Showing posts with label bountiful breakfasts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bountiful breakfasts. Show all posts

Saturday, September 7, 2013

honey do

My dear, sweet hubby has a never ending honey do list. He gets sent reminders all the time with things like - I need you to get ice cream and salmon on your way home, and could you see if anyone is still selling kiddie pools, oh, and the cable box in the kitchen isn't working, and the mosquitos are so bad in the backyard, can you fix that? Poor fella. He not only works full time at the office, but I keep him busy on his "down time" too. I do try to sweeten my requests by keeping him well fed with homemade goodies - like this strawberry honey jam. Good for a quick bite...so he can eat and then get to work ;)

To make your own you will need:
6 cups of fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
1 cup of honey
1 cup of sugar
the juice from half a large lemon

Bring a large pot of water to just below a boil. Place jars and lids in the pot and sanitize them for several minutes.

In the meantime, place the strawberries in a separate large pot along with the sugar and honey. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Use a potato masher to break up the fruit into smaller pieces. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add in the lemon juice. Stir on final time.

Remove a jar and a lid from the other pot. Using a funnel, add the jam to the jar. Careful not to overfill the jars, leave a little space at the top. Place the lid on the jar and close tightly. Repeat process until you are out of jam.

Return the now full jars to the already warmed pot of water. Bring the water up to a boil and cook for at least twenty minutes. Remove the jars and place them on a towel on the counter to cool for at least twenty-four hours. Do not move the jars. If you hear a popping noise you may need to re-process them. Store in a cool dry place or serve immediately.

My whole family loves this jam. Even my honey. Add making it to your to do list and you won't be disappointed.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

morning inspiration

Many years ago when I became a vegetarian I had a hard time re-learning how to eat. There weren't many cookbooks out there that laid out meal plans or even uncomplicated dishes. I seriously spent a whole summer eating side dishes once. But as time passed I learned how to make my meals more balanced. And the food world evolved too. Before I knew it my little grocery store have everything from fake chicken nuggets to corn dogs.

I am now at a similar crossroads. After years of consuming more than my fair share of fake bacon (affectionately known as facon in my family), I am trying to wean myself off the more processed soy products that I have relied on in the past. This is especially true at breakfast. So more oatmeal with blueberries, more scrambled eggs with cheese on english muffins, etc. This has taken some planning on my part, because I am not a morning person. It is much easier to zap a few slices of facon than to prepare a real meal, especially with two toddlers at my toes demanding that I breakout the playdough before I have my coffee. But, I know that eating fresh food is better for me, and my famliy. So I have been scouring my cookbooks and pinterest boards for new ideas. This simple one, however, came from my CSA bag. And I thought I'd share it with you, because you too may be in need of a little morning inspiration.

What you need:
your favorite savory bagel
    (go to a local store and get them fresh if you can)
whipped cream cheese
thick slices of fresh tomato
several fresh basil leaves

I simply toasted my everything bagel, topped it with cream cheese (on both sides because I am a glutton), and stuck the tomato and basil in between to make a simple savory breakfast sandwich. It was so lovely to taste the fresh garden goodies first thing in the morning. And the carby bagel and protein packed cream cheese gave me enough energy to get in a five mile run that morning. I can't think of a better way to start that day.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

real breakfast

We eat real breakfast in my house. My kids are not satisfied with a fruit bar or a bowl of instant oatmeal. No, we have to have a substantial meal. Whether it is a croissant smeared with homemade apple butter or a piece of rye bread topped with strawberry honey jam from the berries we pick ourselves, I had better be prepared to also whip up some scrambled eggs or bacon too. And do forget some fresh fruit on the side. No wonder I stay so exhausted. The good news is once they have settled into their grub I am free to make my own fancy grown up breakfast. And you know what, I want something substantial too. Like this egg sammie which incorporated many treasures from my latest CSA.

You will need:
1 English muffin, toasted
1 organic egg, fried
micro greens, like mesclun
a thick slice of fresh tomato
1/2 red spring onion, sliced thinly
smoked gruyere cheese, shredded

Toast your English muffin. Fry your egg. I like mine over easy, but you can change that as you like. Layer de-stemmed micro greens on half of bottom of muffin. Top with ripe tomato and slivers of onion. Add egg, then smother with finely shredded smokey cheese.

