Green-Poached Eggs with Spinach and Chives

I rarely make breakfast anymore because it's so much easier to let August specialize in it. With some leftover baby spinach languishing away in the fridge, this seemed like the perfect way to start a quiet weekend on my own. Best of all, it's a simple breakfast that doesn't require a lot of effort in the morning, but still gives you a beautifully soft, perfectly cooked egg.

The recipe header says this one serves 4, but then instructs you to divide the meal into 2 bowls. I made one egg because I had very few greens, but wouldn't been happy to have two.

One year ago: Burmese-style Pork Curry with Fresh Ginger
Two years ago: Perfumed Basmati Rice with Black Cardamom Pods
Three years ago: Brisket Tacos
Four years ago: Peanut Butter and Nutella Brownies

Green-Poached Eggs with Spinach and Chives (from Cook This Now)

Ingredients
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 scallions, sliced (white and light green separated from dark)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped chives
10 ounces baby spinach (~4 quarts)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
grated zest of 1 lemon
4 large eggs
chile flakes, for serving
sea salt, for serving
toast, for serving

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides.
2. Add white and light green scallions and garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
3. Stir in chives.
4. Toss in spinach a handful at a time, letting it wilt slightly before adding more.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cream and lemon zest. Let simmer until very soft, 3 minutes.
6. Make 4 indentations in the spinach. Crack eggs into holes. Lower heat to medium-low and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and leg eggs cook until almost opaque, 3 minutes.
7. Turn off heat and let eggs rest covered until done, 30 seconds for runny yolks.
8. Scoop eggs and greens into bowls. Season with chile flakes and flaky salt, garnish with scallion greens and serve with toast.

Lemon Poppy Seed-Sour Cream Cake

I tend not to make as many desserts or breakfast cakes now that I work from home and have fewer people to share them with, so I can't justify buying many dessert cookbooks. But when Rose Levy Beranbaum's Heavenly Cakes showed up on Amazon for $3 on the kindle, I knew I couldn't pass it by. Arguably one of the best bakers of our time, it seemed like a small investment. While I don't love having cookbooks on my kindle because I do enjoy writing in my books, this one was worth making an exception for. My first cake from this book was a resounding success. This cake is very lemony and also extremely moist. I made a half recipe so we wouldn't be overwhelmed with cake and it disappeared in only a few days.

One year ago: Barbecued Quail with Mograbiah Salad
Two years ago: Roasted Chicken Legs with Oranges and Paprika
Three years ago: Shrimp and Avocado in Tamarind Sauce
Four years ago: Chocolate Souffle Cupcakes with Mint Cream

Lemon Poppy Seed-Sour Cream Cake (from Rose's Heavenly Cakes)

Ingredients
Cake
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp sour cream, divided
1 3/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup/250g all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup/250g superfine sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
5 tsp/10g finely grated lemon zest
1/3 cup/50g poppy seeds
14 tbsp/200g unsalted butter at room temperature
Syrup
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp/112g sugar
6 tbsp lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 10 cup tube pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, yolk, 1/4 cup of sour cream, and vanilla.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lemon zest, and poppy seeds on low for 30 seconds.
4. Add butter and remaining sour cream to flour. Mix on low until ingredients are moistened. Raise speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 minutes.
5. Starting on low, add egg mixture in two parts, beating on medium for 30 seconds after each addition.
6. Scrape batter into pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
7. Meanwhile, heat the sugar and lemon juice until sugar dissolves (either in microwave or stovetop).
8. Poke holes in cake and brush with 1/3 of syrup.
9. After 10 minutes, invert cake on serving plate and brush with remaining syrup.

Upside-down Polenta Plum Cake

Our plum trees been a bit over-active lately, so I'm trying to take advantage of the plums while they last. The author also suggests that rhubarb, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, apricots, and pineapple could be a good alternative for this cake. Per her suggestion, I also added a bit of ground cardamom to the batter to give it a little bit extra, but she also recommends citrus zest or ground nutmeg as additions. This cake is good cool, but even better served warm. Make sure you line your pan well or stick it on a baking sheet because I experienced some leakage.

