Breakfast

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche
Serves 6

One 9″ pie crust (store bought or homemade–I used store bought because I was in a hurry.)
1 large head of broccoli, cut into bite-sied chunks
1 whole egg
3 egg whites
Spices/Herbs (I used 1 tsp Penzey’s Sunny Paris. You can use the herbs of your preference.)
2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. If frozen, thaw the broccoli. If fresh, chop as directed and microwave until hot, but not soft (5 minutes.)
  3. Spray 9″ pie tin with cooking spray. Place pie crust inside. 
  4. Whisk egg and egg white.
  5. Drain excess water off broccoli, and place in pie shell. Sprinkle herbs over. 
  6. Sprinkle half the cheese over broccoli.
  7. Pour egg evenly. Top with remaining cheese.
  8. Bake 35-40 minutes.
Nutritional data:
Calories:         213
Fat:                12.8g
Sat fat:             3.8g
Chol:          40.2mg
Sodium:   248.9mg
Carbs:           16.3g
Fiber:              1.4g
Protein:             7g
Note: this recipe makes a small quiche. The egg filling is not deep. If you want this to be more substantial, double the egg and egg whites. Keep the broccoli and cheese the same.
You can also vary the ingredients. You can use different vegetable, or add meats. Use all whole eggs if you want. Your options are only limited by your imagination and the ingredients in your fridge and pantry.
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Note: the link to Penzy’s is NOT an affiliate link. Affiliate links will earn me a small commission when readers purchase something. Not all links are affiliate links. Many are placed here only to make your cooking easier. When you do click on and buy an item from an affiliante link it does not change your cost at all, but it will help me continue to provide recipes and advice here and in my podcast Make Your Someday Today. 

Baked Eggs in Ham “Flowers”

Baked Egg in Ham “Flower”
Serves 1

1 ounce shaved ham (2-4 slices)
1 egg
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400F
Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
Line the tin with ham slices.

Carefully crack egg into the ham flower.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the egg is set. Remove before it is fully cooked, it will continue to cook for about 3 minutes after removing.

When done the yolk should be thick and hot, but still fluid.

I served it on a toasted whole grain English Muffin, topped with a slice of horseradish cheddar and a drizzle of coarse German mustard.

Awesome!

Nutritional data (as I served it):
Calories:       373
Fat:             20.5g
Sat fat:          9.8g
Chol:         416mg
Sodium:    855mg
Carbs:         14.3g
Fiber:               2g
Protein:       31.7g

Baked Eggs in Potato Cups

Baked Eggs in Potato Cups
Serve 2

This is a great way to use a leftover baked potato. If you don’t have any left, you can easily microwave a potato in about 5 minutes, while getting your morning coffee ready.

1 large potato
2 eggs
1 slice of cheese
salt and pepper as needed
Sriracha sauce (or your preference)

Preheat oven to 450F
Cut baked potato in half the long way.
Scoop out most of the potato, leaving less than a 1/4 inch of potato.

Season with salt and pepper (if needed).
Crack an egg into the potato cup. You may not have room for all of the white (depends on the size of the potato.
Place 1/2 slice of cheese over egg.
Bake for 8-12 minutes (8 will be very soft-cooked and 12 minutes will be fully hard cooked.)
Drizzle with Sriracha and let cool for a couple minutes.

    Nutritional data (approximate, as different sized potatoes, scooped out more or less will change this):
    Calories:            187
    Fat:                   8.9g
    Sat fat:              3.9g
    Chol:          199.5mg
    Sodium:       93.3mg
    Carb:               15.4g
    Fiber:                1.4g
    Protein:           11.4g

    Another Fun Day Cooking on TV

    I was asked to cook on Green Bay’s WLUK Fox11’s “Good Day, Wisconsin!” this morning. I already told you that I was going to make Baked Eggs with Spinach and Feta, and a variety of Crepes on an earlier post.

    I also promised to include links so that people who do not live in wonderful northeast Wisconsin can watch me if they want. I am a man of my word.

    Here is the link to the Crepes segment. (The Baked Eggs segment isn’t linked.)

    I will possibly be going back on in a couple months. Does anyone have any suggested recipes? I need them to be relatively quick to prepare, and appeal to a wide range of people.

    Drop me a line with your ideas below. They do not need to come from my blog, but if they are not already on the blog, I will need a recipe or good idea of how it is prepared. I always make everything in advance to work out any kinks (and there are always a few kinks.)

    A few stills that I took:

    Almost ready for the crepes segment.
    Baked Eggs are still in the oven.
    Crepes ingredients. Brad Stillmank’s Wisco Disco adds just the right flavors!
    Thank you to Emily Deem, Doug Higgins and the entire crew at WLUK Fox11 for the invitation and the warm reception. Everyone made me feel at ease and very welcome. That weekend crew is awesome! The fun interaction that you see on TV isn’t just for the camera. It is real! 

    Crepes and Baked Eggs with Spinach and Feta Cheese

    Crepes
    From left to right: strawberry, nutella-strawberry, and lemon
    Basic Crepe Recipe
    Makes 12 crepes
    6 oz milk
    5 oz beer
    1/2 tsp vanilla extract
    2 eggs (room temperature)
    1 cup all purpose flour
    1/8 tsp salt
    1.  Put first four ingredients in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix for 30 second. Add the remaining ingredients and mix for another minute, or until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
    2.  Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
    3.  Re-whisk the batter just before you begin frying the crepes.
    4.  Preheat 10 inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick spray.
    5.  With the skillet off the heat, pour 2 oz (1/4 cup) batter in the center of the skillet. Tip the skillet so that the entire bottom is covered.
    6.  Return to heat. When the top begins to dry and the bottom is beginning to brown, flip using a wooden or rubber flipper. The edges will begin to curl away from the pan at this time.
    7.  Fry the crepe for another 10 second. The crepe should be be very lightly brown.
    8.  Remove from skillet.
    9.  Add fillings, fold or wrap and serve -OR- stack with wax paper between layers for later use.
    Nutritional data (per crepe, without any filling):
    Calories:           64
    Fat:                   1.2g
    Sat fat:              0.5g
    Chol:           36.5mg
    Sodium:       43.8mg
    Carb:                 9.2g
    Fiber:                0.3g
    Protein:             2.7g
    Possible fillings are endless:
    Sweet
    A whole banana, sauteed in some butter
    Nutella (or peanut butter) and banana
    Nutella (or peanut butter) and strawberry
    Any other fruits (fresh or canned pie filling) with whipped cream
    Lemon juice and powder sugar
    Greek yogurt and your favorite fruit
    Your favorite jam/marmalade
    Savory
    Bacon and eggs (with a touch of cheese)
    Ham and cheese
    Cream cheese and smoked salmon
    Shredded chicken and salsa
    Thin-shaved beef with horseradish yogurt
    Baked Eggs with Feta and Spinach

    Baked Egg with Feta and Spinach
    Serve 4

    4 eggs, separated
    1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
    1 teaspoon of your preferred herb blend (I used Penzey’s Sunny Paris.)
    1 cup (packed) fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
    Pepper to taste

    1.  Preheat oven to 350F.
    2.  Spray oven-safe custard cups with cooking spray (or otherwise grease them.)
    3.  With electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
    4.  Gently stir in cheese, spinach and herbs.
    5.  Divide between the four cups.
    6.  With a spoon, create a small well in the center of the egg white mixture.
    7.  Carefully slide a yolk into each well.
    8.  Place cups on a baking sheet, and place in oven.  Back 10-14 minutes, until the egg white puffs up and browns. The yolk will be hot and thick, but not solid.

    Note: in the picture, I topped the egg with a half tablespoon of Greek yogurt. That was unnecessary, and won’t be repeated in the future.

    Nutritional data:
    Calories:          106
    Fat:                    7g
    Sat fat:               3g
    Chol:           220mg
    Sodium:       186mg
    Carbs:             1.6g
    Fiber:              0.2g
    Protein:           9.3g

    Alternatives:
    Crumbled bacon and finely shredded sharp cheddar
    Shedded Swiss and minced mushrooms
    Fresh basil, scallion and Parmesan

    Overnight No-Cook Oatmeal (Blueberry Variation)

    This is the same basic recipe as yesterday except instead of bananas and almond butter, I used frozen blueberries and whipped topping.

    Again, I used 1/2 cup each of oatmeal, yogurt and skim milk, and 1/4 teaspoon allspice (I omitted the cinnamon) and then after mixing those together, I stirred in 1/2 cup frozen blueberries. If I had fresh, I would have used that, instead, but sometimes you need to adapt to the current situation.

    After resting in the fridge overnight.
    Stirred and warmed lightly in the microwave. 
    I tried both versions cold and warm, and I prefer them warmed.
    With all honesty, this variation was not as good as yesterday’s. I think the berries were much more tart than I had expected. When I make this again, I think I will probably use a blueberry yogurt in the first step instead of a plain yogurt and then add blueberries if needed. I will also taste it and add sugar/sweetener as needed.
    However, this recipe is a great start to the day. It is a hearty breakfast, and one which is very easy to make. It is also very inexpensive, important for anyone who lives with both calorie and monetary budgets.

    Overnight No-Cook Oatmeal

    Overnight No-Cook Oatmeal
    Serves 1

    Basic recipe is equal amounts of:
    Yogurt
    Milk
    Dry oatmeal (not instant)
    Spices

    I used 1/2 cup of each of oatmeal, skim milk and Fage 2% Greek yogurt, and a half teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon allspice.

    Mix together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
    The next morning, add your fruit of choice, and (if desired) a source of healthy fats.

    I used a small banana and 1 ounce (32g) almond butter.
    Mix together. You can serve this cold, but I preferred it warm.
    The texture is incredibly smooth. It looks like “normal” oatmeal, but it is silkier and softer from the overnight soak.
    Nutritional data (for just the basic recipe, not adding the banana or nut butter):
    Calories:         305
    Fat:               5.6g
    Sat fat:          2.7g
    Chol:          9.6mg
    Sodium:  100.4mg
    Carbs:         40.3g
    Fiber:            4.8g
    Protein:       23.8g
    You can certainly reduce those numbers by using only 1/3 cup of each ingredient and using fat free yogurt. I just used what had on hand.
    The variations are limitless. You can use different yogurts, fruits, butters (optional) and spices. 
    Note: Thanks for this recipe go out to a follower, Andrew Carpenter, for giving me this suggestion. This was an excellent and seriously simple breakfast. I will make and post variations as I try them.

    A Relaxing Weekend

    Just a quick update. I am halfway through the first semester, and so far my students are all successful! It has been a very busy two months, but life is good.

    Life is very good.

    On Saturday, my wife and I went to a fantastic little place, The Bottle Room, a craft beer and wine bar. In addition to very nice food menu, they offer an astounding collection of craft beers from around the country as well as excellent imports. We both ordered warm sandwiches, but the real reason for the stop was the beverages. Tammy enjoyed a four wine sample flight, and I had sample flight of three single malt Scotches, with about 20ml poured for each.

    From right to left, the Oban 14yr was the lightest. A lot of honey in the nose, with some grassy flavor with hints of citrus fruits. It was good, and I had been very curious about trying a bottle of it, but now I know that I won’t bother with it.

    The Highland Park 12yr was very nice with smoke in the nose and the flavor. There was definite pear flavors and it was much less sweet than the Oban. it was good, and I would consider buying it.

    The youngest of the flight, the Laphroaig 10yr was like being hit in the face with a bale of smoked peat wrapped with fresh seaweed. It had a powerful smokey flavor with a medicinal character (in the brewer-speak of a beer judge, it was “powerfully phenolic” and also a distinct saltiness. It was bold. It was really “in your face.” And I will buy that again, because that was incredible!

    Sunday morning was a relaxing day. I decided to make Baked Egg with Feta and Spinach. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any feta cheese, but I did have some crumbled bleu cheese, so I subbed out the Greek feta for some American bleu.

    And discovered that bleu is too pungent for this recipe. The flavor overwhelmed everything else, even only using two tablespoons (1 ounce/28g) for a batch of four eggs.

    Oh, well. It was a learning experience. Not everything will always go perfectly, and that is okay. If you never try, you won’t learn and grow. As for the remaining eggs, we threw them out. In our world, if the food is not “worth the calories (or points)” then we simply won’t eat it. We eat well because we only eat food that is good enough to justify expending my food budget calories.

    And the next two times we go to the Bottle Room (and we will go again) I am going to try the Scotch Top Flight (Glanmorangie 12 yr, Lavagulin 16 yr and Glenlivet 18 yr), and the Bourbon Flight (Buffalo Trace, Angel’s Envy and Booker’s.)

    Question for everyone: Of the various liquors I mentioned, which have you tried, and which is your favorite? Let me know below.

    Oatmeal Muffins


    Oatmeal Muffins
    Serves 12

    1 cup regular (not instant, not steel-cut) oatmeal
    1 cup skim milk
    1 cup whole wheat flour
    1/3 cup applesauce
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    2 egg whites
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon baking soda

    Toppings:
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    1 teaspoon sugar

    1. Soak oatmeal in the milk for 1 hour in a large bowl.
    2. Preheat oven to 400F
    3. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl.
    4. After the oatmeal is finished soaking, stir in applesauce and egg whites.
    5. Gently mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir only enough to combine evenly.
    6. Spray non-stick muffin pan with cooking spray.
    7. Divide batter between cups.
    8. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mix over muffins.
    9. Bake 20-25 minutes (depending on your oven). Muffins are finished baking when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
    Nutritional data:
    Calories:       87
    Fat:             0.6g
    Sat fat:        0.1g
    Chol:        0.4mg
    Sodium:  83.8mg
    Carbs:       16.5g
    Fiber:          1.9g
    Protein:       3.5g

    This muffin is delicious as is, or can be modified as desired.

    Alternatives and Options:
    Replace applesauce with 1/2 cup mashed banana.
    Replace applesauce with 1/2 cup pumpkin.
    Add 1/2 cup chopped apples or pears.
    Add 1/4 cup chopped nuts.
    Add 1/2 cup dried cranberries, cherries, or other dried fruits.
    Add 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, raspberries or blackberries.
    Add additional spices to the mix (cinnamon, nutmeg and/or allspice would be good.)
    If you aren’t afraid of higher calories, replace the applesauce with peanut butter.

    A Decadent and Classic Breakfast! (Fresh Berries and Cream)

    Berries and Cream

    Serves 1

    1 banana, sliced
    1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
    1/4 cup fresh blueberries (although frozen and thawed will work)
    3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

    1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl
    2. Stir together. 
    3. Enjoy!
    Nutritional data:
    Calories:       288
    Fat:            15.8g
    Sat fat:       10.6g
    Chol:          60mg
    Sodium:   17.4mg
    Carbs:        38.7g
    Fiber:           5.6g
    Protein:        2.1g
    A word about this breakfast:
    When I was growing up (back in the 60’s), I remember staying with a relative for a few weeks. It was a dairy farm and the meals were laden with fresh whole milk, butter, and of course, cream. My Aunt Ruth made me a breakfast that included a dish similar to what I have here (except the cream was freshly dipped from the bulk tank. That stuff is rich!) 
    We never had cream at my house growing up, because my parents were always calorie conscious, and cream was just not part of the plan. I never ate a meal like this again, until last summer, when my wife and I were on vacation. One of the B&Bs served this for breakfast. The memory stuck with me, and I decided to share this exceedingly simple recipe here.
    Many people who are trying to lose weight immediately start using low fat/ no fat versions of food, thinking that ridding fat from their daily menu will be the secret of weight loss. And that can work. But it is only one method. The likelihood is that most of my readers will have fruit in their house, but will not have “real” cream. 
    This recipe uses heavy whipping cream, but only 3 tablespoons. If you haven’t had a breakfast like this, the cream is thick and rich. It clings to the fruit, so that you only need a little because you will get some cream with every spoonful. The richness of the cream and the inherent sweetness of the fruit eliminate the need for any added sugar. It is also rich enough to fill you and satisfy your hunger for longer because of the fats.
    If this recipe scares you, you can use half-and-half, and you will save 95 calories, but you will lose the flavor and texture that heavy cream brings to this meal. So, if this recipe scares you a little, go to your local market, buy a half-pint of heavy cream and try it. Push your boundaries and discover other tastes that you maybe thought were unavailable.
    This also makes a killer dessert after your evening meal.
    You can vary this recipe and use any ripe fruit or berry that you like. Enjoy!