Posts tagged ‘breakfast’

Jun 13

Stuffed Avocado With Poached Egg

The food52 contest is all about avocado’s. My entry is very simple and makes a fantastic breakfast or brunch but can really be eaten anytime of day. I stuffed the avocado halves with sauteed grape tomatoes and shallots, topped with breadcrumbs and heated in the broiler for about a minute and then topped it with a poached egg. It’s delicious, loaded with flavor and you can make this your own by adding whatever you like.

Serves 2

1 ripe avocado halved

1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes halved

1 lobe of the shallot chopped

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

olive oil for pan

salt and pepper to taste

2 large eggs poached or fried

1/2 lime (for the avocado)

Add olive oil to saute pan and add the chopped shallot, when it has softened add the tomatoes and saute just until the tomatoes start to soften and give off a little of their juices, season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and add the bread crumbs.saute until they have absorbed the oil and are lightly browned. Remove from pan
Turn oven to broil, place rack in the middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut your avocado in half, squeeze the lime on both halves, sprinkle each with a pinch of sea salt. Fill the cavity with the tomato and shallots, top with bread crumbs and place in oven for approximately a minute just so it’s warmed and the crumbs are golden brown.
Top with a poached or fried egg and enjoy

May 7

22 Comments

Bake Together:Date And Orange Cornmeal Buttermilk Muffins With Cardamom Streusel Topping

Bake together with Abby Dodge this month is Cornmeal buttermilk muffins. I just want to say that I love participating in this, it is a wonderful way to be creative and as always I have a lot of fun. I used Abby’s basic recipe for Cornmeal Buttermilk muffins (original recipe found by clicking on Abby Dodge above) and added my own touch. My latest obsession is with Medjool dates, the are so soft and creamy and sweet I find myself snacking on them several times a day. Dates and orange and cardamom go together really well so I thought I would incorporate all those wonderful ingredients into these muffins. The muffins contain orange zest and dates and I made a streusel topping flavored with cardamom. NOTE: I also decreased the sugar to 1/4 cup because the dates are so sweet and I made a dozen mini muffins rather than 6 large ones.

For the muffins:
3/4 cup (3 3/8 ounces) all purpose flour
1/3 cup (1 1/3 ounces) finely ground yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped medjool dates pitted

1 1/2 tsp orange zest

Streusel Topping

3 tbs flour

2 tbs light brown sugar packed

2 tbs granulated sugar

1/4 tsp cardamom

2 tbs soft butter

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 6 regular-sized muffin cups with paper or foil liners or to make mini muffins 12 liners in 12 cup muffin tin.

Mix the soft butter, flour, sugars and cardamom and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk until well blended. Measure the buttermilk using a 2 cup glass measure, pour buttermilk into blender and add the chopped dates , pulse a few times so that the dates are broken up but still are in small pieces, add back to 2 cup measuring cup. Add the egg, oil, and orange zest and mix with a table fork until well blended. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold (no stirring) until just blended.

Portion the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups (1/4 cup of batter per cup will be about three-quarters of the way full a little less for mini muffins). Crumble the streusel topping on each muffin. Bake until the tops are pale golden brown and a pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes for larger muffins because mine were smaller it took 15 minutes to bake. Move to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the muffins from the pan and set them on a wire rack. Serve immediately or cool completely and stow in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. I like them best when they are served warm so please reheat before serving.

Mar 10

Breakfast-Banana Waffles

Banana Waffles with Hot Buttered Syrup

I shunned my usual shake this morning for some hot home made waffles. I was thinking of making banana bread today, had two banana’s that are on their way to becoming very very ripe, but instead I decided to make banana waffles. I used my go to recipe for waffles from an old Betty Crocker recipe book but really tweaked it. I used all purpose flour, stone ground whole wheat flour and cake flour, buttermilk, brown sugar and banana. I usually separate the eggs, whip the whites and fold them in, instead I beat the whole eggs with the electric mixer which produced a less fluffy waffle but still very good. If you want a higher rise and lighter texture just beat the whites separately and fold in. The syrup is Grade B maple syrup, butter and Lyles Golden Syrup. Just using maple syrup is great but I love Lyles and like to mix it with my maple syrup, add butter and heat.

Makes: 12 waffles

1 cup cake flour

1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 ripe banana mashed

Maple syrup

Lyles Golden syrup (optional)

Butter (I used 2 tbs)

Heat waffle iron according to manufacturers directions.

Add flours, baking soda and powder, sugar and salt to mixing bowl and whisk to combine. In another bowl beat eggs with electric mixer until thick and foamy. Add the rest of the ingredients and fold in.

When waffle iron is heated add some batter, use as much as directions say to use for your waffle maker. While waffle is cooking, preheat oven to 200 degrees. In saucepan add the maple syrup, Lyles syrup and butter and heat gently, simmer until waffles are ready, I am not giving amounts you decide how much of each you want to use and certainly you can omit the Lyles Syrup. Have baking sheet ready, lined with parchment, when waffles are done remove to sheet pan and keep warm in the oven, do this until all the batter is used. If its more waffles than you need freeze them and use another day.

