Mother's Day Breakfasts

I apologize for my absence yesterday. I've come down with a severe case of the flu. I spent all day Thursday and Friday in bed with no energy for anything, especially not cooking or eating which is so not like me. Tomorrow is Mother's Day here in the UK, and I just couldn't let it pass without presenting to you what I think would be the most fabulous breakfast ideas for Mothers day ever!(You are taking mom out for supper, right??? You better be! Every mum deserves a lovely meal out for Mother's day. Dinner always tastes better when someone else cooks it!!!)

I wasn't really ever a breakfast in bed kind of mother, although to be sure I've had to choke down lots of burnt toast and lumpy oats in my lifetime, sitting up in bed. A labor of love always tastes wonderful don't you think? I thought so!

Personally I am rather fond of a big breakfast . . . with grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, chips and beans . . . a few bits of bacon, a nice chunk of Cumberland Sausage . . . and the best scrambled eggs ever! It's not something which I indulge in very frequently . . . and it's not something you want to eat in bed . . . not really . . .

*Cheese and Chive Scrambled Eggs*

Serves 6

Fresh

chives and a good strong cheddar together with perfectly scrambled

eggs, create a hearty breakfast dish just packed with flavour.

• 12 large free range eggs
• 2 ounces whole milk
• 2 ounces cream
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
• 2 TBS butter
• 4 TBS finely chopped fresh chives
• 4 ounces of a good farmhouse strong cheddar cheese, grated
• (I use Davidstow)
• Whisk the eggs, milk, cream salt, black pepper and hot pepper sauce
• together in a large bowl. Heat the 2 TBS of butter in a large nonstick
• skillet over medium heat. Once the butter begins to foam add the eggs.
• Allow to sit for several minutes, without stirring, so that the eggs
• can begin to set on the bottom. Begin to draw a wooden spatula or spoon
• across the bottom of the skillet to form large curds. Cook, continuing
• to fold the eggs with the spoon slowly, working from the outside edges
• into the middle until the eggs are thickened but still moist. Do not
• stir constantly or you will end up with small curds, you want thick
• moist ribbons. Remove from the heat to a warm platter. Sprinkle the hot
• eggs with cheese and the chives. Serve hot with warm toast, if
• desired. (Any other breakfast ingredients are optional!)
• Of course you may be a person that is not fond of an eggy breakfast, in which case this fabulous Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake might be just the ticket! Perfect served warm from the oven along with a nice hot cup of whatever strikes your fancy!
• *Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cake*
• serves 6 to 8
• Golden brown and scrummy with lots of cinnamon flavour, a brown sugar topping and a vanilla glaze! Best served warm.
• 200g of plain flour ( a generous 2 cups)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 1 TBS sugar
• 110g of white vegetable shortening, cut into bits (1/2 cup)
• 156ml of buttermilk (2/3 cup)
• 4 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cup)
• 50g of soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup, packed)
• 50g of white sugar (1/4 cup)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• For the vanilla glaze:
• 130g of icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)
• 4 TBS heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Preheat
• the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Melt half of the butter in the
• bottom of a pie dish. Stir in the brown sugar to combine. Spread all
• over the bottom. Set aside.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, salt
• and soda into a bowl. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender,
• until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the sugar. Add the
• buttermilk all at once and stir with a fork, just until the dough comes
• together. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times.
• Pat out into a 12 by 6 inch rectangle. Spread with the remainder of the
• softened butter. Mix the white sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle
• this evenly over top. Roll up tightly from the long side. Cut into 8
• slices with a sharp knife. Place them, cut side down into the prepared
• pie dish.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and the
• brown sugar butter mixture on the bottom is bubbling up. Remove from
• the oven and tip immediately onto a serving plate.
• Whisk
• together all the ingredients for the glaze until smooth. Drizzle half
• of this over top of the whole cake, reserving the rest for serving.
