It didn't matter that two of my friends, a brother and sister who lived next door, would frequently have breakfast for dinner, especially on Thursday night. This was because most of the fathers in our neighborhood were paid on Fridays, which meant that Friday evenings were when moms (or, frequently, the whole family) headed for the grocery store for the week's groceries.
Mom, early 1960s, with my brother and our cat, Frisky, in New York (state)
More than once, I'd stop by to see Robbie and Audrey at dinner time (when I was supposed to be setting the table), only to find them, along with their younger brother and sister, at the table, eating bowls of cereal, with almost-empty cereal boxes on decorating the table, or with stacks of pancakes dripping in syrup.
"C'mon, kids, eat up," their mom would say. "We'll get more cereal tomorrow. Let's finish these up."
"Why can't we have breakfast for dinner?" I'd ask my mom, as my sister and brother nodded their heads in agreement. We thought that would be wonderful, especially if Mom was cooking liver and onions for dinner. (I know some people love liver and onions; I like onions a lot, but not liver.)
Mom would sigh, then explain, as if to a very slow child, that breakfast was eaten first thing in the morning, not as the evening meal.
Mom, late 1960s, Conncecticut
Fast forward to having my own place. I occasionally fix breakfast for dinner, have pie first thing in the morning, and otherwise eat weird food at times that would have given my mother gray hair. (Fortunately, she got rid of some of the rules later on.)
Here are six yummy breakfast recipes to fix whenever, including Fried Eggs and Potatoes and Apple Breakfast Wedges. Enjoy!
BREAKFAST BURRITOS
This is from Yewande Komolafe in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Yewande wrote, "A delightful breakfast, these burritos filled with soft scrambled eggs, scallion-flecked refried beans and buttery avocado slices are also great any time of the day. Cilantro adds freshness, and a few drops of your favorite hot sauce will deliver a nice zing. The nontraditional open-ended rolling technique used here will tightly encase the filling in the smaller-size tortillas while ensuring the optimal tortilla-to-stuffing ratio. To seal completely, wrap each tortilla in a strip of foil and twist both ends. For convenience, the little wraps can be made ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator or freezer and reheated in an oven."
Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022540-breakfast-burritos. Also check out Julia Moskin's guide, "How to Cook Eggs." Lastly, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
8 medium (soft taco-size) flour tortillas
5 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated (1-1/4 cups)
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup refried black beans (from a 16-ounce can)
6 large eggs, beaten
Kosher salt
Hot sauce, for drizzling (optional)
1 small ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Preparation
Heat broiler to high and line two sheet pans with foil.
Place the tortillas on the sheet pans. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the tortillas. Broil, one pan at a time, until the cheese is just beginning to melt, about 20 seconds.
In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add the scallions and cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the refried beans, stir to combine and cook until the beans are warmed through, about 2 minutes. Divide the beans among the tortillas, spooning in even lines down the centers.
Wipe out the skillet and set over to medium-low heat. Pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, add the whisked eggs and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are just set, about 3 minutes. Divide the eggs evenly among the tortillas, in lines over the beans. Drizzle on hot sauce, if using.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the eggs and top with avocado and cilantro. To roll, fold one side over the filling to enclose it, then tightly roll away from you, leaving the ends open. Serve immediately, or wrap in foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Reheat in a 400-degree oven or toaster oven until warm, about 8 minutes.
APPLE BREAKFAST WEDGES
This comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, “Slice into a warm apple breakfast or brunch treat. All you need is 15 minutes of prep, and it's in the oven.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 medium cooking apples, peeled, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup Original Bisquick™ mix
2 eggs
Maple-flavored syrup, if desired
Directions
Heat oven to 400°F. Generously grease 9-inch glass pie plate with shortening or cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Add apples; toss to coat. Set aside.
In 2-quart saucepan, heat water and butter to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Add Bisquick mix; stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs, one at a time; continue beating until smooth.
Spread batter in bottom of pie plate. Arrange apples on top to within 1 inch of edge of pie plate.
Bake about 23 minutes or until puffed and edges are golden brown. Serve immediately. Drizzle with syrup.
Expert Tips
Use slightly tart apples with a crisp texture, such as Haralson apples. If you like a sweeter apple, choose Fuji, Prairie Spy or Gala.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve with warm maple syrup.
COCOA PANCAKES
This comes from Vegetarian Times (May 2005 issue, page 95), in an article featuring Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI. The recipes begins, "Not only does Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI feature hearty vegetarian breakfasts (and bedside cordials in the evening), but the owners try to meet any special dietary needs, especially those of vegans. Their vegan cocoa pancakes are among the recipes most requested by vegan and nonvegan visitors. This recipe makes 18 to 20 pancakes—and they can be prepared in just 30 minutes or less!" Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/cocoa-pancakes/.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate soymilk
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup carob chips
Preparation
Sift flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into mixing bowl. Whisk in chocolate soymilk and oil until just combined. Stir in vanilla extract. Let batter sit 5 minutes before cooking.
Spray large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. When hot, ladle on 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Sprinkle pancakes with several carob chips. Cook 2 minutes, and turn when tops begin to bubble and edges start to look dry. Cook 2 minutes more, and remove to plate. Serve with maple syrup or vanilla soy yogurt and fresh fruit.
BREAKFAST BURRITOS [VEGAN]
This is from Robin Browne on One Green Planet, and begins, "If you're looking for a hearty, protein-packed, and filling dish, you gotta try these vegan breakfast burritos. Use your favorite gluten-free tortillas and load them up with roasted garlicky potatoes, cheezy tofu, avocado lime crema, and your go-to salsa! These vegan burritos are bound to bring a smile to anyone's face."
One Green Planet is a great website that is earth-friendly, animal-friendly, and (yes) people-friendly. I highly recommend the site. Give it a look…
For this recipe, Cooking Time is 40 minutes; Serves 4
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/breakfast-burritos-vegan/.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Potatoes:
4 cups cubed potatoes (roughly 1" cubes)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons oil
salt and pepper to taste
For the Tofu Scramble:
7 ounces extra firm tofu
2 teaspoons oil of choice
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 lemon juiced
salt and pepper
2 sprigs of green onion
For the Avocado Lime Creme:
1 ripe avocado
1 lime, juiced (1-1/2 Tbsp juice)
1 garlic clove
Other
4 large tortilla wraps
salsa of choice
Prepartion
Preheat the oven to 425ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut 2-3 medium potatoes (I used Russet) into small cubes and then toss them in the oil, garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until golden and crispy.
While the potatoes are baking start on the tofu. I suggest pressing the tofu for a few minutes to remove the excess water. Wrap the tofu in a towel and place a heavy object on it for a few minutes. Then heat a pan over medium heat and add the oil to it.
Crumble the tofu in the pan, and further break it down using a spatula. Add in the garlic, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Mix. Cook for 10 minutes or so. Toss in the green onion and set aside.
Prepare the avocado lime creme by adding the avocado, lime juice and garlic to a food processor, process until smooth. Set aside.
Begin to assemble the breakfast wraps once the potatoes are done.
It's best to heat each tortilla in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften them so that rolling the tortillas is easier and they are less likely to crack.
Add potatoes, tofu, avocado-lime creme and salsa to each wrap. You should easily have enough for 4 wraps and some potatoes left behind (but these are perfect on the side).
All these ingredients can be stored in containers in the fridge for leftovers. I suggest reheating before eating.
PIRATE EGGS
When my sister and I were kids, my mother used to fix this for us on a regular basis, except that she called them Gypsy Eggs. Once my brother came along, though, they became Pirate Eggs. The name stuck. Most people from the Northeastern U.S. tend to call them Eggs-in-a-Hole or some variation of that. But whatever you call them, they're good.
The instructions are for one person. Adjust for the number of people you're feeding.
Ingredients
1-2 eggs
1-2 pieces of bread
margarine for the pan
Directions
Melt the margarine in the pan over medium heat. Take the bread and cut a round hole in the middle. Place bread in pan, then crack the egg and dump onto the bread so that the yolk is in the hole. If you prefer non-runny yolks (my preference), crack the yolk with the corner of a spatula. Cook on the first side for several minutes, then flip over and cook the other side. You can flip it several times until the egg looks cooked. Enjoy!
FRIED EGGS AND POTATOES
This is from Naz Deravian in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Naz wrote, "This quick one-pan meal of fried eggs and potatoes hits the spot any time of day, and especially if you like breakfast for dinner. Golden onion, turmeric and tomato paste make a savory and rich bed for the potatoes and eggs to nestle in. Make sure to chop the potatoes evenly into small, 1/2-inch cubes and add a little water to speed up their cooking time. You can cook the yolks to your liking – just cover and check on them every minute. Serve with bread or a green salad, or both, for a complete meal."
Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 2 to 4 servings
To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023911-fried-eggs-and-potatoes. While you're there, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. If you're like me when it comes to food, you won't regret it.
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 large Yukon Gold potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
4 large eggs
Ingredients
Fresh herb of your choice, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
In a large (12-inch) nonstick pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Season with salt, add the turmeric and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook just to take off the raw taste and deepen its color, stirring and taking care not to burn the paste, about 1 minute.
Add the potatoes, season with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often, just until the potatoes are no longer raw. Add 1/4 cup water, stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and adding a tablespoon or two of water if the potatoes are browning too much, until the potatoes are just tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Taste the potatoes and add more salt and pepper to taste, being mindful that the eggs will also be seasoned.
Make four wells in the potatoes and crack an egg in each well; season the eggs with salt and pepper. With a wooden spoon, gently poke the egg whites (without disturbing the yolk) to make them spread and cook faster. Cover and check every 30 seconds to a minute, until the whites are cooked and the yolk is to your liking, 3 to 5 minutes for a softer yolk. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with herbs, if using, and serve.
