While I am normally the master of cooking in our house, this is an honor and title I am usually happy to yield to my husband. But, as a sweet gesture to my hunnie who leaves the house before 6 am every morning for work, I wanted to make weekday friendly breakfast sandwiches that he could grab and go with him every morning.

This meal has serious staying power is tastes just a little better than other fast breakfast options. Especially as we enter the cooler temps and darker mornings.

This recipe is perfect for busy families, especially kids and teenagers, who are always hungry and always on the run. Plus, make-ahead and freeze meals take the guesswork out of weekday snacks and meals, and who doesn’t love a breakfast sandwich?? This one is going to win you major brownie points in your household, I promise.

Enjoy this one, my friends!

Print

Best Ever Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches

This recipe is perfect for busy bodies, especially kids and teenagers, who are always hungry and always on the run. Plus, make-ahead and freeze meals take the guess work out of weekday snacks and meals, and who doesn’t love a breakfast sandwich??

Keyword Bacon, Breakfast, Brunch, Easy, Eggs, Sandwiches

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 486kcal

Ingredients

• 12 English muffins or Croissants
• .5 cups butter
• 12 pieces breakfast sausage patties or Canadian bacon, or a mixture of both
• 24 slices of white American cheese
• 12 large eggs
• Oil for cooking
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and cook the sausage patties with a touch of oil. While the sausage cooks, turn the oven on and to high broil.
• Line a half sheet pan with a silicone mat, such as a Silpat, and split the English muffins. Spread a smear of butter over each side of the English muffins and place under the broiler until just melted and hardly browned. Please note that the English muffins will go under the broiler a total of 3 times, so they will get nicely browned by the end of the cooking process.
• Take the English muffins out of the oven and layer with a cooked sausage patty and 1 slice of American cheese. Place back under the broiler to melt the cheese. Remove and begin to cook the eggs.
• In the same cast iron skillet that was used to cook the sausage, layer a very thin coat of oil and cook each egg individually, using the Joseph and Joseph silicone egg mold. This mold will create a perfectly sized egg patty with a runny yolk.
• Salt and pepper each egg and place them onto the melted cheese and sausage patty side of the English muffins. Layer on another slice of American cheese and place back into the broiler. If the empty English muffin tops are getting too browned, you can leave them out of this step.
• Once the cheese is perfectly melted and has encased the egg and sausage, place down the English muffin top and press lightly to seal the sandwich. Either serve immediately, or let cool completely before wrapping individually and storing in the refrigerator or freezer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.3g | Protein: 24.8g | Fat: 29.8g | Saturated Fat: 15.5g | Cholesterol: 239mg | Sodium: 1450mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5.7g

Recipe Notes & Swaps

English Muffins. I ask for English muffins in my recipe below, but croissants would be absolutely excellent as well.

Meat. In my photos for this recipe post, I include both Canadian Bacon and Breakfast Sausage Patties, to give some options. However, feel free to use bacon, meatless alternatives, or omit them altogether.

Eggs. Another thought is, use the Joseph and Joseph egg cooking pods as directed, or you could create a scramble with lots of yummy veggies and onion and garlic, and pour it right into the molds just the same.

Cheese. Feel free to swap the American cheese for cheddar slices, if you so desire, but note that I used this specific white cheese to create a classic gooey, stick to the top of your mouth breakfast sandwich that we’ve all come to know and love.

Storage. Store them in the fridge if you think your family will go through them all in a week, or store half in the freezer for a rainy day. Just be sure that if you want these as “make-ahead” to make the full batch and store individually in aluminum foil or reusable sandwich bags.

Additions. Get creative and add layers of veggies, swap in cream cheese, dip in sriracha or hot sauce, and have fun!

The post Best Ever Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches appeared first on The Inspired Home.

Let’s hypothetically say you purchased a rather large quantity of fruit – possibly an “unreasonable amount”- and you’re wondering what to do with it besides baking another pie or freezing it for smoothies. Might I suggest breaking out a dehydrator?

For those short on freezer space, dehydrating fruit can be a fantastic way to preserve the season in a shelf-stable way. Not only can you dry fruit for mixing into trail mix or eating plan, but you can also make your own healthier fruit leathers, baked goods, and even superfood powders (just place it in a high powered blender after!).

Baking with dried fruit is so much easier than fresh fruit because you don’t have to account for the moisture content. Sometimes cooking with fresh fruit causes unbaked areas and inconsistency in muffins, bread, etc. It also makes for highly concentrated flavor!

