Great Link for Make Ahead Breakfasts

[NYCgrrl]

I'm notorious regarding my inability to function in the morning. One time of the day I'm neither interested in cooking or talking. Just leave me alone to read my papers, drink a hot beverage and we'll all be fine. My camping grrlies really don't want to talk in the morn either but they sure like to eat. I found this link last year and made some of the items for quick and nutritious breakfasts that require little additional work from me. They are all freeze ahead-able but I know I didn't bother doing that with the yoghurt parfaits. Just made them the week we were leaving and kept them cold in the cooler. Also made variations on the Mediterranean egg muffins to great acclaim and didn't even need to fire up the Coleman stove since they heated up just fine in the embers from the night before campfire. Same for make ahead pancakes.

So here's the link and I hope you find something that'll kick start your camping morning (or just at home):

http://www.ivillage.com/freezable-ma...16#single-view

Oh and if you've the same prob my computer is having (can't see all the pics via slide show) just click on the link for the recipe in words and you'll see both the picture and technique for each indiv. recipe.

[Joyous56]

Re: Great Link for Make Ahead Breakfasts

Some great ideas here Grrlfriend! I especially like the idea of the Mediterranean egg muffins. Thanks!

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Great Link for Make Ahead Breakfasts

Some great ideas here Grrlfriend! I especially like the idea of the Mediterranean egg muffins. Thanks!

That was one of the breakfast items I made that both kids actually ate, LOL. I did some modifications based on what was in my fridge...used ham to replace the turkey or pork sausage; substituted kale (already cooked) for spinach and changed the artichoke heart to various coloured chopped bell peppers and onions. Prolly mixed some salsa in as well for some of them. I do recall that some were made with different cheeses (again I used what was on hand) and some were made with no cheese at all- granddaughter swears she's allergic to cheese ...oh that isn't on pizza or mac + cheese:p. Making them in cupcake liners made for easy household clean up as well.

About those oatmeal breakfast bars? I found them too dry in reading the recipe and used another set of ingredient ratio..will post that later.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Great Link for Make Ahead Breakfasts

Like a nice warm muffin in the morn slathered w/ butter (or w/o) but are concerned about some of the ingredients in many of the ones at the supermarket?

These are yummy and you can add any type of fruit, nuts or grain you like and the canola oil is easy to sub out(a poster on the page recommends apple sauce fer instance and I've used olive oil instead. The olive oil works particularly nice with citrus flavours). The last batch I made, I used stone ground cornmeal mixed with bran to up the fiber content.

If you've frozen the muffins just wrap them in aluminum foil and either place them over hot embers/white charcoal or should you have one, in a portable oven.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Great Link for Make Ahead Breakfasts

Made this year's batch of baked oatmeal for my long trip and as is my norm changed it around a bit. I'm big on using up what in the pantry/fridge for cooking. Got to say this was the best pan I've made so far.

Baked Oatmeal

1 cup of steel cut oatmeal, soaked overnight in 4 cups of boiling water
1/2 pint of fresh blueberries
4 oz dried cranberries
1 handful of toasted chopped walnuts (a dry CI skillet is great for toasting any kind of nuts)
1 handful of almond slices
2 tsp of vanilla
1-3/4 cups of milk ( can be whole, low fat, almond or soy)
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 TBS sugar ( I opted for Turbinado but same amt of white sugar would be fine)
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Drain oatmeal well. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix gently trying not to break the berries. Divide mixture between two 8x8 pans and bake for 40- 50 minutes, until the top is golden and the oat mixture has set. Drizzle with maple syrup or maple cream when ready to eat.

I'm making this in advance and freezing it in aluminum foiled portions which can be heated up on a grill/camp fire. I'm thinking indirect heat would be best. I also ensured that the portions will fit in out CI pie makers which gives another way of heating it through at the camp site.

Don't want to make it in advance? Two 8"x8" pan fulls of the oat mixture will fit in one 12" CI skillet and would make 6 generous servings or 12 as part of a bigger breakfast. Bake it in a portable oven or just do it on your grill or camp fire.

The above is just a base recipe. You can add whatever kind of fruits, berries and/or nuts you like. Or none at all if that's your preference. You can also substitute regular rolled oats but doubt if this will work with instant oats. Instant oats would need a lot of tinkering to lessen the milk and prolly would need a bit of flour and an egg to help thicken it up.

This is what my version looks like and someone was playing in my kitchen andadded wayy too much maple cream atop already. Sigh-ish:

[teddybear8]

Re: Great Link for Make Ahead Breakfasts

Great link and ideas! And thanks for sharing. These are some really great ideas to prep for my next camping trip in July instead of my usual eggs and bacon 4 days straight...

[On_The_Road_Again]

Re: Great Link for Make Ahead Breakfasts

I'm going to have to try the pancakes and oatmeal bars out

[sunnymw]

Re: Great Link for Make Ahead Breakfasts

Good ideas!! We usually cook a big meal, but my inlaws don't do mornings gracefully either, when all the grandkids go. They have a handful of heavy duty ziplock bags, each containing a few eggs, slice of cheese, and whatever veggies each person prefers. Baggie goes into boiling water, then gets scooped out once the eggs cook. Instant omelette in its own container! Grab a fork and go.