Bacon and Cheese Frittata

Frittatas are quick and easy and delicious served for breakfast. lunch, and even dinner. By simply adjusting the add-ins, you can create a completely different taste experience that can fit almost any occasion. For this frittata, I used bacon, cheese, bell peppers, and onions, but I could have  just as easily used sausage, spinach, broccoli, or even ham. Just think quiche without a crust. Anything that sounds good in a quiche, would work here as well.

This dish is perfect to make for breakfast when having overnight company. It takes no time to whip up and tastes great even at room temperature!

I served our leftovers as the protein for a torta (See Chicken Torta for the recipe.) I put slices of the frittata on soft baguettes with sour cream, re-fried beans, and salsa. I also added slices of fresh avocado. Yum!

Bacon and Cheese Frittata

Servings: 6
Time: 35 minutes
Level: Easy

6 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. bell peppers and onions, frozen and chopped
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, butter, salt, and pepper.

Pour into a greased 11×7 baking dish. Sprinkle with onions, bacon and cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Yum!

Tips
– Adjust the add-ins. Add any type of meat, cheese, or veggies for a different twist!

Pancake Trio – Blueberry, Bacon, and Pecan Pancakes

Nothing says breakfast like pancakes. Whenever I go out for breakfast, no matter how hard I try or how many times I read the menu, I must order pancakes. You just can’t beat a pillowy pile of steaming hot cakes with syrup dripping down the sides. YUM!

My favorite type of pancakes are just the plain ole’ standards but every once in a while, I like to mix it up. Since my husband isn’t the biggest fan, I came up with this pancake trio dish to appease him.

He likes pancakes. But he says that after about 4-5 bites, he gets bored with them. Blasphemy, I say, but whatever… to each their own. You can add just about anything to this batter so play around and find your favorite!

Pancakes

Servings: 6 pancakes
Time: 15 minutes
Level: Easy

1 c. baking mix (I use Heart Smart Bisquick)
2/3 c. skim milk
2 tbsp. egg substitute or egg whites
1 tbsp. orange juice
Various add-ins (I used blueberries, turkey bacon (cooked and crumbled), and crushed pecans)

Mix all ingredients, except add-ins, together in a medium sized bowl. Greased a non-stick skillet or griddle with butter. Over medium heat, pour 1/3 cup fulls of batter onto skillet or griddle.

Top each pancake with various add-ins. Flip pancakes once little bubbles appear around the edges. Remove from heat once cooked throughout. Top with warmed syrup and serve. Yum!

Tips
– I like to serve three different types of pancakes on one plate. The variety is delish!
– Banana slices, chocolate chips, strawberries, and small cubes of ham or turkey are also great choices for add-ins.

10 Healthy Back to School Quick Breakfast Ideas

Parents and teachers of school-aged children know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. HOWEVER, the time between the buzzing alarm clock and the honking school bus goes by at the speed of light! With Science Fair Projects, tests, trying on 10 outfits, and the inevitable bad hair days and fake belly aches, breakfast is the last thing you’re worried about in the morning. As long as you can shove something down the throats of your little ones and grab a granola bar for yourself on the way out the door, your good, right? Unfortunately, you’re not good. Not all breakfasts are created equal. You need a balance of good, healthy carbs with a low glycemic index, such as whole grains.

Evidence suggests after fasting all night, a developing body (and brain) needs a fresh supply of glucose — or blood sugar. That’s the brain’s basic fuel. (And on a side note… since we’re talking about the brain: The brain does it’s “memorizing” at night. In order to truly memorize something, you need a good night’s sleep after learning. So don’t cram for a test in the a.m. or pull an all-nighter!)

Terrill Bravender, professor of pediatrics at Duke University, told Allison Aubrey, an NPR reporter, in a 2006 interview,  “Without glucose, our brain simply doesn’t operate as well. People have difficulty understanding new information, [they have a] problem with visual and spatial understanding, and they don’t remember things as well.”

Ok, ok… I will now step off my soap box. But seriously, as a teacher, I beg of you…

Here are some great breakfast ideas. Hopefully you can take one or two and incorporate them into your morning routine.

1. Breakfast Sandwich – Whole wheat toast, eggs, maybe a slice of ham… yum!

2. Fruit Smoothie – Delish with a slice of whole wheat toast and a schmear of peanut butter.

3. Oatmeal – Plain quick oats are my fav. They are cooked in 1 minute and you can add your choice of toppings. Try any of these or even a combo of a few: honey, sliced fruit, chopped dried fruit such as raisins, apricots, or prunes, a little brown sugar, a small spoonful of jam.

4. Plain Yogurt with Fresh Fruit and Honey – This is my new obsession. Top a bowl of tangy and tart non-fat plain yogurt (you could even try Greek) with fresh fruit slices, like blueberries and strawberries, with a drizzle of sweet honey. Served with a slice of whole wheat toast or 1/2 of a whole wheat English muffin and you’re in business!

