Some weekend mornings in our household are mad dashes out the door for a sporting event, the farmer’s market, to run errands, shop or get somebody where they need to be. Others are blissfully lazy, quiet hours at home to read the newspaper, watch the morning news and political programs, or just dabble one’s toes in the pool and meditate on what to make for breakfast.

This recipe lets you be very creative with what you buy or what you have—just keep the proportions right and you can change the meat, the cheeses and the onion into all kinds of terrific combinations. The meat can be turkey, sausage, ham, or whatever you’ve got. The cup and a half of grated cheeses can be any combination you’ve got—and a smoky Gouda or Gruyere would be pretty special. The cream cheese can be goat cheese, the onions can be mushrooms or herbs—or if you like, you can make it the way I usually do, just like this.

Crustless Breakfast Pie

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

4 ounces pancetta
¾ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
¾ cup grated Fontina cheese
3 ounces cream cheese, cubed into small bits
3 green onions, thinly sliced
4 large eggs
1 cup half and half
2 tablespoon melted butter
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon hot sauce
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon butter at room temperature (for greasing your dish)
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Panfry the pancetta until it is crisp, drain it and set aside.

Grease a 9-inch round pie pan or dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese into the pan and then turn and tap the pan until the cheese has evenly coated it. In a mixing bowl, combine the cheddar and the Fontina cheeses, the cream cheese, onions and bacon and toss the mixture with two forks until it is well combined. Sprinkle the mixture evenly into the pie pan.

In the same mixing bowl that just held the cheeses, combine the flour, salt, pepper and baking powder. In a large measuring cup or a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, mustard, hot sauce, cooled melted butter and half and half. Whisk the egg mixture into the dry ingredients until smooth. Pour the mixture evenly over the ingredients in the pie pan.

Bake until the filling is light golden brown and set, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing

In the kitchen certainly, it takes just a little effort to make the ordinary a little more special. Asparagus in the spring is so readily available and so versatile that I find myself buying it at least once a week and frequently more. …Continue reading: Spring Green Vegetable Sauté

Revolutionary…Palace Malice…Normandy Invasion…Vyjack…Lines of Battle…Overanalyze…I’d love to know the stories behind the naming of these horses– some of the contenders that will compete at this Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. …Continue reading: Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwiches

Roasted cauliflower is a side dish for all seasons. In the winter, it comforts, in the spring it satisfies. It serves as well with a barbecue in the summer as it does as a basis of a hearty, creamy fall soup. …Continue reading: Roasted Cauliflower with Capers and Breadcrumbs

My favorite everyday breakfast is a cup of blueberries, a dollop of Greek yogurt, a drizzle of local honey and a small scoop of granola. I never grow tired of this combination of creamy, crunchy, sweet and tart ingredients. This breakfast is also a powerhouse for morning energy and nutrition. The choice of granola is the creative part of the dish, also the variable one. There are so many varieties of granola available in our stores these days—everything from high-end gourmet varieties that will set you back $20 or more for a bag or a box, to big-box containers for just a few dollars, to homemade-the reason for today’s post.

I wanted a mixture that I knew had no preservatives/chemicals/etc. and I wanted to include coconut oil, which is so very healthful. Here is the result that has also become a run-through-the-kitchen-and-grab-a-handful-snack for the family. This is low-stress cooking at its best.

Homemade Granola

Ingredients

½ cup butter
¼ cup coconut oil**
¾ cup local honey
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
½ cup coarsely chopped almonds
½ cup coarsely chopped cashews
½ cup sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup dried berries (cranberries, cherries, blueberries, whatever you like the best)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a small saucepan, gently heat and stir the butter, coconut oil and honey until melted and combined.

In a large bowl, toss together the rolled oats, walnuts, almonds, cashews, and sunflower seeds. Add ½ of the hot honey mixture and toss to combine well. Spread the mixture out on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the kosher salt and the coconut flakes and toss gently with a spatula. Drizzle the remaining honey mixture over and toss again. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Add the dried berries, stir again and bake for another 5 minutes or until the mix is a nice golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool. Store in an airtight container.

**If you don’t have coconut oil, just use a full cup of butter—it will be delicious if slightly less healthful.

In Florida, our February is punctuated by the arrival of beautiful strawberries in our markets. They are locally grown, luscious and economical. I’m always on the lookout for great ways to serve them. Ina Garten has a wonderful recipe in her book Back to Basics for Fruit Salad with Limoncello. She tosses fruit with sugar and Limoncello liqueur, lets it stand for a bit and then tops it with a lemon yogurt topping. That’s a great idea for brunch or dessert, but I wanted something without the liqueur for everyday breakfasts. My version cuts back on the sugar a bit and trades the Limoncello for lemon juice. Made either way, it is a fresh and delicious way with fruit.

If you would like more information about Ina Gartens book, click here: Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup Greek Yogurt (I use Fage)
¼ cup lemon curd
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups of fresh fruit, cleaned and cut into bite-size pieces

Preparation:

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon curd, honey and vanilla extract. Put the fresh fruit in a serving bowl, sprinkle with the lemon juice and sugar and toss gently. Let rest on the counter for at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve the fruit with the yogurt topping.