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.

New Year Message 2008

Dear Hungry Readers,

I must apologize for the lack of content in 2007. It was a busy year, but let it be known that though my fingers were not often on the keyboard, they were usually holding a spatula, cinnamon bun, or bowl of freshly made pancake batter. Yes, though Breakfast Magazine may occasionally slow down, breakfast never will.

Let my New Year's resolution this year be to open my kitchen window a little wider to afford you good people a better view of breakfast at not only my house, but the world over.

From my family to your family, Happy New Year 2008! At whatever time you may arise, happy eating, and make Breakfast Magazine your most important magazine of the day!



R.P.

One-Eyed Jacks

This recipe comes by way of my good friend Styles, who uses the simplest of ingredients for a quick, healthy breakfast that will please everyone from cherub-faced wee ones to hungover household hippies:

You will need:

- 1 egg
- 1 slice bread, any type
- Butter
- Salt & pepper
- 1 drinking glass (the mouth should be smaller than a slice of bread)
- Cutting board or clean level surface

Directions:

- Preheat a pan or griddle to medium-high
- Lay slice of bread on cutting board
- Turn glass upside-down and carefully cut a circle in the bread using a twisting motion
- Lightly butter the pan
- Briefly lay slice of bread in pan to soak up some butter, then flip to soak other side
- Crack egg into the "eye" of the bread and cook for 2-3 mins
- Flip with a spatula to cook other side for another minute
- Season to taste and serve with a side of hash browns

Optional:

- Try melting a slice of cheese on the one-eyed jack and serve with hot salsa
- For a sweet n' salty variation, try using cinnamon raisin bread

Griddle Timing

Greetings, Hungry Readers!

In the time since my last post I have become a father. Another wonderful mouth to feed! Although my son's breakfasts currently consist of mother's milk, I can't help but ponder what delectable secrets will unfold in our future kitchen: will he want waffles? prefer pancakes? seek out cereal? ogle an oversized omelette? The mind reels...

But today my mind drifts to matters of the griddle. I watch countless families and friends prepare pancakes for their morning meal on many a Sunday morning, and it prompts me to pontificate what separates a light n' fluffy flapjack from a burnt-out charcoaled disk of batter unsuitable for knife or fork? The answer quite often lies not in the ingredients, type of pan or cooking medium, but in that most elusive and intangible of all elements of not only breakfast, but as well of life: timing.

It is important to remember that a hot griddle (or pan) has a beautiful temperature arc: the heat gathers slowly throughout the metal surface, mantains an even keel at its maximum setting, and retains its warmth in a slow decay long after the knob is turned off.

It's elementary to say that at different points along this heat curve, your pancakes will turn out differently. That's why the first batch always seems to lull even the most experienced flapper into a false sense of security about how quickly his cakes will cook! It is easily assumed that three minutes will be enough to produce a perfectly golden-brown confection; during the next round, as the heat rises on the surface of the pan, those same three minutes are just enough time to blacken your hotcakes like a Cajun catfish, rendering them inedible for even the most iron of stomachs.

A good rule of thumb is to do the "drop water" test: when you feel the griddle has reached its peak temp, splash a drop of water from your fingers onto the surface; it should skid across and sizzle away in seconds. The first batch should be even-steven, and it just gets better from there.

Don't be afraid to let the first batch go "to the dogs"; if all else fails, try, try again, and keep one eye and ear to the griddle at all times. Now I've got to go change some diapers, so keep those cakes hot until I get back!

New Year Message 2007

Dear Readers,

Welcome to another exciting year on Earth! This revolution 'round the Sun looks promising as we prepare for no fewer than 365 breakfasts, each one unique and mouth-watering. I began this day off with a trip to Belgium in my waffle-maker, with a side of relatively healthy turkey bacon, bananas, grapes, a glass of OJ & some bold Kenyan coffee!

The first day of January is a special time of year; a time to look ahead at all the calendar will bring. I urge you to keep reading, keep eating, and keep inventing. Despite the millions of breakfasts that have been created over the years, the possibilities have not been exhausted - get out there and try something out, and if you're feeling adventurous, write it down & submit it to this blogozine.

