"Meat Free Monday" Cooking Show!

Our most-recent episode of the cooking show featured recipes from Paul McCartney's Meat Free Monday cookbook.

We always try to have some type of theme to our shows.  Most of the time I play it safe and go with a seasonal theme; sometimes my cooking guest(s) will offer suggestions.

This time, however, I opted to go the surprise route.  My friend, Maribeth, was cooking with me and I happen to know that she adores Paul McCartney.  I thought I would surprise her by preparing recipes from his cookbook.

Cooking Show: Breakfast for Dinner, Part III

It's been a while since we've filmed a show with a "Breakfast for Dinner" theme (click here and here to be taken to recipes from the previous shows).  I was joined by my friend, Maureen. We did our best to prepare a few breakfast recipes that are also great at dinnertime!

I love breakfast recipes, but I don't typically have time to make them in the morning hours. At dinnertime, however--when I've usually put aside the time to actually cook something--I find that making breakfast can actually save time, because many breakfast recipes require less time to prepare than traditional dinner recipes.

(Click on the recipe title to be taken to the printable recipe.)

Hash Brown Frittata

Layered with hash browns, ham, eggs, veggies and cheese!  

 Bacon, Spinach & Tomato Breakfast Wraps with Avocado

These are one of my favorite wraps.  I would eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Or breakfast, lunch AND dinner!

 Apple Dutch Baby Puff Pancake

You could serve this topped with maple syrup, whipped cream...or ice cream...

Madras

The perfect choice if you're feeling like you might want to mix up a special fruity drink to go with your breakfast-dinner!

Cooking Show: Breakfast for Dinner, Part II

It's been about 2 years since we filmed our first Breakfast is My Favorite Kind of Dinner cooking show.

There are so many great breakfast recipes that I just don't make for breakfast very often (if ever), simply because I don't have time!

Please tell me that I'm not the only one who would rather get extra sleep than drag myself out of bed an hour early in order to prepare an awesome breakfast.

Nothing should stop you from preparing breakfast recipes for dinner, however!

Considering that she cooked with me for the first show, it was only fitting that my friend, Maureen, cook with me again for this show.  We were able to prepare a few recipes that didn't make the cut the first time!

 Fruit Salad with Honey Lime

A taste of summer in the middle of winter!

Mini Frittatas

One of the most practical breakfast recipes in existence.  Stir together some eggs with a splash of cream and a dash of salt, pour into muffin cups and then mix in whatever cheese, meats and/or veggies you happen to have on hand.  A great way to use up leftovers!  And they freeze beautifully...defrost them as needed for those mornings when you need a quick hit of protein before you start your day.

We neglected to plan for a drink, so we poured a Bellini or two as an afterthought.  Two parts prosecco to one part peach juice (or peach puree).

Baked French Toast

This needs to be prepared in advance (whenever is convenient for you!  At least an hour, but up to overnight is fine), to give the bread time to absorb the egg mixture.  Sooooo good.

 Open-Faced Egg Sandwiches with Ham and Cheese

These take very little effort!  Scramble some eggs, layer the eggs into a hollowed-out bread load with ham and cheese, pop it under your broiler and voilà!

Mini Frittatas

Whether you are looking to use up the half-empty packages cluttering your fridge or simply looking for a recipe for leftovers, I can't think of a better recipe than these mini frittatas.

The only ingredients that are absolutely required are eggs, cream and salt.  The rest is up to you!

It took less than 10 minutes from the moment I started pulling ingredients out of the fridge until the moment I popped the frittatas into the oven.

I baked them in a regular cupcake tin this time, but you can also use a mini-muffin tin for bite-sized frittatas.

While the frittatas were baking I spent time with my latest obsession--watching the cardinals in my backyard.

They've always had a major presence at my bird feeder, but since we've had snow those flashes of red are really popping!  I'm totally obsessed.

I've tried counting them, just to see how many there are hanging out.  They move around so much, I lose count!

On this particular day, I counted 10 males (all red) and 4 females (brown with red at the tips of their wings, tail & head).  

Clyde was so perturbed by my focus on the cardinals that he started acting up (chewing on sticks is a no-no...tearing them off of the shrubs is a double no-no!), trying to get my attention.

Puff Pastry Omelette Torte

I haven't been baking too many sweet confections lately.

Erin's been taking care of that.

She baked these cupcakes to celebrate a friend's birthday (hence the "K"), but made extras for us to enjoy.

I've been doing baking of a different variety.  This morning was the meeting of my "breakfast club,"  a more-or-less-monthly standing date with four of my dearest, sweetest-most-wonderful friends.  

We take turns hosting our little breakfast dates, with the hostess providing the coffee and the guests each contributing a breakfast item.

Gayle hosted this morning's soiree.   It gave me the opportunity to bake a breakfast torte, a recipe perfectly suited for any breakfast gathering, from cozy little get-togethers to glitzy Christmas brunches.

This recipe is very easy to prepare.  Total prep and baking time is about 1 1/2 hours.  You can also prepare it ahead of time, refrigerate it overnight and bake it the next day.