Category: Breakfast

Puree Powered Muffins: Healthy Breakfast On The Go

Posted on by M.

Tired of those jars of baby food, applesauce pouches, or leftover smoothie staring at you in the fridge? Me too. Meet your new secret weapon: Purée Powered Muffins.

My kid has gone through various phases, some of which involved applesauce pouches, most of which never required jars of vegetable or fruit baby food. Nonetheless, I owned plenty of unexpired baby food that had always been met with complete refusal. I also have many pouches of applesauce from when he suddenly stopped eating it halfway through the club-sized box but after consuming several regular sized boxes. That’s always how it goes, isn’t it? “Oh, you love this and we have to buy more every 2 days?! Great, I’ll just grab the big box!” Two days later, “Oh…we’re over it now. Ok. Now what…?”

Don’t worry, I found the answer.

purée powered muffins with the paper liner fanned out on a white plate

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Sensory-Friendly: No cinnamon or other spices, just a gently sweet, neutral flavor.
  • The Ultimate “Clean-Up” Recipe: Use up leftover applesauce, baby food jars, sweet potato purée, or even leftover smoothie!
  • Wholesome & Adaptable: Made with part whole wheat flour and reduced sugar.
  • Quick & Easy: From bowl to oven in about 5 minutes.

A Covert Muffin Journey

I don’t know about you, but even before I had a child, I was always on the lookout for that perfect one-size-fits-all muffin. You know, the one you can dump blueberries in or throw streusel on top of. The one that can pass as a cupcake but also delivers a hearty breakfast. The holy grail of muffins. Ok, maybe that last one is a bit over the top.

The fact is, while I’ve had my master muffin recipes and hearty oatmeal muffins and even delicious blueberry cupcake style muffins, I still had never found the not-too-sweet, cupcake-textured, breakfast-solving miracle muffin. Until now.

Strictly speaking, I don’t suppose it is a miracle muffin, but it is the best muffin I have personally ever had. I couldn’t decide if it was a healthy breakfast or a birthday party treat. (By the way, it can be both…I made an actual vanilla cupcake recipe based on these muffins too!)

The Keys to Purée Powered Muffins Success

There are some very important elements to this recipe.

  • It has a high liquid content, but does not collapse while baking.
  • The sour cream adds to the richness of flavor while also contributing to the tender texture of the crumb.
  • The sugar content is not as high as it was originally. Sugar does help retain moisture and tenderize as well as sweeten, but I have reduced it enough to please the palate without compromising the chemistry.
  • The salt is slightly increased because this works together with the sugar to enhance all the flavors without needing more sugar. It creates a more balanced flavor.
  • The applesauce can be substituted for almost any puree. I have tested this with applesauce blends containing spinach, strawberry and more. I’ve tried butternut squash baby food and banana smoothies. So far, every combination is a winner. For us, the flavor of the purée is supposed to be hidden-all that matters is the fiber and nutrition being derived. If I can use squash in these muffins and my kid doesn’t notice the change, that’s a win! He has a very discerning palate and will refuse the slightest modification from the expected flavor or texture.

A Kid-Friendly Kitchen Adventure

This recipe isn’t just about making a snack; it’s a fantastic way to get little ones involved in the kitchen. Here’s why it’s a great activity for kids and a win for parents:

  • Perfect for Little Hands: The simple steps of pouring, scooping, and stirring are excellent for building fine motor skills and confidence.
  • A Sensory-Friendly Win: The neutral, spice-free flavor and familiar texture make these muffins a reliable choice for picky or spice-sensitive eaters. You can feel good about serving a snack that’s both nutritious and appealing.
  • Reduce Food Waste Together: Invite your kids to choose which purée to use. It’s a practical lesson in reducing food waste by giving leftover baby food, overripe fruit, or smoothie remnants a delicious second life.

Let’s Make Purée Powered Muffins

This is a straightforward, one-bowl recipe. The most important thing is not to overmix the batter!

freshly baked muffins in a pan on a towel against blue tiled table background

Purée Powered Muffins

Yield: 16
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/3 c. sugar
  • 1/3 c. brown sugar
  • 1 t. baking soda
  • 1 t. baking powder
  • 3/4 t. salt
  • 1/2 c. sour cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 t. vanilla
  • 1 1/2 c. applesauce or other fruit/veggie puree
  • 1/2 c. oil
  • 1 c. whole wheat flour
  • 1 c. all purpose flour

Instructions

    1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
    2. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well.
    3. In a large bowl, combine the oil and sugars and mix well.
    4. Whisk in the sour cream, eggs, vanilla and puree.
    5. Whisk the dry ingredients together, ensuring there are no lumps.
    6. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and whisk just until combined.
    7. Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
    8. Bake for 20-30 minutes minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
    9. Cool muffins completely on wire racks.
    10. Store in an airtight container or baggie.
    11. These last up to 3 days at room temperature or 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • I found that these muffins are excellent for using up fruit purees, jars of vegetable or fruit baby food and even left over smoothie.
  • I haven't yet attempted to substitute the sour cream for yogurt, but given my past experiences, I would say that a plain greek yogurt would work just fine here as well.
  • Alternatively, I save time (and dishes) by sifting (to make sure there are no lumps) my baking powder, salt and baking soda directly into the egg mixture and whisking them in before adding the flours at the very end. This eliminates the need for a second bowl to combine the dry ingredients.

© A Kitchen of Herbs
Category: Breakfast

Notes & Adaptations

  • Purée Ideas: The star of the show! Don’t limit yourself to applesauce. Sweet potato, pumpkin, squash, pear, peach, or mango purée all work beautifully. Even a thick, drinkable smoothie can be used!
  • Sour Cream Substitute: As I suspected and have since confirmed, plain Greek yogurt is a perfect 1:1 substitute for the sour cream.
  • Storage: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days, or freeze them for longer storage. They are perfect for grabbing straight from the freezer and thawing in a lunchbox.

A Final Thought

This recipe for Purée Powered Muffins is a template for a stress-free, healthy-ish snack. It’s forgiving, flexible and designed to make your life a little easier. I hope these muffins become a trusted staple in your kitchen, just like they are in mine.

Enjoy!

Bubba’s Favorite Pancakes: A Comforting Recipe for Kids

Posted on by M.

Bubba’s Favorite Pancakes: A favorite for Sensory Sensitivities

You might be trying to cram as much nutrition into a single pancake as possible, like I am. If so, this recipe is for you. There are still many things I can tweak and add. For now, this is the working version of the recipe we use all the time. Bubba’s Favorite Pancakes are a variation of my original pancake recipe, just with lots of added (ground up) seeds. One of these days we’ll turn into birds and fly away! The addition of flax seeds alone into his diet has finally resulted in consistent ‘regularity’ of stomach functions. This has been a trial for the poor child since the day he was born. One day I’ll write a book called ‘Motherhood: The Unmentionable Realities’. For now, I’ll just share the recipes that are getting me through said realities. 😉

Bubba's Favorite Pancakes

Bubba's Favorite Pancakes

Yield: 8 pancakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

This recipe was originally an adaptation of Mom's Pancakes, but has become so different that I think it deserves its own card. I've packed this recipe with as many ground seeds and whole grains as he will tolerate. Since textures are a big deal for him, this is a way we have found to incorporate nutrition that 'looks and tastes' like regular pancakes.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c. all purpose flour
  • 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
  • 2 T. ground flax seeds, optional
  • 2 T. ground pumpkin seeds, optional
  • 2 T. oatmeal, optional
  • 1 1/2 t. baking powder
  • 1/4 t. baking soda
  • 1/2 t. salt
  • 2 T. sugar, optional
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1/4 c. oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 t. distilled vinegar

Instructions

  1. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. Heat milk in saucepan or microwave just until it is nice and warm (the microwave for me is about 30 seconds - 1 minute.
  3. Add oil, vinegar and egg to heated milk and whisk to combine.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry mix and whisk well.
  5. Give it a nice 30 second mixing to help ensure they aren't too delicate.
  6. Heat seasoned iron skillet over medium-high heat.
  7. To ensure the first pancake doesn't stick, you can melt a little butter in the pan if you like.
  8. Using a 1/4 cup measure, pour batter into heated skillet.
  9. When bubbles have appeared and popped around the edge, flip pancake.
  10. Cook just a few more seconds, until bottom is lightly browned.
  11. Serve!
  12. Store leftovers in airtight container or bag in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Notes

    • If you need to grind any seeds up, I recommend a coffee grinder. I do try to buy mine already ground when I can.
    • The all purpose flour is necessary to develop a little bit of gluten and keep them from falling apart too easily, since disintegrating pancakes are meltdown occasions at our house.
    • The pumpkin seeds I happen to use are also sprouted and organic, since they come from Costco. I'm sure you can use whatever you please.
    • Oats are one texture he seems ok with - if you aren't, you can grind this or omit it entirely.
    • I find adding a little sugar helps keep them moist, but it's up to you.
    • We like to eat these with peanut butter and honey.
    • I like to make this up in bulk (x4) as a dry mix and then just whisk up the wet ingredients and add 1 1/4 c. dry mix.
    • You may also substitute some or all of the oil with apple sauce, if you like! I've found it's a great way to use up apple sauce packets while they are in a non-preferred food phase.

© A Kitchen of Herbs
Category: Breakfast

Sweet Rolls for the Whole Family

Posted on by M.

If you are looking for versatile sweet rolls, this is your stop.

Potato dough sweet rolls

My family turns this potato dough into a holiday potato bread extravaganza! Donut, anyone?

During the winter holidays, I usually make one giant batch and turn it into a variety of things. This year I made dinner rolls, cinnamon buns, donuts (and donut holes!) and a ‘leftover loaf’ which we will slice up to toast for breakfasts.

Potato dough sweet bread turned into glazed donuts

Potato Dough Sweet Bread

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Resting Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 5 hours

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 T. Active dry yeast
  • 1/2 c. warm water
  • 2 c. milk
  • 1 c. mashed potatoes (about 1-2 potatoes)
  • 1/2 c. butter, salted
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 c. flour
  • 2 c. flour
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 1/2 t. salt
  • 5-6 c. flour

Instructions

  1. Combine yeast and warm water; set aside.
  2. In a large saucepan, heat the milk until it starts to bubble.
  3. Remove from heat and add potatoes, butter and sugar.
  4. When butter has melted, whisk to combine.
  5. Add 1 cup of flour to cool the mixture more quickly.
  6. When you can test the heat with your finger and it does not sting, but is still warm, add the yeast mixture.
  7. Mix in the 2 cups of flour.
  8. Pour mixture into mixing bowl if you haven’t already and attach a dough hook.
  9. Add the egg and salt and mix until they are well distributed.
  10. Gradually add the remaining flour.
  11. Knead on medium speed until dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
  12. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
  13. You may need a little additional flour, but I usually don’t.
  14. Kneed for another 3-5 minutes until the dough is satiny and smooth.
  15. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
  16. Poke the dough with your finger and if the belly button stays, it is rested enough.
  17. This dough is very versatile and can be used to make dinner rolls, cinnamon buns, doughnuts and anything else you can imagine.
  18. Shape dough as desired and place on parchment lined trays or greased pans.
  19. Cover and allow to rise until not quite doubled.
  20. Bake all breads at 350* about 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.
  21. Doughnuts:
  22. The best option I’ve found is to heat shortening in a cast iron pan over medium heat.
  23. Test the oil to make sure it’s around 375* with a candy or digital thermometer.
  24. If the oil is too hot, they will be too hard without fully cooking through.
  25. If it is too cool, they will soak up too much grease by the time they are cooked.
  26. This dough is very easy to fry, though. It puffs up beautifully and cooks quickly.
  27. Fry about 3 minutes on each side, to a golden brown.
  28. Drain and cool slightly on baking trays.
  29. If glazing, do so while they are still hot.
© A Kitchen of Herbs
Category: Breakfast

Easy Farm Style Potatoes O’Brien

Posted on by M.

This page may contain affiliate links, which means I receive commissions for purchases made through those links, at no cost to you. 

I make a huge batch of these Farm Style Potatoes about twice a month and add it into our breakfasts every morning. I had the idea when I saw a bag in the frozen section called Potatoes O’Brien and I thought, well, I can make that myself!

Somehow, I never heard of this dish until now. Apparently it has a long history and is extremely popular. Legend has it that a restaurant owner back in the 1900s called Beefstew O’Brien decided to add some color to his potatoes. Now he officially gets the credit for inventing this particular combination.

Sauteed farm style potatoes, onions and bell peppers in a metal dish on a blue and white checkered table

I’m fairly certain that long before O’Brien opened his restaurant, a woman on a budget with 15 children to feed originally concocted Farm Style Potatoes. Of course, we have never heard of her, because no one recorded the momentous occasion. It was just breakfast after all, right?

Anyway, I’ll get down off my soapbox for now.

Obviously, as evidenced by the availability in the frozen section, this dish does well frozen. If you want to chop it all up and freeze it raw for cooking later, be my guest.

Personally, I chop it all up one day, cook it up the next and then we eat it every morning until its gone.

It should be noted that the potatoes can take a while to cook, so I tend to chop them very small and add a little water at times to hurry along the process. The steam helps cook them through while cooking them on medium in the skillet ensures nice crispy sides.

If you have a few bucks to spare, I highly recommend a chopper, like the “>RüK Vegetable Chopper that I have. This saves me 90% of the time I usually spend wielding sharp knives while my toddler is scaling the walls.

Sauteed farm style potatoes, onions and bell peppers in a metal dish on a blue and white checkered table

Farm Style Potatoes

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 Large Potatoes
  • 1 Bell Pepper
  • 1 Onion
  • 2 T. Italian Seasoning
  • 1 t. Himalayan Sea Salt
  • 3 T. Olive Oil

Instructions

  1. Chop potatoes, peppers and onions.
  2. Heat oil, salt and Italian seasoning in large skillet on medium high.
  3. Add potatoes and cook until soft, ‘shoveling’ them occasionally with a metal spatula to keep them from sticking.
  4. Add peppers and onions and sauté until cooked to desired tenderness or crispness.

Notes

  • This can be made ahead of time and heated up for breakfast each morning.
  • I serve this to the small one with scrambled eggs or just by itself!
  • Keeps up to 5 days in refrigerator.
  • You can add pretty much anything to this 'hash' and it will be delicious. Do you have random vegetables that need to be used up? Would you like to spice it up with some sausage or bacon?
  • This also works great as a side dish!

    • © A Kitchen of Herbs
    Category: Breakfast

    Whole Wheat Mountain Bread: The Best Loaf

    Posted on by M.

    While homemade bread is one of the things I bake the most, I had never made anything quite so delicious as the Whole Wheat Mountain Bread I recently discovered in the supermarket bakery section.

    I tried a loaf because it was on clearance and was immediately hooked. Unfortunately for us, buying bakery bread is a luxury unless it is half-price, and if anyone could make it at home, I could. So, here is the result of my experiments. I would like to give credit to Vintage Kitchen, since my version is mostly based on their recipe.

    whole wheat mountain Bread sponge fermentation

    One of the keys to the flavor in this bread is its long fermentation – in other words, this dough takes its naps seriously.

    This whole wheat mountain bread dough will need about 4.5 hours total of rest time, across all stages. There are 4 waiting periods…but believe me, it’s worth it! I like to start this bread first thing in the morning so that I can take my moments during the day to keep the process moving.

    Risen unbaked whole wheat mountain bread loaf with all bran flakes

    The dough itself is very simple and the flavor is amazing when you get done.

    Since I often have to stop what I’m doing in the kitchen anyway to tend to the small one, its actually helpful that this dough needs to rest often.

    Sliced and buttered whole wheat mountain bread on cutting board

    I usually bake one of these loaves free form on a baking sheet, but since I currently only have one sheet pan, I bake the other in a 9″ springform pan and it also turns out great.

    Make sure that the dough is completely relaxed before you form it into loaves! If you poke the dough with your finger and the ‘belly button’ stays, then it is good to go. If it bounces back at all, it needs more rest time.

    While the finished loaf has a close texture, it is light and fluffy at the same time. It is packed with flavor, nutrients and is one of my favorite ways to use bran cereal!

    Brown whole wheat mountain bread on decorative board

    Whole Wheat Mountain Bread

    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Rest Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
    Total Time: 5 hours 40 minutes

    Ingredients

    Soaking:

    • 1/4 c. yellow cornmeal
    • 1/4 c. bran cereal (flakes, buds, etc)
    • 1 T. ground flax seeds or flax meal
    • 1 T. any other desired seeds
    • 1/4 c. honey
    • 1 c. whole wheat flour
    • 3/4 c. boiling water

    Sponge:

    • 3/4 c. warm water
    • 2 t. active dry yeast
    • 1/4 c. dry milk powder
    • 1 c. whole wheat flour

    Dough:

    • 3 T. olive oil
    • 1 T. salt
    • 2 c. all purpose flour

    Dusting:

    • 1/4 c. ground bran cereal

    Instructions

    1. Combine all of the dry "soaking" ingredients.
    2. Add the boiling water, mix well and let it sit for 10 minutes.
    3. Stir in the "sponge" ingredients.
    4. Let rise until about doubled, about 30 minutes.
    5. Add "dough" ingredients and mix well.
    6. Knead with a dough hook on medium high until dough clears the sides of the bowl.
    7. Let rise 1-2 hours, until almost doubled.
    8. Divide the dough in half and form into round loaves.
    9. Dust a baking sheet with ground bran cereal (or cornmeal/semolina if you prefer) and transfer your loaves to the sheet.
    10. Let rise another 1-2 hours. Loaves will not double, but will be fully relaxed and dough should not be springy when touched.
    11. Bake at 400* for 10 minutes.
    12. Reduce oven temperature to 350* and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until nicely browned and loaves sound hollow when tapped.

    Notes

    • This bread is very versatile in terms of additions. You can add a tablespoon each of toasted sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds or anything else you please.
    • If you are fancy and happen to have bread flour, you can totally use it instead of all purpose flour.
    • In place of the ground bran flakes for dusting, you can use cornmeal, semolina or something else similar if you please. I found using un-hydrated cornmeal adds too much to the grit factor for me.
    • If you don't have dry milk powder (I always use only the yellow can of 'whole'), you can substitute one of the cups of water for milk instead. 1/4 c. of milk powder is the amount used to make 1 cup of whole milk.

    © A Kitchen of Herbs
    Category: Recipes

    Did you buy bran cereal just to make this bread and now have more than you know what to do with? Great news! I also have a delicious Bran Muffin recipe for you to try!

    Molasses Bran Muffins

    Posted on by M.

    I grew up eating these and they are still the best version of molasses bran muffins I can find! The key to the rich flavor is the hint of molasses. They are also a great way to use up sour milk!

    freshly baked molasses bran muffins in pan

    Molasses Bran Muffins

    Yield: 12 muffins
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 1 c. Sour Milk
    • 1 c. Bran Flakes
    • 1 Egg
    • 1/2 c. Brown Sugar
    • 2 t. Molasses
    • 2 1/2 T. Oil or Melted Butter
    • 1/2 t. Salt
    • 1 t. Baking Soda
    • 1/2 t. Baking Powder
    • 1 c. All Purpose Flour

    Instructions

      1. Heat milk. This helps soften the bran flakes.
      2. Add bran flakes and let set for about 2 minutes.
      3. Whisk in egg, sugar, molasses and oil.
      4. Add salt, baking soda, baking powder and flour.
      5. Mix to combine.
      6. Fill paper lined or greased muffin cups 1/2 to 2/3 full.
      7. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.
    © A Kitchen of Herbs
    Category: Breakfast

    The Amazing Power of Buttermilk: You’ll Never Go Back

    Posted on by M.

    There is something about the amazing power of buttermilk that is life-changing. When I say buttermilk, I mean the real thing.

    For the sake of those of you who just need the recipe, here it is. No need to scroll or jump to it. If you’d like to keep reading my buttermilk thesis, it’s below the recipe. 😉

    Let’s just say, if you have buttermilk or happen to have a dairy cow and just made your own fresh batch…you should try using it in this recipe. Trust me.

    I don’t know about you, but I always turn everything into a completely whole wheat version sooner or later. I have found with this recipe that it is key for the structure that you substitute no more than half of the flour for whole wheat.  It requires the gluten concentration of regular flour for at least half the amount to ensure they don’t come out deflated.

    buttermilk waffles with strawberries, butter and syrup

    Wholesome Buttermilk Waffles

    Ingredients

    • 1 t. Baking Soda
    • 2 t. Baking Powder
    • 11/2 cups All Purpose Flour
    • 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
    • 1/4 t. Salt
    • 1/2 cup Sugar
    • 2 cups Buttermilk
    • 2 Eggs
    • 2 t. Vanilla Extract
    • 1/2 cup Butter (Melted)
    • 1 Lemon (Zested)

    Instructions

    1. In a small bowl, combine all liquid ingredients, including the melted butter and zest.
    2. Using a larger bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.
    3. Add liquids to dry ingredients and whisk to combine well.
    4. Batter will be thick.
    5. Preheat waffle iron.
    6. You can use pan spray or brush butter onto the iron before the first use but I find that a little goes a long way. I skip this step myself and find the waffles have a better outside texture for me.
    7. Pour 1/3 – 1/2 c. batter per waffle section.
    8. Cook until golden brown.

