Brunner = Breakfast Anytime.

Brunner...
"Br"eakfast, L"un"ch, and Din"ner"...Brunner.
Okay, that abbreviation is probably not going to catch on,
but I like the concept.
Breakfast at anytime.

Maybe it's just because it's the weekend,
or maybe it's because I need more hugs in my daily life,
but I keep thinking about breakfast.
My breakfast obsession is growing.
I want to add eggs into everything,
and dive into a warm meal with a side of coffee.
I really miss breakfast during the week,
so I've decided to make a list of breakfast meals that I can make at anytime.
Breakfast, Lunch, or my other favorite time...DINNER!
Well, I'll have to leave the coffee out of my dinner/breakfast.
Of course that will mean that I will need to find ways to pair wine or beer with it instead.
Oh man...this is going to make it extra fun and extra delicious.

So here are a few breakfast ideas that will make any mealtime better.





1. Breakfast Pizza from The Chic Site
If you enjoy everything that is breakfast, then this is it...and it sounds like serious deliciousness.  What isn't great about pizza, tator tots, eggs, cheese, and pretty much anything else that your heart desires?  See, it's serious and it's delicious.



2. Southwest Breakfast Stromboli from Bev Cooks
It's similar to a calzone, but jazzed up for Brunner.  Sounds and looks fabulous to me!





3. Potato Bacon Casserole from Nestle Kitchens
I think this recipe, like so many others is versatile and can be modified any way you choose.




4. Tortilla Espanola from Saveur
Otherwise known as a Spanish Potato Frittata, but all I needed to see was that it was topped with thick cut potato chips.  I'm going to use this as a lunch idea. It has the chips already, so in my world it totally works.




5. Baked Egg Boots by Spoon Fork Bacon
Though this the last recipe of this list it will probably be the first recipe that I make.  I love the idea of baking bread bowls for breakfast.  What not to love about it?

Now I hope that you are ready to dive into something delicious and enjoy it at any time of the day.  No matter when you make and at this, your tummy will be happy...that's a given.

Enjoy!

Phyllo Love: Baklava

 Oh my goodness!
One bite of this baklava and I'm transported back in time.

monikamukherjee.blogspot.com

I'm traveling through Greece with my friends Kelly and Sara.
It's terribly hot, and we had been all over Greece and the Greek islands.
Then we ported along a cliffside.
There were only two ways up the cliff to the city;
winding up a very narrow road,
or on the back of a donkey.
Maybe next time I'll take the donkey,
but that day I wasn't ready to die...
At least not at that moment.

neueverte.com

Drinking at a pub on the edge of the cliff,
looking out on the Aegean Sea,
I knew that I was seeing the most beautiful place on Earth.
It's Santorini, Greece.

goodcarmatravels.com

Never before had I seen a place that I wanted to die because of it's beauty.
After that day, I had.
It was also the day that I knew where I wanted my ashes spread after I'm gone...
Whoever takes my ashes to Santorini will enjoy a fabulous paid cruise along the Aegean
and toast me along the same cliff edge.
Yep.  It was that beautiful.
And yes, I plan for those things wayyyyy ahead of time.

I've always been intimidated of phyllo dough.
Now, I'm not sure why.
So many people online write about how difficult it is to work with
and I have to say that you do need to work quickly so that it doesn't dry out.
Other than that, it's pretty simple.
Of course, I did read that it matters which brand you choose.
A couple blogs mentioned that Safeway brand phyllo dough
was the easiest to work with, so I purchased it.
Since I haven't experienced any other brand,
I can't say that it was easier or more difficult than another.
It was very easy to work with though.
It didn't take much time to decide what to do with
the extra sheets of phyllo dough when I had completed the Kalakopia.

Easy Baklava
Recipe and Directions from All Recipes
*I used half the amount of everything in this recipe due to the reduced number of phyllo sheets.

Ingredients:
1 pound nuts (I used pecans, because they're delicious.)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 package of phyllo dough (16 oz)
1 cup melted butter
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or spray with cooking oil a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Toss together cinnamon and nuts. Unroll phyllo and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover phyllo with a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from drying out.
3. Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish. Brush generously with butter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture on top. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about 6 sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava (all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.
4. Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes, until golden and crisp.
5. While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in honey, vanilla and lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
6. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool completely before serving. Store uncovered.

This dessert is CRAZY delicious!  

I normally have to wait awhile after making a treat before I can try it 

because the smell and process can be overwhelming to my senses.

That was not the case with this Baklava. 

I could barely wait until had cooled 

before I was pulling pieces out of the pan to eat.

That's how good it is!

Now you must make and try this yourself.

Yum!

Kalakopita = Kale+Spanakopita

The first week of school is brutal for me.
After 15 years of first weeks as a teacher,
I know this to be true.
It's exhausting.
Learning all the new names, constantly talking for hours each day,
parent night, endless questions...whew!
See why it's tiring?
Yep.  I thought you would.
So in addition to preparing breakfast ahead of time,
I'm also looking for quick and healthy meals for lunch too.
I like salads, but I like something warm at lunch.
It's like a warm hug.
And the first week of school definitely deserves a warm hug at lunch.

Kalakopita = Kale+Spanakopita
Recipe modified from The Wednesday Chef
Make one 9" pie

2 pounds Kale, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, minced
8 ounces feta cheese, chopped into small chunks
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper (I just add a couple twists on the grinder)
8 sheets- one package phyllo dough
4 to 5 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the minced onion. Sauté for a couple minutes then begin adding kale in small batches to wither the kale.  Keep adding kale until it's all withered and the onions are beginning to caramelize.  Your house is going to smell amazing at this point!

3. In a bowl crack 3 eggs and whisk together. Then add the cheese, onions, kale, oregano, and salt and pepper. Mix everything together really well.

4. Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan. Open the package of phyllo dough and lay a damp towel over the phyllo sheets. Working quickly, line the pan with one sheet of phyllo dough, then brush it lightly with some vegetable oil. Layer another sheet on top and oil that. Repeat with all the sheets of phyllo until the springform pan is fully lined. Scrape the spinach mixture into the phyllo-lined pan and smooth the top. Fold the phyllo dough over the top of the pie (see photo above). Brush a little oil on the tops of the phyllo dough sheets.

5. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.  The filling will be set and the phyllo golden-brown and crackling when the pie is done. Plus, you will be able to smell the feta and your stomach will start grumbling.  

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing the ring of the pan. Cut into slices and dive into the deliciousness.  Let the remaining slices cool completely, then wrap them.  The slices freeze well and will stay nicely for several months.

Happy Greek Week!