Recently I've had a handful of friends (and acquaintances) balk at our families morning routine and the fact that I make a hot breakfast 5-6 days a week. I certainly didn't have the same opportunity growing up with a working mom and really early mornings, which may explain my love for cold cereal, but Shane and I decided it was something we definitely wanted to do with our family.
Don't get me wrong, there are definitely mornings (especially Sundays with 9:00 a.m. church) where we pull out the cold cereal, and there are mornings when (gasp) I stop at the donut store on my way home from picking Lincoln up at seminary (waaaaaay too early). But most mornings we really enjoy sitting around starting our day together at the table over something hot.
Our mornings start early, and our days end late. The early mornings certainly make it easier to make something hot before the kids head to school, but some of these ideas would be easily made beforehand and just heated up in the morning. These ideas are just the base of breakfast, I usually have either bacon or sausage, or eggs (scrambled, fried or poached) and a fruit or juice to go along with it...not usually all though, we'd weigh 500 pounds and that'd be overkill.
Pancakes/waffles - I make homemade buttermilk pancakes that are amazing (it's not me, it's the recipe) but we make variations like cornmeal, wheat, blueberry, and chocolate chip pancakes/waffles to shake things up a bit.
Crepes - typically this is NOT accomplished on a school morning, it's way too time consuming for me before eating at 7, but it's the kids favorite, so we work them in on the weekends a lot!
German pancakes (also known as dutch babies or puff pancakes) - These are a close second for the most requested breakfast at our house. I've taken to making them in muffin tins instead of the typical 9x13 baking dish because they are sooo much easier to serve that way.
French toast - Again, I shake things up every so often with different kinds of breads, or adding different spices/extracts in with the eggs. My favorite? Sliced homemade French bread with vanilla and orange juice in with the eggs...so delicious!
Cinnamon rolls - let me clarify...this is basically a cheat day for me. I totally buy the refrigerated cinnamon rolls 95% of the time, because seriously, "ain't nobody got time for that"...except when I really want to enjoy them and then we make them from scratch...on a weekend...for brunch.
Biscuits and gravy - Hello, I live in the South. People here live for their biscuits and white sausage gravy. I'm just learning to love the stuff. It helps when I use my Texas shaped biscuit cutter...
Monkey bread - you know that lovely cinnamon-sugar-y goodness? Delightful with some scrambled eggs and juice...
Gorilla bread - Monkey breads cousin...on steroids. And oh, my gosh, It's delicious. Basically it's monkey bread but instead of just quartering the refrigerator rolls you don't cut them, but roll up cream cheese inside... it's worth the calories and time.
Omelets - I love these...the kids (namely one of them) can't stand eggs so we rarely do these, but they are very versatile and easy, and healthier than Gorilla bread.
Hashbrown Frittata - Hashbrowns, veggies, eggs and cheese baked in my cast iron pan...really good with salsa...
Quiche - (see omelets) I love quiche, I have some kids that HATE it. It's a rarity when I'm sick of little attitudes...or it's my birthday.
Breakfast burritos - Lincoln's favorite. Cook up some hashbrowns, add some scrambled eggs, some sausage or bacon, warm tortillas and shredded cheese. And salsa.
Baked Oatmeal - I swear by Our Best Bites. They are amazing and this recipe does not disappoint. I've posted it on this blog before and it's worthy of revisiting. Nothing is better on a cold morning. Plus it has grain, eggs, fruit and dairy...what?
Other hot cereals - yes, I'm lumping them all together. Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Grits, Germade, and hot Quinoa...all good for cold mornings. All equally hated by one of my kids...
Muffins - I have a great recipe for bran muffins that keeps in the fridge for months. I can bake enough for breakfast and throw it back into the fridge for another day. I usually serve muffins with fruit and yogurt.
Bagel sandwiches (or Muffin Sandwiches - but I have a child who will not eat English Muffins...) - Warm up bagels in oven, layer with cheese, fried egg, and bacon/sausage/turkey/etc. Very easy and filling.
Sausage in a blanket - Roll link of sausage in crescent rolls. Bake. Dip in honey mustard/maple syrup mixture...it's delightful.
Those are my go to breakfast ideas. I decide before I go to bed what I'm going to make so I don't have to stand around my pantry for 15 minutes deciding in the morning when I'm dead tired.
Oh, and my favorite on-the-go breakfast when I'm on the run? Plain yogurt and homemade granola, It's the best!
