I'm in!

Yes, in fact, I did say that.

The move is complete and I now live in an apartment with interior walls. Bedrooms are wonderful things. Square footage is too. My new kitchen is the size of my previous bachelor pad.

It's not the ideal kitchen, particularly since it was holy fucking filthy when I got it, but it's shittonnes better than my previous one.

However, I haven't managed to go grocery shopping yet. I've been too busy cleaning my bathroom six times; it still needs 2 or 3 more. Breakfast is much easier to make than dinner. And you can eat it for dinner. No, this isn't a post about cereal.

Mushroom Omelet

What you need:

• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp low fat milk or water
• a handfull of mushrooms
• half an onion
• some cheese
• an herb

What you gotta do:

Omelets don't have to be filled with much. Fresh things can be used, like cherry tomatoes, herbs, or avocado. Leftovers can too! Omelets are a great way to use leftover asparagus and other greens.

Me, I had mushrooms, so that's what I made.

Slice the onion and mushrooms. I sauteed mine in bacon fat over medium high heat, but butter would work too. Once the onions are nice and browned, set them aside for a bit.

Motion shot! Tough to flip veggies in a pan and take a picture at the same time.

If there are bits of caramelized stuff left in the pan, wipe them out. You want to start with a smooth, clean pan. You also want the heat just below medium, so if you just sauteed something give the pan a few minutes to cool down.

While the pan is cooling or heating, crack the eggs into a deep bowl.

Orange was not the best choice for this, but they were the bowls I'd already unpacked. Also, egg yolks should be bright orange, not pale yellow. Add the milk or water. Don't use cream or a high fat milk. The fat seems to weigh the eggs down. Weird, I know, but it does. Beat the eggs and liquid until they're nice and foamy.

Drop about half a teaspoon of butter into the pan over heat that is about 3/4 the way to medium and let it get nice and foamy too.

Slowly pour in the eggs. Gently push the eggs toward the centre of the pan and tip the pan to fill in the empty space.

When the eggs are set enough that you can't get them to run freely into the open space, spread them evenly and cover them.

Yes, I know this is not the traditional french omelet way, but I don't like to have runny egg in the middle of my omelet. Covering them cooks them.

Once they're set completely, or still slightly snotty if you prefer them that way, spread the filling on most of one side. Cheese, herbs, whatever you've got. Bacon works. Mozzarella and marinara is interesting. Mushrooms and cheddar are what I used.

Now, the flip. If you spread your filling all the way to the middle, you aren't going to get a complete fold over. But, there is a certain aesthetic appeal to having some of the filling exposed.

If you had the time and patience (and potatoes) to make hashbrowns, they make a great side. If not, refried beans work.

What's your favourite breakfast for dinner?

Inspiration

and a bit of nothing in the house for breakfast.

I have long been a fan of spice cakes, and Taneasha's post (with lovely guest Elise Logan) totally reminded me of that. I also had no cereal or bread in the house this weekend. And grocery shopping on an empty (but caffeinated, always have coffee in the house) stomach is not a good idea. So, before I ventured forth to restock my pantry I needed some breakfast.

Cake!

What? If I'd made it in muffin tins, no one would even blink. But because I put it in a square pan and call it cake, it's no longer appropriate for breakfast?

Breakfast Cake

What you need:

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 c melted butter
• 1 orange
• 1/2 c sugar (or honey, totally doing it with honey next time)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 c flour
• 1 c almond flour (aka finely ground almonds)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp allspice

 

What you gotta do:

I suppose I should admit here that I was totally winging it with this one. Granted, I had recently bought some almond flour and had been researching recipes, but still, flying by the seat of my pyjamas on this one....

I did remember to preheat the oven to 350.

And to use some of the melted butter to butter an 8x8 square pan, and then also to butter the parchment that I lined the pan with. Didn't remember to take a pic to prove it though, so you'll just have to trust me. Trust me.

In a medium bowl, beat all 3 eggs with a fork. (Oh, um, I hadn't washed dishes either, so I was working with the bare minimum of tools). Beat in the melted butter and the sugar. And then add the zest from your orange. Yes, the whole orange.

In another bowl, combine the flours, spices, and salts (sodium bicarbonate is chemically a "salt").

At the last minute add the vanilla that you forgot to put in the ingredients pic to the egg bowl. Yes, there is yogurt in the pic, and no, I didn't use it. Changed my mind.

Now, dump the dry into the wet and mix with a fork.

And then dump it all into the pan.

I sprinkled mine liberally with cinnamon sugar. Perhaps a little too liberally...

I'm not convinced that an excess of cinnamon sugar is a bad thing, mind you.

Bake for 20 minutes.

When I poked it with a toothpick after 20 minutes, it was definitely done. But then the middle fell...

I'm not sure another 3-4 minutes would have made the difference in keeping the middle up though, because with only 1/2 cup of wheat flour, I was concerned about leavening anyway.

The batter definitely rose (likely mostly thanks to the eggs), but the lack of gluten may have made the structure a little flimsy at the points where it needed the most help.

Muffins might have been a better idea after all.

Sure tasted damn good. Amazingly moist too. Definitely need to try this one again.

Yay cake for breakfast!

What's your favourite questionable breakfast?