Tag Archives: Recipes

Breakfast in Bed – Rosie’s Omelet Spinach

Post by Alison Hein.

In the household of my dear friends Rosie and Jeff, it is Jeff who is the chief cook. Don’t get me wrong – Rosie’s no slouch in the kitchen, as evidenced by this delicious “mistake.” Our telephone conversation:

Me: What’s new?

Rosie: Not much. Jeff let me in the kitchen this morning so I made breakfast for us.

Me: Nice. What’d you make?

Rosie: Well, I made a spinach omelet, but I made a big mistake.

Me: What kind of mistake?

Rosie: I added too much spinach for the amount of eggs.

Me: So? What’s wrong with that? I like my omelets to have a lot of spinach in them.

Rosie: Yeah, but this one had so much it should have been called Omelet Spinach.

And, just like that, here it is – halfway between fluffy omelet and thick frittata, all the way from mistake to masterpiece – Rosie’s Omelet Spinach! Rosie confessed to adding some finely chopped, near-caramelized sweet onion at the start, then bringing it to a piquant finish with a bit of creamy, sheep’s milk manchego. Be generous with the seasoning and make sure to drain the spinach well before cooking so the eggs are not soggy.

Make no mistake – this recipe is a real keeper. So keep it around when you’re searching for a breakfast in bed that even Jeff would approve.

Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
Seasoning blend (such as Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning) to taste
1 tablespoon butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon milk or cream
¼ cup grated manchego cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Pour olive oil in heavy frying pan and heat over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped spinach and continue to sauté until all liquid has evaporated and spinach is beginning to lightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Melt butter in a separate small, heavy pan over medium heat. Break eggs into small bowl, add milk or cream, and whisk until mixed. Stir in spinach onion mixture. Add egg/spinach 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 to quickly, until egg/spinach mixture is lightly puffed up and nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle manchego cheese evenly on top. Use spatula to fold omelet in half, and continue to cook until eggs are firm and cheese is melted, another 1 to 2 minutes. Or, if you like, finish the omelet in the oven frittata style.

Turn the omelet out onto a plate, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Makes 1 serving.

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Breakfast in Bed: Chai Tea Muffins

Post by Alison Hein.

The spiced tea blend we know as “chai” is actually called “masala chai” in the part of the world where it originated. “Chai” is simply the word for tea in Hindi. It’s the “masala” part that captivates us – an aromatic spice blend that calls for all kinds of exotic flavors. Tangy ginger and mysterious cardamom often dominate these blends. Everyone has their own secret recipe, though, and the list of possible additives is long: allspice, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, fennel, liquorice root, nutmeg, peppercorn, and even rose petals. Strong black tea leaves are boiled with the spice blend, then mixed with warmed or steamed milk to create masala chai.

In our usual manner of American abbreviation, it is now possible to purchase a packaged liquid of chai tea latte concentrate. This mixture is simply mixed with an equal amount of milk, warm or cold, to conveniently create an instant chai tea latte. And, with some experimentation, I’ve found that it makes a sweet and spiced scented muffin base. You can try this with your favorite recipes – simply substitute half of the milk called for with chai tea latte concentrate (a recipe calling for 1 cup of milk is now converted to ½ cup milk and ½ cup chai tea latte concentrate).

I plan to continue experimenting in the future – think chai tea pancakes, waffles or scones. But in the meantime, give these muffins a try. The aromas emitted while baking are mysterious and mouthwatering. Not too sweet, and warm from the oven, they are curiously lovely with a cup of strong black tea… curiously lovely for an exotic breakfast in bed.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup chai tea latte concentrate
½ cup milk
2 cups white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in chai tea latte concentrate and milk.

In separate bowl, mix remaining dry ingredients. Combine dry ingredients with chai mixture. Spoon into lined muffin tin and bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly on rack before removing muffins from tin.

Makes 10 to 12 muffins.

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Breakfast in Bed – Savory Mushroom Aebelskiver (Danish Filled Pancakes

Post by Alison Hein.

My good friends Rosie and Jeff come through again! Rosie is the idea person behind our International Breakfast theme (remember Personal Shakshouka?) and Jeff is the talented cook who recently created a Proper English Fry-Up. What now, you ask? Well, Rosie gifted me with a new aebelskiver pan – the non-stick kind which makes flipping the little pancakes a breeze. Better yet, she gave me a breakfast cookbook which included savory aebelskivers! Goat cheese and herbs, jalapeño and cheddar, potato and bacon…

I decided upon a duxelles filling (sautéed shallots and mushrooms) for my aebelskivers. What a delight to bite into a tiny filled pancake and be surprised by the deep, earthy flavor of buttery button mushrooms. Served with a dab of sour cream on the side, Savory Mushroom Aebelskivers are a pleasant change from sweeter fare, and a delightfully different breakfast in bed.

And Jeff? He presented me with a recipe book filled with international breakfast recipes and a promise to cook for us again. This time – Jeff’s Costa Rican Tico Breakfast – coming soon to a kitchen near you! Stay tuned…

Ingredients

Mushroom Filling

2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tablespoon cream
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste

Aebelskiver
1 cup unbleached flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 eggs, separated
Cooking spray (or melted butter)

Special Equipment
Aebelskiver pan

Preparation

To make mushroom filling, melt butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until softened. Add mushrooms and continue to cook another 5 to 7 minutes, until mixture is cooked through. Remove from heat. Stir in cream, parsley, salt and pepper and set aside until ready to use.

To make aebelskiver, combine flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl. In separate small bowl, mix together milk, cider vinegar and egg yolks. Gradually add liquid mixture to dry mixture, stirring constantly, until batter is smooth. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into batter.

Place aebelskiver pan on burner over medium heat. Spray each well of the pan liberally with cooking spray (or brush with melted butter). Spoon about 1½ teaspoons of batter into each well. Then place about ½ teaspoon of mushroom filling in the center of each aebelskiver. Finally, pour another 1½ teaspoons of batter on top, being sure to entirely cover filling.

Cook for about 2 minutes, until bottom of aebelskiver is dark golden brown. Carefully flip using two skewers, a knife and spoon, knitting needles (as is common in Denmark), or chopsticks. Continue cooking until flipped side is also golden brown, another one to two minutes. Remove from pan and keep warm while making the remainder of pancakes. Adjust heat and regrease pan as necessary while cooking. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream if you like.

Makes 20 to 30 aebelskiver.

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Breakfast in Bed: Herbed Breakfast Crostini

Post by Alison Hein.

Whenever possible, slightly sad ingredients are repurposed in our household. Take stale bread for example – revitalization possibilities include homemade breadcrumbs, Bread Pudding, and Crostini. These crispy “little toasts” are made using stale French or Italian bread sliced very thin, brushed lightly with olive oil, maybe dusted with herbs or spices, and baked in a moderate oven for ten minutes. Their small and sturdy texture, along with a cracker-like adaptability, make crostini the perfect salver for your favorite cheeses, vegetables, fish or meats.

We enjoyed some recently as pre-dinner appetizers, slathered with a smoky chipotle chickpea spread and chopped organic grape tomatoes. The next morning, I thought, why not breakfast crostini? So I slow-cooked some eggs and whipped in a little sour cream for a smooth, rich creaminess. Fresh dill, thyme and rosemary added herbaceous depth. When done, I spooned the lush egg mixture onto the crostini. They still needed something. Then I remembered the tomatoes. I sliced them into thin rounds, and placed them on top with a sprinkling of dill. Now they looked just right. The result? Crispy, crunchy, creamy – Crostini!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (I used dill, thyme and rosemary), plus additional for garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 slices crostini (see recipe below)
3 to 4 cherry tomatoes, sliced thin

Preparation
Melt butter in small, heavy pan over medium low heat. Break eggs into small bowl and whisk well with sour cream. Season eggs with salt and pepper, and stir in fresh chopped herbs. Add eggs to heated pan and cook slowly and gently. Stir and lift frequently with wooden spoon to avoid sticking. Cook until eggs are light and fluffy, and cooked through.

Spoon a small portion of cooked eggs onto each crostini. Top with sliced cherry tomatoes and garnish with a bit of fresh herbs.

Makes 6 crostini, or 2 servings.

Homemade Crostini
Approximately ½ to ¼ loaf of day old Italian or French Bread
¼ cup of olive oil or Homemade Dipping Oil (http://www.charlesprogers.com/blogs/archives/8554)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Slice 12 very thin slices of bread on the diagonal. Lightly brush bread slices with olive oil or Homemade Dipping Oil and place on cookie sheet. Bake in oven until golden and crispy, about 10 minutes.

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Breakfast in Bed: Eggnog Waffles with Brandied Fruit

Post by Alison Hein.

From Thanksgiving to January, you will often find me enjoying an eggnog latte at Starbucks, or sipping from the festive cartons I purchase at Trader Joe’s. It’s also the time of year I like to concoct wintry, indulgent breakfast recipes. So, I’m thinking frothy, yellow eggnog, I’m thinking thick, buttery waffles, and voila! Eggnog waffles!

Egg-rich and with a hint of nutmeg, these waffles are rich and sturdy enough to support the sweet, strong and syrupy brandied fruit. I like to use a colorful fruit mixture (strawberries, mangoes, kiwi and blueberries), but simple berries, hardy apples or even bananas also work well here. By all means, feel free to substitute apple or grape juice and omit the sugar for a non-alcoholic version.

Impress your friends and family by adding Eggnog Waffles to your elegant brunch table, or simply snuggle up with a loved one and indulge in a wintry, waffley breakfast in bed.

Eggnog Waffles
2 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1½ cups eggnog
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup vegetable oil, or butter, melted and slightly cooled
½ cup sour cream
Cooking spray
Brandied fruit (recipe below)

Preparation
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in large bowl. In separate bowl, add eggnog, eggs and vanilla and beat until frothy. Pour oil or melted butter into liquid mixture and stir well. Using a wooden spoon, whisk, or hand mixer, gradually add liquid mixture to dry ingredients until batter is smooth. Stir in sour cream.

Spray waffle iron with cooking spray and heat to high. Pour ½ cup to ¾ cup batter into center of iron, making sure you have enough batter to evenly spread across the surface of your waffle iron. Cook until golden brown and crisp and waffle pulls away easily from iron, about 5 minutes. Serve warm with brandied fruit.

Makes 4 to 5 waffles.

Brandied Fruit
2 cups mixed fruit, chopped or sliced into bite-size pieces
¼ cup brandy
1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation
Mix all ingredients together and let rest for at least two hours, or better, overnight.

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