Not-So-Chunky Monkey Oatmeal

It's freezing here. Actually, it's much worse than that: We're lucky if we see freezing as our high for the day. To warm me up, I've been eating a lot of oatmeal for breakfast lately. I know oatmeal isn't all that exciting, and it's not all that sexy (although it makes a really nice facial), but it is hearty and healthy. The one thing it very often isn't is tasty. To avoid the dreaded library paste glop, I recommend either the ironically sinful Amish treat of baked oatmeal or one of these tasty variations. This is a quick breakfast, but to save even more time I usually assemble all the dry ingredients in the bowl the night before.

Start to finish: 5 minutes
Servings: 1

Note 1: This symbol (*) means the amount is approximate. I just lightly cover the surface of the oatmeal with these ingredients.
Note 2: Don't omit the cinnamon. Everything is better with cinnamon.
Note 3: The peanut butter gives a nice shot of protein. You can add a little calcium, too, by sprinkling some powdered milk over the oatmeal.

Not-So-Chunky Monkey Oatmeal
1/2 C rolled oats, preferably organic, not the quick kind
1 t* ground flax seed
1/2 t* cinnamon
1 small banana
1-3 t peanut butter (amount depending on personal taste, and creamy is always best)
1 C water

1. Measure oats into a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Lightly cover the surface of the oats with ground flax seed and cinnamon, or measure them if you're feeling confident about those amounts.
3. Slice the banana into the oats and top with a dollop of peanut butter.
4. Add water.
5. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Continue microwaving for 30 seconds at a time, then stirring, until oatmeal reaches desired consistency. I like mine pretty thick, and it usually takes me about 2 minutes.
6. Stir the oatmeal well. The banana should fall apart and add a luscious creaminess, and the peanut butter will be melty and gooey, in the best possible way.

PB&A Oatmeal
Follow the directions above, except substitute half an apple, diced, for the banana and add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. I usually use Granny Smith, but any good, crisp apple works.

Eggnog Bread Pudding

I've been playing with versions of this for a few years, but I think this one works the best, thanks to a little inspiration from another cook. This is full of Christmasey flavors and holiday goodness. The bourbon certainly isn't necessary, but I had some and don't know how to use it other than in cooking. Feel free to leave it out, but it does add a nice little festive zing. This pudding would make a perfect Christmas morning breakfast!

Start to finish: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings

Eggnog Bread Pudding with Bourbon Craisins
1/2 loaf good white bread, cut or torn into 1/2 inch cubes (challah, brioche, etc. - I used mild sourdough)
2 cups eggnog
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup craisins
1/3 cup bourbon
sugar to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a full size loaf pan with butter.
2. Put craisins in a small bowl, and add bourbon to cover. You may not need all of it, or you could add a bit more if you like. Microwave for about 30 seconds to help the craisins absorb the bourbon, then set aside to cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggnog, eggs, nutmeg, vanilla, and sugar to taste. I used about 2 tablespoons, but you can use more or less depending on how sweet your eggnog is and your preferences.
4. Gently fold in bread cubes, then craisins and any bourbon that hasn't been absorbed.
5. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes as the bread absorbs the liquid, then pour everything into the loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with additional sugar for a sweet crust, if desired.
6. Cook for 50-55 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown. It's best to let the pudding sit for a few minutes before slicing and serving, but you can serve it warmer and softer if you want to.

Summer Sunday breakfast crepes

I've been watching a lot of Jacques Pepin lately and am in love with all things French. These crepes are perfect for a lazy Sunday breakfast - the sweetness of summer blackberries, the sunny tang of lemon... Couldn't be nicer. The only trick to these is timing. Everything cooks pretty quickly, and the custard sauce needs undivided attention to avoid lumps. Do it in the order below, and you should be golden.

Start to finish: About 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings







Summer Sunday Breakfast Crepes
2 pints blackberries
Sugar to taste (about 1-2 teaspoons)
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Lemon custard sauce:
1 cup heavy cream
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
4 egg yolks
1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar (depending on your sweet tooth)
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Crepes:
1 1/4 cups skim milk (or milk thinned with water)
1 cup flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter
Additional butter or cooking spray for cooking

