herbed-baked eggs.

I’m a sucker for baked eggs. Add toast “soldiers” (slivers of toast slathered in butter), and I’m in heaven.

My usual recipe for baked eggs involves spinach and sharp cheddar (mmm!), but this morning I wanted to try Ina Garten’s version, which calls for lots of fresh herbs and garlic.

The result? An unbelievably tasty breakfast that was lighter and more unexpected than an omelet. The smell of herbs, cheese, and garlic wafted through our home and signified that Sunday morning was here. Happiness and coffee ensued.

lv, molly

Ina Garten’s Herbed-Baked Eggs

1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan or sharp cheddar
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toasted French bread or brioche, for serving

Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and place the oven rack 6 inches below the heat.

Combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and Parmesan, and set aside. Carefully crack 3 eggs into each of 2 small bowls or teacups (you won’t be baking them in these) without breaking the yolks. (It’s very important to have all the eggs ready to go before you start cooking.)

Place 2 individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Place 1 tablespoon of cream and 1/2 tablespoon of butter in each dish, and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, pour 3 eggs into each gratin dish and sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place back under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked. (Rotate the baking sheet once if they aren’t cooking evenly.) The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Allow to set for 60 seconds, and serve hot with toasted bread.

tomato-y toast with eggs.

One of my favorite breakfasts (or a light dinner).

Take some good bread (I use homemade, but that might just be a tad too Martha Stewart for you, and I can respect that). Brush it with olive oil. Pop it in the oven (400 degrees) for a few minutes, until it’s lightly browned.

Top it with traditional bruschetta topping (tomatoes, garlic, basil). Put back in the oven, and reduce heat to low.

Meanwhile, cook some eggs: over easy, scrambled, however you like ‘em.

Top tomato-y toast with eggs. Eat. Smile.

lv, molly

i love breakfast [for a dinner party]!

Le Menu

Dinner parties are stressful. But breakfast is wonderful.

No matter how much I love feeding my friends and delighting in a new recipe, I know that I turn into a freakshow/ball of stress on the day of the event, and consequently may not have as much fun at the soiree as I probably should because it’s, well, a party afterall. With this in mind, I decided to create the least stressful dinner party I’ve ever hosted.

…

by doing away with dinner entirely! (This feels revolutionary. I’m not sure it is, but bear with me because I’m excited about it.)

Instead, I opted for breakfast favorites and mimosas made with cheap champagne. I wore cozy socks, flipped pancakes, sipped on Irish coffee, and had a wonderful time with my friends. How have I never thought of this before? EVERYONE LOVES BREAKFAST! And people don’t necessarily want fancy food at a party! They just want to have fun and drink something tasty! And so what if you serve the misshapen pancakes as an appetizer!

My point is that breakfast for dinner is the cure to the dinner party woes to which I had too long subjected myself.

Here are some of the recipes so you can throw your very own breakfast for dinner dinner party!

lv, molly

The table all set-- doesn't it look ominous? How misleading!

Oven Omelet

Adapted from The Kitchn
Serves 6*

10 large eggs
2 C milk (not fat free)
1 C grated Parmesan cheese
1 C diced cooked ham OR 3 Italian veggie sausages, crumbled (I used the latter)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl, and whisk in the milk. Stir in the cheese, diced ham or veggie sausage, and parsley. Season with the salt and pepper, and pour into the prepared pan. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is slightly golden and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve hot.

*I doubled this recipe for 9 people, and it was all gone!

Other Recipes:

Nutmeg & Cinnamon Spiced Oatmeal Pancakes

Potatoes O’Brien

Fruit Salad: apples + blackberries + navel orange + lemon juice

Mimosas: bad champagne + orange juice

Bacon: bacon*

I like this picture because everyone looks awkward.

*And no, I haven’t become an omnivore. In order to delight guests, bacon seemed necessary.

simple breakfast bars.

Recently I’ve been posting more fashion than food, which is a shame because I really love food and writing about it. But this whole giving-up sugar-thing has put a serious damper on my baking, and I haven’t had enough time to make anything particularly blog-post-worthy for dinner as of late. (I’m in the throws of completing my teaching certificate project and am going mildly insane.)

This weekend, time permitting, I’d like to experiment with some white sugar substitutes for baked goods: fruits, stevia (will this kill me???), agave, honey, etc.