This sandwich is so substantial it could easily be lunch. You are definitely gonna need a fork to finish it. But you know what they say...breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So, eat a real one.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

snack attack

Like many families with little ones the hours between meals are not food free. I have no idea how we are going to afford them when they are teenagers, because my toddlers are already eating us out of house and home. Between our frequent trips to Costco - because we buy in bulk now - I decided I would try my hand at some homemade, and hopefully more healthy snacks. Here is my first experiment - no bake granola bars.

And while these may not provide tons of nutrition, I know there are no hard to pronounce weird processed ingredients. In fact, the these are so versatile that you can make them even more healthy if you want.

To make your own you need:














1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
chocolate chips & dried cranberries
(adapted from Rachel Ray)

In a big bowl, stir oats and rice cereal together. Set that aside. In a small saucepan melt the butter, honey, and brown sugar together over medium high heat until it comes to a bubble. Reduce the heat and cook 2 minutes. Add in peanut butter til well combined. Pour in vanilla and stir. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. Add in dried cranberries and mix well. Pour into lightly greased small jelly roll pan and press out to desired thickness. You may need to pack the mixture into one side.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips and press down lightly. Cool in fridge for at least an hour before cutting into bars.

Serve them when a snack attack hits - which in my house is often. The great thing about these bars is you can make so many versions and keep the kids happy. You could stir in almonds, top with yogurt melts, or try dried blueberries or apricots. Really the sky is the limit. And since they are super easy to make, you can try a new recipe each week. What ideas do you have?

These bars are so easy I think you could even have your little ones help you make them. Not that mine need any help working up an appetite. Happy snacking everyone!

Sunday, March 25, 2012

gravy train

We all have our favorite comfort food. Noodles are pretty universal. Nutella seems to be pretty popular on Pinterest. You know what I mean. Some parts of the world it means mom's meatloaf with a side of mashed taters and mac-n-cheese. In others it is a little more exotic, if I have learned anything from Anthony Bourdain. Rotten tofu anyone? In the South, it usually means something fried and probably topped with gravy.

Ahh gravy. That rib sticking, soul warming slop that goes great on everything from a lowly country fried steak to a prized Thanksgiving turkey. In all its forms it is always welcome on the table. Giblet, redeye, brown, white - you name it and it is bound to bring on a tummy rumble. Here's the rub - it almost always requires some form of animal and this is a downer for a vegetarian craving comfort food.

Well never fear fellow vegheads. You can have you gravy and eat it too. Take these sausage and biscuits the carnivore and I had the other morning. Of course, his gravy was made with sausage grease as a base, but I simply fried a fake sausage patty in a bit of olive oil. I broke it into pieces (just like I do with a real one for the carnivore) to add in meaty lumps and flavor. One has to be sacrificed for the greater good of the gravy. Then a couple of tablespoons of flour and a splash or two of milk. Whisk until thick and then spoon over the buttermilk biscuits and more fake patties. You'd be surprised at how comforting a fake gravy can be. Or real, whatever floats your (gravy) boat.

(P.S. My fake version has strawberries on the plate, and his real version has grapes. Mine even looks prettier, don't you think?)

Saturday, February 4, 2012

crack pot(atoes)

If you have traveled through the South you have certainly come across some of our amazing delicacies, like fried pig skins and sweet tea. You have also probably dined in some of our uniquely southern restaurant chains that can be found along the interstates down here - like the Waffle House or possibly a Krystal. And of course, there is the ubiquitous Cracker Barrel. Part store of kitchy country crap, I mean goods, and part lard heaven. You can fill your tank any time of day on any number of fried foods, be it big breakfast fare or deluxe diner. I never miss it when we take a road trip. Where else can you get a UT Vols stocking for next Christmas, fried okra served piping hot, and a moon pie for the road? And, then there is the hashbrown casserole. Probably my favorite thing about Cracker Barrel. It is like crack in a bowl.


So, imagine my delight when at my (latest) baby shower my BFF from high school, also a connoisseur of all foods southern, brought a hashbrown casserole that was a dead ringer for the stuff at Cracker Barrel. I ate it for days! She shared her recipe with me and the changes she made to it. If you are interested you can find the original recipe here, but here is how she makes this awesomeness.

You will need the following:
1 2 lb. pkg. frozen hashbrowns
8 oz. plain greek yogurt
1 can cream of onion soup
1 stick butter
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 cups grated cheddar cheese


Place the potatoes in a greased 9×13 inch pan. Season with salt and pepper. Melt the  butter in the microwave. In a bowl add the minced onions, greek yogurt, cream of onion soup, and melted butter. Mix these items together. Pour the soup mixture over potatoes; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until all is completely warm, and the cheese begins to melt.