One year ago: Berry Summer Bundt Cake
Two years ago: Chipotle Pork Cheeseburgers
Three years ago: Vodka Cream Pasta

Upside-down Polenta Plum Cake (from Cook This Now)

Ingredients
1 3/4 lbs plums, rinsed, pitted, and sliced 1/2" thick
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp sugar, divided
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup fine cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs
1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook plums, 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt, stirring until plums are tender and liquid begins to reduce, 20 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 350F. Line a 9" springform pan with parchment and grease well.
3. Spread plum mixture into pan.
4. In a bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.
5. In bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and remaining 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Add eggs one at a time to butter and beat to combine.
7. Beat in sour cream and vanilla.
8. Use a spatula to fold in dry ingredients. Scrap batter on top of plums (it will be extremely thick) and smooth as best you can with the spatula.
9. Bake until cake is golden and cooked through, 45 - 55 minutes.
10. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Flip onto a plate and unmold. Serve warm.

Mixed Berry-Almond Cobbler

In my fridge, I found a mixture of leftover raspberries and blackberries with some rhubarb hiding in the freezer. Although this recipe only calls for the berries, I decided that some rhubarb thrown in with a little extra sugar and cornstarch would be the perfect addition. The almond topping on this dessert is fantastically light, airy, and flavorful. You can also make this recipe with 1kg pitted cherries or even a mixture of cherries and apricots.

One year ago: Pomegranate Molasses Dressing
Two years ago: Rhubarb Custard Cake
Three years ago: Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Pots

Mixed Berry-Almond Cobbler (from Ready for Dessert)

Ingredients
Filling
6 cups (795g) mixed berries
2 tbsp (30g) sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon
Topping
1 cup (140g) flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
7 ounces (200g) almond paste, crumbled
1/3 cup (65g) sugar
1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1/2 cup whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. To make filling, in a shallow 2 quart baking dish, toss berries with 2 tbsp sugar and lemon juice.
3. To make topping, in small bowl whisk togeter flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. In stand mixer, beat together almond paste and 1/3 cup sugar until paste is broken into fine pieces.
5. Beat in butter, then egg and extract.
6. Add half of flour mixture, followed by milk, and remaining flour mixture, mixing until combined.
7. Spoon batter evenly over berries in baking dish.
8. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, 45 minutes.

Buckwheat Pancakes with Sliced Peaches and Cardamom Cream Syrup

Nothing says weekend quite like pancakes. These are great. The buckwheat, cardamom, and peach combination is delicious. My only quibble is that I wish the pancakes themselves had a bit of cardamom flavour. Next time, I might add some ground cardamom to the batter.

One year ago: Chicken Paprikas
Two years ago: Gratineed Cauliflower

Buckwheat Pancakes with Sliced Peaches and Cardamom Cream Syrup (from Cook This Now)

Ingredients
Cardamom Cream Syrup
1 tbsp cardamom pods, crushed
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
pinch kosher salt
Pancakes
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp honey
2 cups buttermilk or yogurt
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted plus more for the pancake cooking
sliced fresh peaches for serving

1. In small saucepan, combine cardamom, sugar, and 1/3 cup water. Bring to simmer and cook until sugar dissolves, 5 minutes. Stir in cream and salt and let bubble for 2 minutes. Cool and strain.
2. In large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In smaller bowl, whisk together egg and honey. Whisk in buttermilk and melted butter.
4. Form a well in the dry ingredients and pour wet into dry. Stir until combined.
5. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, spoon 1/4 cup dollops of batter onto skillet. Cook until bubbles form on surface and edges, 2 - 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden, 1 - 2 minutes.
6. Serve topped with cardamom syrup and peaches.

Creme Brulee French Toast with Orange Blossom Water

After posting 3 salads in a row, I wouldn't want to leave you with the impression that I'm eating super healthy right now. This is a great recipe for using up leftover baguette. I didn't get much of an orange blossom flavour, so if you like that, you might want to increase it a bit.

One word of caution, I used a smaller pan and I believe that's why my bread didn't get crispy on the bottom. I'd pay attention to the pan suggestion, but even then I'm not 100% sure it will crisp up. Either way, it's still delicious.

