breakfast

Raspberry Nut Granola Bars

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Raspberry Nut Granola Bars! The jury is still out on whether this fruit crumble can be eaten for breakfast, dessert, or late-night snack. I can attest to the deliciousness of it with my morning cuppa joe. The espresso bitterness balances out the sweetness with perfection. And overnight guests definitely gave it a stamp of approval with a scoop of ice cream on top, making it almost cobbler-like in the dessert category. Giving it a quick zap in the microwave warmed it up as well. My third category, the late-night snack, must also be true. When I arose the next morning, I noticed there was one less serving under the cake dome than when I turned in the night before. Huh. Must’ve been the family dog. After all, we know they watch TV.

RASPBERRY NUT GRANOLA BARS

Ingredients for Bars:

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup butter, unsalted

1 cup raspberry preserves

3/4 cup fresh raspberries

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/3 cup cinnamon almond granola

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9”x13” glass baking dish with nonstick oil. Set aside. Using a mixer, combine flour, sugar, and sea salt for about 10 seconds. Slowly add butter, one tablespoon at a time, on low speed until all the butter has been used. In a couple minutes the dough will pull away from the side of the bowl. Reserve a quarter of the mixture; set aside. Transfer the remaining 3/4 dough mixture to the prepared pan, pressing it create a single layer of crust. For the raspberry filling, combine the raspberry preserves, fresh raspberries, and lemon juice. Lightly mash the larger pieces of fruit, yet allowing a chunky appearance. Pour the raspberry filling over the crust, spreading the filling into an even layer. Crumble the remaining dough mixture over the filling. Cover the top with brown sugar. Finish with a layer of cinnamon almond granola. Bake 20-30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly. The topping will be golden brown. Allow the bars to cool slightly before cutting into squares.

Multi-Grain Avocado Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Multigrain Avocado Toast! Have you heard that eating eggs are no longer bad for you? Well, that’s the story I told my doctor and I’m sticking to it. He actually agreed, after looking at my bloodwork. Now, as a disclaimer, I’m going to clarify that I usually eat one egg a day, for breakfast, and I prepare it in the microwave, without butter. I also buy organic eggs with that Florida-sunset orange yolk. Farmers here tell me that deep color means more vitamins because free range hens get to enjoy the “greener pastures of grass and clover by foraging the great outdoors.” All I know is, way back in the day when I was a country girl growing up, we didn’t have GMOs and food modifications that make an ingredient list look like it came out of a chemistry book. Rant over.

MULTIGRAIN AVOCADO TOAST

Ingredients:

2 pieces multigrain bread, toasted

1 avocado, halved and pitted

1 teaspoon lime juice

2 eggs, sunny side up

1/4 teaspoon everything but bagel seasoning

Fresh blueberries and orange segments

Cinnamon dusting, for garnish

Instructions:

Mash the avocado, drizzle with lime juice, and spread onto the toasted bread, or simply use the toast to “dip” into the avocado/egg mixture. Spice it up with everything but bagel seasoning. Toss fresh blueberries and orange segments. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Quick and Tasty!

Egg in a Bagel

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Egg in a Bagel! It seems I will go to many lengths to avoid frying an egg for breakfast. Let me introduce you to my latest obsession. Baked eggs. And before you ask, YES, you can adjust the baking time to have a luscious runny yolk with solid whites or a hard-set one. I’ve done both, actually. It’s all a matter of personal taste. Of course, any bagel variation will do, so make it fun by switching things up. I’ve also used cheddar cheese, smoky gouda, and parmesan reggiano, depending on what I have on hand. My husband likes to alternate breakfast meats, while I add a fresh fruit cup or side dish of Greek yogurt. As you can see, we keep things far from boring at mealtimes. You should, too.

EGG IN A BAGEL

Ingredients:

1 sesame seed bakery bagel, halved

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon Everything But Bagel Seasoning

4 slices provolone cheese

2 eggs

Seasoning salt and Italian herbs, to taste

Avocado, Grape Tomatoes, and Cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil, then line it with parchment paper. Set aside. Cut out the hole in both sides of the bagel to enlarge it to 3/4” wide. Butter the cut side of each bagel. Sprinkle with Everything But Bagel Seasoning; set aside. On a paper plate, stack 2 slices of provolone cheese on top of each other. Microwave for 30 seconds on High setting. Allow melted cheese to cool slightly before transferring with a spatula to the prepared baking sheet. Place the buttered side down of a bagel half onto the cheese disc, pressing to form a seal. Repeat process for the remaining bagel portion. Crack one egg into each bagel hole, making sure the yolk remains intact. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and Italian herbs. Bake 10 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Serve immediately with avocado slices, halved grape tomatoes, and fresh cilantro sprigs.

Ramping Up Breakfast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Elevated Edibles: Ramping Up Breakfast! For a hearty and satisfying way to jumpstart your morning, think outside the box with sautéed ramps. Prepared in minutes with hardly anytime at the stove, you’ll be serving up a “green” feast fit for a king. If you live in the country where farm fresh eggs are as plentiful as the next roadside produce stand, even better. Treat yourself to a scrumptious weekend meal on the back porch in true farmhouse style.

RAMPING UP BREAKFAST

Ingredients:

1/4 pound wild ramps

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 eggs

2 smoked sausage links

2 pieces artisan bread, toasted

Crushed oregano, for garnish

Instructions:

Wash thoroughly every crevice and leaf stem of each ramp. Cut off and discard bulb roots. Rinse again. Gently pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. Warm olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Transfer ramps to the skillet. Cook until tender and crispy, gently turning. After 10 minutes, divide ramps between two plates. Cook eggs according to personal preference. Add to each plate. Heat smoked sausage, slicing open to sear. Arrange on plates. Butter toast to complete each breakfast plate. Garnish ramps and eggs with crushed oregano. Serve immediately.

