Potato Tortilla

Here we are, the first recipe of the new year. As the first, it should be something for the first and most important meal of the day right? Tortilla is a Spanish dish made with eggs. Think of it as very similar to an Italian frittata. This one, takes about a cup of diced potatoes along with some garlic and onion to make a very yummy and pretty easy breakfast. My kids loved it, especially my daughter who only seems to eat carbs these days.

You can pretty much anything to these. It’s a very simple dish to modify to your liking.

What You Need:

1 c diced potatoes
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbs veg oil
6 eggs
1/2 c 2%  milk
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

What To Do:

In a 10-12 inch skillet, over medium heat, cook the potatoes and onions until browned and soft. Use a lid to trap steam and help the cook the potatoes through a bit faster. Season with salt and pepper, add in the thyme and garlic.


Whisk together the eggs and milk and pour over the potatoes and onions. Turn heat to medium low, top with the shredded cheddar cheese and cook until the eggs are set. Again you can use a lid to trap steam and help it along.

Nutritional Info (makes 4 servings)
Please remember that I am not a dietician. These numbers are what I get from imputing this recipe into the My Fitness Pal Website and are per serving.
Calories: 290
Carbs: 23
Protein: 16
Fat: 16
Fiber: 2
Sugar: 3

Pumpkin Pancakes

So last week I gave you a post showing you how to make your own pumpkin puree. This week, I’m going to show you what to do with. That’s pretty nice of me isn’t? Plus, I do have a ton of pumpkin puree now and while I did freeze most of it, I did make pumpkin pancakes and of course, a pumpkin pie this weekend. Now I’m sure you’re all thinking that I should start with the recipe for the pumpkin but that is dessert and you should always eat breakfast before dessert so that’s where I’m starting too. It’s a pretty simple recipe and it will impress any pumpkin lover in your family. It’s also a nice way to get your kids to eat more veggies. A pumpkin is a veggie after all!
What You Need:
Your favorite pancake recipe
2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tbs cinnamon
2 tbs maple syrup
What To Do:
After making your favorite pancake batter, stir in the pumpkin, cinnamon and maple syrup. Drop the batter onto hot, butter griddle or pan and cook, flipping once bubbles have started forming on the top. Serve with more maple syrup.

Veggie Egg’s Benedict

Here is the third and final egg’s benedict recipe. If you missed the first two, you can find them here and here. Again, I’m not typing this recipe up in the usually format because there isn’t much of a recipe to it. You need the sauce from the classic recipe, a tsp or so of olive oil, and two slices each zucchini and tomato. I used a great big round zucchini so my slices were as big as a piece of Canadian bacon would be. If yours aren’t as big, you might want two or three slices. I sliced both the tomato and the zucchini to be about 1/4 inch thick.

All you do, is heat up a sauté pan with the olive oil. Season the zucchini with a bit of salt and pepper and once the pan is nice and hot add in the zucchini. After about a minute or two it should be nice and golden on the bottom so give it a flip and cooking for another minute so that the zucchini is softened but isn’t mush. I placed a tomato slice on top of each zucchini slice after I flipped them so that the tomato would be warmed through.

To assemble, place your zucchini and tomato stacks onto a plate, top each stack with a poached egg, and some of the classic hollandaise sauce. I add some fresh chopped parsley to the top and some fresh shredded parmesan cheese would go really well too.

South West Egg’s Benedict

Here is the second version I promised you and this one has a spicy kick! I’m not using my usual format here of an ingredients list and then directions. Why? Because there is only a few small changes you need to make to the original recipe found here.

So here’s what you do. After making the classic hollandaise sauce, add to the blender 1 chipotle in adobo and blend it again until it’s full combined. If you don’t want something super spicy, just add in a bit of the sauce until it’s to your liking.

Then warm a small corn tortilla and give it a smear of heated refried beans. I used about 1/4 cup. Top that off with your two poached eggs and two tablespoons of your spicy hollandaise sauce, some diced tomatoes, a bit of cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.