I added some fresh strawberries and blueberries to the mix and it was quite nice, so feel free to play around with it a bit. You might also consider letting it soak overnight.

One year ago: Creamy, Lemony Eggs with Prosciutto
Two years ago: Corn and Tomato Gratin

Creme Brulee French Toast with Orange Blossom Water (from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite)

Ingredients
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tsp orange blossom water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
280g French baguette, sliced diagonally, 1" thick

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar and butter until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a large rimmed baking sheet (11x17).
3. In a shallow dish, combine eggs, milk, orange juice, orange blossom water, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Coat both sides of bread slices in mixture and let soak for at least 15 minutes.
4. Place bread on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until tops are golden brown and sugar is bubbling.
5. Serve immediately with crunchy brown sugar side up.

Rhubarb Snacking Cake

I had high expectations for this recipe and I have to admit, I wasn't thrilled when it came out of the oven. Then I gave it to a friend to try a piece and she loved it. Some time passed and I tried it again and I wasn't so bitter towards the recipe.

First, the frustration. The bottom layer does not make a lot of batter. It also doesn't spread easily. It's good once it cooks up, but it's a pain to work with. You might want to try a slightly smaller pan or a slightly larger batch. She also says that the middle layer should spread into a single layer, but I measure based on weight and had very thin stalks and that was clearing not the case. Because the bottom layer was so small, the rhubarb overflowed on the edges. It also seemed to just be a watery mess that didn't want to set while baking, but it did once cooled. I had no major complaints with the crumb. At the end, she also suggests using a tester to see if the cake is done. I have no idea how a tester would work since the tester must pass through the wet rhubarb layer. If you can solve this mystery, you are a smarter person than me.

Is the recipe worth it? Probably. Would I be less frustrated with it if I increased the cake layer back up (she cut it in 2/3)? Definitely. You're free to do as you so desire.

One year ago: Tomatillo Pork Enchiladas
Two years ago: Jalapeno Cheddar Scones

Rhubarb Snack Cake (from Smitten Kitchen)
Ingredients
Cake
1 1/4 pound (565 grams) rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch lengths on the diagonal
1 1/3 cup (265 grams) granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice (save some zest)
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups (165 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup (80 grams) sour cream
Crumb
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick, 2 ounces, or 55 grams) unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or a nonstick cooking spray, then line the bottom with parchment paper, extending the lengths up two sides.
2. Stir together rhubarb, lemon juice and 2/3 cup sugar and set aside.
3. Beat butter, remaining sugar and lemon zest with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at at time, scraping down the sides after each addition.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon table salt and ground ginger.
6. Add one-third of dry mixture to the batter, mixing until just combined. Continue, adding half the sour cream, the second third of the flour mixture, the remaining sour cream, and then the remaining flour mixture, mixing between each addition until just combined.
7. Dollop batter over prepared pan, then use a spatula — offset, if you have one, makes this easiest — to spread the cake into an even, thin layer (see notes above if you skipped over them).
8. Pour the rhubarb mixture over the cake, spreading it into an even layer.
9. Stir together the crumb mixture, first whisking the flour, brown sugar, table salt and cinnamon together, then stirring in the melted butter with a spoon or fork.
10. Scatter evenly over rhubarb layer.
11. Bake cake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. It will be golden on top. Cool completely in the pan on a rack.

Breakfast Sausage

I have so many happy childhood memories associated with breakfast sausage and this recipe didn't disappoint. Best of all, it's quick, easy, and requires no weird ingredients. Serve your breakfast sausage patties inside homemade buttermilk biscuits and enjoy breakfast bliss!

One year ago: Rhubarb-Lamb Stew
Two years ago: Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Breakfast Sausage (from The Homesick Texan Cookbook)

Ingredients
900g ground pork
1 tbsp dried sage
2 tsp dried marjoram
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Mix together all ingredients and form into patties.
2. Heat skillet on medium heat.
3. Fry sausage patties 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Triple Coconut Muffins with Raspberry

My officemate at work first tried this recipe and we were both a little underwhelmed by the result. The end result was a very dense muffin with an odd texture. The coconut flavour just didn't come through enough either. I decided to liberally adapt this recipe, taking Deb's suggestion to use coconut milk instead to add more coconut flavour and adding some raspberries. I made quite a few changes as well (buckwheat flour, dark brown sugar) and the end result was great. The flavour seemed to get even better after the first day. Note this recipe only makes 10 muffins.

