Peckerwood Cafe: Breakfast recipes, tips, and ideas. Plus breakfast tacos.

It is the end of the summer, and I was thinking about what to discuss; you gave me some ideas; I want to discuss so many things and help us broaden our menus and try something new. We tend to eat the same small food grouping, and I assert it is because we don't know what to do with some stuff we see, but it doesn't mean we aren't curious. It took me a moment to find something I liked with celery root.

Breakfast is one of those meals we usually slap something together because we are in a rush or the choices seem limited. I am as guilty of this as anyone and save up taking time to cook for weekends. Breakfast is my least favorite meal, but I like brunch, and it is only because mornings are not my best time of the day, and I am usually rushing. We deserve something tastier for breakfast. I put my husband up to it too much, and the kids end up with cold cereal or toast with eggs or something from the bakery on the way to school. During their breaks, we eat better, and they are happier about it. We should promise to eat something nice in the morning twice a week. All of us deserve tasty warm, nutrient dense foods that give a boost and make mornings more fun. 

FOCUS IS EGGS

I like having on hand some bacon, sausage, chorizo, and cut-up ham that I make on Sundays and put in airtight containers so I can make a variety of scrambles and omelets very quickly. I like to use a wide variety of veggies for my omelets and eggs: zucchini, yellow, red, or green pepper, spinach, mushrooms (already cooked or else they give off too much water), asparagus, red onion, green onions, yellow onions, white onions, leftover ratatouille, squash, tomatoes, shredded kale, broccoli, savoy cabbage, and even collards. 

Cheese on hand: parmesan, feta, cheddar, swiss, brie, mozzarella, pecorino, asiago, cotija, Havarti, queso fresco and goat cheese. 

Spices that work: Mexican, curry, Italian, tarragon, oregano, paprika, thyme, fresh garlic, basil, rosemary, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, and coriander.

Ideas Below: muffin tin eggs, frittatas, migas, and breakfast tacos.

Muffin Tin Eggs

-Preheat oven to 325

-Choose a vegetable mix of your choice and gently fry in avocado, olive, or vegetable oil though I prefer the first two because they add flavor. Cook until they are tender.

-whisk eggs, milk, and cheese together in this ratio-8 eggs, 1 cup of cheese, 1/2 cup of full fat, or 2% milk-salt and pepper. 

-add vegetables and mix well

-divide evenly in oil or cooking spray(If calories are a concern)prepared muffin pan

-Cook 25 to 30 minutes until firm. 

Make ahead-make egg mixture and have veggies ready the night before. Let both sit out for 10 minutes before mixing together. 

To make a mini crustless quiche lorraine-dash of nutmeg and gruyere, but Swiss is okay, parm cheese, cooked bacon, cooked onion, cream instead of milk, and bake.

Frittata:

-Preheat oven to 400.

-whisk together eggs, cream or milk, salt, and pepper in this ratio: 6 eggs and 1/4 cup of milk. 

-In a skillet, make sauteed vegetable choice spread evenly and add spice choice. Pour in the frittata base shake pan to distribute evenly. Sprinkle with cheese. 

-Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the eggs are set.

-Let it cool before slicing. 

Tip: use cast iron if you have it. Just make sure the skillet is oven safe. 

Mixture ideas-feta, broccoli, add minced garlic to eggs and paprika.

-feta, red pepper, onion, and spinach

-cherry tomatoes cut in half, parmesan, mozzarella, fresh basil

-fried onion, parmesan, cayenne

-Baby potatoes cut into chunks, onions, ham, spinach, and cheddar

-mushrooms, tarragon, shallot, and parmesan

-a bunch of veggies, Italian seasoning, goat cheese (any cheese)

I almost always like the minced garlic in the eggs, except with ham recipes.

Migas

4 tbsp. avocado oil

4 corn tortillas

1/3 cup white onion, chopped

1/2 chili pepper-serrano

1 cup of chopped tomato

4 large eggs

salt to your taste

*serve with beans whole or refried

avocado slices

queso fresco or any white hard cheese

salsa

scallions

To cook:

-Cut the corn tortillas into small squares, 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide

-Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry tortillas until they are golden brown for about 6 or so minutes. Use a large frying pan so it isn't too crowded. ---Put aside.

-Return the frying pan to medium heat. Add the chopped white onion and fry for a few minutes; stir in the chopped serrano pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomato and cook for 3 more minutes.

-add the eggs. Let the eggs start to cook without stirring them yet.

-when the egg whites start to look cooked only around the edges, gently stir the eggs. 

-When the yolks start to look like they are cooked, stir in the tortilla chips, season with salt, and gently mix them with the eggs. 

-The tortillas should still be crispy, so don't overcook them; you don't want them limp or too brown. Keep the eggs from cooking thoroughly because they will still cook when you take the pan from the heat.

*serve with sides. Crumble cheese on top of feta(cow or goat) is a good stand-in. 

My kids and husband beg for it. I always season my beans with chili powder, red pepper flakes, onion and garlic powder, and salt. I let them simmer on low while I cook the other part. I will also fry my eggs over easy and eat them with salsa, warm tortilla, beans, avocado slices, and green onion. Or just the eggs, salsa, tortilla, or any variation with a sprinkling of cheese or without. 

Breakfast Tacos (we ate these more than burritos)

-cooked lightly shredded beef or pork

-refried beans

-lightly scrambled eggs(optional I didn't grow up with the eggs in but you can)

-tortillas, not taco shells (I will find you if you do and show up and throw a shoe at you)

Lightly cook the tortilla in a lightly oiled pan, layer with beans, optional eggs, and some meat, and fold over. Put about three or so on a plate. Top with shredded green cabbage, sliced tomatoes, jalapeño, queso fresco, or salty white hard cheese like feta. Serve with green salsa, red salsa, crema, and pickled nopales. If you can't get nopales, that is okay. 

I hope this gives you some ideas. I will continue with other breakfast ideas, but today was primarily eggs. We will make grains, casseroles, bread items, and Ethnic breakfasts (I think I will do Japanese first cause I love them) in the future. I will even add a recipe for a good old British fry-up but with a few variations. First time I had it could have been a better experience. Blech. Then I had one fresh and properly cooked, and I liked it.