Cooking

We love breakfast for supper. In fact, a recent family birthday celebration served just that. Eggs cooked in casseroles, a variety of pancakes, fruit cups, biscuits, juice, coffee and tea, and lots of different kinds of sausages and bacon. It was one of my favorite birthday suppers.

The variety of foods thought of as just for breakfast actually contain most of the nutrients we try to serve during a traditional supper – fruits instead of vegetables, although vegetable frittatas are delicious, bacon or sausage in place of chicken or beef, and biscuits instead of potato, pasta or rice. And again, pancakes can be made from all those starches.

There’s something very warm and comforting about egg dishes and pancakes and syrup.

If this early spring time feels a bit like a continuation of winter, don’t despair. The warm, fresh air of spring and summer will arrive. It always does.

In the meantime, though, perhaps one of these recipes will provide the comfort and the flavor needed to get through these variable winter/spring weeks.

This zingy Tex-Mex styled egg casserole is guaranteed to wake up the tastebuds, whether served in the morning or for the evening meal. I like to serve hot cornbread with it.

Tex-Mex Baked Eggs (serves 4 or 5)

Sauce:

One-quarter cup olive oil

1 finely minced, large garlic clove

2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped

1 large green or red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

one-quarter teaspoon salt

one-half teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons chili powder

one-quarter teaspoon dried oregano

one-eighth teaspoon powdered cumin

8 eggs

one-half cup grated cheese

Heat olive oil in a frypan, then saute’ the garlic for a few minutes. Stir in and saute’ the onions and peppers until soft. Add all remaining ingredients except the eggs and cheese. Cover and simmer until thick, stirring often. Pour sauce into a shallow casserole dish that is slightly buttered. Break eggs on top of the sauce, evenly dividing them. Bake at 450 degrees until eggs are set, about 20 minutes. When ready to serve, sprinkle with cheese.

A breakfast pie is also a great morning or evening meal. I use cut-up turkey sausage for this recipe. Sausage meat may also be used.

Breakfast Pie (serves 4 or 5)

1 9-inch pie crust

one-quarter pound sausage, sautéed

one-half green bell pepper, diced

one-half medium onion, diced

one-quarter teaspoon salt

one-half teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 or 9 eggs

1 cup shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese, or a combination of both

In a frypan, saute’ the sausage, then add green peppers and onion and saute’ until they are tender. Drain off excess fat.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with a fork, then add the sausage mixture, salt, pepper, and cheese. Pour into the pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and bubble. Let sit for a few minutes, then cut into wedges.

With the maple syrup season in full swing, now’s the time to prepare pancakes. This recipe uses healthy oatmeal as its base.

Oatmeal Pancakes (about 12 4-inch cakes)

One-half cup sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder, sifted with flour

one half teaspoon salt

Beat 1 egg and stir into the flour mixture

Stir in:

1 and one-half cups cooked oatmeal

one-half cup evaporated milk

one-quarter cup water

2 tablespoons melted butter or butter substitute

Heat the griddle or frypan. Add a bit of butter. When hot, cook pancakes afew at a time until the top bubbles. Turn and cook the other side. Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.

I may be reached at petsplants@midmaine.com.