Breakfast/Brunch

Perfect for Breakfast! Tomato Toast with Scallions and Sesame Seeds

August 22, 2019 by Becky Spoon

So you love Avocado Toast? Just wait until you try this Tomato Toast with Scallions and Sesame Seeds! I loved it so much for breakfast!

I actually saw this recipe on Instagram posted by Bon Appetit and their recipe called for Aleppo style pepper. Here’s a link to give you information on the Aleppo pepper: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-aleppo-pepper.

Good Aleppo-style pepper is flaky, semi-oily, and has a rich burgundy color. It should smell bright and fruity, with a super-savory finish reminiscent of sun-dried tomatoes. I could have used crushed red pepper flakes that I had on hand, but I had a jar of roasted red peppers in the refrigerator that I needed to use so I substituted.

Feel free to use Aleppo or other crushed red pepper flakes, or you really could add the roasted red peppers and an Aleppo or red pepper flakes. I really loved the roasted red peppers with the tomatoes and the garlicky mayonnaise. I will definitely use the Aleppo or crushed red pepper flakes the next time.

Tomato Toast with Scallions and Sesame Seeds

We’re fortunate to be able to get some pretty good tomatoes year-round, but the garden-fresh tomatoes we get during peak season are absolutely the best for this recipe! If I had heirloom tomatoes available, I wold have used those, but any fresh, ripe tomato will work.

Here’s another favorite toast recipe on my blog: https://the2spoons.com/delicious-warm-egg-salad-on-french-bread-toast/

Tomato Toast with Scallions and Sesame Seeds

Here’s the easy recipe! Enjoy!

Tomato Toast with Scallions and Sesame Seeds

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Servings: 4 servings

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 garlic clove, finely grated
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Kosher salt
1/2 lemon
4 3/4 inch thick slices country-style bread, toasted
3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
2-3 jarred red pepper pieces, sliced into strips
2 tbsp finely chopped scallions, tops and bottom
2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
Flaky sea salt (if you have)
Freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Aleppo-style pepper or crushed red pepper (for serving) optional

Method

Mix garlic and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Squeeze about 1 tsp. juice from lemon half into bowl; season with kosher salt. Hang on to lemon.
Spread a generous layer of seasoned mayonnaise over toast; Add some of the roasted red peppers to each piece of toast and shingle a few tomato slices on top. Sprinkle with chopped scallions, sesame seeds, sea salt, black pepper, and Aleppo-style pepper if using. Finely grate some lemon zest from reserved lemon over and drizzle with some oil.

Delicious Homemade Chorizo with Eggs, Hashbrowns, and Refried Beans

June 25, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This Homemade Chorizo with Eggs, Hashbrowns and Refried Beans is one of Allen’s favorite breakfast! Mine too for that matter because we love all things Mexican food. When we go to a Mexican restaurant for breakfast, this is a menu item that we love to order. Just delicious! Add your favorite salsa, sliced avacados or guacamole and you’re set!

This is how Allen likes to eat this breakfast. Sometimes if it’s just me, I’ll just make breakfast tacos with the same ingredients and just fold them in a tortilla.

I made homemade flour tortillas this time, but I don’t always. Wow! I can’t tell you how much difference it makes with homemade. They are very simple! For 12 tortillas I used 2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon lard (yes, you need to use lard) and about 3/4 cup warm water. I made mine in a food processor but you can knead by hand.

After you combine your dry ingredients, combine your lard and mix together using your fingers or processor until your flour resembles cornmeal. Add the water and mix until the dough comes together. If you are kneading on your countertop, just add a little flour and knead several times. Divide into 12 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Preheat a large skillet. Using a well floured rolling pin roll each ball into a round tortilla. They do not have to be perfectly shaped!

If you don’t want to make completely from scratch, the prepared tortilla mix that you just add flour is great also. This is the brand I have used and it is delicious!

Delicious Homemade Chorizo with Eggs, Hashbrowns, and Refried Beans

I started making homemade Mexican chorizo because it seemed the chorizo I bought from the store had good flavor but it was very greasy! It seemed like after cooking some of it and draining, there was hardly any left! This homemade chorizo is loaded with those same flavors but not greasy at all! It is delicious! You can make this recipe with beef, pork or even ground turkey or chicken!

Don’t confuse the Mexican Chorizo that is uncured with Spanish Chorizo that is cured. In Texas we mostly find Mexican Chorizo and only find Spanish chorizo in finer grocery stores. Spanish Chorizo will come in a casing, it is firm, and you have to dice it to cook it. Delicious as it is, it is different than the Mexican Chorizo we are used to in Texas.

