breakfast blogger

*yawn streeeeetch growl* The unofficial blogger hiatus I’ve been on has to stop. There is too many beautiful breakfasts out there that need to be shared, like this little gem, The Elite in downtown Penticton.

It was the signage out from that caught my eye the first time I went in there. Breakfast all day. That morning, that was all that mattered. We wanted to eat and eat now. The place looks like it’s been there forever and the 75th anniversary sign in the window confirmed it loud and clear. After walking in and drinking the decore for a few moments, I could have sworn I saw Archie Bunker sitting at the horseshoe shaped counter reading his newspaper and having a coffee. In the 75 years since it’s been there, I don’t think they redecorated more than once, back in 50s. There are old 45s decorating the gold walls, a cabinet of old classic coke memorabilia and a warm old stool diner feeling. Its glorious. Peabody would love it.

The menu was just a nice plain classic menu with all the breakfast standards for the early 1950s.

Of course I was having some camera issues and wasn’t able to get a nice shot of the inside of the menu, so you will just have to picture a large page of various combinations of eggs, breakfast porks, toast, hashbrowns, pancakes and waffles. I went for the choice that included most of the above.

The combination of the relaxed and efficient service and a nice hot, uber filling breaky has made this my fave spot in town to go for a breakfast feed.

*burp*

Yes, I know, I’ve been a very very bad blogger! I have neglected my breakfast blogger duties for WAY too long but with good reason I think. Between separating from my husband, fending off a stalker, raising my spawn, having to move back in with my parents, and spending time with my special gentleman caller, there just hasn’t been time enough for blogging. Things are almost starting to settle down and I seem to have found myself a spare moment to get online and blog a little. Even now my time is running out. I hear the tell tale tune of “I’m a little tea cup” playing in my sons room announcing his wakefulness from an all too short nap.

I actually got a chance to go out for a nice breakfast the other weekend with my special male friend. It was a treat and a much welcomed change from the usual pace of our lives. I have been challenging myself to try somewhere new every time we go out and I think Doc Willoughby’s just might be a brunch repeat.

Their menu wasn’t all that large, but there is nothing wrong with that as long as what you have is good. Both me and my gentleman caller had the egg Barcelona and it was better than I expected. They started off with 2 slices of fresh garlic and herb bread, added some chrizo sausage and topped it with a couple poached eggs with a salsa hollandaise on the side.

The sausage was nice ‘n spicy and the hollandaise was fantastic! With homestyle hash browns on the side, it made for a perfect brunch. We were both pleasantly full after. It was a great brunch for a couple of lazy bums barely out of bed on a Sunday afternoon.

*burp*

Well looky here, Az in fact has NOT passed away in her sleep. I know it’s been a while but I could never leave BB. The boys need a woman’s touch around here.

I had been forced to take an unexpected hiatus in order to move at the last minute. Life happened, and it happened fast, but the important thing is that I’m back!! And with me I bring….*drum roll*

Cream of Wheat sticks!

All my life I’ve always enjoyed my cream of wheat a little on the thick side. I enjoy being able to cut into it with my spoon, carefully carving away at it from the outside in, making a little CoW fortress to hold my precious supply of jam and butter till I break down the walls and let ot oooze all over.

I was an only child. I have too much imagination sometimes.

Anywho, I got thinking one day, and wondered if it was possible to make CoW so thick, that it can be cut into shapes. So off to the stove I went, with a trusty box of CoW in hand.

I made it like I usually do, but just added more till my spoon started to bend and shake under the pressure. I almost got an arm cramp from stirring it was so thick, but the pain meant it would work!

After it was cooked, I grabbed a platter, my offset spatula and a little butter and poured the CoW in the middle of the platter. Using the spatual grease with butter I spread it out till it was about 1/2- 1/4 inch thick.

After a brief chill in the fridge to set up a bit, I decided to have a little fun. Sticks may be fun, but nothing beats using a cookie cutter sometimes. And so I did. It all cut easy once it had chilled a bit. And they held their shape great!

As I was looking at my lucky CoW charms, I sat in quiet reflection for a moment. These are good, but there is always something that makes food better… FRYING IT! SO out came the frying pan and some butter.