5. Quinoa Pancakes – These can be made ahead of time and served 1000 different ways. I like to use the pancakes as I would bread and make either a breakfast sandwich out of them or spread them with peanut butter and top with banana slices. (Wouldn’t Elvis love that?)

6. Whole Wheat (and super easy) French Toast – Use sugar free syrup or none at all. You can top this with slices strawberries for added sweetness if you wanted to go sans syrup.

7. Whole Wheat Waffles as a base for just about anything – Toast up a whole wheat waffle and top it with whatever your heart desires: peanut or almond butter, scrambles eggs and tomato slices, a sunny side up egg with a slice of low fat cheese, etc.

8. Cottage or Ricotta Cheese Breakfast Burritos – Grab a whole wheat tortilla and fill it up with low fat cottage or ricotta cheese, a little bit of jam, fruit slices, and maybe a few chopped nuts. Think breakfast version of my Berry Turkey Wrap.

9. Breakfast Trail Mix – This is the ultimate “eat in the car” breakfast recipe. In a bowl, mix together basically whatever you have on hand! I like to use: unsalted peanuts, unsalted almonds, raisins, dried apple or apricot slices, bran cereal flakes, and whole grain oats cereal.

10. Made Your Way Omelets – Eggs are great for you in the morning! Served with a glass of milk, and you’re good to go! Omelets can be made with 1000 different ingredients (especially leftover ingredients from dinner the night before) so get creative. A few of my favorites: low fat cheese, bell peppers and onions, spinach and tomatoes, leftover stir fry veggies, leftover sliced turkey.

I hope you enjoy! If you have a breakfast idea, please leave it in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

For more information on what Bravender has to say about the importance of breakfast, see NPR.

What the French, Toast?

Breakfast is the BEST! You’ve always heard that you should start your day off right… but honestly, who has the time? Grabbing a bowl of cereal or snagging a granola bar out of the pantry on our way out the door probably happens way too often around here.

But after a WONDERFUL trip to see Alissa, my best friend, well, make that almost sister… in case you didn’t know, I now have an easy and super quick recipe for breakfast that will definitely be making a frequent appearance in my kitchen.

This French toast recipe takes about 5 minutes, at the most, to prepare and it bakes in the oven for 15 minutes. That is just enough time to go back, get dressed, and put on make-up. Can’t argue with that!

I’m not quite sure if the measurements are exactly like Alissa’s amazing recipe but the outcome was very similar. Yum!

Alissa’s Fabulous French Toast

Servings: 2
Time: 20 minutes
Level: Easy

1 egg
2 egg whites
2 tbsp. milk
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
4 slices whole wheat bread

Preheat oven to 350°. In a shallow dish, whisk egg, egg whites, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla together. Dip bread in egg mixture until soaked.

Place bread on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, turning once.

Serve with butter and warmed syrup. Yum!

Tips
– You can use all egg whites to make it healthier.
– Try sugar free syrup or even flavored syrup for a twist!
– Top with toasted pecans for a nutty addition.
– Sprinkle more cinnamon on top of the bread before you bake it if you loooove cinnamon like I do!

Grilled Turkey and Cheese on Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I’ll be the first to admit it… this doesn’t sound good. But please don’t let that keep you from trying this sandwich. It is SOOOO yummy! Trust me on this one.

The sweet bread and tangy mustard works so well with nice thick slices of ooey gooey provolone cheese. Just thinking about this sweet and savory combo is making me hungry again. What’s with me this week and sweet and savory dishes?

This sandwich is great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Yum!

Grilled Turkey and Cheese on Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Servings: 1
Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

2 slices cinnamon raisin bread
1/2 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
3-4 slices deli turkey (mesquite or peppered turkey also works)
1-2 slices provolone cheese
butter

Spread one slice of bread with mustard. Top with turkey, provolone, and second slice of bread. Butter the outsides of the bread and grill, over medium heat, until golden brown. Yum!

Hash Brown and Ham Upside Down Quiche

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This morning, we woke up with brunch on the brain. But, seeing as how the Mississippi River has already flooded and dear ole’ Mother Nature decided to grace us with another torrential downpour and what The Weather Channel calls “deadly cloud to ground lightning strikes,” we didn’t quite think going out for brunch was in our cards today.

The solution? An impromptu quiche-ish dish  that turned into something it wasn’t supposed to be. A nice surprise, in fact, because oh, gracious was it good.

