Category: Breakfast

Wakey, Wakey Eggs and Bakey!

Recipe here.

I’ve had this recipe stashed in my files for quite some time.  I don’t remember how I came across it, initially, but I’ve been dreaming of making these cute little egg tarts for quite some time.  These were not a disappointment and, when the shells are made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container, were not difficult to make at all.  The crusts could use a little more flavor, in my opinion, that what is called for in the dough, so when I make these again, I’ll add a little salt and pepper and maybe some minced herbs to it.  The shells would also lend themselves well to mini-quiches or other applications.

I didn’t have pancetta around this time, so just served these with regular bacon (no bacon for Vegetarian Girl, of course) and a small bowl of berries topped with yogurt and granola.  Yum!

Apple and Pear Beignets with Vanilla Bean Sugar

Recipe here.

I wanted to make something a little special this morning because Girl had a couple of friends to spend the night last night and so I was feeding a crowd for breakfast.  These were a big hit with the girls, who immediately noticed that the sugar “tasted REALLY good” and “MUCH better than plain sugar.”  True, the vanilla beans in the sugar were fantastic.  Not cheap, because I made a double batch (2 vanilla beans!,) but well worth the expense.  I should have cooked the beignets a tiny bit longer, because they could have been a little more cooked in the middle, but they were still fantastic.  I used an OXO cookie scoop to plop the dough in the oil.

I had quite a bit of the vanilla bean sugar left over, so I’ll be finding some luxurious uses for it soon.  It might be fantastic to top a creme brulee with.  We’ll see!

Pioneer Woman’s Apple Fritters

Recipe here.

These were so yummy and tasty-crusty-crunchy.  Great for a lazy weekend breakfast, even though you house will smell like boiling oil for the rest of the day.  I used a small (2 oz) cookie dough scoop with a little release lever on the side to drop the fritters in the oil, to keep them a consistent size and give them a pretty shape.  The kids helped with these and we all liked them quite a bit.

Barefoot Contessa’s Maple-Oatmeal Scones

Recipe here.

Delicious and easy.  Makes a TON of scones.  Fabulous maple flavor. Great for feeding a crowd without a lot of effort.  Like Barefoot Contessa’s Orange-Cranberry Scones, they are best eaten the same day, or possibly the next day, but suffer in texture if kept longer than that, so I’d plan to share or freeze any leftovers or consider making a half-batch.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Recipe here.

Yum, yum, yum.  A definite keeper.  I always seem to find myself with a bit of leftover buttermilk.  I have a few recipes that use it but none of them use the whole container, so I’m always on the lookout for recipes that will use up the last little bit.  This is a great one.  Nutty and sweet, but just healthy enough to make you feel virtuous.

Barefoot Contessa’s Cranberry Orange Scones

Recipe here.

These were wonderful.  Even dried fruit-hating Hubby and Boy liked them.  They are easy to make, but the texture is perfect.  Crumbly and moist at the same time, with a rich and creamy flavor.  I will absolutely be making these again.

One caveat:  this recipe makes a TON of scones and one scone is very filling, so I would plan to make these when you have company, or plan on serving them as afternoon snacks or for two breakfasts or give some away or freeze some.  As good as these were, we were getting a bit tired of them on the third day.  After a day or two, also, the icing starts to sink into the scones and the texture suffers a bit.  These are definitely best when they’re fresh, so invite some people over for breakfast to help you eat these!