After you make this chorizo you will never want to buy store bought again, unless you can finda a really good brand you like! I just make it and freeze it in half a pound portions. When i get ready for it I just let it thaw overnight, then I’m ready for my breakfast or other recipe. There are so many uses for Mexican chorizo. you can make the Cowboy Beans or Charro Beans and it is a great ingredient in a spicy pasta dish. Here’s some other uses from the Cooking Channels website: https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/devour/2013/07/25-ways-to-use-chorizo

Delicious Homemade Chorizo with Eggs, Hashbrowns and Refried Beans

The refried beans are essential to this dish in my opinion! You can purchase the prepared in a can which are good. If you do purchase, buy a good brand. I always heat them by adding a little oil to a skillet, adding the beans and if they need to be thinned a little, I will add just enogh water to do so. I really like to make them from scratch though because they’re just so much better. Here’s my recipe for the beans: https://the2spoons.com/pinto-beans-for-refried-beans/

Hope you enjoy this recipe!! Great for breakfast any day of the week!!

Homemade Chorizo with Eggs, Hashbrowns, and Refried Beans

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Chorizo

1 lb 80/20 ground beef or chuck, pork, or turkey will work too
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika (I used smoked)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

For the Refried Beans

See the link below or
1 can your favorite refried beans

For the Eggs and Chorizo

1 lb chorizo
6-8 extra large eggs, beaten
grated cheddar cheese (optional)

For the Hashbrowns

1 20 OZ PKG Simply Potato Brand Hashbrowns, or your favorite homemade hashbrowns

Heated Corn or Flour Tortillas for serving

Method

For the Chorizo:

Combine chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, garlic powder, coriander, oregano, red pepper flakes, ground cloves and black pepper in mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
Add cider vinegar and stir until dry ingredients are moistened.
Add ground meat and knead until spice mixture is well incorporated into the meat.
You can use the chorizo immediately, but for best flavor development, place chorizo mixture in an airtight container and store overnight in fridge.
If I'm only using a portion, I divide in freezer bags and store for the next use.

To make the breakfast:

Brown your hashbrowns in a skillet with a little oil until lightly browned. Heat your refried beans in a saucepan.
Break your eggs into a bowl and whisk to combine. Brown your chorizo in a skillet with a little oil. When done, lightly browned, add your eggs and cook over medium high heat until the eggs are cooked through and set, like making scrambled eggs. Add grated cheese if you desire.
Serve in a plate with the hashbrowns and refried beans with plenty of corn or flour tortillas to scoop it up and eat it with! Have plenty of salsa on hand and avocado or guacamole if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Pinto Beans for Refried Beans

wonderful – flaky buttermilk biscuits.

April 28, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This morning I really wanted homemade buttermilk biscuits and sausage gravy. I kept putting it off, thinking I probably shouldn’t, but you know, sometimes you just have to! You know, my Southern roots win over sometimes, and biscuits and gravy is something I grew up with. There probably isn’t a southern restaurant open for breakfast in Texas that doesn’t have biscuits and gravy on the menu.

I’ve posted my biscuits recipe before, but this recipe is worth posting over and over again and again. Honestly, I think they take me 5 minutes to throw together! To make these biscuits from scratch is probably as quick to make as it is to open a can or cook from a frozen state! If you haven’t made homemade before and you make these, you will probably never buy a can of biscuits again!

Always perfect for breakfast, they are equally good for dinner with southern fried chicken or chicken fried steak and a skillet of cream gravy!

My Easy Buttermilk Biscuits

I make these biscuits with cold butter that I always grate with a box grater. I grate the butter over the flour mixture and then I work into my dry ingredients. You can use a pastry cutter if you like. This is the pastry cutter I have and sometimes use. https://amzn.to/3g7TgeN.

The key to a flaky biscuit is to fold it several times. After you dump the scrappy dough onto a floured surface, bring it together, pat or roll it out into a rectangle and fold it like a piece of paper for an envelope. Turn it and do that at least 2 more times. Every time you fold it creates layers to your biscuit. I was much more careful to do this today when baking and they turned out to be the most tender delicious biscuits I’ve made!

In addition to the above, I chill my biscuits before baking. Here are the benefit of chilling:

Tenderness. Chilling relaxes the gluten, resulting in more tender biscuits.
Shape and rise.The butter hardens during chilling, so it takes longer to melt while baking, giving the biscuits more time to rise and keep their shape.
Fat consistency. Chilling firms up the fat in the dough, which prevents the biscuits from spreading too much in the oven.

An additional tip is:

Ingredient temperature. It’s important to use cold butter and buttermilk, as warm ingredients can result in layer-less biscuits.

