Egg and Toast

Sometimes you find yourself awake on a Sunday morning, slightly hungover from the previous night's wine that you just had a bit too much of, and the last thing on your mind is making a huge breakfast. All you want is a hot cup of coffee and a little egg, a little toast and some aspirin. 

This morning I found myself in that predicament so I made this recipe because to me this is the simplest, fastest way to combine egg and toast and it's quite good. The best part is that you only need two main ingredients!

INGREDIENTS (serves 1)

• 1 slice white bread
• 1 egg
• Salt
• Pepper
• Butter

DIRECTIONS
First get yourself a biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter (or use a glass) and make a hole in the middle of your piece of white bread. Set aside.

In a small non-stick pan, melt a little butter on medium low heat. Meanwhile, break open your egg and gently pour it in a small dish or shallow cup, try not to break the yolk.

Place your slice of bread on the pan and with a steady hand, pour the egg into the middle of the hole in the bread. Cook for about two minutes, depending how much you want your yolk to cook though. I love mine a little runny. As it cooks, season with salt, pepper and a little marjoram.

With a plastic spatula gently lift the bread and turn over to finish cooking on the other side. About another minute or so. Serve immediately.

Irish Soda Bread (with currants)

As you all know, I am not a baker let alone a bread maker. I leave that job for my husband. But since he is away and I was having a craving for soda bread, I had to make it myself. I was very close to buying a ready made bread mix at the store; all I had to do was add water, but when I saw Ina Garten make this bread on her show, I figured I would give it a try. I used butter instead of shortening in my recipe but the outcome was still good. What I really like about this recipe is that in less than an hour you can have freshly baked soda bread for your family.

INGREDIENTS (makes one loaf)

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons solid shortening such as Crisco (I used unsalted butter)
• 2/3 cup currants mixed with 1 tablespoon of flour
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1 cup buttermilk

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and sugar. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, work the shortening into the flour until the consistency is the same as that of small peas. Stir in the raisins and caraway and mix to distribute evenly. Gradually stir in the buttermilk, 1/4 cup at a time, using only enough to allow the dough to come together. Knead the dough for 1 to 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a round loaf and place on a greased baking sheet. Cut an X on the top and over the sides of the loaf. Bake for 45 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a rack.

Cinnamon Pecan Buns

This recipe is an ode to my husband, and Stella's daddy, Matt. He made these pecan buns before he was sent out to sea and they were spectacular. The pecan buns were so soft and gooey, and so very delicious. These are specially good with a hot cup of coffee. If you make these, make sure you have a lot of people around to help you eat them. The buns are so much better eaten warm, right after you bake them. We miss you and we love you, Matt. Come home soon!

INGREDIENTS (makes about 15 buns)

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest (optional)
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the bottom and side of a 10-inch springform pan with half of the melted butter.
2. In a food processor, combine the pecans with the brown sugar, cinnamon and kosher salt; pulse until the nuts are almost finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and sprinkle a scant 3/4 cup over the bottom of the prepared pan. Wipe out the food processor.
3. Add the cottage cheese, buttermilk, egg yolk, granulated sugar, vanilla and orange zest to the processor and puree until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine the 2 1/4 cups of flour with the baking powder, baking soda and fine salt; whisk to mix. Add the flour mixture to the processor and pulse just until the dough comes together; it will be quite soft and sticky.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather it into a smooth ball. Roll out the dough to an 11-by-16-inch rectangle, flouring the work surface as necessary. Brush the dough with the remaining melted butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Sprinkle on the remaining pecan-sugar mixture.
5. Working from a long side, roll the dough into a tight cylinder and cut it into 1-inch slices. Arrange the slices cut side up in the prepared pan. Bake the buns in the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes, until lightly browned on top and slightly firm to the touch. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the buns. Remove the springform ring. Invert the buns onto a plate and carefully remove the bottom of the pan. If any of the pecan mixture sticks to the pan, simply scrape it onto the buns. Serve warm.

Crepes

We had a end of summer festival at work several weeks ago and various food vendors came to our campus to sell their foods. One of the vendors (which had the longest line!) was selling homemade crepes, both savory and sweet. Well, my co-workers and I stood in line for what seemed forever but it was worth it. I got a lemon-butter crepe and a strawberries and cream crepe and they were divine.

