Breakfast

When I was growing up, my mother had unwritten rules about meals, one of which was that breakfast could only be served in the morning.

But since starting my own household decades ago, I figured that breakfast could really be an anytime meal. To that end, here are six breakfast recipes to start - or end - your day, including Easy Breakfast Burritos and Strawberries and Cream Pancakes. Enjoy!

PIRATE EGGS

When my sister and I were kids, my mother used to fix this for us on a regular basis, except that she called them Gypsy Eggs. Once my brother came along, though, they became Pirate Eggs. The name stuck. Most people from the Northeastern U.S. tend to call them Eggs-in-a-Hole or some variation of that. But whatever you call them, they're good.

The instructions are for one person. Adjust for the number of people you're feeding.

Ingredients

1-2 eggs

1-2 pieces of bread

margarine for the pan

Directions

Melt the margarine in the pan over medium heat. Take the bread and cut a round hole in the middle. Place bread in pan, then crack the egg and dump onto the bread so that the yolk is in the hold. If you prefer non-runny yolks (my preference), crack the yolk with the corner of a spatula. Cook on the first side for several minutes, then flip over and cook the other side. You can flip it several times until the egg looks cooked. Enjoy!

SPINACH & CHEDDAR FRITTATA

This is from Weight Watchers, and begins, "This tiny ingredient list is loaded with shortcuts (shredded cheese, prewashed spinach), making it extra easy to drop this frittata into your weekly meal rotation. Did we mention it also reheats well? Try this recipe with a combination of greens and cheeses: Arugula and shredded mozzarella or baby kale and pepper Jack would be delicious."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Serves: 4; Difficulty: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 sprays cooking spray

6 large eggs

1 cup fresh spinach, baby leaves, chopped

2 Tbsp uncooked scallions, finely chopped

1/4 tsp table salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup 50% reduce fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Stir in the spinach, scallions, salt, and black pepper.

Coat a 12-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat the skillet over medium. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook until partially set, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the cheese over the eggs. Place the skillet in the oven. Bake until the cheese softens and the eggs firm up, about 5 minutes. Let stand for 1 minute. Cut the frittata into 8 wedges. Serve warm. Or let cool, then wrap the wedges individually or store in a sealed container and refrigerate.

Serving size: 2 wedges

TOMATO FRITTATA

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Serves 4.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 (15 ounce) can of Italian tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped

6 eggs, beaten

Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over moderate heat and sauté the onions for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden but not brown. Add the tomatoes and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Combine the eggs, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and basil in a mixing bowl. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and add the egg mixture to the pan, stirring a little to combine the onions and tomatoes. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, until the eggs have set and only the top surface is still runny.

Place the skillet under a preheated broiler and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, just until the eggs on the surface have set. Properly cooked, the frittata should not be brown on the top or bottom.

APPLE BREAKFAST WEDGES

This comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, “Slice into a warm apple breakfast or brunch treat. All you need is 15 minutes of prep, and it's in the oven.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 6

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 medium cooking apples, peeled, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/2 cup Original Bisquick™ mix

2 eggs

Maple-flavored syrup, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Generously grease 9-inch glass pie plate with shortening or cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Add apples; toss to coat. Set aside.

In 2-quart saucepan, heat water and butter to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Add Bisquick mix; stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs, one at a time; continue beating until smooth.

Spread batter in bottom of pie plate. Arrange apples on top to within 1 inch of edge of pie plate.

Bake about 23 minutes or until puffed and edges are golden brown. Serve immediately. Drizzle with syrup.

Expert Tips

Use slightly tart apples with a crisp texture, such as Haralson apples. If you like a sweeter apple, choose Fuji, Prairie Spy or Gala.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve with warm maple syrup.

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM PANCAKES

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

2 cups buttermilk biscuit baking mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs

2 cups strawberries, sliced

1 can pressurized whipped cream

Directions

Stir baking mix, milk and eggs until blended. Pour by scant 1/4 cupsful onto hot griddle. Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden. Spoon strawberries over pancakes. Decorate with whipped cream.

EASY BREAKFAST BURRITOS

This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "This Southwest breakfast is quick enough for busy weekends. Or, you can try our make-ahead tip to freeze and reheat for a winning grab-and-go breakfast all week long."

Prep Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/easy-breakfast-burritos.

Ingredients

6 eggs

2 tablespoons Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles (from 4.5-oz can)

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

6 fully cooked breakfast sausage links, cut into small pieces

1 bag (1 lb 4 oz) refrigerated shredded hash brown potatoes

6 Old El Paso™ flour tortillas for burritos (from 11-oz package)

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)

Preparation

In large bowl, beat 6 eggs, 2 tablespoons Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk until well blended. In 10-inch skillet over medium heat, cook eggs, stirring occasionally, until scrambled. Stir in 6 fully cooked breakfast sausage links, cut into small pieces; heat until warm. Set aside.

Cook 1 bag (1 lb. 4 oz.) refrigerated shredded hash brown potatoes as directed on bag; set aside.

To assemble burritos, spoon line of hash browns down center of each of 6 Old El Paso™ flour tortillas for burritos. Top with 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend and the scrambled eggs.

Roll up each tortilla tightly to secure filling. Serve immediately, or freeze as directed below.

To freeze, wrap each burrito in paper towel; wrap in foil. Freeze. To reheat, remove and discard foil. Microwave each frozen paper towel-wrapped burrito on High 2 minutes 30 seconds, turning burrito over halfway through heating.

Expert Tips

Change breakfast sausage out for cooked chorizo pork sausage for a delightful Southwest kick!

Wrapping the breakfast burrito in a paper towel before the foil helps to absorb the moisture from the burrito and prevent a soggy tortilla. It’s also perfect for microwaving on the go or at work when plates are not necessarily available.