Savory Ham & Cheese Dutch Baby

Weekends are for brunch! Whether you hit a downtown hot spot with a kickass bloody mary bar (I'm looking at YOU, Meat & Potatoes!) or stay in your pj's and keep it casual at home, brunch should be a hell of a lot more special than your typical weekday green smoothie, bowl of cereal or a protein bar. Weekend brunch is a time to celebrate making it through the week!

The luxury of time is the key ingredient in any brunch recipe. Homemade brunch goodies (including a home version of a damned good Bloody Mary, Mimosa or even a cool weather Irish Coffee, of course) are best made at your leisure while reading the morning newspaper, sipping a hot cup of coffee, and discussing the previous evening's escapades with a friend, spouse or even (depending of the level of hijinks) co-conspirator. 

So put your feet up on the coffee table, turn on CBS Sunday Morning, sharpen your pencil to tackle the crossword puzzle, all while enjoying a relaxing and special brunch that tastes just like you got up, got dressed, got out and fought the crowd at the Bloody Mary Bar. Your new fave brunch may just be the one you make at home....in your pj's.

Savory Ham & Cheese Dutch Baby - for 2

NOTE:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees before starting batter and filling.

When your oven comes up to temp, put a dry cast iron skillet into the oven to heat while you make the pancake batter and filling.

(This recipe uses a 7-8" cast iron skillet for a 2-serving recipe. To serve 4, double the recipe and use a 9-10" cast iron skillet. Increase the baking time by at least 10 minutes - check frequently.)

Pancake:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C all pupose flour  (I use gluten free flour (Jules or Tom Sawyer) to make this GF)
• 1/2 C milk
• 1 T honey (I used Bee's Knees Hot Honey for just a little kick)
• 2 T butter - for the cast iron skillet

Put all the above (except the butter - that's for the cast iron skillet) into the bowl of your electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment (if you have one) beat for 5 full minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Set aside.

Filling:

• 1 egg
• 1/4 C half & half
• salt & pepper to taste
• pinch of cayenne
• 1/4 C diced ham - and a little extra for the top
• 1/4 C diced smoked gouda (or other cheese of choice)
• 2 T finely diced onion that's been sauteed in a bit of butter until soft

Prepare the onions and let cool.

In a small bowl, beat the egg, half & half, and seasonings together until well combined. Add the ham, cheese and onions - mix well. Set aside.

Assembly:

Open the oven and put the 2 T of butter into the hot cast iron skillet. Close the oven and wait for the butter to melt. Carefully swirl the butter to completely coat the bottom of the skillet. 

Pour the batter into the skillet and bake approximately 20 minutes or until set and fully cooked. Remove from oven and let cool 2-3 minutes. 

Pour the filling mixture into the center of the Dutch Baby, top with a little extra diced ham, and return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes until set. Remove, cut and serve.

Crunchy Roasted Bacon Slabs With Bourbon Peanut Butter Dip

BACON. 

Now that I have your attention, let's get right down to the business of this perfect storm of smoky, salty, sweet and spicy, crunchy bacon goodness. 

If you've been following Dinner Plan-it since our trip to Kentucky Bourbon Country, I've mentioned the crush I have on the Bacon In A Glass at OBC Kitchen in Lexington, Kentucky. It's just one of those food memories that haunts your taste buds, beckons you to indulge again..and again. But it's a 6 hour drive to OBC Kitchen. There was nothing else to do but recreate the dish at home.

Although the OBC Kitchen serves this as an app, I've been making it for brunch without the peanut butter dip. If you can't make it to Kentucky to sample this wonderfulness for yourself, here's my version of their classic. If you CAN make the trip to Lexington (and I strongly urge you to visit the Bourbon Trail), be sure not to miss it!

Crunchy Roasted Bacon Slabs 

With Bourbon Peanut Butter Dip 

• 1 lb VERY thick sliced (slabs of) bacon - packaged bacon just won't do, get it from your butcher. My bacon butcher is Butcher On Butler - tell them I sent you.
• 2/3 C brown sugar
• 2 t ancho chile powder
• Demerara sugar for finishing - Demerara is a large crystal raw cane sugar with a rich molasses note. It's not hard to find, even Giant Eagle has it!