My goal for the year is to increase the amount of breakfast awareness out there, to allow our fellow breakfast-lovers the forum to share, learn, reveal, and feast on information, that which will lead to a tastier 2007!

Happy New Year, and remember that Breakfast is the most important Magazine of the day!

R.P. Long, Jr.
Editor

Holiday $%*^&@# Fruitcake

submitted by Renee Baker, Media, PA

With the holidays coming, here's a fruitcake recipe that will help take the
stress out of this normally stressful time:

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups dried fruit
1 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
3 oz lemon juice
1 cup nuts
1 gallon Smirnoffs Vodka

First, sample the vodka to check for freshness.
Take a large bowl.
Check the vodka again to be sure it is of the highest quality. You know we
cannot trust those Russians.
Pour 1 level cup of the vodka and drink it. Repeat.
Repeat again.

Turn on the electric mixer; beat 1 cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add
water, eggs and 1 tsp sugar and beat again. Make surr the vodka is still OK.
Cry another tup.
Turn off mixers.
Chuck in the cup of dried fruit or something.
Mix on the turner.
If the fried druit gets struck on the beaterers, pry it loose with a
drewsciver.
Sample the vodka to check for tonsistancity.
Next, sniff two cups of salt. Or something. Who cares?
Check the vodka.
Now sniff the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
Add one table spoon of sugar or something. Whatever.
Grease the oven.
Turn the cake tin 350 degrees.

Don't forget to beat off the turner.
Whip the bowl out the window.
Check the vodka again.

Go to bed.

Who the hell likes $%^&*! fruitcake anyway?

Diner Review: Logan Tavern

Logan Tavern
Washington, DC
Sunday, November 12, 2006

This cozy old-fashioned bar in DC's hip Dupont Circle neighborhood has an atmosphere equally at home under the stars on a populous Saturday night peppered by pick-up lines as a rainy Sunday morning, welcoming the same crowds lovingly back to eat away a hangover. This morning, timing was key as we found our way to the bar; a table wait was at least 15 minutes, and the swelling masses streaming in behind us left no uncertainty that beggars can't be choosers.

The first telltale sign of brunch was a perfectly prepared pint of Bloody Mary resting on the bar, one that would have made Frank Sinatra proud. We sat on the stools, sated by fresh sourdough bread and coffee. Our server presented us with a substantial menu that included many delicious brunch and lunch items. Brunch won out in the end, and we settled on the bacon-and-swiss omelet, the pecan-caramel French toast, and the classic steak and eggs.

The high-ceilinged room easily handled the murmur of the tables, the full bar and the standing room foyer, owing to its sturdy 1930's speakeasy charm. The food quickly arrived, the speed of its preparation in no way hampering its quality. The omelet was full, with a great egg-to-filling ratio, the bacon speading generously to its edges. The French toast prompted the simple response: "Oh wow!" The steak arrived on time with the eggs, cooked to perfect tenderness and offered with steak sauce. Seasoned home fries in a medley of sauteed peppers and onions, and juicy grapefruits and oranges rounded out the dishes.

Bottomless coffee can make for great conversation, assisting to bring back even the most sluggish diner from the dead. The bartender kept it flowing, a rich blend that was a head above typical watered-down diner fare.

The meal ended nicely, not too long but just enough to stave away the cold, wet concrete morning with the hearty warmth of a familiar neighborhood hang-out. A classic brunch that one does not soon forget!

Visitors can find the Logan Tavern at 1423 P St., NW, Washington, DC 20005, or on the web at www.logantavern.com.

Rock n' (Pork) Roll

Have you ever wondered what pork roll is? Have you ever wondered what a hot dog is made out of? Let's stop there, before things get too far too soon. You see, pork roll may technically be pork, but it also may contain something else entirely: magic!

The words mystery and meat often go together with a negative connotation, but in pork roll's case, it's a tantalizing delight! On many breakfast tables, bacon and sausage rule the roost; occasionally a steak may rear its head against some fried eggs, and scrapple does make the cut now and again. But let pork roll poke its snout in there once in a while, and before long you'll be hooked.