I made this for Christmas morning, mostly as a gift to myself. It's that good people. It is also addictive. So, I'm warning you now, be prepared to crave this crack, I mean Cracker Barrel remake for awhile.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

apple doesn't fall far from the tree

One of the few fruits my carnivore will eat on his own volition is an apple. It seems my son has inherited his love of this fabulous fruit. From Honeycrips to Pink Ladies, Golden Delicious to Granny Smith, my guys like apples in all shades. So to please my guys and get more fiber in their bellies I am always trying to come up with new ways to use their favorite fruit. Of course, I can saute them as a side dish or bake them in a pie, but recently I decided it was the first and most important meal of the day that could use an infusion of fruit. Enter these apple puffs.

To make your own you will need:
1/2 granny smith apple, skinned and slice thinly
1 canister of 8 crescent rolls
4 tblsp of whipped cream cheese
cinnamon
syrup

Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the crescent rolls in one sheet. Pull apart to form four rectangles. Make sure any seams are secure by pressing dough together. Top each rectangle with a few slices of apple, then a dollop of whipped cream cheese on each, and finally a sprinkle of cinnamon. Roll each and place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Bake for about fifteen minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve warm with a drizzle of maple syrup.

The result is a gooey sticky sweet creamy mess. And you won't hear any complaints about eating fruit for breakfast. Well, unless you have a carnivore like mine that thinks he doesn't like cream cheese. Let's just be glad for now my son hasn't inherited his picky eating gene. In the meantime, it means more apple puffs for me, I mean us, to enjoy.

Monday, September 19, 2011

i heart paula

And so does the carnivore. And our little omnivore too. And you know why? Well, in truth there are lots of reasons. The carnivore's crush goes back to a trip to her buffet at a casino in Tunica, Mississippi. There he learned about the wonder that is her hoe cakes. Even I have to admit that they were the best I ever had. Every month or so he still gets these day dreamy eyes and asks if we can go back. To be fair, I am not immune. The mac and cheese I had there was marvelous. And so was the peach cobbler. Lord knows how may calories it had in it!

But, little omnivore likes Paula for a whole different reason. It is because she came up with a wonderful recipe for zucchini bread. When we were loaded down with this green veggie this summer in our CSA share I knew I would have to find a new way to get my guys to eat it other than my usual side dishes. And who else could I to look to when in need of a delicious disguise for this vegetable but Paula Deen?

But, even I have to admit I was shocked at how incredible this bread was. Sweet, buttery, and nutty. I almost didn't want to share. You can find a link to it here. Please note this makes two loaves. This works great for expectant moms like me - one for now and one in the freezer for after baby comes.

Best of all, my boys and I are getting veggies at breakfast! I heart Paula.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

baby steps

I told you all recently that my carnivore has made a few small changes in his eating habits and as a result has seen his health improve in several ways. One of these switches was to more whole grains and less "white stuff." So, when another big bag of blueberries showed up in my CSA this week, I decided to try my hand at whole wheat muffins.

I found a simple recipe on the given chronicles. You can see it by clicking here. Since baby omnivore loves blueberries too, I thought I would make a few little ones for him as well as some big ones for me and the carnivore. This recipe yielded twelve mini-muffins and eight regular muffins. I also lightly dusted the tops with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon - just to make sure my guys would scarf them down.

And, I am happy to report, they both did eat them. Sure they weren't the giant sugary monster muffins you find at your local coffee shop. But, we all felt a little better eating them knowing they were better for us. Baby steps...

Friday, April 15, 2011

afternoon delight

With baby number two on the way, I have been snacking more than I am used to. I am also having to come up with new snacks to satisfy my ever changing cravings that inevitably pop up mid-afternoon. My most recent creation was this sinful strawberry toast.

Simply toast a piece of dark pumpernickel bread and smear it with creamy goat cheese. Clean, hull and dice a couple of juicy red strawberries and add them on top. Next chop a handful of pecans and sprinkle them over the toast. Then squeeze organic honey back and forth across the toast like syrup. Finally, tear a few mint leaves up and toss them in the sticky honey.