Instant Dutch Baby

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Table Food: Instant Dutch Baby! Be innovative. When my Hawaiian friend, Dillyn, sent me a care package of unique foods from the island, I knew I would make something special to show her. I began with the popular chocolate macadamia nut pancake mix, tweaked it a little, and transformed it into a festive weekend breakfast for two. Everything tastes better with chocolate, doesn’t it? With mini morsels in the batter as well as a sprinkling on top, the flavor was ribboned throughout making one forget about the need for extra syrup. A final dusting of powdered sugar provided a tempting image to share long distance. She approved with glee and open delight. Mahalo!

INSTANT DUTCH BABY

Ingredients:

6 ounces chocolate macadamia nut pancake mix

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, plus 1 tablespoon for topping

Powdered sugar, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a one-quart ovenproof baking dish with nonstick oil. Set aside. Combine pancake mix, egg, and milk in a bowl. Using a wire whisk, mix until the large lumps are gone. Fold in 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips. Pour batter into the prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining mini chocolate chips on top. Bake 25 minutes until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Coconut Sprinkled Fruit Cup

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Table Food: Coconut Sprinkled Fruit Cups! Whether you choose to enhance a hearty breakfast, compliment a light lunch, or serve as a healthy dessert, fresh fruit is always a good idea. Take a moment to look in the fridge. Perhaps you see an apple, a bunch of green grapes, a ripe banana, or a few stragglers from a berry basket. Combine them together for a surprising and colorful addition to any meal. Sprinkle on some coconut flakes to jazz things up. Drizzle with maple syrup, wildflower honey, or agave nectar. Just a touch. Then, for a nice finish, sprinkle on cinnamon, nutmeg, or citrusy cardamom. Dessert-lovers may add a dollop of whipped cream. The choices are endless. When building a fruit salad, think color, flavor, and presentation. The results may surprise you.

COCONUT SPRINKLED FRUIT CUPS

Ingredients:

1 Cara Cara orange, divided into segments

1/2 cup pineapple, tidbits

2 tablespoons coconut, shredded

2 teaspoons agave nectar

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

Instructions:

Fill two fruit cups with orange segments and pineapple tidbits. Sprinkle shredded coconut over top. Drizzle with agave nectar. Garnish with ground nutmeg.

Applesauce Morning Muffins

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Table Food: Applesauce Morning Muffins! I have always been a fan of fruity sweet apples. Growing up in an apple orchard, on a road called Orchard Lane, I never grew tired of picking the dark red and yellow-striped fruit off a low tree limb on my way home from school. I’d twist the stem, quietly reciting the alphabet until the stem snapped off. Whatever letter I was on told me the name of my next boyfriend. My heart would flip into a flutter as I whispered his name under my breath before sinking my teeth into its tasty core. Juice would run down my chin before I could swipe it away as I continued crunching. Did those wise and wonderful apples ever grant me a wish? I’ll never tell.

APPLESAUCE MORNING MUFFINS

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup applesauce

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For topping:

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, melted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray a muffin pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well after each addition. Stir in applesauce. Combine flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Add to batter; stir just until moistened. Spoon batter into muffin tins, filling 2/3 full. Bake 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Dip muffin tips into melted butter. Roll in cinnamon sugar. Serve warm.

Rise & Shine Breakfast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Rise & Shine Breakfast! It’s no surprise America has turned to breakfast as the nutritional meal of the day. Especially with the rising cost of food. Eggs provide enough vitamins to justify a well-balanced diet. What I’ve noticed more than anything, is the fact that I feel fuller throughout the day and less apt to snack. I’m told it’s the power of protein, and I believe it.

RISE & SHINE BREAKFAST

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1-2 tablespoons butter

2 slices honey wheat toast

2 slices, applewood smoked bacon, baked until crispy

Fresh Strawberries

Instructions:

Warm butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack each egg into a small bowl; this will eliminate bits of shell from being poured into the skillet. Pour the eggs over the melted butter. After one minute, the outer edges of the white appear opaque. For sunny-side up eggs, do not flip. Cover the skillet with a lid and lower the heat for 4 minutes. The steam will gently cook the top of the egg, leaving the yolks runny. Sprinkle with seasoning or herbs. Serve with toast points, bacon, and fresh fruit as desired.

Yolk-Stream Morning Eggs

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Clean Eating: Yolk-Stream Morning Eggs! I’m always in a good mood when I make these soft-boiled eggs for breakfast. Perhaps it’s because I get to dip crunchy, buttery strips of toast into the yolk and watch it run over the edge of the cup. I imagine the toast as soldiers on parade, each awaiting their turn to be dunked. Or maybe it’s because slurping the fatty center of the egg makes me feel naughty and I’m completely aware I’m getting away with it. In any event, playing with my food this way is absolutely satisfying.

YOLK-STREAM MORNING EGGS

Ingredients:

4 large eggs

2 slices whole wheat bread, toasted

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan on the stove. Fill the pan with cold water, covering eggs. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a rapid simmer. Cook 6 minutes for a runny yolk-stream. Remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon. Transfer immediately to individual egg cups. Butter toast and slice into strips for dipping into the egg yolks. Crack the egg near the top, remove its“lid” and scoop the white of the egg from the shell. Dip toast “soldiers” into the runny yolk. Season with salt and pepper.