Hybrid Breakfasts

Since I'm on a total roll, I'm gonna hit you with some breakfast insanity! Not too long ago, my sister introduced me to Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, an excellent cook book that makes bread baking practically painless. And really impressive. After making 3 loaves of perfect, crusty bread, I tried out this recipe. Twice. There is no messing with this version of eggs and toast.

Mmmm...steamy.
I won't get into the how to of this recipe, as it requires some extra prep, but I will continue to endorse this cookbook and heartily congratulate you if you go out and buy it.

In other breakfast news, waffles have been kind of big in our house lately. I bought Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, made his version of waffles, and nearly fell over when I read one of the 12 suggested variations on the standard waffle: 2-3 strips of bacon laid over the batter after it's been spread on the waffle iron...

Drool.

There was no way we weren't trying this. So here is the variation of the recipe I used (I have been trying to use some whole wheat flour in place of white for the healthies)...and a little food porn. I'll let you imagine how sweet that waffle iron sizzle sounded.

Buttermilk waffles with Bacon. (OMGOMG!)
2 cups flour (or half ww/white)
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups yogurt thinned with 1/4 cup milk
2 eggs, separated
4 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together yogurt/milk and egg yolks. Stir in butter and vanilla.
Grease the waffle iron and heat it. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together. Beat the egg whites with a whisk or electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold them gently into the batter.

Spread enough batter onto waffle iron to barely cover it. Lay 2-3 strips of bacon over the batter. The bacon addition may add a minute or two to your regular waffle bacon baking time.

You cannot mess with this breakfast.

Progress. Or, Barack Obama the Cross Stitch.

I couldn't resist this ridiculous undertaking which was certainly my biggest cross stitch project ever. Pattern thanks to subversive cross stitch for giving away this free Obama pattern with orders. I started stitching tiny x's on January 20th, inauguration day, and finished it several weeks later.





I messed up the pattern and forgot to put the Obama "O" on the lapel. I am comforted to see that sublime stitching made the same mistake in their sample. I think it looks better as the "O" of Hope.

I love the incidental art that occurs on the back of a cross stitch--so many nicely organized straight little lines.

Blackberry Jamble Shortbread Bars

Do not ask me what a Jamble is. A Jamble Bar, however, I have recently become familiar with. This recipe comes from this cookbook my sister gave me for my birthday last year: Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth. They are not kidding--I'm surprised they didn't throw "rotten toothy" to their list of adjectives. Not only is this book jam packed with recipes for delectable sweets that make your teeth hurt just to look at them, the design is also totally cute (polka dots and stripes). This wins major points in my book.

This recipe begins as all recipes should, with a pound of butter and two cups of sugar. How can you mess with that?!

Blackberry Jamble Shortbread Bars (makes 15 large or 30 small bars)

1 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup almond flour or very finely ground almonds (I ground almonds in a mini food processor)
1 1/2 cups blackberry preserves
1/2 cup chopped almonds
Confectioners' sugar for dusting (which I completely forgot about)

Combine the butter and sugars in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer set at medium-low speed, beat until creamy. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined. (I did this all in the food processor)

Beat the all-purpose and almond flours into the butter mixture on low speed, just until a smooth, soft dough forms.

Spray a 9x13" baking pan with cooking spray and press 1/3 of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust. Wrap the remaining dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold and firm, at least 30 minutes. (I recommend doing putting this in the fridge for 30 minutes, then baking the bottom crust, just to make sure it is done.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees with rack in middle position.

Bake the bottom crust until it is firm and just beginning to turn pale brown around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and spread the preserves evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining shortbread dough over the jam to form a pebbly, crumbled topping. Sprinkle with the chopped almonds. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes, or until top is firm and crisp and lightly golden in color. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

Cut with a sharp knife into 15 squares, then diagonally into 30 triangles if desired. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.

These bars will keep for 1 week at room temperature if covered, or up to 1 month in the freezer.