Zucchini Bake

On Christmas morning we are going over to my sister in laws house to watch Lily open her presents.  Jennifer (Carolyn's mother in law) is making her delicious scones, so I told Carolyn I would make a quiche or something to go with them.  I have been trying to decide what would be perfect and I remembered this zucchini bake recipe, which is one of my all time favorites. (When I lived alone, I would make one and Megan would come over, we would eat the zucchini bake, drink wine and watch The OC.  Could there be a better night?)  I digress, this is simple and just as good at night as it is in the morning!
3 cups grated zucchini 
2 shallots , chopped 
1 cup all-purpose flour 
1 cup grated provolone or swiss cheese 
3 eggs, beaten 
1/4 cup vegetable oil 
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan 
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil, rosemary or thyme (if you don't have access to any of these, I use 1 teaspoon mix Italian herbs, re hydrated in 1 teaspoon of white wine) 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon Cavender's
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, save1 tablespoon of the Parmesan. Spoon the zucchini mixture into a 10-inch round glass pie plate (Remember Mary Ellen says glass is best!)  that has been coated with vegetable cooking spray. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with the reserved Parmesan. Cool 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

  I like a little Tabasco with mine for some heat, if you like spice and all your fellow diners agree, I would chop a jalapeno in to the mix.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

This wonderful muffin recipe comes from Trisha, a family friend in Utah. (the baby with her pumpkins is Reese, the daughter of Trisha my friend in Colorado)
Pumpkin Cream Cheese muffins would be a fun morning after Halloween breakfast, serve with coffee and you have a great breakfast!

8 ounce(s) cream cheese
3 eggs
2 1/2 cup(s) sugar
2 1/2 cup(s) flour
1/4 cup(s) pecans, roughly chopped
3 tablespoon(s) butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1 1/4 cup(s) solid-packed pumpkin
1/3 cup(s) vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat two 12-cup standard muffin tins with oil and set aside.
2. Mix the cream cheese, 1 egg, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl and set aside. Toss 5 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 cup flour, pecans, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon together in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the remaining sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and remaining cinnamon in a large bowl. Lightly beat the remaining eggs, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour the pumpkin mixture into the well, and mix with a fork just until moistened. Evenly divide half of the batter among the muffin cups. Place two teaspoonfuls of cream cheese filling in the center of each cup and fill with the remaining batter. Sprinkle some of the pecan mixture over the top of each muffin and bake until golden and a tester, inserted into the muffin center, comes out clean -- 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Challah French Toast

On Saturday, my friend Ana Lisa and I decided to go to the farmer's market, since it was such a gorgeous day.  We went in search of fresh eggs, but were sad to find out that all the eggs had sold out by 8 am.  The market doesn't even technically open until 8!  

We still made a good haul picking up tomatoes, shallots, onions, artisan cheese, sweet potatoes, some Jamaician spices (that my whole kitchen smells like them now!) dog biscuits (that I gave Penny one yesterday and she is still begging me for more) some Thai basil and fresh baked Challah bread.  Challah is a bread that is traditionally eaten on the Jewish Sabath.  

I decided to make Matt some french toast with our Challah bread.  It makes great french toast because it is slighty sweet and very dense.

6 slices of Challah bread

1 1/2 cups egg beaters

3 tablespoons of fat free half and half

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon Mexican Vanilla

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Mix all the ingredients except the bread, dip the bread in the egg bath.  Cook on a medium heat in a large buttered skillet, cook eat side about 2 minutes or until nicely browned.  Serve with syrup and butter or just butter and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.  

Jason, what do you think?  A Prosecco with this decadent breakfast.  

Pumpkin Pancakes

My friend Dani called me on Sunday and said she had been to the Ihop, she ate pumpkin pancakes and they were incredible. I thought I can make those. Here is a recipe you can try. Pumpkim pancakes would be such a fun fall brunch!
These are our pumpkins, Matt said it was too early to carve them so I drew faces on them for now. The ghost was my pick, Matt said he thought it was weird at first, but it is growing on him.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
dash of salt
2 tsps baking soda
1 cup milk
2 Tbsps vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sour cream

Combine all ingredients. Batter will be lumpy. Spray grill with cooking spray. Bake pancakes on grill using medium heat until bubbles rise to the surface and edges are brown. Turn and bake until golden brown. Serve with whipped cream or maple syrup.

Bananas Foster Pancakes

Resist the urge to start yelling BAM! Emeril has a recipe to turn your basic pancakes into Bananas Foster Pancakes. My brother in law Steve, should help with this, he makes Bananas Foster, we'll see if my mom let's him make flambe at her house next time we all visit. While technically pancakes are breakfast, I think this is best served as desert!

(This is Matt attempting not to get lit on fire)

Buttermilk pancakes
4 ripe bananas, peeled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup paced light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
1/2 cup dark rum
1 pint vanilla ice cream
Confectioners sugar, garnish
Ground cinnamon, garnish

Keep the pancakes warm on a baking sheet in the oven at 220° F. Cut the bananas in half across and then lengthwise. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add the bananas and cook on both sides until the bananas start to soften and brown, about 3 minutes. Add the banana liqueur and stir to blend into the sauce. Carefully add the rum and shake the pan back and forth to warm the rum and flame the pan. (Or, off the heat, carefully ignite the pan with a match and return to the heat.) Shake the pan back and forth, basting the bananas, until the flame dies. Remove the pan from the heat. Remove the pancakes from the oven and divide among 4 large plates. Top each serving with 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream. Gently lift the bananas from the pan and place 4 pieces on each stack of pancakes. Spoon the sauce over the bananas and ice cream and garnish with confectioners sugar and cinnamon. Serve immediately.

Megan's Potato Pancakes

Ok, so I am not a huge fan of regualr pancakes, but I absolutely love potato pancakes. One of the best things about them, is that you can use left-over mashed potatoes from the previous night's dinner or even on the holidays. They are great for any time of day, but my favorite is for breakfast. Serve with sour cream or apple sauce on the side and your tastebuds will thank you for it.

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 cups finely shredded uncooked potatoes, well drained
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1. Beat eggs in medium bowl with hand beater until fluffy. Stir in milk, potatoes, onions and salt. Melt butter in 10-inch skillet.
2. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into skillet.
3. Cook about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
(Total time will vary; cook or bake time is per batch.)

Best Homemade Pancakes

The talk of pancake mixes sparked interest. There are so many varieties of pancakes that we could have a pancake week. This is a basic pancake recipe but a great one!

Nonstick Spray

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 heaping teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup cooking oil

pinch of salt

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Use a pan with a nonstick surface or apply a little nonstick spray. With a mixer, combine all of the remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour the batter by spoonfuls into the hot pan, forming 5-inch circles. When the edges appear to harden, flip the pancakes. They should be golden brown. Cook pancakes on the other side for same amount of time, until golden brown.
Makes 8 to 10 pancakes.

Mexican Eggs

While on vacation we like to have a big breakfast, snack in the day & a great dinner. In Cabo, I love going to the Office for their amazing Mexican Eggs. This recipe from Real Simple is very similar. I would make this on a Sunday morning & eat on my patio, almost vacation like!

4 6-inch corn tortillas

1 16-ounce can of refried beans or one 15-ounce can pinto or black beans 1 10-ounce can of red enchilada sauce or one 16-ounce jar salsa

2 to 4 eggs (1 to 2 per person)

Heat oven to 250° F.

Wrap the tortillas in foil and place in oven.

In a saucepan, over medium-low heat, heat the beans.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, bring the enchilada sauce or salsa to a simmer.

Break the eggs into skillet.

For runny yolks, leave the tops of the eggs uncovered; for firm yolks, spoon some of the sauce over the top.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

Top each tortilla with some of the beans, eggs, sauce or salsa, Cheddar, scallions (if using), salt, and pepper.