    Notes

    • These are delicious as breakfast but I make up a batch and freeze some and refrigerate the rest to be eaten as a snack for my little one.
    • This recipe does very well frozen or fresh and a minute or two in a toaster crisps them up almost like they just came out of the waffle iron!

    © A Kitchen of Herbs
    Category: Breakfast

    The left over milk from making butter is just not comparable to the teaspoon of vinegar I added to regular milk. Neither is Sour Milk the same thing as Buttermilk. Yogurt is not the equivalent of Sour Cream. There’s a reason we don’t use the same names.

    cottage cheese on plates and a bowl of sour cream

    I grew up using the life hack where you add vinegar to milk to make a buttermilk substitute. It works, sort of. At the end of the day it ends up being exactly that, a substitute. In a pinch, if you have to, it is better than just using regular milk, because you do need that touch of acidity. Most recipes calling for buttermilk are relying on it to interact with a leavening agent. The difference between the substitute and the real deal is the flavor. Vegetable oil will keep your eggs from sticking to the pan, but the more flavorful option is butter.

    Just like butter is tastier than oil, buttermilk is just naturally more delicious than soured milk.

    Now that you are all rolling your eyes at me for stating the obvious and preaching on the virtues of using actual buttermilk, I will move on to the point of my post.

    Buttermilk rules.

    I have been making pancakes and waffles for decades and while they have all been delicious enough, I have been either using plain milk or simply made soured milk to substitute for buttermilk because come on, it’s the same thing and it would be fine. Yeah, it would be fine. It was…fine. But it was never more than fine.

    One day, I had bought actual buttermilk for my partner to use in something and he insisted it had to be the real thing. I rolled my eyes and brought it home. He used half of it and the rest sat in the fridge for a week while I considered it suspiciously and tried to think what I was going to do with the rest of it unless I just let it go bad. I was busy and forgot about it for 3 weeks. Surely it was spoiled now and I went to dump it down the sink, only to realize it smelled fine.

    The thing about higher fat dairy is that it always lasts longer than lower fat products.

    white graphing paper with hello may text

    Whole milk takes longer to go sour than 1%. Yes, I did the experiment. On average, whole milk lasted 8.6 days longer than its lower fat counterpart. 😉 I’m sure there is science about it and one day I will read those articles. Regardless, I now had perfectly good buttermilk and it demanded to be used, having survived so long and so patiently in the fridge.

    I resolved to make some waffles with it, because after all these years, and having tried countless recipes that called for the stuff, I had yet to actually use real buttermilk. The lack of the perfect texture of those experiments had been blamed on many things, including the waffle iron. Sir Waffle Iron, I do beg your pardon. It was not his fault at all. It wasn’t the fact that the quantity of sugar was wrong or that it didn’t have the perfect combination of leavening agents.

    It turned out, I just needed to follow the actual recipe. What a concept.

    Those waffles were the simplest recipe I’d ever found. I didn’t have to separate any eggs, there were no complicated mixing instructions and I even forgot to grease the waffle iron because the small one had been up all night and I was half insane from lack of sleep.

    The best waffles I have ever eaten, hands down.

    I even changed that recipe the next time I made it and doubled the sugar, forgot the melted butter and substituted half of the flour for whole wheat flour. I even added half a cup more buttermilk because that was all that I had left I didn’t feel like letting it die in the fridge. They still turned out amazing: crispy on the outside, chewy yet fluffy on the inside. They freeze perfectly and toast up for breakfast just like the world’s most delicious home-made Eggo. I can tell you the one thing I didn’t mess with, though.

    Don’t substitute ANYthing for the buttermilk.

    Add more if you like. Use less if you please. But whatever you do, don’t change it out for anything else.

    I am now absolutely starving for some waffles, but I am out of buttermilk and I’m not wrestling my child back into his carseat again today. I also refuse to use a substitute, so I will just have to wait until tomorrow.

    Potato Omelette

    Posted on by M.
    One of my favorite breakfasts growing up involved our version of hashbrowns. This dish takes a while to cook but it is worth the wait. I recommend it for weekend mornings when you can’t decide what to make.