A dehydrator is also a fantastic investment if you have a garden, CSA subscription, or know someone who is especially generous with their fruit trees. I personally feel like preserving seasonal produce makes me appreciate it more (rather than trying to eat as much of it as possible before it goes bad to the point where you truly do not want to see another zucchini for another calendar year).

While some ovens do go low enough in heat settings to have a dehydrating-like function, a dehydrator has smarter rack space to allow for maximum usage (and better, more even airflow).

There are so many great recipes for everything from watermelon jerky to spicy pineapple chips available, but today I want to look at a realistic baking situation that’s family-friendly: breakfast cookies. Or, to be honest, because who doesn’t want to be flexible with kids…thanks to the depth of this pan you could switch them to breakfast bars.

It’s also the time for the dietitian in me to mention superfoods. Legally, superfood doesn’t really mean anything. It’s just a marketing term that means “lots of nutrients with a markup”. Fruits and vegetables are honestly all pretty much superfoods (albeit some ‘better’ than others if you want to side by side compare).

If you want to add a superfood powder to these cookies, make sure you double-check to make sure it’s not heat-sensitive and is safe for kids. But to be on the safe side, let’s cook with simple dehydrated fruit!

And in the event you want to make these quickly, yes you can absolutely use dried fruit you did not dry yourself. This is not “Little House on the Prairie”.

Print

Superfood Breakfast Cookies

Using a dehydrator, these tasty breakfast bars will be the most energy-packed bars using your favorite in-season fruits!

Keyword Baking, Bar, Breakfast, Cookies, Healthy, Kids

Cooking Method Baking

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 16 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 16 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 455kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups blueberries, punctured
• 5 peaches, skin and pit removed, thinly sliced
• 1 cups old fashioned oats
• .33 cups whole wheat flour
• .25 cups raw pumpkin seeds
• .75 cups dried blueberries
• .33 cups dried peach slices (chopped in cookies, or whole on top)
• 2 tbsp flaked coconut
• .5 tsp baking powder
• 2 oz honey
• .33 cups Nut butter
• .5 cups milk or milk alternative
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• .25 tsp kosher salt
• *If desired- add superfood powder of choice (make sure it’s not heat sensitive and is safe for children)

Instructions

• Prepare and dehydrate fruit per manufacturer directions. (Or buy dried fruit).
• In a large bowl, mix all ingredients.
• Use a 1/4 cup dry measure and drop 6 cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Preheat the oven to 325 F convection.
• Use damp hands and shape cookies into pucks.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool and store up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 121mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 35g

Other great superfood recipes to try:

Vegan Matcha Mini Cakes

Get Cozy with This Superfood Latte

Make-Ahead Superfood Smoothie Power-Up Cups

Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding Pops

The post Superfood Breakfast Cookies appeared first on The Inspired Home.

Think of this as your reminder to try to have moments of ‘going out’ while staying in. Using different methods of cooking or new tools can bring new life to some of your favorite recipes. A griddle is exactly that for me. My husband has great memories of his mom using a griddle for weekend breakfasts and as someone who has never had one, I can see why it’s so appealing.

So often I see people who have great kitchen tools that they acquire for holidays or large gatherings (not an option right now) that get stored away 95% of the year. It’s time to bring them out and play with them.

The large surface of a griddle is ideal for cooking multiple foods at once (eggs, bacon, cheesy toast, French toast etc!) or larger quantities than a typical pan can hold. Think of all the grilled cheeses…

Because I’m very anti-unitasking, I have to mention that a griddle does more than heat. This Wolf Gourmet griddle has a temperature control up to 450 F (not just a vague dial of medium to high) as well as a warming function so you can keep things warm as you eat.

You can sear, melt, steam, grill, and sauté all on this platform. The lid is stainless steel and vented while the platform has a small 1/2 inch rim that allows you to actually stir or move food around without it falling overboard.

So while I truly love this for my small family, it’s going to be really perfect once people can come over and I’m not standing at the stove turning out one sandwich at a time.

When it comes to beverages (and you know I have a place in my heart for beverages since we wrote an actual drink cookbook), I invite you to look beyond the bloody mary and mimosa. We’ve embraced a new take on the spritzer with bitter aperitifs.

If you want something a little different than an Aperol Spritz, you’ll love mixing simple carbonated water with things like Zucca Rabarbaro (an amaro with rhubarb as a base ingredient) or Cynar (an artichoke bittersweet liqueur). For an alcohol-free brunch drink, create a juice bar station where people can mix different fruit juices with seltzer and herbs.

If you’re a seltzer person, this SodaStream is a must. I’ve had older versions of this product in the past but nothing stacks up to the long lasting, multi level setting carbonation this one provides. I’ve kicked my canned seltzer habit completely in favor of the SodaStream.

So whether you’re home with one person, or the whole family, remember there’s no better time to take a little bit of extra time to recreate moments you miss in the food world. Assign someone to gather flowers or branches to make an arrangement, decide on a drink recipe, or man the griddle and enjoy!

The post Elevate Your At-Home Brunch with a Griddle appeared first on The Inspired Home.

I cannot tell you how excited I am to share these chorizo breakfast tacos with you. Okay, so first, I have to give credit to the inspiration for this recipe – Home State.

Home State is this small little taco shop in LA that makes AH-mazing breakfast tacos with all different types of fillings – meat, beans, eggs, potatoes, peppers, onions. They are incredible. Their flavors are more of a Tex-Mex approach, but I went more of a classic Mexican route.

And I will take any excuse to have a taco for breakfast – or Mexican food in general. These chorizo and egg tacos are so good, they could actually be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Packed to the brim with smokey beef chorizo, soft cheesy scrambled eggs, a few fresh avocados, and green onion slices, and a dollop of salsa, it’s a Mexican meal calling your name!

Mexican vs. Spanish Chorizo

First things first, the right chorizo will make all the difference in your breakfast taco experience. Chorizo is seasoned ground pork used primarily in Mexican and Spanish cuisine, but there is a distinction between the two.

Mexican chorizo is made with fresh, raw, uncooked ground meat seasoned with vinegar and chile peppers. You can find it in the fresh meat section of grocery stores.

Spanish chorizo is smoked (already cooked) pork seasoned with garlic and pimento (Spanish smoked paprika) and packed in log form. It’s usually available in the deli section. There are two versions – fully-cooked (similar to pepperoni) and semi-cured (softer, but still fully cooked).

I found a Mexican ground beef chorizo which I’ve been dying to try, so I went with that! Beef, pork, or even turkey (a leaner option) would all work.

Ingredients

The bulk of the ingredients are chorizo and eggs, but you will need:

• fresh Mexican chorizo
• eggs
• half-and-half or milk
• butter or olive oil
• cheddar cheese
• flour or corn tortillas
• avocado slices or guacamole
• salsa or hot sauce

How to Make the Breakfast Tacos: The Steps

A few easy steps and you are on your way to taco heaven! Simply:

• Cook the chorizo. In a small skillet until cooked through, crispy and golden brown. Keep warm and set aside. (This is when you can remove the chorizo from the skillet with a slotted spoon, keep the fat and saute some veggies – see Different Types of Breakfast Tacos below!).
• Whisk the eggs. Together with half-and-half (or milk) and a pinch of salt and pepper until light and foamy.
• Coat the skillet with butter or oil. On medium-low heat until melted and the pan is coated. Add in the eggs. My secret tip to ultra-delicious soft scrambled eggs is my GreenPan Non-Stick skillet. Seriously one of the best pans I’ve ever used for eggs! They glide like a dream and this special edition pink pan by Goop is beyond gorgeous.

• Soft scramble the eggs. Once added to the skillet, turn them over gently with a silicone spatula. When egg curds start to form, lower the heat and cook the eggs, turning them gently until they are just cooked.
• Melt the cheese. Remove the eggs from heat and add the cheddar cheese on top. Place a baking sheet over the pan to allow steam to melt the cheese.
• Heat the tortillas. Over a fire, gas stove or in a dry skillet, until warmed through or lightly charred.
• Assemble the tacos. Layer chorizo, soft scrambled cheesy eggs, avocado slices (or guacamole), sliced green onions, and salsa (or hot sauce). Enjoy!

Different Types of Breakfast Tacos

There are so many ways you can make a breakfast taco with the same greasy-but-good results. Definitely try:

• Potatoes: Dice two potatoes (Yukon gold are my favorite since I don’t have to peel them) into 1/2 inch pieces and saute in the grease from the chorizo meat until crispy and tender, about 12-15 minutes.
• Peppers and Onions: Slice one bell pepper and one yellow onion and saute them in the chorizo grease until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
• Sunny-Side-Up Eggs: I love the cheesy goodness of soft scrambled eggs, but feel free to make sunny-side-up eggs instead. That beautiful golden yolk flows all over the taco after one bite – yum!
• Vegan: It takes a few substitutions, but vegan tacos are a great option! Substitute the chorizo for soyrizo and pack it up with potatoes, peppers, onions, beans, etc. to replace the eggs and cheese.

Recipe Tips

• For best results, seek out fresh Mexican chorizo (beef or pork). Contrary to popular belief, Mexican and Spanish chorizo cannot be used interchangeably.
• Eggs whisked with half-and-half or milk makes them fluffier. You can definitely omit it, but I like to add a touch of dairy to amp up their texture.
• Remove the skillet from the heat before you melt the cheese. This prevents the cheese from getting stringy. Tenting the eggs with a sheet pan further facilitates melting.
• For a gluten-free taco, make sure to use corn tortillas rather than flour.
• Add more toppings! I kept it simple with avocado, green onions, and salsa, but you could add sour cream or Mexican crema, pickled red onions, corn salsa, fresh cilantro, or lime juice. Prepping veggies for today’s tacos was so therapeutic with my new Messermiester Chef’s knife. It glides like a dream and makes food prep twice as fast.

We hope you enjoy these delicious breakfast tacos!

Print

Chorizo Breakfast Tacos with Soft Scrambled Eggs

These Chorizo Breakfast Tacos are packed to the brim with fresh Mexican chorizo, soft cheesy scrambled eggs, and fresh toppings wrapped in a warm tortilla.

Keyword Breakfast and brunch, Easy

Cooking Method Stovetop

Skill beginner

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 679kcal

Ingredients

• 12 oz fresh Mexican chorizo
• 6 eggs
• 2 tbsp Half-and-Half or milk
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
• 1 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 flour or corn tortillas
• sliced green onions
• red salsa or hot sauce of your choice

Instructions

• Cook your chorizo in a small skillet for 5-6 minutes, or until cooked through. Keep warm and set aside.
• For soft scrambled eggs, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk until light and foamy.
• Heat butter or olive oil in a medium non-stick pan on medium-low heat until melted and the pan is coated. Add in the eggs.
• Scramble the eggs by turning them over gently with a silicone spatula. When egg curds start to form, lower the heat and cook the eggs, turning them gently until they are just cooked. Remove from heat and add the cheddar cheese on top. Place a baking sheet over the pan to allow steam to melt the cheese.
• Heat the tortillas over a fire, gas stove or in a dry skillet, until warmed through or lightly charred.
• Assemble the tacos by layering chorizo, soft scrambled cheesy eggs, avocado slices, sliced green onions and salsa or hot sauce.
• Note: For best results, seek out fresh Mexican chorizo in the fresh meat section of your grocery store.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 679kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 341mg | Sodium: 1336mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g

The post The Ultimate Breakfast Tacos Recipe appeared first on The Inspired Home.

The kind you would imagine to discover at a little gem of a breakfast spot that has regulars who have been patrons for 30 years. At the kind of place where everyone is on a first-name basis, but you. A place with a grill top that serves hot muffins slathered in salty butter, grilled on each side to golden brown perfection. Yes. That’s my kind of muffin.

In an attempt to recreate my childhood memories, I set out to create the most perfect diner-style morning glory muffin. I just love how moist these are and how much flavor and texture is packed into them. The oversized jumbo muffin is really kind of fun, too!

Print

Morning Glory Muffins

This muffin is the most perfect diner-style Morning Glory Muffin. They are so moist with lots of flavor and texture packed into them. The oversized jumbo muffin is fun too!

Course Breakfast & Brunch

Keyword Baking, Breakfast and brunch, Muffins

Cooking Method Baking

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 718kcal

Ingredients

• 2.25 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp Cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• .5 tsp ground ginger
• 3 large eggs
• .75 cups granulated sugar
• .5 cups dark brown sugar
• .5 cups vegetable oil
• .25 cups applesauce
• .25 cups orange juice
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups washed and shredded carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
• 1 cups peeled and shredded apple (about 1 apple), squeezed to dry in a paper towel
• .5 cups raisins, plumped up in hot water for 10 min. then drained
• 1 zest of 1 lemon
• .5 cups chopped pecans

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and ginger together. Set aside.
• In the bowl of your standing mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugars, oil, applesauce, orange juice, and vanilla extract together until well incorporated.
• Add the dry ingredients to the standing mixer and continue to mix until a smooth batter forms. About 1-2 minutes on medium-low speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.
• Add in the carrots, apple, raisins, lemon zest, and pecans and mix until evenly incorporated.
• In a well-greased (I like to use Baker’s Joy spray) jumbo muffin tin, add about 3 scoops (or 9 tablespoons) of batter to each muffin well. The batter should be just about at the top so that there is good pour-over to create a nice muffin-top.
• Bake in the center of the oven for about 25-30 minutes. If you are using a smaller size muffin tin, bake 15-20 minutes. Either way, take them out when they are brown in color and bounce back when you touch the top. If they are still a bit jiggly or if you test with a toothpick and it comes out coated in batter, continue to bake.
• Pull them out of the oven and cool for about 5-10 minutes before you pull them out of the muffin tray. Either serve warm with salted butter or cool fully and store in an airtight container.
• If enjoying the following day, heat a cast iron or sauté pan over medium heat. Cut the muffin in half vertically (down the center top-to-bottom). Melt a pad of butter into the heated pan and toast the muffin cut side facing down. Cook until a golden crust is formed. Serve with a tiny bit more salted butter and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 718kcal | Carbohydrates: 94.8g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 34.7g | Saturated Fat: 5.8g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 867mg | Fiber: 5.8g | Sugar: 49.5g

A Few Recipe Notes

Flour.

Feel free to use 50/50 AP and Whole Wheat flour if you so desire. You could even swap it 100%. Whole wheat absolutely works in this recipe.

Liquid.

In this recipe, I call for a mixture of vegetable oil, applesauce and orange juice to get a total volume of 1 cup. This helps add moisture and flavor, however, if you’re in a pinch you could do all applesauce, all oil, or even melted butter or yogurt. All of these combinations would provide deliciously moist muffins. If you can keep the orange juice, it adds a nice brightness to the flavor.

Dark brown sugar.

Light brown will absolutely do if it’s what you have. If you don’t have brown sugar, but happen to have a dark liquid sweetener like molasses or maple syrup, you can make your own by adding the liquid to regular sugar slowly until desired darkness and texture is reached.

Raisins.

In any of my baked goods recipes that call for raisins, I ask you to reconstitute them with warm water. The reason is that the texture is so much more enjoyable when there’s some softness added back in. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but you want to see the raisins plump or swell up a bit. Just make sure to drain them so that you’re not inadvertently adding extra water to the batter.

Lemon Zest.

If you have an orange, that would be a great replacement. Or you could do half and half. I really encourage you to keep this ingredient as it really enhances the flavor by adding brightness.

Pecans.

This ingredient can absolutely be omitted if there is a nut allergy or a preference. However, I highly encourage you to use pecans rather than substituting for some other nut. For example, I’ve tried to bake with chopped walnuts again and again, and it just adds too strong of a flavor and texture. I say stick with the pecans. They are tender and delicate, yet add a much-desired crunch.

Mixing.

This recipe is a simple batter that asks you to mix the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients separately, then incorporate the dry into the wet. Stir in the mix-ins and it’s done. I use my standing mixer, but you could mix by hand with a wooden spoon if need be.

Muffin Tin.

I call for jumbo muffin tins in this recipe to create a nostalgic-size muffin. Any size will absolutely do.

My tip is just to fill to the top of each muffin well so that it rises up and over to create a classic golden muffin-top.

Enjoy!!

Looking for more muffin recipes?

• Strawberry Crumble Muffins
• Gluten-Free Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Blender Muffins Are the Perfect Toddler Snack
• Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

The post Morning Glory Muffins appeared first on The Inspired Home.

The perfect solution to a low-key celebration that can include grandmothers from afar (hello, Zoom!) or an intimate, immediate-family-only celebration, right there in your dining space. All without too much hoopla. Or, if you’re the kind of mom that wants the wipe your hands of any cooking responsibility on our special day, you could of course forward this off to your partner. Hint, hint.

Now, this brunch doesn’t have to be anything over the top. A delicious meal like my kale rapini, pesto, and browned butter sausage strata that can be prepped the day before.

A few mimosas with freshly squeezed orange juice and strawberries to garnish.

Maybe a simple granola parfait.

A properly set table with chargers and votives.

And a few foraged branches to bring the outside in. No fancy flowers. Just what’s blooming right now in your neighborhood.

I love this kind of meal. It’s a little extra special, aesthetically pleasing, delicious, and comes together without too much fuss. The perfect way to celebrate being a mom. Happy Mother’s Day, friends!

Print

Kale, Pesto & Browned Butter Sausage Strata

This delicious meal like my kale rapini, pesto, and browned butter sausage strata that can be prepped the day before. It makes any occasion a little extra special, aesthetically pleasing, delicious, and comes together without too much fuss.

Course Breakfast & Brunch

Keyword Breakfast, Eggs

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 695kcal

Ingredients

• 1 Loaf of Sourdough Boule
• 10 oz browned butter sausage (or any breakfast sausage), sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 1 Kale rapini bunch, washed and chopped into small bite-sized pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp oil
• 15 eggs
• 1.5 cups whole milk
• 130 g pesto Genovese
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• .5 cups pecorino Romano, grated
• 2 cups extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Chop and rip bread into 1” cubes and set aside.
• In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and fry until golden brown on each side. Add garlic and kale. Cook down until kale has reduced down completely.
• Remove from pan and spread kale and sausage mixture onto a large sheet tray to cool completely while you prepare the rest of the strata.
• In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, pesto, and salt. Set aside.
• Create an assembly line of bread, sausage/kale mixture, both cheeses, and egg mixture.
• Butter your baking dish.
• Depending on how deep your dish is, you may need to layer three times. If your baking dish is shallow, two layers will do. Start by layering bread, followed by kale and sausage, next pecorino and cheddar. Follow this pattern until everything except the eggs and about 1/3 cup of cheddar is used up. Then, slowly pour egg mixture over top. Garnish with remaining cheddar cheese.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30-45 minutes. Remove aluminum and cook until cheese is browned and bubbly, another 15-20 minutes. You may need to turn on the broiler to get a nice brown and crispy edges.
• Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving, enjoy hot!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 695kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.5g | Protein: 35.8g | Fat: 57.1g | Saturated Fat: 25.4g | Cholesterol: 393mg | Sodium: 1533mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 4.1g

Recipe Notes

Kale Rapini. Rapini is young and tender and less bitter than traditional kale. If you can’t find it, any kale or hearty leafy vegetable will do. If you use frozen, cook the package as instructed in the recipe below, making sure to cook off any extra water.

Browned Butter Sausage. I love this locally produced pork sausage. It’s flavored with some maple syrup, spices, and of course browned butter. If you can’t find this near you, a maple breakfast sausage would be a wonderful alternative.

Pesto. I like to use a jar of Pesto Genovese here because it’s just a little easier. Plus, my basil isn’t growing big enough indoors this time of year to make a full batch from scratch.

Eggs. It may seem like I call for a lot of eggs, and it’s because I do. I’ve never made strata with less than a dozen, and honestly once you pour the milk and egg mixture over top of the bread, it might not even seem like enough. I’ve found over time that 15 eggs are the sweet spot.

Sourdough Boule. I love to use a sourdough loaf from our local market. It’s perfectly sour and chewy, however, any big crusty bread will do. Leave out the loaf for a day or two and get it nice and crunchy.

Milk. I call for 1.5 cups of whole milk. However, you could use 1 cup of whole milk and 1/5 cup heavy cream or half and half if you so desire. I decided to go for whole milk only because I figured it was one less ingredient to pick up. This recipe works great either way.

Cheese. I recommend extra sharp white cheddar cheese, but any cheese with a nice melt would work fine. Gruyere would be my second top choice. You could even do a cup of each. Again, I decided to call for just cheddar to minimize ingredients.

The post Celebrate Mother’s Day Brunch at Home with This Delicious Strata appeared first on The Inspired Home.

I used to think that Nutella was the most addicting thing my pantry held in a jar… that is until cookie butter came to town. If you haven’t tried cookie butter, allow me to explain. Say hello to spreadable cookies.

It basically tastes like the most delicious shortbread spiced cookie you’ve ever had that has been blended up into a creamy peanut butter-like texture and basically melts in your mouth.

It’s rich, aromatic and tastes good on anything or nothing (I can eat it by the spoonful). It’s a cross between peanut butter and soft cookie dough. You can find the Speculoos brand at most grocery stores and Trader Joes also has an amazing version.

What do you eat cookie butter with?

Honestly, I love it literally just by the spoonful after dinner. I’ve put it in cookies recipes, melted onto vanilla ice cream, and snuck into the center of fudgy brownies and most recently in today’s French toast recipe!

Ingredients for Cookie Butter French Toast Casserole:

• A loaf of Challah or Brioche bread
• Milk
• Eggs
• Butter
• Cookie Butter
• Cinnamon
• Brown Sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• Salt
• Bananas and maple syrup for topping

How to make Cookie Butter French Toast Casserole:

I love this recipe because of how decadent, yet simple it is.

This is a ‘French toast bake’, which means you won’t spend any time slaving over the stove-flipping slice after slice. A casserole type of French toast is great if you’re having people over for brunch and need something that comes together quickly.

1. Start with the bread: A loaf like Challah or brioche works wonders for this. Grab a serrated knife and cut thick, even slices.
2. Prep your batter: Whisk together your milk, eggs, butter, cookie butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and creamy.
3. Coat each bread slice: Dip each slice into the batter, making sure the bread is evenly coated. Arrange each slice in a large casserole dish.
4. If you have any egg batter leftover just drizzle it right on top of the bread.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown!

Print

Cookie Butter French Toast Casserole

This extremely flavorful cookie butter French toast casserole was made for your next brunch menu. This easy recipe is made with thick bread slices swimming in cookie butter French toast batter, which has been baked until golden brown and drizzled with pure maple syrup.