A good biscuit cutter is essential too. You want a cutter that you don’t have to twist when you are cutting them. You just want a cutter that cus and you can lift. Here’s the one I use https://amzn.to/31xvtz2.

Another item I use that I find essential is parchment paper. I line my pan with parchment paper for more even browsing on the bottom and to insure they don’t brow n too much. https://amzn.to/38jdyzy

Here’s the link for the Sausage Gravy: https://the2spoons.com/flaky-buttermilk-biscuits-with-sausage-gravy/. So delicious and I know your family will love this.

Here’s another recipe for biscuits and gravy with hash which is amazing too: https://the2spoons.com/potato-smoked-sausage-hash-biscuits-gravy/

Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!

Buttermilk Biscuits

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Course: Bread, Breakfast, brunch, dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 1/2 Cups All purpose flour (spoon and leveled)
1.5 Tsp Salt
1/2 baking soda
2 Tsp Baking powder
1/2 Cup Butter, cold and grated or shortening
1 Cup plus 2 tablespoons cold buttermilk
2 tsps honey or sugar
melted butter for brushing

Method

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Add the flour, salt, and baking powder to a large bowl. Grate the cold butter into the dry ingredients and with a pastry cutter, two forks or my favorite, your hands, cut the butter into the flour until coarse crumbs form. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the buttermilk and the honey. Stir just to combine. Do not overwork.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently mold it into a rough looking rectangle using your hands. Fold one side into the center, then the other side. Turn the dough so it’s long horizontally. Gently flatten. Repeat the folding again. Turn the dough so it’s long horizontally once more. Gently flatten. Repeat the folding one more time.Gently roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it’s 1 inch thick. Cut into 3-inch circles. Re-roll any scraps until you have 9-12 biscuits. Arrange in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or close together on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. (Make sure they’re touching.)Brush the tops with a little buttermilk. I place my biscuits in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or in the freezer for about 10 minutes before baking. This allows the butter to get very cold gain
Bake for 15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown on top.
Brush the tops with butter. Enjoy warm! Place the leftover biscuits in a zip lock back or air tight container and store in the refrigerator for 4 or 5 days.

Yummy 15 Minute Breakfast Tacos

March 26, 2019 by Becky Spoon

It is no secret that we love TexMex and these 15 Minute Breakfast Tacos are perfect for today, Taco Tuesday and starting our day out right! These are fresh, spicy, and absolutely loaded with flavors! I used a fried egg because the yolk creates an additional sauce, but you can easily scramble the eggs or even top with a poached or soft boiled egg.

If you can get homemade corn tortillas are up to making them they really do make a difference. No worries though, there’s such good corn tortillas in the local grocery stores.

Literally, everthing we want is in one bite – eggs, corn tortillas, lots of cheese, green chile, chorizo, potatoes, and guacamole! Yummy!

The guacamole is so easy to make too! I just mashed avocado, added salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste and squeezed in some fresh lemon juice. You can actually shorten the time if you have already prepared guacamole on hand.

15 Minute Breakfast Tacos

Breakfast tacos are an absolute favorite of ours. When my son was in college in the Austin area, I think he lived on tacos, especially breakfast tacos. They live in Austin again and have access to the best tacos and TexMex around. You can’t go to Austin without having a breakfast taco or some kind of TexMex, right? Austin is the home of the breakfast taco! Check out the story in this link: https://austin.eater.com/2016/2/19/11060078/breakfast-taco-austin-history

15 Minute Breakfast Tacos

Looking for more Breakfast Taco recipes? Here’s a different recipe on the blog for you to try: https://the2spoons.com/sausage-potatoes-eggs-and-cheese-breakfast-tacos/

Here’s the recipe! Buen Apetito!

15 Minute Breakfast Tacos

Print Recipe

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 13

Total Time 15

Servings: 2 Servings

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 Large baking potato, diced small
Oil for cooking potatoes
1 Cup Good Mexican chorizo
2-4 Tbsp Green chile like hatch
4 Eggs
1 Cup Cheese of your choice, I used Muenster this time
1/2-1 Cup Guacamole

For the Guacamole

1 Ripe avocado
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of one lemon or to taste depending on the size
Garlic powder to taste

Method

Add a thin layer of oil to a non stick skillet and heat to medium high. Add the potatoes, start them to sizzle and cook then reduce heat, add a lid and cook until soft. Remove lid, raise the heat and cook until starting to brown. Push the potatoes to one side, add the chorizo breaking up. Cook through until done, combining with the potatoes. When cooked through, mix in the green chile and set aside. Heat a skillet for frying your eggs and heating your tortillas. Cook your eggs to your desired doneness and top with a little cheese. Remove from heat, put a lid on to stay warm while you assemble your tacos. Add a little oil to your pan and heat your tortillas on high heat turning when they start to puff. Don’t brown, they’ll get hard. Remove to your plates, top with your potato, chorizo, Chile mixture, add a little cheese, top with your eggs, and top with a serving of guacamole! Buen Apetito!