You may need a fork for this one. The tart berries and bright mint mix well with the smooth cheese and sweet honey. The nuts and dark bread ground the whole concoction. Plus, I got lots of good vitamin C, omega-3s, calcium, and fiber for me and baby. It really is was a delight.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

everything bagel

My carnivore loves him some bagels. Not just any bagel though. He is picky even in this food. (I know, your shocked.) While I can go for cinnamon raisin some days and onion others, he only wants one kind - salt. I'll be honest, before we started dating this particular bagel was never on my radar. I was too busy trying out everything from pumpkin spice to pumpernickel and even poppy seed. We used to search out local joints that would have the elusive salt bagel. No small feat I assure you. But now, with baby omnivore we have come to the conclusion that it is just easier to make them at home.

Now, I'm not talking from scratch people. That's just madness. No, I mean we make the salt bagels at home. The carnivore simple takes a plain bagel. Wets the top with a bit of tap water, and then dips the bagel in a plate of kosher salt. Viola - salt bagel! Of course, we don't stop there.

We both love to add a fried egg and melted cheddar cheese to our bagels. The carnivore of course can't resist bacon, while I prefer facon and mashed avocado. Butter is his preferred condiment while I like cream cheese. Served with crispy crowns, we spend our Sunday mornings stuffed in the comfort of our own kitchen these days perusing the paper and trying to stop the baby from feeding his breakfast to the dogs.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, I too have settled on a favorite bagel. Everything. Go figure!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

a set of mixing bowls

As I am watching the State of the Union, I am reminded of when in school you debated whether America was a melting pot or a salad bowl. Truth be told, its probably a little of both. Just like my household and our palates. Me and my carnivore agree on some basic things - like fried potatoes and shredded cheddar cheese. Who doesn't like that dynamic duo, really? On other things we are more separate - clearly he is the meatatarian (He'd have bacon on everything if he could) and I am not (I love avocados myself). These breakfast bowls are just one example of how we mix our tastes.

First, I started by making my homemade garlic hasbrowns. You can click here to see how to make these. At the same time I also fried up a few slices of applewood smoked thick cut bacon for my meat loving man. In a separate skillet I sauteed a handful of baby bella mushrooms and a few slivers of red onion in olive oil with salt and pepper. Once these were all ready I made the bases for the bowls. I, not surprisingly, started with a bed of mixed greens for mine. I then added potatoes to both. The bacon went on the carnivore's bowl and the veggie mix on mine. Some shredded cheddar was sprinkled on and allowed to melt while I fried up two eggs. I placed these on the top and then sliced up a bit of avocado to place on the side of mine with a dollop of sour cream. If I had tabasco in my house I would have added a dash of that too.

Served up with a short glass of OJ, and a large cup of coffee or two (baby omnivore is teething and none of us are sleeping), these bowls disappeared quickly. See, we can all just get along.

Friday, January 7, 2011

the incredible versatile egg

The carnivore came across the picture of this recipe the other day as he was downloading the latest 500 pics he took of baby omnivore. (BTW our child now poses for pics. I think he thinks his dad is paparazzi. He will be sorely disappointed when they don't follow him around at school I am sure.) . See, stuff I make for lunch often escapes his view. The only exceptions are if I make it on the weekend, I recreate the recipe for him, or he comes across it here on the blog. When he saw this egg dish he exclaimed, "what is that?" I explained it was something he certainly wouldn't eat. And while he agreed, he also pointed out that the possibilities are limitless. And I have to agree.

First, this recipe. Start with a small corn tortilla. Heat a 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a skillet. Warm tortilla on both sides until it is no longer stiff - about 10 seconds. Place it on a plate and set aside. Crack an egg in the still warm pan and pop the yolk. Sprinkle in some shredded cheddar cheese. Fry until done. Flip as needed. Place egg on top of tortilla. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a then a tablespoon of sun dried tomato bruschetta. Dust with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Eat while warm. The tortilla is starchy comfort. The egg is filling protein. The sour cream gives the dish a nice tang, while the tomato pesto gives it depth. Delicious!

As for variations, you could try several things for your carnivore. Like instead of sour cream, which my guy won't touch as it is on his white condiment no-no list, you could top the egg with freshly grated parmesan or manchego cheese. You could also add crumbled bacon or sausage instead of sun dried tomatoes. Of course, if you have a family with a larger palate you could try things like guacamole, fried onion crisps, chorizo, bell peppers, or black beans. As the carnivore said, possibilities are limitless. What ideas do you have? Let me know below.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

quite a pear

Sometimes I ask the carnivore to pick up an item or two from the grocery store on his way home. I know this means a couple of things. First, I can bank on him coming home with at least three things I didn't know existed much less asked for (think pretzel ice cream cones). It also means, I will likely get at least one phone call from him at the store with a question of something that seems obvious to me (like, do we need pretzel ice cream cones - um, no). So, the other day I asked the carnivore to get a few pears so I could make baby omnivore some purees. I never thought he would go to Costco and get me a million pears. Oh well, time to find something to do with the rest of those pears...how bout muffins?

This recipe is adapted from the 500 Cupcakes cookbook
You will need the following:
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups of sugar
4 tsp of baking powder
2 tsp of cinnamon
4 tblsp of vegetable oil
1/4 cup of melted butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup of milk
2 large pears, pealed, cored, and diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease your muffin pan. Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl. In your mixer add in your wet ingredients and mix slowly. Fold in the dry ingredients. Finally, toss in the pears and mix thoroughly.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes til golden brown. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and continue to cool for about 10 minutes. Enjoy while warm. This should yield about 18 muffins.

This isn't exactly what I had in mind when I asked for pears, but my better half and his strange shopping habits made for a perfect breakfast for both of us. We are quite a pair!

Monday, December 6, 2010

its beginning to look a lot like christmas

By now if your house is like mine, the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, the tree has been decorated, and a few presents may have even been purchased. If you are also like me, your to do list seems to be growing as the days til Christmas are dwindling. That means I like to make meals I can eat on for days. This Christmas quiche is just that sort of thing.

You can find my original recipe for a simple cheddar quiche by clicking here. Start by switching the cheese to cheddar jack. Then to this just add a 1/4 quarter of a cup of roasted red peppers (remove as much of the liquid as possible if you get them from a jar) and 1 cup of spinach leaves that you lightly saute in a drizzle of olive oil and kosher salt. Finely chop these ingredients up and stir them in with the other ingredients and bake as usual.

 It is simple and delicious. Plus, the red and green colors are just appropriate this time of year don't ya think? I am considering whipping up another one for Christmas morning so we can all enjoy it together as we dig into those stockings and stare at that tree and open a few gifts. Now back to that list...

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

cake for breakfast

Remember that Bill Cosby sketch about the dad who gave his kids cake for breakfast? "Dad is great! He feeds us chocolate cake!" He justified it with all the good things in cake, like eggs. I can so see the carnivore trying this with baby omnivore.

Well, this isn't exactly chocolate cake for breakfast but it is a pretty awesome coffee cake. And you can justify how good it is for your family because it has both apples and granola. Apples are everywhere this time of year, and a few even caught the carnivore's eye at the market the other day. However, once they got home he never thought to eat them. I know - you're shocked. So, I decided I would make this recipe for him to use at least one of them up before they went bad. I found this recipe in my Recipes from the Heart Cookbook and adapted it a bit.

You will need the following:
1 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
2/3 cup of light brown sugar
8 tbsp of cold butter, diced into small pieces
1 cup of granola (I used one with dried apple bits.)
2 eggs
2/3 cup of evaporated milk
1 apple, cored and sliced thin
2 tbsp of sugar

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Then grease a 9 inch spring form pan (A cake pan will do, but the spring form pan makes it easier to remove.) In your mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add it 6 tbsp of the butter and mix until crumbly. Take out 1/2 cup of the flour mixture and put it in a separate bowl. In that bowl add in 1/4 cup of the granola and mix. Set this aside. Add your eggs and evaporated milk to the original mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining granola. Pout the batter into the pan. Top with apples. Add the flour/granola mix on top. Dot with the remaining butter. Sprinkle sugar on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool ten minutes in pan before removing to cake stand. Serve in wedges while warm.

So, if you have a great dad in your life, like my baby omnivore does, spoil him sometime soon with this sensational apple dish. Who doesn't like cake for breakfast after all?

Saturday, September 18, 2010

going bananas

It never fails that when I buy bananas I always buy one too many. It sits there on my kitchen counter in the fruit bowl ripening more and more each day. From green to yellow and then it happens...the browning begins. Like rapid fire age spots, the banana cries out to be used. In case of said emergency in your house, let me recommend this quick fix fantastic breakfast treat.

Start with a good nutty wheat bread. Toast it til golden brown. Slather a generous amount of cream cheese. I like the whipped variety just because it spreads easier, but any kind will do. Slice your banana and add it on top. Usually I uses half a banana per slice of bread. Then drizzle with honey. Sticky, sweet morning yummy!

Now the carnivore doesn't do cream cheese or bananas he can see. So, if I were going to make a version of this for him I would mash the other half of a banana with 2 tblsp. of peanut butter (one of his favorite foods). I would put this on the toast, sprinkle with a bit of granola, and then swirl honey on top. Nutty, crunchy a.m. goodness!

Either way you can't go wrong. And I bet you have all the ingredients on hand already. Plus, that last banana will get used before it has to get tossed - which drives me bananas!

Friday, July 23, 2010

better than burger king

The carnivore and I are big fans of breakfast food. We like everything - pancakes, muffins, omelets, hashbrowns, you name it. We even have brinner sometimes (i.e. breakfast for dinner). And although we usually overdo it on the weekends with gigantic breakfast spreads at our place, sometimes we need something to grab and go. Recently we needed just this sort of thing so we could make it to the farmers' market before the temperature outside reached a thousand degrees. Baby omnivore is not a fan of the summer heat and humidity. So, instead of swinging by a fast food joint to get a greasy sandwich, I made these in a jiffy. There are a play on burger king's croissandwich. (These are along the lines of the versions of fast food english muffins and biscuits I have made before.) The best thing - both the carnivore and I got our own versions.

To make one meat eater and one vegetarian croissandwich at home start by frying a few strips of bacon. While that is cooking, slice up half an avocado. Then scramble two eggs with 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Fry the egg mixture in a small skillet that you have prepared with non-stick cooking spray. Then slice open two croissants. Pop some fake bacon in the microwave for about a minute. Once your eggs are done add 1/2 to each croissant. Top one with the avocado and the "facon." Top the other with the bacon after you remove the excess oil on a paper towel.

Just like that you can get breakfast ready to go for your mixed diet family. And, it is better than any flattened fatty fast food version. You could even make these with sausage/soysauge patties if you like. And whether you chug a glass of orange juice before you leave the house or sit down and sip on a cup of coffee with this breakfast sammie, you are sure to enjoy!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

green, eggs, and ham

If you have read any of my older posts you know that getting my carnivore to eat anything green is quite a chore. Same goes for fruit. Well, it isn't as bad with fruit, but he would never pick up a piece and eat it on his own. As such, I am always sneaking fruit and green things into his diet. Even if it is simple as putting a few green grapes on his plate. Two birds - one stone.

And this simple breakfast works as a great disguise. Omelets are notorious for their ability to be made many ways. This means you can satisfy both the meat eaters and the vegetarians in your life. On this morning I made myself a super cheesy omelet with cheddar jack and lots of freshly ground pepper. To curb the constant bacon craving of the carnivore I made a bacon and cheese omelet with a side of what else - bacon. (Please note any veggie can be added - think peppers, onions, tomatoes, etc. - or other meats - like sausage or ham.) I then offset the meat madness, if only in my own mind, by popping a few green grapes on the plate.

There you have it - green (grapes), eggs, and ham. It is as simple as the Dr. Suess rhyme to make you mixed diet family happy in the morning. Not only that, you can manage to get something green in the A.M. Do you have a favorite omelet? A favorite fresh fruit side? Or what about a way to sneak something good on your family's plates? Let me know! I am always looking for more ideas.

Monday, August 24, 2009

monkey bars

It is no secret that I love fruit, but my addiction has gone into overdrive lately since the carnivore bought me a juicer. I can't tell you how much I love it. When it first arrived on our door step I sent the carnivore to the store to bring home lots of fruit and veggie goodies. He arrived home with a ten pound bag of apples, a giant bag of organic mixed berries, a huge watermelon, a 5 pound bag of carrots, and a pretty pineapple.

Not having read the manual yet, he also brought home several pounds of bananas - which are not so great for juicing. So, to get rid of the rapidly browning bananas I first made a loaf of banana bread. That was great for a week. However, that recipe alone did not get rid of all of them. As such, I start scouring my cookbooks. In my copy of the Pampered Chef's Recipes from the Heart Cookbook, I found this great recipe for banana pecan bars. It tweaked it just a bit and now I am calling them monkey bars.

To make this breakfast treat you will need:
1 stick of butter, softened
3/4 cup of sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 mashed ripe bananas
1 1/2 tsp of vanilla
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 cup of chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then simply mix the ingredients together in the order shown. Grease a square 9 inch baking pan. Pour the batter in it and cook for about 25 minutes or until it is golden and it passes the toothpick test. Let it cool in the pan for ten minutes then turn it onto a cooling rack for another ten. Finally, cut it into squares and serve warm. Store in an airtight container for at least three days.

They are a bit more banana-y than banana bread, but just as yummy. Great with a cup of coffee or a fresh juice from your new juicer (trust me on this one).
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