I finally got the urge to make something last night for dessert and gave crepe making a try. I have to say making the batter is quite easy, the most difficult part, I think, was trying to get the pancake thin enough and being able to flip it. The recipe below is from Alton Brown and I used 2 ounces instead of 1 ounce, as he suggests. You can you any type of filling, but I went with an easy one: sweet sour cream and raspberry sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• Butter, for coating the pan

DIRECTIONS

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly (I poured 2 ounces). Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

*Savory Variation Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, spinach or sun-dried tomatoes to the egg mixture.

*Sweet Variation Add 21/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur to the egg mixture.

Sour cream filling: Mix 1 cup sour cream with 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 tsp. vanilla. Set aside in fridge when ready to use.

Raspberry Sauce

• 1 pint raspberries
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

DIRECTIONS

Place half the raspberries in a saucepan with water and sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and sauce is thick. Add the remaining raspberries and orange zest. Heat through at the lowest temperature setting. Top filled crepes with raspberry sauce and garnish with sour cream and fresh raspberries.

Maple Roasted Bacon

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to make maple-roasted bacon and he'll love you for a lifetime!

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 pound thick-cut smoked bacon (16 slices)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons good maple syrup

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon begins to brown. Remove the pan carefully from the oven; there will be hot grease in the pan! Brush the bacon slices with maple syrup and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the bacon is a warm golden brown. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and serve warm.

Challah French Toast

When my mother-in-law was here last month for my baby shower, I decided to make French toast. I bought a huge challah bread (if you can't find it, you can use brioche instead) and I also made maple roasted bacon. This French toast is really yummy and the challah makes a difference because the bread has a slightly sweeter taste and it really hold up well when you fry it. Yummylicious!

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)

• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 (1/2-inch)slices challah bread
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Fresh fruit and real maple syrup for serving

DIRECTIONS

In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, and salt. Pour custard mixture into a pie pan and set aside.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then remove to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan, and allow to sit for 1 minute.

Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.

Roasted Asparagus with Scrambled Eggs

Ina Garten has done it again! This was everyone's favorite dish at my Mother's Day brunch and I, of course, got the recipe from Ina's cookbook, Parties! I was amazed how delicious these eggs were and how well the roasted asparagus complemented them. If you're not an asparagus fan, you can totally omit them, but I have to tell you these were the greatest scrambled eggs ever....and I think it has to do with the half and half. The key to these perfect eggs is gentle cooking, and use a large, non-stick pan with high sides.

INGREDIENTS (serves 8)

• 2 pounds fresh asparagus
• olive oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 16 extra-large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups half-and-half
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Break off the tough ends of the asparagus. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil then toss to coat. Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.

While the asparagus are roasting, whisk the eggs in a large bowl with the half-and-half, salt and pepper to taste. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Cook the eggs on the lowest heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, to the desired doneness. Remove from the heat, add 2 more tablespoons of butter, and still until it melts. Check for salt and pepper and serve with the roasted asparagus.

Pannekoeken Revisited

There's a controversy in the family about "pancakes." Apparently a lefse is not a pancake, but more like a Norwegian tortilla. But there is a type of Nordic pancake that my father-in-law makes; he calls it a Finnish Oven Pancake. My husband and his brothers grew up eating this pancake, but they call it panakuken or panakoken. Nevertheless, my brother-in-law, Michael, perfected the recipe below and he makes it for us at least once a week. You don't really need to add any syrup after the panakoken is baked, but a little brown sugar and melted butter go great with this pancake and so does a a really hot cafe au lait!

INGREDIENTS (makes 2)

• 1/4 c butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup flour
• 2 Tblsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt

Pre-heat oven to 400 F.

Divide the butter and melt it in two 8" round pans in the hot oven.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl, add milk, flour sugar and salt. Beat continuously with wire whips for 2 minutes.

Pour batter into sizzling hot pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are golden brown.

Serve the Finnish pancake with melted butter and brown sugar.

Rancho La Puerta's Huevos Rancheros

On Friday our company took me and a few of my co-workers to Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. It is a fabulous spa and cooking school where my friend and chef Michel Stroot, used to work but he has now retired--although he does "guest appearance" classes at the school. If you're interested in the cooking school, it's called La Cocina Que Canta and they have excellent chefs. Our chef that taught us this class was chef Deborah Schneider.

This was the very first time I've been to this spa and it was fabulous. Generally, guests stay there for 7 days but we were able to get a special one-day package. Needless to say, the cooking school was excellent and the recipe below is what I made for our team builder.

