Bacon and Cheddar Cheese Breakfast Muffins
Breakfast is a meal I never skip. No matter how rushed I am, a nice, simple breakfast seems an excellent way of introducing good things into my day. A well-prepared cup of tea in a fine china cup or earthenware mug with a simple baked egg and a piece of toasted homemade bread or with a small cup of homemade granola topped with fresh, thick yogurt, honey, and fruit will hold me over for hours.
The toaster oven is a great option for preparing breakfast. Toaster ovens preheat quickly, and they make enjoying a warm meal at the beginning of the day—when we are often rushing—attainable.
The ingredients for most of these recipes can be prepared the night before. I often, for instance, place a large mixing bowl with all the dry ingredients for a muffin or bread recipe on the counter at night. Then in the morning, all I need to do is to mix in eggs and milk. As an additional time-saver, I freeze any leftover muffins or slices of bread and pull them out in the morning, heat them in my toaster oven, and eat them on the go.
Nothing could be more simple than using a food processor and a toaster oven to turn out a great loaf of bread. The food processor does all the work of kneading the dough in a matter of minutes. Be sure your oven is large enough to accommodate not only the bread pan of your choice, but also an extra two or three inches of head space for the bread to rise. You can freeze this dough for up to three months to use at a later time. * I make this bread using freshly ground whole wheat flour, which I mill at home just prior to baking. The texture, flavor, and aroma are grainy and nutty. Use store-bought whole wheat flour if you do not own a home grain mill. This bread makes an excellent toast, filled with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. * Finding creative places for your dough to rise is fun: In your car on a sunny day while running errands? Inside the dishwasher after you’ve just used it? Wrapped in a down jacket or quilt? In a warm, sunny window? A slice of this bread, lightly toasted, with peanut butter or a thin slice of cheese constitutes my favorite early morning breakfast.
MAKES 1 LARGE OR 2 SMALL LOAVES
3 cups whole wheat flour (see note)
1 tablespoon gluten
1 teaspoon salt
1 package (2¼ teaspoons) yeast
2 tablespoons honey
¼ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons melted butter or oil
1¼ cups warm water
Bacon Bread
12 strips bacon, well cooked, well drained, and coarsely chopped
Place the flour, gluten, and salt in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse the food processor several times in order to blend the ingredients.
Place the yeast, honey, buttermilk, butter, and warm water in a glass measuring cup or bowl and allow the mixture to stand for 10 minutes. (To ensure that your bread will rise, it is always a good idea to proof the yeast to make sure it is viable before proceeding. If the yeast is viable, bubbles will form on the surface. If they have not formed after 10 minutes, discard the ingredients and repeat the step with fresh yeast.)
Turn the food processor on and, with the machine running, pour the yeast mixture through the feed tube. The dough is ready when it forms a ball in the processor and cleans the sides of the bowl.
Generously brush the inside of a large bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm spot for about 1½ hours, until it has doubled in size.
If you do not have a food processor, place the flour in a pile on a wooden work surface. Sprinkle the salt, gluten, and yeast over the top of the pile. With your fingers form a hollow in the middle of the pile and pour the buttermilk, honey, and oil into it. Gradually add the water into the hollow, a few tablespoons at a time, mixing it in with your fingers or a fork. Always incorporate the water from the inside of the hollow, so that it doesn’t leak through and cause water to run all over your counter. The dough will begin to hold its shape, and you will begin to knead the flour rather than mix it. (The amount of water you will need may vary according to the type of flour you are using.) Knead the dough until it is smooth, shiny, and no longer sticky. Place it in an oiled bowl, cover it with a damp tea towel, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, until it has doubled in bulk.
Brush 1 large or 2 small loaf pans with oil.
After the dough has risen, punch it down and shape it into either 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves, and then place the dough into the prepared pan or pans.
Spray a piece of plastic wrap with oil and place it over the dough. Allow the dough to rise for another 20 to 30 minutes.
About 5 minutes before the dough has finished rising, preheat your toaster oven to 350°F.
Brush the tops of the loaves with buttermilk and carefully slash them diagonally with a serrated knife.
Bake the bread until it is golden brown (the loaf should sound hollow when thumped on its bottom), about 25 minutes if you are baking 2 small loaves, or 35 to 40 minutes if you are making 1 large loaf.
Remove the bread from the toaster oven and allow it to cool before removing the bread from the loaf pan.
Slice and eat plain or toasted. The best way to keep the bread fresh is to slice it and store any leftover bread in a plastic storage bag in the freezer.
To make bacon bread: After the dough has risen the first time, knead the bacon pieces into the dough. Proceed with the recipe. This makes excellent toast for breakfast, as well as bread for a unique kind of BLT: just add garden fresh tomato slices and lettuce.
* Note: This recipe has been tested using store-bought flour, but when I am baking at home, I often like to mill my own grain just before baking, because it makes an incredible difference in the aroma, texture, and flavor of the final dish.
Although milling your own grain may sound daunting, it isn’t. Simply pour a cup of wheat, rye, oats, or whatever in the hopper of a home grain mill and out will come a bit more than a cup of freshly milled flour.
This dough can form the basis for all sorts of imaginative breakfast breads. The oil, egg, and buttermilk give it a richness that makes it suitable for sandwiches as well as for festive occasions and breakfast (a festive occasion in my book). I’ve included a few of my favorite variations just to give you some ideas of what interesting directions you can take the basic recipe. I recommend making this versatile dough in a food processor because the processor makes a quick job of the kneading.
MAKES 1 LOAF
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (2¼ teaspoons) yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
4 tablespoons melted butter or oil
¼ cup honey
Lemon Breakfast Braid
3 tablespoons sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
½ cup golden raisins
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Fresh rosemary needles and blossoms, for garnish
Strips of lemon zest, for garnish
Raisin Walnut Loaf
¼ cup sugar
1 cup currants or raisins
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Herbed Sandwich Bread
¼ cup of any chopped fresh herb (such as rosemary, thyme, or oregano)
Place the flour, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
In a glass measuring cup, mix the buttermilk, egg, butter, and honey.
Turn the food processor on and, with the machine running, pour the buttermilk mixture through the feed tube. Let the machine run until the dough forms a ball. The dough is ready when it forms a ball in the processor and cleans the sides of the bowl.
Generously brush the inside of a large bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
If you do not have a food processor, place the flour in a pile on a wooden work surface. Sprinkle the salt and yeast over the top of the pile. With your fingers form a hollow in the middle of the pile and pour the honey and oil into it. In a glass measuring cup, whisk the egg and buttermilk. Gradually add the buttermilk mixture into the hollow, a few tablespoons at a time, mixing it in with your fingers or a fork. The dough will begin to hold its shape, and you will begin to knead the flour, rather than mix it. Knead the dough until it is smooth, shiny, and no longer sticky. Place it in an oiled bowl, cover it with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, until it has doubled in bulk.
Brush a standard loaf pan with oil and lightly flour a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the prepared surface, squeeze out the air, form it into a loaf, and place it in the prepared pan.
Place the loaf in a warm spot to rise. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking oil and place it on top of the loaf to cover. Let the dough rise again for about 30 minutes, until the loaf has almost doubled in size.
About 5 minutes before the bread has fully risen, preheat the toaster oven to 325°F.
Remove the plastic wrap and place the loaf in the toaster oven. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Allow the pan to cool before removing the bread.
Slice and eat plain or toasted. The best way to keep the bread fresh is to slice it and store any leftover bread in a plastic storage bag in the freezer.
To make Lemon Breakfast Braid: In a small bowl, mix the 3 tablespoons sugar, lemon zest, and raisins. When you mix in the buttermilk mixture, add these ingredients to the dough.
After the dough has risen the first time, divide it into 3 strands and braid them. For easy clean-up, cover the toaster oven baking tray with aluminum foil, then place the braided strand on top. (Check your manufacturer’s instructions, however, for any cautions against the use of aluminum foil in your toaster oven.) Spray a large piece of plastic wrap with cooking oil and place it on top of the braid to cover. Allow the dough to rise for about 30 minutes in a warm spot, or until it has risen by about half again its size.
About 5 minutes before the bread has fully risen, preheat the toaster oven to 350°F.
Remove the plastic wrap and place the loaf in the toaster oven. Bake for about 40 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the toaster oven and allow to cool on the tray.
To prepare the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with the lemon juice. Allow the loaf to cool for about 30 minutes, then drizzle the glaze over the top of the loaf. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary needles and blossoms and strips of lemon zest.
When completely cool, slice and serve.
To make raisin walnut loaf: Combine the sugar, currants, cinnamon, and walnuts in a small bowl. After the dough has risen the first time, knead the ingredients into the dough thoroughly and proceed as directed.
To make herbed sandwich bread: Knead the herbs into the dough after you have removed the dough from the food processor and then proceed as directed. Rosemary is always delicious, but thyme or oregano or a combination of all three also works well.
This recipe is relatively easy, yet the bread is moist and flavorful. It is excellent when toasted or hot right out of the oven. The oats give added texture and flavor.
MAKES 1 LARGE OR 2 SMALL LOAVES
2 cups bread flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon salt
1 package (2¼ teaspoons) yeast
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons melted butter or oil
1¼ cups buttermilk
⅓ cup golden raisins or other dried fruit, coarsely chopped
½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Place the flour, oats, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until mixed.