For the Guacamole

Mash the avocado with a fork. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Add the desired amount of lemon juice.

Favorite Breakfast Hash Bowls

March 25, 2019 by Becky Spoon

I don’t know what it is about Breakfast Hash Bowls, but I love them! Maybe it’s because everything is in one bowl and it’s all topped with runny fried eggs that creates the most delicious sauce!

You can add so many different ingredients too! Start with deciding your favorite breakfast meat whether it be sausage, bacon, smoked sausage like I did, leftover brisket, pot roast, endless possibilities. Then along with cubed potatoes, you can add onions, green and red peppers, any vegetable, I added baby kale, mushrooms would be great! You can even make meatless and just add portabella mushrooms.

I used a local sausage from Southside Market Barbeque https://www.southsidemarket.com/ and it was delicious! I love to use Texas made products when I can! There are so many stores that make their own sausage and it is always so good!

Favorite Breakfast Hash Bowls

My homemade buttermilk biscuits would be delicious with this hash: https://the2spoons.com/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/ I used some Country Bread that I toasted and buttered. I like to have bread to sop up all the egg and juices! Yum! I really love breakfast and try to make that the biggest meal of the day. So having all these yummy ingredients gets your day headed in the right direction with daily requirements.

Here’s the recipe! Go make breakfast!

Favorite Breakfast Hash Bowls

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings: 2 Servings

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 Large baking potato, diced
Oil for frying the potatoes
1/2 Medium onion
1/2 Green bell pepper, diced
1/2 Red bell pepper, diced
1 Green onion, sliced
1 Cup diced smoked sausage
Handful of fresh spinach or baby kale
2-4 Eggs
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet with a little oil. Heat to medium high. Add the potatoes, onions, and peppers, a little salt and pepper and cook on medium high to high heat until starting to brown on both sides. Then reduce heat to low, cover and cook until potatoes are soft. Remove the lid, push the potatoes to one side and add the sausage and spinach or kale. Heat through, gently toss everything together, increase heat to high again and make sure potatoes have browned. Meanwhile, fry your eggs to how you like them. Place your hash in two bowls and top with your eggs. Salt and pepper to taste.

Springtime Breakfast – Easy Country Bread Toast with Cream Cheese and Salmon

March 22, 2019 by Becky Spoon

This Toast with Cream Cheese and Salmon just reminds me of summer and spring, even though it is perfect for anytime of the year.

This toast makes me happy. It takes me to an oceanfront resort vacation breakfast buffet! Yes! You know the kind of buffet I’m talking about. The buffet with everything you can think of! Amongst the array of any and everything that you want to sample there is always the most delicious smoked salmon with capers, cream cheese, lemon, crunchy toasted bread that you get to enjoy amidst the ocean breezes, warm temperatures, and tropical temperatures. Really? I think I need a vacation.

Toast with Cream Cheese and Salmon

Since I’ve mindlessly rattled on about tropical vacations, let’s get back to the recipe! Sometimes I can get really fresh salmon at my local HEB, but many times I will buy the frozen salmon from Sams Club that is always fresh frozen and delicious. The brand I used in this dish is Member’s Mark Wild Caught Alaskan Sockeye Salmon: http://www.samsclub.com

Here is another breakfast toast I make with salmon and the recipe is on the blog: https://the2spoons.com/avocado-toast-with-poached-salmon/

Hope you enjoy this recipe and you dream of a tropical vacation with ocean breezes and the warm sun while you have your breakfast! Bon Voyage!

Country Bread Toast with Cream Cheese and Salmon

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Prep Time 10

Servings: 2 servings

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 4-5 oz Wild Caught Salmon Filet or Smoked Salmon
4 pieces Country Bread from the Bakery or bread of your choice
4 oz cream cheese
2 tsp capers
fresh dill for garnish
lemon for squeezing on the finished toast
salt and pepper

Method

I used a Wild Caught Salmon Filet for this recipe, but you could use smoked salmon if you prefer.
To cook the salmon, I heated a skillet to high, added a little oil and placed the salmon that I had lightly salted and peppered skin side down for 2 minutes, then I flipped and cooked an additional 1 minute. You want to be really careful not to overcook the salmon to prevent dryness.
I then toasted my country bread, spread cream cheese over it, layered my salmon, topped with the capers, fresh dill, and lemon juice.