Course Breakfast & Brunch

Cuisine American

Keyword Bread rolls and muffins, Breakfast and brunch

Cooking Method Baking

Skill beginner

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 673kcal

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of Challah or Brioche bread, thickly sliced
• 1.5 cups milk
• 6 whole eggs
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 0.5 cups cookie butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups bananas, sliced
• maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. With a serrated knife, cut bread loaf into 8-10 thick slices.
• In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, butter, cookie butter, ground cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Dip each slice quickly into the egg batter and arrange in a large casserole dish. Pour the remaining egg batter evenly over bread slices.
• Let French toast mixture sit for 10-15 minutes and then bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 mins or until bread is golden and eggs are cooked through. Top with fresh banana slices and maple syrup.

Nutrition

Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 310mg | Sodium: 577mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 45g

The post Cookie Butter French Toast Casserole appeared first on The Inspired Home.

Quiche is incredibly versatile. The fillings can contain spices and herbs, vegetables, cheeses or meats. And if you’ve got a bunch of picky eaters, you can always create a base quiche and serve with a variety of toppings (tons of ‘rabbit food’), as shown here.

Today’s quiche is packed with umami flavors including miso, bacon and sautéed onion. The toppings are a celebration of all spring vegetables and although there are three topping combinations shown here for styling and flavor inspiration, let what’s available be your guide. If you have a simple spring salad mix, toss lightly with a honey miso salad dressing and serve as a sprinkle on top (just be sure to serve immediately).

A quiche is also the perfect place for an edible floral garnish. Who says your centerpiece shouldn’t also be your brunch platter? From violas to marigolds and nasturtiums, your color palette is endless.

Once you have your filling and topping figured out, it’s time to talk about tart pans. A quiche can be served as wedges from an entire pie-like tin, or baked into personalized quiches. Whatever you decide, you should absolutely consider a tart pan that has a base separate from the walls. This allows for a perfect release, keeping the pretty tart edges in tact.

It’s also important to remember, a quiche doesn’t need to be 100% from scratch. For a shortcut, use store bought pie crust. Have a favorite recipe? Go for it! My go-to is Bon Appétit’s Basic Tart Dough.

Print

Mini Spring Quiches

Course Breakfast & Brunch

Keyword Breakfast and brunch, Easter, Mother’s day, Recipes, Spring

Skill intermediate

Servings 1

The post Mini Spring Quiches for Your Next Brunch appeared first on The Inspired Home.

Shakshuka (or Shakshouka) is an Israeli dish that has been gaining popularity in the U.S. over the last few years, and for good reason; it’s simple to prepare, full of flavor, and so much fun to enjoy outside of the usual breakfast – or any meal – rotational.

Shakshuka is basically just a stew of well-seasoned tomatoes and peppers with poached eggs. It’s really simple and unbelievably delicious.

I love to serve mine with crusty olive bread for dipping and scooping, plenty of feta, and fresh herbs. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention, I make mine a little differently by adding a smidge of harissa paste for a little extra depth with spice.

If you’re unfamiliar with Harissa, it’s a North African blend of spices included caraway, coriander, and various chiles. It has a bit of a kick, and can be found as a dry spice blend or a paste. If you’re absolutely not a spicy foods fan, feel free to omit this ingredient from the recipe below. It will still taste great!

One important thing to note when making Shakshuka is the cooking vessel. Typically, it’s best to prepare shakshuka in an oven-safe, heavy bottom pan, like cast iron, to avoid burning the delicate spices and tomatoes while the eggs poach.

I love these single-serve cast iron cassoulets by Staub because whether you’re serving them as individual portions or encouraging two people to share, it gives each diner a chance to garnish, dip, and scoop right out of the pan to their heart’s content.

No need to be polite here! Just roll up your sleeves and enjoy this delicious Middle Eastern treat around the table with friends and family.

Print

Shakshuka with Feta & Harissa

This Shakshuka recipe with harissa and feta is simple to prepare, full of flavor, and so much fun to enjoy outside of the usual breakfast. It’s unbelievably delicious.