Dip:

• 1/3 C smooth peanut butter
• 2 T Mike's Hot Honey - or regular honey if you don't want extra heat
• 2 T bourbon - I used Bulleit
• 1 T maple syrup
• 2 T water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet WITH A RIM (so you don't have molten sugar and bacon grease all over the bottom of your oven) with parchment paper (for easy clean up, you'll thank me). Then set a wire rack on top of the parchment covered baking sheet. 

Mix brown sugar and ancho chile powder together and spread on a plate. Dredge each slice of bacon in the sugar mixture on both sides, then lay the slabs, without touching each other, on the rack on top of the rimmed baking sheet. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. The time could be more or less depending on the thickness of your bacon. 

While the bacon is roasting, spread demerara sugar on a dinner plate or paper plate.

Remove from the oven when the bacon is well browned, but not burned. If the slices are not crisp, that's just fine as they will firm up as they cool. 

As you remove each slice from the rack, immediately coat both sides in demerara sugar. Lay each slice on another parchment covered baking sheet to cool and set. 

For the dip: In a microwave safe small bowl, mix all the dip ingredients. Nuke for a few seconds, stir, nuke again until well combined and warm but not hot. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more water.

Once the bacon slices have firmed up, stand them in a glass, dip in peanut butter and it's party time!

Bourbon Honey Bacon In A Glass with peanut butter dip at OBC Kitchen in Lexington, KY.

Cornbread Buttermilk French Toast Fingers

It's morning. You yawn, stretch and head for the kitchen. Once the coffee is on and there's a moment to get the brain cells in gear (at the very least, a few synapses are beginning to fire before the coffee kicks in) the thought occurs, "What's for breakfast?" 

Obviously this is a weekend scenario. Otherwise, there'd be no such leisurely start to the day!

Peeking into the fridge, you spot a pan of leftover cornbread from the previous night's dinner. Hmmmm....cornbread, eggs, buttermilk...why not make French toast with cornbread? Would it work? I can assure you, it most definitely and deliciously does! 

What's it like? Sweet, vanilla notes of French toast sing in the foreground, while at the same time cornmeal crunch and rich corn-iness bring up the beat in the background. And it's easy.

Now pour that cup of coffee, fry up a batch of Cornbread Buttermilk French Toast Fingers for the fam and get ready to start your weekend!  

Cornbread Buttermilk French Toast Fingers

Serves 2 (double or triple, if you need!)

• 8 slices of cornbread, approx. 4" long x 1 1/2" high x 1/2" thick
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 t sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 3/4 C buttermilk
• canola oil for frying

First make the French toast dip by beating together the egg, vanilla, sugar, salt and buttermilk in a shallow dish that will hold the cornbread slices flat while you dip them.

Heat a skillet with a skim of oil - you don't want to drown the pieces in oil! 

Carefully dip each piece of cornbread into the dip, being sure to get both sides nicely covered, and gently place into the hot skillet. Brown both sides and serve with maple syrup.  

Leftovers (if there are any) reheat beautifully in the microwave or oven.

Breakfast Sausage Corndogs

Who doesn't love a corndog in the summertime? Here in Pittsburgh, many of us can be found strolling around the midway of Kennywood with a mustard slathered golden, crunchy dog-on-a-stick in one hand and maybe even a paper boat of Potato Patch fries in the other. What a way to celebrate summer!

But what about breakfast? Where's the take charge breakfast-on-a-stick for the early morning person on the go? In my opinion, instead of a hot dog, morning requires a more breakfast appropriate sausage. Don't you think so, too? As far as the "corn" part of the corndog, why mess with a classic?! And instead of frying the handy a.m. treat, let's bake it to make it just a little healthier start to our day.

This recipe isn't just easy to grab and go, any leftovers heat in the microwave in a snap so that breakfast on the fly can happen day after day. And you KNOW the kids will love this one! 

See that peach in the pic? Just a suggestion...peel and chop it and mix it in with a little maple syrup for the perfect sweet-tart accompaniment. That's what I did (maybe with just a kiss of bourbon, too), but that's for eating on a plate. Could you imagine maple syrup dripping onto the car seats while driving to work? Just plain on a stick is the delicious way to go when you're not sitting at the table.

Hey, Kennywood! This one's for you.

Breakfast Sausage Corndogs

• 8 cooked and browned breakfast sausages, cooled (you can even do this the night before to really make it easy in the morning - or buy the precooked kind!
• 8 popsicle sticks or skewers
• 1 1/4 C cornmeal
• 1 1/4 C Bisquick - I used the gluten free kind to make this GF
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 T maple syrup
• 1 C buttermilk
• 2-3 T canola oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Insert sticks/skewers into each sausage BEFORE you wrap the dough around. Believe me, you'll be glad you did.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil and spray it with cooking spray. 

In a medium bowl, mix the cornmeal and Bisquick, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. It will make a dough.

Using approximately 1/4 cup of dough per sausage, wrap it completely around each one.

Dough-wrapped and ready for the oven!

Spray the tops of the corndogs with more cooking spray and bake for approximately 25 minutes. My finished product isn't browned because GF baked goods just don't brown. If you use regular Bisquick, browning shouldn't be a problem at all. Either way, they are wonderful!

 

Potato, Apple and Bacon Waffles

A week ago or so I made up a batch of these lovlies for breakfast and have been craving them ever since. Sweet and savory Potato, Apple and Bacon Waffles are kind of a mashup of a hearty German potato pancake and a sweet apple pancake baked on a waffle iron for extra crispiness and crunch. A little bacon is thrown in for a salty, smoky contrast to the sweet apple and for balance.

Why I waited to make them again is a puzzle to me, because they're so easy to put together...especially if you use precooked real bacon bits. Making dinner (or breakfast if you're more of a traditionalist) is simpler still when you start with frozen shredded hashbrown potatoes and just a little Bisquick. Who doesn't like a quick and easy breakfast-for-dinner recipe in their arsenal?!

Ready to make an easy "brinner" for the fam? Gentlemen (and ladies), start your waffle irons!

Potato, Apple and Bacon Waffles

Makes 8 waffles

• 4 C frozen shredded hashbrown potatoes, thawed
• 8 slices bacon, cut into dice, fried crisp (or 1/2-2/3 C REAL bacon bits
• 2 apples, peeled and cored, cut into 1/4" dice
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 6 T Bisquick (I use gluten-free Bisquick to make these GF)
• 6 T milk
• 1 t salt and extra for sprinkling on the finished waffles to really make the flavor pop!

Preheat your waffle iron while you toss the batter together.

In a large bowl, mix the potatoes and sprinkle with Bisquick. Add bacon, apples, egg, milk and salt. Mix all together well.

My waffle iron uses no oil; if yours needs to be oiled, prepare your iron as needed.

Use half the batter for the first batch of waffles, if your waffle iron makes 4 at a time like mine. I like to press down firmly on the waffle iron handle for 30 seconds or so to get good initial contact on both sides of the waffle - I think it produces a crisper waffle in the end.

Carefully remove the first batch of waffles and do the second. 

Serve with real maple syrup and a sprinkle of salt. Yes, I said salt. It makes a BIG difference!

NOTE: Leftover waffles? Put thinly sliced cheddar between two waffles and grill on both sides in a buttered skillet until the cheese is melted and the waffles crisp. Delish!

NOTE 2: Although I haven't tried it, I can't help but think these would make a kickass base for sausage gravy! Hmmmmmm......

Brunch-Time Bacon Lettuce Tomato Potato..The BBLTP

Here's a super simple take on a lunch classic transformed into a brunch treat....a BBLTP....brunch-time bacon lettuce tomato potato. So simple, it's almost a Quickie. Truthfully, if you have a baked potato on hand, it IS a quickie because it's a simple dish that's quick and easy to make.

Besides mimicking the flavors of my favorite in-season-tomato summertime treat, this hearty breakfast is a real stick-to-your-ribs meal. 

Take a baked Russet potato, scoop out enough flesh to hold one or two eggs (depending on the size of the potato and the size of your appetite), break an egg (or two) into the hole and bake until set. Sprinkle with pre-cooked crumbled bacon (store bought to keep with the easy theme here), a little chopped tomato, shredded lettuce and (not shown in the pic) a side of a little mayo blended with a smidge of lemon juice. What's a BLT or BBLTP without mayo?!

The perfect accompaniment? Well, a Bloody Mary, of course. Isn't that the answer to any brunch question?

The BBLTP

(Brunch-Time Bacon Lettuce Tomato Potato)

• 1 baked potato, cooled - take a thin slice off the top and discard (or butter and eat...bonus for the cook!), scoop out enough flesh to hold 1 or 2 eggs - Make these the night before to this step and brunch will come together in no time
• 1 or 2 eggs per potato, depending on the size of the potato AND your appetite
• a handful of pre-cooked and crumbled bacon, warmed in the microwave - I get mine at Costco
• shredded Romaine lettuce
• finely diced fresh tomato
• freshly ground black pepper 
• kosher salt
• butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 



First season the inside of the potato well with fresh ground black pepper, a little kosher salt, a pat of butter and a sprinkle of crumbled bacon. 

Break the egg(s) into the hollow of the potato and bake until the eggs are set. I like mine runny - makes a nice extra bit of sauce - but, if you like yours hard, go ahead, it's YOUR breakfast! Usually takes my oven about 30 minutes, yours may take more or less time. Remember, it's how YOU like it.

Remove from the oven, plate and garnish with bacon, tomato and lettuce.

And don't forget the mayo!

Eggs In Purgatory With Sweet Italian Sausage

Without fail. Every time I see Eggs In Purgatory on a brunch menu, that is exactly what I order. Every. Single. Time. 

There it is on the menu of Meat & Potatoes (Downtown Pittsburgh)

And here it is smack dab in front of me!

Why? Undoubtedly it's the zip of spicy, peppery tomato against lush, smooth, creamy and cheesy polenta topped with perfectly poached eggs that create such richness that it sets my pulse to racing. Brunch paradise, I tell you!

Stagioni's (Southside Pittsburgh) simple and classic take on Eggs in Purgatory

Redpack tomatoes recently sent me a kit of products to try out in conjunction with their Carnevale promotion. The moment I opened the box and saw the goodies, I knew just what I'd be making with the variety of tomato products inside.  

Could I make Eggs In Purgatory in my very own kitchen? Would it compare to the restaurant versions? Could it be simple enough to make whenever I got the urge? The answers: yes, yes and YES! Not only that, you can do it easily too!

I started with a spicy arrabbiata sauce that came together in just minutes...this would be a quick sauce for weeknights, too! While the sauce simmered, the polenta cooked and all that was left was to poach the eggs and plate the dish. And yes, it was everything I'd hoped it could be!

Want to check out some more recipes and enter to win a kit from Redpack just like I got in the mail? Head on over to http://www.redgold.com/redpack/Carnevale for the scoop on how to enter and to get recipes for Tuscan Tomato Bruschetta, Antipasto Salad, Authentic Italian Gravy, Pizza Stromboli, Baked Ziti (you KNOW how we Pittsburghers love our ziti!) and Chicken Parmesan. 

Now here's my own recipe for my very favorite brunch. Ever!

Eggs In Purgatory With Sweet Italian Sausage

• 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
• 1 T crushed red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how much heat you can handle...it's purgatory, remember)
• 6 oz. can Redpack tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 4 T minced fresh basil
• 28 oz. can Redpack diced tomatoes
• 2 t Kosher salt
• 3 links sweet Italian sausage, broken into medium large chunks, browned and drained
• cooked parmesan polenta (see recipe below)
• poached eggs
• freshly shaved parmesan

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add crushed red pepper flakes and stir a few seconds before adding the minced garlic - stir a few seconds again, then stir in the tomato paste. Let the mixture cook a couple of minutes to caramelize the sugars in the tomato paste and the garlic. Add salt, basil - stir together well, then add the can of diced tomatoes. Stir until well combined, add the cooked sausage, combine into the sauce and that's it! Set aside.