One year ago: Mint and Scallion Soba Noodles
Two years ago: Raspberry Lemonade

Triple Coconut Muffins with Raspberry (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients
1/2 cup (110 grams) virgin coconut oil
3/4 cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (60 grams) buckwheat flour (or you could use whole wheat)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup brown sugar sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature is best
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
3/4 cup (90 grams) sweetened shredded coconut, divided
1 cup raspberries, frozen or fresh

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Either grease 10 muffin cups with butter or coconut oil, or line them with papers.
2. In a small saucepan, warm your coconut oil just until it melts. It should still be on the cool side.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together your flours, baking powder and salt.
4. Stir in 1/2 cup shredded coconut.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, sugar, coconut oil, coconut milk and vanilla.
6. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups then sprinkle the top with remaining 1/4 cup coconut, about 1 to 2 teaspoons on each. [I omitted the coconut on top.]
7. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out batter-free, about 20 minutes. Transfer muffins to a rack and let cool.

Hash Brown Quiche

This breakfast dish combines all the best parts of breakfast: potatoes, cheese, egg, and bacon into one satisfying dish. I modified the original recipe a bit by using fresh potatoes instead of frozen hash browns, cheddar instead of the mix originally called for, and bacon instead of ham. I also added a lattice from the leftover mac and cheese pie crust (which you are welcome to skip but did add a little something extra!). I also added a bit of adobo sauce to the egg mixture to kick up the heat a bit since I didn't have Jalapeno Jack cheese. In my head, the combination was perfect. I was thrilled when the reality wasn't too far off from my imagination!

Two years ago: Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Hash Brown Quiche (adapted from Stop and Smell the Rosemary)

Ingredients
1 - 2 potatoes, shredded on cheese grater
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 tsp adobo sauce
2 cups shredded cheese of your choice (Jalapeno Jack, Swiss, cheddar, etc)
1 cup crumbled bacon or diced ham

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Press shredded potatoes into quiche pan. Bake 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in bowl combine eggs, half and half, adobo sauce, and salt.
3. Reduce oven to 350F. Place cheese and bacon in hash brown shell. Pour egg mixture over top. Bake 40 - 50 minutes.

Bagel-Egg

This is hands down my favourite breakfast that I've made in quite a while. The idea is so simple, but the results are so incredibly delicious. You could play with it and add some lettuce, tomatoes, or avocados. I'm sure it would be good, but why mess with perfect simplicity?

I did make one change to this recipe. Instead of browning the bagel in butter, I used some of the bacon fat from cooking the bacon. Why waste bacon fat?

One year ago: Fettucine Alfredo
Two years ago: Pecan Pie

Bagel-Egg (from Sexy: Cuisiner Pour Deux ... note this book is in French)

Ingredients
1 sesame seed bagel (Montreal bagels preferred of course!)
2 tsp bacon fat, reserved from cooking bacon (or butter)
2 eggs
6 slices of bacon, cooked
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella or gruyere) (I found 1 cup to be a bit much)
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Slice bagel in half. In an oven-safe frying pan, heat bacon grease on the stove or melt butter. Place bagel cut side down in pan and let brown for a few minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Break an egg in each bagel hole being careful not to break the yolk (I found it easier to break into a small bowl and pour in).
4. Cover each egg with 3 slices of bacon and top with the cheese.
5. Place skillet in the oven and bake for 5 minutes until cheese is melted and egg white is set (yolk will still be liquidy and delicious).
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Hash Browns

I've been craving hash browns and with potatoes on hand just waiting to be used, I decided it was time to indulge that craving. This recipe should be seen more as guidelines rather than strict following. I added some chives because we had some sitting around and then remembered that my favourite seasoning for hash browns was always Lawry's seasoning salt. Of course, I don't have that on hand, but figured that I could add some paprika to the mix to remind me of the salt. Next time I would probably at least double the paprika. These came out fairly well if I do say so myself. Serve with bacon and fried eggs for a perfect, filling breakfast. Don't forget the ketchup.

