Breakfast – Page 14 – The Pajama Chef

Granola Tips

May 13, 2013May 10, 2013 Sarah

So… I’ve been making granola a lot. Like, every other week. This recipe, to be exact. Cinnamon Applesauce Granola is the best stuff ever. I know I said this before, but it’s pretty low in sugar AND it’s very flavorful. Perfect for eating by the handful or in yogurt. But guess what? I’ve found a way to make it even crunchier AND chunkier. Because chunks of granola are the best thing ever!!!

My new secret granola weapon is… don’t stir it! The original recipe says to stir it once or twice while baking, but I’ve found lately that not stirring it at all (or just stirring it once halfway through the cooking time) is key for granola success. Not stirring makes almost a granola-bar like consistency of granola that you can then break apart on your own after it cools. Whoa! Duh. Why didn’t I realize this sooner? When you do this, you do have to let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet, otherwise it can be a little soft inside the chunks [from the applesauce]. 🙂

Chunky granola makes me so happy! [I know that sounds weird. Sorry.]

And now, for my second granola tip… you might be wondering why there are little jars of granola in front of my big tin of granola. [Some people keep a cookie jar on their counter… I keep a tin of granola.] Those, my friends, are thoroughly washed glass spice jars. Like the kind from my friend and yours, Mr. Trader Joe. These jars specifically are 2 ounces, which I have found is the perfect amount of granola for the 6 ounce cups of yogurt I buy every week at the grocery store.

If you take your breakfast or lunch with you to work or school, or just need a snack for the day, putting your granola in small glass spice jars keeps it fresh and smash-free. Sometimes when I was putting it in little plastic baggies, my granola–even the larger chunks–would get crushed by the rest of my lunch before I had the chance to eat it. This solves the problem, plus is a bit more environmentally friendly! I have quite the collection of these spice jars amassed so at the beginning of the week, I’ve started dishing up the granola for lunches for the week, ready to grab and go every night at lunch-making time. Works for me! If you don’t have a collection of glass spice jars ready now, then you can probably buy something similar at an organizing store, or just wait a few weeks until you finish a spice.

What are your granola-making tips? Recipes? I’d love to hear them below in the comments. 🙂 Have a good Monday!

Breakfast, Egg Dishes, Recipes

Sweet Potato and Kale Egg Bake

May 10, 2013May 7, 2013 Sarah

Since this week has been all about breakfast so far, why not continue the trend? For Friday, this meal is a little less sweet than the waffles and oatmeal I shared before, but less sweet does not equal less tasty. No, no, no. Sweet Potato and Kale Egg Bake is a hearty, cheesy, veggie-filled breakfast that you do NOT want to miss!

This easy egg casserole can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is just so good! I filled the classic bread-egg-milk bake with healthy kale, tangy red onions, and two kinds of potatoes! I personally thought the shredded sweet potatoes added a ton of flavor, while the roasted white potatoes [I used Russet, but use whatever you have on hand] were a great base for all the yummy veggies. Oh! And what egg bake doesn’t get better topped with a big handful of sharp cheddar cheese? This one is no exception.

We enjoyed this egg bake for dinner one night, then saved the leftovers for breakfast over the next few days. It heats up beautifully and is a great start to your day! Enjoy! 🙂

Sweet Potato and Kale Egg Bake [a TPC original]
click to print

Ingredients:

2 large Russet potatoes, cubed
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 a large red onion, diced
1/2 a bunch kale, rinsed, dried, and chopped into bite size pieces
6 eggs, beaten
2 cups skim milk
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried garlic
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces day-old bread, cubed
1 large sweet potato, shredded
heaping 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Place cubed Russet potatoes on a large baking sheet. Season with freshly ground black pepper, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast in oven for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through.

In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Then add kale and toss to coat with oil, then cover for 2-3 minutes and cook until wilted.

In a large bowl, gently stir together eggs, milk, seasonings, bread cubes, and sweet potato. Pour mixture into prepared pan, then add roasted potatoes. Top with onion and kale mixture, pressing into the eggs. Cover with shredded cheese and more pepper as desired.

Bake, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through.

Time: 75 minutes [10 minutes active].

Yield: 8-10 servings.

Breakfast, Oatmeal, Recipes

Maple Berry Overnight Oats

May 8, 2013May 6, 2013 Sarah

Now that it’s getting warmer out, I’m needing some interesting cold breakfasts. After a morning run in the heat, curling up with a hot bowl of oatmeal sounds like absolute torture! There are so many cold breakfasts that are actually good. Cereal is delicious but kinda boring, and in my opinion, things like yogurt and granola bars are only tolerable so many times before I get sick of them. They’re better for snacks or lunch, I think. Smoothies are one of my favorite breakfasts, but I just don’t want to get the blender out everyday, you know? Enter: overnight oats.

I first tried overnight oats a few years ago and felt kinda ‘meh’ about them. But recently, I decided to give them another chance. I went with the amazing flavor combination of maple berry, and let me tell you… this is pretty much the best creamy, sweet, cool breakfast ever!!

Overnight oats, like the name implies, are made the night before you want to enjoy them. Oats are mixed with milk and yogurt so they get all soft and delicious. With the addition of vanilla, cinnamon, and maple syrup, along with the sweet pop of fresh berries, they just taste SO good!! I can’t wait to experiment with other kinds of berries as the summer goes on.

Enjoying them on the porch is optional, but highly recommended. 🙂

Maple Berry Overnight Oats [from Tartlet Sweets]

click to print

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons plain or vanilla yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons maple syrup [or to taste]
1 1/2 cups sliced berries

Directions:

In a medium bowl, stir together oats, milk, yogurt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Sweeten with maple syrup to taste. Divide between two bowls or Mason jars. Top each bowl with about 3/4 cup berries. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or about 8-12 hours. Serve with additional milk as desired.

