Breakfast Tostada
Photography Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling Mindi Shapiro
What you need
Tostada
1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 large egg
1 corn tortilla
1⁄4 cup refried black beans
Garnish
1⁄4 avocado, sliced
2 tablespoons Quick-Pickled Red Onions (recipe below)
1 tablespoon enchilada sauce
Pinch of alfalfa sprouts (optional)
Fresh cilantro leaves
Crumbled cotija
Lime wedge
2) Add the corn tortilla to the leftover oil in the same pan. Turn the heat up to medium, and fry the tortilla for about 2 minutes on each side until toasted. In another corner of the pan, heat the refried black beans until warm.
Hands-on: 8 min.
Total: 8 min.
Yields: 1 tostada[/alert]
3) To serve, place the pan-fried tortilla on a plate, and top with a schmear of refried black beans. Garnish with the avocado slices, the sunnyside egg, pickled vegetables, enchilada sauce, alfalfa sprouts, if desired, cilantro and cotija. Give it a fresh squeeze of lime.
Quick-Pickled Red Onions
Bring ¾ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. In a pint-sized Ball jar, add ½ cup white distilled vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon peppercorns. Add the boiling water to vinegar mixture. Stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Submerge ¾ cup thinly sliced red onion in the pickling solution. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Store up to three weeks in refrigerator.
Not Your Mom’s Egg Casserole
This is not the mushy egg casserole of your youth. It’s delicious. Start with the best breakfast sausage from the meat counter and bakery-quality crusty bread (even better if it’s leftover from dinner). Assemble the night before serving for easy morning prep.
Photography Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling Mindi Shapiro
What you need
Sausage Mixture
1 pound breakfast sausage
4 cups chopped kale
4 cups cubed or torn crusty bread (sourdough,baguette or ciabatta)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Egg Mixture
2 cups whole milk
6 large eggs
1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon cracked pepper
Garnish
1 sprig fresh thyme
2) Prepare the egg mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the egg mixture ingredients until combined. Pour evenly over the sausage mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3) The morning of, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the eggs are set. Garnish with fresh thyme.
Total: 9 hrs.
Yields: 4-6 servings[/alert]
Fluffy Multigrain Pancakes
I make these pancakes for my husband. He’s team fluffy, and I’m team wheat. But wheat pancakes have a reputation for being dense and bitter. When I set out to write The Minimalist Kitchen, I took an informal survey on wheat flour. About half swore it off vehemently and the rest proclaimed their deep love for wheat pastry flour. After picking up a bag of that, I switched out all my regular wheat flour for wheat pastry flour. It makes a shocking difference. It’s light without a trace of bitter. I hope you’ll give it a chance and pick up a bag. If not, it’s an equal exchange for all-purpose flour. P.S. Don’t skip the optional orange zest if you can help it.
Photography Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling Anna Hampton; Prop Styling-
What you need
Wet
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry
1 cup unbleached
all-purpose flour
½ cup whole-wheat
pastry flour
1 tablespoon
granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Preparing and Serving
Neutral oil cooking spray
Pure maple syrup, warmed
Seasonal fruit
Hands-on: 30 min.
Total: 40 min.
Yields: 12-14 pancakes[/alert]
1) Begin preparing the wet ingredients. In a small saucepan, melt the butter on low until half melted. Set aside to continue melting and cooling.
2) Prepare the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. Set aside.
3) Once the butter has cooled, whisk all of the remaining wet ingredients into the cooled butter until evenly combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, whisking until only small lumps remain in the batter. Allow the batter to rest for about 10 minutes.
4) Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 250°F and heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or griddle on medium-low. Just before cooking, lightly spray the surface with the cooking spray, and stir the batter gently a couple times more to incorporate. Using a 4-tablespoon-sized spring-release scoop (2-ounce scoop/#16 scoop), about ¼ cup, add the pancake batter to the pan. The pancake is ready to fl ip once bubbles begin to appear on the surface. Flip and allow the pancake to continue cooking undisturbed. Stack the pancakes on a baking sheet. Place them in the preheated oven to keep warm as you make the rest of the pancakes. Serve with pure maple syrup and seasonal fruit of your choice.
The Evergreen Frittata
What you need
Summer Sautéed Vegetables
2 teaspoons olive oil
¾ cup diced zucchini
¾ cup chopped red bell pepper
½ cup sliced sweet onion
Heaping ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Base
8 large eggs
¼ cup whole milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
A couple cracks of pepper
Topping
Scant ¼ cup feta
4 thinly sliced grape tomatoes
2) Make the sautéed vegetables. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium. Once the pan is warm, add the oil, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, and salt. Sauté for about 7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
3) Meanwhile, make the base. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the base ingredients until well combined. Pour the egg mixture into the pan over the sautéed vegetables, stirring gently to make sure the vegetables are evenly distributed. Top with the feta and tomato slices.
4) Place pan in the oven to finish, about 10 to 15 minutes or until set. Turn on the broiler, and allow the frittata to lightly brown under close watch.
Hands-on: 15 min.
Total: 30 min.
Yields: 4-6 servings[/alert]
Banana-Coconut Baked Oatmeal
I’ve made a lot of pans of baked oatmeal; this might be my favorite, mostly because of the unsweetened coconut. A note: Straight out of the oven, this baked oatmeal is a delicious slab of beige. To make it extra pretty, dig through your pantry and top it with the garnishes.
What you need
Wet
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
cup light coconut milk
cup pure maple syrup
1 ripe banana
1 large egg
Dry
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
Grate of fresh whole nutmeg
Garnish (optional)
Large flaked unsweetened coconut
Plain whole-milk yogurt
Banana slices
Chopped nuts
Pepita seeds
Hemp seeds
Bee pollen
2) Begin preparing the wet ingredients. In a small saucepan, melt the butter on low until half melted. Set aside to continue melting and cooling.
3) Prepare the dry ingredients. In a 12 x 10-inch enamel baking dish (or similar-sized glass or ceramic dish), stir together all of the dry ingredients inside the pan. Set aside.
Hands-on: 10 min.
Total: 25 min.
Yields: 4-5 servings[/alert]
4) In a blender, combine all wet ingredients, including melted butter; blend on medium-low. Pour the mixture over the dry mixture in the baking dish, and stir well to combine. Wipe down the exposed sides of the pan. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until a light press in the center bounces back.
[alert type=white ]If you like these recipes, then be sure to check out Melissa’s new book, The Minimalist Kitchen. You’ll find tempting ideas for every meal of the day. ($29.99; available at major booksellers)[/alert]
