineapple on an English muffin. Pop it in the oven (or toaster oven) to warm, them broil it for just a minute, until the pineapple lightly chars and the cheese browns and crisps. Serve this morning treat hot from the oven over a bed of tangy baby arugula, breakfast in bed-style, and someone may just fall in love with you.
Ingredients
2 slices thick-cut or Canadian Bacon
1 English muffin
2 slices Swiss cheese
½ cup fresh pineapple
½ cup baby arugula
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Cook bacon in a heavy frying pan over medium low heat until crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Separate English muffin into two halves. Place half of the bacon on each muffin half, cutting to fit if necessary. Place a slice of Swiss cheese over the bacon on each muffin. Top each muffin with half of the pineapple, making sure the fruit is flat.
Place the prepared muffin halves on a baking tray and bake until muffins are warmed and cheese is melted. Turn on broiler and broil muffins, about 4 to 5 inches from heat, until pineapple and cheese start to crisp and brown, about 1 minute. Remove from oven, place on a bed of baby arugula, and serve immediately.
Makes 1 BLP Sandwich.
Breakfast in Bed – On the Fly Mini Quiche
by: Alison Hein
Several years ago I purchased a set of six mini-tart pans. Since then, whenever I make a pie, I’ve gotten into the habit of rolling out any extra dough, plopping it into one of these mini-pans, and storing it in the freezer until I’m ready to use it. This process enables me to impress people with On the Fly Mini Quiches. The frozen shells take mere minutes to thaw, and the small number of ingredients required can usually be found in your cupboards and fridge.
It’s this simple – use the “mother” recipe as a guide – then fool around with fillings, cheeses and spices as you desire. This is a wonderful way to utilize small amounts of extra vegetables or meats.
Earlier this week I received an “on the fly” invitation to visit my daughter-in-law who is home with our brand new granddaughter! She’s tired and busy, so I decided to whip up a few mini quiches that she could use or freeze. I settled on Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato, and Mushroom Swiss (see ingredients below).
To further simplify, purchase pre-made pie dough, or try this easy recipe for pie crust. You can even make crustless mini quiche – just be sure to grease the pan well before baking.
They are so cute! You might want to admire them before tucking into your on the fly breakfast in bed!
On the Fly Mini Quiche
Ingredients
1 4-inch pie crust in pan, unbaked
¼ cup main filling
2 tablespoons cheese
1 tablespoon fresh chopped herb (or ½ teaspoon dried)
1 egg
1 tablespoon cream or half & half
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. (Thaw mini-pie crusts if frozen.) Place mini-pie crust on baking tray. Spread filling evenly across the bottom of the dough. Cover with cheese and herbs.
Whisk egg and cream together in a small bowl. Pour egg mixture over pie filling until covered and egg mixture reaches just below the rim of pie dough. Do not pour egg mixture above the pie dough rim – extra can be used for the next mini-quiche.
Bake quiche for around 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and quiche is puffed up and golden.
Makes 1 serving.
Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Mini Quiche
¼ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced thin
2 tablespoons fresh mozzarella, shredded or sliced thin
1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley or basil
Mushroom and Swiss Mini Quiche
¼ cup sliced mushrooms, sautéed in butter with salt and pepper
2 tablespoons shredded Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Breakfast in Bed – Jeff’s Tico Breakfast
Post by Alison Hein.
Do you remember my good friend Jeff, who, a couple of years back, cooked up a Proper English Fry-Up for us? Well he’s back, and he’s at it again. Only this time, we’ll be visiting Central America for a tantalizing Costa Rican breakfast!
People from Costa Rica (lovingly referred to as Ticos and Ticas) know how to create an impressive breakfast plate. Jeff recreated that Latin splendor, but, as always, added his signature sassy, creative twist. A thin corn tortilla piled high with a spicy red bean/chorizo paste anchored the dish. Two crispy fried eggs and a sprinkling of queso fresco were placed on top. On the side, Jeff added a heaping mound of the traditional Costa Rican red bean and rice mixture, affectionately called Gallo Pinto, or red rooster.
Hang on – we’re not done yet. Jeff also peeled and butter-fried some ripe plantains, and served them warm with a dusting of cinnamon for a sweet breakfast take on Maduros. Then, to pretty up the plate, he halved a few avocadoes and filled them to the brim with spicy Pico de Gallo (rooster’s beak), made with fresh chopped tomatoes, onions, and a few more of Jeff’s secret ingredients. On the side, a small dish filled with rich, smoked paprika-dusted Crema was a lovely and flavorful condiment that added a creamy, refreshing finish to the dish.