These are not your typical huevos rancheros. This dish is healthy and what I found amazing about this recipe is that all the ingredients (except the cheese), came from the ranch. They grow everything there and they have a large chicken coop, too, and I am proud to say this is the first farm-to-table meal I've cooked! The huevos were so yummy and it was even better with the homemade tortillas another one of my co-workers made. This was probably one of the best team-builders I've ever been to!

INGREDIENTS (seves 8 to 10)

• 8 large tomatoes
• 1 large white onion, chopped into small pieces
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped into small dice
• 1 large green or yellow bell pepper, chopped into small dice
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced
• 1 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (low sodium)
• 10 eggs
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 2 avocados, seeded and chopped (you do this last, when the eggs are ready)
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375. Have a large pot of boiling water ready. Also, you will need a large bowl with ice (ice-bath) ready.

Cut a small "x" at bottom of each tomato and drop them into a large pot of boiling water. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Immediately remove and place them in the ice-bath to cool and stop the cooking. Once you can handle the tomatoes, peel the skins. Cut tomatoes in half around the circumference and gently squeeze out seeds (or use your fingers or spoon to take out). Chop tomatoes into medium size pieces.

Heat a large, heavy pan on medium-high and add two tablespoons olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, red and green or yellow pepper, and jalapeños. Add a good pinch of salt and sauté until onions become lightly transparent. About 6 to 8 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed. At this point, sauce will be slightly chunky. Add 1 cup stock and simmer a few more minutes. You don't want the sauce to be too watery. This is where you're going to have to eyeball it and add more stock, if needed (I only used 1 cup because tomatoes were a bit juicy already). Lastly, add 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper. Remove from stove and set aside.

In a large clay pot or 9x13 glass baking dish or casserole, add the tomato sauce. With the back of a small ladle, make an indentation in the sauce. Immediately crack one egg and slide it into the well you just made. You can also use a large spoon if you don't have a ladle. Continue doing this all over the sauce until you have all 10 eggs (we used 1 large clay pot and one smaller one to fit all 1o eggs). If you want, you can lightly sprinkle a little salt and pepper over each egg. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, or until your eggs reach your desired doneness.

Remove baking dish from oven and sprinkle cotija cheese over each egg, then sprinkle with chopped cilantro and chopped avocado and serve, family style!

Green Eggs and Toast

I've been rowing on the weekends and when I get home after my 2 hour rowing sessions, I am starving Marvin! Today I was particularly hungry for protein, and I was happy I found this recipe on Food Network. It's a really good breakfast, and it's visually impressive, too. It's got protein from egg, iron and riboflavin from the spinach, and just enough carbs from the bread.

SPINACH PESTO

• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 3 1/2 ounces Asiago cheese, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a food processor, pulse to blend, spinach, walnuts, garlic and cheese. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. While machine is running, drizzle in oil until the mixture forms a loose paste. Season, to taste, with pepper.

SCRAMBLED EGGS (serves 4)

• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons shallot, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 thick slices of toast

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, and shallot. In a nonstick skillet over low heat, melt remaining butter. Cook egg mixture over low heat, whisking the entire time so the eggs form little loose curds. Serve eggs over toast and dollop top with Spinach Pesto.

Eggs Benedict, part deux

This recipe is straight out of the Lady's Home Journal magazine. YES, you heard me. Come on, I'm sure your mom or tia or grandma probably has one or two in their possession. And I know you've peeked at one at the check out counter at the Safeway. Anyhoo, this is probably the closest "original" eggs Benedict recipe out there. This one is a bit more labor intensive than my original eggs benedict post, but it is an awesome recipe to learn by heart because you never know when you'll have unexpected guests arrive at your house on a Sunday morning. PS: try "pompagne" instead of mimosas if you serve this for brunch. Pompagne is basically 2/3 champagne and 1/3 pomegranate juice. YUMMY!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

Poached eggs

• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 large eggs

Hollandaise sauce

• 3/4 cup butter (no substitutions), cut up
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch ground red pepper

Other ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, divided (no substitutions)
• 8 slices Canadian bacon
• 4 English muffins, split and toasted
• 1 tablespoon water
• Chopped fresh chives, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Make poached eggs: Fill a large, deep skillet with water. Add vinegar and salt; cover and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.

