Breakfast: It's not just for mornings anymore!

When I was growing up breakfast at home usually consisted of some sort of cereal, cream of wheat, or rice with milk, sugar, cinnamon and butter, my favorite. Rarely did we have a "sugary" cereal, but mom would let us get something on the sweeter side now and then. We also had a favorite breakfast place, when we went out, called the Cutten Inn. Anytime we went out I ordered the same thing every time. Diced ham and eggs (scrambled, the childhood standard) with sourdough toast. And the cinnamon rolls. Oh, those huge, warm, buttery, gooey beautiful cinnamon rolls, with a whipped-cream topped cup of hot cocoa on the side, were the most perfect breakfast a girl could ask for. None could rival those rolls, except, of course, for my mama's.

Some of my most cherished memories of breakfast time are Christmas morning with a tradition of the aforementioned cinnamon rolls, with a mildly-orange glaze and hot chocolate around the glowing warmth of the tree and my grandmother coming to visit and spending all day in the kitchen making fresh maple bars with the scent of fresh donuts and rich maple wafting through the house, and the best, most fun of all, breakfast-for-dinner day! We'd have waffles or french toast with homemade maple syrup all warm and sticky, with a nice tall glass of juice or ice-cold whole milk.

I must admit though, the breakfast hour was not my favorite time of day for waffles, bacon, french toast, etc. When mom would come in the door saying "Breakfast for dinner tonight!" my heart would beat a little faster, my taste buds would perk up and I was the first one in the kitchen to get things cooking! There's nothing like watching a little "Must-See TV" on a random weeknight with a belly full of fluffy butter-slathered waffles and salty, smoky bacon. Of course now, with brunch making a comeback and the enormous variety of breakfast foods, egg dishes and delicate pastries galore available at the everyday grocery, the possibilities for breakfast anytime are endless!

You may have gathered my favorite breakfast-for-dinner meal is waffles, but not just any waffles. Yes, I use a mix, but I enhance it and it's oh, so easy! Just start by making up your favorite batter, mix or homemade, and add flavorings like hazelnut or almond extract, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for a great Autumnal flavor, or even some good cocoa powder and espresso powder (the kind made for baking) to make yourself a mocha waffle batter!  You may not be a waffle-lover as I am so here are some other heartier, lower carb/higher protein options!

Try doing up the classic scrambled eggs or omelettes with fresh herbs and some nice rich cheese like a Dubliner, or even a good Bleu for some tang, maybe something little mellower for the kids who aren't ready for a strong cheese yet, like a good medium cheddar or havarti. Then there's a nice quiche or frittata, a very popular anytime dish these days! You can put just about anything you like in a frittata and it's basically a one-pan meal!  And for the less carb/calorie conscious, there's my favorite breakfast I nearly always order when we head out of the house ...Biscuits and Country gravy with 2 scrambled eggs and hash browns, but I only order this at certain restaurants because the biscuits, and the gravy must be homemade and a lot of the chain restaurants use mixes for the gravies. No thanks! Again, my mama's biscuits and gravy will always be the best, but I have found a few close seconds. Anecdote: When we lived in San Francisco it was shocking to find this meal so hard to come by, but finally after a long search we found it. In the Haight/Ashbury district there is a fabulous little hole-in-the-wall called The Pork Store (www.porkstorecafe.com, not sure if it's under the same ownership, but in any case, check out "the 49er" on the menu) where they had my perfect meal. It was a glorious day and completely lived up to my expectations.

Now, do I recommend eating something so heavy as b&g for a dinner-time meal? Well, no. I just needed to share my struggle with you all, and I thank you for listening.  I think as far as working in a nice, simple meal that can be enjoyed at any time of day, egg dishes are going to be the best bet because of the savory quality you palette is most likely used to in the evening hours. You might not want to consume a lot of syrup/nutella/powdered sugar bathed waffles or pancakes just before hitting the sheets, and it certainly wouldn't help the kids settle down to have all the sweet just before tucking-in time.

Another wonderful reason to give this whole idea of opposite meal time a try is because almost everyone can make at least one thing for breakfast which means the kids, mom, dad, anyone can lend a hand and make it their very own meal to share with the family! My husband is very open to learning how I prepare a lot of our meals, but is pretty good with breakfast on his own, and one dish in particular. Here's the super-simple recipe for....

Christian's Eggs and Toast Chips!
(This is the recipe for 1 serving, so duplicate as much as you need) 


In a buttered fry pan, fry 2 eggs gently (more of a sunny-sie-up, technically) to keep the yolks runny and in tact, seasoning with salt, pepper and basil, parsley or any of your favorite dried or fresh herbs. 
Meanwhile, toast lightly 2 pieces of whole-grain bread (could also be rye, sourdough or any other good, dense bread) and butter, then tear the buttered toast into "chips"(pieces about the size of a small potato chip) and put in a cereal bowl. 


Once eggs are done cooking, place them on top of the toast chips and mix them in with two table knives to make sure the yummy, runny yolks make their way to all those buttery chips. Add about a tablespoon of your favorite ketchup, mix in and enjoy! 


You can also add some cooked sausage or crispy bacon to this mix for some added flavor and texture. FYI-I omit the ketchup if adding a breakfast meat to the dish as sometimes the flavors don't mix well.

So now it's time to experiment and see what works for your family! Make it a special night where the kids can help crack and mix eggs, toast and butter the bread and of course, make sure to get those veggies in there by mixing some fresh spinach and mushrooms into you eggs, having a nice appetizer of fresh fruit while the meal is being prepared or making smoothie shots to go along with your breakfast-for-dinner adventure! Just think, everyone can "dress" for dinner by getting in their jammies, and then after your wonderful dinner you can finish off with some family game time or pop a family-favorite in the DVD player and get everyone on the couch to watch together!

Whatever you decide to have for your breakfast, whether you eat it at 9am or 6pm, enjoy the making of it, homemade or from a mix, and share it with your family! After all, sharing any meals is a greta way to enjoy one another and keep up on all your family's happenings! Happy Cooking!