Classic Egg’s Benedict

I don’t do a lot of breakfast dishes on GOC and I’m not sure why. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I don’t cook breakfast that often? My kids love they’re cereal or scrambled eggs and I only make pancakes on the weekends so perhaps that has something to do with it. Lately however, I’ve been on this egg’s benedict kick. I’ve eaten them almost every morning for past week or so and I even purchased some Canadian bacon to do it the right way.  One of the main components of the dish, Hollandaise sauce, can be scary to make for some. You’ll see recipes out there telling you to use clarified butter or how you need to carefully and quickly whisk the sauce over a water bath. I’m here to tell you that this is not the case. You can do those things of course and make a perfect hollandaise the way that fancy chefs do it, or you can do the easy, only have a few minutes, mom way. With a blender. I have three different versions of Egg’s Benedict this week for you. This recipe is for the classic and will be the basic recipe that the other two are based off of.

What You Need:

Hollandaise:

2 egg yolks
1 tbs lemon juice
1 stick butter
salt and pepper

For Each Person:

1 English muffin, toasted
2 pieces of Canadian bacon, heated through
2 poached eggs (I cheat and use a store bought egg poaching pan)
2 tbs Hollandaise sauce
chopped parsley (optional)

What To Do:

To make the sauce, heat the butter over medium heat in a small sauce pan until it’s completely melted and bubbly. In a blender, add the egg yolks, lemon juice and some salt and pepper. With the lid on the blender, turn it to high to start blending the yolks. If you have a pour spout on your blenders lid, then use that. Otherwise remove the lid to the blender and in a very slow steady stream, add in the melted butter. The trick is to keep most of the white frothy stuff in your pan. Don’t worry if you get it some or all of it in your sauce. It really won’t have much affect on the taste. The important part is to make sure you’re adding the butter in slow and steady. Turn the blender off and marvel at your beautiful, thick, golden hollandaise sauce.  Here’s two quick tips: If you sauce thickens up while your making the rest of the breakfast, just blend in a tablespoon or two of very hot tap water. This will help to remelt the butter.  If you have leftover sauce, keep it in the fridge, in an airtight container. To reheat it, pop it in the microwave for 5 seconds. Give it a stir and pop it back in for another 5 seconds. Continue doing this until the butter has melted and becomes a sauce again. It’s important to only use 5 second intervals. If you put it in the microwave and just let it go, you’ll actually end up with scrambled eggs. You can also reheat the sauce by setting it over hot water and stirring it while it warms. The point is to do the re-warming gently.

To assemble your eggs benedict place your English muffin halves on a plate. Top them with the Canadian bacon, then the poached eggs and finally top each egg with 1 tbs of the sauce. Sprinkle some parsley over the top. Not only does it make it look pretty, but I really like the flavor it gives to the entire dish. Eggs benedict can be heavy and the parsley gives it a freshness to cut through all that.

Mexican Breakfast

Nope, I’m not making huevos rancheros but I bet that’s what you thought you’d be getting right? Sorry to disappoint but this is so much better! Lots of leftovers often come with new ways to use them up. This way just happened to be a breakfast and I can not tell you how incredibly yummy it was! I ate it every morning for a week straight. I loved it so much that I want to make carnitas again, just so I can make this breakfast.

What You Need:


1 tsp butter or veg oil
1/2 c left over carnitas
1 large egg
1 corn tortilla, heated
1 tbs salsa verde
1/2 medium tomato, diced
shredded cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)

What To Do:


In a small sauté pan or your favorite egg pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add in the carnitas and heat briefly before creating a “hole” where the egg with sit. Crack your egg into the hole and cover with a lid. Let cook for a few minutes or until your desired doneness. You can also flip the whole thing over if you don’t like sunny side up eggs. Place your egg and carnitas on top of the warmed tortilla and drizzle with the salsa verde. Top with the tomato and devour.
It can be a bit spicy so I sometimes will add a bit of sour cream to the top as well. If you like cheese with your eggs, add a bit before removing your egg from the pan.

Granola

I was gearing up to end the week with a fabulous and easy fish taco recipe. However, my plans have changed and I’m pushing it back to Monday. Why? Because a good friend and fellow mommy shared with incredible recipe for granola over on her blog a while back. She calls it “Your Granola” and I couldn’t agree more. She gives the basics on what to include, as well as her version. I finally was able to make it last night. I gave it a taste and knew that it was something I wanted to share with GOC readers right away. I’m giving you her recipe that I modified for myself. It’s also very, very economical. If you were to buy a bag of granola in the store, you’re looking at a good $5 for just a few ounces. She also continues by saying that she likes keeping the ingredients simple and natural. There is no reason to add artificial sweeteners here. She uses honey in her recipe because it’s natural. I used a mixture of agave and honey.  What ever you use, you’re sure to love her recipe. While your there, make sure you take a look at her other posts. She has some great craft ideas and ideas for green living among other things.