Poach as many eggs as you need to serve as many people as you are serving. Then begin assembly.

Spoon warm polenta into individual serving dishes, make a nice well to snuggle the eggs into. Spoon Arrabbiata sauce around the polenta, place the eggs into the well you made in the polenta, shave fresh parm over all and serve! 

  

Arrabbiata sauce, sweet Italian sausage and Redpack tomato products.

Did you know that "arrabbiata" means angry in Italian? Reportedly the sauce is angry because of the hot peppers. Or could it be because it's often found in Purgatory? Hmmmmmm......

Parmesan Polenta

• 8 C chicken stock - I used unsalted
• 2 t. salt - use less if your stock is already salted
• 2 C polenta
• 3 T. butter
• 2/3 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot, bring the stock and salt to a boil. Sloooooowwwwly pour in the polenta while stirring constantly. Continue stirring for a minute or two until you're sure the mixture is smooth. Stir frequently for another 20-25 minutes until the polenta is thick and smooth and creamy. Stir in the butter and the Parmesan completely. 

Sweet Savory Triple Corn and Sausage Waffles

Bless you Dillner Family Farm CSA, I LOVE you! Why?

Having been raised on canned vegetables on sale from the local A&P ("Creamed Corn - 3 Cans for 38 Cents"!), fresh veggies were a revelation. 

As a kid, I despised asparagus. Tell me, do they still commit the atrocity of canning asparagus today? Have you ever eaten long, slimy spears from the tall Green Giant can? Or, perhaps, grayish green Argo peas that were forced to give up their natural sweetness and "pop" by being overcooked and nearly brined to mush in the salty canning water? A shiver goes up my spine just thinking about the veggies of my youth.

The only fresh vegetables I recall as a kid at the family kitchen table were red cabbage - sweet and sour German-style, Brussels sprouts - boiled to a stinky, sulfurous death, and cauliflower - with cheese sauce, so who in their right mind didn't love THAT?! Oh, and carrots thrown in with celery, potatoes and onions along with a chuck roast - maybe with a packet of dry Lipton California Onion Soup Mix if my mom was feeling all fancy - in the old speckled blue enameled oval roaster. That Sunday roast was a classic.

I'll never forget having FRESH, crisp, bright green asparagus with hollandaise-kissed Eggs Benedict for brunch at Uncle Harry's place in Baltimore. "No thank you I don't like asparagus," I averred. "Try these, you'll like them," said Uncle Harry. 

Well, they sure didn't look like any asparagus I'd ever seen on a plate in front of me before, so I trusted my very sophisticated (a least to my young Pittsburgh eyes and experience) uncle - he of the very cool silver Jaguar XKE and fabulous taste in both clothes and decorating style. Trust him I did. From that moment on, a new world of culinary adventuring opened up before me. And I am forever grateful.

Fast forward to today and the fam can tell you that it is rare when we don't have fresh veggies on our plates, even in the dead of winter. Occasionally, you might find canned corn in a soup or - rarer still - frozen petite peas when we have a roasted chicken with mashed potatoes. (I'm a sucker for tiny sweet peas with mashed potatoes and gravy. Sometimes - when I think no-one is looking - the inner four-year-old me will mix them all together. Blush.)

CSA season in our house today is a delightful abundance of very fresh-from-the-farm produce. So far, since early June, we've enjoyed lots of greens - spinach, kale and many types of lettuces, yellow and green squash, red and golden beets, onions, fresh garlic, gorgeous tiny and sweet strawberries, blueberries, kohlrabi, tomatoes, green peppers, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and lots of fresh, unbelievably sweet corn. This last week, the corn was sooooo sweet that our hands were sticky when we finished husking it!

We're a family who loves homemade waffles, so when I considered making fresh corn fritters somehow thoughts turned to fresh corn waffles instead. My usual gluten-free waffle uses corn flour and cornmeal, wouldn't corn kernels make this a triple threat celebration of corn? Too sweet perhaps?

That's when I decided to add beautifully browned crumbles of down-home, savory sage sausage to the sweet batter. A sweet and savory combo waffle drizzled with real maple syrup over all? Breakfast simply couldn't have been any better.

You know what? I still have another cup or so of corn kernels left. What will I do with the last of last week's sweet corn and all the new Dillner Family Farm produce I'll pick up on Thursday? Hmmmmmm...thinking.......

Sweet Savory Triple Corn and Sage Sausage Waffles

• 1 1/4 C flour (use a good gluten-free flour to make this GF - I use Jules GF all purpose flour)
• 1/2 C corn flour
• 1/2 C cornmeal
• 2 t baking powder
• 3/4 t salt
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1/2 C cooked & well-browned breakfast sage sausage - nicely browned sausage gives a good depth of flavor to the waffles (if you can't find sage sausage, a good quality regular breakfast sausage will do just fine)
• 1 C corn - cut fresh from the cob
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 C milk
• 5 T butter, melted

Mix all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat egg whites in a separate medium bowl until stiff, but not dry. Set aside.

Beat egg yolks and milk together. While beating, add the melted butter and continue to whisk until the mixture is homogeneous. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Add beaten egg whites, folding gently until well incorporated and finally add the sausage and corn. Mix these in gently, too.

Bake the waffles according to your waffle iron directions, keeping each batch warm as you finish up the batter. Serve hot with syrup for brunch OR dinner.

Texas Eggs In Poblanos

If you really use your imagination...and kind of squint your eyes a bit...do you see the resemblance of a poblano half to the state of (yeeeeehawwwww) Texas? Me too! Do real Texans make eggs this way? I really have no clue, but why not?! It makes a great name for a brunch dish that comes in a Texas-shaped edible container anyway.

Spicy chorizo, smooth and creamy avocado, sharp cheddar, sultry cilantro and some other TexMex regular customers all gathered 'round the kitchen this morning for quite the satisfying brunch. It didn't take a lot of Sunday morning effort, either. In fact, you could cut the peppers, grate the cheese and fry up the chorizo the night before. From there, it's a snap. 

While the eggs are baking, it even gives you lots of time to make a nice pitcher of Bloody Maria's or even a Michelada. I'm sure that's what they'd serve up with Texas eggs in Texas anyway. Saddle up for brunch, pardner!

Texas Eggs in Poblanos

Serves 1

• 1 poblano pepper, (choose a nice big round one instead of a flat one - holds the egg) cut in half lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed
• 2 eggs
• 1 link Mexican chorizo, fried and crumbled
• 1/2 C or so of grated sharp cheddar
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 avocado, sliced and dipped in lime juice
• 2 small tomatoes, chopped
• 1 T chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for garnish
• 2 T sweet onion, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• green Tabasco

Set the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the pepper halves into a shallow casserole dish and break an egg into each half. Bake approximately 20 minutes or until the egg is set the way you like it.

While the eggs are baking, make the fresh salsa. Combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro and salt to taste. Add a dash (or MORE) of Green Tabasco (I LOVE this stuff!) and spoon onto a serving plate. 

When the eggs are done, nestle them into the salsa, surround them with shredded cheese, sliced avocado, the cooked chorizo and garnish with more cilantro and lots of green Tabasco or even a little salsa verde.

This presentation is lovely...but right after the pic, I mixed everything up and piled it on top of the peppers. Maybe not as pretty, but easier eating! And that's what counts.

NOTE: Of course you can double, triple, quadruple the recipe to serve as many as you need!

Jalapeno Cheese Grits and Sunnyside Eggs

This recipe and breakfast is all YOUR fault, Mr. Blanton! You can't go telling and tantalizing folks with the wonders of your Jalapeno Cheese Grits withOUT giving us the recipe. So I went ahead and came up with my own version which, I'm sure, isn't as wondrous as your own, but still damned good...I AM being humble here.

Although I didn't use instant grits - they've never crossed my doorstep and never will - this is a relatively quick and easy recipe. The most difficult thing was stirring to make them smooth and creamy. 

I cheated and used shredded cheese, though. If you're a purist, go ahead and shred the cheese yourself if you have nothing better to do in the morning than run the simultaneous risk of shredding your knuckles. (This is especially a dangerous move if you tackle the shredding chore pre-coffee!)

The colors of green and red hot sauces and the essential Bloody Mary accompaniment tells me this dish is perfect for a casual, Southern-inspired Christmas morning. HO HO HO, y'all!

Served with the perfect side...a Bloody Mary!

  Jalapeno Cheese Grits and Sunnyside Eggs

 

• 3 tablespoons butter, plus 2 more to finish the dish
• 1/2 large jalapeno chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
• 1 cup yellow grits, coarse ground is my fave (wish this Yankee had access to some authentically legendary Southern grits)
• 2 cups chicken broth, I like unsalted to control the saltiness...especially when using cheese in grits
• 1 cup heavy cream, or half and half
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, I used a Mexican blend cheese with cheddar, colby and hot pepper jack cheeses
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce, the GREEN variety - plus additional to garnish
• Tabasco sauce, the CHIPOTLE variety to garnish

• some pretty, sunnyside up fried eggs

Melt 3 T of the butter in the bottom of a deep saucepan - a deep one helps keep the bubbling grits from decorating your stovetop! 

Add the diced jalapeno and cook a minute or 2 to soften. Add the broth and the cream and bring to a boil. Slowly add the grits in a steady stream continuously whisking like mad. Use a long handled whisk to prevent being hit by the bubbling grits as they cook. Boil and stir for about a minute, then lower heat to medium low and continue whisking until they are thick and silky...maybe 15-20 minutes. Be patient, the stirring is worth it. Seriously.
 
Stir in the rest of the butter and incorporate completely. Add the cheese and 1 1/2 T. of the GREEN Tabasco; stir in thoroughly. Taste and add salt to taste, if needed.
 
Set the grits aside, fry up eggs - I like mine with a runny yolk to make the grits even better than they already are! Spoon the grits into a shallow bowl, set the sunnyside up eggs on top, add a few dollops of green Tabasco and a few of chipotle Tabasco and serve!
 
P.S. I'd enjoy these for dinner in a heartbeat!


NOTE: Mr. Blanton (Greg) is a kick-ass cook and BBQ genius from Georgia. And a good friend to boot.

Black Mission Fig and Ginger Pecan Baked Oatmeal

Nothing hugs the tummy on a cold morning quite like a bowl of oatmeal. I can hear you now, "What?! A recipe for oatmeal? You've got to be kidding me." (Accompanied by a dramatic eyeroll, I hope!) Who needs a recipe for oatmeal when all you have to do is tear open a packet, add water, give it a little spin in the microwave and breakfast is ON the table!

Not so fast. How about morning convenience AND oatmeal raised to a whole new level? One that's more delicious than any artificial ingredients-filled, sugar-laden paper packet of oatmeal dust you've ever had?

Oh...you don't like oatmeal? Perhaps your tastebuds have simply been waiting for a hot morning cereal worthy of their undivided attention. Your bored tastebuds have been waiting for Black Mission Fig and Ginger Pecan Baked Oatmeal! 

Kimber has been home for a few days and treated us to this simple, make-it-the-night-before breakfast.  Mmmmm...she enjoys it warm and topped with a little non-fat Greek yogurt. I like it cold with either a little skim milk or non-fat Greek yogurt, too. Sound too healthy for you? What if I told you the flavor and texture is more like a rich, creamy, decadent bread pudding than a good-for-you quick morning meal? It is.

It's not often you can splurge on flavor, yet skimp on fat and calories...and have the result be heart healthy, too. Live it up!

Black Mission Fig and Ginger Pecan Baked Oatmeal

• 2 1/2 cups oatmeal, certified gf to make this gluten-free!
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup dried figs, Black Mission figs are my fave, quartered lengthwise
• 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, diced small if it didn't come that way already
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/3 cups skim milk
• 4 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 8" glass baking dish with Pam.  Mix all the dry ingredients in large bowl.  In medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients.  Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well.
 
Pour mixture into dish sprayed with Pam, bake for 55-60 minutes or until center is set and firm to touch. 
 
