Every day is Sunday when we are in camp, and we cook breakfasts accordingly. Breakfasts are substantial, and enjoyed - not only because we enjoy that kind of breakfast, but also because a healthy and hearty breakfast will carry us through our busy, activity-filled days outdoors.

Careful planning results in delicious and quick camping breakfasts

As with camp dinners, we plan carefully and prepare as much as we can in advance, mindful of precious cooler space. We try to get fresh (and hopefully local) produce and perishables as close to our campsite as possible and shop very carefully so we aren’t carrying more than we have to.

Our camp breakfasts as planned for this trip are as follows:

• Cornmeal pancakes with pine nuts
• Bacon and eggs, wrapped in tortillas for some
• Yogurt and homemade granola
• Slow-cooked Irish oats with dried fruit
• Omelets

Prepack your breakfast ingredients

The granola, of course, is made in advance and brought in an airtight container. For the cornmeal pancakes, I assemble the dry ingredients at home in a resealable bag, and place the toasted pine nuts in their own small bag. I write down the rest of the recipe on a piece of scrap paper and put it inside the bag. I’m not good at remembering the number of eggs needed for a recipe first thing in the morning.

For the Irish oats I measure out the exact quantity we’ll cook — with the amount of milk and water required written on a piece of paper in the plastic bag with the oats. The dried fruits I’ll be using are also in their own bag, but only because the general supply of dried fruits tends to be fair game for healthy snacking.

The egg dishes, of course, require fresh eggs. Our last breakfast of the trip is always a mish-mash of an omelet, using up the last of whatever cheese, sometimes some bacon, sometimes salsa, and sometimes other bits. We leave camp with an absolutely empty cooler.

Cornmeal pancakes with pine nuts

Generous handful of pine nuts, toasted
3/4 c flour
1/2 c cornmeal
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1-1/4 c milk, slightly warmed
Vegetable oil

Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Carefully combine the melted butter, eggs and flour so as not to curdle the eggs with the heat of the butter, or turn the butter into solid on contact with colder ingredients.

Use the vegetable oil - sparingly - to lubricate the pan. Pour out large spoonfuls of batter onto the heated pan, and sprinkle in some pine nuts. Continue to cook as you would any pancake.

Slow-cooked Irish oatmeal with dried fruit

1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 c steel-cut Irish oats
3 c water
1 c milk
1 c mixed dried fruit, such as raisins, cherries, cranberries, other berries, apples, apricots, papaya or other preferred fruits.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Pour in the oats and stir to coat. Let toast, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. The oats will give off a nutty aroma. Lower the heat and carefully add in the water and milk. Allow to simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Add in the fruit, and let simmer another 10 to 15 minutes, until the oats are al dente and thick. Serve with a little brown sugar sprinkled over the top. You can also pour just a little milk over it, too.

Buttermilk isn’t just for fluffy yummy pancakes, crispy fried chicken or ranch salad dressing. This cultured dairy product can be used in a delicious array of sweet or savory dishes. The next time you have buttermilk leftover, don’t toss it or simply hold on until the family wants pancakes for breakfast again - instead, try one of these creative recipes featuring buttermilk.

What makes buttermilk special?

Buttermilk is a fermented dairy product with a distinctive - but delightful - sour flavor. In addition to being an invaluable ingredient in many recipes (to add moistness and flavor), buttermilk is also lower in fat and calories than regular milk and is a good source of potassium, vitamin B12 and calcium. Even better, buttermilk is easier to digest than whole milk.

Make your own buttermilk

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own. Simply add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar and 1-3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar to 1 cup of regular milk. Let mixture, also called sour milk, stand for 10 minutes before using. This method can also be used with soy milk or rice milk, if you are following a dairy-free diet.

Tasty ways to use buttermilk

You can use store-bought buttermilk or homemade buttermilk to reduce the fat and add moistness to many of your baked goods by substituting equal portions of buttermilk for oil or butter in cake or quick bread recipes. Make healthy mashed potatoes by using buttermilk instead of butter and cream or milk. Substitute buttermilk for regular milk or for part of the cream called for in chilled soup recipes. Make a sweet tart smoothie by using buttermilk instead of yogurt. Simply do a search for “buttermilk recipes” on the Internet for additional buttermilk recipe ideas.

Buttermilk recipes

Buttermilk Berry Flax Shake
Makes 2

A delicious wake-me-up, the sweet tart combination of buttermilk and berries will delightfully surprise your taste buds while the flax and agave delivers a dose of tasty nutrition.

Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mixed berries
A few drops of almond extract
Handful of ice cubes
1 tablespoon ground flax
Agave nectar or honey to taste

Directions:
Place ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Serve in two tall chilled glasses.

Roasted Pepper Corn Chowder
Serves 6

Fresh corn and roasted peppers highlight this satisfying soup. Buttermilk not only lends thickness and tangy flavor, it also significantly cuts the fat and calories as compared to chowders made with heavy cream.

Ingredients:
6 cups fresh corn kernels (or frozen, thawed)
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup yogurt
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch of cayenne
Pinch of salt or more to taste
1 cup roasted red peppers, from a jar, chopped
1 ripe tomato, seeded, chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:
1. Place 4 cups corn kernels, buttermilk, yogurt, red onion, cumin and coriander in a blender and puree until smooth (or to your desired consistency). In a medium-sized bowl, toss together remaining corn kernels, cayenne, salt, peppers, tomato and green onions.

2. Mound vegetable mixture in the center of six serving bowls. Ladle soup around vegetables and serve. To serve warm, combine vegetables and buttermilk mixture in a large saucepan and heat, stirring, over medium heat until hot (do not boil) and serve.

Fettuccini Edamame
Serves 6

Full of flavor, this main-course meal is ideal for light summer cooking or as a side-dish for heartier winter fare. Edamame are fresh shelled soybeans that can be found in the refrigerator or freezer section of health food stores and supermarkets. Some stores carry edamame in the produce aisle.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups edamame (fresh shelled soybeans), steamed or boiled until tender
1 cup buttermilk
8 ounces fettuccini, cooked al dente (tooth-tender but not mushy)
1 cup edamame
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a blender, puree vegetable broth, salt and steamed edamame until smooth. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepan or stockpot over moderate heat, stir together buttermilk, fettuccini, edamame, and salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until edamame are just tender, about 2 minutes.

3. Stir in edamame puree and spinach leaves, cover, and cook for 30 seconds or until spinach is just wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in basil and season with pepper. Serve immediately.

Before the word “granola” conjured up any other mental image, it was food. Crunchy, slightly sweet, energy-filled food.

In its most basic form, granola is rolled oats, nuts and honey, baked until crisp. Other delicious variations include dried fruits, nuts and other grains. While basically nutritious, granola can cross the line and be a little too high-fat if one is not careful - and that’s a great reason to make your own. You can control the fat and control the sweetness. If you have a good basic recipe and the technique down, experimenting until you find an ingredient combination that you like best is fun.

Once you’ve made your granola, what do you do with it? Granola is equally good straight as it is stirred into yogurt. It’s even tasty sprinkled over ice cream.

Homemade granola and muesli recipes

Basic granola

3 c rolled oats
1 c slivered almonds
3/4 shredded coconut
1/4 toasted wheat germ
2 tbsp canola oil
1/4 c honey
1/2 c raisins

Heat oven to 250 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, coconut and wheat germ. Drizzle the oil over the mixture and toss to coat. Do the same with the honey. Spread the mixture out on a baking sheet with a lip. Put it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Stir up the mixture on the cookie sheet, then bake another 15 minutes. Repeat until the granola is evenly browned, between 1 hour and 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Stir in the raisins and store in an airtight container or bag.

Variations and additions

My favorite variation has hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, dried cherries and dried apple. But try a combination of any of the following ingredients:

sunflower seeds
toasted cashews
toasted hazelnuts
toasted pecans
roasted peanuts
sesame seeds
maple syrup
just about any dried fruit you can think of
cinnamon
brown sugar

Muesli

Muesli is related to granola in ingredients, but it is not baked. It’s best made at the last minute. This is my husband’s favorite breakfast.

1/2 c rolled oats
Handful of blanched slivered almonds
Handful of raisins
1 apple, grated
Splash of milk (or to taste)

Place all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy.

Variations and additions

mashed strawberries, blueberries or raspberries
sliced banana
chopped toasted hazelnuts

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There were two times in my life that I had to cut out dairy entirely. For someone whom friends have called a “Dairy Queen,” this was a challenge, and a hard one.

In my case, the issue that prompted dairy restrictions was my infant sons. Each of them was sensitive to dairy proteins passed through my breast milk. The process of figuring this out was challenging, but I am glad I did. I was able to continue to breastfeed them and they became far more comfortable.

How does one live dairy-free?

But when I did figure out it was dairy I had to give up? I’ll be honest, I was grieving. I had no idea how I was going to eliminate dairy. I couldn’t even have milk in my one cup coffee in the morning! No ice cream, no cheese, reading labels for hidden dairy ingredients…how would I survive?