Break one egg into a small cup. Carefully slip egg into gently boiling water. Repeat with remaining eggs, working in a clockwise direction. Reduce heat; simmer eggs 2 to 3 minutes, until whites are firm near the yolk. Remove with slotted spoon in same order and place in a pan of ice water. Set aside.

Make hollandaise sauce: Place butter in a 2-cup glass measure. Cover with plastic wrap, turning back one section to vent. Microwave on High 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, until melted. In top of double boiler set above, not in, simmering water, whisk egg yolks and lemon juice until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove top only of double boiler from water. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle a few tablespoons melted butter into yolks in a thin, steady stream. Return top of double boiler to simmering water; continue to slowly add butter, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens. Whisk in salt and red pepper. Cover and remove pan from heat. (Can be made ahead. Let stand up to 1 hour over hot water.)

Heat oven to 200 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet. Add bacon and cook 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned.

Divide and spread toasted English muffin halves with remaining butter. Place halves on a cookie sheet and keep warm in oven. Return double boiler to stovetop. Whisk 1 tablespoon water into hollandaise sauce. Cover and keep sauce warm over low heat.

To reheat poached eggs, bring same skillet filled with fresh water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add eggs with slotted spoon and simmer until heated through, about 1 minute.

Arrange 2 muffin halves on each of four serving plates. Top each half with a slice of bacon. Remove eggs from simmering water with a slotted spoon, gently shaking off excess water. Place one egg over bacon; divide and spoon hollandaise sauce over each serving. Sprinkle with chives. Don't forget the pompagne!!!

Roasted Asparagus with Scrambled Eggs

I came home a little early yesterday and caught and episode of Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network. She made this dish for Jeffrey, her husband, who is always conveniently away during the week. Anyhoo, I halved the recipe because I'm cooking for one right now, and I used smoked Gouda instead of Parmesan, but that's just my preference. This was perfect for me and the eggs came out perfect. I forgot how delish it is to eat eggs for dinner. Yum.

INGREDIENTS (serves 1)

• 8 spears fresh asparagus
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan or smoked Gouda
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 tablespoon half-and-half
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
• 1 slice of 7-grain bread or 1 bagel slice

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Break off the tough ends of the asparagus. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat the asparagus completely. Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for 10 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Sprinkle with the Parmesan or smoked Gouda and return to the oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

While the asparagus is roasting, whisk the eggs in a bowl with the half-and-half, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste. Melt 1/4 tablespoon of butter in a large non-stick skillet. Cook the eggs on the lowest heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, to the desired doneness. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 1/4 tablespoon of butter, and stir until it melts (you can omit this if you're watching your fat intake).

Meanwhile, toast your bread. Serve scrambled eggs with the roasted asparagus and 7-grain bread (I placed the egg on top of my toasted bagel).

Traditional Irish Breakfast

Happy St. Patricks day everyone! Today is one of my husband's favorite holidays, mainly due to his Irish heritage. And one of his most favorite Irish dishes is the traditional Irish breakfast. You can totally make this at home; you'd be surprised how many specialized markets and online stores carry food from Ireland. You totally need the real thing to make this, but you can always improvise, as well. Don't forget to serve Irish hot tea and brown bread on the side. This meal is just brilliant!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 1 packet of Irish Sausages
• 1 packet of Irish bacon (or Canadian bacon)
• One Pack of White Pudding
• 4 Eggs
• 2 large tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 pint white mushrooms, sliced
• Irish Butter
• Grated Dubliner Cheese

DIRECTIONS

You are basically going to fry the bacon, sausages and white pudding until they are fully cooked and golden brown all around (do not fry the bacon crispy, keep it soft and well browned.) Keep them in a warm oven, covered with foil while you finish the rest.

Next, fry the mushrooms in Irish butter until soft, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside in oven.

Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and fry them, cut side down. Set aside in oven.

Finally, fry the eggs and grate Dubliner cheese on top if desired. Divide all this Irish goodness among four plates and be ready for your tummy to be happy!

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

I have been on the road lately and I'm sorry I haven't posted any new recipes recently, but I'm back. I tried these chocolate chip pancakes from one of Paula Deen's recipes. I've haven't particularly liked any of her recipes only because they are full of fat and are not entirely healthy. But I had a craving for chocolate and y'all know I'm in search of the perfect pancake. Well, this was an OK pancake. It did cause my husband to go to sleep because of all the sugar--so I wouldn't recommend this if you're diabetic. Next time, I would definitely cut the mini chocolate chips in half and maybe I'll add a little ricotta just to make the pancake silkier.

