Amazing Avocado Toast

Let me start out by saying that editing these photos without having a slice of avocado toast to munch on while I type, is the worst form of torture. My mouth is salivating at the memory of my breakfast yesterday, it was THAT good. We all know that avocado can be smashed on toast and it's a thing. Last year shots of "Avo-toast" were voted as the most annoying food picture on Instagram. So as to not beat a dead horse, I'll keep it simple. I want to share my favorite version of this delicious treat with you and hopefully you'll enjoy each buttery and crunchy bite as much as I do.

When I make this version at home, I like to use flavored olive oils. Lemon, jalapeño or garlic flavored oils add intense flavor packed in a small drizzle of oil. Play around with different cheese varieties as well; fresh mozzarella, asiago or crumbled gorgonzola are great options. Use any fresh herbs you have on hand. I just happen to love basil on this version the most.

Amazing Avocado Toast

Ingredients:

1 slice of whole grain bread, toasted
1/2 an avocado, mashed
4-5 Roma tomato slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
lemon juice
2-3 torn basil leaves
freshly cracked pepper
sea salt
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Spread the avocado flesh evenly over the toast.
Top with tomato slices and basil.
Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over the top.
Finish with pepper, salt and cheese to taste.

*Skip the cheese to make this recipe Vegan

Christmas Swedish Rye Bread (Limpa bread)

One of my favorite childhood memories during Christmas, was walking into the house on a chilly December day, to the sweet licorice smell of my Mom pulling a fresh loaf of Swedish Rye Bread out of the oven. She would cut my sister and I a slice, slather it in butter and serve it to us on a paper towel to devour. That first bite, infused with tangy and sweet molasses and a hint of licorice from the fennel was so satisfying. We would wait all year for Mom to make her famous Christmas bread. It's a family tradition that started with my grandma Ruth back when my Mom was little, living in Smolan Kansas in the 1960's. 

McPherson Kansas had a strong population of Swedish immigrants coming to America starting in the late 1860's to farm the land. Agriculture was booming here in America, while back in Sweden, many were being forced to leave due to famine and unemployment. Kansas was promoted by the railroad and immigration companies as a nice place to settle with a strong religious community. As the Swedish traditions were handed down from year to year, my Grandmother was given the recipe for Limpa bread from one of the Swedish women that lived nearby. Back then, as a frugal way to bake, they used to let the bread raise and bake in a coffee tin, creating beautiful round loaves with the trademark coffee tin rings on the outside. 

The last couple of years, I've been baking Christmas bread with my Mom and keeping the tradition alive. I recently took a loaf to a friends' birthday party and was amazed to see that the entire loaf was eaten in a matter of minutes! The mini loaves make for great neighbor and friend gifts for a last minute, baked with love warm treat. I'd love to hear what your family traditions are in the comments below. 

Alexander Skarsgård aka Eric Northman on True Blood

I keep making this bread year after year trying to lure my favorite Swede, Alexander Skarsgård to my doorstep, but sadly he has not received the message yet. Please spread the word for me and let him know that I'll have plenty of Limpa bread for him on Thursday morning. Santa, are you listening?!  Well, it's worth a shot! I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and find a new family tradition to enjoy this year. 


Swedish Rye (Limpa) bread

Sponge:
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 pkg yeast
1 1/2 c warm water

Add 2 cups white flour. Mix to blend, set into a greased large bowl, cover in plastic wrap and let the sponge rise for one hour. 

Dough:

2 1/2 cups rye flour
2 cups hot water
1/2 cups vegetable shortening
3/4 cups molasses
2-3 teaspoons ground fennel
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar

Beat until smooth- add sponge
6 cups white flour, knead

Let raise until double- punch down

Divide the dough equally into 3 large loaf pans, or 6 small

Score the top of each loaf in 3 places to allow even raising. Let the loaves rise again for one hour in the pans.

Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes.


This bread is great fresh out of the oven with just butter, but it also works well with jams or jellies, or a slather of cream cheese. It makes the best toast in the world and would be a perfect addition to your Christmas breakfast feast. 

