Tag: brunch

Breakfast · New Favorite

Sweet Potato Toasts with Eggs, Avocado & Spinach

cathysmaha1 Comment

Whoever heard of Sweet Potato Toasts? They are delicious! Making them in the toaster…brilliant! I love recipes from IowaGirlEats and this one did not disappoint. The only change I made was using Everything But the Bagel seasoning on the Sunny Side Up eggs and that was a game changer. I mentioned this recipe to a friend who suggested replacing the sautéed spinach with mushrooms…that is next on the list!

IowaGirlEats also suggests eating the sweet potato toasts with other toppings. I tried it with peanut butter and it was so good. I toasted several slices of sweet potato to use another day, storing them in the refrigerator. Heated up in the microwave, they were equally as good.

Sweet Potato Toasts with Eggs, Avocado & Spinach

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 small sweet potato, cut lengthwise into 1/4″ slices
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1 giant handful baby spinach
  • evoo, garlic salt, seasonings (I used Everything But the Bagel Seasoning)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Add a sweet potato slice to each toaster slot then toast on high for the longest duration offered by your toaster. Flip and rotate the sweet potato slices then toast again on high and for the longest duration. If the sweet potato slices aren’t tender by this point, flip and rotate once more then toast a third time (might only need half the duration as previous rounds.) Top toasted sweet potato slices with avocado mashed with a little garlic salt then set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, place a small skillet over medium-high heat then add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add baby spinach then season with garlic salt and saute until tender. Place on top of mashed avocado.
  3. Turn heat down to medium then cook eggs to your liking – sunny side up, fried, scrambled, etc. – seasoning with the seasoning of your choice (I used steak seasoning but garlic salt and pepper is just fine!) Place eggs on top of spinach then serve.

Recipe from IowaGirlEats

Breakfast · Casseroles · Garden · New Favorite · Vegetarian

Sweet Corn and Zucchini Pie

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Fresh local sweet corn, zucchini from the garden and delicious mushrooms are a wonderful combination for this savory pie. My daughters do not like mushrooms, but another vegetable (roasted peppers, additional corn, etc.) would be just as good. I have served the pie warm and cold and enjoyed them both. This pie is so versatile it could be served for brunch or a light summer supper with a salad or with juicy garden tomatoes.

Sweet Corn & Zucchini Pie

INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • half of a yellow onion, diced
  • 2 ears sweet corn
  • 2 large zucchini, sliced very thinly (about 4 cups)
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 12 ounces shredded cheese (I used both Mozzarella)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions, zucchini, and mushrooms. While the veggies saute, cut the corn kernels off the cob. Add them to the pan and continue to saute until the veggies are soft, 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat.
  2. Once the mixture has cooled for a few minutes, stir in the basil, oregano, salt, cheese, and the beaten eggs. Line a pie pan (9-inch or larger) with parchment paper or just grease a pan with nonstick spray. Transfer the mixture to the pan. Arrange the top so the zucchini slices lay flat and look nice. Top with a little extra cheese for looks, cover with greased foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to brown the top. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting into slices.

Recipe from Pinch of Yum

Breakfast · Casseroles · New Favorite

Cheesy Sausage Grits…MMMM, MMMM, Good!

cathysmaha1 Comment

Grits and Cathy did not have the opportunity to meet until about 8 years ago when I tasted a Grits Breakfast dish at a party. They actually tasted good and weren’t just a mushy, bland bowl of nothing like I expected.  Of course, what doesn’t taste good when mixed with cheese and sausage?

A few weeks ago I bought a bag of grits at Sprouts before I found a recipe for this yummy dish for my annual Mother’s Coffee/Tea. Every recipe I came across called for ‘instant grits’ not just plain old grits.  After much searching, I found this recipe. As one Southern friend told me, instant grits aren’t as good so don’t even bother!

Grits are now like a dear, old friend (at least when cheese is involved). I plan to make this again, without the sausage, as a side dish for BBQ.  MMMM, MMMM, good!

