[Comet]

Hi Everyone!
I'm to to this forum, well forums in general so, Hi!
I'm wondering what unusual breakfast ideas people have? I'm having some girlfriends over for brekky and don't want to make the norm...
Ideas?

[gingerpale]

Comet, there was a thread about breakfasts here that I remember--

http://chocolateandzucchini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2267&highlight=breakfast

and Clotilde has had a few things to say about breakfast, here are a couple:
http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2004/03/oatmeal_breakfast_clafoutis.php and

http://chocolateandzucchini.com/cgi-bin/cnz/mt-search.cgi?tag=Breakfast&blog_id=1

Is there a special occasion for your breakfast? (I think I've only made breakfast for people who have spent the night!)

[Comet]

Thanks for this gingerpale. Will enjoy reading.

No special occasion really. It's just something we girls do every now and then. Get's you up and out and about early, and you've already socialised before lunch time! Makes for a fulfilling day.

[Judy]

Comet, welcome to C&Z, it's always great to see another Aussie here. Please drop into the Introductions thread and tell us more about yourself.

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. I like savoury foods - fritattas, Turkish eggs, anything involving bacon. The rest of my family prefer sweet foods - pancakes, french toast, waffles. It's a great idea to make it into a social occasion.
_________________
Doing what you like is freedom
Liking what you do is happiness

www.cupcakerecipebook.com.au

[Erin]

Joey over at 80 Breakfasts has some really wonderful and interesting breakfast ideas. http://80breakfasts.blogspot.com/search/label/breakfast

I personally am not a morning person and rarely do anything special for it. However if it is being done for me baked eggs with herbs, thick bacon and thickly sliced challa bread brushed with bacon grease and pan toasted and melon. Ham and gruyere crepes with roasted tomatoes. But, not matter what it is it has to be served with a vat of coffee. Preferably an Indonesian or Guatamalan coffee of some sort.

Not too picky am I?
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

[gingerpale]

Egg questions: (Food prices! Eggs will be all I can buy soon!)
Erin why do I have the distinct impression that you don't like eggs? I'm sure you said that once (?) ?
So surprised to see you having eggs for your (wow) breakfast! (And with socca, come to think of it.)

Judy, how do you fix the "Turkish" eggs? Sounds like something with oregano type herbs?

Frittata! Lia @ the 'blog "Swirling Notions" posted this once, it is *quite nice*.

{ Zucchini Frittata }

3/4 pound zucchini
3/4 pound onion
salt and pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
8 large eggs, scrambled, salted and peppered

Slice the zucchini and onion crosswise very thinly, preferably on a mandolin, and place in a big bowl. Salt and pepper the vegetables liberally and toss to mix well.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan and cook vegetables over medium heat for ten minutes, until tender and just softening, but not yet brown. Stir in parsley and set aside to cool for five minutes. When slightly cooled, pour vegetables back into the large bowl, add the scrambled eggs, and mix thoroughly.

Heat the same pan over high heat, and when hot, add the remaining olive oil. Wait until the oil is shimmering but not smoking, and gently pour the egg and vegetable mixture into the pan. Lower the heat to medium and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the center of the omelet is almost firm, about ten to twelve minutes.

Place a large plate or platter (larger than the rim of the pan) over the pan, facing down, and gently flip the pan over, sliding the omelet upside down onto the plate. Gingerly slide the omelet back into the pan, still upside down, so the side that was just browned on the bottom is now on the top. Gently tuck the edges under with a spatula and cook until firm throughout, about another ten minutes. Slide onto a plate and serve either warm, room temperature or chilled.

Serves 8 as an antipasto
.......................................


Also, anybody have any great ways to make iceberg lettuce truly looked-forward-to?

I'm not poor, (but not getting richer with the inflation lately!), and I read this today:

"... apples typically cost close to a dollar each, oranges about 50 cents and bananas a quarter or less.
If everyone in a family of five ate a banana instead of an apple every day, the savings would be $1,400 a year ..."
(This was from a column by Liz Pulliam Weston, she writes about money matters.)

$1,400 is a significant sum to me--for fruit!

[madameshawshank]

Comet..indeed welcome on board the good ship C&Z...great crew and wondrous captain..

as for breakfast...I've made this on and off for years.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CREME-BRULEE-FRENCH-TOAST-15213

..with variations..if you read some of the reviews you'll get some ideas (the earliest review was written 29 April 1999 ~ the latest 2 August 2008:"I've made this a number of times and originally received this recipe from a good friend. I have modified it by using an egg-based bread like brioche, old croissants, or even plain challah bread. I always get rave reviews and it's even lighter than using the heavier/rustic breads." )...it is scrumptious..

can remember one special morning..in early morning sunshine..our backyard..12 at breakfast..some said "just a small helping"...they came back for more...dabble with the recipe..

again Comet...welcome welcome welcome...'tis quite a bunch this bunch...
_________________
"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

[Erin]

I do have a history of egg hating, but am overcoming it. I'm still not partial to the white, but if it's paired with something delicious I'll eat it. I won't touch scrambled eggs however.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

[FoodChick]

This may be a wildly unpopular suggestion, since the temptation for a "special" breakfast is to make something eggy and toasty with a side order of some type of breakfast meat.

What about a tarted-up hot cereal (whole grain) with a selection of mix-ins, such as good honey, dried fruit and nuts, even a warm vanilla-infused cream go to on top. Put out fresh fruit, some good muffins and a nice flavored butter. In my mind, all you'll need is a hot breakfast beverage and you're set.
_________________
FoodChick
St. Louis, Missouri

[Comet]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. A rather dramatic weekend meant cancelling breakfast, so I have some more time to look at ideas.
ta!

[wdillsmith]

We just had some overnight guests this past Tuesday, which for me means not a lot of time in the morning to cook. For those occasions, I like to make dishes the night before that can sit overnight, then you can just pop them into the oven and you're all set. This week I went with blueberry pecan French toast. You can also make liege waffles ahead of time and just pull them out of the freezer since they reheat well. They are my new favorite.
_________________
Chocolate Gift Baskets | Chocolate Covered Oreos

[Comet]

Your french toast sounds great...I always just make basic french toast. Do you mean that you make this the night before? I'd love the recipe for this. It sounds like something the girls would love.
Thanks!

[Judy]

I have just discovered what must surely be the ultimate breakfast cookbook - Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe. 350 breakfast recipes!

http://www.molliekatzen.com/books.php

I still have my original Moosewood Cookbook from the 1970s - it's falling apart and is held together with ducting tape but I love it and The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. Those 2 books would have been among the first cookbooks I bought as a 'grown-up'.
_________________
Doing what you like is freedom
Liking what you do is happiness

www.cupcakerecipebook.com.au

[wdillsmith]

[Comet]

Yes, sorry wdillsmith, I was asking you. Thanks for this, sounds great. I'm a bit surprise that the bread doesn't fall apart from being soaked overnight, but I guess that's because you bake it. I just cook french toast in a fry pan. Also, I imagine the baguette holds much better.
Can't wait to try!