• Serve warm, cut into wedges with the remainder of the glaze spooned over
• top.
• Or maybe a muffin would be more your cup of tea? These blueberry and almond muffins are a real favorite around here.
• *Warm Blueberry and Almond Muffins*
• Makes 12 medium muffins
• Quick
• and easy to prepare for a weekend breakfast or brunch. Especially
• lovely served warm with a hot drink, or cold orange juice.
• 200g of plain flour (a generous 2 cups)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice (see recipe to make your own
• in my right hand side bar)
• 50g ground almonds (generous 1/2 cup)
• 175g of sugar (1 scant cup)
• 1 medium free range eggs
• 300ml of buttermilk (1 1/4 cup)
• 50g of butter, melted (3 1/2 TBS)
• 250g of fresh blueberries (about 2 cups)
• 15g of chopped almonds to top (2 TBS)
• Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a 12 cup medium muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
• Sift
• the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into a large bowl. Whisk in
• the ground almonds and sugar. Beat together the egg, buttermilk and
• melted butter in another bowl. Stir this into the dry ingredients,
• mixing only to combine. Fold in the blueberries.
• Spoon the
• batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly amongst them.
• They should be roughly 2/3 full. Sprinkle some of the chopped almonds
• on top of each.
• I am also a real fan of donuts, and even more so when they are baked and not so fattening as the fried ones. These White Chocolate Drizzled Gingerbread Baked Donuts are some of my favourites. I do so love gingerbread don't you? Gingerbread anything makes me very happy.
• *White Chocolate Drizzled Gingerbread Baked Donuts*
• Makes 24
• Festively perfect for a holiday brunch. Nicely spiced, with a sweet
• white chocolate drizzle and sprinkled with bits of candied ginger.
• Soooo good!!
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour (150g)
• 1/4 cup packed soft light brown sugar (50g)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 TBS unsweetened Cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 cup shortening (110g)
• 1/2 cup mild molasses (125ml)
• 1 large free range egg
• 1/2 cup hot water (125ml)
• 1 bag of white chocolate chips, melted
• several chunks of candied ginger, chopped
• Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Lightly spray several
• large baked donut tins with cooking spray. You will need to use them
• more than once. I have two tins which hold six each, which I use twice,
• allowing them to cool down in between baking.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, cocoa powder, cinnamon
• and ginger. Set aside. Beat the sugar and shortening together until
• light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Stir together the hot water and
• molasses and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the dry
• ingredients, beginning and ending with dry. Spoon the batter into donut
• hole,filling them about 1/2 of the way up. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes
• until well risen and the tops spring back when lightly touched. Let
• cool in the pan for a few minutes before turning out carefully. Repeat
• as
• needed until all the batter is used, wiping the pans clean and
• re-spraying in between bakings.
• Once they are all baked, melt your chocolate chips, according to your
• package directions. Drizzle the melted chocolate over top of the
• donuts and sprinkle with chopped ginger before it sets. Allow to set
• completely before serving. Store any leftovers in a tightly covered
• container.
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until well risen and
• golden brown. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack to
• cook for several minutes before serving. Serve warm.
• These Cinnamon Roll Pancakes with their Cream Cheese Drizzle Syrup are also real favourites of mine. I love, LOVE cinnamon anything, and I don't think I am alone in that do you???
• *Cinnamon Roll Pancakes*
• Serves 4
• Not as hard as
• one might think. Definitely scrummilicious! We won't think about the
• calories. A once in a blue moon treat for sure.
• For the filling:
• 4 TBS unsalted butter, melted
• 6 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• For the pancakes:
• 100g plain flour (1 cup)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 250ml of whole milk (1 cup)
• 1 large free range egg, beaten
• 1 TBS sunflower oil
• For the Glaze/syrup:
• 1 250g package of cream cheese, softened (8 ounce pack)
• 250ml of maple syrup, warmed (1 cup)
• First
• make the filling. Whisk all of the ingredients together until smooth.
• Place them into a plastic squeeze bottle if you have one. If not, then