What You Need:

5 cup rolled oats, not quick cooking
1 c pumpkin seeds
1 c sunflower seeds
1/2 c cashews
1/2 c almonds
1 c raisins
1 c dried cherries
1/3 c agave
1/3 c honey
2 tsp cinnamon
What To Do:
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients but the dried fruit together. Make sure to mix it well so that everything is covered by the honey and agave. This is what makes it crunchy. Turn out onto a 1/2 sheet pan and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 30 minutes. Make sure to stir after every 10 minutes. During my last 10 minutes, I separated the granola onto two sheet pans. This isn’t necessary but I wanted to make sure that my nuts and seeds got really toasty, which they did, but it was almost to far.
Once it’s cooled, stir in the dried fruit and store in airtight containers.

Waffle Casserole

This recipe was given to me just over two years ago while I was pregnant with my daughter. She was pregnant at the time as well and we were all exchanging recipes, trying to come up with ideas on things that were easy to make for when our new arrivals came. Two years later, I save this in my holiday file for a great breakfast. I haven't changed her recipe at all, it's even in her own words. I will say that I have also made it with apple jelly instead of apricot jam, but you need to melt the jelly. Thank you, Ashley, for sharing your hubby's favorite breakfast!!


What You Need:


1 box plain frozen waffles (square work best, but round are okay)
2 lbs breakfast sausage (the crumble type, not smoked sausage, I use Jimmy Dean reduced fat)
1 chopped onion
4-5 eggs beaten (depending on how "eggy" you want it)
1 Tbsp poultry seasoning
1 small bag chopped pecans (I think it's about 1/2 - 3/4 cup)

Sauce:
1 small jar apricot jam or preserves (10 oz)
8-10 oz maple syrup or pancake syrup
1-2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (depending on how much spice you want to balance the sweetness)


What To Do:

Cook the sausage, then add onion and cook a few minutes more. While those are cooking, toast the waffles and cut into 1" cubes. Mix all together in a large bowl. Add beaten eggs and poultry seasoning and mix well. Pour into your largest baking dish (needs bigger than 9x13, I think I use 10x14 or 10x16 or something like that). You can add the sauce either before the first baking (20 minutes at 350), or after the first baking when you add the pecans and bake another 10 minutes (total 30 minutes cooking, pecans may burn if you add them at the beginning).

Honey Buns

I found this recipe several years ago in a magazine and have since adapted it to suit my family. They are very similar to a nutty cinnamon bun that has a gooey, sticky coating with even more nuts on top. It's very simple to make, and takes very little effort, especially if you have a stand mixer to do the kneading for you. Great for a quick breakfast or even a yummy dessert. I'm sure these buns will quickly become a favorite in your house.

What You Need:

Dough:
1 tbs yeast
1/2 c warm water
2 eggs
1/4 c sugar
2 tbs butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/4 c flour
Sticky Stuff:
1/3 c brown sugar
1/2 c honey
1/4 c butter
1/2 c pecans or walnuts, chopped
Filling:
2 tbs melted butter
1/2 c pecans or walnuts, chopped
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

What To Do:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in water.
Add in the eggs, butter and vanilla and mix well.
Add in 2 cups of the flour and mix until smooth. Add in enough of the remaining flour to create a soft dough. Switch to a dough hook and knead for 5-8 minutes or until the dough is soft and elastic. Place into a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let raise until doubled, about 90 minutes.



In a sauce pan combine 1/3 c brown sugar, 1/2 c honey, 1/4 c butter and heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let boil for 1 minute. Pour into a greased 13x9 pan and sprinkle 1/2 c chopped nuts over the top.

Punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured board. Roll into a 24x8 rectangle. Brush with the 2 tbs of melted butter. Sprinkle with the 1/4 c brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 c chopped nuts.





