Archives For i heart breakfast

cinnamon-dark chocolate {whole wheat} pancakes.

May 17, 2012 — 5 Comments

It was a rainy weekend and an even rainier Sunday morning, and I couldn’t imagine getting out of bed for any reason other than pancakes.

Cinnamon-Dark Chocolate Whole Wheat Pancakes

Pancakes are a good bet for a morning like this, when you haven’t yet been to the store, and you definitely aren’t considering getting up and going anytime before noon. You can usually make pancakes with stuff you’ve already got on hand. I like to think of them as “pantry pancakes.”

Sometimes, though, I get bored with basic buttermilk pancakes. Even chocolate chip pancakes or blueberry (easy enough for pantry pancakes if you keep frozen blueberries on hand, which, of course, I do) aren’t always doing it for me.

This recipe was inspired by Deb’s recipe for a chocolate chip-sour cream coffee cake over on Smitten Kitchen. I’m still dreaming about making that coffee cake at some point, but in the meantime, I took the components that were singing to me and I put them right into these healthy-ish pancakes. Cinnamon and chocolate, and buttermilk in lieu of the sour cream.

But, really – it was all about the cinnamon. Now, I know what you’re thinking … cinnamon is hardly an ingredient to get hung up on in a pancake recipe. Don’t, like, all pancakes have cinnamon? Well, some do and some do not, but what I was really falling in love with was the idea of making cinnamon the star of the show.

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blueberry-mascarpone french toast bake.

May 2, 2012 — 14 Comments

Who doesn’t love a French toast casserole?

Blueberry-Mascarpone {Overnight} French Toast Bake

I know I don’t need to tell you why. I mean, do people seriously still make French toast the old-school way, slice by slice in a skillet? That’s not so bad if you’re cooking for one or two people, but when you’re feeding a crowd – it just ain’t gonna cut it.

Enter the French toast casserole. Better yet, enter the overnight French toast casserole.

Oh, yes. It’s a party – literally. It feeds a party, it’s a party of flavor in your mouth … the whole bit. Overnight means you don’t have to do any work the day you plan to serve it. Of course, I offer up a super-quick blueberry sauce for you to whip up while it bakes in the oven, but it’s so easy, it practically makes itself.

Blueberry-Mascarpone {Overnight} French Toast Bake

This is not your ordinary French toast casserole. It starts with a loaf of Challah or Brioche – the way any decent French toast does. Then, there are blueberries … lots of ‘em, between the bake and the sauce. Next, is the orange: The zest of an orange in the casserole, and then reinforced by way of Grand Marnier in the sauce. A ton of almond flavor makes an appearance, in the form of almond extract (obsessed) and then a layer of sliced almonds covered in brown sugar for a crunchy topping.

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apple pancakes + cinnamon butter.

April 13, 2011 — 4 Comments

These pancakes were born out of one of my favorite scenarios.

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And a common one, at that: I was searching for something to make with ingredients I had on hand. This happens with Saturday morning breakfast a lot, as I usually don’t go to the store until that day or Sunday, so I have to make due with what I’ve got.

Pancakes are always doable, but I wanted some sort of a variety and I wasn’t feeling blueberry, which is the usual route I go.

When I saw these, I was sold. I think it was the cinnamon butter. They’re a bit of work because you have to grate the apple, but very worth it in the end. I like how that translated into a mild apple flavor throughout the pancake – light and delicious. And the cinnamon butter is a total no-brainer.

Apple Pancakes with Cinnamon Butter

From Bon Appétit

For the cinnamon butter:

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

For the pancakes:

  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  • 2 medium Granny Smith apples (scant 1 pound), peeled, halved, cored
  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour {I used half whole wheat, half regular for a healthier version}
  • 2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, divided

For the cinnamon butter, beat all ingredients in small bowl until blended.

Combine lemon juice and peel in bowl. Coarsely grate apples into bowl, tossing to coat with juice.

Whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Make well in center of dry ingredients. Whisk in milk, eggs, and 1/4 cup melted butter until smooth. Stir in apple mixture. Cover and let batter stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 250°F. Place baking sheet in oven. Heat heavy large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium-high heat 1 minute. Brush griddle with some of remaining 1/4 cup melted butter. For each pancake, drop 1 heaping tablespoon batter onto griddle, spacing pancakes apart. Cook until golden on bottom and bubbles start to form on surface, about 3 minutes. Turn pancakes over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer pancakes to baking sheet in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing griddle with butter before each batch of pancakes.

Arrange pancakes on plates. Top each with dollop of cinnamon butter and serve.

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jam {doughnut} muffins.

April 6, 2011 — 2 Comments

I am a person of cravings. Have I mentioned this before?