Two years ago: Potato and Bacon Muffins (I really need to make these again!)

Hash Browns (an improvised original)

Ingredients
2 russet potatoes
1 small onion, diced
3 - 4 chives, minced
salt
pepper
1/2 tsp hot paprika (I would double next time)
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
bacon grease (from the bacon you cooked for breakfast)

1. Grate potatoes using a cheese grater. If the mixture seems overly moist, squeeze out with towels.
2. In a small bowl, mix together grated potatoes, onion, chives, salt and pepper to taste, paprika, flour, and egg.
3. In a medium skillet, heat bacon grease. Place potato mixture in skillet and spread into a thin layer.
4. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Hash browns should hold together at this point.
5. Carefully flip to the other side and cook for another 5 minutes.

Cheddar Apple Bacon Strata

I should not grocery shop when hungry as I end up impulsively buying pork belly, cheap chicken to stock up on, and ingredients for this strata that popped into my head. Luckily, it turned out even better than expected. I had been mulling over what to do with the leftover apples and couldn't pass up some aged cheddar cheese or a beautiful looking loaf of pumpernickel. Bacon seemed an obvious addition to any apple dish. Fortunately, while browsing online, I found a recipe that looked exactly like what I had in mind ... with a few modifications. I added some sage as we have an abundance and apple and sage just seem to go together. It also seemed to make more sense to me to cook the apples in bacon fat rather than butter. I substituted buttermilk for regular milk just because and the end result was delicious, if a bit different. The recipe below is also scaled in half from the original as I didn't want too much leftover strata. One final word of warning, strata is best if you allow it to soak overnight, so if you can, plan ahead.

One year ago: Tomato, Semolina, and Coriander Soup

Cheddar Apple Bacon Strata (adapted from Group Recipes)

Ingredients
2 medium apples peeled and coarsely chopped
1.5 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 cups cubed pumpernickel bread
225g bacon
1 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
a few leaves of fresh sage, shredded
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon ground dry mustard
1 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs

1. Grease a casserole dish and set aside.
2. Cook bacon, set aside, reserve grease.
3. Cook apples in bacon grease 3 minutes stirring occasionally until crisp tender.
4. Stir in brown sugar then reduce heat to low and cook 6 minutes stirring occasionally.
5. Layer half each of the bread, bacon, apples, sage and cheese in casserole.
6. Repeat with remaining bread, bacon, apples, sage and cheese.
7. Mix remaining ingredients then pour over cheese.
8. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
9. Heat oven to 350 then bake uncovered 45 minutes and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Blueberry Streusel Bars with Lemon Cream Filling

I'm beginning to wonder if I have too many fruit-based breakfast type recipes. How many different times can you do baked goods with blueberries and lemons? Is there such a thing as too many streusel topped baked goods? Probably, if I run out of blueberries (from my 3L stash) before autumn arrives! This makes quite a large amount, so I scaled in half and used a smaller pan. Original is below.

One year ago: Broccoli and Gorgonzola Pie

Blueberry Streusel Bars with Lemon Cream Filling (from Fine Cooking)

Ingredients
8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened; more for the pan
13-1/2 oz. (3 cups) all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
1-1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. table salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 large egg, separated
14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk (note Canadian cans are smaller)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
2-1/2 cups room-temperature blueberries (about 13 oz.), washed and drained on paper towels (I used frozen despite the warnings and was fine)

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang on the ends. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of the foil.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Using your fingers, blend the butter completely into the flour mixture.
3. Transfer 2 cups of crumb mixture to another bowl and reserve for the topping.
4. Blend the egg white into the remaining crumbs and then press the mixture into the bottom of the pan to form a level crust. You can tamp it with the bottom of a measuring cup to even it out.
5. Bake the crust until it starts to form a dry top, 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and egg yolk. Let this mixture stand for 5 minutes; it will begin to thicken.
7. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the hot crust and then drop spoonfuls of the lemon mixture over the blueberries. Spread gently with a spatula to distribute a little more evenly, but take care not to crush the berries; it’s fine if the lemon mixture isn’t perfectly even.
8. Bake until the lemon mixture just begins to form a shiny skin, 7 to 8 minutes.
9. Sprinkle the reserved topping over the lemon-blueberry layer, pressing the streusel between your fingers into small lumps as you sprinkle.
10. Bake until the filling is bubbling at the edges and the topping is brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
11. Let the bars cool in the pan on a rack until just warm, about an hour. Carefully lift them out of the pan using the foil overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove the foil and cut into 24 bars when cool. The bars may be stored at room temperature for a few hours but otherwise should be kept in the refrigerator.