Roll up from the long side and cut into 12 equal pieces. To do this, I trim off the ends, cut the log in half, then in half again and finally cut each half into thirds. Place into the pan with the honey mixture. Cover and let raise again until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350 degree over for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan slightly before turning them out onto a serving platter, using the left over honey mixture to drizzle on top of the buns.

Corned Beef Hash and Eggs

Growing up, when my father was home for breakfast, it was an all out food occasion. He liked his big breakfasts! Bacon, or sausage, eggs, home fries, pancakes, and toast, big was not the word for it. One thing he liked a ton was corned beef hash. Do you know the stuff I'm talking about? It comes in a can, is full of salt and fat and quite frankly looks a lot like cat food. Now I'm not saying it wasn't tasty. I've eaten my fair share of it, but being an adult with a family has made me change my mind on a lot of foods that cross my table. If I can make it myself and it's relativity easy and cost effective then I'm all for it! The best part is that when it comes out good, I get to share it with you! However, before I give you the recipe there are just a couple things I want to note. The first is that I make my own corned beef and there are two ways you can do this. The first way is combining salt, water and spices and letting the meat soak and suck up the brine for up to 3 weeks depending on the recipe you use. The next is what I do. It takes 3 to 5 days and uses pickling spices and a special Corned Beef Cure which I purchase from the Sausage Maker website. I also don't use brisket because frankly it's not available to me here so I buy london broil cuts of beef when they're on sale. I also use venison (deer meat) which is what I have used in the recipe below. One more quick note. When you go to season your hash, I highly recommend that you taste it before adding any salt at all. Since the meat is brined in salt to start with, you might not need any in your final dish.

What You Need:

Left Over Corned Beef, cut into a small dice
2 potatoes, cut into a small dice
3 tbs veg oil
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tbs ketchup
2 tbs water
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt to taste

What To Do:

Heat a large sauté pan to medium high and add in the veg oil. Start cooking the potatoes until they start to soften. Add in the corned beef and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until everything is lightly browned. You'll noticed I didn't give a measurement for the corned beef. This is because you can use left over corned beef or a whole corned beef that you've previously cooked just for making hash. You want roughly the same about of corned beef as potato, if not a bit more. When I make it, I'll use about a cup more of corned beef compared to the potatoes. Sprinkle with the thyme and pepper and give it a stir. Mix together the ketchup with the water and stir into the hash. Season with salt. At this point, you can continue cooking the hash as is until the liquid is absorbed and the potatoes are nice and soft, or you can let the mixture cool and shape into patties and freeze for when you want them. To cook them, just heat a bit of oil in a pan and cook until browned on both sides. Serve with Sunny Side Up Eggs on top. You want to the break the yokes and let it mix with the hash. It's the only way to eat it if you ask me!

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

This house loves pancakes. I make them quite often for my husband and daughter but normally I just use Bisquick or another type of instant pancake mix. One morning, I had some leftover buttermilk that I didn't know what to do with. I had planned on making blueberry pancakes so instead of pulling out the Bisquick, I decided to make homemade blueberry buttermilk pancakes. Let me tell you how awesome these pancakes are! In reality they weren't much harder then opening the box of instant pancake mix, but the taste was incredible. So incredible in fact, that I don't think I"ll be using an instant pancake mix again for a long time. These cakes are fluffy, sweet and sort of tangy. They rise up and become beautifully light and fluffy as long as you don't over mix the batter. You can ruin any pancake by over mixing, just like a muffin or quick bread batter. I really hope you gives these a try the next time your in the mood for some goodness. You won't be disappointed.

What You Need:

2 cups flour
1/4 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 c buttermilk (make sure to shake it well before each use)
1/4 c butter, melted plus more for the griddle
1 c blueberry, either fresh or frozen

What To Do:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add in the eggs, buttermilk and melted butter. Whisk until just combined. The batter will be lumpy and this is what you want. If it seems to thick, you can add in a bit more buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries and let the batter sit for about 15-20 minutes. Giving it a chance to rest will let the baking powder activate and produce fluffy pancakes.

Heat your griddle and butter generously. Ladle a bit of the batter onto the griddle and cook until the edges start to look dry and bubbles form on the top of the cake. Then flip over to finish cooking. The second side, will cook much quicker then the first. Remove to a plate and continue making pancakes until all the batter is gone. This recipe makes plenty for a family of four. Serve with maple syrup.