1. Rinse the blackberries. Place in a saucepan with just the water that clings to the berries. Sprinkle with sugar to taste. Cover and place over low heat. These will simmer while you make everything else.
2. Begin the custard sauce. Put cream and lemon zest in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat it just until you see bubbles - you should still be able to test the temperature with your finger without getting burned.
3. While the cream mixture is heating, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow. Slowly pour about half of the heated cream mixture into the eggs, whisking continuously. (This is where you will get lumps in the custard if you pour in the cream too fast. Lumps aren't attractive, but they don't affect the taste.) Pour the egg mixture back into the rest of the cream, whisking continuously. Cook the custard mixture until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon without dripping (about 2-3 minutes). Remove the custard sauce from the heat and set aside to cool - it should be about room temperature when it's served.
4. Check your blackberries to make sure they're not dry or cooking down too much. If they are, remove them from the heat, but keep them covered so they stay warm.
5. Start the crepes. This takes the longest, because they can only be done one at a time. Keep crepes warm while you finish the batch by putting them on a plate over simmering water, and cover with another plate. Put all the crepe ingredients in a blender and mix for a few seconds. The batter will be about the consistency of cream.
6. Put a 6-inch skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot enough to make water sizzle when dripped on it, coat the pan lightly with butter. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of batter quickly into the skillet, and then tilt the pan to cover the bottom with the batter. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until lightly browned, then flip the crepe to brown the other side. Crepes are pretty sturdy and should stay together as you do this. Complete the batch, keeping finished crepes warm. You should have 8 crepes when you're finished.
7. Fold crepes into quarters and plate. Spoon on warm blackberries, and cover with lemon custard sauce. A mint sprig makes a nice finishing touch.

Shameless Smoothie

Now that the weather's turning a little warmer, I've started thinking again about making food that's raw and cooling. This morning I made up a smoothie that was simply delicious. Granted, smoothies are not rocket science, but this was too good not to share. (It's "shameless" because you needn't have any shame eating this healthy, tasty treat.)

Yield: 1 serving
Start to finish: Less than 5 minutes

Shameless Smoothie
1/2 cup yogurt "cheese" (see below for directions)
1 organic banana
1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries (or fresh, but I like a little frostiness)
1 tablespoon wheat germ
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

Yogurt Cheese
This is my new favorite treat, also known as Greek-style yogurt, made by draining off the whey in yogurt. It's thicker and creamier than regular yogurt, makes a great bagel spread, and can be used as a substitute for sour cream or cream cheese in dips, baking...whatever you want! The cheese I used for my smoothie was made with Nancy's Organic Vanilla, but it works just as well with plain or any other flavor you want.

1. Line a colander with cheesecloth or coffee filters.
2. Place it in a bowl or dish. You may want to put it on top of another bowl turned upside-down, because you'll be draining off liquid, and you don't want the contents in the colander to sit in the liquid.
3. Pour yogurt into the lined colander. Use any amount you want -- just be aware that the amount of "cheese" you're left with will be 1/3 to 1/2 less than the amount of yogurt you started with.
4. Put the whole assembly into the refrigerator to drain overnight.
5. In the morning, you'll have yogurt "cheese" and some amount of clear, pale yellow liquid that has drained off. The liquid is the whey and can be used as a substitute for water when making bread to add a little protein and smooth out the texture. (You can freeze it to use later if you're not going to use it in a day or two.) Apparently you can also make your own ricotta cheese with it, but that seems like more trouble than it's worth.
   

Apple Puff Pancake

I don't especially like breakfast food -- except at night. And in the winter, pancakes and omelets for supper warm the soul. This is a simple recipe my parents picked up years ago at an inn somewhere in the California Gold Country. Put a little vanilla ice cream on top, and you could probably use it for dessert, too.

Start to finish: 35 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

*Notes: This is equally tasty with peaches, and would probably be good with any cookable fruit that you fancy. This recipe also doubles, triples, etc., well. Just be sure to use one pie pan for every 2 servings to ensure even cooking and nice puffing.

Apple Puff Pancake
1 apple, cored and sliced thinly
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
Dash of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the butter in a pie pan and melt in the oven while it's preheating. When it's melted, take the pan out and swirl the butter around to coat the sides.
3. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the butter. (You can premix them if you want to, but there's no need.) This will create a nice caramel glaze.
4. Arrange the apple slices over the butter. There's no special strategy to this. Just try to cover the bottom of the pan relatively evenly.
5. Mix together the milk, flour, eggs, and salt. Don't worry if it has lumps in it.
6. Pour the batter over the apples in the pan.
7. Cook for 30 minutes.
8. Take out of the oven and immediately invert onto a plate. The caramel side will be on top. Cut into slices and serve.
   

Tipsy Missionary Toast

This is a rich and tasty breakfast dish that I invented for a special occasion I can no longer recall. In my house, it's a Christmas and birthday morning treat.

Start to finish: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

Tipsy Missionary Toast
2 1-inch slices Hawaiian sweet bread
1 cup cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier (or other orange-flavored liqueur)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon butter

Sauce:
1 cup pulpy orange juice (I use 4 pulped mandarins, with the large pieces removed)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Mix cream, eggs, Grand Marnier, and vanilla.
2. Cut two 1-inch slices of Hawaiian sweet bread from the center of the loaf.
3. Place bread slices in an 8 x 8 dish. (It doesn't have to be this size. Any dish that will fit both slices without a lot of room left over will do.) Pour the cream mixture over the bread and let it sit.
4. Mix the juice or pulped mandarins, sugar, sweetened dried cranberries, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer until it thickens slightly.
5. Melt the butter in a skillet. Put the bread slices in the butter, and fry on both sides until golden brown (about 3 minutes).
6. Put one bread slice on each plate, pour orange sauce over it, and serve.