Sunny Side Up Breakfast

Sunny Side Up Egg for Breakfast

In Trader Joe's the other day, I bought these ready to eat avocados and for breakfast this morning I thought why not incorporate avocados into breakfast.  With four simple ingredients I created a delicious, healthy and quick-to-fix breakfast. 

Two slices of whole grain bread, ripe avocado, two eggs and butter.  Ingredients for breakfast for two.

Peel and mash the avocado.

Avocado peeled......

.....and mashed.

Bread in toaster while eggs are cooking.

Toast the bread.

Melt butter, cook eggs sunny side up.

Cook eggs slowly in melted butter.

Spread toast with mashed avocado and top with sunny side up egg.

Spread toast liberally with mashed avocado.

Add sunny side up eggs and sprinkle with pepper. 

Now how simple is that!

Breakfast at the Mandolin

The Mandolin decorated for Christmas.

Shelley and Jesse, friends we met on our trip to Italy three years ago, were in town visiting Mary (another member of our tour), and we got together with two others tour members,  Becky (and her husband Frank) and Paula (and her husband Doug) for brunch this morning at the Mandolin Restaurant.  It was sort of a reunion of several NC State Alumni who had taken the Alumni sponsored trip to Italy in the fall of 2011.  After the big victory of State over Carolina yesterday, everyone was celebrating that win.  *

Shelley and Jesse visiting from Virginia.

Dan and I had been to the Mandolin for brunch last year**, and we recommended it as a great place to have breakfast.  It was a lot of fun visiting with this bunch of friends.   And the food was good too.

Clockwise beginning in foreground:  Dan, Paula, Mary, Shelley, Doug, Jesse, Becky (hidden behind Frank) Frank.

While we were waiting on our orders, each of us was served a delicious homemade biscuit with butter and apple butter.  I love these biscuits.

Mandolin's homemade biscuit.  Delish!

For the main dish several enjoyed the Johnston Co. Country Ham Benedict.  The Mandolin is a farm to table restaurant and uses products from local farms as much as possible in their dishes.

Eggs Benedict with country ham from Johnston County.

My choice for brunch was a Virgin Bloody Mary, fresh orange juice and a country breakfast. 

A Virgin Mary garnished with a pickled okra.

Country breakfast.

Doug chose the shrimp and grits served in an iron skillet.  He pronounced this delicious.

Shrimp and grits.

Dan chose the Omelet of the Day that included pheasant, scallions and cauliflower.

Omelet of the day.

Jesse and Dan.

Left to right:  Paula, Mary, Shelley, Jesse, Doug, Becky, Frank

The food was good, but the best part was visiting with these NC State Alumni friends. 

*I am a State fan unless they are playing Carolina.  But I wore a red jacket and was sitting with State fans, Jesse had gotten the ticket and I certainly wasn't going to be cheering for Carolina under those circumstances.  I did my graduate work at NC State so I was happy they won---sort of. 

**Check out my earlier blog about Brunch at the Mandolin.

A Visit From Evergreeners

The breakfast table is set for our Evergreen guests.

For about ten years Dan and I have been members of the Evergreen Club.  Members host other members in their own homes for a nominal fee, and it's a great way to travel inexpensively and to meet interesting people.  We just hosted Phil and Kathy from California who had visited in New Jersey and were on their way to Florida.  Raleigh was a convenient stop along the way.  It's like having a B & B, but you serve as hosts only when it is convenient. 

I enjoy preparing breakfast for the Evergreeners when they visit.  This week we had a simple breakfast of coffee, orange juice, fresh fruit, pecan raisin bread with pumpkin cream cheese spread and homemade pumpkin muffins.

Strawberries and pineapple.

Homemade pumpkin muffins.

Pecan raisin bread with pumpkin cream cheese spread.

If we find ourselves in California, we might just stay with Phil and Kathy at their place. 

Phil and Kathy, our Evergreen guests.

You might like to check out the Evergreen Club website.

A Simple Cheese, Spinach, Mushroom Omelet for a Late Sunday Breakfast

I slept a bit late and was rather slow getting started this Sunday morning.  I whipped up a quick and easy cheese omelet for a very late breakfast---maybe lunch actually.  I had a bit of spinach I needed to use so with that and a small can of mushrooms that was stashed in the pantry, I made a quick omelet.



 Recipe:
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs butter
1 cup pre-washed spinach
1 small can of sliced mushrooms, drained
4 large eggs or 5 medium sized eggs
1 Tbs mayonaisse
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions:
Melt butter with olive oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add spinach and mushrooms and cook until spinach has wilted.  Beat eggs with mayonaisse and a splash of milk until foamy.  Add egg mixture to skillet and cook over medium to low heat.  When omelet is just about done, add fresh ground pepper and cheese, and when cheese melts, flip omelet in half. 
This makes enough for two servings.

Spinach and mushrooms in skillet over medium heat.

Grate about 1/2 cup of sharp Cheddar cheese.

Beat eggs, mayo, and a bit of milk until foamy.

Spinach wilted and ready for egg mixture.

Add cheese when eggs are almost done.

Flip over.  A large omelet, enough for two servings.

An omelet is the way to go whenever you need a quick and easy meal. 

Breakfasts with Evergreeners in West Palm Beach

On my recent trip to West Palm Beach with cousins I visited West Palm Beach Evergreeners, Robert and Phoebe.

Early morning sunrise view from Robert and Phoebe's 18th floor balcony.

