Breakfast Sandwich

Easy homemade breakfast sandwich with two-ingredient bread roll. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Breakfast Sandwich

I came across this recipe a few weeks back when I was looking for an easy non-bread-machine bread recipe.

Some people refer to the two-ingredient bread recipe as the Weight Watchers bread. A variety of items can be made from this easy recipe from cinnamon rolls to pretzels. I did not see how to make a breakfast sandwich so here’s my latest food experiment.

First, I dropped a spoonful of batter on a cookie sheet to make the rolls. I added an egg to the batter, which is recommended for making pretzels so I made a few pretzels, too. This recipe freezes well so it’s handy to get some basics in the freezer.

To make a breakfast sandwich, I fried half of a bacon strip per sandwich and added a fried egg. Scrambled eggs would work too but it could be messier to store.

Once the ingredients were together, I added a toothpick to hold everything and stored them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

When ready to eat, I heat it up in the microwave for 45 seconds.

Now I also made a fresh batch of biscuits, added the egg and bacon and individually froze them. That also works well so now you have an option to make your own homemade breakfast sandwich - and pull them out when you need them.

Charlotte

Garlic Bread

Homemade garlic bread smells delicious, too. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Garlic Bread

Adding homemade garlic bread is a quick and easy way to upgrade any meal. Soups and salads, as well as pasta, all feel, and taste, better with a piece of garlic bread.

There are a number of online recipes using fresh garlic but not everyone has access to homegrown, or even fresh, garlic cloves.

You certainly can also buy ready made garlic bread but it’s just as easy, and a lot less expensive, to make your own.

Basic Garlic Bread Recipe

You will need:

A loaf of French or Italian bread

3/4 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 cup butter

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Fresh parsley (optional)

Use room temperature butter to easily mix with spices. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To make:

Slice the bread loaf in diagonal pieces.

Mix the room-soft butter with the Italian Seasoning and garlic salt.

Spread the mix on the cut bread pieces.

Make sure each bread piece is covered with the butter mixture. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Optional.

Wrap in aluminum foil until ready to bake.

Heat oven to 350F. Warm bread for 10-15 minutes or until the butter mixture is melted.

Remove. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

You can easily adjust the amount of garlic salt and Italian seasoning to taste.

Mom’s Garlic Bread Recipe

Now I would call this the “fancy” homemade garlic bread recipe. When we were growing up, my Mom made a much easier version using sliced French bread.

She would spread butter on the cut bread pieces, sprinkle with garlic salt, wrap in aluminum foil and warm in the 350F oven.

You can freeze both these recipes either before warming, or afterwards.

If you’re just starting to cook, try the Illustrated American Encyclopedia of Cooking, an excellent reference book with tried and true basic recipes.

Either way, I have a soft spot for homemade garlic bread. Did I mention it’s also excellent with spaghetti?

Homemade garlic bread adds a special touch to spaghetti. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Charlotte

Sourdough Bread Starter

Using my cute bee bowl, a gift from my brother. Let’s do this! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Sourdough Bread Starter

It’s been on my bucket list for awhile now and here’s my chance, making sourdough bread starter.

I met my first sourdough bread in San Francisco as a kid. It’s been a personal and family favorite for years and the one item I used to carry back from my visits with my Aunt and Uncle who lived there.

Not sure this will match the flavor memories but I have to find out. It’s my understanding the longer the starter “lives,” the better it gets.

You can find these kinds of basic recipes in cookbooks like the American Encyclopaedia of Cooking and my personal favorite, my mother’s Betty Crocker cookbook.

Sourdough Bread Starter Recipe

You will need:

A glass or non-metalic bowl

1 Packet of active yeast

2 cups flour

2 cups warm water

Patience!

Moved up to a larger bowl to prevent bubbling over. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To make:

Add the yeast packet to warm water. Add flour. Make sure the container is large so that will collect any spill over.

Best place to wait, on top of my kitchen stove. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Place in a warm spot, which in my kitchen is on my stove.

Cover lightly.

Wait 4-8 days allowing the yeast to bubble.

When mixture is bubbly and has a pleasant sour smell, it is ready to use. If mixture has a pink, orange, or any other strange color tinge to it, THROW IT OUT! and start over. Keep it in the refrigerator, covered until ready to bake.

When you use starter to bake, always replace with equal amounts of a flour and water mixture with a pinch of sugar. So, if you remove 1 cup starter, replace with 1 cup water and 1 cup flour. Mix well and leave out on the counter until bubbly again, then refrigerate. If a clear to light brown liquid has accumulated on top, don't worry, this is an alcohol base liquid that occurs with fermentation. Just stir this back into the starter, the alcohol bakes off and that wonderful sourdough flavor remains! Sourdough starters improve with age.

Recipe from allrecipes.com.

What to do next? Make sourdough bread, of course!

Charlotte