Breakfast

AVOCADO TOAST

Name Withheld, Milan, IL

Ingredients:

2 slices whole grain bread

butter or margarine

1 ripe avocado

1 egg cooked to preference

salt & pepper

Everything Bagel seasoning

Directions:

1. Toast bread to your preference. Usually a crispier bread will hold the ingredients better.
2. Spread butter or margarine lightly on each piece of toast.
3. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise. Remove the pit and spread each half on a piece of bread.
4. Cut the egg in half and put each half on top of a piece of bread to make an open faced sandwich.
5. Sprinkle with preferred seasoning, I use salt, pepper, and Everything Bagel seasoning.
6. Enjoy!

BANANA BREAD

Morgan Q, Silvis, IL

“During quarantine I have developed a love for baking. Banana bread is my favorite thing to bake. It holds a special place in my heart because it is the first thing I learned to bake. I have also included carbohydrates since I am a Type 1 diabetic and I find it helpful when they are listed.”

Yield: 1 loaf (22 carbohydrates per slice)

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas

3 tbsp chocolate chips (optional)

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup white granulated sugar

⅓ cup butter, melted

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Mash the bananas.
3. Mix in egg, baking soda, vanilla, sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Mix in the flour.
5. Grease a bread pan.
6. Pour batter into bread pan.
7. Top batter with chocolate chips (optional).
8. Bake for 1 hour.

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP BLENDER MUFFINS

Morgan Q, Silvis, IL

“During quarantine I have developed a love for baking. These muffins are really easy to make! They are healthy but taste really good! I have also included carbohydrates since I am a Type 1 diabetic and find it helpful when they are listed.”

Yield: About 12 Muffins (20 carbohydrates per muffin)

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas

2 cups rolled oats

2 eggs

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp honey

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp vanilla extract

⅛ tsp cinnamon

⅛ tsp salt

¼ cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Add all ingredients,  except the chocolate chips, in a blender.
3. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
5. Pour an even amount of batter in each cup (about ¾ full).
6. Bake for 15 minutes.

BASIC STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE WITH BLUEBERRY BUCKLE VARIATION

Lisa Lockheart, Moline, IL

“This recipe, and many others, are from my well-loved copy of “Recipes You Can Bank On.” This was a staff cookbook I helped produce at Davenport Bank and Trust, a former employer. I’ve made all of these recipes many times! This is one of Mom’s recipes that I submitted. I found myself craving comfort food during the quarantine, and nothing says comfort like Mom’s coffee cake.”

Ingredients:

Coffee Cake:

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup shortening

1 egg

½ cup milk

1 ½ cup sifted flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Streusel Topping:

½ cup packed brown sugar

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp butter or margarine, melted

½ cup chopped nuts

Directions:

1. Mix sugar, shortening, and egg together, stir in milk.
2. Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
3. Put ½ batter in a greased and floured 9 inch square pan.
4. Sprinkle on half the streusel topping mixture.
5. Pour in remaining batter and top with remaining streusel.
6. Bake at 375° F degrees for 25-35 minutes.

Ingredients for crumb topping:

½ cup sugar

½ cup sifted flour

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ cup softened butter

Directions:

1. Follow the recipe for basic coffee cake except increase the amount of flour to 2 cups.
2. Carefully blend in 2 cups of drained blueberries.
3. Pour batter into greased and floured 9 inch square pan.
4. Combine the 4 ingredients listed above and sprinkle over the top of the batter.
5. Bake at 375° F degrees for 45-50 minutes.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH STREUSEL CRUMB TOPPING

The Buckrop family, Rock Island, IL

Source: Vera Z.- omgchocolatedesserts.com

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Yield: 18 muffins

Ingredients:

For the muffins:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 large eggs (or 3 small)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup yogurt

½ cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 ⅓ cup fresh or thawed blueberries, divided (1 cup for batter, 1 ⅓ cup for topping)

1-2 tbsp flour

For the topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

⅔ cup granulated sugar

1 stick salted butter, melted

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F degrees and line a standard muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
2. To make the crumb topping in a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir with a fork until crumbly and set aside.
3. To make the muffins in a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until combined. Whisk in yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract (mixture should be pale and yellow)
5. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix everything together by hand.
6. In a small bowl sprinkle 1 cup blueberries with 1-2 tbsp flour and toss them until all blueberries are coated with a thin layer of flour and then fold them really gently in the batter.
7. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling about ⅔ of each cup. Cover the batter with the remaining blueberries and then cover the blueberries generously with streusel topping.
8. Place them in the oven and reduce the heat at 375° F, bake about 18-20 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove muffins and cool on a wire rack.

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Name Withheld, Moline, IL

“Great way to use dry or slightly stale bread.”

Ingredients:

5 slices bread, cubed

½ lb bulk pork sausage, cooked, drained, and crumbled

¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese

¼ cup shredded Swiss cheese

¼ cup canned mushrooms, drained

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup nonfat milk

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Spray an 8×8 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Arrange layers of bread, sausage, cheese, and mushrooms in a pan.
3. Combine eggs and milk in a small bowl. Pour over the top of the mixture in the baking dish.
4. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
5. Preheat the oven to 350­° F.
6. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

CHEESY HASH BROWN CASSEROLE WITH BACON

Lisa Lockheart, Moline, IL

Ingredients:

½ lb bacon, chopped

½ cup onion, chopped

½ cup peppers, chopped

12 large eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

¼ tsp dill weed

16-ounce pkg frozen hash browns

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Cook the bacon and remove from the pan. Sauté onions and peppers together.
3. Whisk eggs, milk, and seasonings in a separate bowl.
4. Mix bacon, onions, peppers, cheese and hash browns. Add in the egg and milk mixture.
5. Stir to combine all ingredients, pour into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
6. Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes.

EGG CASSEROLE

Kathy Quinn, Davenport, IA

“Here’s my recipes along with my substitutions. I’ve used chopped ham, mild Italian sausage, and even leftover taco flavored ground beef. If you add veggies (frozen spinach well drained, broccoli florets, chopped peppers, mushrooms, etc.), please be sure to dice them in small sizes to blend better in the casserole. It works best to make it the night before and let it meld together overnight. It definitely takes the full 90 minutes to bake because it’s so thick, but it’s worth it! I never have leftovers.”

Source: modified from The Recipe Corner by Karen Wendel, The Observer, DeWitt, Iowa on Wednesday, Dec. 8th, 2010

Ingredients:

8 hash brown potato patties, or 1 pkg shredded hash browns, thawed

8 to 12 ounces meat of choice

assorted vegetables

1 can cream of mushroom soup, or 1 cup sour cream

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp dry mustard

6 eggs, or 8-9 for more texture

Directions:

1. Line a 9×13 inch greased baking dish with the hash browns.
2. Sprinkle your meats of choice over this along with your choice of vegetables.
3. Mix together the last of the ingredients in a separate bowl. Once combined, pour over the top of the meat/veggie/potato mixture.
4. Refrigerate overnight.
5. Bake uncovered in a preheated oven of 350° F for 1 ½ hours. Serve hot. If you’d like, you can make and bake it without overnight chilling.

HOMEMADE PANCAKES

Denise C. Richardson, Colona, IL

“When in quarantine, you may have run out of pancake mix, but it is so easy to make pancakes from scratch.”

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

1 egg, well beaten

1 cup whole milk

⅛ cup melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat griddle to 375° F.
2. Combine in a small bowl,  flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
3. Combine beaten egg and whole milk.
4. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture; beat until smooth.
5. Add ⅛ cup melted butter and mix well.
6. Bake on an ungreased griddle, allowing about ¼ cup batter for each pancake; I use a kitchen ladle.
7. When large bubbles appear on the surface and edges are slightly brown, turn and bake until brown on the second side.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

2 cups milk

¼ cup melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat griddle to 375° F.
2. Combine in a small bowl, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
3. Combine beaten eggs and milk.
4. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture; beat until smooth.
5. Add ¼ cup melted butter and mix well.
6. Bake on an ungreased griddle, allowing about ¼ cup batter for each pancake.
7. When large bubbles appear on the surface and edges are slightly brown, turn and bake until brown on the second side.  Makes 12 to 15.

OVERNIGHT OATMEAL

Lisa Lockheart, Moline, IL

Ingredients:

½ cup old-fashioned oatmeal, uncooked (do not use quick oats or rolled oats)

½ cup milk or dairy alternative (oat milk, almond milk, etc.)

pinch of salt

2 tbsp Greek yogurt – plain or your choice of flavor (optional)

fruit of your choice – banana, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, peaches, etc.

Directions:

1. Combine oats, liquid, salt, and yogurt in a bowl, and refrigerate overnight.
2. Top with fruit before you refrigerate or place fruit on top in the morning. Your choice – I prefer to do all the prep the night before.
3. Add a little honey or maple syrup if you like it sweet. I find it’s sweet enough with the fruit. I eat it cold, but you can warm in the microwave a bit if you like.

SAUSAGE AND EGG BREAKFAST BURRITOS, FREEZER MEAL

Lisa Lockheart, Moline, IL

“These freeze really well, I made them at a Hy-Vee Cooking Class before quarantine. Helpful if you want to use freezer meals for a while!”

Source: Skinny Mom’s Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 lb ground breakfast sausage

12 eggs

¾ cup milk

1 cup salsa

1 cup shredded taco cheese

tortillas

Directions:

1. Using a large skillet, brown the sausage and cook until it is done, about 8 minutes. Break into smaller pieces.
2. Combine eggs and milk. Whisk together until blended. Add to the skillet with the sausage. Cook the mixture until the eggs are set, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add in the salsa and cheese to the sausage and egg mixture. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and eggs are completely cooked.
4. After it is finished cooking, let the mixture cool slightly.
5. Lay a tortilla out flat and then in the center add ⅓ cup of the mixture and roll up.
6. Wrap each in wax paper and then freeze.
7. Cooking instructions: microwave for 1 – 1 ½ minutes or until heated through.