Hash Brown and Ham Upside Down Quiche

Servings: 4
Time: 25 minutes
Level: Easy

1 1/2 c. hash browns, frozen (or shoestring potatoes)
4 eggs
1/3 c. milk
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 c. ham, cubed (or bacon or sausage or even make it vegetarian and add juiced and seeded tomatoes)
1/3 c. bell peppers and onions, frozen
fresh spinach leaves
1/3 c. cheese, shredded
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 400°. On a cookie sheet, bake hash browns for 5 minutes.

Transfer potatoes to a greased pie plate or cake pan. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper together.

Top potatoes with ham, bell peppers and onions, and spinach.

Pour egg mixture over top, sprinkle with cheese and Italian seasoning, and bake for 20 minutes.

Once removed from oven, invert onto a plate, allow to cool, and slice. Yum!

Tips
– Instead of using Italian Seasoning, try cumin and chili powder.
– Top with salsa if desired.
– Use leftovers to wrap in a tortilla with tomatoes and extra spinach leaves for a quick lunch.
– You don’t have to invert the dish. You can leave it in the pie plate if you want.

Perfectly Hard Boiled Eggs – Deviled Eggs

Ever since I could eat solid foods, I have had a love affair with deviled eggs, well, boiled eggs in general. I used to call them doubled eggs and I thought they were the most delicious side item on the planet. I still really love them but I don’t make them as often as I should.

Big Family gatherings and deviled eggs just seem to go together. When I was younger, I would fill my plate with Brown and Serve Rolls, with Ketchup to dip them in… of course, a dollop of cornbread dressing, and a few (as many as I could get away with) deviled eggs. Easter/Thanksgiving/Christmas meal of champions, in my opinion.

My sweet brother, who is 9 years older than me, would always give me a lecture on my cholesterol intake. Can’t you just imagine? Sitting at the dinner table with the whole family and my 13 year old brother hollering at me because all I will eat are eggs. Ah, the wonderful memories are flooding back to me…

I missed my family on Easter this year. It’s hard to be away. But, good news! My plate won’t be filled with little ketchup sandwiches this year. My tastes are all grown up… but one thing is for sure, my love of deviled eggs still remains and I hope my family enjoyed theirs together today.

You can’t really read the bible verse but how appropriate for Easter! Thanks Goldenhen. “This is the Day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24

Perfectly Boiled Eggs

Time: 15 minutes
Level: Easy

eggs
water

Put eggs in a pot. Fill the pot with cold water until the eggs are covered, with about 1 in. of water above them. Add enough salt to make the water taste salty.

Put the lid on the pot. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil. As soon as it boils, cut off the heat. Leave the pot on the warmed burner and don’t take off the lid. Let sit of 12 minutes. Remove eggs from pot and place in a bowl of ice water.

Once cool, peel the eggs under running water. Yum!

Tips
– The salt can make the eggs easier to peel because the proteins coagulate and firm up, making the white easier to separate from the shell.
– Peeling under running water isn’t necessary but it seems to make things easier to me.
– These are great for breakfast with a side of fruit and maybe a piece of toast.

Deviled Eggs

Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

eggs, boiled and peeled
mayonnaise
mustard
various other toppings and mixtures, see tips below

Cut eggs in half, lengthwise. Remove yellow yolk.

Mix yolks with a little mayo and mustard, just enough to make the mixture creamy.

Spoon or pipe yolk mixture back into egg whites.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Yum!

Tips
– The options for deviled eggs are endless. You can add any combination of the following and they are all delish!!!
– pickle relish, salt, pepper, and paprika
– crumbled bacon or turkey bacon, chives, and shredded cheddar
– Sriracha, salt, pepper, a touch of curry powder
– switch the regular yellow mustard with hot  mustard or spicy brown                mustard and top with a slice of a pimento stuffed green olive
– celery, onion, and hot sauce

As you can see, the options are endless… and delicious! If you have leftover deviled eggs, boil some potatoes and make a deviled egg potato salad. That’s really yummy, too!

Buttermilk Quinoa Pancakes and Quinoa Pancake Ham Sandwiches

Woah. I never thought I’d be this obsessed. Not just with dinner. Oh, no. With the LEFTOVERS!

These pancakes are so hearty and filling, you seriously won’t believe it. They also keep amazingly well in the fridge. I have eaten these bad boys for dinner (Quinoa Pancake Ham Sandwiches), breakfast, and as a snack. I can’t seem to get enough of their light and fluffy, yet dense and filling texture. The pancake batter mixed with the quinoa is such a dubious pair… Oh, you’re gonna love ’em!

These pancakes make the perfect pre/post workout snack. Just slather on a little all natural peanut butter, roll it up, and eat it on the road! For breakfast, add a sliced banana… the possibilities are endless and awesome.

This recipe came straight from penandfork.com.  Gwen Ashley Walters wrote it and said her first batch was just a fun experiment that turned out to be great. How very Pantry Chef of her… no wonder I love them!

Buttermilk Quinoa Pancakes

Time: 20 minutes
Servings: Makes 12 (4 in.) pancakes
Level: Medium

1 cup flour*
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1-1/4 cups buttermilk (or sour milk**)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cooked quinoa
3 tablespoons melted butter, divided

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract together in a small bowl until well blended. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the quinoa and then fold in 2 tablespoons of melted butter.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Brush skillet with reserved melted butter. Ladle  1/4 cupfuls of batter onto hot griddle. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges start to dry about 3 minutes. Flip and cook another couple of minutes, until pancakes are cooked through.

Keep warm in a low oven. Yum!

Tips
– *If you want to go all crazy-healthy, replace up to half the flour with a whole wheat flour.
– **To make sour milk, stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice into milk and let sit a few minutes until thickened.
– Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Typically, I make breakfast first and then incorporate the leftovers into another dish. I did it backwards this time. We ate these sandwiches first and then I reheated pancakes for breakfast the next day. Delish!

Quinoa Pancake Ham Sandwiches

Buttermilk Quinoa Pancakes, cooked and warmed
Sharp Cheddar Cheese Slices
Thick slices of Ham
Jam

Pan sear the ham until warmed throughout. Top one pancake with  a slice of cheese and a few pieces of ham. Spread jam on another pancake and place on top of the other to make a sandwich. Yum!

Tips
– Try adding a fried egg to the top.

Fiesta Frittata

Another meatless meal success!!! The mister loved it and asked if there were leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll convert him over to the idea that meat doesn’t always have to be the center of every meal. The jury is still out.

My last attempt at a meatless meal, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas, proved to be a great place to start, and tonight’s recipe followed suit.

If you follow my blog regularly you must have noticed our love of all foods Mexican. Mexican, especially chips and salsa, would be at the top of our death row meal list for sure!

Frittatas are traditionally Italian. They are basically open faced baked omelets. The key to making a great one is patience. One your lid goes on… don’t lift it off to have a peak until at least 6-7 minutes have passed. Good luck with that one… it’s really hard not to!

You can add a ton of veggies and still have a protein packed meal. Serve it with a side salad… or a quinoa salad… and you’re good to go! Quick, fast, and in a  hurry!

Fiesta Frittata

Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Level: Easy-Medium

1/3 c. frozen bell peppers and onion mix
1/3 c. black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 c. corn, frozen
sliced jalapeños, to taste
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can Rotel
6 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. cheese, shredded

In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, sauté bell peppers, onions, beans, corn, and jalapeños until warmed throughout.

Add all spices and can of Rotel. Cook until all of the tomato juice has evaporated. Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Once juice has evaporated, add egg mixture to skillet.

Stir egg and vegetable mixture until eggs are no longer runny, about 1 minute. Cover, turn heat to medium-low and cook for an additional 7-10 minutes, or until eggs have set completely. Remove lid, top with cheese, and serve when cheese has melted. Yum!!

Tips
– Serve topped with salsa and sour cream.
– Leave out any of the spices or veggies if you don’t like them.
– Serve with warmed quinoa mixed with jarred salsa.

Loaded Hash Browns

We woke up this morning… well, nearly afternoon, and were STARVING! We wanted to go to brunch but had too much to do so I decided to make brunch at home.

Hash Browns are one of my favorites because they are crispy, salty, and compliment just about everything you could ever think of to have for breakfast or brunch. I FINALLY went to the grocery store so I had an abundance of deliciousness to work with.

This recipe is made with homemade hash browns. If you wanted to take some help from the store and buy your own in a bag, go for it! You will seriously cut down on your time in the kitchen and the outcome will be basically the same.

Also, I am not putting measurements next to some ingredients because you can just use what you have. Add more mushrooms if you love them and take off the onions if you don’t. I would also recommend adding diced tomatoes to this dish, but due to the crazy weather we’ve been having, tomatoes aren’t in abundance right now.

Loaded Hash Browns

Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 2
Level: Medium

3 small potatoes, washed and peeled
jalapeños, diced
fresh mushrooms, sliced
onions, diced
green bell pepper, diced
ham, cubed or chopped
shredded cheese
2 eggs, fried sunny side up

Preheat oven to400°. Cube, slice, or dice potatoes into small pieces.

I used a mandolin slicer to shred the potatoes. Put potatoes on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium-high heat, cook jalapeños, mushrooms, onions,  bell peppers, and ham until cooked throughout, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside. When potatoes are done, form loosely into patties and fry in a well oiled skillet over medium-high heat, turning once. Fry until browned on both sides. Top potato patties with veggie and ham mix, cheese, and sunny side up egg. Yum!

Tips
– You can substitute the ham for bacon, turkey, etc.
– This is a great way to use up any leftover veggies or meat you may have in the fridge.