Easy Breakfast Recipes

Flickr Photo Courtesy ofMtnGirl20

This is a cereal all kids love.

Ingredients

1/2 pound melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup water
7 - 8 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup almond slices

Method

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In dutch oven or heavy saucepan over low heat stir the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and water until mixture dissolves. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until moistened. Spread in a shallow ungreased pan and bake for two hours, stirring every half hour with a fork. Serve plain or with milk as a cereal.

Here are a few other delicious ways to use granola:

Mix with raisins, dates or dried fruits as a snack

Sprinkle over ice cream or stewed apples as a dessert. Store in plastic bag or container, well sealed.

Flickr Photo Courtesy of secretagent007

A quick and easy way to create a yummy breakfast is to mix different cereals together in each bowl.

Try to use non-sugared cereals that are whole grain. Add some fruit like bananas or berries and perhaps some chopped nuts, raisins, dates, craisins or coconut and you will never miss the sugary stuff.

Much healthier and, once they're mixed, you will have a delicious, wholesome breakfast that will keep you and your kids going until lunch.

Throw caution to the wind! Use your imagination!

This recipe came from a magazine ad for Jif peanut butter. It's easy to make and easy to grab on the go.

I will tell you that it's a little messy and you do need to prepare them in advance but when all is said and done, it's worth it.

Makes about 36 (1") Granola Bites. 4 Granola Bites per serving.

Granola Bites

2 Tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
1-3/4 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1/3 cup unsweetened, dried apples,
(finely chopped)
1/3 cup unsweetened, dried apricots,
(finely chopped)
1/3 cup unsweetened, dried blueberries,
cherries and/or cranberries
2 Tablsespoons raw sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes, preferably organic
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup Jif creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Place almonds and 1/4 cup oats in bowl of food processor; process to fine crumbs, about 15 seconds; place crumbs into a medium bowl; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine remaining oats, dried fruits, sunflower seeds, coconut and cinnamon.

Add peanut butter, honey and extract; combine well until mixture begins to stick together.

Using gloves or moist hands, form mixture into 1" balls, coat lightly with almond-oat crumbs and place in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight to allow oats to absorb moisture.

icepinkstars

This recipe will fool everyone...they'll think you spent hours creating this delicious Danish coffee cake. However, it takes only minutes to assemble. A last minute breeze!

Cream Cheese Danish

Ingredients

2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 8-oz. tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
2 cups powdered sugar
4 to 5 Tablespoons milk

Method

Blend together cream cheese and sugar; add egg yolk, lemon juice and vanilla. Set aside. Layer one tube of crescent rolls in the bottom of a greased 13"X9" baking pan; press together. Spread cream cheese mixture over top; layer remaining rolls on top of cream cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minues, until golden. Let cool.

Mix together powdered sugar and milk to a think consistency; drizzle over top. Cut into slices to serve. Makes 15 to 20 servings.

Well, you can buy excellent pancake mixes of all kinds. Swedish pancake mixes, buckwheat pancake mixes, buttermilk pancake mixes...you name it and you can buy a mix. And there's nothing wrong with that - they're easy and delicious.

BUT...if you have the time, homemade pancakes are not all that difficult, either. And they're yummy, yummy, yummy!

Here's a recipe that I like and I think you will, too. It's from the Millbrook Inn in Waitsfield, Vermont.

Flickr Photo Courtesy of Kevin Logan photography

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PANCAKES ala MILLBROOK

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2-1/2 cups milk
1 Tablespoons butter, melted

Method

Mix flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk eggs and milk together with a wire whisk. Stir in butter. Pour wet ingredients (eggs, milk, and butter mixture) over dry ingredients (flour, salt, sugar and baking powder) and mix with a wooden spoon until just blended.

The batter should be lumpy. Pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto a hot griddle. Cook until cakes are full of air bubbles on top and lightly browned on the underside. Flip over to brown the other side.

Serves 6

Here's another pancake recipe from a New York Times column. It's hearty and delicious

WHOLE GRAIN PANCAKES

Serves: 6

Prep/cook time: 30 - 40 minutes

Ingredients

Butter, as needed
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander or cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, separated
1 cup milk.

Method

Melt 3 tablespoons butter. In a large bowl combine flours, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt.