Black and Blue Buckle

Usually I share baked goods that I make, except when I make something that's amazing for breakfast. I substituted raspberries for blackberries which I highly recommend. I think almost any combination of these would work well! Don't shorten the whipping time of the butter, it makes the batter super light and fluffy.

One year ago: Chicken Tikka Masala

Black and Blue Buckle (from Farmers' Market Desserts)

Ingredients
Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped (or almonds)
Filling
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 1/2 cups blackberries (or raspberries)
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk

1. To make topping, stir together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a food processor.
2. Add butter and pulse until butter is small pieces.
3. Stir in pecans.
4. In a small bowl, toss berries with sugar, zest, salt, and cinnamon.
5. Preheat oven to 350 and butter a 9" square pan.
6. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.
7. In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on low speed and increase to medium, beating until light and creamy, about 5 minutes.
8. Mix in egg and vanilla.
9. On low speed, add half of flour mixture, milk, and remaining flour, beating until just combined and scraping the bowl in between.
10. Transfer batter to pan and smooth top with a spatula.
11. Scatter berry filling evenly over the batter.
12. Distribute topping evenly over berries, squeezing into small clumps.
13. Bake until topping is golden and cake is cooked through, 50 - 55 minutes.

Creamy, Lemony Eggs with Prosciutto

I ran across this recipe while searching eatyourbooks.com for something to do with my leftover prosciutto. I love creamy scrambled eggs and the method for these results in a perfect velvety texture. I roughly scaled the recipe down for 2, but the original which serves 4 is included below. Don't forget the chives! The chives provide the perfect counterbalance to the lemony eggs!

One year ago: Corn and Tomato Gratin

Creamy, Lemony Eggs with Prosciutto (from Radically Simple)

Ingredients
170g thinly sliced prosciutto
6 extra-large eggs plus 3 egg whites
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
3 tbsp chopped fresh chives

1. Line centers of 4 large plates with overlapping slices of prosciutto.
2. Combine eggs and whites and whisk until thoroughly mixed.
3. Add zest, juice, salt, and pepper and mix well.
4. Bring several inches of water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler (I always make my own with a small pot and metal mixing bowl). Reduce heat to a simmer.
5. Melt 1 tbsp butter in top of double boiler.
6. Add eggs. Cook, stirring with a rubber spatula and adding remaining 1 tbsp butter as you go, until eggs have thickened and formed curds, up to 10 minutes.
7. Spoon eggs onto prosciutto and garnish with chives.

Chocolate Gravy

Given the lawsuits Nutella is facing, I should start by pointing out that there is nothing healthy about this recipe. However, it is creamy and chocolaty and sometimes that's what you need in the morning. Best of all, it's made entirely with ingredients you should have on hand. Serve on top of some fresh out of the oven biscuits. I scaled the recipe in half (original included below) and had more than enough for two people (probably 4 would've been okay!).

One year ago: Peppers Stuffed with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

Chocolate Gravy (from Homesick Texan)

Ingredients
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of flour
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of butter

1. Mix together in a pot the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon (can sift if it’s too lumpy).
2. Add the milk and while stirring cook on medium heat until it thickens.
3. Stir in the vanilla and butter and serve immediately with biscuits.

Strawberry Buckwheat Tea Cake

I saw this cookbook while in Vermont for the weekend and resisted the temptation to buy it ... and then obsessed over it and a recipe that seemed made for me. I had been searching for things to do with buckwheat and seem to be becoming enamored with the flour and of course, strawberry season is here and I seem to be eating them constantly. Despite the wait and the build-up, this cake was worth it. The original calls for more strawberries and whipped cream as a topping, but I skipped that to make it more of a breakfast dish. It would be good with the additional strawberries and cream, but is also wonderful without.