The first couple of weeks without dairy were the worst for me. After that, I was able to manage. While I wouldn’t say I didn’t miss the taste of dairy any more, the taste memory wasn’t as recent. After those first two weeks, I knew I could do it.

Going dairy-free is entirely doable

As I said, it was hard, but I did survive, and I learned some healthy eating habits that have continued long since I’ve been able to reintroduce dairy to my diet. Now, when I encounter a situation in which I need to cook dairy-free, I am not intimidated. I can do it. With the increased prevalence of food allergies, this (relative) fearlessness has come in handy.

I was lucky. When my sons reached about a year old, I was able to reintroduce dairy to both of us. Our whole family continues to enjoy dairy today. But since that time in my life, I am more conscious of my dairy intake and make sure it occurs in proper moderation. My diet no longer depends on dairy like it once did.

Tips for a non-dairy diet:

• Read labels and know how dairy hides. “Whey” and “cassein,” for example, are dairy derivatives.
• Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, prepared simply.
• Carefully consider your calcium intake. Calcium supplements are a great idea, as long as they don’t have hidden dairy themselves. Veggies such as broccoli are great sources of calcium.
• Look to Asian cuisines for non-dairy meals and ingredients. Most stir-fries and sushis are dairy-free, as are meals like pad thai.
• Look to Mediterranean cuisines for meals that use olive oil and meals in which cheeses or other dairy are just a garnish. While the dish might not be as complete as without the cheese, it’s a way to make one meal for a group. When serving a big bowl of pasta with sausage and spinach (replacing the butter with olive oil), serve the cheese on the side.
• Add flavor with vinegars and herbs and spices.
• Get to know rice milk and soy milk. They are not the same as cow’s milk, I know, but if you don’t expect them to be, you can learn to use and enjoy them in their own right.
• Experiment with different fats and dairy substitutes in favorite recipes. My husband used to make me pancakes with rice milk and canola oil. While they never matched “real” pancakes exactly, they were tasty, and with puddle of syrup on top? Yum.
• At dessert time, look for sorbets - such as mango sorbet. The texture of a mango is naturally creamy. I personally never developed a taste for non-dairy ice creams, but you may like them just fine.
• Other desserts can be made with vegan margarine - cookies and Rice Krispie treats, for example.
• More and more specialty food companies are addressing special dietary needs. Cherrybrook Kitchen, for example, makes dessert mixes that are dairy-, nut-, egg-, and/or wheat-free.

Going dairy-free is entirely doable. It takes some extra thought and planning at first, but soon enough it’s second nature. Before you know it, you don’t think about what’s “missing” anymore and realize you are just eating really good food.

In addition to being a fruit with inviting eye-appeal, raspberries provide important health benefits, too. According to the Washington Red Raspberry Commission, raspberries rank in the top 10 antioxidant-high fruits and vegetables and are a good source of vitamin C and fiber. Raspberries also provide folate, magnesium, potassium, calcium and a few other key vitamins and minerals. Read on to learn more about the red berry’s nutritional value. Delicious recipes follow.

The popularity of raspberries grows

A recent national survey reports that this perky red berry ranks as the second most preferred fruit (strawberries were number one). Fruits including bananas, apples, blueberries and watermelon trailed behind the sweet-tart raspberry.

In addition to fresh berries, almost 90 percent of those surveyed reported purchasing raspberry products including frozen raspberries, juices and juice blends. Raspberries are not only delicious, they are also quite versatile in the kitchen. Smoothies were by far the most popular way to enjoy raspberries, followed by desserts, topping for cereals, in yogurts and in baked goods.

Raspberries are good for you

Because of the red berry’s high antioxidant level, raspberries may help prevent and repair oxidative stress, a process that damages cells within the body and has been linked to the development of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Raspberries are also high in ellagic acid, which may slow the growth of certain cancer cells.

One serving of raspberries has only 70 calories but provides 50 percent of a day’s requirement for vitamin C, 32 percent of fiber, six percent of folate and magnesium, five percent of potassium and four percent each of calcium, niacin, B6, phosphorus and zinc. In addition, a one-cup serving of raspberries has only one gram of fat, no saturated or trans fats, no cholesterol and no sodium.

Dave Grotto, registered dietician and author of 101 Foods that Can Save Your Life, says “Raspberries matched my standards for appearing in the book for many reasons. My criteria for inclusion were that the featured foods had to be nutrient and/or phytochemically dense, have a positive effect on the quality and quantity of life, and most importantly, taste great! Raspberries certainly do all that.”

