Sunrise on the Gulf

Do you get in a rut and eat the same things for breakfast most days? Time for a change. Below are some ideas to add interest to your breakfast meals. Wonderful fresh fruit is now becoming available in the markets, so don’t forget to make a fresh fruit salad to go with these dishes.

Jumbo Cinnamon Crumb Muffins

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Muffin Batter

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 3/4 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Directions

Prepare the topping:

In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.

With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until the mixture resembles large coarse crumbs.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour two jumbo 6-cup muffin pans.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and baking soda.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, mix together the melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla.

Pour into the flour mixture and stir with a spoon just until combined.

Fill the muffin cups halfway and top with the crumb mixture.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Switch pans in the oven after 15 minutes.

Cool the muffins in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Avocado and Egg Sandwich

Ingredients for each serving

1 slice bread (crusty artisan bread, such as sourdough, rye, Italian or French) sliced one inch thick
1 garlic clove peeled
1/2 ripe, fresh avocado, peeled, seeded and mashed
1 egg
2 teaspoons olive oil
Slices of tomato
Cooked bacon, optional
Fresh cracked black pepper
Sea salt to taste
Hot sauce

Directions

Mix the avocado with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Toast the bread and rub one side with the garlic clove.

Spread with the mashed avocado. Top with some sliced tomatoes.

In a small nonstick skillet, heat the oil and cook the egg as desired.

Place the cooked egg on top of the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Top with a little hot sauce and bacon on the side, if desired.

Barley Fruit Scones

Makes 8 scones

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons barley flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoons kosher salt
4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1/2 cup homemade or store-bought marmalade or fruit jam
Vanilla sugar for sprinkling on the top of the scones

Directions

Place a rack in center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together in a large bowl, the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Cut butter into 1/2-inch pieces and add to the flour mixture.

With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles large coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg.

Pour the buttermilk and egg into the dry mixture and mix until just combined.

Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface. If dough is too sticky to handle, dust it with flour and fold it together a few times.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces (use a scale).

Flour your hands and pat each piece of dough into a disk about 3/4 inch thick and 7 inches in diameter.

Cover one disk with the marmalade or jam.

Top with the other disk and press down gently so that dough settles into the marmalade.

Seal edges by lightly pressing together.

Sprinkle the top with sugar.

Use a sharp knife, slice circle into 8 triangular wedges and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a few inches between each wedge.

Place the baking pan in the refrigerator and chill the scones until firm, about 30 minutes.

Bake for 25 minutes. Scones are ready when the tops are golden brown and some marmalade has bubbled over.

Slide a thin spatula underneath them while they’re still warm and transfer to a baking rack.

Potato Omelet

Ingredients

1 mini red bell pepper, diced
1 mini yellow bell pepper, diced
Half a sweet onion, diced
1 ½ cups leftover cooked sliced potatoes (I used leftover creamy scalloped potatoes)
2 tablespoons butter
8 large eggs, whisked
Salt and pepper to taste
2 slices of cheese (American, Cheddar, Swiss)

Directions

Preheat the broiler.

Melt butter in an ovenproof omelet skillet. Add the peppers and onions. Saute until tender.

Add the potatoes and let cook until they begin to brown.

Pour the whisked eggs over the vegetables.

Cook until all the egg is cooked, tilting the skillet to let the uncooked egg run underneath the cooked areas.

Place the cheese on top.

Place the skillet under the broiler and cook until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

 

 


Posted by in Avocado, Bacon, Bread, Breakfast, Cheese, Cinnamon, eggs, Frittata, Fruit, Healthy Italian Cooking, Muffins, omelet, onion, peppers, potatoes, Vegetables Tags: