Category Archives: Breakfast

Stuffed French Toast

This breakfast is creamy, sweet, delicious and beautiful. It works wonders on significant others. Doesn’t it just implore to be eaten in bed? I assure you the other in question will be impressed. And you might even get some.

You’re welcome.

“T.J’s Cream Cheese and Strawberry-Stuffed French Toast” from the Deen Family Cookbook, 2009

(Yield: 1 luscious breakfast)

Ingredients:

2 slices white Wonderbread

1 heaping tbsp cream cheese

4-5 strawberries, sliced

1 egg

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp butter

Maple syrup or powdered sugar for the grand finale

Procedure: In a shallow dish, beat together egg and milk, seasoning with a pinch of salt. Set aside. Divide cream cheese between two bread slices and spread evenly. Layer strawberries over cream cheese on one slice and close sandwich. Carefully dip entire sandwich into egg mixture on both sides. Melt butter in skillet over medium-low heat until it begins to bubble. Place sandwich in skillet. Cook 2-3 min per side (or until golden brown), flipping once. Serve immediately.

The breakfast of chic champions.

This morning I gazed into my fridge in despair, not craving either of my usual breakfast choices - grilled cheese sandwich or bran cereal with fruit. I scratched my head for several minutes, decided to gather some ingredients and then this happened.

Buttered crispy bread, fresh fruit, cheese and salty prosciutto - you can’t really go wrong in a this predicament.

(Yield: one chic sandwich)

Ingredients:

Butter

1 slice of white bread

4-5 thin slices of pear

1 slice Muenster cheese

2-3 slices Prosciutto di Parma (the real, good stuff)

Procedure: Butter one side of bread. Layer on pear slices and cheese on the opposite side. Place sandwich buttered side down in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 2 min, cover with a lid and cook for 2 min, or until the cheese is melty. Take off heat and top with prosciutto. Enjoy with pride, basking in your own chicness.

Banana walnut pancakes with blueberry sauce

I adore pancakes! What could be better? Pure carbs drenched in syrupy carbs, and if you’re lucky, served alongside pure smoky cholesterol [i.e. bacon]? Yum.

I’ve always been reluctant to buy pancakes in a box, though. I felt as though I would be cheating the pancake gods somehow by not making them from scratch. But alas, I have succumbed! However, these are at least kinda healthy. One serving (3 pancakes) has about 180 calories and provides 20% of the recommended daily value of fiber.

The maple syrup I had in my fridge was expired but I did have blueberries, with which I decided to make a sauce instead.

(Yield: More than enough for 1 hungry Sasha)

Ingredients:

1 c pancake mix

2/3 c water

1 ripe banana, diced

1/4 c chopped walnuts

Cooking spray

Sauce:

3/4 c blueberries

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp sugar

Combine pancake mix and water, and add the banana and walnuts. Spray a griddle with cooking spray and cook pancakes according to package directions.

For sauce: combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 7 min, until berries fall apart and a syrup forms.

Starting the day right.

It is not often that I get to have a long breakfast at home, the kind that entails actual cooking, not just opening a Quaker packet, and Italian espresso. Fortunately today was one of those mornings and I made myself this omelette.

Eggs are indeed a power food. One egg contains all types of vitamins and minerals (mostly in the yolk), six grams of protein and only 70 calories. And although there is a considerable amount of cholesterol in egg yolks, it has not been officially proven that eating too many eggs is unhealthy.

Besides nutrition, a great thing about omelettes is that you can use whatever ingredients you have - vegetables, herbs, meats and/or cheeses. So here is a basic recipe for a beautiful, yummy omelette.

(Yield: One omelette)

Ingredients:

A pat of butter

1/2 c baby spinach leaves

1 egg + 1 egg white

A splash of milk

Salt/pepper to taste

Chopped tomato and Parmesan cheese for garnish

Melt the butter in a small non-stick pan on low heat. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted, 1-2 min. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour into pan. With a spatula, swish the egg from the outside towards the middle for about the first 20 seconds until it starts to set (this will help it cook evenly). Then let it cook for about another minute until the egg is almost fully solidified. Then fold it in half and cook for another 30 seconds. Plate, garnish, serve with toast, and enjoy the rest of your day : )

 

Apples Flambé Parfait

This is the first dish I decided to make with my Karoun products. The first layer of this parfait is 2% Karoun yogurt, the second is apples flambé and the third is homemade granola. This parfait is absolutely delicious and can be served as a fancy breakfast or brunch item, or as an unpretentious dessert.

The flavor and texture combination is divine: the yogurt is cold and tangy, the apples are warm and sweet, and the granola is crispy and aromatic.

Here is how I make granola,

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c old-fashioned rolled oats

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp brown sugar, light or dark

1 tbsp + 1 tsp honey

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine all ingredients, except oats, in a large bowl. Then add oats and mix with your hands. Knead the mixture until oats are evenly coated. Spread mixture onto baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 min, then stir and bake for another 10 min.

Granola should be stored in an airtight container and may be kept for up to 10 days.