Mar 2

8 Comments

Baked Egg Casserole

I usually make this on the stovetop but adapted it to bake in the oven primarily because I entered this recipe in a Whole Foods Baked Breakfast contest. I actually like it better baked in the oven so from now on that’s exactly how I am going to make this. I must confess I try to have a healthy smoothie or shake for breakfast every morning but every now and then and I want something filling and warm and well, with runny eggs, cheese and bread. This certainly satisfies me in every way and its quick and easy to make to boot. It consists of a baguette cut into cubes, cherry tomatoes roasted in the oven, eggs and a quick and easy no fuss cheese sauce.

1 small baguette cut into cubes
10-12 cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons heavy cream
olive oil to drizzle
salt and pepper to taste
4 large eggs (preferably organic and pastured)

Preheat oven to 450 Tear off 2 sheets of foil and lay on baking sheet, on one sheet place bread cubes and drizzle with olive oil, on the other sheet place tomatoes drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 6-8 minutes until bread is lightly browned and tomatoes are soft. Remove from oven. Mix the grated cheese and heavy cream together. Keep oven at 450 degrees. Butter a gratin pan and scatter the bread cubes in the pan so that they cover the bottom. Add the tomatoes next and distribute evenly with the bread, now carefully break the eggs on top nestling them into the bread and tomato, season the eggs with a little salt and pepper, now spoon the cheese and cream on top of the eggs making sure its evenly distributed. Place on baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minute until the egg whites are somewhat set, now turn on broiler and broil for 1- 2 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned, Note: Watch carefully oven temps vary and it make take a little less or more time depending on your oven and the size of the baking pan, I used individual gratin pans and it took 8 minutes to bake and a bit over 1 minute under the broiler.

Feb 26

8 Comments

Lemon Ricotta Blueberry Muffins

These muffins are tender and moist, flavored with lemon and chock full of blueberries. The batter has both whole milk ricotta and whole milk buttermilk. I love the combination of lemon and blueberries and the ricotta and buttermilk give these muffins a slight tang that is delicious. I also used some cake flour to give them a more tender crumb. The muffins are only slightly sweet and to add a little more sweetness, after you remove them from the oven brush with some melted butter and dust with granulated sugar. When you just have to have a muffin I hope you will give these a try, they are simple to make, and you can whip them up in a flash. They also freeze beautifully. NOTE: If you use lowfat buttermilk and part skim ricotta increase butter to 6 tbs +4 tbs vegetable oil, and if you use lowfat buttermilk with whole milk ricotta just increase the butter to 6 tbs+ the 2 tbs vegetable oil.

Ingredients:

4 tbs melted butter

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour +2 tsp for blueberries

1/2 cup cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup buttermilk (whole milk buttermilk if you can find it)

1/2 cup whole milk ricotta

2 large eggs at room temperature lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup blueberries frozen (use fresh when in season)

1 1/2 tbs lemon zest

2 tbs butter melted (to brush on top of muffins)

2 tbs granulated sugar (to dust tops of muffins)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tin

Melt butter and add the oil, sift flour,baking powder, baking soda,salt and sugar into large mixing bowl, add the wet ingredients and lemon zest and stir only to mix, it may be a bit lumpy but thats ok. Sprinkle the blueberries with the flour and toss, add to the batter and gently stir. Place into lined muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. Let muffins sit for 10 minutes in pan, then place on rack to cool, brush top of the muffin with melted butter and dust with granulated sugar. Makes 12 muffins

Feb 10

7 Comments

Featured Recipe-A Sage and Honey Walnut Milkshake (With a Vegan Option)

Almost every day I have a shake or smoothie for breakfast. It usually has the standard list of ingredients, fruit, soy milk, yogurt, and a whole grain whizzed in the blender. It’s good but get’s boring after a while and I want something different. I volunteered to test this recipe for a Community Pick on food52, it was submitted by Annalyse, her cooks name on food52 is Sagegreen. I was intrigued by the use of avocado, walnuts and sage, I had it for breakfast and am hooked. I enjoy this shake at least once or twice a week now. It’s packed full of healthful oils from the avocado and walnuts, its only slightly sweet and I get my daily dose of fiber also from the walnuts. This shake is thick and creamy and so delicious, believe me it’s addictive. Annalyse is an accomplished cook and a University Professor and you can view her more than 300 recipes, (yes 0ver 300!!) on food52, and I have to mention that she is one talented mixologist, her drinks are creative, beautiful and so delicious. Please check them out: http://www.food52.com/cooks/12307_sagegreen

Beautiful and Delicious Shake, photo by Sagegreen

Serves 1-2

1 oz. shelled organic walnuts

3-4 one inch long fresh organic sage leaves

1/2 ripe organic avocado

1 cup lowfat, but real cultured buttermilk (or almond milk with a splash of cider vinegar for vegan option)

1 1/2 tablespoons chestnut honey (or grade B maple syrup), to taste

optionally, a few crushed ice cubes

In a heavy heated pan like a cast iron skillet, toast the walnut pieces for about 2 minutes, just short of smoking. Pan fry the sage leaves for about 1 minute. With the bottom of a smaller pan, or other heavy instrument, crush the walnuts. Shred the sage leaves. Add these to a blender.
Add the avocado, buttermilk, and chestnut honey. If you like a chilled drink include a few crushed ice cubes. Process until smooth. Pour into one or two glasses. This could be part of a New Year’s resolution you could keep.