Mix the honey and butter with the buttermilk in a small bowl. With the food processor running, slowly pour the mixture through the feed tube. Continue processing the ingredients until the dough forms a ball.
Remove the dough and knead in the raisins and walnuts by hand. Form into a smooth ball.
Generously brush the inside of a large bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Brush 1 large or 2 small loaf pans with oil.
After the dough has risen, punch it down and shape it into either 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves, and then place the dough into the prepared pan or pans. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with oil and place it over the dough. Allow the dough to rise for another 30 minutes, until the dough rises just over the top of the pan.
About 5 minutes before the bread has finished rising, preheat the toaster oven to 350°F.
Bake until the top of the bread is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes for the large loaf, or 15 minutes for the small loaves.
To test for doneness, remove the loaf from the pan and knock on the side or bottom of the loaf. It should sound hollow.
Slice and eat plain or toasted. The best way to keep the bread fresh is to store any leftover bread, sliced, in a plastic storage bag in the freezer.
My friend Susan Johnson’s garden was a constantly changing work of art, but her cooking, in contrast, was strangely less than desirable—and the brunt of many jokes among her eight children. Her banana-walnut muffins were the exception to the rule. Like both Susan and her garden, they are full of good surprises. * Each time I bake muffins, I eat one or two hot out of the oven, then freeze the rest as soon as they are cool. Then I cut them in half and toast them as I need them.
MAKES 6 MUFFINS
1½ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¼ cup walnut or safflower oil
½ cup buttermilk
2 ripe bananas, coarsely mashed
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Preheat the toaster oven to 350°F. Brush a 6-muffin tin with oil.
Using a whisk or spoon, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, buttermilk, and bananas. Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until thoroughly blended. Add the walnuts and mix in. Evenly distribute the batter in the prepared tin.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the muffins comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for just a couple of minutes, then remove them from the muffin tin and serve while warm.
* Note: To give your muffins more texture and a nice banana flavor and aroma, use bananas that are still in fairly good shape, with just a few brown spots on them, rather than old, blackened bananas. Your muffins will turn out better.
Who doesn’t love coffee cake? These coffee cake muffins, with their delicious, crumbly topping, make great breakfast food as well as a morning or afternoon snack with coffee, tea, or even milk.
MAKES 6 MUFFINS
Muffins
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ cup oil or melted butter
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla or maple extract
Topping
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat the toaster oven to 350°F. Brush a 6-muffin tin with oil.
To make the muffins, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder thoroughly.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla thoroughly.
Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and beat together thoroughly. Evenly distribute the batter in the prepared tin.
To make the topping, mix the chopped walnuts, the brown sugar, and cinnamon thoroughly in a small bowl. Sprinkle some of the mixture on top of each muffin.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the muffins comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for just a couple of minutes, then remove them from the muffin tin and serve while warm.
I always try to make something special for breakfast when I have houseguests, and this is one of my favorites. This simple touch—and the smell of bacon cooking—always makes guests feel welcome.
MAKES 6 MUFFINS
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
6 slices bacon, well cooked, drained, and coarsely chopped
1 cup grated very sharp cheddar cheese
1 egg
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup buttermilk
Preheat the toaster oven to 350°F. Brush a 6-muffin tin with oil.
Thoroughly mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the bacon pieces and the cheese and mix in thoroughly.
Whisk the egg, oil, and buttermilk together in a small bowl, then stir them into the dry ingredients.
Evenly distribute the batter in the prepared tin and bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the muffins comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for just a couple of minutes, then remove them from the muffin tin and serve while warm.
Those heavy blobs of dough that pass as scones in coffee shops across the country are known as “rock scones” in England, a name that seems quite appropriate to me. I prefer the lighter, flakier, proper English tea scone. * The less you handle this dough, the lighter your scones will be; you only want to mix the ingredients, not knead them. As with muffins, freeze any you don’t eat and reheat them in your toaster oven.
MAKES 4 TO 5 (3-INCH) SCONES
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 8 pieces
¾ cup buttermilk, plus additional for brushing
2 tablespoons currants or raisins
Apricot preserves or lemon curd, for serving
Preheat the toaster oven to 400°F.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, and sugar. Pulse to blend.
Add the cold butter. Turn the machine on and let run until the butter is just blended in and the dough is the consistency of coarse cornmeal.
Turn the machine off, add the buttermilk and currants, and pulse just long enough to blend the ingredients. Remove the dough from the processor and knead it, using just a few turns to bring the dough together.
Lightly flour a cutting board. Roll the dough out on the floured surface until it is about 1 inch thick. Cut out the scones using a 3-inch biscuit cutter.
