Bacon & Egg Baked Breakfast Cups are equally convenient if you’re cooking for one or feeding a family of five.

I suck at breakfast! There is no denying it anymore. My fiancé is always getting on my case about not eating breakfast and he’s starting to sound like a broken record (it’s been almost 3 years). I know it’s super important but it’s always been difficult for me to eat in the morning. For years my daily breakfast of champions consisted of a large coffee with cinnamon and maybe a banana when I’m flying. Don’t judge! I’m challenging myself to break this habit so be prepared to see more breakfast posts from me.

I like to serve this with a simple cucumber and avocado salad with sriracha greek yogurt dressing.

Let me just say I love a recipe that gives you a ton of freedom to modify ingredients depending on what you have available. Bacon & Egg Baked Breakfast Cups is absolutely one of those recipes. You can use a variety of ingredients: mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes, spinach and cheese to name a few. This weekend I used my leftover Sautéed Shishito Peppers and they were stellar diced up and added to this recipe.

Local & Organic Pasture Raised Eggs from Lonely Mountain Farms CA

Another thing I love about this recipe is how easily you can cater to individual preferences. Maybe someone dislikes mushrooms or wants to include every vegetable known to mankind. You can put whatever you want in each muffin cup and everyone will be happy at breakfast. This recipe is equally convenient if your cooking for one or feeding a family of five. This recipe is simple enough that you can easily adjust the ingredients depending on the number of mouths you need to feed.

These Bacon & Egg Baked Breakfast Cups are making breakfast easier than ever! It’s a great way to use leftover veggies or whatever you have at home! So many options!

I’ve experimented with this recipe quite a bit because the first time I made it, the yolks were too hard and the bacon was undercooked. Well that’s just not going to fly. Challenge accepted!

After I line around the muffin tin with a slice of bacon, I bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes to jump-start the cooking process. The bacon takes longer to cook than the eggs so I precook the bacon to end up with a crispy outer shell. I also prefer to scramble each egg individually in a small bowl and add 2 tbsp of whatever ingredient before adding to the muffin tin. I prefer the texture and find everything cooks more evenly if it’s mixed together. This is totally personally preference.

Enjoy! xx

Bacon & Egg Baked Breakfast Cups

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Enjoy Bacon & Egg Baked Breakfast Cups this weekend for brunch and then take them to go for breakfast during the week. It's the meal that keeps on giving! Set yourself up for success and don't skip breakfast!

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 12 eggs
• 12 slices of bacon (I use applewood smoked)
• 1.5 cups total or 2 tbsp per muffin tin of your desired ingredient(s)
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Line each muffin cup with a piece of bacon
3. Put bacon lined muffin tin in the oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes. You want the bacon to look half cooked before adding the eggs.
4. While bacon is in the oven prepare your desired add in ingredient(s) like peppers, mushrooms etc. You should allocate for 1.5 cups total or 2 tbsp per muffin cup.
5. In a small bowl lightly beat 1 egg and add 2 tbsp of desired ingredient(s). Pour egg mixture into bacon lined muffin cup and repeat the process for each egg.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until done. Everyone likes their eggs cooked differently so take a peak at about the 15 minute mark. They might be done to your liking!

Notes

I served this with a simple cucumber & avocado salad with a Sriracha greek yogurt dressing.

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The post Bacon & Egg Baked Breakfast Cups appeared first on The Peony Life.

This Smoked Salmon Benedict with Avocado is gluten-free for my celiac friends!

One thing I absolutely LOVE about living in San Francisco, is how seriously people take brunch! San Franciscans have definitely gotten brunch & day drinking down to a science. Some popular restaurants are only open for brunch, 9am-3pm. It’s so popular they are able to shut their doors in the afternoon and probably laugh amongst themselves at all of the patrons nursing their hangovers with bottomless mimosa’s.

The people watching in these line ups are pretty amusing to say the least! If you were to ask some of these people to wait 3 minutes for an uber, 10 minutes for a drip coffee or behind 3 people at Trader Joe’s; forget it! However,  if you ask them to wait in line for over an hour at their favorite local brunch spot, they will do it with pleasure! I’m touched by the commitment and my fiancé & I partake in brunch shenganigans once a week. On the other day, we enjoy a leisurely brunch at home.

AN INDULGENT BRUNCH YOU DON’T HAVE TO FEEL SUPER GUILTY ABOUT!

Today I was super excited to try a new brunch recipe for the blog! Eggs Benedict is without a doubt my favorite brunch item but it’s pretty unhealthy! I wanted to create a lighter recipe that would still satisfy my craving for this high fat dish. I also opted to make a gluten free benny for my celiac friends out there. Whaaat whaaat!

Smoked Salmon is a great source of healthy oils and fats, dietary protein and iron but like everything else, moderation is key. Even though there are many wonderful benefits of eating smoked salmon, it is rather high in sodium, so don’t eat it all day, everyday. Alright?

