I have lots of company during the summer months and I like to have easy breakfast foods available to serve for whenever the guests get up. Breads that incorporate seasonal fruit are also a favorite of mine. The addition of fruit makes them moist and flavorful. I also like baking breads with the addition of sourdough, which is always in my refrigerator. It gives bread a nice tang and the breads have a longer shelf life.

I usually have potatoes precooked in my refrigerator to turn into omelets or sides for egg dishes. I also make a big fruit salad and that is always a big hit. All these breakfast foods are a great way to start a summer’s day of activities.

Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes

Pancake mix can be prepared the night before by mixing the dry ingredients and covering them. I mix the wet ingredients together and place them in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning I just combine the two, add the berries and heat the grill. Pancakes can be kept hot in a warm oven.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached self-rising flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 1 large egg
  
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
  
• 2 cups fresh  berries
  

Directions

Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, and baking soda.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, honey, buttermilk and melted butter.

Add to the flour mixture and mix until blended. Fold in the blueberries.

Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes, while the griddle or frying pan heats up. Heat to medium high (375°F to 400°F), until a drop of water dribbled onto the surface bounces across it.

Brush lightly with vegetable oil..

For each pancake, drop 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot surface. Turn the pancakes over once bubbles have risen to the surface, and cook the second side until golden brown. Serve hot.

Yield: 8 to 10 medium pancakes.

Brunch For One

Ingredients

• 1 medium parboiled potato, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small tomato
• 1 bell pepper
  
• 1 large egg
  
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
  

Directions

Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the diced potatoes and saute until golden brown.

Cut a slice off the top of the pepper and cut a ½ inch circle from the center of the pepper.

Push the cooked potato to the edges of the skillet. Place the pepper ring in the center of the skillet and cook on one side for about 2 minutes.

Slice a thin circle from the center of the tomato and position it in the middle of the bell pepper ring and season with salt. Cook for 2 minutes.

Lightly beat the egg in a small dish. Carefully pour the egg over the tomato. Season ground black pepper.

Cover the pan and cook until the egg is set.

Carefully remove the bell pepper ring with a spatula to a serving plate and surround it with the sautéed potatoes. Sprinkle with chopped chives.

Peach & Yogurt Muffins

Batter

• 1 cup (8 ounces) lemon, vanilla, or other fruit-flavored yogurt, regular or low-fat (not nonfat)
  
• 1/4 cup milk
  
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) butter, melted
  
• 1 cup chopped peaches or other fresh seasonal fruit
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  

Topping

• 1/4 cup unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) softened butter
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease and flour the wells of a muffin pan, or line the pan with paper liners and grease the liners.

Whisk together the yogurt, milk, sugar, melted butter, fruit, and eggs.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients, and stir just till blended.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

Combine the topping ingredients, mixing until well combined. Sprinkle a generous tablespoon of topping over each muffin.

Bake the muffins for 16 to 18 minutes, until they’re lightly browned. Remove the pan from the oven, and after a few minutes transfer the muffins to a rack to cool. Yield: 12-15 muffins.

Sourdough Blueberry Bread

Serves: 8

Cake Batter

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup milk
  
• 3/4 cup sourdough starter, at room temperature
  
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Topping

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
  
• 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
  

Directions

Grease a 9 inch spring-form pan. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan and grease it. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a big bowl mix all the dry ingredients. In another bowl beat the egg lightly; add oil and milk.

Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients with the sourdough starter; stir until well combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the blueberries on top.

To make the topping:  Combine sugar, cinnamon and flour in small bowl. Rub in butter pieces with fingertips or pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Evenly distribute the crumb topping over the blueberries.

Bake 55-50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes then remove the cake from the pan.

Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

This bread is delicious toasted and served with some homemade jam.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough starter, at room temperature
  
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
  
• 3 cups  whole wheat flour
  
• 2 tablespoons whole grain bread improver, optional; but makes for a faster rise
  
• 2 tablespoons honey
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in an electric mixer bowl, mixing with the paddle attachment until a dough forms.

Let the dough rest, covered, for 20 minutes, then switch to the dough hook and knead until fairly smooth and slightly sticky.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until almost doubled, about 90 minutes.

Gently fold the dough over a few times on a lightly floured work surface.

Shape it into an 8″ log, and place it in a greased 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.

Cover the loaf and let it rise until it’s crowned 1 inch over the rim of the pan, about 60 to 90 minutes.

Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the bread in the center of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the bread registers 205°F to 210°F.

Remove the bread from the oven, let it sit in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in Healthy Italian Cooking Tags: breakfast recipes