Avocado & Scrambled Egg Breakfast Sandwich

When I interned in Washington, D.C. last year, there was a Corner Bakery in Union Station that I discovered "happened to be" on my way to work. I worked pretty close to The Hill, so my 25 minute walk to work usually involved dodging big crowds of rush hour "rushers." I usually had my morning scheduled the same each day: get ready, eat breakfast, power walk to work (emphasis on the power walking... I was almost always in a rush!) But there were days when I would leave an extra 20 minutes early so I could wait in the long line to get a breakfast pannini at the Corner Bakery.

The amazing part about this place was everything was prepared right before your eyes; there were no egg patties pulled out of a container-- the eggs were scrambled right then and put on your sandwich for you. It's no surprise that I attempted to re-create this myself. While it doesn't taste exactly like the one I devoured about three times a month in Union Station, it's pretty close!

Avocado & Scrambled Egg Breakfast Sandwich (makes enough for one sandwich)

- 2 slices of wheat or sourdough bread
- 2 eggs
- 1 T milk (I used skim, but any type would be fine)
- 1 1/2 T chopped chives
- 2 T grated cheddar cheese
- 4 slices of avocado
- 2 T butter
- 3 slices of cooked bacon
- 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
- salt and pepper to taste

Lightly butter one side of both slices of bread and place--butter side down--into a pan on low-medium heat. Add cheese, avocado, tomato, and bacon, distributed however you like on the bread (right now it will look like an open-faced sandwich). Meanwhile, scramble milk and salt/pepper with eggs in a bowl. Heat skillet/pan on medium heat with a slice of butter. Mix chopped chives in to scrambled egg mix and pour into pan to start scrambling. Once your eggs are scrambled, place them on the toast in your other pan and close the sandwich to cook. This is where the pannini maker comes in, but since I don't yet own one, I cooked the sandwich like I would a grilled cheese sandwich, pressing down with a spatula. After the cheese is melted and you're left with a gooey, melted inside, (and a toasted inside) it's ready to serve!

Baked French Toast

Besides the standard of eggs, toast and hashbrowns, French Toast is second in line when it comes my favorite menu items when I'm out for breakfast. The first meal of the day has always been my favorite, and I enjoy making it as much as I do eating it. I think I get this from my mother; she is a pro at making breakfasts, and always talks about how her dream job would have been to open up a small restaurant that only serves brunch.  Her specialty is French Toast, so when I proposed we make baked French Toast one morning, she was on board to help me out.

The result? Gooey, moist, succulent French Toast that would be perfect for anytime of the year (although right now I think it goes perfect with this fall weather we're having). Topped with strawberries and maple syrup and a cup of coffee, I don't think you could make a better breakfast of restaurant-quality!

Baked French Toast

- 1 loaf Crusty Sourdough Or French Bread
- 8 whole Eggs
- 2 cups Whole Milk
- 1/2 cup Whipping (heavy) Cream
- 1/2 cups Sugar
- 1/4 cup Orange Juice
- 2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract


Grease 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter (or Pam). Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.

Mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, orange juice and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge several hours or overnight.

When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from fridge and bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.

Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup and fresh strawberries.

Grandma's Impossible Pie

I love eggs.  My old roommate from freshman year would always joke that I was like that girl on "The Amanda Show" from Nickelodeon that always professed her love for eggs.  Surely I'm not that obsessed, but I do love making omelettes and quiche for breakfast or dinner. They're very simple and take barely any time to make.

My grandma's recipe is my favorite. I left out the ham because I didn't have any, but you can't make it without the Bisquick... it basically takes the place of the crust and makes the quiche nice and fluffy. :)

How do you feel about quiche?







































Grandma's Impossible Pie:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

- 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli or frozen (or 1 cup broccoli + 1 cup ham cubes)
- 2 T chopped onion
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (4-6 oz.)
- Lightly greased large pie plate (bigger than 9 in)

(Mix above ingredients in the pie plate)

- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3/4 cups Bisquick baking mix
- 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t pepper

(Beat until smooth and pour over mixture in pie plate) 

Bake until golden brown, about 35-40 minutes, and until inserted knife comes out clean. Let stand five minutes before serving.

Andddd, in case you don't know who Debbie is...

Blueberry Lemon Breakfast Cake

I saw this recipe for a blueberry lemon breakfast cake online a long time ago, but never have had all of the ingredients to make it. Eventually I dragged myself out to the grocery store to grab the other items I needed. 

Before you read this recipe, it is important to know this is definitely not a healthy breakfast meal! I was very surprised to see how much sugar went into this recipe, but I guess that's why they call it a breakfast cake. :)

Blueberry Lemon Breakfast Cake (serves 6-8)

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup buttermilk

* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries. Add a little extra buttermilk to make the cake more moist.

4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Homemade Egg McMuffins

With the exception of their breakfast menu, I hate McDonalds. The closest one to my college campus was about 15-20 minutes away, so we rarely ever made the trip for breakfast on a hungover weekend morning because we could never make the 11 a.m. end-of-breakfast time. I can't even tell you how much more money they would make if they just made breakfast an all-day thing.

The only sandwich I ever liked was the Egg McMuffin, and I always remember asking my mom when I was younger if we could try making them at home for breakfast. Well, thanks to Pinterest, I've found my own homemade recipe, and its proven just how "fast" you can make McDonalds food. Luckily, you can make your own version a little healthier too by using whole grain English muffins, but other than that it doesn't get much healthier. ;)

And as expected, it doesn't look picture friendly. I'd have to borrow Mickey D's food artist for that, but I can assure you it tastes just like their own Egg McMuffins.

Homemade Egg McMufins (Makes enough for one)
- 1 egg
- 1 slice of honey ham or Canadian bacon
- 1 slice of cheddar cheese
- 1 whole grain English muffin
- salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a ramekin or a jumbo muffin tin, coat inside with cooking spray and add an egg. Sprinkle salt and pepper to your liking, and then slightly scramble the egg with a knife or a fork so it looks like this:

Next, put the egg in the oven (I put the ramekin on a baking tray), and cook for 25-30 minutes. When you have about seven minutes left, put the English muffin topped with ham and cheese in the oven to heat, so by the time the egg is done cooking you can assemble everything quickly.

When the egg is done, lift out with a spoon. If it's suck a bit, use a knife to loosen around the edges. 

Sidenote: If you want to make more than one at a time, the eggs can be pre-made and frozen. I've read that is how McDonald's does it, which makes me question whether I'll ever go there for breakfast again. :)

xxo