For more information on the popularity and health benefits of strawberries as well as additional raspberry-centric recipes, visit Washington Red Raspberry Commission.

Recipes featuring raspberries

In addition to smoothies and topping cereal or yogurt, raspberries have many easy applications in the kitchen. Here three recipes, courtesy of the Washington Red Raspberry Commission, showcasing the red fruit’s versatility.

Raspberry Yogurt Muffins
Makes 1 dozen

Adding raspberry yogurt gives double the raspberry flavor and a wonderful texture to these easy muffins. No need to thaw the raspberries - just toss them in right from the freezer. If you prefer giant muffins, use the jumbo muffin cups and make half a dozen. And, if you wish, you can glaze the muffins with confectioners’ sugar mixed with a little lemon juice.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (6-ounce) carton raspberry yogurt
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
1 cup raspberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray, grease or put paper liners in 12 muffin cups. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients. In small bowl, beat together yogurt, oil and egg. Stir yogurt mixture and raspberries into dry mixture until almost blended. Add raspberries and stir until batter is just blended. Do not overmix. Spoon into prepared muffin cups. Bake until nicely browned, about 20 minutes.

Raspberry Salsa
Makes about 6 cups

A little sweet, a little sour, a little spicy and a little crunchy - this salsa is a perfect accompaniment to pork, chicken, fish or beef. It’s also great over sliced fresh fruit or as accompaniment to a cheese tray. If you prepare and refrigerate the salsa in advance the jicama and apple will turn a pretty pink, from the raspberries.

Ingredients:
2 cups diced peeled jicama
1 Pink Lady or other tart-sweet apple, cored and diced
1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1/3 cup raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 (12-ounce) bag raspberries

Directions:
In large bowl toss apple and jicama with vinegar. Add all remaining ingredients and toss to blend. Serve at once or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Raspberry Granita
Makes 6 to 8 servings

Granita is an Italian version of ice or sorbet, but with large, crunch crytals. It’s very easy and great for a simple dessert. We’ve given the traditional recipe an update by freezing the fruit blend in a zip top plastic bag instead of in a shallow pan. Just squeeze the bag several times during the freezing process to break up the large ice crystals.

Ingredients:
2 (12-ounces each) bags frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar or honey
1/2 cup cranberry-raspberry juice
1 lemon, zested and juiced

Directions:
Process all ingredients in food process or blender just until mixed. Spoon into zip top freezer bag and place bag flat in freezer. After 30 minutes, remove bag and squeeze to break up large ice crystals. Repeat until completely frozen. Stir with fork to break into smaller chunks to serve. Spoon into serving glasses to serve.

A week or so ago, I bought some pizza dough in anticipation of a possible glitch in the meal plan. Then I forgot about it.

Kid creativity in the kitchen

On Saturday morning, my oldest son found that package of pizza dough trying to explode out of the packaging. While it did not succeed in that effort, the dough clearly needed to be used up, and quickly. Enter kid creativity.

The boys looked around the kitchen for a few minutes. They dug through the fridge and pantry and surveyed the counter tops. Then they announced that we would be enjoying fruit pizza for breakfast. I sat back and let them at it, and happily so. I am not a morning person.

Aside from sliding the pizza in and out of the oven, the creation was all theirs. And it was delicious.

While we ate, we brainstormed different breakfast pizzas. The options are many, and seat of the pants creativity and adventurousness trumps formal recipes. Have fun!

Basic Instructions for breakfast pizza

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll or stretch out the pizza dough and place it on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal. Make sure the dough will be able to slide off the peel!

Brush or spread some sort of lubricating ingredient on top of the pizza. This could be maple or flavored syrups, butter or some other relatively liquid ingredient. Place other toppings on top of this.

Slide into the hot oven and cook for 7 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove, let cool for a few minutes, then slice it up.

Have fun!

Variations on the breakfast pizza

Fruit pizza

Fruit syrup, such as raspberry or blueberry, or even preserves
Sliced fruit, such as peaches, plums, nectarines and bananas
Brown sugar lightly sprinkled on top.

Apple pie pizza

Melted butter
Apples, peeled, sliced and tossed with brown sugar
Raisins (optional)
Shredded cheddar cheese sprinkled on top

Huevos rancheros pizza

Salsa
Scrambled eggs
Refried beans (optional)
Cheddar cheese sprinkled on top

Garnish with sour cream and avocado when out of the oven.