In the mean time, I’d like to share a recipe that I’ve made frequently over the past few years but never posted because I’ve deemed it too hippy-ish and not particularly exciting. But I really enjoy it– so why not share? Plus, it has peanut butter. Have I mentioned my undying love for peanut butter?

These bars are inspired by a breakfast bar I had a bakery here in Seattle that’s rich with peanut butter, oats, sunflower seeds, and dried fruit. I normally find breakfast bars boring or overly sweet, but this is the perfect mix between salty and sweet, and it packs a protein punch, perfect for us vegetarians and vegans. Plus, it’s super easy and great for breakfasts on-the-go. lv, molly

P.S. I haven’t made these in the last couple months, so no picture! But they look good!

Peanut Butter + Oat Breakfast Bars

1 ripe mashed banana
1 1/2 C oats
1/2 c shredded coconut (I use unsweetened… alternatively, you can sub an extra 1/2 C oats)
1/2 C raisins (or any dried fruit, preferably unsweetened)
1/4 C sunflower seeds
1/2 C agave or honey
1/2 C natural peanut butter (or any nut butter– e.g., almond– but preferably unsweetened and without hydrogenated oils)
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbl flax seeds (optional)

Mash the banana. Mix in the peanut butter and agave. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl. Then mix everything together. Press the mixture into an 8″x8″ pan. Pop in the freezer for a few hours, and then cut into 10 bars. Wrap each in plastic wrap. These freeze well. Perfect for a breakfast on the go!

Image

olive oil granola.

Since the holidays, I’ve fallen into a weird pattern of making huge batches of granola and giving it to people. It’s partially for selfish reasons; making granola makes my kitchen smell amazing, like when I was a kid and my mom made oatmeal raisin cookies with a lot of cinnamon.

I highly recommend you adopt this new ritual of mine. Adding a few spoonfuls of homemade granola to greek yogurt and fruit is a delicious way to wake up. And homemade granola is far tastier than store bought; it’s less sweet, and this recipe has a subtle olive oil taste that provides a little richness and depth. (Can granola be deep?) lv, molly

Olive Oil + Walnut Granola

Makes 8 cups

6 cups oats (not the quick-cooking kind)
2-3 cups coarsely chopped raw walnuts
4 Tbl. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup light agave nectar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Optional: Dried fruit. Add after the oats have roasted.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients; stir. Add wet ingredients; stir. Pour onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes to ensure that the oats roast evenly. Granola is done when it’s a golden brown color and has a slight crisp.

greek yogurt pancakes with blackberries.

Two weeks ago, I posted a recipe for pancakes that I claimed to be the best. I’m afraid I’m going to have to one-up myself.

Everyone knows that yogurt makes cakes moist, and it performs a similar role in these pancakes. Unbelievably light and fluffy, these pancakes almost made me cry. No, that’s not true. But hyperbole is called for here because I’m excited about happening upon a recipe that’s even better than the last… simply by trying to use up things in my fridge. Let’s be honest; that’s how I create most recipes.

The combination of yogurt, whole grains, and blackberries renders a healthy and protein-rich breakfast. Because butter is generally regarded as a pariah amongst health nuts, I decided to skip it this time and substitute Earth Balance. But use butter if you wish; it’s delicious, and lord knows I consumed copious amounts the last time I made pancakes. Happy Sunday morning! lv, molly

P.S. Shocking news: I do eat things other than pancakes! A dal and vegetable recipe are coming up tonight.

Light and Fluffy Pancakes with Blackberries

Serves 2

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1/2 cup flour (I used whole grain, but use whatever you have on hand)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tbsp sugar
Handful of blackberries (I used frozen)

Powdered sugar, agave syrup, honey, or maple syrup for serving

Mix together the yogurt, water, and egg. Then add in the flour, baking soda and sugar.
Heat some butter or oil in a pan or on a skillet, over medium heat. Spoon the batter into the pan in heaping tablespoons.
Place several blackberries on each cooking pancake and press them in slightly.
Flip pancakes when they are bubbling on top and browned on the bottom, and brown the other side.
Turn heat to medium-low, and let the pancakes cook through. Because this batter is thicker than others, the pancakes take longer to cook than your usual variety, so don’t cook them over high heat or you’ll risk burning them.
Serve immediately. They’re fluffiest when right out of the pan.

I forgot to take a picture of the final product because I was busy eating. Oops.