About ten years ago Dan and I joined the Evergreen Club and we have enjoyed hosting and visiting members over the years.  Elizabeth's mother Robin had flown down from Virginia and with the three of us it would have been a bit crowded at Elizabeth's townhouse so I spent the days with them and the nights with the Evergreeners in their condo that looks out over the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean beyond.  It is always nice to make new friends through the Evergreen Club.

New friends Robert and Phoebe, my Evergreen hosts.

These Evergreeners are an active couple that split their time between West Palm Beach and Virginia.  Robert is up at 6:30 each morning for his 5-mile walk.  And then at 8:30 breakfast is served.  And what a breakfast! The first morning we had eggs scrambled to perfection, sausages, coffee cake, fruit and OJ. (I'm not a coffee drinker.)  The second morning the sausage and gravy over biscuits was delicious with mixed fruit on the side. 

Sausage and gravy over biscuits.

Fresh strawberries and bananas.

I had to depart early the last morning, and these gracious hosts had smoked salmon and cream cheese on bagels ready for me at 6:00 a.m.

Smoked salmon and cream cheese.

Another fine experience with Evergreen hosts.  Thank you Robert and Phoebe for a wonderful visit and for those delicious breakfasts.

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

Smoked salmon deviled eggs.

The other morning when Gabi and Martin came for breakfast, I made smoked salmon deviled eggs and served them with smoked salmon.  I like to try different recipes for deviled eggs, and I found this one on Judy's blog Judy's Kitchen.

Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
8 large eggs
1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
3 Tbsp. Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Soft Cream Cheese
2 Tbsp. lite mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp. minced fresh chives, plus extra for garnish
2 oz. smoked salmon, minced + about another 1-1/2 oz. for garnish
1/2 tsp. Diamond kosher salt + 1/8 tsp. for egg whites
1/8 tsp. smoked paprika (or up to 1/8 tsp. more, depending on your taste)
1/4 tsp. white pepper (or black, if preferred)Optional additional garnish:  capers ( I garnished with chives.)

In a pot that will hold the eggs in a single layer, cover eggs with 1 inch of cold water.  Bring to a full boil over high heat; cover; off heat; let eggs stand for 13 minutes.  Drain eggs; set aside to cool.

Peel eggs and slice in half lengthwise.  Carefully remove yolks.  Set yolks in small food processor; set whites, cut sides up, on an egg dish or platter.  Sprinkle whites lightly with
1/8 tsp. salt; set aside. 

Add yogurt, cream cheese, mayo, lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. chives, 2 oz. salmon, 1/2 tsp. salt, smoked paprika and pepper to mini food processor; pulse till smooth and well combined.  Taste to adjust seasonings, adding more paprika, salt or pepper if needed.

Some of the ingredients.

Mix in food processor.

Eggs and smoked salmon for breakfast.

These were different, tasty and great served with smoked salmon.

Laura’s Blueberry Pancakes

Laura's wild blueberry pancakes.

It’s always nice having Laura and Anthony with us at Marble Mountain.  Laura treats us to blueberry pancakes quite frequently for breakfast.  She makes the BEST pancakes I’ve ever had.  Lots of wild blueberries are incorporated into the batter that she makes using multi-grain pancake mix and her secret ingredients.

Here are some of the ingredients.

She mixes in lots of wild blueberries.

Mixing in lots of wild blueberries.

Apparently the temperature at which the pancakes cook is critical.  And Laura seems to get it just right.

Pancake filled with wild blueberries.

Pancake browning.

Pancake garnished with bananas, blackberries, maple syrup, cassis syrup, and butter.

We garnish our pancakes with melted butter, pure maple syrup, and in this case bananas, wild black berries, and  cassis (black currant) syrup.  Yum!!

Nothing left behind here.

I cleaned my plate.

Our dogs get a special treat as well, because both Mona and Maggie enjoy the pancakes.
Here's Laura and Anthony's dog, Mona, having her share of the pancakes.

Mona waiting patiently to get a bite of pancakes.

Sunday Morning Breakfast at St. George's Channel

The folks of the South Mountain Arm of Gold Community Association over at St. George's Channel certainly know how to sponsor an event.  After our great experience there at the Strawberry Festival the other week, we were looking forward to the Community Breakfast on Sunday.  And we were not disappointed.

Line out the door a few minutes after 9:00.

When we arrived, the line was already out the door, but the line moved quickly.  I don't think I've ever seen a kitchen organized so efficiently, and it's a small kitchen.  Each person seemed to know exactly what he or she was doing.  The cooks seemed to be mostly men while the women kept the tables set, washed dishes and in general seemed to be supervising and keeping things moving.

Scrambled or fried eggs was a choice.

After getting one's plate, there was a choice of eggs---scrambled, fried or in an omelet.  To the eggs one could have one or more of the following added:  pancakes, sausage, hashed brown potatoes, baked beans, and toast whole wheat or plain.  I had everything except pancakes,

Omelets  with all the trimmings.

There was a table of fresh fruit if you had room on your plate to add a serving.  Small glasses of orange juice, cold water and tea or coffee rounded at the meal.

Fresh fruit beautifully displayed.

Orange juice and cold water.

My plate.  There's an omelet hiding under the toast.

It's always nice to see friends at these events.  As we were leaving on Sunday,  friends Angela and Yvonne Eggenberger were just coming in.

Dan with Angela (left) and her Mom, Yvonne.

After enjoying the delicious breakfast, I can see why the line forms early.  The Breakfasts are held every third Sunday from 9:00 to 12:00, and Dan and I will be there for the next one in August.  YUM!