What better way to celebrate summer’s favorite crop than with a deconstructed version of our favorite sandwich? This really makes a perfect breakfast!
March 20, 2012
Coconut Muffins
Do you need a tropical vacation? I sure do. Luckily, it’s only one month and one day until my husband and I go to Jamaica for our long-awaited “honeymoon” (aka our one-year anniversary). But I needed a little tropical pick-me-up, and these muffins did the trick. I look forward to experimenting with additions to these, perhaps adding blueberries, pineapple, even chocolate chips!
February 13, 2012
Balsamic Cherry Preserves
I’m afraid of making jam.
There, I said it. I once tried to make peach jam for a newspaper column I was writing a couple years ago, and it failed miserably. I’ve never tried since. However, this recipe isn’t technically jam, it’s preserves. That makes it a lot easier and much more fail-proof. It takes about 25 minutes of simmering, a little bit of mashing the cherries, and then – Bam! – you have a delicious spread for your morning toast. It’s sweet, as you would expect cherry preserves to be, but the balsamic vinegar and hint of salt takes it to another level.
November 14, 2011
Eggs Baked in a Bread Bowl
I think I might make this on Thanksgiving morning, and maybe you should, too! Your guests will be so enamored by the clever presentation of this eggs-n-toast dish that they won’t even realize how simple it is to prepare – make it perfect for Thanksgiving morning!
Basic recipe
Serves 4 with 2 eggs per serving
8 small dinner rolls (Your choice – sourdough, whole-wheat, Challah, and French bread are all great options)
8 eggs
8 teaspoons cream
Chopped fresh oregano
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
The beauty of this recipe is how easily it can be modified to your tastes. The ingredients above showcase the recipe exactly how it is pictured, but see below for variations.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut off the tops of the dinner rolls and scoop out the bread in the center. Crack an egg into each hollowed-out bowl, and drizzle a teaspoon of cream on top. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese, oregano, and salt and pepper on top.
Arrange the rolls on a baking sheet (leave the tops off for now). Cook for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how runny you like your yolks. Add the tops to toast in the last 2 minutes.
Jumbo-Sized: To stuff in extras, such as chopped bacon or ham, vegetables or lots of cheese, use larger dinner rolls. Crack 2 eggs into each hollowed-out roll and serve one roll per person.
Southwest Style: To the eggs, add chopped jalapenos (seeded with ribs removed), green peppers, and diced tomatoes. Season with cumin and cayenne pepper, and serve with a side of salsa.
Bacon, egg, and cheese: After hollowing out the rolls, add a slice of bacon at the bottom of the bowl, and sprinkle in cheddar cheese. Crack the egg on top to “hide” the extras. When you bite into the bowl, you’ll get a delicious savory surprise!
November 3, 2011
Breakfast Pizza (or “Brizza”)
When you have guests this holiday season and want to make them a breakfast that’s a bit out of the ordinary, try this recipe for breakfast pizza — or “brizza.”
Photo by Tony J. Lewis Jr.
For the dough
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons white sugar
For the toppings
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch basil, chopped
1 roma tomato, thinly sliced
4 slices bacon
Fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
2 eggs
Freshly cracked pepper
To make the dough, dissolve the yeast in warm water in a small bowl. Let it stand for about 10 minutes. In a large bowl (a stand mixer works well for this), combine the bread flour, olive oil, salt, sugar, and yeast mixture. Beat until the dough stiffens. Cover and let it rise until it’s doubled in volume, or about 30 minutes.
While the dough is rising, fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Lay it on a plate covered in a paper towel to drain, and then chop it roughly.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape it into a ball. Working slowly, stretch it out into a thin pizza shape. Brush olive oil onto the surface and put it in the oven for 5-7 minutes to prebake.
Remove the crust from the oven and sprinkle garlic over it, followed by the basil and bacon. Arrange the tomato and mozzarella slices on top. Crack the eggs on top of the pizza pie and return the pizza to the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown, the mozzarella is slightly browned, and the egg yolks are set.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with any remaining basil and freshly ground black pepper.
Note: To speed thing up, buy pre-made pizza dough. Both Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have excellent dough, and it can be frozen if necessary.