    Heat 8″ skillet on medium.

    Add:

    1 – 2 T. Oil or Bacon Grease

    Grate:

    1 – 2 Potatoes

    It’s important to let the skillet and oil heat up before adding the potatoes. When adding a piece of potato makes it sizzle, it’s ready.

    Add grated potatoes to pan and cook until browned.

    Season with Salt.

    It’s tempting to turn up the pan and speed this process but I assure you, it will only result in burnt, raw potatoes.

    Flip potatoes.

    Sometimes they are perfect and flip in one piece. Some days it will look like there was a potato explosion on burner 3. It’s ok either way. Just smash it back into a flattish disk and move on with your life.
    You can let it take some time to brown on the other side before the next step, if you want.

    Scramble or simply crack on top:

    1 – 2 Egg(s)

    Season lightly with salt.

    Flip again to ensure all egg is cooked.

    It always looks like a hot mess at this point, because it’s hot and it’s a mess of potatoes and eggs with no toppings. Have no fear, cheese is near.

    Grate, shred, zest or slice on top:

    1/4 c. Cheese

    See? I told you there would be cheese. There is always cheese. Always.
    Of course you must now let the cheese melt.
    If you’re starving by now, have some more coffee. You will be able to pretend you are not hungry, with some luck.
    Now you can decide how fancy you want to be.
    Green onions are easy and pair perfectly. Have some fresh basil? That’s great too. Parsley? Not my style, but go for it.
    None of the above? Dump some hot sauce on top and call it a day. It’s one of my favorite toppings for this dish anyway.
    Voila!

    Happy Breakfasting!

    Veggie Frittata: Quick & Delicious One-Pan Breakfast

    Posted on by M.
    veggie frittata

    This veggie frittata is the perfect breakfast to use up random odds and ends in the fridge.

    That shriveling tomato…the dying peppers…that half of an onion from last week..and the salad greens that are looking suspiciously like they want to go mushy.

    Chop up whatever treasures you can find and toss them in a skillet over medium heat.

    For an 8″ skillet, I used 8 eggs.

    I was feeding a grown man, myself and my baby, Hulk Jr.

    Whisk up the eggs, pour over sautéed hodge podge.

    Cover with lid and turn heat down to low.

    Cut into quarters and flip when mostly cooked through.

    Slice or grate cheese on top and allow to melt.

    Garnish with fresh green onion and enjoy!

    Fancy Breakfast Sandwiches

    Posted on by M.

    Cook in iron skillet over medium high heat:

    4 Strips Bacon (cut smaller as shown, if you like)

    OR

    4 Sausage Patties

    (Alternately, batch bake up a sheet or two here.)

    This is where it gets fancy. Watch out!

    You can use any sort of egg ring, metal cookie cutter or something round, about the same size as whatever bread you are using and heat resistant.

    Oh yeah, choose your bread.

    In pan, heat on medium:

    1 T. Bacon Grease / Butter / Olive Oil

    Swirl the ring in the pan to make sure the insides and bottom surfaces are greased lightly.

    Break into ring:

    1 Egg

    This is the part where I realized that unless you have 4 or more of these rings, this is really a recipe for a single sandwich. So, here’s another option for ya if you have more than 1 person to feed.

    fried eggs on pan

    Fit as many eggs as you can in the pan.

    Break the yolks to ensure even cooking and to speed up the process.

    You can also just scramble the eggs before hand because you are going to cut them into pieces in a minute.

    Cover pan and cook on medium low.

    Steam is your friend. It speeds up the cooking and gives a much better texture. Also even if your pan was too hot for some reason, the steam will help cook everything before things get crispy.

    As soon as eggs in rings can hold their shape, remove the ring.

    If not using rings, use a spatula to cut eggs into portion sizes.

    Melt in pan:

    1 T. Butter

    Place bread, english muffins or biscuits face down in butter to toast.

    Flip.

    If desired, melt on egg:

    1 Slice Cheese

    Add meat of choice.

    Or don’t. It’s a free country.

    So far, at least. Kind of.

    Voila!

    I know, they sounded fancier than they look.

    They TASTE fancy, though. Or at least better than drive-thru version.

    At the very least, you can pretend you had fast food without wondering what is in your sandwich.