Beat egg whites with an electric mixer or a whisk until stiff peaks form, but do not overbeat. In separate bowl beat milk, yolks and melted butter until foamy, a couple of minutes.

Add milk mixture to flour mixture and give a couple of good stirs, but do not overmix. Fold in egg whites and stir until batter is just evenly colored and relatively smooth; it's o.k. if there are some lumps.

Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) or griddle over medium heat until a few drops of water dance on its surface. Add butter as needed (or use a thin film of neutral oil, such as grapeseed or corn). When skillet is hot, spoon batter into pan. Cook until bubbles form and pop, about 2 minutes; you may have to rotate cakes to cook them evenly, depending on your heat source and pan. Then carefully flip pancakes. Cook until well colored on the other side, another minute or two more. Serve or keep in warm oven for a few minutes.

Lighter cakes: Use 2/3 cup white flour in place of 2/3 cup of the whole-wheat flour. This makes separating the eggs optional.

Savory cakes: Omit sugar and increaase salt to 1 teaspoon; replace cinnamon with cumin. Serve like bread with soups or stews.

Serve with: Syrup and butter, creme fraiche, jam, caramelized apples or dried or fresh fruit compote.

These next two recipes are from the Gooseberry Patch Comfort Foods cookbook. If you've ever had any cookbooks from the Gooseberry Patch series, you'll want this one.

BLUEBERRY-MAPLE SYRUP
Makes about 2-1/3 cups

Ingredients

1 cup suger
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt

Method

Stir together sugar, water, cinnamon, lemon zest and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until thickened slightly. Add berries; simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes, until berries pop. Remove from heat; stir in syrup and salt.

Try this next syrup on your Holiday hotcakes!

PUMPKIN-MAPLE SYRUP

1 cup maple syrup
1-1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients together in a small saucepan. Mix well and warm through over low heat. Makes about 2 cups.

German Pancakes are known by lots of names...mostly ethnic in origin. Dutch Babies is one such name.

You can top them with syrup or berries or whatever you fancy. They're delicious and very simple to make. Kids just love them.

Flickr Photo Courtesy of Aaron Schmidt

German Pancake

Place 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine in a pie pan and place in the oven which has been preheated to 375 degrees F. until it has melted.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl beat:

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
Dash salt

Carefully pour into melted buter in the center of the pie pan (it's very hot, remember!) and bake for 10-15 minutes until pancake is very high and puffy around the edges. It will be flat in the center.

This looks really great when you take it from the oven, but it drops as it cools. But so what...it tastes great served with syrup or honey or a fruit topping.

Flickr Photo Courtesy ofTerri Tu

Although this recipe is called Sunday Scrambled Eggs, you can (obviously) make them any time. Since they're so easy, they are a good choice for any busy morning.

SUNDAY SCRAMBLED EGGS

Serves 1

3 Jumbo Eggs
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon fresh herbs (chives, dill, parsley)
Salt and pepper

1. In a small bowl, break the eggs and blend will with a fork.

2. In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat until it bubbles but doesn't brown. Add the eggs, cooking very quickly, swirling them with a fork. Repeatedly allow them to almost set, then swirl them again. While still wet, remove from the heat, add the herbs, and blend well. Serve immediately.

Try adding shredded cheese to the top of the eggs right before they're finished. Cover the skillet with a lid and turn off the heat. The cheese will melt beautifully.

This is a great basic recipe that lends itself to all sorts of variations...you could saute a little onion or mushrooms (or both or whatever you like) in the skillet before adding the egg mixture. Or, as I like to say, "Just wing it!"

Many people think breakfast isn't breakfast without breakfast sausage. There are lots of really good sausages at the supermarket and specialty meat markets but have you ever tried making your own? It's not hard and the results are quite rewarding.

Flickr Photo Courtesy of princess_of_llyr

I got this recipe from somewhere on the internet several years ago...it's excellent. Easy to make and it has a nice little bite to it from the red pepper flakes.

2 teaspoons dried sage
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pinch ground cloves
2 pounds ground pork

In a small bowl, combine the sage, salt, ground black pepper, marjoram, brown sugar, crushed red pepper and cloves. Mix well

Place the pork in a large bowl and add the mixed spices to it. Mix well with your hands and form into patties.

Saute the patties in a large skillet over medium high heat for five minutes per side, or until internal pork temperature reaches 160 degrees F. (70n degrees C)

Makes 6 servings.

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