Pork roll is a fascination to watch. Out of the package, it bears a resemblance to Canadian bacon: round, sliced, and bologna-like. But watch it cook! Throw it in a greased pan or in a microwave on HIGH, and it bells up like the bottom of a plunger, sizzling and smelling like a slice of heaven. I tend to make an radial incision to prevent too much belling; I like my pork roll flat!

Just one bite makes one experience sweet, salty goodness; much milder than that of bacon, more subtle than sausage or scrapple, more succulent than steak - you've got the fever: Pork Roll Fever!

(While it is not the policy of BM to endorse any one product over another, this reporter does enjoy Taylor's Pork Roll as his pork roll of choice - it's my czjauhn!)

Goat Cheese Omelette

submitted by Jeff Wolfe, King of Prussia, PA

A recipe for the kind of omelette that you make for breakfast or brunch on a Sunday morning or early afternoon, and you end up not having to eat anything the rest of the day 'cause it’s so rich n' satisfying!

When I thought about writing this down, I immediately got discouraged; all I know how to do is to throw the ingredients together and make a couple of omelettes from it.

First, I hesitate to put exact measurements in this recipe. I give a basic guideline, then you get to do your own thing, and put more or less of a certain thing, whatever that may be, in or out of the mix. Clear? Good!

Second, I make no claims of dietary benefit/damage/excess in regards to the recipe. It does have some healthy stuff in it, but who knows if it’s still healthy when you combine it with other not-so-healthy stuff!

Finally, I didn’t learn this recipe from anyone - I made it up. I may have been hung over when I did. I’m not sure. I encourage you to add, subtract, omit, etc. anything you want in the preparation/presentation/seasoning/combination of this dish. Hopefully, if you do decide to experiment with this particular dish in such a fashion, it may even inspire you to make up your own recipe. Or not. Whatever. Isn’t that what America is all about?

Peace in the Middle East,

Jeff

Ingredients (for approximately two omelettes):

- 6 eggs or so
- A splash of milk per omelette
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/2 Vidalia or sweet, white type onion
- 1 shallot bulb
- 1-2 garlic bulbs (or some pre-chopped garlic that comes in a jar or something)
- 1-2 vine-ripened tomatoes (Roma or Hothouse are good)
- Handful of fresh basil (or oregano)
- Teaspoon or so of olive oil
- 4 oz. or so smoked salmon
- One of those logs of goat cheese

Preparation:

Chop, dice, or cut up the onions, garlic and shallots. In a pan over medium heat, sauté with olive oil until translucent (a little clear, not browned). Set aside.

While this cooks, dice tomato and pluck basil from stem and chop lightly.

In a bowl, whisk up 2-3 eggs, using a splash of milk to fluffify. Add tomato and basil to mixture.

In omelette pan, use a non-stick vegetable spray on the surface. Over medium heat (important - you don’t wanna burn the son of a gun!), pour egg, tomato and basil mixture in pan. Use a spatula to continuously poke at the egg surface, creating holes for the runny parts to fill up. This insures your omelette isn’t too undercooked on the inside.

When egg mixture is nearly cooked (barely any runny stuff on top), then place the onion, shallot and garlic mixture on one half of omelette, along with the smoked salmon (slightly torn apart in pieces) and the goat cheese.

Use spatula to fold omelette over in half, let cook for additional 30 seconds on each side. Put directly on plate and feast on my brother, feast on.

Serve with coffee and try to watch some football or something. This is food for the weekend, my friend!

Entertaining Large Groups For Breakfast

I’ve always enjoyed the family atmosphere of breakfast. Whether with your actual family, or an assortment of people that you happen to be waking up with on any given morning, breakfast is more fun when there’s more than one! There are stories to share, problems to ponder, jokes to tell, dreams to discuss, and of course, delicious foods to devour as you get to know your fellow humans over a nice morning or afternoon meal.

Getting people together is easy: just tell them you’re cooking! But planning and pulling off a successful breakfast or brunch with your family, friends and neighbors can be a headache unless you know a few simple tips to keep a fun morning just that!

1) Have more than enough food on hand. Think about your meal the night before and pick up a few things to stock the fridge with. That way you’ll be ready if you wake up late or hung over. If you’re an early riser, you can hit the store before people wake up or arrive. In either case, always plan on people eating seconds! It’s also a good idea to have variety; with a large group, you’ll want to have something on hand for everyone, so try to imagine what everyone there would like to eat for breakfast.

