Breakfasts

 BUTTERSCOTCH OATMEAL

4 c. milk
2-3 beaten eggs
1 c. brown sugar
2 c. oats
Butter, salt, and vanilla or almond extract to taste

 Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, JUST until begins to bubble and/or coat the spoon. (Do not let it boil, it will curdle.)


 CORNMEAL MUSH (and nearly identical variations: POLENTA or GRITS)

1 ½ c. cold water
1 c. coarsely ground cornmeal or grits (for example, Goya brand ‘harina de maiz gruesa’ is easily available)
1 tsp. salt
2 ½ c. boiling water

 Mix cold water, cornmeal, and salt. Gradually stir into boiling water in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook and stir constantly until thickened, then cook over very low heat 30-50 minutes, stirring fairly often to prevent sticking. Cooking time will vary depending on coarseness of the cornmeal and thickness desired, but a half hour at least is needed to achieve the deep and rich ‘corn’ flavor of this dish. Stir in abundant butter after cooking.

For mush, cook less thickly and serve with syrup.
For grits, add cheese or gravy.
For polenta, pour into another pan or container and let cool -- mixture will become very firm. Can be used in a shallower pan as a base for ‘polenta pizza’, topped with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni or vegetables as desired; can also be poured into a loaf pan and sliced later to pan-fry and serve with sauce or syrup; or any number of other readily-available recipes.


GRANOLA

 4 c. oats
3 c. wheat flakes cereal (Wheaties-type)
1 c. whole wheat flour (if desired, substitute flaxseed meal for half)
1 c. coconut
¾ c. brown sugar
1 c. nuts of your choice
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
½ c. oil
½ c. water

Mix together and bake in large roasting pan at 225 degrees until dry, stirring every hour or so. (Will take 2-4 hours, depending on surface area of your pan.) After baking, you may stir in dried fruits to your liking as well, roughly one cup per batch of granola.

 Some good variations are dried cranberries with walnuts, dried cherries with almonds and almond extract, raisins and dates with pecans and maple extract, or lemon chips with hazelnuts and lemon extract. For a pumpkin version: substitute ¼ c. water and ¾ c. pumpkin for the ½ c. water listed, add ½ tsp. each ginger and nutmeg, stir in cinnamon chips.


PANCAKE-IN-THE-OVEN
 This was my family’s traditional version of the common, delightfully puffy ‘German pancake’; it’s presweetened and is served without toppings. 

¼ c. butter
1 ½ c. milk
¾ c. flour
⅓ c. sugar
3 eggs

 Preheat oven to 400º. Put butter in glass 9” pan. Bake 5 minutes or until butter melts and bubbles, remove pan. Adjust heat to 450. Put milk, flour, sugar, eggs, and salt into bowl, blender, or food processor; mix until smooth. Immediately pour in mixture all at once. Bake for 20 minutes at 450 degrees, then lower heat to 350 for 8 minutes more. Recipe can be doubled for a 9x13 pan.


PUMPKIN PANCAKES
Credit to Rivka O’Neal for this marvelous recipe

 3 c. flour (any combination of white or whole wheat)
⅜ c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1 T. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. allspice
½ tsp. ginger
3 eggs, separated
3 c. plain yogurt
1 c. pumpkin
6 T. melted butter
1 ½ tsp. vanilla

 Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. In another, whisk together egg yolks, yogurt, pumpkin, melted butter, and vanilla. In a third bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until combined. The batter will be thick. Fold in egg whites, cook. They will not bubble like traditional pancakes, so watch them to see when to flip.


RICE PUDDING

1 ½ c. already-cooked rice
3 beaten eggs
2 c. milk
½ c. sugar
½ c. raisins
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. salt
cinnamon

 Mix all ingredients except cinnamon, bake in a small casserole for 25 min. at 325º. Stir, sprinkle with cinnamon and bake another 20-25 min or until barely set. For more custard-like pudding, place casserole in oven in a pan of boiling water.


 SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

3 c. flour (any combination of white and whole wheat)
Heaping ½ c. powdered milk
¾ c. sourdough starter
3 c. water
3 T. vinegar or whey
3 eggs
3/8 c. oil
3 T. sugar
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

Combine first five ingredients in medium bowl. Cover and let stand an hour or refrigerate overnight. Combine eggs and oil in smaller bowl, add to medium bowl and stir till blended. Stir in remaining ingredients and let stand for 5 minutes before cooking. Makes about 3 dozen. (Note: powdered milk amount is for finely-powdered-type milk only.)


WHOLE WHEAT PANCAKES

4 c. whole wheat flour
¼ c. sugar
2 T. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
4 eggs
4 c. milk or whey
½ c. oil

 Stir together dry ingredients. In smaller bowl, whisk wet ingredients, add to dry and mix well to form batter.