Easy Breakfast Burritos

I am a total breakfast person. I could eat bacon every day. I've never turned down an omelette. Waffles, pancakes, crepes? Yes please! And don't even ask me about my all-time favorite, eggs Benedict... just bring me a plate and I'll be your best friend for life.

But I'll also eat just about anything wrapped in a tortilla.

Especially if it includes crispy bacon, crunchy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside potatoes, and fluffy scrambled eggs. (Oh, and cheese... can't forget about the cheese.) What's not to love?

These burritos are (yet another) knock off of a restaurant favorite, this time from Dane's hometown of Kimberly, Idaho. Burritos so good that we always have to make a trip to Fiesta Ole whenever we go to visit. And they couldn't be simpler! And the best part is that this is totally just a base recipe. You could, for instance, use frozen tater tots like Fiesta does, or you could add salsa, cilantro, scallions, olives... the possibilities are endless! Make 'em yours, any way you want... just make 'em! Your tastebuds will thank me.

Vanilla-Pear Muffins

It's no secret that my husband is a bit of a picky eater. The list of things he refuses to eat is quite extensive, although it is shrinking these days, thanks to careful disguising of certain ingredients (ahem, like squash) and a general force-feeding of things I think he ought to just get over and eat. This boy will learn to have a well-rounded palate if it's the last thing I do! But despite some of the hiding and even arguing I have to do to get him to eat anything outside his comfort zone, one food I can always count on him eating are pears. Fruits aren't always high on his food-priority list, but rest-assured, if pears are in the house they will get eaten! So imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon this recipe for pear muffins.

Admittedly, pear muffins were not something I had ever heard of. Banana, blueberry, even apple muffins, sure... but pear? I was instantly intrigued. And within one bite, I was also instantly satisfied! These muffins are amazingly moist, and perfectly spiced... almost like a chai latte in muffin form. They're also very hearty, with robust chunks of tender pear and crunchy walnuts. Usually one muffin is just enough to take the edge off of a hungry stomach, but these guys are downright satiating! I can't wait to come home from work to one of these bad boys every day this weekend... you know, provided the picky boy doesn't eat them all first. :)

Orange-Walnut Bread

Who here loves banana bread? I sure do. But I get sick of bananas pretty fast. And citrus is soooo in season right now. Bright, juicy, spirit-lifting citrus... EVERYWHERE. Aren't you loving it?

But what to do with it all? There's the usual standby of, you know, just eating it, but that gets old after a while too. And it would be such a shame to let citrus season pass without enjoying the wide range of its flavoring possibilities. So why not make some tasty bread with all that lovely orange goodness?

Like this bread. It's super tasty! Like banana bread kicked up a notch... except, you know, minus the bananas. Soft and dense with a subtle sweetness, a slight crunch from the earthy walnuts, and beautiful orange-y notes that sing, "Good morning, sunshine!" It's the perfect complement to your morning cup of coffee or glass of milk... a seriously sweet way to start your day. And it's seriously too good to pass up this citrus season. Trust me!

Baked Eggs Florentine

It seems like we don't eat a whole lot of breakfast these days, which is a total shame because I miss our Sunday morning bacon. But by the time I get home after a night of work I'm usually in the mood for something small and sweet, and lately we've taken to sleeping in 'til 11 on my days off which is, of course, lunch time. But my sister is staying with us this week, and she is a total morning person. Like an up-at-7-am every. single. day. morning person. So even though it's been a tough adjustment, I've taken the opportunity to get back into my breakfast-making routine and to try some new things that have been on my to-make list for a while.

Baked eggs is a concept that I've seen floating around the net for a while, but have never tried until now. And now that I've tried it I have to ask... why did I wait so long? For one, it's pretty simple to throw together. It's basically a deconstructed omelette... put your other ingredients in the ramekin, crack an egg on top, and bake. And the result is outstanding! The consistency of the egg is heavenly... you get the runny yolk of a fried egg with the light, creamy white of its poached brethren. I could eat the baked egg all by itself and be happy! But the addition of smokey Canadian bacon, pungent, wilted spinach, and flavorful sharp cheddar truly take the whole experience over the top. Serve with a piece of buttered toast and a cup of hot coffee and you've got yourself the perfect morning meal.

Megan and I loved these, and I'm sure you will too! Have a great weekend, everyone!

Cranberry-Almond Muffins

I am fresh off of a four-night, 12-hour shift work binge, and I am ready to share some food! As anyone who's worked nights knows, your eating schedule is anything but normal when you're nocturnal. Do you eat breakfast at 6pm and dinner at 8am, or the other way around? And when do you eat "lunch?" It may seem dumb that something as simple as eating can be so complicated, but sadly, on night shift, it kind of is.