Course breakfast and brunch

Cuisine Middle-Eastern

Keyword Breakfast and brunch, Eggs

Skill beginner

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 341kcal

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil or butter
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, cleaned and diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp harissa paste
• 2 tsp cumin
• .25 tsp chili powder
• 28 oz can whole peeled roasted tomatoes
• 4 eggs
• .25 tsp salt
• .25 tsp pepper
• 6 oz feta in brine, drained, crumbled and portioned in half
• Handful cilantro and parsley to garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a deep heavy bottom, oven-safe pan (such as cast iron), heat oil over medium heat and cook onion and pepper for about 10-15 minutes until extremely aromatic and soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
• Add all of the spices and cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute. Pour in the tomatoes and using a wooden spoon, crush them until they are in small pieces and sauce-like.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 10 more minutes. Careful not to let the bottom burn.
• Using a wooden spoon, mix in the first half of feta. Then, create 4 small wells for the eggs. Crack each egg into a well then season with salt and pepper. Place in the preheated oven and cook for about 8 minutes until the eggs have reach a desired level of doneness.
• Serve hot and garnish with cilantro and parsley mixture, remaining feta, and crusty bread. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 2g | Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.7g | Protein: 21.5g | Fat: 23.2g | Saturated Fat: 9.5g | Cholesterol: 258mg | Sodium: 959mg | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 5.9g

The post Shakshuka with Feta & Harissa appeared first on The Inspired Home.

My husband Reggie has always been the king of breakfast. In those early days, when it was just the two of us, he would make a delicious all-American breakfast every Saturday morning. We had no kids. Our weekends were carefree. We would wake up late after a crazy work week, eat breakfast, and do a house project or two. It was simple, and it was a routine that we enjoyed together.

As our family grew and our children were still young, we all eagerly anticipated those Saturday mornings when daddy would get up and make his special breakfast of Daddy’s Famous Cheesy Eggs (named by the kids), Texas-sized French toast, crispy bacon, and fresh squeezed orange juice.

The boys and I would snuggle on the sofa and watch cartoons, while Livy, a toddler at the time, would make her way into the kitchen to be with her Daddy.

“Daddy, can I mix the eggs?”
“I want to add the salt, Daddy.”

I savor that time watching my husband and daughter together. On occasion, the boys and I pitch in by squeezing the fresh-from-the-orchard oranges. Mostly though, I have the pleasure of simply relaxing and eating.

When we are fortunate enough for the uninterrupted time, this Saturday morning breakfast is the highlight of my week. I hope I always look up and find Reggie and Livy in the the kitchen together, bonding over cracked eggs, and I hope the boys and I are always hungry enough to join.

In our family, if you can cook, we love you. If you can eat, we love you even more.

Print

Daddy's Famous Cheesy Eggs

Whip up some of these classic scrambled eggs (with lots of cheese) on a Saturday morning for a very happy family.

Course Breakfast & Brunch

Cuisine American

Keyword Breakfast, Breakfast and brunch, Eggs

Skill beginner

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Calories 359kcal

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• Salt & Pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 slices American cheese
• .25 cups minced onion

Instructions

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs. Add salt and pepper.
• Add three tablespoons of olive oil to a non-stick skillet. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and add the minced onions; sauté until soft, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add whisked egg mixture. Gently move the eggs from side to side and the mixture begins to settle. Add American cheese slices one by one and melt them into the eggs.
• Cook eggs until the are nice and fluffy and minimal liquid is left.
• Serve hot and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.9g | Protein: 17.8g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 9.3g | Cholesterol: 394mg | Sodium: 495mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 3.3g

Print

Alivya's French Toast

This Texas-toast size French toast is the perfect sweet addition to your family breakfast this weekend.

Course Breakfast & Brunch

Cuisine American

Keyword Breakfast and brunch

Skill intermediate

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 365kcal

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp soft butter
• 8 slices thick/Texas Toast bread
• 3 large eggs
• .75 milk or cream
• pinch of salt
• .25 tsp nutmeg
• .25 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Heat an electric griddle to 350°F.
• To a blender, add eggs, milk, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla. Blend until smooth. Into a shallow casserole dish large enough to hold two pieces of bread, pour the batter.
• Place two pieces of bread in the casserole dish. Let them soak for about 30 seconds, then turn them over, and let soak for about 30 seconds on the other side. Make sure the bread is not soggy.
• Just before you place the bread on the preheated griddle, place a small amount of butter on the skillet and melt. Grill until both sides are golden brown.
• Serve hot with butter and maple syrup!

Nutrition

Serving: 2g | Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 40.9g | Protein: 10.4g | Fat: 18.2g | Saturated Fat: 9.1g | Cholesterol: 174mg | Sodium: 346mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 10.5g

Copy by Destiny Alfonso / Photography by Constance Mariena

Destiny Alfonso is a Phoenix-based home living and lifestyle blogger. Aside from her husband and three kids, one of her greatest loves is making, creating, and sharing beautiful things. Find more of her recipes at justdestinymag.com.

This story originally appeared in the Fall/Winter 2018 issue of The Inspired Home Journal, titled “Breakfast Buddies.”

The post Start a Saturday Morning Family Breakfast Tradition appeared first on The Inspired Home.