Now you have to admit, CoW has never looked sexier than is does now. The crisp, hot, fried outside holding in the soft, creamy wheaty goodness inside just makes me start droolin’ a little. Served up with some maple syrup or warmed up jam for dipping, they bring a new twist to the standard CoW breakfast!

I, of course, had to add some other breakfasty things to make sure I had a nice balanced breakfast, but they are just as delicious on thier own as they are with eggs and the like.

*burp*

I have no doubts that I will be hit of the neighbourhood when my kiddo gets older. The kids are gunna love me.

After watching an odd chinese cooking show on mute where they were soaking boiled ducks eggs in all kinds of crazy saucy stuff, I got a brilliant idea. On this show they used a technique where they cracked the eggs shells before they soak the eggs in the sauce, leaving the shells on l. After an overnight soaking in the brine, the eggs were peeled and there was a pretty pattern where the cracks had let a brine seep through. Having watched it on mute, I had no idea what was in this mystery brown liquid, but I couldnt help but think that it would be just as easy to make eggs like that at home, but using food coloring, making bright pretty crackled eggs. So I tried it.

Step 1:

Boil eggs for 8 1/2 min. While eggs are boiling, fill a couple glasses with water and add a different color food coloring to each glass.

Step 2:

After eggs are cooked, run them in cool water till you can handle them and dont burn your finners. I learned that the hard way. I was too excited and didnt consider that something that just came out of boiling water might be hot. Ouch.

Step 3:

Crack the egg shells by hitting it with a spoon or cracking it on the counter. Just be gentle and try to keep it in one piece. The magic is all about the cracks.

Step 4:

Put one egg in each glass and let it soak. The longer you leave it in, the more color will be on the egg.

Step 5:

Remove from the food coloring and peel the shells off. Stand back for a moment and let the awe sweep over you, then eat. MMmmMMmm Dino-licious!

This was my first attempt. I only let it soak for about 20 min. The colors are there, but I was hoping for something a little more vibrant.

Attempt number 2 was more successful. I let it soak for about an hour and used more food coloring this time. More is definatly better in this instance. Either way, I thought it was a fun way to add some color to breakfast. Add some fosselized grain toast, some jurassic orange slices, a monsterous McCain hashbrown patty and a bowl of molten oatmeal and you have a perfectly prehistoric brekkie!

Enjoy!

*burp*

This sunday was truly a treat for me. My son was away on his first long distance sleep over with Grandma and Grandpa, hubby was in bed sleeping and the morning was all mine for the first time in over a year.

For once, breakfast didnt need to be rushed and designed around my young one and I could have anything my heart desired. I thought that I wanted crepes, but that just involved more effort that I really wanted to put forth and the thought of the pile of dishes after didn’t seem like a nice way to spend mothers day.

Instead I opted for a nice fresh semi-healthy breakfast of fresh baked alpine grain bread, fruit, and a big bowl of whipped cream for dipping. It was just what the doctor ordered.

I had visited the local produce the day before and loaded up on goodies. On my menu this morning was strawberries (you can’t have whipped cream without strawberries!), bananas, the biggest grapes I have EVER seen, some juicy sweet cantalope, tangelo, asian apple pear and even a couple squares of chocolate (hey, it’s mothers day, I’m allowed to have chocolate for breakfast!).

I laid my breakfast out for the usual blog shot on the kitchen table, but I eat there every day, I didnt feel like it this morning. Instead I opted for a nice warm sunbeam that was shining on my hammock outside.

The late morning sunshine along with the lake breeze and my fresh and delicious foodies, made for the best mother’s day breakfast ever. I lounged in my sunbeam and snacked to my hearts content for the better part of the early afternoon. Life just doesn’t get much better.

Happy belated mother’s day all!

With my trusty bag of Krusteaz by my side,

I have set out to make ordinary pancakes extrodinary! Im willing to try just about anything (within reason) and am totally open to suggestions.

This mornings brilliant idea was to add a couple tablespoons of Ovaltine

And some frozen strawberrries the I threw in the food processor to make frozen strawberry powder (handy for mixing in pancakes, muffins, yogurt and the like)

Mix mix mixity mix….

Add some scrambled eggs with cheese, some apple juice and orange slices and voila! You have some kick ass eggs accompanied by some rather uninteresting ovaltine pancakes.

