Breakfast Wake Up Call

Run Run As Fast As You Can...

To the kitchen that is. These Gingerbread pancakes will be a hit on Christmas morning. 

Gingerbread Man Pancakes

Photo from Kitchen Fun

2 cups Oat Flour (Gluten Free)
5 teaspoons Baking Powder
3 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ground Clove
1/8 teaspoon Ginger
1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
2 cups Unsweetened Nondairy Milk
2 Eggs
2 tablespoons Molasses

Vanilla Glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
2 1/2 tsp milk (I used almond)
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp butter ( I used vegan spreadable butter, it worked great)

In a medium bowl add the dry ingredients
In a small separate bowl combine all the wet ingredients
Add the wet ingredients to the dry
Stir well and let it sit for a minute
Pour the pancake batter into a hot pan or griddle, usual pancake style
When the bottom is golden brown flip the cakes and cook until the other side is golden brown and the pancakes are set. 

Add whipped cream, fruit and little candy buttons. Sam suggested M&Ms for his buttons which we will do next time.

Traditional Recipe
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups water

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cinnamon in a bowl; set aside. Beat the egg in a separate mixing bowl with the vanilla and molasses until smooth. Whisk in the water until completely incorporated. Stir the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until just combined -- a few lumps are okay.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.


 Breakfast in a Rolls a new take on eggs in a basket

1/2 C chopped pancetta (you can use bacon or thinly sliced ham)
4 crusty hard rolls
1/2 C finely chopped mushrooms
4 eggs
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 C shredded Gruyere or Fontina Cheese (you could use swiss)

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small pan, cook pancetta over medium heat until lightly browned. Add mushrooms and cook until soft. Remove and drain on paper towels. 
Cut a thin slice off top of each roll. Hollow out the roll being careful not to pierce the bottom of the roll. Save removed bread for another use, freeze it or turn it into bread crumbs. 
Add mushrooms pancetta to bread shell.  Carefully break an egg and add it to each of the rolls, sprinkle with salt and pepper and top with cheese. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the yolks are set. 


Mini Sausage Quiches
1/2lb Jimmy Dean sausage (whichever flavor you like)
2 Tbsp minced white onion
2 Tbsp minced chives
1 Tube crescent rolls
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 C shredded swiss cheese
1 C cottage cheese
1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese
Paprika for garnish

In a large skillet, brown sausage, drain return to pan and add onion and cook until soft. Once cooked turn heat off and add chives. Set aside. 

Roll crescent dough into one long rectangle, seal seams and perforations. Cut into 48 pieces. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased miniature muffin cups pan. 




Fill each cup with about 2 tsps of sausage mixture. In a large bowl, combine the eggs and cheeses together and spoon 2 tsps over sausage and sprinkle with paprika. 

Bake in 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and then remove from pan onto racks. Make 4 dozen. 

Variations to consider:
Red pepper, sausage and rosemary
Spinach, bacon and pine nuts
Ham, cheddar cheese and swiss
Bacon, green chilies, and ranchero cheese
Pancetta, or bacon, mushroom and crushed red pepper
Ham, broccoli and cheddar 

 This next recipe is new to me. I'll be making this Christmas Eve. 

Recipe and photo here

Warm Christmas Fruit Compote
1 medium apple, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp lemon juice or orange juice ( used orange in my recipe)
1/4 cup golden raisins (I added these, but you can omit) 
1 can 20oz pineapple chunks
1 can peach halves drained and pat dry
1 can pear halves or fresh if you have them
1 jar maraschino cherries drained (you could use cranberries here)
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp cinnamon

Toss apple slices with lemon juice. Arrange in a greased baking dish. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup of it's juice. Combine pineapple, peaches and pears and spoon over apples. Top with cherries and pecan; set aside. 

In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter cinnamon and reserved pineapple juice. Cook and stir on low heat until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Pour over fruit and bake uncovered at 325° for 45 minutes until apples are tender. Serve warm over pancakes, waffles, or even ice cream.

Doughnuts with Flair
Last year I received a doughnut making machine for my birthday. I found these really cute ideas for treats to give to neighbors or friends or to have for Christmas breakfast. Sometimes our Christmas morning are crazy and before family stops in or you're off to someone else house, you're not going to have a lot of time to do a big breakfast. 

These are great ideas from Love From The Oven
1-1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of sugar
1-1/2 tsp of baking powder
3/4 cup of water
9 tbsp of melted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
 

Mix your dry ingredients first and then blend with your wet ingredients. Don't over blend, it will make the doughnuts hard. Spoon into your doughnut maker or if you don't have a doughnut maker, use a metal cookie cutter dipped in cooking oil and places in an oiled nonstick skillet to make like a pancake. Bake your doughnut in the baker until the light shuts off. Place to the side and be creative with your toppings.