Market Street Potatoes

Market Street is one of my favorite places to eat in Salt Lake. They specialize in fresh seafood & steaks. My family loves to go for their clam chowder or the corn chowder, I also loved going to Sunday Brunch with friends. The breakfast potatoes are amazing & lucky for us, the Salt Lake Tribune published the recipe, thanks to my mom for sending it! These potatoes would be great with omelets.


8 – 10 small white or red potatoes
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/8 C diced red or green bell pepper
½ C diced yellow onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Place whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large pan, cover with water & bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cook 10 – 15 minutes until potatoes are still firm.
Immediately drain & place in ice water to stop the cooking

Leaving the skins on, cut potatoes into one inch chunks. In a bowl combine potatoes, cheese, peppers and onions, Season with Salt & Pepper. Toss lightly to combine.

Put mixture in a shallow baking pan that has been lightly coated with non stick cooking spray. Cover tightly with foil, bake 15 minutes, remove foil bake 5 minutes longer.
Makes 4 servings

Cheese Stuffed French Toast

Matt & I are big breakfast people, especially on the weekend. The only problem is we get stuck in a rut. Every weekend, french toast, eggs, waffles or pancakes! I can across this swankier french toast recipe & it is as delicious as it sounds. The added strawberries are perfect for spring.

12 diagonally cut slices French bread

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 (8-ounce) tub reduced-fat cream cheese

2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk

1/3 cup Splenda

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large egg whites

2 large eggs

Cooking spray

Cut a horizontal slit through bottom crust of each slice of bread to form a pocket. Combine powdered sugar and cream cheese; stir well. Spread mixture evenly into pockets of bread. Place 6 bread slices in each of two large, shallow baking dishes; set aside.
Combine milk, sugar, vanilla extract, egg whites, and eggs in a bowl; beat well with a wire whisk. Pour milk mixture evenly over bread slices. Cover and chill 1 hour or until liquid is absorbed.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium heat until hot. Arrange half of bread slices in skillet, and cook 3 minutes. Turn bread over, and cook 3 minutes or until browned; remove from skillet. Repeat procedure with the remaining bread slices.

Serve with Strawberries.

4 cups sliced strawberries

1/3 cup Splenda

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Combine all chill for 1 hour.

Dani's Quiche Lorianne

This recipe comes from one of my best friend's Dani. She said that even her kids like this & kids can be a tough audience! Having a great quiche recipe is so handy, it travels well & can be eaten for breakfast or dinner. This is a picture of Dani & her beautiful children.

pre-made pie crust
10 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
4 large eggs
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne

1) Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9" pie plate. Unroll pie crust and place in pie plate. Prick sides and bottom with fork and bake 10 minutes

2) Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onions in pie plate.

3) In medium bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. Pour over cheese, bacon and onions. Bake 15 minutes.

4) Remove from oven and cover pie crust edges with foil to prevent them from becoming overcooked.

5) Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and continue to bake for another 30 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Another Friendly Recipe: Brunch Casserole

What's a busy cook to do when she has house guests & they need to eat breakfast? You could make pancakes or french toast but you would be flipping them all morning. Well if you have a great friend like Marnie, who is a friend from the Minch's days in Italy, you have a recipe for an amazing Brunch Casserole.

1 lb sausage, hot, browned
1 can crescent rolls (at least 8 oz.)
1-1/2 Cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Brown sausage. DRAIN WELL. Spray 9x12 baking dish. Flatten dough in bottom. Press firmly to seal. Sprinkle sausage and cheese over dough.
Combine other ingredients and pour over top. Bake at 425 degrees 15 minutes or until eggs are done. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Easy and good! ~Marnie Bertolasio

Anyone who reads this regularly knows what I would do, substitute the salt & pepper for Cavenders!

Apple Pancake Pie

I was exploring more of the William Sonoma kids recipes, while I don't think a kid could make these on their own, some of the recipes would be really fun to make with a kid. As soon as I found out my sister in law Carolyn was pregnant I was hoping that she would have a girl so we could have slumber parties. This recipe would be fun to make with Lily the morning after those slumber parties, when she is old enough, she is only 8 months old now!

Ingredients:
1 small apple
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk, at room temperature
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
Directions:
Before you start:

Be sure an adult is nearby to help.

Preheat an oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch glass pie dish with butter.

Prepare the apple:

Peel the apple, then cut it into quarters and core. Using a small knife, cut the apple quarters into small chunks.

Make the apple filling:

In a small bowl, using a fork, stir together 2 tablespoons of the sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Add the apple chunks and toss with the fork until the pieces are evenly coated with the cinnamon-sugar. Pour the apple chunks into the prepared dish, spreading them out evenly with the fork. Set aside.

Make the batter:

In a blender, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, the eggs, milk, flour and vanilla. Put the blender lid on securely and, holding the lid down tightly, blend on medium speed until all the ingredients are well mixed and frothy, about 1 minute.

Bake the apples:

Put the dish in the oven and bake the apple chunks for 5 minutes. Using an oven mitt, carefully pull out the oven rack until the dish is visible. Do not remove the dish. Pour the batter evenly over the apples. Slide the rack back into the oven and close the oven door.

Bake the pancake:

Bake the pancake until puffed and brown, about 25 minutes. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the dish from the oven and set it on a wire cooling rack. Dust the pancake with confectioners sugar using a fine-mesh sieve. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Christmas Brunch: Italian Frittata

My sister in law, Carolyn is bravely making Christmas day brunch for her dad & her in laws. When she asked me what I would make I told her to try a frittata. Pancakes & waffles are fun, but too time consuming for that many people. This frittata is delicious, I would serve it with fresh fruit, great coffee & juice.

6 eggs, beaten
1 ounce Pecarino-Romano, freshly grated
black pepper, freshly ground
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup zucchini, sliced thin
1 cup red potatoes, cubed

1/4 cup chopped prosciutto or cooked bacon
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
Directions
In medium size bowl, mix together eggs, cheese, bacon or prosciutto, pepper (to taste), and salt.
Heat 12-inch non-stick, oven safe saute pan over medium high heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil to pan. Add potatoes to pan and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove potatoes and set aside.
Heat another 1 tsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add the zucchini slices and saute for 2 minutes.
Return the potatoes to the pan.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan and stir.
Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, the egg mixture should be set on the bottom and begin to set up on top.
Sprinkle with parsley.
Place pan into oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and fluffy.
Serve immediately.

Mini Scones

Scones are a great addition to brunch, the mini makes them even better that they become finger food. You could also add raisins instead of dried cranberries or chocolate chips. I wouldn't but I am not a raisin fan. Among all the reasons my mom is awesome, she never slipped raisins in my cookies.

1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold butter cut into cubes
1-1/4 cup oats
1 cup dried cranberries or chocolate chips
1 egg
1/3 cup half and half or milk
1 egg mixed with 2 tablespoons milk for egg-wash
Sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Stir in the oats and dried fruit or chocolate chips. Add the egg and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the cream and stir gently. Do not over mix. Turn out on lightly floured surface and form an eight-inch circle. Place on baking sheet on parchment or waxed paper. Cut into 12 wedges and separate a bit. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 25 minutes until golden.

Coffee Cake

Coffee cake is one of those things you should always have a recipe for. Say you have company in town, you brew a pot of coffee, make the cake the night before & voila breakfast! Pancakes are wonderful but time consuming for a group and no one gets to eat together.

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon cinnamon
.
Cake:
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping. In small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly. Set aside.
Sift 1 1/2 cups sifted flour with baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a medium bowl, beat together beaten egg and 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and mix well.
Pour batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square or 9-inch layer-cake pan. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tests done. Partially cool in pan on wire rack. Cut coffee cake into squares while still warm.

Beignets

Our friends Elizabeth and Matt are getting married next fall in New Orleans. I keep thinking about how amazing their wedding is going to be and then about the amazing breakfast of coffee and beignets my Matt & I can go have the next morning. This is a great recipe for the NOLA classic.


1 package active dry yeast
1-1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
7 cups flour
1/4 cup vegetable shortening oil for frying
powdered sugar for dusting (or burying, depending on taste)
Instructions:
Put the warm water into a large bowl, then sprinkle in the yeast and a two teaspoons of the sugar and stir until thoroughly dissolved. Let proof for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the sugar, salt, eggs, and evaporated milk. Gradually stir in 4 cups of the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and thoroughly blended. Beat in the shortening, then add the remaining flour, about 1/3 cup at a time, beating it in with a spoon until it becomes too stiff to stir, then working in the rest with your hands. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refridgerate overnight in a greased bowl.
Roll the dough out onto a floured board to a thickness of 1/8 inch, then cut it into rectangles 2-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches with a sharp knife. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 360 degrees F. Fry the beignets about 3 or 4 at a time until they are puffed out and golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Turn them over in the oil with tongs once or twice to get them evenly brown, since they rise to the top of the oil as soon as they begin to puff out. Drain each batch, place on a plate lined with several layers of paper towels, and keep warm in the oven until they're all done.

Mexican Quiche

Straight from our Honeymoon location, a fabulous Mexican breakfast. This would be great when you have friends over for breakfast because it can serve so many people at once. Enjoy!

1 pound ground chorizo sausage
2 medium-sized onions -- chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup mild green chilies
10 eggs
2 cups milk
1 can (about 2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives -- drained
1 can (about 8-3/4 ounces) whole kernel corn
3 cups (about 12 ounces) shredded jack cheese
Avocado and cilantro sprigs for garnish Crumble chorizo into a wide frying pan and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until browned. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until soft (about 4 minutes). Discard fat. Stir in salt, pepper, and chilies. Remove from heat.In a large bowl, beat eggs until blended. Stir in chorizo mixture, olives, corn, and cheese. Evenly spread mixture in greased 10 x 15-inch rimmed baking pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (about 30 minutes). Lets stand for 10 minutes before serving. To serve, cut into squares and garnish with avocado and cilantro sprigs.

The best waffles ever

Well all this Red Sox talk is reminding me of being a kid. When my dad was out of town my mom would let us have breakfast for dinner. My favorite was when we had waffles. (My mom's waffle iron by the way I think is the first one ever made with a plug!) My mom always let us top them with whatever we wanted, whipped cream, fruit, syrup, powdered sugar...

1 and 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 beaten egg yolks
1 and 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites - beaten stiffly Mix all dry ingredients. Combine yolks and milk. Stir into dry ingredients. Stir in oil and mix. GENTLY fold in beaten egg whites, do not over mix.Pour about 1/2 cup at a time into waffle iron. So light and so fluffy!

Crepes

Well tomorrow is Saturday, if you are lucky someone will make you breakfast. My sister Beckie became the master of crepes when we were in high school, I even bought her a crepe pan for her birthday one year. Now you don't need a fancy pan, just your non stick fry pan will work. Crepes are great with a lot of different fillers, I love nuetella myself.
3 eggs
1 and 3/4 cups milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Solid shortening
Fresh slices of strawberries
maple syrup (best if warm) Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and milk with a wire whisk and add to flour mixture. Wisk until lumps are smooth. Melt 1 tablespoon of shortening in a pan over moderately high heat. When shortening begins to smoke, it's time to add the batter. Place 2 serving spoons of batter in a circular direction. Using the back of the spoon, quickly spread the batter to cover the bottom of your pan (cast iron pans work best) and fill any holes.Flip when underside browns and sides begin to curl. Brown this side and serve immediately. Repeat with rest of batter. Garnish with fresh fruit and serve with warm maple syrup. This makes about 10 crepes. 2 crepes make a nice serving.