Tag Archives: Breakfast

Zucchini Cheddar Frittata

September 2, 2020

I have a hard time convincing anyone else around here to eat zucchini. (Unless it’s disguised in a baked good or this delicious cornbread.) So I didn’t have high hopes for this zucchini frittata, and was so surprised when all my kids and husband ate it without complaining! Consider it both zucchini-lover and zucchini-suspicious approved.

I think the secret to the success of this frittata is shredding the zucchini. It almost blends into the texture of the eggs and cheese. I used a sharp Cheddar and lightened it slightly by using half and half instead of cream (it was still plenty rich). This recipe is quick and flavorful and full of veggies- everything I like!

Zucchini Cheddar Frittata

INGREDIENTS

12 oz. zucchini (about 2 small zucchini)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (or green onion)
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
6 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 oz. (about 1 cup) grated sharp Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
  2. Using a food processor or box grater, grate the zucchini. Place the grated zucchini on top of several layers of paper towels or inside a kitchen towel and wring dry. If necessary, repeat 1-2 times to remove any excess moisture.
  3. In an 8 or 10-inch ovenproof, nonstick sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot (or green onion), zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the moisture evaporates and the zucchini is tender, 6-7 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream (or half and half), remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
  5. Add the cooked zucchini and grated cheese to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Pour the frittata mixture into the pan (no need to wash it), then place in the oven and bake until set, 20-23 minutes (I used a 10-inch pan and it cooked in 20 minutes). Carefully (remember the handle will be HOT!) remove the frittata from the oven and let sit several minutes before slicing to serve.

Serves 2-4.

(Adapted from Once Upon a Chef)

Mushroom and Spinach Scramble with Goat Cheese

August 11, 2020

Scrambles are a favorite easy breakfast/lunch/dinner around here. I’ve tried making omelets for five and it takes way too long and I’m much better at cooking eggs just right if they’re scrambled. So grab your largest skillet (I used a 12-inch here to fit a dozen eggs) and let’s get started. This scramble features mushrooms and spinach (also great in grilled cheese) and goat cheese. My kids fight over those goat cheese crumbles. But you can mix it up with feta or Parmesan, etc!

The secret to soft scrambled eggs is cooking them low and slow. And I prefer to cook the vegetables first, then remove them from the pan and clean it before starting the eggs. The mushrooms can turn the eggs a murky brown color if you don’t clean up a bit after cooking them. The eggs will still taste fine, but they’re less appealing. Add a bit of crushed red pepper for kick and fresh snipped chives before serving.

Mushroom and Spinach Scramble with Goat Cheese

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. button or cremini mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
3-4 cups baby spinach, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt + 1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided
1 Tbsp. butter
8-12 eggs (12 if you want more egg to veggie ratio)
2 Tbsp. milk
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese (or feta, Boursin, or Parmesan would all be great options)
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
fresh chives, chopped

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and half of the salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil in large non-stick skillet set over medium heat; cook mushrooms, garlic, pepper flakes, and remaining salt and pepper for 6 to 8 minutes or until mushrooms are golden and tender. Stir in spinach; cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until spinach is wilted.
  3. Remove the skillet from the heat and remove the vegetables from the skillet to a plate or bowl. Drain any extra liquid from the spinach-mushroom mixture and wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel.
  4. Add the butter to the skillet and return it to medium-low heat. Add the eggs, and as they begin to set gently move the spatula across bottom and side of skillet to form large, soft curds. When the eggs are about halfway done cooking, add the spinach-mushroom mixture back to the skillet and continue cooking just until the eggs are thickened and no visible egg liquid remains. Sprinkle with goat cheese and chives. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if necessary, and another pinch red pepper flakes, to taste. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Adapted from Eggs

Classic French Toast

July 29, 2020

I’ve tried my share of french toast recipes and this one makes THE BEST classic french toast! (I also love buttermilk french toast… you have to give it a try sometime as well.) What makes this recipe different from others I’ve found is the addition of flour and a generous amount of sugar to the egg batter, which helps form a sweet crust when it cooks on a buttered skillet. And the vanilla and cinnamon add even more flavor.

Use the best thick-sliced bread you can find. If you live in the Seattle area my favorite bread for french toast is the Swiss Peasant loaf made by Wild Wheat Bakery in Kent. It’s sold at Whole Foods, Central Market, and some other local grocery stores here. It also makes an awesome grilled cheese.

I usually top my french toast with Vanilla Greek yogurt and a pile of fruit/berries. Or try butter and maple syrup, powdered sugar, jam, lemon curd, or go savory with bacon and a fried egg.

Classic French Toast

INGREDIENTS

4 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
8 thick slices french bread

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat griddle to 350 degrees F or or heat a skillet over medium heat. Grease well with butter.
  2. Add all ingredients, except the bread, to a blender (I used an immersion blender) or to a shallow dish and whisk well to combine. If whisking by hand, it’s okay if the flour doesn’t mix in completely smooth. (I recommend using a blender or food processor because it’ll be pretty clumpy if you whisk by hand.)
  3. Dip bread slices into the egg mixture, dredging them well on both sides, and place on hot, greased griddle or skillet.
  4. Cook for a few minutes, until the bottom of the breads starts to get golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side the same.
  5. Remove to a plate. Serve warm, with syrup and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. (Or berries and vanilla yogurt, butter and jam, etc!

Makes about 8 large slices.

Adapted from Tastes Better from Scratch

Whole Wheat Greek Yogurt Blueberry Pancakes

June 17, 2020

Can you tell we love blueberries around here? I even have a blueberry dish towel to prove it! We almost always add them to our pancakes and this recipe is a new favorite. It’s whole wheat (or half whole wheat) but still light and fluffy and sweet. It uses Greek yogurt (extra protein!), coconut oil (yum! or butter works too), maple syrup in the batter and more on top if you want, and a dash of cinnamon.

Whole Wheat Greek Yogurt Blueberry Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups white whole wheat flour (or half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I usually use 2% Fage, nonfat or full-fat are fine0
1 1/4 cups milk 
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or another sweetener such as honey or brown sugar)
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil (or butter)
1 3/4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

DIRECTIONS

  1. If using coconut oil (or butter), microwave it until melted. Set aside to slightly cool. You absolutely do not want it piping hot.
  2. In a large bowl, toss the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together until combined. Set aside.
  3. In another large bowl, whisk the yogurt, milk, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Whisk in the oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently whisk to combine the ingredients. The batter is thick and a few lumps may remain. Very very gently, fold in the blueberries using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Especially if you are using frozen blueberries, you want to use a light hand when mixing because they will bleed some juices and therefore, some color. (Or reserve the frozen blueberries for sprinkling on top of each pancake so they don’t turn the batter blue.)
  4. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Coat generously with nonstick cooking spray (or butter). Once hot, drop about 1/4 cup of batter on the griddle. Cook until the edges look dry and bubbles begin to form on the sides, about 1 minute. Flip and cook on the other side until cooked through, about 2 more minutes. Coat griddle/skillet again with cooking spray (or butter) for each pancake or batch of pancakes.
  5. You can keep pancakes warm in a preheated 200F degree oven until all pancakes are cooked. Serve pancakes immediately with toppings of choice.

Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Blueberry Dutch Baby (Puff Pancake)

June 5, 2020

We’ve been making this sweet blueberry Dutch baby on repeat the last few months. Since it’s not blueberry season in Washington yet (it’s coming… and it’s my favorite time of the year here!), I’ve also used frozen blueberries- the tiny wild ones are the best. We usually top our puff pancakes with Ellenos Greek Yogurt. Ellenos is another one of my favorite things about living near Seattle- it’s the most amazing Greek yogurt you’ll ever taste! It’s comes in so many flavors, but vanilla, lemon, Marionberry, and honey are all great choices here. They’ve started selling select flavors at some stores nationwide- hooray!- and when you’re visiting Pike Place Market you must stop and experience it yourself (the crumbles can’t be missed)!

This blueberry dutch baby can also be served with maple syrup, powdered sugar, a squeeze of lemon, fruit, jam, whipped cream, or even ice cream! It’s best made in a cast iron skillet but if you don’t have one, use a 9×13 baking dish (preheat in the oven to melt the butter as directed, being careful to not touch the hot pan as you’re pouring the batter in). The pancake will deflate once it’s removed from the oven but keep its crisp edges and ruffled center.

Blueberry Dutch Baby (Puff Pancake)

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp. maple syrup (or light brown sugar)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, sliced
3/4 cup blueberries (I’ve used both fresh blueberries and wild frozen blueberries)
powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a bowl whisk together the whole milk, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Add the flour and salt and whisk in until there is no dry flour. Set aside.
  2. Heat the oven to 425 F. Place a 12 inch cast iron skillet in the oven as it heats.
    Add the butter and blueberries to the skillet and put it back in the oven for 1-2 minutes, or until the butter is fully melted. Swirl the skillet to make sure the whole bottom is coated with butter.
  3. Pour the batter into the skillet and give it a stir to distribute the berries.
  4. Bake the Dutch baby for about 15 minutes, until it has puffed, the edges are golden, and the center is set.
  5. Remove from the oven and dust with powdered sugar (optional). Other toppings can include blueberry (or other) jam, whipped cream, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, even ice cream!

Makes 1 large (12 inch round) puff pancake.

Adapted from Just a Little Bit of Bacon