2) Delegate responsibility. There is nothing harder than juggling 15 billiard balls. Confide your talents, hopes and expectations in a select few that will act as your breakfast team. Choose people that have special aptitudes; for example, the "coffee maker”, the “egg man”, the "bacon lady” and the “flap Jack”. Put someone in charge of bagels and juice. Place a trusted soul at the helm of the S.S. Cutting Board. Some people relish the responsibility of setting the table, or simply cooling the hotheads in the other room demanding to know when breakfast will be ready.

3) Keep the non-cooks out of the kitchen. Have a play room or conversation room set up for your guests so they can have a great morning without feeling like they have to hover around the pots and pans, back-seat cooking, drooling or picking at the food before its time. Set up a stereo and have some comfy pillows and chairs strewn about. This step is important for you, so you can get what you need to get done, and as a bonus it adds mystery and “chef’s secrets” as part of your breakfast’s allure.

4) Containers, containers, containers. As food items get cooked and done, you will want lots of these on hand to keep things fresh and together. Try to coordinate things to be ready simultaneously. For instance, the eggs, potatoes, bacon, toasted, and griddle items will need to be kept warm, so use oven space wisely. Juices and coffees can be put into pitchers and carafes, and hot dishes should be covered, so hunt down all those lids or just use an overturned plate.

5) When breakfast is ready, have a serving system. Once this is established, then you can grab the triangle, ring it loud and proclaim “COME AND GIT IT!” But not before. It’s wise to let the guests serve themselves buffet-style, just make sure everybody gets some the first time around.

6) Enlist a clean up crew. Try not to let this part get you down. Meals make messes, and you can make light of it by getting folks to help in the kitchen after breakfast is over. Pick out some guests that didn’t help with the cooking, that way everyone gets to contribute. *Note to dishwasher owners: You Lucky Stiffs.

7) Donations are appreciated. These grand meals do not come cheaply, and chances are your guests know it. If you feel uncomfortable shilling for dollars, you could place a donation jar in an obvious location and occasionally and loudly refer to it (I like to start the ball rolling myself by putting in a $10 or a $20 – people get the hint and will usually join in) As the host or hostess, you’ll most likely “eat” some of the costs, but you might receive an invitation to somebody else’s meal someday!

S'more Pancakes

In honor of the first day of Autumn: a leaf-crunchin', fire-cracklin' recipe from Down Under:

You'll need:
- 1 pkg. graham crackers (sugg: w/cinnamon), crushed
- 4-7 large-sized Hershey bars, crushed
- 1 pkg. marshmallows, crushed
- Pancake batter (sugg: bottled mix - just add water!)

This recipe is quite easy! Preheat your pan on medium-high and grease thoroughly with a pad of butter when hot. Add premixed pancake batter of your choice. Liberally add graham cracker in a circle on the wet mix. Next add marshmallow, then chocolate in the same manner. Allow the ingredients to soak through the wet mix to the center of the hot cake. Flip when browned. Brown until desired. Remove. Serve hot with syrup if desired. Smoke pot. Relax.

submitted by Terry Wompelstomp, Queensland, AUS
Author, "Breakfast In The Bush"

Frozen Juice Is Still Juice

Whether you are preparing a monumental, continental, or elemental breakfast, you've got to consider the liquid portion of the meal: beverages. Now, coffee and tea are musts, and water is a plus, but have you ever stopped to think of a less heralded quencher for your thirst? Juice. Juice often gets discounted because of its expense and inconvenience. After all, someone's gotta squeeze all that fruit, right?

Wrong. Many purists belive that fresh-squeezed is the only way to go, and they've got a point, with taste and nutrition being at their highest. Then you have the store-bought variety, with its ease and availability; premixed, not from concentrate, calcium-enriched, the list goes on and on.

But another option awaits juice lovers out there, one that may sound unsavory but holds an important place in the breakfast echelon: frozen juices. These compact, inexpensive cylinders contain delicious, vitamin-packed juice, much like their half-gallon cousins, and they take up less space in your icebox!

