Delicious Beginnings
Make-ahead favorites for mornings
I’m a firm believer in breakfast. Sometimes it’s leisurely and lingering; other mornings, it’s speedy and out the door. If you’re looking for a quick morning meal, I have a couple of ideas. Both recipes take a little time to prepare, but once they’re made, they can be tucked into the refrigerator or freezer and grabbed on the go.
You can thank Starbucks for the inspiration behind this first idea. Since we were gifted an air fryer at Christmas, it’s become one of my go-to appliances, helping with all sorts of mealtime tasks. It plays an especially important role in making these Egg Bites — one of my favorite quick breakfast ideas.
And for a little zhuzh at a more leisurely breakfast, I turn to Jason Marble of The Marble Table and Marble Coffee Co. for his Granola with Berries and Vanilla Crème Anglaise.
I hope these two breakfast inspirations make their way to your breakfast table sometime soon.
Enjoy!
Granola with Berries and Vanilla Creme Anglaise
~Recipe from Jason Marble, Marble Table and Marble Coffee
Macerated Berries
· 1 lb. strawberries, tops removed and quartered
· 6 oz blueberries
· 6 oz raspberries
· ¼ c. vanilla sugar
Toss the berries with the vanilla sugar, cover and refrigerate 1 hour
VANILLA SUGAR
· 3 c. granulated sugar
· 2 vanilla beans
Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Place the sugar in a bowl and add vanilla seeds and the seed pods. Mix well to fully incorporate the seeds in the sugar. Store in an airtight container.
Vanilla Creme Anglaise, approximately 4 servings
1 c. whole milk
10 t. sugar
3 to 4 yolks from a large egg
2 t. vanilla extract
1 t. vanilla powder or 1. T. vanilla paste
Whisk together sugar, egg yolks and vanilla together until fluffy. Bring milk to a simmer. Tempur yolks by adding a small amount of the warm milk. Add the tempered yolk mixture into the simmered milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture reaches 180 degrees. Cool.
Granola
· 4 c. rolled oats
· 1/3 c. brown sugar
· ¼ c. honey
· 2 t. cinnamon
· 2 oz butter
Combine all the ingredients but the oats in a saucepan and stir frequently until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Place oats in a large bowl and add the sugar mixture. Stir to evenly coat the oats. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread the oat mixture over the sheet pan and bake in preheated 325-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Break up and place in an airtight container. Store at room temperature.
To Serve
Spoon or layer the berries over the granola on a serving plate or shallow bowl. Pour the slightly warm crème anglaise over the berries and granola. For a thinner layer, pour the crème anglaise around the edges of the berries and granola. Enjoy.
Egg Bites
· 6 large eggs
· 4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
· 1¼ c. cottage cheese
· 1¼ c. shredded cheese (Chedder, Gruyere for a blend of cheeses)
· 1 T. cornstarch
· ¼ c. sliced green onions
· Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
· ½ t. hot sauce (optional)
Spray a nonstick 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, cheese, green onion, cornstarch, salt and pepper and optional hot sauce. Blend or process until completely smooth.
Fill the prepared muffin pan, filling each about three-quarters full. Divide the bacon bits evenly over the egg bites, using the tip of a spoon to press some of the bacon into the egg filling.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Tops should be golden brown. Some of the bites might puff up but will deflate as they cool.
The bites can be served warm from the oven.
NOTE: I like to freeze them in an airtight container and reheat in the microwave or the air fryer. In an air fryer, preheat to 350 degrees and cook for roughly 8 minutes. In a microwave cook at 50% power for roughly one minute.
