Hampton (Inn) Comes Alive!

Do you feel like I do?

(Breakfast after Amy & Pat's wedding)

Willow Grove, PA

Photo of the Day: Griddle Shot

Photo of the Day: Meat & Potatoes

Gluten-Free Pancakes: Even Better Than The Real Thing

The world of breakfast is a wide, welcoming world indeed. The menu runneth over with endless possibilities. But for those of us with gluten intolerance or celiac, many of the breakfast staples we have grown to love can seem hopelessly out of reach: cereals, waffles, flapjacks, biscuits, breaded chicken (it's a Southern thing).

Now the good news: if you've trod the aisles of your favorite local supermarket lately, chances are you have noticed a trend toward more variety in the production of gluten- and allergen-free foods that fill the voids we health-conscious breakfast lovers fear & loathe. This morning I had the pleasure of whipping up my first batch of gluten-free pancakes for me & my family. These mixes substitute rice flour & leavening for the more traditional wheat flour, nonetheless yielding a fantastically fluffy flapjack everyone can enjoy!

This mix can be used in many breakfast treats and prepares identically to a wheat mix. My kids helped me measure out the cups, adding milk (we used lowfat dairy milk, but almond, rice, and soy can also be used), vegetable oil & eggs, and whisking just so to give the batter an even thickness.

I had the kids stand back as the perfectly heated griddle pan sizzled with organic butter & gluten-free batter. If you are making alternate batches of regular & non-gluten pancakes, make sure to use separate cookware & utensils, or prepare all gluten-free foods before diving into the next batch. But I will say that whether or not you're preparing a gluten-free meal for health or dietary reasons, blindfold your loved ones & shove a bite of these healthy hotcakes in their mouths, they won't be able to tell the difference!

We enjoyed the morning with laughter, aromas, and great tasting pancakes for everyone, and kept those of us who stay gluten-free in the "mix" for a traditional breakfast treat!

Country Breakfast

Summer in the country is the perfect season to enjoy a filling, fulfilling breakfast. Today I join you from Harvey's Lake, Penna., where at a friend's historic home I took in a slice of the good life. Starting things off with fresh coffee made in a French press certainly kept the conversation flowing. I enjoyed good company while the sounds and smells of pans and toasters chimed a morning chorale.

The eggs were over medium, enough to hoist the yolks on the end of my fork like a breakfast fairy godmother. I chose to touch these up with a couple spoonfuls of hot salsa. The bacon was extra crispy, allowing for a good hearty crunch yet yielding the savory, salty soul within. The bagels, store fresh, perfectly toasted with a thick New York spread of whipped cream cheese 2 fingers thick, were accompanied by an assortment of locally produced fruit jams and jellies (I chose the blackberry jam, theoretically a perfect choice but just conflicted slightly with the tangy onion bite everything bagel I prematurely selected before my first cup of coffee!).

The sun poked out from behind the clouds, shining rays from heaven onto the breakfast table (and irking the local anglers hoping to pull a few morning trout from the lake). The country breakfast so casually yet harmoniously put together warmed my spirit and made a great start to the day. It helps that it is Sunday today, the weekly day of rest lends itself conveniently for a laid back, fun filled breakfast such as this, basking in the company of good friends and good down home country cooking!

Ode to Cereal

Morning, noon, or night
Is the right time to snack
On Cheerios, Corn Flakes
Grape Nuts and Apple Jacks

They're always in my cabinet
Many boxes at hand
Of Rice Krispies, Chex, Kix, Trix
Lucky Charms and Raisin Bran

If I don't have milk I'll improvise
It doesn't matter if there's no prize
Let me give three words to the wise:
Snap! Crackle! Pop!

Breakfast at the Beach

Well folks, it's been a while since I last posted. I know you are all hungrily enjoying your breakfasts out there, so maybe you haven't had the time to check in anyway. My family and I are visiting lovely Rehoboth Beach, Del. for a long weekend of sun, fun, and good morning goodness on the breakfast table.

While it is a Sunday, and the choicest breakfast buffets are being laid out in carpeted ballrooms and greasy spoons alike, I find that making a nice breakfast at home among the pyjama'd legs of my relatives and the sprawled-out morning paper can be a relaxing treat to start another beach day.

This morning's gastronomical masterpiece happened to be a "smiley-face" plate for my beautiful better half. The "mouth" was the main course, consisting of a semicircle cheddar cheese omelet. The "eyes" were two buttered, jellied halves of a Thomas' (c) Whole Wheat English Muffin (love those nooks & crannies!), and to complete the look, a sliced strawberry "nose".

Such a simple measure can go a long way to show the one you love how much you care, while giving her or him a healthy portion of energy to get them through the morning! Now it's a few more refills on my cup of joe, and I can start the four-hour odyssey that is packing up the car for a 100-yard drive to the seaside with my 2-year old. Luckily for me I started the day off right!

Cheers,
R.P.