It's taken me some time, but I think I've finally developed an  eating pattern that works best for me. Usually, I eat a normal dinner with Dane before I leave for work, lunch is around 2am, and when I get home at 8, usually hungry but exhausted, I prefer to eat something small. Small... and usually sweet. Like a muffin. Like one of these muffins.

Now, I realize that cranberries are so last month, but seriously... this is a must-try recipe. These muffins made me wonder why I don't bake with cranberries more often, because they are so tasty! I'm a total sucker for the sweet but slightly sour effect that fruits like cranberries and blueberries give, and it lends itself wonderfully to this hearty muffin base and the crunchy almond topping. And don't tell anyone but... these muffins are actually almost good for you. Whole wheat flour, antioxidant-rich berries, healthy almonds, and only 170 calories per muffin. See? Totally resolution-friendly. So no excuse not to make 'em. :)

Pumpkin Waffles

Let's see a show of hands... how many of you are expecting a houseful of overnight guests this Thanksgiving? I'm not, but that's because I work Thanksgiving night and we live in a tiny, overly cramped apartment (which we are trying desperately to move out of!). But for those of you normal people who don't have to work on Thanksgiving and live in an inviting house that more than easily accommodates all of your things, I've got a wonderful breakfast for you, perfect for out-of-town company.

Now, if you're looking for a healthy breakfast, you should probably keep looking. These waffles are loaded with a lot of butter... and consequently, a whole lot of flavor. And I'm sure topping them with maple syrup doesn't help things either. But hey! The pumpkin is totally good for you, so that balances is out, right?

But what I'm really trying to tell you is that these waffles are DELICIOUS. Yes, totally worthy of all-caps on that one. They're a little more dense than your average waffle, and with wonderful spiced flavor they resemble slices of pumpkin bread with epic, maple-syrup-catching pockets. Topped with some toasted walnuts or pecans and served with a side of maple bacon, these waffles are sure to be crowd-pleasers. Make 'em for your super-special overnight guests... or keep 'em all to yourself. I won't judge. :)

Black Bean Huevos Rancheros

You may remember from my brief photo recap of our honeymoon that my favorite meal that week was black bean huevos rancheros from this tiny little cafe/coffee shop in McCall. It was a dish that captivated me from first bite with its wonderfully complex mix of flavors... a meal so good that our entire breakfast conversation consisted of me repeatedly groaning at how delicious my food was while Dane grumbled over his overly simple bacon and potatoes. Hey man, sometimes it pays to be adventurous!

Anyway, after we got home from our short vacation, I kept thinking about that meal. It was always there, in the back of my mind, so tempting that I found myself coming up with excuses to go back to McCall just so I could eat there for breakfast again. And then I stumbled upon that amazing black beans recipe I shared just a few days ago, in a lovely little Cuban cookbook Jan & Jerry gave us as a wedding gift. Not only was I excited to try the black beans and rice by itself, but, I'll be honest, I really couldn't wait to see if I could recreate what I now consider to be one of my favorite breakfasts of all time.

And well, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I think I did pretty gooood. Not that it was necessarily that hard, but hey, how often do we get it right on the first time? Crispy corn tortilla, creamy, savory black beans, melty tart cheese, spicy green salsa, all topped with a poached egg so light and creamy it melts like butter in your mouth... it was every bit as delicious as I remember it. So good, I just might make another big pot of black beans for next week. :)

J&J's Agave Waffles

Dane and I received a lot of gifts for our wedding... and lucky for me, most of them were kitchen-related! And while I was definitely surprised and super-excited to receive my KitchenAid stand mixer from my best friend, Sydney, and her family, one of the gifts I was most excited about was a small compilation of recipes from my grandparents, Jan and Jerry.

Jan and Jerry are food people... the kind of people who can happily spend a whole evening with a variety plate of cheese and crackers, a couple bottles of wine, and a good jazz station on the satellite radio. They're also the kind of food people who aren't afraid to play around with a recipe, so when they actually write down a recipe and stick to it, you know it's good. So you can imagine my excitement when I got a whole binder full of them! And when Jerry adamantly impressed that we must try the Agave waffles, I knew it had to be the first recipe I tried.

And true to J&J form... these were dynamite waffles. It's a pretty basic waffle recipe, true, but simple substitutions like Agave for sugar and melted butter for oil make all the difference. These waffles are sweet, but in a way that's more full-bodied than saccharine. And I really can't describe how important it is to use melted butter... just do it! The difference is incredible, I'm telling you. I'll never use oil in waffles again.

For breakfast-lovers like us, this was the perfect beginning to our J&J journey. Thanks guys!

