sandwich

Breakfast Wafflewich

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breakfast wafflewich

Max’s favourite breakfasts are toast and eggs or oatmeal. He’s gotten so good at helping me make these things that he knows just what to do and how to tell when his eggs or oatmeal are done. I love making breakfast with him but I was getting a little tired of the same old, same old. So, I came up with these sandwiches to switch things up a bit and help add some veggies to our favourite breakfast. They were a hit! He ate an entire sandwich himself and then asked for another.

You can sub out the veggies in these for whatever veggies you prefer. Tomatoes won’t be super tasty for too much longer so we might swap them out with some roasted red bell pepper, sautéed mushrooms or green onions. Feel free to mix and match to your delight.

I kept it light on the condiments because we were having it for a weekday breakfast but if we made these on a weekend (a.k.a special breakfast) we might just spread the outside with butter to make it more grilled cheesesque or add some mayo to the inside to make it more like a breakfast BLT, and while we’re at it we might even swap out the the ham for bacon! But for an everyday/weekday breakfast we’ll keep things a little healthier as described below.

I love that this breakfast looks like a waffle but tastes like a panini. It makes it great for grabbing on the go and so much fun for kids.

Breakfast Wafflewich

If desired you can spread the bread lightly with butter to give it a grilled cheese effect.

  • 4 slices soft wheat bread
  • sliced cheese
  • 4 slices deli ham
  • 2 fried eggs (firm yolks)
  • 4 slices tomato
  • 1 handful baby spinach

Preheat a square-style waffle iron. Divide toppings between two slices of bread, starting with a layer of cheese and ending with one more slice of cheese (to act as glue). Top with remaining bread. Place in preheated waffle iron and press down firmly to create a waffle impression. Allow to cook 5 minutes, pressing down occasionally if needed, until bread is toasted and cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Makes: 2 sandwiches

Soft Honey-Wheat Sandwich Bread

By in Breads, Recipes 17 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Soft Honey-Wheat Sandwich Bread

Moving from Europe, where tasty, fresh artisan bread is readily available, I have to say, I miss it. I love baking bread, but the bread in Norway was so fresh and delicious I never had a reason to make my own. I”ve had such a hard time finding a sandwich bread that even compares to the ones that I took for granted there so, I knew it was time to start making my own once again.

I thought it might take a while to find a great recipe, but this was the first recipe I tried and it is perfect. Light and airy, thanks to the use of bread flour, and slightly healthier, thanks to the use of honey and whole wheat flour. There”s absolutely no sugar in this recipe – awesome! It”s not a european style bread at all but the slightly sweet and wholesome flavour makes it perfect for sandwiches. And, homemade beats store-bought hands down.

A Few Tips:

  1. The first time I made these I didn”t have any loaf pans so I just baked them freeform and they turned out fine. The shape isn”t perfect but the taste is just as good. :)

  2. These are made with a sponge but don”t let that scare you off. This is a simple bread recipe that”s easy to make. It has a couple more steps than usual but they only take a little extra time and that time is worth the results.

The other thing I love about this recipe is that it stays soft for a long time, longer then other recipes I”ve tried. I really can”t say enough good things about this bread. Now that the bread baking fire is renewed in me I know I”ll be trying my hand at many more recipes, but this will definitely be one that I return to when I want a soft and tender loaf.

Soft Honey-Wheat Sandwich Bread

You can make this bread by hand or using a stand mixer. It makes a lot of bread so I store them in the freezer. For tips on working with yeast doughs head here.

Sponge

  • 3 cups warm water

  • 2 (.25 oz) packages active dry yeast

  • 1/3 cup honey

  • 5 cups bread flour

Bread

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted

  • 1/3 cup honey

  • 1 tablespoon salt

  • 3+ cups whole wheat flour

After it”s baked

  • 1 tablespoons butter, melted

For the sponge: Mix together warm water, yeast, and honey. stir in the white bread flour until evenly combined. Let sit for 30 minutes, until risen and bubbly.

To make bread: Mix the melted butter, remaining honey, and salt into the sponge. Stir in 2 cups of whole wheat flour. Knead in enough flour until the dough is smooth and tacky but not overly sticky. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray, place the dough in the bowl and spray the top of the dough with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 hour).

Once risen, punch down the dough and divide it into 3 equal loaves. Place each into a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, and allow to rise until the dough has topped the pans by one inch (about an hour).

