The Breakfast Bar

 In this section you will find hashbrowns,
overnite biscuits, real butter spread
fresh strawberry jam, cinnamon raisin scones,
eggs and cheese, fried apples and hot apple cider

Why not start Breakfast the night before.

  Hash browns

Hash browns are so simple to make. Heat a 9 inch cast iron skillet with 1/3 cup of oil. Dice 3 large unpeeled red rose potatoes, and add to a medium hot skillet. (No. 6 on my range.) Use a metal spatula to quickly turn the potatoes to coat with oil.

Let fry about 5 minutes and cover for about 5 more, turn potatoes and cover. Repeat till almost done.

 I have added here precooked tiny carrots,  from dinner the night before. A great addition is 1 cup of diced leftover roast beef to make a wonderful hash, added just before you serve.

Cook about five minutes without the lid. To add 1/2 a diced onion, saute it in a separate little non stick skillet and add with the meat and carrot because it can burn if you add it to soon.

Sprinkle generously with salt and cracked black pepper.

Overnite Biscuits

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 sticks of cold butter

4 teaspoons of baking powder

1 Teaspoon of salt

Cut cold butter into flour with two knives.
Add baking powder and salt

In a separate bowl add:

3/4 cup cold buttermilk

1 whisked egg

Mix the dry ingredients together. Cut in the cold butter by hand or use a food processor.  Combine.  Work in the buttermilk and beaten egg mixture slowly. by hand. Coat the dough ball with 1/4 cup flour and fold over a few times. Roll out to about 3/4 inch thick.. Cut out about 10 biscuits.  Place biscuits on parchment paper. Cover and chill overnight. In the morning brush with a little milk and and bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes. Tasty Tip: combine poultry seasoning and melted butter and brush on before and after baking.

Real Butter Spread

We love real butter, so to keep it cost efficient and spreadable.....

 Mix equal parts grapeseed oil and slightly softened butter in your blender. Scoop out mixture back into a plastic lidded container for setting on the table. Ready to spread right from the fridge and you can't tell the difference. If you can't find grapeseed, try Public Brand Olive Oil. It has no taste or smell.

Basic Canning Recipe

Fresh Strawberry Jam

4 cups fresh strawberries, cut in half

3 cups of white sugar, whirled in the blender to make it finer

2 Tablespoons of Orange Juice

1 diced green apple, for the pectin

1/2 cup of fresh blueberries

Simmer and stir till all the sugar is dissolved, and then begin to bring to 220 degrees. You may need to skim off a little foam. When this reaches 220 remove from the heat and pour in a heatproof bowl, cover and chill for breakfast in the morning.

MY RECIPE FOR STRAWBERRY JAM

5 cups of thinly sliced and packed fresh strawberries
(slice them horizontally, no juice)
7 cups of cane sugar, no subbing, there is a difference)
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 package of Sure Jell (yellow box)

Put fruit in a heavy bottomed large sauce pan and add lemon juice and pectin.  Bring to the boil as directed on the box.  Add sugar as directed and bring back to a boil.  When a fairly vigorous boil is achieved (220), let it roll at this temp for no more than one minute.  Here in Florida I water bath all my jars for 10 minutes.

Basic Scone Recipe

Cinnamon Raisin Scones

Put in a small saucer 4 oz. of sour cream and 1 teas. of baking soda. Set aside. Soak 3/4 cup of raisins in 1 teas. of water. Set aside. In another saucer, mix 1 egg, 1 teas. of vanilla and 1 Tbs. of sugar. In a medium mixing bowl put 2 1/4 cups of flour, 1 Tbs. baking powder and cut in 1 stick of cold butter then add scant 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 teas. salt. Drain raisins and toss with cinnamon. add to flour mixture. Mix together the sour cream mix and the egg mix and fold into the flour mix. Add about 1/4 -1/2 cup of buttermilk and knead like you would a regular biscuit mix. Pat onto a floured covered cutting board into a 8 inch circle and cut into 6 - 8 wedges. Brush lightly with milk. Bake at 400' for about 25 minutes.

I use King Arthur Flour.

Quick Blueberry Sauce

In a small sauce pan, put 2 cups of fresh blueberries, 1 Tbsp. sugar, 1 rounded teas. cornstarch, and 1/2 cup of orange juice. Stir and slowly bring to a boil. When the berries have popped and this has cooked down a little, sprinkle a some cinnamon on top and serve hot on your split biscuits. I like to put each biscuit in a 1 1/2 cup Pyrex glass dish and top with hot blueberry sauce.

Check out my homemade Blackberry Maple Syrup in "Home Canned Favorites".

Scrambled Eggs with Cheese

4 eggs, whisked till bubbly

Spray a non stick 9 inch skillet with a cooking spray

Heat the skillet till warm, not hot

Pour in the eggs

Let this cook with the lid on for about 1 minute

Remove lid and turn gently with a non stick spatula

Sprinkle with freshly grated cheddar cheese

Replace lid for another minute

Turn off the heat.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Replace lid

Fried Apples and Bacon

Ooooo, it does not get any better than this

4 - 5 apples, peeled or unpeeled,

6 - 8 slices per apple

1/2 cup light brown sugar

3/4 stick of butter, approx.

1/2 cup of honey, approx.

1 teas. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

This is not an exact science. Melt the butter in a non stick skillet on medium low. Add the apple slices and 1/2 the brown sugar, stir to coat. Cover and let steam for 5 minutes, remove the lid and stir. Continue to saute till the apples are done, maybe 10 minutes. Add more sugar and honey to coat. You should have a pretty caramel sauce bubbling around the apples. Blend in the cinnamon. If we're not in the mood for all this butter and sugar, I add water, maybe 1/2 cup, and let them steam.

 Finish off with a little brown sugar and butter.

while in the microwave you have

Rolled 4 - 5 slices of bacon in paper towels and cooked till almost done. Cut in half and after you pour away the fried apples, finish off the bacon in the same skillet. Don't turn the heat up to high or it will burn.

Serve beside the apples.

Hot Apple Pineapple Cider

My daughter and grand daughter's favorite

In a stainless steel medium sauce pan, pour 2 qt. apple cider
1 6oz. orange pineapple frozen concentrate.

Slowly heat to the temperature you would for hot cocoa.

Add 2 Tablespoons of real butter

Keep warm by putting in a small crock pot on the table.

For added flavor, take 1 cup of juice
and heat with 2 teaspoons of red hots

and a cinnamon stick.

Add back to the hot apple cider.

This can be prepared an hour ahead of time

in a crock pot to be ready anytime on a chilly evening.
This or other hot breakfast drinks can be
made in a coffee pot for those early risers.

Enjoy.