Serve as is or with some yogurt on top...maybe a few berries, too! Oh...and I love that it make a good amount so you have an instant breakfast for a few days...IF you and the fam don't scarf it up!

Gluten-Free Cheddar Jalapeno Waffles with Spicy Fried Chicken & Bourbon Maple Syrup

Meat & Potatoes in downtown Pittsburgh has the most AMAZING Fried Chicken and Cheddar Jalapeno Waffles with Bourbon Maple Syrup! Or so I’ve heard. 

Although the hubby orders them almost every time we hit up M&P for Saturday or Sunday brunch, I’ve never even tasted them. Not that I haven’t wanted to, mind you…the old gluten enemy prevents me from tasting even a tempting smidgen. Damn gluten.

This morning I got my sweet (okay, more savory than sweet) revenge! I made all of it from scratch and gluten-free. Take THAT gluten!  You will not defeat me…(cue the evil laugh here)! I’d go into all the glorious detail of small sighs and moans that escaped my lips whilst in the throes of fried chicken and waffle ecstasy, but I’ve probably said more than enough already. Suffice it to say, the hubster declared my version even better than M&P…smart man.

(That old Gluten Devil not an issue for you? Just substitute regular all purpose flour for the gluten-free flour and proceed. Easy!)

Gluten-Free Cheddar Jalapeno Waffles with 

Spicy Fried Chicken & Bourbon Maple Syrup

Serves 4

• 2 chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into 3 "fingers" each - more if the breasts are really big
• 1/2 cup panko, gluten-free to make this GF, regular if gluten isn't an issue
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/4 cup canola oil, divided

• 1 cup maple syrup, the REAL stuff! If you're going to do it, do it RIGHT! Otherwise you're wasting good bourbon.
• 1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon - more to your liking

• 1 1/4 cups flour, Jule's gluten free all purpose flour or another GOOD gf blend - regular if gluten isn't an issue
• 1/2 cup corn flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 jalapeno chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed, minced very finely
• 2 eggs, separated (You know this means the yolks from the whites in different cups, don't you? Otherwise, do not go further in the recipe. ; - )
• 2 cups milk
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
 

Chicken: In a plastic bag, mix panko, cornmeal, spices and salt well. Add the chicken fingers and shake, coating each finger well.
 

On a baking sheet with a raised edge all around, drizzle 1/2 the oil and spread it evenly over the sheet. Put it into the oven for a minute to heat up...do NOT let it smoke. Place each chicken finger on the hot oil in the sheet, leaving room between each, drizzle the rest of the oil evenly over the chicken fingers. Bake for 15 minutes, turn each one over and bake another 10 minutes or so until crispy. Remove to plate and keep warm while you make the waffles.
 

Syrup: Mix syrup and bourbon. Done.
 

Waffles: In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients, flour through sugar.  Put the egg whites into your small mixer bowl and beat until the whites are stiff, but not dry. Set aside.
 

In another bowl, beat by hand the egg yolks and milk and then quickly beat in the melted butter. Add these to the dry ingredients and mix well by hand with a fork. When everything is well incorporated, add the beaten egg whites and fold them into the mixture with a rubber spatula until they are thoroughly mixed in. Add the cheese and jalapeno and mix just until  distributed throughout the batter.
 

Now you're ready to make the waffles! Only you know your waffle iron. Only you know how much batter to use. My waffle iron holds 2 cups exactly. Yours may hold more or less. Only add what YOUR waffle iron holds so it doesn't ooze out the sides and make a mess. My waffle iron doesn't need oil either. If your waffle iron needs it, use it. I LOVE my waffle iron!!!!!
 

Bake the waffles according to your waffle iron directions, keeping each batch warm as you finish up the batter.
 

Assembly: Put a waffle on the plate, pile on a couple of chicken fingers, drizzle with syrup. Enjoy!

NOTE: No, this dish is not for the novice cook.  Even if you aren't new to cooking, enlist help. This is a lot of morning work that is WORTH it, but it's always more fun to have fun with a friend while you're cooking. A brunch time Bloody Mary helps, too.