Bake at 350º F for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Brush the tops of the loaves with 1 tablespoons melted butter to prevent the crust from getting hard. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Let cool completely before storing in plastic bags.

Makes: 3 loaves

Adapted from allrecipes.com.

Guest Post: Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

By in Chocolate, Christmas, Cookies & Bars, Sweets 16 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Guest Post: Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

This is a guest post from Heather of Multiply Delicious. Heather is as sweet as they come. Her blog is a great inspiration for not only yummy food but for your kids, house, fashion and so many more pretty things. And, if you haven’t noticed she takes some pretty mouth-watering photos. Just look at those Whoopie Pies. I want one right now! Give Heather a big welcome and make sure take a browse through her site; your guaranteed to find something you love.

Hi, I’m Heather of Multiply Delicious. Cheri recently came to me and asked if I would guest post while she was away on vacation and I was absolutely honored! I’m a huge fan of Kitchen Simplicity and all of Cheri’s amazing recipes. I have tried several of her recipes but my family’s favorite is her Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes. If you haven’t tried them…they are a must!

Now the toughest part about guest blogging was finding the right recipe to guest blog with. I just came off a vacation to Charleston, SC and while on vacation we found an amazing bakery and they had whoopie pies. I have twin toddler girls and this was their first experience with whoopie pies. They are now my twin daughter’s “official” favorite dessert. Upon getting home the request from the girls was “mommy, can we make whoopie pies”. Actually they called them hookie pies, which I thought was pretty cute so around my house we call them hookie pies now. We had fun in the kitchen making these Chocolate Peanut Butter “Hookie” Pies. People think whoopie pies are many things…like an inside out cupcake…or a soft cookie sandwich…or a cake sandwich. Whatever you think they are they are a special treat. Especially when they are a combination of chocolate and peanut butter!

I hope you enjoy these treats! And thanks again to Cheri for allowing me to guest post today!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

For Cookies:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour

  • 1 ½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1 tablespoons baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 2 cups organic cane sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

 

For Filling:

  • 1 1/3 cup natural organic creamy peanut butter

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 400. Make cookies: Line three rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, sift together flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.  Beat until well combined. On low speed, slowly add dry ingredients; mix until combined.

Drop 1 ½ tablespoons of batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2-inches apart. Bake until set, about 8 minutes, rotating halfway through. When the top of cookie is gently touched, it should feel soft but not wet.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Make filling: With an electric mixer, beat peanut butter and butter on high speed until smooth. Reduce speed to low. Add confectioners’ sugar; mix until combined. Raise speed to high, and mix until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes.

To assemble cookies: Spread 1 to 2 heaping tablespoons of filling on the flat side of 1 cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Cookies can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight container up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Adapted from Martha Stewart”s Cookies.

Kids in the Kitchen: Homemade Egg McMuffins for Dad

By in Breakfast, Homemade, Kids 20 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

Egg McMuffins

Who says Mom’s the only one that gets a special breakfast made by the kiddo’s? My husband isn’t really a breakfast in bed kind of guy so I didn’t want to stretch it that far. But, it is fun for the kids to make something special for Dad and I think breakfast is a great (and simple) way for them to show him they care, first thing in the morning.

This recipe is super kid friendly. The eggs are cooked in the microwave so you don’t have to worry about them using the stove top which makes this recipe virtually hover free.

It’s pretty much an assembly process and would be a great recipe for kids to make for themselves in the morning before school, when they want to feel responsible.

I made mine with homemade sourdough english muffins. That’s why they look a little funny. I guess I have to work on my english muffin making skills. And you know what they say, practice makes perfect, so I guess I’ll have to make them again. Darn. :)

We sometimes make this as a breakfast-for-dinner meal. It’s one of my favourite throw together meals when we’re in a hurry. But, it tastes so good there’s no reason it can’t be used for a special event.

Cooking the eggs in ramekins or coffee mugs makes them the perfect shape and size to fit on an english muffin. If Dad is a fan of bacon, or other breakfast meat such as sausage patties, feel free to use that as a substitute for the ham.

Happy early Fathers Day to all you Daddy’s out there!

This is why he likes to be my model. :)

What do you serve for breakfast on Father’s Day?

English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich

  • 1 large egg
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 english muffin, split and toasted
  • mayonnaise, to taste
  • 2 slices deli ham
  • shredded or sliced cheese
  1. Grease a flat-bottom mug or ramekin with cooking spray. Crack egg into ramekin; season with salt and pepper and whisk a couple of time with a fork. Microwave for 1 minute or until egg is set.
  2. Spread english muffin with mayonnaise. Top with ham, egg and cheese. Let sit one minute before serving to allow cheese to melt.