Crepes with Berries and Ricotta

Happy 4th of July friends! Ok, well almost 4th of July... we do still have one more day after all.

But it's Sunday! And you all know how special Sundays are in our house. You totally understand why I couldn't wait until tomorrow to share this with you.

I made these crepes for Dane and I last weekend, on the first Sunday morning we'd had together in over a month. After such a long hiatus from our Sunday morning tradition, I was looking to break from the usual pancakes and bacon. Oh, don't worry, I still cooked bacon. Like seriously. I think Dane might leave me if I ever fixed Sunday morning breakfast that didn't include bacon. ...just one of the many reasons I love the guy.

But back to the crepes.

Beautiful, beautiful crepes.

Reason number one why these crepes are awesome: they're red, white, and blue. Make these for the 4th of July and double your bad-ass American score.

Reason number two: they're super easy.

And reason number three? This one's going to come as shocker... they're delicious. They're light and airy just like any other crepe you've probably had, but with a little kick of lemon. Not a ton... just enough to let you know it's there. Just enough to say, "Hi! Good morning!" And the ricotta filling is a surprising complement. Sweet, but not too sweet and fantastically fluffy. Top it off with the season's freshest, juiciest berries and a light dusting of powder sugar, and you've got yourself one great summer breakfast.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Next on the menu for my Thank-You muffin marathon were these amazing blueberry streusel muffins. I felt like I needed a good tried-and-true flavor to go with some of the more adventurous flavors I had going with the other muffins, and these guys totally fit the bill. Even though they weren't the overall favorite everyone said they enjoyed them, and one of my professors (who claims to be a blueberry muffin connoisseur) apparently spent the day trying to talk everyone else into giving him theirs.

But even if you're not a blueberry muffin expert, everyone loves a good blueberry muffin. Soft and subtly sweet with a few sour pops of juicy blueberries... no one can resist a good one. But this is no ordinary blueberry muffin recipe, friends. This is quite possibly the blueberry muffin recipe. This muffin is moist and crumbly and chock full of blueberries, with just a light hint of lemon. I won't lie... it's less like a muffin and more like an individual lemon-blueberry pound cake. And oh boy is it comforting. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk, and you just might forget about that 3 o'clock deadline.

Apple-Pecan Muffins

Alright... recipe time! First on the docket from the Thank-You Muffin marathon: apple-pecan muffins. I'll be honest, guys, this was my least favorite of all the muffins I made for my professors. Don't get me wrong, these guys are still very tasty... they just kind of look like the runt of the litter next to super stars like blueberry streusel and peanut butter chocolate chip. Made with whole-wheat flour and more applesauce than oil, these muffins definitely fit into the better-for-you category too, which is part of why I chose to include them. The little chunks of apple together with the pecan topping add a very nice crunchy-chewy factor, and their dense texture makes these muffins the perfect mate to a small bowl of vanilla yogurt for breakfast. So if you're looking for a muffin that boasts both flavor and health, look no further. Step on up and try these this weekend!

Cinnamon Whole Wheat Pancakes

Sunday morning bacon is somewhat of a tradition in our household. Sunday mornings are often the only time that Dane and I get to spend together during the week, so I always try to make something special for breakfast when I can. I try to mix it up, with omelets and frittatas and the occasional breakfast burrito, but we both find that our favorite breakfasts usually involve bacon. I mean, what's not to love about bacon? Crispy and salty and savory, with that intoxicating odor that makes the house smell like breakfast for days... I'm pretty sure I could eat bacon at every meal for the rest of my life and not mind one bit (even though my arteries probably would).

It might be a little cliche, but pancakes and bacon seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly. These pancakes go especially well with this cheap honey maple bacon that Dane and I are particularly fond of (it's not gourmet, but it sure is yummy!). I adapted this recipe from the one I grew up eating at home, which I loved as a kid. The original is a great standard recipe all by itself - light and fluffy with just a hint of sweetness, and relatively easy on the wallet since it consists primarily of household staple ingredients. (And it's so easy, I don't know why anyone would eat the processed stuff out of a box.) But as my tastes began to mature, I found myself craving a more "grown up" pancake. And I was pleasantly surprised by what I was able to accomplish with just a few simple tweaks... whole wheat flour adds nutritional value as well as a subtle nutty texture, and a hint of cinnamon and vanilla lend a savory-sweet flavor to the pancakes that make them perfect for topping with pecans and maple syrup. Of course, they're really perfect for topping with whatever you'd like... I enjoy them topped with fresh berries during the summer, spread with peanut butter and rolled up for breakfast on the go, or even sprinkled with chocolate chips if it's an extra special morning. :)

This pancake recipe is one of my favorite breakfasts to serve to overnight guests, and it always gets rave reviews. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!