Line the toaster oven baking tray with parchment paper. Place the scones on the tray and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are golden brown.
Remove the scones from the oven. Wait as long as you can stand, then split the scones open, slather with apricot preserves, and eat.
I love granola served either as a cereal with nonfat milk and sliced fresh strawberries or as a topping for thick, creamy yogurt with fresh fruit. I keep the raw ingredients in the freezer so they stay fresh. It takes about 10 minutes to bake the granola to a toasty brown and another 30 minutes for it to become crispy. (It will be soft when you remove it from the toaster oven, but it will crisp up as it cools.) You can reduce the amount of oil and honey in the recipe for fewer calories; you just won’t get quite the same crunch. You can also multiply this recipe and store it in the freezer.
MAKES ABOUT 2 (½-CUP) PORTIONS
½ cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
2 tablespoons nut, sunflower, or safflower oil
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla or maple extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon raisins or other dried fruit (optional)
1 tablespoon shredded coconut (optional)
Organic milk, for serving
Strawberries or bananas, sliced, for serving
Preheat the toaster oven to 325°F.
Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl so that the oil and honey are evenly distributed.
Cover the toaster oven baking tray with aluminum foil and spread the granola mixture on top. (Check your manufacturer’s instructions, however, for any cautions against the use of aluminum foil in your toaster oven.) Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Stir occasionally for even browning.
Allow the granola to cool before serving. Serve in bowls with organic milk and fresh strawberries or bananas.
I always keep a container of cooked black or pinto beans in my refrigerator, ready to use in tacos, tostadas, burritos, and soups. One of my favorite ways to use them is to make this quick, delicious breakfast. This nutritious dish is cheaper, healthier, and tastier than what you can get at the local drive-through.
SERVES 1
1 whole-wheat tortilla
¼ cup cooked black or pinto beans
1 egg
2 tablespoons grated sharp or smoked cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons fresh salsa
2 or 3 slices avocado
1 tablespoon sour cream or Greek yogurt
Preheat the toaster oven to 350°F.
Place the tortilla on the toaster oven baking tray or in a shallow gratin pan that fits in your toaster oven.
Spread the beans over the tortilla.
Using the back of a spoon, make a hollow in the center of the beans. Crack the egg into it.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until the egg is set to your liking.
Remove the tostada from the toaster oven, transfer it to a plate, and top it with cheese, salsa, avocado, and sour cream and serve.
Baked eggs work well not only for breakfast, but also for lunch or dinner. You will need 2 ovenproof custard cups for this recipe. For breakfast, eat them right out of the cup with a spoon or invert the custard cups, pop out the eggs, and place them atop a nest of hash browns or toast. For dinner, you can let them cool, then pop them out and place them on a salad of fresh greens and croutons.
SERVES 2
Nonstick cooking spray or olive oil
2 eggs
½ teaspoon chopped fresh parsley or rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the toaster oven to 300°F. Spray 2 custard cups with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.
Crack an egg into each cup and place the cup in the toaster oven for 15 minutes, or until the eggs are opaque white. (You can adjust the time depending on how you like your eggs.)
Remove the eggs from the oven and let them sit, covered with a dish or tea towel, for about 5 minutes to allow them to settle.
Sprinkle the eggs with the herbs, season with salt and pepper, and serve the eggs in the cup. Or, allow them to cool and then pop them out of their cups and serve them on hash browns. (If you have oiled the cups, this should be easy to do.)
The eggs can also be made ahead of time, popped out of their cups, and stored for a few hours in the refrigerator to serve with lunch or dinner salads, either cold or at room temperature.
One of the benefits of cooking in cast iron is that you can preheat the pan and get a nice brown crust as a result. Staub, a French firm, manufactures some beautifully designed cast-iron cookware (see Resources). Their 7½-inch round roasting dish is perfect for making hash browns. One caution: always be sure to handle cast iron using thick potholders.
SERVES 2
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large potato, peeled and grated
Small slice of ham or bacon, finely diced (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, tarragon, or chives (or a combination of all three)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pour the oil into a cast-iron pan or other roasting dish that fits in your toaster oven. Place the pan in the toaster oven and preheat the oven with the pan in it to 400°F.
Using your hands or a fork, thoroughly mix the potato, ham, and herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.
When the toaster oven has reached 400°F, carefully remove the pan using thick potholders and set it on a wooden cutting board or folded dish towel.
Carefully spread the potato mixture evenly into the hot pan.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil. (This step is optional. Your potatoes will stay moister this way, but they will cook just as well uncovered. Check your manufacturer’s instructions for any cautions against the use of aluminum foil in your toaster oven.)
Bake for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft, then remove the pan from the oven. Invert the pan onto a plate to release the hash browns. Cut the hash browns in half and serve while hot.