• you will need a heavy duty plastic food bag, small. Put it into that
• and squish it down into one corner. Cut a tiny piece off the tip. Set
• aside.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt for the
• pancakes. Beat together the milk, egg and oil. Add to the dry
• ingredients and whisk together until smooth. Set aside for about 5
• minutes.
• To make the glaze/syrup, whisk the cream cheese and maple syrup together until smooth. Set aside and keep warm.
• Spray
• a nonstick frying pan with cooking spray and heat. Pour in one eighth
• of the pancake batter. (I use a measuring beaker for this. It helps to
• make nice round pancakes.) You want your pan not to be hot. You will
• want to cook these on a low heat. Your patience will be well rewarded.
• Using the plastic bottle of filling, or the plastic bag, pipe a coil of
• the mixture onto the pancake, starting at the middle and working your
• way out. Try not to hit the outside edge. Cook until bubbles break
• across the whole surface of the pancake, and it is lightly browned,
• then carefully flip the pancake over. Cook for an additional 2 minutes,
• until lightly browned on the bottom side. Slide out of the pan onto a
• warm plate. Place in a warm oven while you cook the rest of the
• pancakes. Wipe the pan clean between each pancake and respray with
• cooking spray.
• Serve warm with the warmed syrup drizzled over
• top. Try not to think about the calories. Remember this is a once in a
• blue moon treat. ☺
• Of course my favourite breakfast dish of all has to be my own homemade granola. I love it served with a nice dollop of plain Green Yoghurt and a drizzle of honey . . . it does down a real treat!
• *Chunky Chewy Fruit and Nut Granola*
• makes about 16 servings (1/2 cup each)
• Granola
• is one of my favourite breakfast cereals. It doesn't always to be
• high in fat to be good. This recipe uses very little fat, only 2 TBS
• of coconut oil, but it still tastes delicious. I love all of the
• nuttiness and like to use a mixture of dried fruits to give it some
• added sweetness, texture and flavour. I love to serve this with fresh
• fruit and yoghurt.
• 250g of old fashioned rolled oats (3 cups)
• 85g of whole, raw almonds (1/2 cup)
• 2 large handfuls of raw pumpkin seeds (1/2 cup)
• 60g of coarsely chopped pecans
• 40g of shredded coconut (1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 100g of light brown muscovado sugar (1/2 cup packed)
• 60ml of liquid honey (1/4 cup)
• 60ml of mild molasses (1/4 cup, not black strap)
• 60ml of hot water (1/4 cup)
• 2 TBS melted coconut oil (or sunflower oil)
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 200g
• of assorted dried fruits (about 1 1/2 cups, dried cherries, sultanas,
• chopped apricots, chopped dates, sultanas, dried sweetened cranberries,
• etc.it's your choice)
• Preheat the oven to 165*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Oil a large rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.
• Measure
• the oats, nuts, seeds, coconut and cinnamon into a large bowl.
• Measure the sugar, honey, molasses, hot water, coconut oil and sea salt
• into a heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until
• the sugar is melted. Bring to the boil and then pour this mixture
• over the oat mixture in the bowl. Toss together to coat all of the
• oats and nuts with the mixture. Spread out into a single layer on the
• baking sheet.
• Roast in the heated oven for about 40 minutes,
• until golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven
• and stir in your fruit. Return to the oven and roast for a further 10
• minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Store in an airtight
• container for up to two weeks.
• And of course if you are feeling really decadent . . . there's always this. Its a real pleaser . . . truly.
• *Pain Perdu (French Toast) with Cream Cheese and Blueberry Syrups*
• Serves 4
• Dangerously delicious stuff. With this kind of food being served at home, why would anyone ever want to go out??
• For the French Toast:
• 8 large slices of a hearty french bread
• 375ml of whole milk, warmed (1 1/2 cups)
• 3 large free range egg yolks
• 3 TBS light muscovado sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 TBS butter melted (plus more for cooking)
• pinch of table salt
• 1 TBS vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• Cream Cheese Syrup:
• 250g package of light cream cheese (I8 ounce package)
• 250ml of pure maple syrup (1 cup)
• For the Blueberry Syrup:
• 250g of wild blueberry preserves (jam)
• 4 TBS of liquid honey
• icing sugar or vanilla bean dusting sugar to serve (optional)
• Preheat your oven to 150*C/300*F/ gas mark 3. Place a rack onto a