One year ago: Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

Strawberry Buckwheat Tea Cake (adapted from Farmers' Market Dessert)

Ingredients
115g (1/2 cup) butter
110g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
60g (1/2 cup) buckwheat flour
170g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter an 8" square or 9" round baking pan.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan once the butter has melted until it turns a deep gold and releases a nutty aroma, 4 - 6 minutes. Pour into a heatproof medium bowl and let cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. To the butter, whisk in yogurt/sour cream, eggs, and vanilla.
5. Stir butter mixture into flour mixture until just combined.
6. Using a spatula, gently fold in 1 1/2 cups of the strawberries.
7. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Scatted remaining cup of strawberries on top.
8. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, 40 - 45 minutes. Let cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Strawberry Yogurt Scones

I may have done enough substitutions in this recipe for it to be something entirely new. The original called for ricotta, but I had some yogurt in the fridge that was a week from expiring and an aversion to buying ricotta for only one recipe. The raspberries I had bought for the scones ended up being used in another recipe, so I decided to make use of the last bit of the strawberries (how did I go through 1.5L of strawberries so quickly?). Finally, I couldn't resist the urge to use some of my buckwheat flour instead of the whole wheat (although I resisted the urge to substitute for all of the whole wheat). The end result were deliciously moist scones that looked strangely like cookies, but tasted like scones. A bit confusing, but good!

SK warns that the dough for this is wet, but mine was ridiculous despite scaling back on the cream. I might even try going without cream next time, although the final product was tasty, just not the most presentable and a pain to work with! A little bit more strawberry and maybe a dash of lemon might've also been good for this, so feel free to play around with the proportions.

One year ago: Apricot Blueberry Cobbler

Strawberry Yogurt Scones (loosely adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients
1/2 cup (60g) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (60g) buckwheat flour
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons (85 grams) cold unsalted butter
1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
3/4 cup yogurt
1/4 cup heavy cream (see notes)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In the bottom of a large, wide-ish bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, sugar and salt together.
3. With a pastry blender: Add the butter (no need to chop it first) and use the blender to both cut the butter into the flour mixture until the biggest pieces are the size of small peas.
4. Toss in strawberries and use the blender again to break them into chunks.
5. Add the yogurt and heavy cream together and stir them in to form a dough with a flexible spatula.
6. Using your hands, gently knead dough into an even mass, right in the bottom of the bowl.
7. With as few movements as possible, transfer the dough to a well-floured counter, flour the top of the dough and pat it into a 7-inch square about 1-inch tall.
8. With a large knife, divide the dough into 9 even squares. Transfer the scones to prepared baking sheet with a spatula.
9. Bake the scones for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden at the edges. Cool in pan for a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Raspberry Breakfast Bars

It's the start of Quebec raspberry season and I couldn't resist those little baskets of raspberries. Granted, I meant for these to be turned into scones, but that would've required waiting until the weekend to use the raspberries! I remember seeing this recipe last year, but not making it because it required oats and I never seemed to have those on hand. Thankfully, that problem has been remedied. I'm only sorry that I waited so long to make these! I scaled the recipe in half, but the original is included below.

One year ago: Zucchini and Goat Cheese Galette

Raspberry Breakfast Bars (from Smitten Kitchen, originally Baked: New Frontiers in Baking)

Ingredients
For the crust and crumb:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
For the raspberry filling:
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
450g raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1. Make the crust and crumb: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up the two short sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.
2. Put the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until combined. Add the butter and pulse until loose crumbs form.
3. Reserve 1 1/2 cup of the mixture and set aside. Pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hans or the back of a large wooden spoon to push the crust into an even layer at the bottom of the pan. The crust should touch the sides of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the crust cool. Keep the oven on while you make the raspberry filling.
4. Make the raspberry filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and flour together. Add the raspberries, lemon juice and butter and use your hands to toss gently until the raspberries are evenly coated.
5. Assemble and bake the bars: Spread the raspberry filling evenly on top of the cooled crust. Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture evenly on top of the filling.
6. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan every 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges.
7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve.