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Friday, December 17, 2021

5 Breakfast Ideas Any Beginners Can DO! (Recipes included)

Most of us have fantasize your partner serving you breakfast in bed, as the aroma of toast and freshly grounded coffee filled up the room. There are only two scenarios. You are the one lying in bed, OR you are the one waking up earlier to make the breakfast. Morons can infer you're the latter (like yours truly) since you're looking at this post.

During the weekends, when I get to work from home, I tend to wake up earlier to whip up a simple breakfast for my family. No breakfast in bed after you have kids by the way, so we had everything proper on the dining table. To save any hassle, most of my recipes here will need less than 20 to 30 minutes of cooking and prep time. Combined. So you can get your beauty sleep as well.

Without further ado, I present to you my easy breakfast ideas that even any noob chefs can make. All this have a pretty high success rate since, you're either using the oven or waffle/pancake machine. If you do not have these equipment, not to worry, most of them can be cooked over the stove as well. If you're one of the noob chefs,  please make sure you have fire insurance beforehand.

Notes:
1. I got to emphasize that all ingredients are flexible. You just pop open your fridge and see what's there to use. As with every recipe, this serves only as a guideline. Like tomatoes? Add more. Don't like you food too sweet? Minus the sugar. Don't have fruits lying around? Sub with raisins. You get it.
2. If you're cooking for more people, apply your primary school multiplication on the recipe.
3. Unless otherwise stated, all ingredients are to be of room temperature. This helps for easy mixing and acquiring the desired texture.
1. Flatbread Pizza
Topped with spinach, ham, mozzarella, and sunny side-up.

Ingredients (for 2):
- Two flatbread (optional: wholemeal, I got mine from Redmart)
- Round spinach leaves, washed, pat dry, and torn into pieces
- 1 slice of ham, sliced into strips
- A handful of mozzarella (or cheddar)
- 2 sunny side-up, prepared just before serving (yolk half cooked)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Parsley flake, for garnish
- BBQ sauce (optional)

Steps:
1. Drizzle olive oil on the flatbread, and lay the spinach leaves and ham on it.
2. Sprinkle with mozzarella.
3. Bake in preheated oven 180C for 10 minutes.
4. Top pizza with sunny side-up. Drizzle with BBQ sauce, salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley flakes.
5. Serve this beautiful masterpiece.
2. Classic French Toast
Topped with fresh fruits and syrup.

Ingredients (for 2):
- Baguette, sliced into 2cm thickness.
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup milk (about 118ml)
- 2 eggs
- Dash of cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 
- Butter, for frying
- Blueberry, strawberries (or other fresh fruits)
- Powdered sugar, maple syrup, for garnish

Steps:
1. In a bowl, mix eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract and milk together.
2. Transfer mixture into a flat dish.
3. Soak baguette slices in the mixture, about 2 minutes on each side.
4. In a non-stick frying pan, melt butter on low-med  heat. Pan fry the baguette until it becomes slightly browned (I like mine with a little bit of cha, see pic)
5. Sprinkle powdered sugar like it's Christmas. Top with fresh fruits and maple syrup.
6. Serve this beautiful masterpiece.

Tips: I do not recommend soaking the bread into the mixture as the french toast will turn out very wet, with a custard texture.
3. Crispy Waffles
Topped with butter and syrup.

Ingredients (for 2):
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (150g)
- Dash of salt
- 3 tsp baking powder 
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup milk (approx 180ml)
- 1/6 cup vegetable oil (approx 40ml, I used canola)
- butter and maple syrup, for garnish

Steps:
1. Preheat your waffle iron.
2. In a bowl, mix egg, milk and oil together till foamy (using a wire whisk). Sift flour, salt, baking powder and sugar into the same bowl
2. Once the waffle iron is ready, coat it with a thin layer of oil (using a brush, or a kitchen towel)
3. Spoon the mixture into the waffle iron. (I actually used a measuring cup, or any container with a "beak", so it's easier and mess-free)
4. Cook till golden and crispy (your iron should have an automated indication like a green light when it's done. Mine took about 3 minutes. DO NOT open and close the iron to check repeatedly).
5. Garnish with one artistic lump of butter and maple syrup.
6. Serve this beautiful masterpiece.

Tips: For those without waffle iron, do something else. Life goes on.
4. Assorted Pancakes
Not so basic, when you add blueberries, matcha, coffee, or whatever.

Ingredients (for 2):
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (100g)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 2/3 cup milk (approx 150ml)
- 1/2 egg (or one small 40g egg)
- 2 tbsp oil (or melted butter, I used canola)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- blueberries, crushed biscuits (lotus), dried flowers, etc., for garnish
- maple syrup, for garnish

Steps:
1. Preheat your pancake iron.
2. In a bowl, mix egg, milk and oil together till foamy (using a wire whisk). Sift flour, salt, baking powder and sugar into the same bowl
2. Once the pancake iron is ready, coat it with a thin layer of oil (using a brush, or a kitchen towel)
3. Spoon the mixture into the pancake iron. (I actually used a measuring cup, or any container with a "beak", so it's easier and mess-free)
4. Cook till golden brown (your iron should have an automated indication like a green light when it's done. Mine took about 3 minutes. DO NOT open and close the iron to check repeatedly).
5. Garnish with whatever you have on mind.
6. Serve this beautiful masterpiece.

Tips:
- If you don't have a pancake iron, you can choose to fry it over a heated frying pan. Simply spoon the batter onto the pan, about 4-inch in diameter, cooked till edges are dry and flip it to cook the other side. About 1 or 2 mins on low-med heat.
- You can add literally anything, chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, fruits, or mix with matcha or coffee powder for assorted flavours.
5. Croque Madame 
Fancy name for a sandwich with egg.

Ingredients (for 2):
- English muffins, halved (or any bread)
- Butter, for spreading
- Vegan mornay sauce (check out this link)
- Handful of mozzarella/cheddar (or mix)
- 2 slice of ham (I used honey glazed)
- 2 sunny side-up, prepared just before serving (yolk half cooked)
- Salt and pepper
- Spring onion, chopped, for garnish

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 180C
2. Lay halved muffins on baking tray (lined with baking paper), topped with a thin spread of butter.
3. Top with ham, mornay sauce, sprinkle of cheese.
4. Bake for 2-3 minutes till the cheese has melt into the sauce and the ham is slightly cooked (or you can fry it, no problem).
5. Top with sunny side-up, garnish with salt, black pepper and spring onion.
6. Serve this beautiful masterpiece.

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Endnotes:

There you have it. I hope this will impress your partner and earn you a kiss or something. If it doesn't, wake them up to make you breakfast instead.

Look forward to more recipes here. God bless.