INGREDIENTS (10 servings)

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted plus 4 tablespoons, divided
• 1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Cinnamon Cream

• Maple syrup, for serving
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat griddle to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, combine milk, egg yolks, and 3 tablespoons melted butter; add to flour mixture, whisking until smooth.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until stiff. Gently fold into batter. Gently fold in chocolate morsels.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter on hot griddle. Ladle about 1/4-cup batter for each pancake onto hot griddle. Cook pancakes for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Turn and cook the other side. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remaining batter.

For the Cinnamon Cream: In a medium bowl, beat cream at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until thickened. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and cinnamon, beating until stuff peaks form. Cover and chill.

Serve pancakes with Cinnamon Cream and maple syrup.

Elaine's Eggs, Chili & Cheese Stratta

Okay, a strata is basically a fancy word for layered casserole or crustless quiche, if you will. But this recipe is tried and true and it's delicious. Elaine, my other mom, has been making this for several years and it's always a great hit with everyone. This is a great brunch item, too, because you can feed a lot of people and you don't have to do much work. Serve it with a side of fresh fruit--don't forget the mimosas--and you've got yourself a really, really good breakfast!

INGREDIENTS (serves 8 to 10 people)

• 10 Large eggs
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Large dash of salt
• 1 pint (16oz) cottage cheese
• 1 lb. shredded cheese, such as Jack Cheese or mixed
• 7 or 8 oz diced green chilies (Ortega brand, if possible)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Beat eggs with hand mixer and add melted butter, flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until well blended. Add cottage cheese, shredded cheese and chilies by hand and mix to combine.

Pour into a greased 9x13 dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake 25 - 30 minutes until casserole is golden brown and knife comes out clean from center.

Cheese Blintzes

One of the few things I miss about living in the East Coast is all the wonderful Jewish delis I used to frequent. Not only did I become a big fan of matzo ball soup and chopped liver, but my all-time favorite deli indulgences were cheese blintzes. In an attempt to bring back my fond memories of the Jewish delis, I made these blintzes. I was fortunate enough to find farmer's cheese here in San Diego, but if you can't find it, you can do a mixture of cottage cheese and ricotta. Mmmmm.

INGREDIENTS (makes about 10 blintzes)

For crepe batter

• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For filling

• 1 1/2 cups farmer cheese
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• fruit filling or fresh fruit for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Make wrapper batter:

• In a blender blend crepe batter ingredients and let stand 30 minutes. In an 8-inch skillet, preferable non-stick, melt half of butter over moderately high heat. Pour in enough batter to just coat the bottom of skillet, swirling, and cook, undisturbed, until top is set and bottom in golden (do not turn wrapper over). Transfer wrapper to paper towels in one layer, golden side down. Make more wrappers with remaining butter and batter.

Make filling:

• In a food processor, blend cheeses, sugar, and cinnamon until smooth. If necessary, add flour to thicken filling.

• Preheat oven to 250°F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Put 3 tablespoons filling in center of each wrapper and fold opposite sides of wrapper over filling until sides barely touch. Fold in ends to completely enclose filling, forming packets, and arrange, seams sides down, on baking sheet.
• Make more blintzes with remaining filling and wrappers.
• Bake blintzes, covered loosely with foil, until heated through, 10 - 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream and either cherry or blueberry pie filling.

Orange Marmalade-Stuffed French Toast

My husband banned us from the Crest Cafe in Hillcrest--if you want to know why, you need to ask him--which, I don't mind because their food is so rich and fattening, but I do sometimes miss their incredibly luscious breakfasts. One of my all-time favorite breakfast dish from the Crest Cafe is their orange marmalade French toast. It's sinful; it's stuffed with cream cheese; and you will definitely need a nap afterwards. Since I could not find their recipe, I found one suspiciously similar in Gourmet magazine...hmmmmm?!?!? I think this recipe will also work with challah or brioche bread.

INGREDIENTS (Makes 4 servings)

• 8 thick bread slices (about 1 inch thick)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• Orange Syrup or your favorite maple syrup

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Place baking sheet in oven. Cutting through top crust of each bread slice, make 4-inch-long by 2-inch-deep pocket. Stir cream cheese and marmalade in small bowl. Spoon 1 generous tablespoonful cream cheese mixture into each bread pocket.

Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg in pie plate.

Dip 4 stuffed bread slices into egg mixture, coating completely. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add dipped bread to skillet. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer French toast to baking sheet in oven. Repeat dipping and cooking with remaining 4 bread slices, egg mixture and 1 tablespoon butter. Serve with Orange Syrup.

Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit, March 1998

Nathalie's Breakfast

While I was in Oahu a couple of weeks ago visiting my sister, I had this huge breakfast one morning. And who made it? None other than my sister, Nathalie. Actually, while I was growing up, both my mom and step-mom used to cook us similar breakfasts for us...so it looks like the tradition passed on to my sister. And yes, we eat Pork and Beans for breakfast--I think it's a Mexican thing--or it could be just an Amador thing. Anyhoo, this is definitely the breakfast of champions. I bet you that if the Padres eat this for breakfast they'll win the World Series this year!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

• Vegetable or Canola oil for frying
• 1 lb. red potatoes (about 2 large ones), peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 4 large eggs
• 1 can Pork and Beans
• 6 slices of bacon
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Home Fries: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook until almost cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove cover and continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

Bacon: While the home fries are cooking, take a large cookie sheet with a lip and cover it in aluminum foil. Arrange the bacon on the sheet without overlapping. Bake for six minutes. Turn the cookie sheet around 180 degrees. Bake for another 4-7 minutes depending on your oven and how crispy you like your bacon. Lift the bacon out with tongs and set on a plate covered in paper towels.

Beans: Pour can of beans into a small sauce pan and cook on medium-low until it comes to a simmer. Keep beans warm until ready to serve.

Over Easy Eggs: Over medium heat, warm a small amount of oil or butter, perhaps 1 1/2 tsp., in a small (8-inch) nonstick skillet. Crack two eggs into the pan. Cook until the white appears slightly solid, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip the egg over onto the yolk side and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, depending on how "easy" you want your eggs.

Finale: Serve two over-easy eggs, three slices of crispy bacon, a nice amount of home fries and pork and beans. Looks like meat is back on the menu, boys!

Eggs Benedict

My dad's favorite breakfast is Eggs Benedict. I also love it, but it was one of those dishes that I would always order at the restaurant because making the hollandaise sauce scared me a little-- I'm not really good at making sauces. However, after making it for the first time this past weekend, I realized it was quite easy. You just have to be patient in the constant whisking of the egg yolks.

EGGS BENEDICT (serves 4)

• 4 slices Canadian bacon
• 2 English muffins, split
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 4 eggs
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Hollandaise sauce, recipe below
• Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Warm up the Canadian bacon in a medium skillet and toast the English muffins, cut sides up, on a baking sheet under the broiler.

Fill a 10-inch nonstick skillet half full of water. Add white vinegar to the cooking water. This will make the egg white cook faster so it does not spread. Bring to a slow boil. Gently break 1 of the eggs into the water taking care not to break it. Repeat with remaining eggs. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook 3 1/2 minutes until the egg white is set and yolk remains soft. Remove with a slotted spoon, allowing the egg to drain.

To assemble: Lay a slice of Canadian bacon on top of each muffin half, followed by a poached egg. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon hollandaise sauce over the eggs. Garnish with chopped parsley.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
• Pinch cayenne
• Pinch salt

Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl and until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the eggs benedict. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.

Chorizo and Eggs

When I was growing up in Mexico, my mom used to make us chorizo and eggs almost every Saturday morning. Back then we didn't really care (or know) about all the saturated fat in chorizo. Nowadays, I rarely eat chorizo and eggs, but once in a while it's okay to splurge. I've seen leaner chorizo in the grocery store, but to me you have to use the full-fat real Mexican chorizo to get the best taste. You can also make awesome burritos with this recipe. Just add the chorizo and egg mixture into a warm flour tortilla and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)

• 6 oz Mexican chorizo (spicy raw pork sausage)
• 8 to 10 large eggs
• Warm corn tortillas
• Cilantro, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Remove casing from chorizo and cook (without oil) in skillet over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up meat, until bubbling and completely separated, 5 to 6 minutes.

Whisk eggs together in a bowl and stir into chorizo. Cook, stirring, until eggs are scrambled and just set, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with lots of warm corn tortillas.