Makes: 1 serving

*It’s important to whisk the egg a little or the pressure builds up and the egg may “explode” in the microwave. But don’t go too crazy with the whisking or the egg will puff up like crazy while it cooks and loose its perfect Egg McMuffin shape.

How to: Make Lattice Bacon for Burgers and Sandwiches

By in How-to's 10 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

lattice bacon

Does anyone else have issues with their bacon trying to escape from your sandwich or burger while you’re trying to eat it? You’d think it would know that either way it’s going to end up in your belly so it might as well stop putting up a fight.

It was out of this frustration that I came up with this idea. No sliding and slipping around. No sneaking out the side while you’re not looking. These little piggy’s stay in their place.

I always cook my bacon in the oven. It bakes up just as crisp but is much harder to burn and each piece has room to breath and stretch out making for much more even browning. Plus, it’s less mess. Bonus points all around!

Below are step by step photo for how to assemble and bake these little squares of love. Click on the photos to view the slide show and instructions.

Now you’ll get a piece of bacon with every bite!

Do you have trouble keeping your bacon on your burgers?

Printable Instructions

You will need 2 slices of bacon per serving.

  1. Cut bacon in half widthwise.
  2. Lay two halves side by side on a foil lined (rimmed) baking sheet.
  3. Take another bacon half and lay it across the two adjacent bacon strips. Tuck it under one bacon strip and leave it on top of the other.
  4. Repeat with another bacon half but tuck it under and over the opposite slices of bacon, creating a lattice effect. This is one serving.
  5. Repeat with remaining bacon strips until you have the desired amount of servings.
  6. Place into a cold oven. Turn the heat to 400ºF and bake for approximately 20 min. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the bacon and your desired amount of crispness.
  7. If the bacon starts to curl up on the edges, use a fork to flip it halfway through the cooking time (this is not a necessary step if the bacon doesn’t curl).
  8. Once the bacon is cooked to your liking remove from the oven and transfer to paper towels to drain.
  9. Serve immediately.

Oatmeal Sourdough Rolls

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Oatmeal Sourdough Rolls

We”ve all come down with a really nasty cold/flu so I”m going to keep this post short and sweet. If you haven”t got a starter going already you may want to get on it right away because these rolls are like big soft pillows of goodness and if you haven”t had them your missing out. I would say that I want to stick them under my head and have the best nap of my life but they”re so fluffy they would disappear under the pressure. The flavour is sweet and mild with the slight tang of sourdough. Absolutely delicious!

There”s molasses in the dough which I think adds a nice richness but you don”t actually taste it, so if you don”t care for the flavour of molasses don”t let it stop you from making these rolls. Please!

These are great sandwich rolls. We had them with tuna salad and cucumbers the next day and the combination was perfect. The rolls are just a tad bit sweet which complimented the tuna perfectly. Plus they”re just so airy that the filling really shines. But I”ve also been eating them straight from the freezer, zapped in the microwave with just a pat of butter. Mmm.. good.

Oatmeal Sourdough Rolls

  • 1/2 cup warm water

  • 2 teaspoons yeast

  • 1 cup sourdough starter

  • 3 tablespoons honey

  • 1 tablespoon molasses

  • 1 egg, lightly beaten

  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus more if needed)

  • 1/2 cup quick cooking oats

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  1. Sprinkle yeast over warm water and let proof for 10 minutes. Stir in starter, honey, molasses, egg and butter. Beat in 2 cups flour, oats, salt and baking soda until well combined. Beat and knead in remaining flour until the dough is tacky but not sticky (it should be quite elastic but not get stuck to your finger when you press into it). Place in a greased bowl. Cover and place in an oven that has been preheated to the lowest setting (you can shut it off once it”s preheated). This is to ensure that the dough warms up from the cold starter and that it rises beautifully. Let rise until double (approximately 1 hour).

  2. Divide dough into 12-24 rolls depending on the size you want (12 for very large sandwich rolls, 18 for medium sized sandwich rolls and 24 for small dinner rolls). Place on greased or parchment lined baking pans. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until double (about 1 hour).

  3. Bake at 400ºF for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to cooling racks or paper towel to cool.

Makes: 12-24 rolls

* A trick that I do to make sure that my buns are cooked through is to flip them over and tap the bottom. If they sound hollow they”re done!

Adapted from allrecipes.