I always keep about 3 or 4 varieties on hand at all times: orange, apple, grape, lemonade, cran-apple, cran-grape, straw-cran-apple-grape-cherry lemonade, it's all lip-smacking good and just the thing to wash down oatmeal, omelettes, hash browns and bacon on a sunny morning!

Now I'm not telling you to throw your citrus in the trash and pour your Tropicana down the sink. But just like fire extinguishers, flashlights, and flare guns, trust me - you'll want to keep a few of these babies in your freezer in case of a juice emergency!

Home on the Range

by Amanda Modrovsky

Americans are increasingly eating breakfast en route to work or school instead of at home. Breakfast has become a compulsory act of the morning race, much like brushing your teeth while drying your hair. Gone are the days of the nuclear family sitting around the table sipping java, reading the paper, and touching base before the busy day begins; some days so busy that these moments may be the only interaction a family has until the next morning!

Instead, we join the queue of the nearest drive-thru window for that 64-oz mocha java decaf iced latte with skim milk and 7 sweeteners. Or perhaps we skid into a convenience store parking lot to dance around the coffee island, shaking sugar packets and tilting creamer containers to find that last drop of Irish Cream to temper the bitter dregs of the “regular” pot.

But don’t these mornings become a wash of sticky coffee amoebas and crumbs on the floor mat? Why not set the alarm for 30 minutes earlier or, if you’re like me, hit snooze only once rather than 4 times? Here are six compelling reasons to slow down your morning and make each breakfast part of a day in your life, rather than a blur in the rear view mirror.

1) Save money. Consider this proposition: Set aside whatever amount you think you would spend in a week on your commuter breakfast (usually between $3-5 per day for coffee and a quickie sandwich, danish or donut). At the beginning of the week, buy what you would enjoy for breakfast if you were to eat at home each day, and save the receipts. Eat breakfast at home for that entire week. At the end of the week, compare the amount saved in your commuter pot to the amount you spent on an entire week’s worth of breakfasts. You’ve likely spent only half as much eating at home and you probably have food left to last through the weekend too!

2) Your car is not the kitchen table. How many of you can flash to that moment when hot coffee spilled over the “travel” mug lid onto the floor, and you were no longer looking at the road nor did you have two hands on the wheel or anywhere near it? Or perhaps your jelly donut just relieved itself of its contents while on your way to a business presentation? Add to the equation a cell phone, screaming kids, a spouse, and a carpooler, and you have one big mess and possibly the ire of the person in front of you that you just rear-ended trying to avert disaster! At home, you can change that soiled shirt quickly and you’re less likely to spill your coffee when your kitchen table isn’t moving in traffic.

3) Time well spent. These days, most adults and children have an overwhelming schedule from dawn till dusk. Sometimes a half hour in the morning is the only time a family may have to spend together at all before the next morning’s meeting. Why not do it around the table rather than the stick shift? Morning is a time when people are unburdened by the day’s events and more focused on the conversation at hand. Even if you’re the only dweller at your domain, reading the paper and relaxing over breakfast is time much better spent than holding coffee in one hand, a cell phone in the other and driving with your knees. Even on public transportation, you're unlikely to find a cup holder or tray for your repast.

4) Home is where the heart is. And that heart is less likely to be clogged by cholesterol and disease if you take time to prepare a healthy meal at home. Compare your Boston crème donut to a bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit, or egg whites with hearty vegetables or salsa. Consider fresh coffee made within the hour, not the last 24. Eating at home can mean more and better choices over the long run. Granted, some of you may reach for the toaster-ready processed food, but if you’re making the effort to cook and eat at home, you’re more likely to seriously consider what you’re preparing.

5) To eat or not to eat, there is no question. With all the trends in eating and wellness, perhaps the most tried and true commandment is Eat Thy Breakfast. If you’re running late for work or school, you probably won’t eat at all until lunch; an empty stomach will wreak havoc on your energy levels until then. Keep a few items on hand for these mornings: peanut butter and jelly, yogurt, bananas and/or high fiber toast. You can still eat at home quickly, and it will get you to work faster than trying to save 10 minutes for grabbing something on the way.