baking tray. Lay the bread onto the rack and then bake the bread

slices in the heated oven for about 15 minutes, flipping them over

halfway through the baking time, until amost dried through. Let cool

before proceeding. Remove the rack from the baking tray and put the

oven tray back in the oven. Leave the oven on.

Beat together

the milk, egg yolks, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, salt, vanilla and

lemon extract. Blend well and then pour this into a 13 by 9 inch pan.

Add half of the dried bread slices in one layer. Allow to soak for

about half a minute, then carefully flip over and allow the other side

to soak up some of the mixture. Remove, allowing any excess egg

mixture to drip off, to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining

four slices.

Heat a knob of butter in a large nonstick frying

pan until it begins to foam, over medium low heat. Add half of the

bread slices. Cook until golden brown on one side, some 3 to 4 m

inutes, flip over and brown the other side. Remove to the baking

sheet in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining pieces of

bread.

To make the cream cheese syrup, whisk together the cream cheese and maple syrup until smooth. Place in a jug for pouring.

To

make the blueberry syrup whisk together the jam and the honey. Heat

in the microwave for about 30 seconds and whisk again. Put into a jug

for serving and keep warm.

Place two slices of cooked french

toast on each of 4 heated plates. Dust with the vanilla bean sugar, or

icing sugar (if using) and then drizzle with some of each of the cream

cheese and blueberry syrups. Pass any remainder at the table for

people to add their own.

Serve with crisp bacon and or maple

syrup fried eggs. (To fry eggs in maple syrup, drop about 2 TBS of

maple syrup into a nonstick skillet along with 2 TBS of butter. Let

the butter melt and whisk together to combine. When it just begins to

bubble drop in the eggs and cook until they are as done as you prefer,

turning or not, again as you prefer.)

I am rather fond of cinnamon anything though . . . and these tasty cinnamon butter buns are easy enough that the kiddos can help Dad make them, which is the whole purpose of Mother's Day Breakfast.

*Cinnamon Butter Buns*

Makes 6

Quick, easy and oh so scrummy. The perfect weekend morning cinnamon fix!

1 tin of refrigerated croissant rolls (I used the Jus Rol ones, with six in the pack)

softened unsalted butter for spreading

100g of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)

3 heaped teaspoons of ground cinnamon

To glaze:

130g of sifted icing sugar (1 cup)

milk

few drops vanilla

Preheat your oven to 190*c/375*F/ gas mark 4. Butter six muffin cups well. Set aside.

Unroll

your croissant rolls. Divide into 3 segments, pressing the diagonals

together in the middle to seal. Spread with the softened butter to

cover. Stir together the brown sugar and the ground cinnamon. Sprinkle

1/3 of this mixture over each rectangle, covering completely and

pressing to adhere. Roll up the diagonals from the long side, tightly.

Cut each into 6 equal pieces with a sharp knife. Place one each of

three into each buttered muffin cup, with the cut sides down.

Place

into the heated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until nicely risen

and browned. Turn out onto a wire rack. Allow to cool slightly.

Whisk together the icing sugar, a few drops of vanilla and enough milk

to give you a drizzable icing. (about 1 TBS) Drizzle this over the

top sides of the still warm buns. Serve immediately to your lucky

family along with some hot drinking chocolate or cafe au lait!!

Scrummo!

With any luck I will be back tomorrow with something new for you to drool over . . . here's hoping! Just the fact that I was able to sit up long enough to do this post says a lot for how much better I am feeling! Keep your fingers crossed!