Category Archives: Breakfast/Brunch

A couple of weeks ago one of my facebook friends said that he liked to make french toast out of slices of banana bread, and ever since then I have been obsessed with the idea. Last night I found myself with several over ripe bananas, and so at midnight I somehow found the motivation and decided that I would make a loaf of banana bread, just so I could make this french toast in the morning. What a deliciously sinister plot. I made the bread using one of my favorite stand by banana bread recipes from the Kona Inn which I have been making for many years. I always add a splash of pure vanilla extract, and a generous dash of both cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, and I typically omit the walnuts (because of my allergy).  I also almost always replace the shortening in the recipe with butter, unless I am for some reason out of butter (which is only very rarely). This morning, since the bread was so moist, I sliced it and placed the slices on a sheet pan and baked them for 20 minutes or so in a 300º oven just to dry them out a little bit, so they could absorb the batter without just disintegrating. Next I combined three eggs, a healthy splash of whole milk, a little vanilla extract, about a tablespoon of sugar, and a big pinch of both cinnamon and nutmeg. I soaked each slice in the batter for about one minute, and then browned them in a buttered skillet for approximately two minutes per side. Top them with sliced bananas, toasted walnuts (if you are fortunate enough not to be allergic to them), and a drizzle of pure maple syrup (preferably grade A dark amber). What a simple but decadent breakfast. Moist and flavorful, spicy and sweet, it is perfect for house guests, Sunday brunch, or just a special treat for the family. We always seem to find ourselves with extra bananas around the house so I frequently make banana bread, as not to waste them (and if I don’t have time to make it immediately, I freeze the bananas for bread making on another day). This will definitely become a staple in our house. Thanks for the great idea Matt! Enjoy!

Irish soda bread is the perfect thing, when fussing around with kneading and proofing yeast dough is just beyond your time and energy. It is very easy, much like making scones, and uses baking soda as its leavening (thus, its name). You can make it plain, or add whatever other flavorings you would like (cinnamon and raisins would be especially good!). Here I added currants and orange zest (á la Ina Garten), for a slight twist on the classic recipe. In a large bowl I combine 4½ cups of all purpose flour, 1/3 of a cup of sugar, a teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of salt, and cut in six tablespoons of cold, diced butter, until it is about the texture of corn meal. In a measuring cup I mix together 1¾ cups buttermilk, one egg, and the zest of one orange. I pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix it until just combined. I add about one cup of dried currants, and stir to incorporate. I turn the dough out onto a floured board, and knead it several times, folding the dough over onto itself to develop flaky layers. I cut the dough in half and form each half into a round ball, and chill them in the refrigerator for one hour. (If you are in a hurry you can certainly skip this step, but I have found that without chilling the loaves turn out a little squat after baking). Take the chilled dough, and, with a sharp knife,  score an “x” into the top of each. Bake at 375º for a little under and hour, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean when plunged into the center of each loaf. I like to serve this bread with homemade orange marmalade to really echo the orange flavor. Whether toasted or plain, hot out of the oven, or cooled, this quick, easy bread makes a fabulous addition to anyone’s kitchen repertoire. Enjoy!

Homemade cinnamon rolls were not commonplace in our house growing up. Granted, we always had them on Christmas morning (a tradition carried over from several generations back), but throughout the year I don’t have many memories of having had them. So when they were made, they were an extra special treat. The whole house would fill with the warm, comforting scent of cinnamon, yeast, and butter. My mother (or grandmother) would whip together a simple cream cheese glaze, and smother the rolls with the rich, cheesy, vanilla flavored frosting. I would practically make myself sick eating much more than my fair share.  And these days, when I do make cinnamon rolls, it still feels luxurious and special.

With half of a batch of my grandmother Browning’s roll dough left over, I decided what better way to use it than to make a batch of cinnamon rolls, just like my grandmother used to make (with maybe a few extra touches thrown in for fun). (Store bought pizza dough, or thawed frozen bread dough would make a perfect substitution. I would simply take it out of its package, knead in a half a stick or so of softened butter.. and as much flour as is needed to make a tacky but not sticky dough, and then let it proof once before proceeding. And you can also do this process the night before and refrigerate, as cold dough is much easier to roll out.) I began by rolling the dough out into a rough rectangle, about a fourth of an inch thick, on a lightly floured board. I then melted one stick of salted butter, to which I added about a half of a cup each of light brown, and white granulated sugar, about three tablespoons of cinnamon, a small dash of freshly grated nutmeg, the zest of one orange, and a pinch of salt. I spread the cinnamon mixture evenly onto the dough, leaving a one inch border along the top. I decided to sprinkle on a few raisins (though, to be honest, I do vacillate between loving and detesting raisins in cinnamon rolls… but today, it sounded like a good idea. If I were not allergic to them, I might also add toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts, which would add a delicious flavor and texture, but alas.) I then rolled up the dough tightly, and pinched the seam between my fingers to crimp it closed. After slicing the log into about one and a half inch slices (best done with a sharp serrated knife), I placed them two inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. I covered them with a clean kitchen towel, and let them rise in a warm place for about an hour and a half, or until they were almost doubled in size (I have also been known to do this process the night before and let them proof over night to be slipped in the oven before breakfast… so feel free to be casual with the timing). They bake at 375º for about 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and set in the middle. While they were baking I softened one stick of butter and one 8 oz package of cream cheese in the microwave, and beat them together with about one and a half to two cups of confectioners sugar (or to taste….keeping in mind that the less sweet the frosting is the more you can pack on the rolls without it becoming cloying), a splash of vanilla (and vanilla bean seeds or paste certainly wouldn’t hurt), the zest of two oranges, and a little squeeze of fresh orange juice (though the frosting could also be made even days in advance and refrigerated). When the rolls are hot out of the oven, I spoon a generous amount of the glaze over each, and let it melt into the buttery layers of dough.

These rolls are light, feathery, sweet, cheesy, and comforting. The orange and cinnamon are a perfect pairing that make these decadent breakfast treats seem all the more special. Enjoy!