6) Save the planet. Consider your daily trips to the fast food mart or restaurant and then think about what you take away each time: a foam coffee cup and/or juice container, a paper or plastic wrapper and a plastic bag to carry it all. This refuse is less likely to be recycled than the items you bought for home. Usually, you’ll toss that bag of trash into the bin on your way to work or at the car wash when you rid your car of a month’s worth of fast-food mornings. Neither is as likely to have separate trash bins for recycling as you might have in your own home - hopefully you’re adhering to a preordained recycling program at home so that your oatmeal container, egg crate, milk carton and orange juice bottle can all be found in the future someplace other than the local landfill.

Mickey Mouse Pancakes

This is a good morning surprise for the kiddies, who will instantly recognize the breakfast version of our favorite cartoon rodent. When making pancakes, pour the batter for a large, head-size pancake and two smaller, attached ear cakes.

Make a face with raisins or chocolate chips (Fig. 1) Take care when flipping that the ears stay on! Serve on a place face up with a healthy side of hash browns and some maple syrup.

Dial "BM" for Bloody Mary

Fernand Petiot, an ex-pat who bartended at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in the 1920’s, is credited with inventing the legendary Bloody Mary.

The story goes that when he mixed tomato juice and vodka, a patron suggested that the drink be named the Bloody Mary, because it reminded him of the Bucket of Blood Club in Chicago, and a girl there named Mary. Another account is that the drink is named for Bloody Mary herself: Queen Mary I, famous for her persecution of the Protestants.

The drink quickly became popular in the US when Petiot began bartending at the St. Regis Hotel, and spiced it up for his classy New York clientele.

These days the Bloody Mary can be enjoyed in many manifestations – with beer instead of tomato juice, extra spicy peppers, or even yogurt. The bottom line is use your imagination. Tomato juice (or perhaps clamato juice) can stand up to a lot of experimentation, so have fun!

Source: http://www.drinksmix.net/bloody_mary_history.htm

Here's the classic Bloody Mary recipe. Enjoy!

1 1/2 ounces (1 jigger) vodka
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Tabasco to taste
1 celery stick for garnish
1 lemon wedge for garnish

Combine vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, 1 cup ice cubes, and salt and pepper to taste, shake the mixture well, and strain it into a tall glass filled with ice cubes. Garnish the Bloody Mary with celery stick and lemon wedge. Serves 1.

Nutrition Alley

My job requires me to be alert and attentive at all times. I am a Registered Dietitian currently working as a Physician's Assistant in another field of health care. Working in health care is very challenging. It is necessary for me to listen to my patients carefully and to provide them with the best care possible. Every day I do something necessary to carry out my daily responsibilities: I eat breakfast.

Today we are all too quick to run out of the house in the morning without eating breakfast. Many of us live busy lifestyles and don’t consider breakfast to be an essential part of the day. What we don’t think about is our body’s need to start the day off right. I like to call it fuel for the day.

Our bodies need food for energy. Without it, we become weak and lethargic. Individuals who eat breakfast are more aware of their surroundings and have less difficulty carrying out their daily responsibilities. People that do not eat breakfast are more irritable and unpleasant throughout the day. I don’t know about you, but I would like my family and coworkers to think of me as pleasant. So get off to a good start. Eat breakfast and your body will feel the difference. You will have more energy and most of all, so will your brain.

Breakfast should be a well-balanced meal containing a starch, meat, fruit, vegetable, and a dairy product. Ideally we would all have one hour a day to devote to making a homemade breakfast and then sitting down to eat it. This might include French toast, pancakes, waffles, eggs, and of course, freshly squeezed orange juice. Realistically, you may have to leave the big projects for your days off. Here is an idea of a quick well-balanced breakfast:

- Oatmeal (1 min. to prepare; 1:30 min. in the microwave)
- Scrambled Egg Beaters (No prep, just pour. 5 min. in a standard frying pan)
- Add vegetables to the Egg Beaters. Buy a frozen package of mixed vegetables.
- A container of yogurt (No prep, just eat)
- Cup of orange juice (Not freshly squeezed)

If you multitask while making this breakfast, it should take you no longer than 5-7 minutes. You will even have time to sit down and enjoy it.

Erin Burns
Registered Dietitian