The novelty of these dishes at dinner, simple though they are, offers a bit of a wow factor, especially for the young.
Breakfast for dinner has become a weekly tradition in my house. A majority of the inhabitants love it (we rarely go above a 75 percent approval rating at dinner), and it is a quick, simple and healthy option, especially on a busy weeknight.
The recipes below span dairy to pareve to meat, so a pick-and-mix approach or some substitutions may be required, depending on the type of kitchen you run. The novelty of these dishes at dinner, simple though they are, offers a bit of a wow factor, especially for the young.
The Softest, Fluffiest Scrambled Eggs
I discovered this technique quite by accident. While noodling around online for egg dishes, I happened upon a scrambled eggs recipe from Ladyandpups.com that adds cornstarch and milk to the beaten eggs.
I tried it, became a convert and then made an even more cataclysmic discovery when I unwittingly grabbed baking soda instead of cornstarch and added it to the mixture. That magic ingredient produced lighter, fluffier eggs than the already impressive cornstarch version.
As a person who typically cracks the eggs directly into a skillet to save dirtying a bowl and a whisk, this is a marked departure from my routine, but trust me that it’s worth the trouble.
8 eggs
8 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
In a medium bowl, whisk the baking powder with milk so it dissolves and doesn’t form lumps, then add the eggs, salt and pepper. Beat the mixture until it’s fluffy.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high and melt the butter. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a heatproof spatula as the eggs cook. This takes little time — maybe two minutes total. Serve immediately.
GoDairy-Free.com offers a scrambled eggs recipe that substitutes water for the milk; this certainly is a work around if you prefer a pareve dish. Another option is to just omit the baking powder and liquid and go with traditional scrambled eggs.
Serves 4
Turkey or Beef Bacon
I discovered this method when I was hosting large crowds over the holidays; I have since used it exclusively, since it is almost mess-free and does not require the cook to stand over a splattering pan for extended periods.
8 slices turkey or beef bacon
Parchment paper
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Place the strips of bacon in one layer on the parchment, and bake for 15 minutes until done. For thinly-sliced bacon, reduce the cooking time.
To ensure crispness, switch the oven to broil, and cook the bacon for two more minutes. Watch it carefully to prevent burning.
Drain the bacon on the paper towels and serve.
Grits
1 cup stone-ground grits
4 cups water
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.
Lower the heat, cover and simmer about 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until done.
Serve immediately with additional butter, salt and pepper.
Cherry-Almond Drop Scones
A key benefit of these scones topping off the meal is that they sort of constitute dessert. The fact that they are simple to make and absolutely delicious is a bonus. Cake flour makes them especially light. If you don’t have it on hand, use all-purpose flour; the results will be denser but still good.
1 cup cake flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
½ cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
½ cup dried cherries
¼ cup chopped almonds
¼ cup almond extract
Heat the oven to 375 degrees, and line a cookie sheet with parchment.
Mix the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
Add the egg and cream, and blend until just mixed. Add the extract, cherries and almonds; mix again.
Drop the dough onto a baking sheet in ¼-cup scoops, and brush with cream. Bake about 12-15 minutes until the scones just begin to brown.
Serve with jam, butter and/or whipped or clotted cream.
