Category Archives: Breakfast & Brunch

Maple Walnut Granola

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I realize that one can only have so many formulas for granola, and at some point you settle into a regular combination you can mindlessly mix up and bake without much in the way of measuring. This is one such recipe. It comes from our friend Aimée, who’s first cookbook focuses on seasonal eating from her urban homestead just outside Montreal.

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Since homemade granola is in constant rotation in our house, I chose hers to give a go; it’s very similar to my default granola, save for the applesauce and maple flakes (which, sadly, are not as readily available in Alberta). I had a jar of my sister’s crabapple sauce on my shelf, pink and sweet-tart, and so mixed some up, subbing sliced almonds for the sunflower seeds I had none of – that’s the great thing about granola, you can mix and match nuts and seeds and add whatever kind of dried fruit you like at the end.

Cheers Aimée! Your book is beautiful. (And so is the granola!)Continue reading→

Easy Cream Scones

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When I have cream in my fridge that’s starting to go south, I turn them into a batch of scones. Dairy products are among the most often tossed of the food we buy that goes to waste – and most of it makes a pretty fine scone. Milk, yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk – they’re all great for baking, and often interchangeable. But I love these super simple scones made with heavy cream – there’s no butter, which makes them easy to stir, pat and bake – but you’ll never miss it.

This basic scone recipe also makes a great blank canvas – try adding fresh, frozen or dried fruit, chopped chocolate, or grated orange or lemon zest.Continue reading→

Eggnog French Toast Bake with Cranberry Sauce Syrup

Eggnog French Toast Bake

Do you still have a few leftovers from a late Christmas celebration? This indulgent brunch dish is designed to use up leftover holiday eggnog and cranberry sauce. If you don’t have any eggnog left in the house, substitute with 1 1/2 cups of milk and 1/2 a cup of whipping cream (and you can always buy canned cranberry sauce if you don’t have any homemade leftover).

Eggnog French Toast Bake

½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 loaf crusty French bread, cubed
8 eggs
2 cups eggnog
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg

Spray a 9” x 13” baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Put the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and continue heating until butter is melted. Give it a good stir and pour into the bottom of the baking pan. Place the bread cubes into baking pan on top of the sugar mixture.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk until yolks are broken up. Add the eggnog, followed by the vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk until combined and pour evenly over the bread cubes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or over night.

In the morning, preheat oven to 325 degrees F and remove the baking dish from the refrigerator (take off the plastic wrap). Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle of the casserole comes out clean.

Cranberry sauce syrup

1/3 cup cranberry sauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp molasses
½ tsp orange zest

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Serves 8-10

MIDNIGHT FRENCH TOAST

What a way to end the day – and start the next! Serve with fruit or maple syrup

Midnight French Toast
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Ingredients
  1. 12 eggs 12
  2. 1⁄2 cup cream 125 mL
  3. 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract 2 mL
  4. Grated zest of 1 orange
  5. 2 tbsp orange liqueur or orange juice 30 mL
  6. 1 loaf French bread, sliced 1 inch 1
  7. (2.5 cm) thick
Instructions
  1. Mix eggs, cream, vanilla, orange zest and liqueur in 13- by 9-inch (33 by 23 cm) pan. Place sliced bread in pan, making sure slices are well coated. Cover with lid or plastic wrap. Place in fridge overnight.
  2. Next morning, place bread slices on a well-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 to 25 minutes.
  3. Serves 6.
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Treat her like a thoroughbred and you won’t end up with a nag!

SOUR CREAM GINGER BUNS

Joanne Good, Former Food Editor Of The Calgary Herald, Invented These – And We’re Glad She Did!

Sour Cream Ginger Buns
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups sifted flour 500 mL
  2. 21⁄2 tsp baking powder 12 mL
  3. 1⁄4 tsp baking soda 1 mL
  4. 3⁄4 tsp salt 3 mL
  5. 2 tbsp granulated sugar 30 mL
  6. 1⁄3 cup cold shortening 75 mL
  7. 1⁄2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger 125 mL
  8. 2⁄3 cup sour cream 150 mL
  9. 1 egg, slightly beaten 1
  10. 3 tbsp butter, melted 45 mL
Instructions
  1. Sift first five ingredients together. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ginger and mix. Make a well in the centre and pour in sour cream and egg and stir briskly with a fork just until dough holds together. Knead gently 7 or 8 times on lightly floured surface. Roll or pat to 1⁄2-inch to 3⁄4-inch (1 to 2 cm) thickness. Cut with 2-inch (5 cm) diameter cookie cutter. Arrange on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter. Bake in preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 18 buns.
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Make Morning Merry with Christmas Morning Wife Saver

Superb! Make the day before and pop in the oven in the morning. Serves 8.