Jeff is fast in the kitchen, as he races from fridge to stove to table, juggling ingredients and pans in a blur. So while I wasn’t able to decipher all his secrets, I did manage to document how he simmers his red beans, and how he makes his red bean/chorizo-topped tortilla, so you can recreate your own tantalizing Tico Breakfast in bed! Make sure you serve some fresh-squeezed juice and strong, black Costa Rican coffee alongside.
¡Buen provecho!
Simmered Red Beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, diced
4 cups cooked red beans (cook dried beans according to package instructions)
2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot. Add onion and green pepper and sauté until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add cooked red beans, plum tomatoes, cilantro, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors have melded, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Makes about 5 cups of simmered red beans.
NOTE: to make Gallo Pinto, mix simmered red beans with cooked white rice, about ⅔ rice to ⅓ beans.
Red Bean/Chorizo Tico Breakfast Tortillas
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 spicy fresh chorizo sausages, casings removed
1 medium onion, chopped
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon dried cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups Simmered Red Beans (recipe above)
8 eggs
4 soft corn tortillas, warmed in oven
¼ cup queso fresco
1 cup crema (or substitute ½ cup sour cream mixed with ½ cup cream cheese)
Preparation
Heat one tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot. Crumble chorizo sausage and add to pan. Add chopped onion, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cilantro, salt and pepper. Continue to cook until chorizo is browned and onion is cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add Simmered Red Beans to pan and mash mixture with a potato masher into a rough mash. Continue to cook until mixture has thickened and flavors have melded, about 15 to 20 minutes. Keep warm until ready to assemble tortillas.
In the meantime, heat remaining olive oil in large, heavy pan. Crack eggs one at a time into pan, leaving space for eggs to spread. Cook each egg until white is solid, but yolk is still soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.
To assemble, place one warmed tortilla on each of four plates. Spoon red bean/chorizo mixture to cover each tortilla, then top with two fried eggs. Sprinkle with queso fresco and serve immediately with a dish of crema on the side.
Makes 4 servings.
Breakfast in Bed – Omelet Sandwich
Post by Alison Hein.
My good friend Luis and I have a Saturday morning ritual – we meet at the local yoga class, enjoy an hour of stretching, meditation and relaxation in the company of friends, then go to the local Korean bakery for coffee and a bite to eat.
As soon as we enter the bakery, we are tempted by enticing sweet cream cheese buns, nut loaves and macaroons. Once in a while we succumb to temptation, but more frequently, we both order the same thing – an omelet sandwich. The omelet is flavored simply with just a few raw vegetables. The result is colorful, fresh and flavorful.
Recently, Luis had to race off somewhere after yoga, leaving me alone and longing for my ritual omelet sandwich. So I decided to try it at home. To my surprise and delight, it was easy to replicate. The bakery staff cook the omelet Asian-style in a square pan, so I dug out my panini pan which worked surprisingly well. (This is completely unnecessary but fun!)
At the bakery, I season the omelet sandwich with a dusting of salt and pepper. At home, I decided to spice it up with a little Chipotle Lime Mayonnaise. Either way, the Omelet Sandwich makes a great after-yoga ritual, or a stay-at-home ritual breakfast in bed.
Omelet Sandwich
1 teaspoon olive oil (or cooking spray)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon finely shredded carrots
1 tablespoon finely shredded napa cabbage
1 tablespoon thin-sliced green onion
2 slices white bread
1 tablespoon chipotle lime mayonnaise (recipe below)
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Heat olive oil or cooking spray in a small, heavy pan over medium low heat. Break eggs into small bowl and whisk until lightly thickened. Stir in carrots, napa cabbage and green onion. Add egg mixture to heated pan all at once and swirl to even. Tilt pan slightly, and lift edges lightly with a spatula, allowing uncooked portion of eggs to spread to edges. Continue to cook, reducing heat to low if cooking too quickly, until egg mixture is lightly puffed up and nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Use spatula to fold omelet in half, and continue to cook until eggs are firm, another 1 to 2 minutes.
Toast the bread to a light golden brown. Add a little mayonnaise to each piece of toast. Place omelet on one slice of toast, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cover with second slice of toast. Cut sandwich in half and serve immediately.
Makes 1 serving.
Chipotle Lime Mayonnaise
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon chipotle pepper
½ teaspoon lime juice
Preparation
Mix all ingredients together and use immediately, or store in refrigerator for up to one month.
Males ¼ cup.
