Mixed Berry Syrup
July 28, 2011
I did not intend to share this recipe. It seemed too simple, and maybe, just maybe, you are tired of reading about all the flats of berries my family is consuming. Oh, but then the syrup began to heat and give off the most luscious smell. By the time I was ready to ladle it in the jar, I was entertaining thoughts of bathing in this gorgeous liquid. That is when I knew I had to spread the word. The next morning I awoke and made up a batch of the best pancakes ever (my humble opinion) to showcase this delicious syrup.
And so, simple as it may be, here is the recipe for the syrup that you should by all means make. Sometimes it is the simplest of recipes that create the most delicious products. It takes a little longer to make syrup than jam. The sugar needs to heat to 230 degrees which takes time. Do not be tempted to add the strained berries before the temperature is reached. You will end up with a runny product.
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Bacon Breakfast Strata
May 6, 2011
Though brunch provides the allure of a relaxed meal to share with friends and family, casually sipping on Bloody Marys, the harsh reality is that someone has to get all the food ready to eat early in the morning. Beside being insanely delicious and versatile, stratas assemble the night before, so serving a crowd in the morning is a cinch! In our family, we routinely have overnight gatherings and I often make a strata. All the work is done the day before. Sometimes I even put the oven on delay start, so it will preheat while I sleep. When I wake up in the morning with a house full of guests, all I have to do is slide the dish into the oven and make some coffee.
You can make a strata with almost anything. The eggs and bread are standard, but the vegetables, cheese, or meat that you add are completely up to you. Bacon Breakfast Strata happens to be one of my favorite combinations. Brown off the bacon, saute the onion and mushrooms, then mix everything up with a pile of bread and cheese and pour egg and milk over the top. It is easy. The bread absorbs the egg and milk overnight and puffs up in the oven. The interior texture is light and almost creamy, while the top browns and creates a cheesy crunch. It is delightful.
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Crepes with Warm Berry Sauce and Lemon Curd
April 10, 2011
The countdown to summer has officially begun. Summertime is that special time of year when I hang my teaching hat and spend my days tickling my children, swimming, running through the hills, and of course canning the bounty of the season. So in these final weeks before summer is here, now is the time to clear out the pantry and make room for another season of dutiful and celebratory filling of jars. While some canned goods, such as jam, may be stored for longer, I always aim to eat my preserved foods within one year. Lemon curd is best eaten within 3 to 4 months, after which time the curd may darken, but still be safe to eat for one year.
There are many lovely ways to enjoy lemon curd, but not many that I feel justify me to eat it for breakfast. Thanks to the ever versatile crepe, I now feel free to indulge myself! This crepe recipe is directly from Julia Child’s The Way to Cook. They are incredibly easy to make and so good. For this special breakfast, I filled the crepes with lemon curd and topped them with a warm berry sauce made from frozen berries. The tangy lemon, sweet berry, and buttery crepe make for a beautiful and tasty treat. It is just the thing for a special weekend breakfast or brunch.
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Eggs in a Basket of Greens
March 27, 2011
Spring is officially here! Despite the heavy rains of late, there are signs of renewal all around. At our tiny homestead, the fruit trees are blooming, the shrubs sending forth new growth, and the chickens are beginning to really pump out the eggs. Our five chickens lay almost year round, with a solid month break around the winter solstice. Now they are back to laying enough that we can count several egg meals a week.
What better way to welcome spring than to enjoy a pure egg, the ancient symbol of renewal, atop a bed of fresh spring greens? These two signatures of spring work together beautifully to make a special breakfast or a light dinner. Saute the greens and mushrooms with a little onion and garlic, then crack the eggs right into a depression in the greens mixture. The egg will set and hold the greens together to form an attractive little basket. The dish is beautiful to present, incredibly nutritious, and very tasty. Serve with home fries or toast.
Eggs in a Basket of Greens
serves 4
4 eggs
1/4 cup onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
4 cups chard (or other green), washed
1 Tablespoon butter
Lay the chard leaves flat, cut out the stem. Stack the leaves neatly and roll lengthwise into a neat bundle. Thinly slice the bundle to create thin strips of chard (This is important because the long strips get a bit tangled in the pan and contribute to the basket effect).
In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add onion, garlic, and mushroom. Saute 3-5 minutes until softened. Add chard and season with salt. Cover pan and cook for 5-10 minutes until greens have wilted and begun to soften. Stir mixture to evenly distribute all the ingredients.
Make depressions in the greens mixture for each of the eggs. Crack eggs into the pan, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until egg white it set, but yolk is still runny (approximately 10 minutes). Scoop one “egg basket” on each plate and serve with toast or potatoes.
Here is a printer friendly version of the recipe: Eggs in a Basket of Greens
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Good Morning Yeasted Waffles
January 22, 2011
Breakfast is a highlight in our house. We love it. Eggs a million ways, pancakes galore, beans, granola, you name it. For some reason though, I always get stuck when I try to make waffles. The idea of them is so good, but my product tends to leave me unsatisfied. My husband makes a mean waffle, but even when I try his recipe, it doesn’t quite work to my liking. So the other night, I was blown away when I had my first yeasted waffle at a friend’s gathering. Sure, it looked like other waffles I’d tried in the past, but the taste was uniquely different. This may well be my new favorite waffle. Read the rest of this entry »
My Pantry Shelf 
