The Breakfast Bowl

My husband cooks on Sunday nights, and breakfast is a recurring theme. This was his latest delicious creation--and it fits nicely with the other "bowls" we enjoy. As with our other "bowls," proportions depend on you/your family. In general, the starch (potatoes, here) is the base. Meat/protein is used more as an accent, and we add in whatever veggies in whatever amounts we like! Incidentally, like our other bowls, this is (or can be) gluten free if that's a concern for you.  [I have to admit that while we thought we invented this, I did see a frozen box at Aldi just this week labeled "Breakfast Bowls"--not sure what theirs are like, but... ]

The Breakfast Bowl
~The Husband

• Home Fries style potatoes (either frozen or fresh potatoes cut up into cubes)
• Browned bulk breakfast sausage (could sub in ham or bacon or other meat of choice)
• Chopped bell peppers
• Chopped onion
• Shredded cheese
• Eggs, fried over easy or over hard
  Condiments of choice (ketchup, salsa, etc.)

Cook all ingredients separately or reheat leftovers (always a plus!). Place potatoes on bottom and then top with desired remaining ingredients. Top with egg cooked to order and condiments of choice.

Roasted Sugar-Glazed Pears

These are a touch labor intensive, but they are delicious and very impressive to look at. We planned on one pear/person, but that ended up being a bit much since we had them as part of a larger buffet. If you're serving them as dessert, you will probably need one/person. We topped them with whipped cream; vanilla ice cream would also work. They are good on their own as well. (the picture above is not great; hopefully my father-in-law got a better one and will send me a copy....)

Roasted Sugar-Glazed Pears
~Saveur

7 firm pears (we used red; they were ripe, but not very soft)
3 tbsp. rum
2 tbsp. dried currants (we used raisins)
2 tbsp. golden raisins
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
2 tbsp. blanched almonds, finely chopped 
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (we used regular dried)
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 2"-piece ginger, peeled and minced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Zest and juice of 1 orange
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
½ cup sugar
1. Peel, core, and finely chop 1 pear and place it in a 2-qt. saucepan along with rum, currants, raisins, brown sugar, almonds, ¼ tsp. cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, ginger, and both zests and juices; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring, until mixture is soft and thickened, about 15 minutes. Let cool.

2. Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 9" glass pie dish with butter; set aside. Combine remaining cinnamon with sugar in a bowl; set aside. Using a channel knife (like a "v"), cut a spiral pattern in the skin of each remaining pear from top to bottom, if you like. Carefully core each pear from the bottom with a melon baller, coring about 1½–2" deep. Divide stuffing among pears; brush outsides with butter and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Stand pears upright in the prepared dish, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar; bake until just tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

~Serves 6 or more

Fruit Compote

My husband is in charge of Sunday night dinners, and he always comes up with something amazing! Breakfast is a familiar theme, and this week he made pumpkin waffles (from a delicious Trader Joe's mix) topped with a fruit compote and a touch of whipped cream. YUM. YUM. YUM. Here's his fruit compote, based largely on one from myrecipes.com.

Fruit Compote

• 2-3 apples, chopped (and cored)
• 1 can pear halves or slices in light syrup, drained and chopped
• 1/2-1 cup frozen berries, any combo*
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 t. cinnamon**
• generous pinch ground cloves**
• generous pinch ground nutmeg**
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 2-3 T. vanilla*

*depending on tartness of berries (and we think cranberries would also be good), you may want to use less lemon juice or omit altogether

**this makes a fairly spicy mix; if you have sensitive palates in the house, you may want to use less

1. Stir together all ingredients except pears and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for a few minutes (3-4). Add pears and continue to simmer until desired tenderness. Berries will nearly disintegrate and turn the sauce purple!
2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. May be served hot or cold. Excellent warm over waffles!

~Makes enough for 6 servings of waffles ☺.

Bacon Double Cheese Stuffed Burgers

Try these for your next cookout! Mmm.... The filling oozes out and really adds a nice punch. We made our hamburgers somewhere between 1/4-1/3 pound total and pressed the two halves fairly thin. It will look like a LOT of filling, but it works! Recipe can easily be doubled.

Bacon Double Cheese Stuffed Burgers
From About.com

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 large onion minced
• 1/4 pound chopped, crisp cooked bacon
• 1/2 teaspoon Spike (or seasoned salt) (or more!)
• 2 tablespoon beer, optional

Preparation:

Combine bacon, onion, cheddar cheese and set aside. Combine beef, spike and beer, mix thoroughly, then shape into 10-12 thin patties. Put bacon/onion/cheese mixture on half of the patties. Top with remaining patties and press edges to seal. Grill, broil or pan fry until well done, about 4 minutes per side. 

Makes 5-6 patties

Gardeners' Veggie Pita Pockets

This is our new favorite meal around here! You don't have to be a gardener to enjoy it--just use up whatever's in your crisper. As with many of our recent faves, this one is my husband's creation.

The Essentials

• whole wheat pita bread
• hummus
• cucumbers

The Choose-Your-Own-Adventures

• sliced tomatoes
• sliced bell peppers
• sliced banana peppers
• sliced red onion
• leftover cooked chicken, thinly sliced
• sprouts
• feta cheese
• white balsamic vinegar*
• fresh basil

The kids like the essentials with feta cheese.

The grown-ups at our house like any combo (as many as will fit) of the remaining ingredients. We've only rarely added the chicken; it's just as good all vegetarian. We especially like the white balsamic vinegar addition--it adds a subtle sweet/sour taste and moistens the veggies nicely.

Cut pita breads in half and open up so you can see the pockets. Spread hummus along one interior "wall." Add in remaining ingredients. Sprinkle the vinegar on just before serving--it can make them grow soggy. Mmmmmm