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The other day, I had this crazy craving for jelly-filled doughnut muffins. I just couldn’t get it out of my head.

{Imagine poor Daniel when I am preggo one day – I can just imagine him on the hunt for jelly-filled doughnut muffins…}

It all started because I was craving muffins, actually. Not so much eating them, but baking them. I was at work, but I wanted to be in the kitchen, mixing batter, baking muffins. Can you blame me?

I tweeted to see if anyone had any favorite muffin recipes to share, and someone pointed me in the direction of Nigella Lawson. It was strange, I thought, that I’d never tried any of her recipes, and after searching her muffin recipes, I immediately fell in love with this jam doughnut version. I also knew I’d be back for more.

You may recall the sugar donut ice cream cupcake creation I made last year. For those, I used a recipe for sugar donut muffins, and slightly modified it to be more like a cupcake. I still, however, always thought it would be perfect as a muffin, since a muffin is more of a breakfast thing.

{Note that I said “more of a” breakfast thing – because a cupcake can totally be eaten for breakfast, in my book}

They’re very simple to make: You just fill the muffin cups partly with batter, add a dollop of jam, then fill with more batter. This recipe should make 12 muffins, though I ended up a few short. It made for good portion control, but I’d probably double it next time – they are that good!

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Jam Doughnut Muffins

Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s How to Be a Domestic Goddess

  • 1 1/3 cups self-rising cake flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 7 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 teaspoons strawberry jam {or your favorite type of jam}
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

With a fork, beat together the milk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir this into the flour and 1/3 cup sugar to combine. Don’t worry about lumps; if you over-beat, the muffins will be tough. Spoon the mixture into each muffin cup so that it’s just under a third full. Then with a teaspoon add a dollup of strawberry jam, then top with more muffin mix so that the cups are just about full.

Place the pan in your preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the tops feel springy and resistant and the muffins have puffed up.

Meanwhile, melt the butter slowly in a thick-bottomed pan, and lay the remaining sugar out in a wide, shallow bowl. As soon as the muffins are ready, remove them, dip them in the butter, and roll them in the sugar. Eat warm.

Makes 9-12 muffins, depending on the size of your pan.

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{handheld} breakfast burritos.

April 3, 2011 — 1 Comment

I love these breakfast burritos because they’re served in individual foil pockets. It makes them feel authentic, like what you might find at a Mexican market or bodega.

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Not only does that make them more fun to eat, it also makes for easy clean-up. Double win.

For me, there’s nothing better than a good, hearty breakfast burrito filled with eggs, chorizo, and potatoes – and that’s just what we’ve got here. Storebought salsa makes these incredibly simple, and I love the addition of the fresh, sliced avocado.

{A bloody mary is clearly in order}

Breakfast Burritos

  • 1 large boiling potato (8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/3-inch dice
  • 4 (9-to 11-inch) flour tortillas
  • 7 to 8 ounces Mexican chorizo (see cooks’ note, below), casings removed
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup coarsely grated Monterey Jack (about 4 ounces)
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh or bottled salsa

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Cut 4 (12-by 8-inch) sheets of foil. Cook potato in a small pot of salted boiling water until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Wrap tortillas tightly in a large sheet of foil and warm in oven until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook chorizo in an 8-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring and breaking it up, until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add potato and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until tender and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Whisk together eggs, water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add egg mixture and cook, stirring to scramble, until just cooked through. Remove from heat.

Put a tortilla on 1 sheet of foil. Spoon one fourth of chorizo mixture, one fourth of eggs, one fourth of cheese, one fourth of avocado, and then salsa to taste in vertical rows across center, leaving room to fold over bottom and sides. Fold bottom of tortilla over most of filling, then fold over sides, overlapping them. If desired, fold top down (otherwise, filling can be left exposed). Wrap foil around burrito, leaving top exposed. Make 3 more burritos in same manner and serve hot.

Cooks’ Note: If you can’t find Mexican chorizo, you can use Spanish chorizo. Peel off casings and finely chop chorizo. Cook in small skillet over medium heat until warmed through and some of fat is rendered, about 2 minutes. Add potato and proceed with recipe.

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frittata with bacon, ricotta, and greens.

January 13, 2011 — 1 Comment

IMG_0525.JPGIf you add greens to bacon, does that cancel it out?

I’m just kidding. I love bacon, and I don’t need anything to cancel it out.

Still – tossing greens into your breakfast does feel like a better way to start the day. I upped the health-quotient even more by using a mixture of regular eggs and egg whites, like I usually do. When I saw this recipe I was intrigued, because ricotta is something I never would have thought to use in a frittata, but I loved the result; the combination of the smoky bacon and the bitterness of the chopped greens with the mildness of the cheese worked perfectly.

Frittata with Bacon, Ricotta, and Greens

Adapted from Bon Appétit

  • 6 ounces applewood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces
  • 4 shallots, sliced
  • 1 bunch kale, roughly chopped or torn
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard, roughly chopped or torn
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 cup egg whites
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook bacon in 12-inch-diameter ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour bacon drippings into bowl, leaving about 2 tablespoons drippings in the skillet. Add shallots and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 4 minutes. Add half of greens and toss until beginning to wilt, about 1 minute. Add remaining greens, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until wilted, tender, and dry, about 15 minutes.

While greens are cooking, whisk eggs and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in ricotta, leaving some clumps. When greens are done, pour egg mixture overtop. Add half the bacon and spread everything evenly in the pan. Sprinkle remaining bacon and 1/4 cup Parmesan over eggs. Allow frittata to set at edges over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Transfer to oven and bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cut around frittata to loosen; slide out onto platter. Let cool 30 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve.

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baked {mini} omelets.

December 26, 2010 — 6 Comments

Who wants to spend time slaving over a stove when you’ve got a house full of friends and family, enjoying themselves over mimosas and bellinis?

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Not me.

Still, for me a brunch without eggs on the menu is just not an option. Frittatas are lovely, yes – but these little miniatures baked in a muffin pan are even better; not only are they cute, but they’re already cut into individual portions.

You can fill them with whatever you’d like. I recommend sautéeing your veggies and meats and keeping them separated. This way, you can just fill the muffin pan with your whisked eggs (mixed with a touch of cream or milk), and then add different combinations of fillings for guests who may have different preferences. You can add bacon to some, onions and peppers to others, and so on. You can also add different cheeses and fresh herbs accordingly – just make sure to leave some room in each egg-filled tin.

We used bacon, shallots, some goat cheese, some with cheddar, tomatoes, and fresh herbs (dill or chives) – and they were fantastic.

The original recipe from the Pastry Queen cookbook calls for the vegetables to be cooked in butter, but if you’re making bacon, why waste all of that perfect cooking fuel? Cook your veggies up right in the bacon fat for added flavor. The recipe also calls for the larger Texas-sized muffin tins, which we didn’t have, but we liked the mini-versions just as much, if not more.

These would be a great thing to make a big batch of on a Sunday. Use egg whites for a quick, healthy, ready-to-eat breakfast all week long!

Head over to Joelen’s blog for the original recipe in its entirety, and click here to see how the rest of the Pastry Queen members fared.

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the ultimate {brunch} pizza.

December 10, 2010 — 1 Comment

This pizza is a total game-changer.

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We all know how delicious homemade pizza is, but once you try this – there may be no going back.

To pepperoni or mushrooms, that is.

Now whenever I think of making pizza at home, all I can think about is eggs. And bacon. Scallions, and shallots. Lots of fresh herbs. These are the things my homemade pizza dreams are made of.

If the idea of eggs on a pizza doesn’t thrill you off the bat, you have another thing coming. Something huge. Because if you’re anything like me – as in you love breakfast, you’re obsessed with pizza, you sometimes eat pizza for breakfast, or frequently…just sayin’ – you will find true love in this pizza. It’s the best of both worlds, sure – but I don’t even feel that’s saying enough.  You must taste it to believe it.

Daniel was staring at me so intently with such a crazed look on his face while devouring this pizza; the pizza seemed to be driving him mad, but in a good way – the type of madness that one associates with being crazy in love. Yes, he was madly in love with a pizza. A breakfast pizza. And of course, I heard a lot of, “this is the best thing I’ve ever eaten,” {I know, we’ve all heard that one before} and even more of, “people would travel miles and miles for pizza like this.”

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I have to say, I couldn’t argue – not even with a mad man.

Breakfast Pizza

Recipe via Smitten Kitchen, adapted from The Big Sur Bakery

Makes 2 (12-inch) pizzas. What you will need: an electric mixer for the dough (though you could go old-school if you wanted), a pizza stone and peel (though again, you could probably use a good ol’ sheet pan and just make it into a rectangle), some time the night before to make the dough, and perhaps a bottle of champagne for enjoying while cooking, as well as serving – it’s pretty magical with the pizza. Though I found these toppings to be perfectly outrageous, you surely could switch it up to your tastes, or what you have on hand.

1/2 teaspoon dry active yeast
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons bread flour, plus more for dusting
Kosher salt
6 strips bacon
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 cups grated mozzarella
6 large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced chives
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced

The night before, prepare the dough:

Place 3/4 cup lukewarm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle in the yeast, stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt and mix on low for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes, then increase the speed to high and mix until a smooth dough forms, about 2 minutes more. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide into two equal pieces and form each half into a tight ball. Place on a large floured sheet pan, place the pan in a plastic garbage bag, tie the bag loosely and refrigerate overnight.

One to two hours before baking, place the dough in a warm spot. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and set a pizza stone on it. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees 30 minutes before you are ready to bake the pizza.

Prepare the dough and toppings:

Fry the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Cool on a paper-towel-lined plate; roughly chop.

Dip your hands and a ball of dough into the flour. On a lightly floured countertop, pat the dough into a disc with your fingertips, then drape the dough over your fists and carefully stretch it from beneath to form a 12-inch circle.

Generously dust the surface of a pizza peel or large inverted sheet pan with flour and place the stretched dough on it. Sprinkle the dough with half of the Parmesan, mozzarella and bacon. Crack 3 eggs over the top and season with salt and pepper.

Bake the pizza:

Shake the pizza peel slightly to make sure the dough is not sticking. Carefully lift any sections that are sticking and sprinkle a bit more flour underneath, then slide the pizza directly onto the baking stone in one quick forward-and-back motion. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. When the crust is golden, the cheese is melted and the egg yolks are cooked, use the peel to transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Sprinkle half of the parsley, chives, scallions and shallot on top. Let cool for 2 minutes, slice and serve immediately. Prepare the second pizza in the same way.

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pumpkin spice lattes.

November 30, 2010 — 24 Comments

The other day, I ordered a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. I was super-excited because it was my first of the season, and there’s little I love more than a pumpkin spice latte.

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I was not so super-excited that it cost me almost $7.

That’s right. Seven bucks for a cup of coffee… Really?

Then I learned something that made me feel exponentially more super-excited than I was to begin with:  You can make a pumpkin spice latte in the comfort of your home. Better yet, you can make a pumpkin spice latte in your Crock-Pot.

Word. It’s doubly-exciting to break out the Crock-Pot, since I don’t get to use it that often.

I played with the recipe a bit, so feel free to do the same. You won’t be disappointed. It’s delicious, it’s economical, and it’s healthier – thanks to the replacement of artificial syrup with natural ingredients. It’s a win-win for all. Just be sure to drink it right away; we made the mistake of leaving the leftovers on low heat for a few hours and the results weren’t so great.

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Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Adapted from Good Morning America

  • 1-1/2 to 2 cups brewed strong coffee
  • 4 cups milk {I used Skim Plus, 1 or 2% would be even better}
  • 4 tablespoons canned puréed pumpkin
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • Whipped cream (optional)

Add coffee/espresso and milk to your slow cooker. Whisk in pumpkin, spices, sugar, and vanilla. If unsure of how much coffee or sugar to add, start at the lower amount. You can always add more to make it stronger or sweeter at the end. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.

Whisk again before serving. Ladle into mugs, and garnish with whipped cream and additional cinnamon. Add a cinnamon stick if you’re feeling fancy.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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homemade granola with apricots + cherries.

November 28, 2010 — 1 Comment

Once you learn how easy it is to make your own granola, you may never want to buy it from the box again.

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I should let you know that this week, I’m cheating the Project Pastry Queen rules a bit. You see, when I first saw that Rebeca had picked breakfast granola for last week’s selection, I wasn’t excited in the least. As most of you know by now, I’m a dessert girl. Rich, luscious cakes filled with layer-upon-layer of chocolate truffle filling. Towering cheesecakes filled with pumpkin and spice and-everything-nice. That’s what I’m about. Granola? Breakfast granola?

Hmph.

But then I got to thinking – how exactly does one make granola? I checked out the recipe and the second I saw coconut, I was sold. It looked so easy to make, and since Daniel eats granola and yogurt almost daily for breakfast, I figured it was a sure bet.

I was right.

So, I had to break the rules a little. Instead of the orange muffins everyone else made today, I’m bringing you last week’s pick. It’s just that good.

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Here’s how it all goes down… For the base, you’ll need some old-fashioned rolled oats, coconut, sliced almonds, honey, canola oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and a touch of salt.

First, you mix the oats with the almonds and coconut. If you wanted to use some other nuts, you could – and you could also omit the coconut if that’s not your thing. Next, you throw some oil, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt into a pot, and cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Pour this hot mess over your oat mixture, and mix it all together. Spread this over a couple of sheet pans, bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes, and you’re almost there.

Now for the fun part. After it cools, you can add whatever delicious fixin’s you’d like. I went with dried apricots and cherries, as recommended in the original recipe – but really, the options are endless. You could add chocolate chips, any dried fruit of your choice, or any type of toasted nut. I love the addition of the coconut to the granola base, and I think adding more would be a brilliant idea. Oh, yes – some extra coconut, along with a few chocolate chips, and now you’ve got yourself some “Almond Joy” granola. I’m in.

Click here for the full recipe!

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