And now for the star of the show, apples flambé. The ingredients yield one serving, as I was cooking only for myself, so adjust accordingly. Flambé is French for flamed and it’s a cooking technique in which the flames are caused by the addition of alcohol.

Ingredients:

1 apple, peeled, sliced

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 splash of cognac

Place first 5 ingredients in pan on medium heat. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 5 min, until a sort of syrup forms. While keeping back loose clothing, hair and other body parts, pour cognac into pan, tilt slightly toward flame and shake pan back and forth. A flame will rise and it should extinguish in a second.

Now, in a tumbler glass or bowl, layer 1/2 cup yogurt, apples and granola. Ta-da!

Cheers from Dublin

Greetings.
I spent this past weekend in Dublin, Ireland. It’s a relatively small city but the people are friendly, the food is delicious and beer is a’plenty. The climate is cold and wet and there’s not much to do during the day but the nightlife is…gee, what would be the right word…energetic?

We arrived at noon on Friday and my first and only thought was breakfast. The receptionist of our hostel recommended The Lott’s.

The description of Traditional Irish Breakfast on the menu said sausage, Irish bacon and black and white pudding. Being an uncultured American, I asked the waitress what black and white pudding was and once she got over the shock of my ignorance she informed me that white pudding was a mixture of grain, vegetables and meat, while black was pork and pig’s blood. Upon seeing the outrage on my face after the words “pig’s blood” she hurriedly explained, “They put a lot of pig’s blood in it but it doesn’t taste like blood! It’s black.” I politely declined and asked to have only the white.

My breakfast commenced with tea and milk (which I would never have at home but when in Ireland, do as the Irish do) and a glass of Guinness. Yes, beer for breakfast.

And then this happened:

Needless to say this was the best breakfast of my life. The white pudding was delicious and unlike anything I’ve ever had before. I have to make it at home. And surprisingly, I did not have a heart attack at the table!

By the end of my trip I did try the black pudding…I wasn’t a fan…


Ireland was a lot of fun and now I’m back in Paris until the 19th.

Apple, Carrot and Raisin Blinis

I’m not fully sure if these are blinis, by American standards, or fritters, but either way they’re perfect for breakfast or brunch.

 

(Yield: about 10)

Ingredients:

1 large carrot, shredded

1 apple (any kind but not tart), shredded

2 tbsp white raisins

1 egg, beaten

¼ c buttermilk

2 tbsp sour cream

1 tbsp melted butter

½ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1/3 tsp baking soda

3 heaping tbsp all-purpose flour

3 tbsp frying oil

 

Shred the carrot and apple and squeeze out all juice (drink it if you want). Place the carrot and apple into a bowl and combine with raisins, egg, buttermilk, sour cream and butter. Then add the dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix. The mixture should not be too sticky to the touch but not pasty either. Heat the oil on medium heat on a griddle. Working with one tbsp of dough at a time, form it into a round patty and place in oil. Fry 4-5 min on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot or at room temperature with lots of sour cream on top.

The Deen Family’s Stuffed French Toast

My good friend Ally went to Georgia over last week, where she got to eat in Paula Deen’s restaurant The Lady & Sons. She was sweet enough to send me the cookbook…
with this note, LOL.

The book is packed with awesome, homey recipes from the Deen family. The recipes are unpretentious and sound delicious.

While flipping through the book last night, I spotted “T.J.’s Cream Cheese and Strawberry-Stuffed French Toast” which I instantly knew would have to be for breakfast this morning.

I didn’t have any strawberries in the house so I opted for canned peaches instead. The French toast turned out scrumptious and needless to say, my day was off to a great start. If you want the full recipe, let me know and I’ll be happy to e-mail it to you.

Thanks for the book, Ally! I can’t wait to try more Deen family recipes.

Mushroom and Pasta Frittata

Yesterday I was watching Everyday Italian and Giada was making this frittata. It looked so easy and delicious that I decided I should make one myself – but then again, Giada could be making a heart soufflé a la True Blood and make it look easy and delicious…

Yesterday being Friday, official refrigerator clean-up day in my house, I had to use what I had on hand. The frittata came out tasty and certainly good-looking, although it was missing something, some layer of flavor. I wouldn’t want to add meat to this dish because the mushrooms are hearty enough, but maybe bacon? Any suggestions?

(Serves up to 6)

Ingredients:

6 eggs

3 tbsp milk

¼ c grated parmesan cheese

3 tbsp chopped parsley

8 oz baby bella mushrooms, chopped

¾ c slightly undercooked short-cut pasta

1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and cheese. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Pour mixture into a greased round baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve with marinara sauce.

Tuna Salad

A good tuna salad needs an element of crunch, creaminess and lots of flavor. There are as many recipes for tuna salad as there are cooks in the world. This recipe is my mom’s.

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 12 oz can tuna packed in water

1 hard-boiled egg, grated

1 scallion, chopped

½ stalk celery, diced

1 small pickle, diced

1 tbsp mayo

Salt/pepper

Combine all the ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

I like this salad on a piece of toast on Sunday morning but feel free to serve this as a sandwich or wrapped in lettuce…any day you’d like ; )

Crepes.