Removing the english muffin and swapping it with avocado is such an easy way to get rid of unhealthy carbs. I’m trying to eat less bread these days and the struggle is definitely real, but with this dish I didn’t miss it! This Smoked Salmon Benedict with Avocado was all I dreamed of and more. My fiancé is already asking me to make it again next weekend.

WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T ENJOY RESTAURANT QUALITY FOOD AT HOME?

Please note that this recipe only serves 2 people so keep that in mind when buying your ingredients.

Drizzle my Herbed Crème Fraïche Dressing over top of the benny and enjoy!!

Smoked Salmon Benny with Avocado

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

This is a great low carb & gluten free alternative to Eggs Benedict! Try this recipe at home this weekend!

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Brunch

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 5 ounce piece of smoked salmon, divided in two pieces
• half an avocado, sliced lengthwise
• 2 eggs, poached
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp minced chives to garnish

Instructions

1. Add enough water to come 1 inch up the side of a narrow, deep 2-quart saucier.
2. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 2 teaspoons white vinegar and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
3. Meanwhile, crack 1 cold large egg into a small dish or bowl.
4. Use the handle of a whisk or spoon to quickly stir the water in one direction until it's all smoothly spinning around.
5. Carefully drop the egg into the center of the whirlpool. The swirling water will help prevent the white from "feathering," or spreading out in the pan. This 'whirlpool method' only works for 1 or 2 eggs. If you're making a larger batch, do not stir each time you add a new egg.
6. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and leave for 5 minutes. REALLY leave it for 5 minutes. As in don't lift the cover and peak! This will ruin your poached eggs!
7. While eggs are poaching, slice avocado and place 3 flat piece of avocado on a plate.
8. Place a piece of salmon on the avocado.
9. Using a slotted spoon, remove the poached egg from the sauce pan and place on top of the salmon.
10. Top with Herbed Crème Fraïche Dressing and minced chives!
11. Enjoy!
12. Lift it out: Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and serve immediately. Alter
13. Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/perfect-poached-eggs-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Notes

Please use my Herbed Crème Fraïche Dressing to drizzle over the Smoked Salmon Benny. It will not be close to the same without the sauce!

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The post Smoked Salmon Benedict with Avocado appeared first on The Peony Life.

SERVE THE CALZONE WITH A LIGHT SIDE SALAD

This recipe was totally inspired by my deep love & appreciation for Seinfeld. In my opinion, George Costanza is the greatest television character ever created; period. For those of you who aren’t Seinfeld aficionados, I strongly suggest you give it a try. It’s the only show (aside from The Golden Girls) where the jokes never get old, no matter how many times I’ve seen it.  Actually, I’m watching ‘The Calzone’ episode right now and this ‘short, stalky, slow-witted bald man’, has me in stitches.

This recipe is a great alternative to delivery pizza. Sure, its not delivered to your door with zero effort but the child in you will love to make this! You can pick and choose your own ingredients and make it the way you want it.

One thing you definitely want to keep in mind is how many water dense ingredients you’re using, like mushrooms. I really love mushrooms in my calzone so I’ll sauté a bunch of mushrooms to release the liquids then add them, because who wants a soggy calzone?

Dividing the dough into two balls and making two separate calzones is the smart thing to do. It’s much more manageable and easier to work with. For some reason Rez gets a kick out of the colossal sized calzone and we struggle every.single.time. The struggle is real but the result is worth it!

We slice are our giant calzone as pictured below. I know it’s not the correct way to enjoy a calzone but I’m a knife and fork kind of lady so it is what it is. My fiancé shames me every time and I now partially do it just to be defiant! haha..

Buon Appetito! xx

LET THE CALZONE COOL DOWN FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE OVEN

Calzone

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3½-4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 package instant dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1½ cups lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons+2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 ounces provolone cheese, grated
• 4 ounces thinly sliced genoa salami
• 2 roasted bell peppers, jarred or fresh
• ½ cup colossal green olives, sliced
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• extra virgin olive oil for brushing

Instructions

1. Add bread flour+sugar+salt+dry yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running add the lukewarm water+olive oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball.
2. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tbsp at a time. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tbsp at a time until you reach desired consistency.
3. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.
4. Grease a large bowl with 2 tbsp olive oil and add the ball of dough. Cover with clean dish towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm area for at least an hour until it doubles in size.
5. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and divide it into two equal parts. Cover with clean dish towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Using a lightly floured rolling pin and surface, roll each ball of dough into a 10 inch round.
7. On one half of the dough layer cheese+salami+olives+roasted bell peppers. Fold the dough over the filling and crimp the edges to seal.
8. Brush the top with olive oil and bake for about 25 minutes, until golden. Let sit for 15 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Using bread flour will give you a crunchier crust. If you can't find bread flour you can sub for all purpose flour but the texture will be chewier.
For the very best results, let the 2 balls of dough rest for at least half of the original rising time. This will produce a finger grained product.
Be careful not to make the filling too juicy. Be mindful of the ingredients you're putting inside. You don't want to end up with a soggy calzone!
Make sure you leave enough room around the edge to give it a proper seal. You don't want to lose any of the delicious toppings during the baking process.
.

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