Make Morning Merry with Christmas Morning Wife Saver
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Ingredients
  1. 16 slices white bread, crusts
  2. removed
  3. 16 slices Canadian back bacon or
  4. ham
  5. 16 slices sharp cheddar cheese
  6. 6 eggs
  7. 1/2 tsp. pepper 2 mL
  8. 1/2-1 tsp. dry mustard 2-5 mL
  9. 1/4 cup minced onion 60 mL
  10. 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper 60mL
  11. 1-2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 5-10 mL
  12. 3 cups milk 750 mL
  13. dash Tabasco
  14. 1/2 cup butter 125 mL
  15. Special K or crushed Corn Flakes
Instructions
  1. Set 8 pieces of bread into a 9″ x 13″ (23 x 33 cm) buttered, glass baking dish. Cover bread with slices of back bacon. Lay slices of cheddar cheese on top of bacon and then cover with remaining slices of bread to make it like a sandwich. In a bowl, beat eggs and pepper. To the egg mixture add dry mustard, onion, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, milk and Tabasco. Pour over the sandwiches, cover and let stand in fridge overnight. In morning, melt butter, pour over top. Cover with Special K or crushed Corn Flakes. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour at 350 deg.F (180 deg.C). Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Serve this with fresh fruit and hot cinnamon rolls.
  2. Book Reference – The Best of the Best – Vol. 1 (Page: 26), Enjoy! (Page: 33)
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Book Reference – The Best of the Best – Vol. 1 (Page: 26), Enjoy! (Page: 33)

Crustless Quiche

Real men love this one!

Crustless Quiche
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Ingredients
  1. Crustless Quiche
  2. Real men love this one!
  3. 10 eggs 10
  4. 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour 125 mL
  5. 1 tsp baking powder 5 mL
  6. 1⁄2 tsp salt 2 mL
  7. 1⁄4 cup butter, melted 60 mL
  8. 1 cup chopped green chiles 250 mL
  9. 1 lb Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 500 g
  10. 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese 500 mL
Instructions
  1. Butter a 13- by 9-inch (33 by 23 cm) glass dish. In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Add flour, baking powder and salt and blend well. Mix in melted butter, chiles and cheeses. Pour into buttered dish and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 350°F (180°C) and bake for 40 minutes longer. Cut into small squares. Serve warm with salsa or chili sauce and cornmeal muffins. Serves 12.
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 You can’t have everything – where would you put it?

Christmas Morning Wifesaver

Superb! Make the day before and pop in the oven in the morning. Serves 8.

 

Christmas Morning Wifesaver Superb! Make the day before and pop in the oven in the morning. Serves 8. Ingredients: 16 slices white bread, crusts removed 16 slices Canadian back bacon or ham 16 slices sharp cheddar cheese 6 eggs 1/2 tsp. pepper 2 mL 1/2-1 tsp. dry mustard 2-5 mL 1/4 cup minced onion 60 mL 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper 60mL 1-2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 5-10 mL 3 cups milk 750 mL dash Tabasco 1/2 cup butter 125 mL Special K or crushed Corn Flakes Instructions: Set 8 pieces of bread into a 9″ x 13″ (23 x 33 cm) buttered, glass baking dish. Cover bread with slices of back bacon. Lay slices of cheddar cheese on top of bacon and then cover with remaining slices of bread to make it like a sandwich. In a bowl, beat eggs and pepper. To the egg mixture add dry mustard, onion, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, milk and Tabasco. Pour over the sandwiches, cover and let stand in fridge overnight. In morning, melt butter, pour over top. Cover with Special K or crushed Corn Flakes. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour at 350 deg.F (180 deg.C). Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Serve this with fresh fruit and hot cinnamon rolls. Book Reference – The Best of the Best – Vol. 1 (Page: 26), Enjoy! (Page: 33)
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Ingredients
  1. Christmas Morning Wifesaver
  2. Superb! Make the day before and pop in the oven in the morning. Serves 8.
Ingredients
  1. 16 slices white bread, crusts
  2. removed
  3. 16 slices Canadian back bacon or
  4. ham
  5. 16 slices sharp cheddar cheese
  6. 6 eggs
  7. 1/2 tsp. pepper 2 mL
  8. 1/2-1 tsp. dry mustard 2-5 mL
  9. 1/4 cup minced onion 60 mL
  10. 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper 60mL
  11. 1-2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 5-10 mL
  12. 3 cups milk 750 mL
  13. dash Tabasco
  14. 1/2 cup butter 125 mL
  15. Special K or crushed Corn Flakes
Instructions
  1. Set 8 pieces of bread into a 9″ x 13″ (23 x 33 cm) buttered, glass baking dish. Cover bread with slices of back bacon. Lay slices of cheddar cheese on top of bacon and then cover with remaining slices of bread to make it like a sandwich. In a bowl, beat eggs and pepper. To the egg mixture add dry mustard, onion, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, milk and Tabasco. Pour over the sandwiches, cover and let stand in fridge overnight. In morning, melt butter, pour over top. Cover with Special K or crushed Corn Flakes. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour at 350 deg.F (180 deg.C). Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Serve this with fresh fruit and hot cinnamon rolls.
Notes
  1. Book Reference – The Best of the Best – Vol. 1 (Page: 26), Enjoy! (Page: 33)
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