Im not really sure what it was about them, they weren’t bad by any means.. just not nearly as good as I had invisioned. But after a quick repair of plain yogurt, banana slices and a little brown sugar, they were most scrumptious.

Im not sure if I would be in a hurry to try Ovaltine in my pancakes again, but after the quick patch job, they did go down quite nicely.

Ca-Ching!

*burp*

I woke up this morning and discovered I was quite hungry. I thought about it for a bit and decided my usual breakfsat just wouldn’t do. I needed something more substancial and a little different. And voila!

Like any good breakfast there is bacon. MMmmmMM bacon, crispity crunchity bacony goodness. I used the fat from the bacon to grease my griddle for my corn bread griddle cakes. I probably could have skipped on the extra fat, but when you break through the crispy exterior to the fluffy corny goodness inside, it makes it ALL worth it. Throw a couple medium poached eggs with hotsauce on my plate and a couple slices of yellow watermelon and its a breakfast fit for…well.. ME!

MONEY SHOT!!!

*burp*

It has been becoming a bit of a habit to go out for a sunday morning breakfast with the hubby and kiddo. The past couple weeks have been pretty uninteresting, just the usual run of the mill, major breakfast places like IHOP (my personal fav) and Denny’s and such. ZZzzzZZzzz

Now there is nothing wrong with these places. They serve a good filling breakfast at a decent price. The real problem lies in the time we usualy get our stuff together and head to these places. There is a HUGE church population that seems to flock to these places after service, so after 10am, you are guaranteed at least a half hour wait for a table and the slowest service imaginable. I dont have the patience for it, specailly with a one year old in tow. So this morning we heading downtown so scope out the little cafes and such on the strip. This morning we found this little gem.

It was one of those places that you have walked by a million times, but never really noticed before. Im glad we did. The place was empty when we first walked in, but people did start trickling in shortly after. We were greeted as soon as we walked in and I couldnt help but feel right at home. It wasnt like the usual plastic, mass produced greeting you get at the large chain places, it was genuine and warm. It had a sweet homey feel to it. Nothing fancy, but charming none the less.

We didnt have to spend too much time looking over the menu, we found what we wanted right away. I usually have a picture in mind of what I want for breakfast anyway.

I ended up getting the Soleil de-lite, which consisted of 2 eggs any style (I had poached) toast, homestyle hashbrows and *drum roll* BAKED BEANS!!! Yes Peabody, I found a place here that serves beans with breakfast. I couldnt wait to blog about it, just for you!

Mark had a ham and cheese omlette with hashbrowns. It looked yummy.

My little Nabob just helped himself to both our meals, stuffing his little face faster than I could keep up with, enjoying the beans best of all.

Overall it was quite a good breakfast for a good price.

Yeah, Im a wuss, I couldnt quite finish it. But it was pretty darn yummy none the less.

*burp*

I have recently learned that the addition of a cuppy thing of Mott’s applesauce makes regular Krusteaz super moist and delicious. Todays addition was raspberry-apple which turned my pancakes pink.

They were very good, but confused the heck out of my one year old son. He just kept looking at his pancakes and looking at me, then back at his pancakes then back at me. The pink pancakes were not a hit. I think he was too manly to eat pink pancakes. Sheesh, kids these days.

This is a pretty typical breakfast for myself and my spawn. I even tried to hide the offending pink pancakes under some vanilla yogurt and some banana slices. My attempt was thwarted and I was punished by having to clean yogurt, banana and pink pancake off the floor and walls. I have learned. Oh boy have I learned.

Long time no blog y’all!! I’m still eating breakfast everyday, but I don’t think it’s all that interesting. Just the same old eggs, toast and fruit, hardly blog-worthy I think. But this morning I decided I needed a change. Thanks to my handy (although questionably named) Krusteaz pancake mix:

With some apples, raspberries, whipped cream and caramel sauce, I came up with something a little more entertaining for breakfast.

I topped my extra large pancakes with a quick apple-cinnamon compote I threw together, topped with some whipped cream, a few fresh (and heavily over priced!) raspberries and a generous drzzling of caramel sauce. I got all tingly in the pants with anticipation while I was taking the pics for it. It was truly worth the wait though.

I even made some mini pancakes and threw a little mini version of my breakfast for my little one. Judging from the huge mess all over the floor and all over my son, it was a huge success!

And look everyone! I got new place mats!! WOOOO!