Today marks the day I lost my crepe-making virginity. They say the first time is never good but to my surprise, it was a success.

The crepe is one of my favorite foods. It is delicious, chic, romantic, and can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. My mom often makes crepes (‘blintzes’ in Russian) for Sunday morning breakfast. When she does, I can smell them cooking in the kitchen in my sleep and usually within ten seconds I’m sitting at the kitchen table, with heaven in my mouth.

I’ve never made crepes entirely by myself so I was definitely intimidated. I decided to go with Tyler Florence’s recipe, modifying it slightly.

(Yield: about 30 crepes)

Ingredients:

2 c whole milk

2 eggs

1 ½ c all-purpose flour

½ tsp salt

¾ tsp white sugar

4 oz unsalted butter, melted

Extra butter for greasing the pan

Add the milk and eggs into a blender and blend together. Add the flour, ½ c at a time. Then add salt, sugar and butter. Blend until you achieve a smooth consistency. The batter should be very thin. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat up a crepe pan (or small skillet) on low-medium heat. Place a knob of butter into the center of a paper towel and grease the pan. Ladle a spoonful of batter into the center of the pan while simultaneously turning the pan around and up and down to cover the bottom entirely and evenly. *”The first crepe is a trial one to test out the consistency of your batter, the exact amount you need for the pan, and the heat.”-Julia Child. After about one minute, the edges will start to lightly brown at which point you will need to loosen the sides with a butter knife, hold it up gently and lift up the crepe using your thumb and pointer finger, slide the knife under the crepe and swiftly turn it over. (Sounds daunting but you’ll get the hang of it.) An average crepe takes about 1 minute on the first side and 20-30 seconds on the second. It should be paper thin. Grease the pan between every crepe, or at least every other crepe.

Crepes can be made ahead of time and reheated and filled right before serving.

For a savory filling, I made creamy sautéed mushrooms. And for dessert, I made a blackberry sauce.

Mushroom filling (4 servings):

8 oz white button mushrooms, chopped

1 small yellow onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt/pepper

¾ tsp dried thyme

1/3 c evaporated milk

Beurre manie- *paste of softened butter and flour, 1 tsp of both, used to thicken the sauce and add sheen.

Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add onions. Cook 2 minutes until soft. Add mushrooms. Cook about 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned. Season with salt, pepper and thyme and add the beurre manie. Stir and cook 1 minute. Add the evaporated milk and stir. Wait until sauce thickens, about 1 minute, and turn heat off. Fill crepes as desired. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Blackberry sauce (makes about ¾ cup):

5 oz blackberries

¼ c sugar

The zest of one Clementine

2 tbsp water

1 tsp lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently.

The sauce should simmer 10-15 minutes until a syrup forms.

I’m very proud of myself for making these crepes. I have a feeling I’ll be making them all the time now. Just thinking of all the different filling possibilities makes me excited! : D

The Other French Toast

Here’s that cheesy, savory French toast I mentioned in a previous post. It’s great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

First, I beat a few eggs with some milk, salt and pepper. I heat up a griddle on medium heat and melt some butter in it. Then I soak some day-old bread in the egg mixture and fry it for about 3 minutes per side.

Then, I spread a thin layer of mayo on each slice and place a tomato or two on the top. Then I sprinkle it with cheddar and voila!

There is one month left of the fall semester and I cannot wait for it to end. There are a countless number of papers and exams looming over my head (which is on the verge of explosion). Thankfully I have the kitchen in which to relax and get away from it all. Tomorrow is Monday – the start of another week. Oh, how I hope to keep my sanity!

Breakfast for one!

For me, pancakes are definitely a comfort food and a nice change from the usual fibery morning cereal. Yuck.

I only cook breakfast on the weekends, so it’s rewarding and relaxing for me.

I put bananas in mine because I love them and like to add them to anything possible. And of course, this doesn’t have to be for only one person - just multiply all the ingredients by the amount of people you’re cooking for.

This makes three medium-size pancakes.

Ingredients:

1 egg

2 ½ tbs sour cream

2 tbs milk

¼ tsp baking soda

A splash of white vinegar

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

3 tbs flour

1 banana

Some butter for the griddle

Combine the egg, sour cream, milk, salt and sugar in a bowl with a whisk. Then scoop the baking soda onto a spoon and pour just a bit of vinegar over the top so is fizzes and pour into the mixture – this will make the pancakes fluffy. Whisk. Add the flour. The consistency of the finished batter should be slightly thinner than that of a milkshake. If you feel it is too thin of thick, add more milk or flour.

Slice the banana into ¼ inch slices and set aside.

Place the griddle on medium-low heat and butter lightly, just to make sure the pancakes don’t stick. Ladle the batter onto the griddle, making three pancakes. Place 4-5 banana slices on the top of the pancakes while the batter is still liquid. You’ll know when to flip them when little air bubbles appear on the top of the pancakes which will happen after about 3 minutes of cooking. Flip once and cook the other side for 2-3 more minutes.

I like to enjoy mine with lots of maple syrup and coffee. Bon appétit!