Breakfast Bowls

We are total fans of breakfast for dinner...Weeknight Waffles, French toast, pancakes, scrambled eggs with ham, maybe even a bowl of cereal if we are in a hurry to get somewhere.

We used to buy pre-made breakfast bowls to pop in the microwave, but found that the ones we make from scratch taste so much better, and are better for us.  We can customize them to our own tastes, and use up tidbits of previous meals that are hanging out in the fridge!

Potatoes are an important base; if you have some cooked left over potatoes from last night's dinner, all the better. (And even better if they have been sauteed with some sweet onions).  If not, Ore Ida has an awesome selection of pre-cut potatoes that heat up in minutes. You could use any type of potato, even french fries or tater tots. Heat these up in a separate bowl while you get your eggs in a row.

In a medium bowl, whisk together two eggs and a splash of milk. Stir in salt and pepper to taste, and any other seasonings you like; a dash of season salt is good. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook for 1-2 minutes until the eggs are cooked through. Immediately sprinkle on your choice of shredded cheese to get it melting.  

Top the eggs with the potatoes.  Now is where it gets fun...you can added diced cooked bacon, ham, sausage, sauteed veggies, sliced green onions; anything you have in the fridge that you think would be yummy in your tummy.

A drizzle of Heinz ketchup adds a nice zing, I always use some on any egg dish I make.

There you go, your very own breakfast bowls.  Warm, hearty, and filling, any night of the week.

Weeknight Waffles

One of my favorite family food memories is when Granny invited us over for homemade waffles.  It wasn't just special because it was Grandma's house, or because they were homemade, it was special because we ate them for DINNER.  And it was extra special for Mom, because it was pretty rare that she didn't have to cook at least three meals a day for all of us.

Waffle night at Granny's always happened during a time when Dad was out of town, usually hunting or fishing. He isn't a big fan of "breakfast for dinner", so it was a great opportunity for the rest of us to indulge in it.

The waffles were always accompanied by link sausages, Mrs. Butterworth's pancake syrup, and a selection of sweet toppings that we would have on our "dessert waffle"; applesauce and whipped cream, strawberries, bananas. Everything was washed down with giant glasses of cold milk, or orange juice if we were really lucky.

The worst part was the waiting; waffles have to be made one at a time, and we all fought over who got the first one. This recipe should be used in a standard waffle maker, although I intend to try it in my fancy flipper Belgian waffle maker and see how that goes some day.

Before you get started, turn your oven on to low.  Place a cooling rack inside a baking sheet.  You can pop this in the oven to hold the waffles and keep them warm as you make them, although they will probably get scarfed down so fast you won't need to.

WEEKNIGHT WAFFLES               Printable Version

1/2 c. butter, melted and cooled
3 eggs, separated
2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. white sugar

Melt the butter and set aside to cool.

Separate the eggs, saving the whites for later.  Beat the egg yolks until fluffy, then add the cooled butter, buttermilk and vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Add to the wet ingredients until just combined.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold into the batter until just blended.

Prepare the waffles following the directions for your waffle maker.

Breakfast Bagels

Years ago, my granny would bring us farm fresh eggs from a friend she affectionately called "The Egg Lady". That was almost thirty years ago, and at 93, granny doesn't drive anymore.  But thankfully I've found my own "Egg Lady", and now I can treat grandma to the eggs.

One of our favorite egg dishes is breakfast bagels.  They are a nice change from a cold bowl of cereal, they are fast, and they are yummy.  They are also something that most kids can whip up for themselves, or for you!  

Wrap one up in a piece of foil and hit the road, or enjoy them as "breakfast for dinner" with a side salad or a fruit smoothie.

BREAKFAST BAGELS          Printable Version

Your favorite bagel, regular size (we use wheat or "everything" bagels)

1-2 eggs

Splash of milk

Salt & pepper, and any other seasoning you like (a bit of dill or parsley is a nice touch)

Slice of cheese (Colby jack, cheddar, etc.)

Two slices of deli meat (ham or turkey)

Optional ingredients: a slather of flavored cream cheese, cooked bacon, tomato slices, fresh basil leaves, avocado...

Spray a small dish (a mini souffle dish works perfectly) with cooking spray. Crack the eggs into the bowl and add a splash of milk. Add your seasonings and whisk together until combined.

Pop your bagel in the toaster and set the control to your desired toastiness (it's best to err on the lighter side so your bagel doesn't crumble on you as you bite into the eggy deliciousness.)

Place the dish of eggs in the middle of the microwave and cook on high for about a minute (depending on your microwave). Take the dish out (it will be hot!) and give the partially cooked eggs a flip with a fork to see if there is any uncooked egg on the bottom).  If so, place the dish back in the microwave for another 20-30 seconds.  

When your bagel pops up, put it on a plate and top with the cheese slice to get it melting.

Scoop the eggs out of the dish and place over the cheese, then add the slices of deli meat and any other toppings.

Pop on the bagel top and let the whole thing cool for a few minutes before cutting it in half.

We dip ours in some ketchup, but salsa and sour cream is good too.