Standard Breakfast Procedure

Here is the story: I had a phase. A Cracklin' Oat Bran phase. I ate it every day for breakfast and then one day, it was not on sale anymore and I couldn't justify $4 a box. So, I wrote down the ingredient list from the back of the box and googled it on the internet. Like this: "Oats, oat bran, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, almonds, coconut, recipe". Yes, it was a shot in the dark. Something similar to this recipe popped up. I have improved it several times and my kids beg for it in the mornings, so I have no complaints.

Granola for Me!

7 c. rolled oats
1 c. wheat germ
1 c. wheat or oat bran
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1.2 c. honey
1/2 c. water
1 T. vanilla
1 t. each cinnamon, nutmeg, salt
1 c. each sliced almonds, coconut

Preheat oven to 275. Stir up oats, wheat germ and bran. Mix sugar, oil, honey, water, vanilla and spices and pour over. Mix well. Spread onto 2 cookie sheets and bake 45 min. stirring every 15 min. Add almonds and coconut and bake 15 min. more. Let cool. Makes about 13 c. (gallon ziploc)Tips: I forgot it once (after mixing, before baking) and let it "soak" for about 3 hours. It turned out much crunchier than usual and now I soak for a standard 1 hour before baking. You can food-process the rolled oats a little, and the almonds and coconut too. The texture turns out like grape nuts. Eat with milk or yogurt. If you want it more clumpy, before the last baking, with the nuts and coconut, add 2-3 T. honey mixed with the same amount of water. Gives it a nice shiny look. You could also add other things like dates, pecan, craisins, raisins, whatever you like.

Fun with Eggs

This is late. Hey, I have three kids. Okay, so here are our Easter festivities. First, the eggs in a nest. One bag of butterscotch chips, melted. Maybe melt in the microwave. I did it on the stove and they smelled very peculiar. Tasted fine, though. Stir in half a bag or so of chow mein noodles (the crunchy kind) and press into a Texas-sized muffin tin. Cool until set. Fill with candy eggs. Next year.

This is Eggs A La Goldenrod. Right, Mom? I think that's what it's called. Anyway, when I first made it as a married woman, I didn't remember it tasting as yummy as it does, I only remembered how pretty the sieve-pressed yolks looked up on top--like goldenrods! So, here it is: make up a white sauce by melting 2 T. butter and stirring in 2 T. flour, then 2 c. milk, heat and stir until thick. Salt and pepper it and add in 5 chopped, hard-boiled egg whites. Press the hard-boiled egg yolks through a strainer on top and serve on toast. A lovely way to use up those blue and orange eggs your kids made yesterday (in this case, last week). That's it for now!

Omelets in a Bag

For all you inept omelet flippers out there (I include myself), here are some easy and attractive little fellas to try. Get yourself some ziploc bags and away we go. Simply crack an egg or two (but not more) into a ziploc. Add your milk, cheese, S & P, green onions, tomatoes...whatever floats your boat. Squish it around for a minute--the kids love this one. Then drop into a pot of rolling, boiling water for 13 minutes. If you have a big pot, you can fit 5-6. This works well if you have breakfast company. Write names on the bags with a sharpie and everyone picks their own fillings. After boiling, they roll right out onto your plate. Top with salsa or sour cream and you're done. No one-at-a-time nonsense. You're welcome.

Awfuls!

I know, bad first impression. When I started making these, my 18 month old couldn't quite say "waffles". We thought it was so cute that it stuck. For your family's sake, I suggest you present them as "French Toast Waffles", and if you are a fan of either, you will love these.

French Toast Waffles:

4 eggs

1/2 c. milk

8 slices bread

Beat eggs and milk in a shallow dish. Dip bread into mixture, coating both sides. Place on preheated waffle iron. Yeah! My iron takes about 4 minutes. If you use very square-shaped bread, you can fit four slices. There you go, ten minutes to breakfast.

P.S. A dash of cinnamon and a blip of vanilla into the egg mix are a nice addition, too.