And I'm not just talking about regular breakfast that may consist of two slices of toast or some cold cereal, but a fill-you-up-to-your-eyeballs-and-still-want-more kind of breakfast. These are especially tasty on cold fall mornings and as always, with a friend or two. After a mid-morning nap, they seem to keep you full for the rest of the day. Or, at least until a late afternoon lunch. I had the great pleasure of making one of these breakfasts Friday morning to kick off a day of knitting with a close friend.
Since it was just the two of us, I kept things very simple with fried eggs, toast, hashbrowns, and banana muffins all served with a smoky green tea. Tea is always a staple at my house 1) because it is my preferred hot beverage, and 2) I do not own a french press, yet (hint hint hint). Also, tea doesn't seem to fill me as much as a coffee drink allowing me to eat more! It is truly amazing that I don't weigh 400lbs.
And here's how I did it....
Hashbrowns - 2 medium potatoes (any kind will do)
1/2 medium onion diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (it's all I ever use)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Over medium heat saute onions with olive oil, butter, and a pinch of salt until the onion is translucent, making sure they do not brown. While the onion is cooking, cut the potatoes into roughly 1/2 inch cubes (they cook faster). Add the potatoes once the onion is translucent, add a dash more olive olive, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork tender and slightly browned (roughly 20 minutes). You can keep the potatoes on low for quite a while as they will only get better and better.
When the potatoes are almost finished, heat up 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan and fry the eggs on a just below medium setting. It may seem like a ton of butter but it will help the eggs to not stick no matter what kind of a pan you use. Top with a little sea salt and pepper, or if you want to get extra fancy, sprinkle a little paprika and basil on top. Absolutely Amazing!
For the muffins, I started with a recipe from a Betty Crocker cookbook I got for Christmas a few years back with a few spins. I substituted the baking soda for baking powder and added a little more salt. The muffins came out more light and fluffy than I've ever had them do before! I also used a few table spoons of whole milk as opposed to buttermilk.
Muffins - 1 1/2 cups flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil (I again used extra virgin olive oil, trust me it's awesome)
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 or 4 very, very ripe bananas
Preheat oven to 325 F. In one mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients and the bananas mashed. Add the wet to the dry and mix until everything is combined. In a greased muffin pan, fill each cup to just under the rim. Bake at 325 F for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan once. Serve while piping hot or at room temperature with a cup tea a little later.
And, no there is no picture of the eggs and potatoes due to the fact that we scarfed them down so quickly there was nothing left to take a picture of...Next time I must remember!