CHEESY SAUSAGE GRITS

1 cup grits (uncooked)
1 lb. breakfast sausage (bulk, if you need to use links, finely dice the cooked links)
1 cup onion (diced)
9 oz. green chiles (drained and chopped)
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
10 drops Tabasco
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • Cook the grits in 4 cups of salted water until done (follow package directions). (I whisked the grits into boiled water and it only took me about 5-10 minutes to cook the grits)
  • Saute the sausage and onions, breaking the sausage into small pieces.
  • Drain the grease from the sausage and onions.
  • Add the chilies, butter, eggs, cheese and Tabasco to the cooked grits.
  • Combine the sausage and onions with the grits mixture.
  • Pour everything into a 9″x 13″ casserole and garnish with the paprika and parsley.
  • The mixture can be refrigerated for up to two days before baking (bring to room temperature before baking to use the same bake time).
  • Bake at 325°F for one (1) hour.
  • (The recipe states that this freezes well but I didn’t have any left to freeze!)

http://www.food.com/recipe/sausage-and-grits-casserole-92343

Holidays · New Favorite

Cranberry Coffee Cake for brunch, lunch, anytime!

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Cranberry Coffee Cake is a new recipe that my sister-in-law, Donna, shared with me several weeks ago.  The Mother’s Day weekend coffee/tea was a great time to try it. The cake is so moist and the extra treat of cranberry is so good.  I chose to go without nuts this time but the glaze was a wonderful touch.

This coffee cake is wonderful anytime of year but could be a wonderful addition to your holiday go-to-recipes.

CRANBERRY COFFEE CAKE

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 can (16 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

GLAZE:

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
5 teaspoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs; mix well.
  • Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.  Add extract.
  • Spoon a third of the batter into a tube or bundt pan.  Top with a third of the cranberry sauce.
  • Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with walnuts (optional).
  • Bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted hear the center comes out clean.
  • Allow cake to cool and transfer to serving plate.
  • Optional:  Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over cake.

Family · Holidays

Mother’s Day 2013…Daughter, Mother, Grandmother, Friend

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Mother’s Day 2013 will be a weekend of celebration starting with my annual Mother’s Day Coffee/Tea on Saturday.  There will be much laughter, hugging, catching up and, of course, delicious treats.  This year our friend Barbara has designed T-shirts to celebrate our annual event.

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Sunday, our family will share a meal celebrating daughter Sarah as a Mother and now adding Grandma to my title.   We are blessed.

As I reflect on Mother’s Day, I think about my Mother who passed away in 2001.  I miss her every day.  How many times have I wished that I could pick up the phone and talk to her!

Our journey as Daughters and then Mothers (and now Grandmothers) takes many twists and turns.  I recently read this poem which reminds me of my Mother being there to support me and my own journey as a Mother.  And the journey continues with my daughters.

Love you, Mom.  Love you girls!

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Baby Evan with Grandma, Mommie and Aunt Megan

A Mother…

When you’re a child she walks before you,
To set an example.
When you’re a teenager she walks behind you
To be there should you need her.
When you’re an adult she walks beside you
So that as two friends you can enjoy life together..
Author Unknown
New Favorite

Blueberry Coffee Cake for your morning coffee!

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Fresh blueberries are coming into season and a wonderful time for a warm, Blueberry Coffee Cake.  I served this yummy cake for my annual Mother’s Day Coffee.

It’s easy to make and I LOVE the crumb topping.  Great with a hot cup of coffee or tea with family and friends.

I typically double this recipe for a larger coffee cake.

BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE

CAKE BATTER:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 butter, softened
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 1/4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

CRUMB TOPPING:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup soft butter

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse and drain the blueberries.
  • Combine 3/4 cup sugar, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl and mix well. Add 1/4 cup soft butter, egg and mix. Add 1/2 cups milk and mix well. Stir in 2 cups of flour. The batter will resemble thick pancake batter. You may have to finish mixing by hand. Add the blueberries and gently mix in.

Blueberry Cake Batter

  • Grease and flour pans (9″ square pan or two loaf pans). Pour batter into pans, about 1/2 full.
  • Mix topping. Crumble evenly on top of batter.

Blueberry Coffee Cake ready for the oven

  • Bake for 45 minutes. If not brown on the top, bake a bit longer, checking every 3 to 4 minutes. Set the coffee cake on a rack to cool and enjoy.

Yummy baked Blueberry Coffee Cake