Time: 5 minutes plus overnight.

Yield: 2 servings.

Breakfast, Recipes, Waffles

SRC: Club Soda Waffles

May 6, 2013May 6, 2015 Sarah

I love breakfast food! So much in fact, that we had breakfast for dinner at our wedding. True story, one I’ve told too many times on this blog. It should come as no surprise then I immediately look at breakfast recipes on whatever blog I am assigned to for the Secret Recipe Club each month. If a good looking breakfast recipe is there, you can bet I’ll make it!! Okay, that’s not always true… there are so many good recipes on SRC blogs these days! But I do try my best to find yummy breakfast recipes whenever I can.

If you’re new, you might be a bit confused. SRC? What’s that? Let me explain. It’s a pretty amazing blogging club. Basically, the premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog… all while keeping your assignment a secret! Everyone else posts about their secret blog the same day. It’s fabulously fun to try out new blogs. If you have a blog, definitely check it out and consider joining! I highly recommend it.

This month I was assigned to The Keenan Cookbook, a fun husband and wife food blogging team. They have a great system down: he cooks, she photographs, they enjoy. Love it!! Chris and Rachel seem like such a fun couple, and they have the most adorable little boy. Seriously… he’s so cute! I first “met” them in SRC awhile ago, and I loved that they chose one of my favorite desserts when they had my blog back in November. 🙂

I was really torn between three recipes–these waffles, Mint Orange Couscous Salad [ultimately nixed because my mint hasn’t grown enough yet… and I didn’t want to pay $5 for some at the grocery store], and Chocolate Coffee Cake. Though I’m sure all those recipes are great, these waffles are incredible!

Ben though they were the best waffles I ever have made, and I must say I was pretty impressed myself. They are crispy and light and airy all at once. It’s a miracle! A carbonated miracle! Apparently it’s an old-timey recipe… I did a little google-investigation and saw that it might have originally been featured in the Hints from Heloise newspaper column. But I’m not an expert on the history… have you ever heard of these waffles? I am so glad that Chris and Rachel introduced me to them… they are perfect for those times when you’re out of milk but still want waffles, or need to be dairy-free [obviously taking the butter into account too]. Delicious! Be sure to check out The Keenan Cookbook for more great recipes! Thanks guys. 🙂

Club Soda Waffles [waffles from The Keenan Cookbook, Bisquick substitute from Unsophisticook]

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/3 cups club soda

Directions:

Preheat waffle maker.

In a large bowl, stir together flour and baking powder. Add cubed butter and cut in with two knives or a pastry cutter until fully incorporated. Then add egg, oil, and club soda and stir gently until combined. Do not overmix!

Spoon batter into hot waffle maker in ~ 1/2 cup* increments. Cook until crisp.

Serve with powdered sugar, fruit, and yogurt, or your desired toppings!

Time: 20 minutes.

Yield: 6 waffles [may vary based on your waffle maker].

Notes:

Can substitute 2 cups Bisquick mix or the like for the flour, baking powder, and butter. The original recipe advises that uncooked batter does not keep because of the club soda, so make all the waffles at one and then reheat if necessary. I always use my toaster or toaster oven to do this.

Check out other SRC recipes here! 🙂

Breakfast, Granola, Recipes

Cinnamon Applesauce Granola

March 27, 2013March 26, 2013 Sarah

There’s nothing better than a good granola. I love having some around on a regular basis as topping for yogurt or to enjoy as a quick snack. Truthfully, half the time I make granola I don’t even bother to photograph and share it here because I think it’s not good enough. Not crunchy enough. Missing those chunks. Too plain. Blah, blah, blah.

In fact, I’ve made several batches of this basic granola without sharing it. But recently as I was eating it I just decided enough was enough. This granola may not be fancy–it doesn’t even have any dried fruit in it, and the walnuts were a last minute [fabulous!!] addition–but it is what we like, and so gosh darn it I’m gonna share it!! 🙂 So I ran outside after I got home, photographed the granola, and am sharing the recipe the very next day. Who am I??!

Well, truthfully, I don’t know, but what I do know is this: I love this granola! It is perfect and pretty much incapable of being screwed up. It’s fairly lowfat and is just sweet enough for my tastes, which means it’s healthy, right? 🙂 The use of the applesauce not only keeps the fat down while still allowing for a crunchy texture, but it also adds a subtle apple flavor. Paired with its classic cinnamon counterpart, this is one flavorful granola! Add in a couple kinds of nuts and some chewy coconut and you won’t even miss the extra sugar or dried fruit [though you can certainly add either if that’s your thing]. I’ve pretty much decided that this is now my go-to granola. It’s crunchy, flavorful, and interesting–and as long as you refrain from stirring too much, those much loved chunks of granola remain after baking. Winner in my book. I know it will be in yours too!

Cinnamon Applesauce Granola [adapted from Macaroni and Cheesecake]
click to print

Ingredients:

3/4 cup natural, no sugar added applesauce
6 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.

In a small saucepan set over low, combine applesauce, brown sugar, honey, and oil. Stir together until sugar melts and mixture is warm. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, toss together oats, walnuts, wheat germ, coconut, sunflower seeds, and cinnamon. Gradually pour applesauce mixture over oats, stirring to fully coat. Transfer mixture onto prepared baking sheet, then press down firmly with the back of a spatula.

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring once or twice. [If granola starts to burn or get too dark, especially after 30 minutes, cover loosely with foil].

Time: 60 minutes.

Yield: 6 cups.