Apple Pie Belgian Waffles

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are all enjoying a peaceful morning preparing for the big meal. I was fortunate enough to not have to wake up at dawn to get a turkey in the oven. The turkey is my momma's job, and she does it well. I am in charge of veggies as per usual, and narrowed my sides down to a shaved brussels sprout salad with a lemon dressing and smokey bacon. I'll also be making a savory corn pudding with sage and garlic and the classic green bean casserole, I'll be sure to share the recipes with you soon.

I am so thankful for my family, especially my niece and nephew, Grace and McCoy. They are two of the cutest kids around. I recently had a sleepover with them while my sister and brother-in-law had a night to themselves. We had a great time playing, watching movies and snuggling on the couch.

McCoy is a rough and tumble little guy. I chased him all over the house after his bath, while he streaked around like and exibitionist and caught him with a towel to dry him off. Look at that mischievous grin. :)

I think there's hope to tame this wild child and teach him how to cook as he gets older. He's fascinated when I'm in the kitchen and loves to help me any way he can. This face is him begging to be let up on the counter to "help". So cute!

The next morning I made them these delicious Apple Pie Waffles. They are a variation of the classic Nordicware Belgian Waffle recipe that my Mom has been making all of us ever since she bought their stovetop waffle iron. Believe me, these waffles are a game changer. You will never want to eat a frozen waffle again! They taste like a deconstructed, warm apple pie oozing with cinnamon and spice goodness. Try them out for the perfect start to your Thanksgiving celebration, or this weekend, as a breakfast made to share with the ones you love.

This recipe is unique, as it includes yeast. The yeast and the whipped egg whites are an extra step that make all the difference. They make the waffle batter rise into the fluffiest and most flavorful waffles you've ever tasted.

Apple Pie Belgian Waffles

Ingredients:

1 pkg dry yeast
2 cups warm milk 4 egg, separated
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T apple pie spice
1 T sugar
1/2 C butter, melted

Directions:

Stir yeast into milk until dissolved.

Beat egg yolks, add yeast mixture, along with vanilla.

Stir together flour, salt, sugar and apple pie spice. Add dry ingredients to the yeast mixture. Stir in melted butter until well combined.

Beat the egg whites until stiff; carefully fold into the batter.

Let the mixture stand in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until it doubles in size.

Cook as directed on your waffle maker.

Apple Pie Compote Syrup

6 baking apples of various varieties
4 Tbs. butter
1/2 C cool water
2 tsp. constarch
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tbs apple pie spice
1 cup of pure maple syrup

Clean, core and cut the apples into bite size cubes. Leave the skin on for color.

Melt the butter in a large skillet (cast iron if you have it), add the apples and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened, stirring often.

Dissolve cornstarch in the cool water, stir well and pour into the skillet. Add the brown sugar and apple pie spice. Stir well, bringing to a boil over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low, stir in maple syrup and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Dutch Baby Puffed Pancake (GF option)

If you've never had a Dutch Baby pancake, you're in for a real treat today! They are by far one of my favorite breakfast foods and were eaten frequently in my house growing up for dinner as well. One of my earliest cooking memories, was watching my Mom whip up the batter and sitting next to the oven to wait for the magic to happen. Sure enough, after a few minutes the sides of the pancake would start to swell and morph into this giant creature; attack of the killer pancake! I was in awe watching the sides rise and get bigger, and bigger, and BIGGER!  It was always such a treat and one dinner option my Mom never got complaints about, just requests for second.. and third helpings.

Dutch Babies are also known as German pancakes. Their roots are derived from the German word for pancake Pfannkuchen (Pfanne "pan" and Kuchen "cake") and are typically topped with squeezed lemon juice and powdered sugar. They also can be topped with fruit or savory toppings like tomato. Dutch babies are a mix between an omelette and a soufflé. The nutty browned butter in the bottom of the pan swirls around the batter, creating the most delicious flavor as it is baked into the rising beautiful, golden brown edges and floating across the custard like center.

Batter:

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup bread flour*
• 1/2 cup milk (almond will not work)
• 1 Tbs. of sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/8 tsp. fine sea salt
• 1/2 stick of butter, cubed
• 
  

*Bread flour has a higher protein content than all purpose. Protein helps make the pancake rise. You may use all purpose flour, but the pancake will not rise quite as high.

Toppings:

Powdered sugar for dusting and lemon wedges

or 1 can of your favorite fruit pie filling

You may make this a savory option for brunch by serving with roasted cherry tomatoes and sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

A fried egg with prosciutto and fresh herbs would also be a great savory option. 

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Place a seasoned 10 or 12 inch cast-iron skillet or a 9X13 glass baking dish in the center rack of the oven. Add the cubed butter. Check back every two minutes until the butter is melted and light golden brown, swirling the butter around the bottom of the pan to coat as much of the lower sides as possible. Be very careful as the skillet and butter are extremely hot. Remove the pan from the oven and place on your stovetop. Leave a towel or hot pad on the handle as a reminder that this baby is HOT.

Make the batter by combining the remaining ingredients into a blender. Pulse until smooth, about one minute. Pour the batter into the center of the skillet, allowing the browned butter to spread to the edges. Slowly and carefully place the skillet back into the oven. 

Bake until the pancake is puffed and the edges are golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. You'll be tempted to open the door as it raises, but refrain. Peeking will ruin the magic of the soufflé action and make your pancake fall. I promise it won't spill over the sides, no matter how large it becomes. 

Remove from the oven using hot pads and remove the pancake from the skillet with a large spatula. Turn the pancake out onto a large platter or wooden cutting board. It will fall slightly, which is normal. At this point you may sprinkle with lemon juice, powdered sugar and serve, or slice into pie cuts and serve each plate with your choice of topping or just plain maple syrup.

GLUTEN FREE VERSION

Batter:

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup Gluten free flour blend 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (GF variety)
• 1/2 cup milk (almond will not work)
• 1 Tbs. of sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/8 tsp. fine sea salt
• 1 cube of butter

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Place a seasoned 10 or 12 inch cast-iron skillet or a 9X13 glass baking dish in the center rack of the oven. Add the cube of butter to the center of the dish. Check back every two minutes until the butter is melted and light golden brown, swirling the butter around the bottom of the pan to coat as much of the lower sides as possible. Be very careful as the skillet and butter are extremely hot. Remove the pan from the oven and place on your stovetop. Leave a towel or hot pad on the handle as a reminder that this baby is HOT.

Make the batter by combining the remaining ingredients into a blender. Pulse until smooth, about one minute. Pour the batter into the center of the skillet, allowing the browned butter to spread to the edges. Slowly and carefully place the skillet back into the oven. 

Bake until the pancake is puffed and the edges are golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. You'll be tempted to open the door as it raises, but refrain. Peeking will ruin the magic of the soufflé action and make your pancake fall. I promise it won't spill over the sides, no matter how large it becomes. 

Remove from the oven using hot pads and remove the pancake from the skillet with a large spatula. Turn the pancake out onto a large platter or wooden cutting board. It will fall slightly, which is normal. At this point you may sprinkle with lemon juice, powdered sugar and serve, or slice into pie cuts and serve each plate with your choice of topping or just plain maple syrup.

Rustic Heirloom Tomato Tart

Lately I have been craving breakfast foods and the savory, the better. I look forward each week to Sunday brunch with friends. There's nothing better than being able to relax and enjoy great food and conversation. Usually we dine out, but on occasion when everyone has the free time, I enjoy cooking at home and having a proper brunch made with love. 

As fall approaches, I'm enjoying the last few heirloom tomatoes fresh off of the vine. What better way to showcase them than as the star of this beautiful tart. Using the puff pastry makes this recipe so simple, yet still elegant with beautiful presentation to delight your guests. 

Ingredients:

3-4 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/4" slices
Fresh mozzarella
2 sheets (1 box) puff pastry, thawed
1 bunch of basil chiffonade
balsamic glaze for garnish
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C. olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Line the puff pastry sheets side by side on the cookie sheet and lightly press the seam together, creating one large sheet to fill the pan.

3. Add the chopped garlic to the olive oil and brush mixture evenly over the entire top surface of the dough. Reserve a tablespoon or two to top the tomatoes right before placing the tart in the oven.

4. Meanwhile, place the tomato slices onto a triple layer of paper towel. Lightly sprinkle them with salt and pepper and let them sit for 15 minutes while the oven heats. This step will absorb the extra moisture and will prevent the dough from becoming soggy. Press additional moisture out of the tomatoes before topping dough.

5. Line the tomato slices evenly onto the dough, leaving a 1/2" gap from the sides as the uncovered section will form a crust. Alternate tomato colors for better presentation.

6. Add chunks or balls of mozzarella to the dough, in between the tomato slices to make for an even covering once baked. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the topping surface.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until crust has raised and browned evenly.

8. Let the tart cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle with basil and cut into squares or strips. Garnish each serving with balsamic drizzle and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese if desired and serve.

Caramelized Praline Bacon

Do you know what today is? Only one of my favorite food holidays! It's....

Bacon is the support structure of my food pyramid. I consider it a seasoning that should be used as frequently as salt and pepper. It goes on, or with everything. I have had bacon served just about as many ways as humanity has been able to create it.

By far my favorite has been the Maple-bacon Donut. combining the perfect blend of fried, airy dough with sweet maple frosting and salty bacon to crown it the donut king. It's one of the most delicious and decadent foods I've ever put in my mouth.

That being said, I had a very hard time deciding what to showcase as my bacon recipe for this grand occasion. I settled on featuring bacon as the star, jazzed up with sweetness and a little kick of heat.

Friends, I give you.. Caramelized Praline Bacon!

This bacon has everything one could ask for in a food. Sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy and the right amount of chewy fat to give your mouth an explosion of happiness and flavor. The touch of cayenne pepper is just enough kick to give you an unexpected surprise and the caramelized nuts and brown sugar are a crunchy coating of heaven. So without further adieu.. try this one out:

Caramelized Praline Bacon

1 lb. of thick, center cut bacon. (go for the good $tuff)

1/2 C. of toasted pecans after being pulverized in a food processor 

1/2 C. of dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 400.

line a cookie sheet with tin foil and place a metal cooling rack set atop the cookie sheet.

Mix together the pecans, brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Place in a long casserole dish to coat your bacon in. Starting one piece at a time, heavily coat each side of bacon with the sugar mixture and place side by side on the cookie rack. You will most likely need to make two batches, so don't crowd the slices. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes until browned and crisp. Watch the last 5 minues carefully as sugars will move past caramelized quickly and become burned. Remove from the oven with a spatula and set on a piece of foil on top of a cutting board to cool. Don't let the slices touch as they will stick together until the sugars have cooled and hardened.

Once cool, try to share with others and don't be selfish! (Yes, YOU!)

This bacon is amazing with any breakfast item, or crumbled over ice cream for dessert. Try it in a Fat Elvis sandwich for a combination too sinful to admit you ate in public. But there will be no judging on this blog! I'll just be jealous you ate some without me. Now go forth and eat bacon! 

Protein Power French Toast

Whenever I am on a clean eating meal plan, I always find breakfast on the go a challenge. Protein shakes don't tend to keep me full long enough, and I can only eat so much oatmeal before I feel my taste buds screaming; "Don't even think about it! Not ONE more bite of that wallpaper paste is allowed in this mouth!" Not to mention that I have to walk past the food court at the mall daily to get to my office. I can smell bacon, hash browns and the most amazing gooey and sweet cinnamon rolls in town. So for mornings on the go, I whip up a batch of Protein Power French Toast the day before and freeze portions for the week ahead.

Dave's Killer Bread is the best tasting organic bread since they started slicing it! Check out their website and read the cool story of how they came to be. I came up with this clean recipe for French toast using my favorite Dave's variety, Powerseed, and found the best tasting calorie free syrup to slather over the top. Together, they make a great warm, guilt free breakfast option that will satisfy your carb craving and sweet tooth.

Protein Power French Toast

Ingredients:

1/2 loaf of Dave's Killer Bread-Powerseed
1 bottle of  TruMoo Vanilla Protein Plus Milk
2 eggs plus 3 egg whites
2 Tbs. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. clove powder

Walden Farms Calorie Free Pancake Syrup

Instructions:

Whisk the TruMoo Vanilla Protein Plus milk, eggs, cinnamon & nutmeg together in a wide bowl with deep sides until well combined.

Preheat a large skillet or griddle over med-high heat, line with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Working one slice of bread at a time, quickly dip the bread into the batter on each side, being careful to lightly cover and to not soak. Place on the griddle, cooking 3-5 minutes per side until browned and caramelized. Place each slice on a wire rack to cool and allow air flow, preventing sogginess.

To serve, top with Walden Farms Calorie Free Pancake Syrup in your favorite flavor. To add a powdered sugar effect for photography purposes, I used Stevia powder. You may find the French toast is sweet enough on it's own and can skip this step if you prefer.

I served my French toast with turkey sausage links and fresh fruit to round out the meal. Turkey bacon would also be a great option and still keep the meal "clean".

If you are freezing as part of a meal prep, wait for the slices to completely cool, place in an airtight plastic freezer bag. To reheat, simply microwave for 15-25 seconds, or in a toaster on the medium setting for crispier French toast.

Eggs á la Goldenrod

Growing up in my family, breakfast for dinner was common weeknight option and we loved it. It was easy for Mom to throw together after a busy day and even a great option for Dad, who's culinary repertoire didn't expand much further than French toast. One of our family traditions was a dish we fondly referred to as "Eggs on toast". My grandma Ruth made it for my Mom and Mom made it for us. 

Eggs on toast consists of a basic white sauce with chopped boiled eggs added and is served over freshly toasted bread. I've made this dish myself many times for friends as a breakfast option and haven't met anyone who hasn't fallen in love after their first bite. 

As this dish is uncommon today and few have ever heard of it, I started doing some research to find out it's origins. I discovered the proper name is Eggs à la Goldenrod, which dates back to a recipe from The Boston Cooking School Cookbook By Fannie Merritt Farmer published in 1896. I love reading about vintage recipes and seeing how they have transformed over the years. Click the links below to read more about Fannie and her recipes.

Fannie Farmer was known as "The Mother of Level Measurements" (read more here)

Eggs à la Goldenrod

This version is very close to how we prepared it growing up. We never had a written version, Mom just showed my sister and I over the years and it stuck to memory. My version consists of the following:

Eggs à la Goldenrod

Ingredients: 

6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and separated in two bowls. Whites in one, yolks in the other. 

2 T. butter 

2 T. flour 

2 C Milk (I use 2%, feel free to use 1/2 & 1/2 for added richness) room temp or slightly warmed.

1 tsp. of salt

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Black pepper to taste 

Chopped fresh chives or parsley to garnish 

Instructions: 

Boil the eggs the night before to save time if making this for dinner the following day and store whole in the fridge overnight. This link to Fine Cooking how to boil eggs perfectly is helpful for those of you who struggle on getting the perfect boiled egg with yellow, creamy yolks without any green or grey discoloration.

Slice the egg whites with a pairing knife into uniform horizontal slices, or into cubes. Stir whites into the sauce once it's complete. 

You may use a fork to smash the egg yolks in their bowl, or press them through a ricer or mesh strainer. I prefer the fork method (less dishes), as they turn out almost as perfect as the added step of pressing through a ricer. 

Béchamel sauce: 

In a medium saucepan, make a blonde roux with the butter and flour. This adds great flavor to your Béchamel and adds the starch to thicken. 

 Remove from heat and slowly pour in the milk, whisking vigorously until incorporated. Add back to medium heat, continue stirring until sauce thickens and bubbles on a rolling boil. About 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the salt and nutmeg. You may stir in white pepper instead of black at this point if you prefer the look of keeping the sauce white, but I prefer the flavor of black and sprinkle some over the dish just before serving. 

Assembly:

Toast the bread you will be using and slice on an angle, creating toast points for presentation. If you are serving a group, toast multiple pieces under the broiler on a cookie sheet lined with foil and flip to get both sides. I have tried a variety of breads and found that sourdough is my favorite. When I am sticking to healthier options, I use an organic wheat and grain blend which still tastes delicious. 

Line 4 toast points in the center of each plate. Use the 1 C. measuring cup you used to measure the milk, to pour the Béchamel sauce over the center of the toast points. Sprinkle a few teaspoons of yolk over the top. Garnish with fresh herbs and pepper. 

I like to serve with turkey sausage or when adding extra decadence, bacon crumbled over the top. 

This dish is a great option for a budget friendly Meatless Monday, or a beautifully presented brunch to share with family and friends. it's also a great option for Easter morning to put your colored eggs to use after the hunt!

 I hope Eggs à la Goldenrod can become one of your family favorites as well and be passed on for generations to come! 

Bon Appétit!