Bacon and egg pizza

Melted butter or bacon drippings
Scrambled eggs
Crumbled bacon
Shredded swiss cheese sprinked on top

Omelet pizza

Melted butter
Scrambled eggs
Omelet ingredients of your choice
Shredded cheese of your choice sprinkled on top

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Until recently, my only exposure to currants was the dehydrated form in scones. Nothing wrong with that - but I was missing out on a real treat.

Plump, red, beautiful currants

When my husband planted a couple of red currant bushes in the yard early last year, I thought, um, fine, whatever. But as those berries began to develop this spring and slowly ripen this summer, I watched with eager anticipation. The sprays of berries are just plain beautiful, plump and red and glistening beneath the leaves. To think they were edible, too, was a bonus.

The red currant is native to Europe, as evidenced by the several European cultures that have developed recipes that showcase this lovely berry. The currant is not only uncommon in North America, most local(ish) recipes I have found rely on the dried version, not fresh. That’s too bad, because it’s a lovely berry. The currant is more tart than sweet, but has a distinctive, intriguing flavor.

The many ways to enjoy fresh ripe red currants

Since we in North America don’t have recipes with fresh red currants as part of the vernacular, what do you do with fresh currants if you have them? So, so many things:

• Cook them down with some sugar to make a sauce for everything from waffles to ice cream
• Whip up some red currant jelly
• Make red currant pie or a tart
• Make summer berry pudding
• Add red currants to bread pudding
• Add a few to any recipe that features raspberries, really. Currants bring out the flavor of raspberries wonderfully
• Toss a few into your green salad along with some goat cheese and slivered almonds
• Use them in place of blueberries in muffins
• Make a cool summer soup featuring currants
• They are a lovely complement and garnish for poultry, especially duck
• And, if you must, use a dehydrator to dry the currants for use in scones

This weekend we will be going to a family gathering, including a cousin we have not seen in years. I have been charged with bringing dessert. I intend to bring blueberry pie and summer berry pudding. I’ll also bring a selection of plain berries for nibbling throughout our time together.

Recipes featuring currants

Summer berry pudding

6 1/2 cups mixed berries, preferably equal parts raspberries and red currants
1 c sugar
Large loaf of firm white bread, about a pound, cut into even slices and crusts removed

Line a souffle dish with plastic wrap (there should be bits hanging over the sides), then line it, bottom and sides, with slices of bread, overlapping them slightly. Cut the slices of bread as necessary for an even layer around the dish.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the berries and sugar. Cook about five minutes, until the berries release their juices but still have some shape. Let cool.

Carefully spoon the berries and juice into the bread-lined mold and cover with the remaining pieces of bread. Lap the excess wrap over the top of the bread-lined berries.

Place the dish in a shallow bowl. Place a plate, or some other flat element that can press down on the pudding, on top of the dish, then place something heavy on top of that. Put in the refrigerator at least over night.

To unmold, remove the weights, carefully peel back the plastic wrap and gently turn over onto a serving plate. Remove all the plastic wrap. Serve sliced with a dollop of whipped cream.

A little kirsch or even Chambord stirred into the simmering berries would add to this dish, as would grated lemon peel added to the whipped cream.

Currant scones

1 3/4 c sifted flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 butter, chilled and cut into small bits
2 eggs
1/2 c cream
1/2 c dried currants.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Sprinkle the bits of butter over the surface of the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or a couple of forks. When fully cut in, the mixture will resemble coarse meal.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly, then beat in the cream. Save 2 tbsp of the egg-cream mixture.

Make a well in the flour-butter mixture. Pour in the egg-cream mixture and stir with a fork with a few swift strokes to incorporate. When this process is about half done, add the dried currants.

Turn the mixture out onto a floured board and knead just enough to bring the dough together. Be careful not to overmix! Pat into a 3/4-inch thick round and place on a baking sheet. With a bread knife, cut the dough three times almost - but not quite - all the way through, making six wedges. Brush with the remaining egg-cream mixture and sprinkle with some coarse sugar.

Bake 15-18 minutes.

Red currant soup

1 lb red currants
1/2 c sugar
2 c water
2 c light cream or creme fraiche
Mint leaves for garnish

Put the currants through a sieve or juicer to extract all the juice. Meanwhile, heat the water and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Let cool. Combine the currant juice and sugar solution. Whisk in the cream. Serve chilled, garnished with mint.

This soup would also be good with a splash of white wine.

French toast is a quintessential breakfast or brunch dish that lends itself to near endless variations. The plentiful variety of breads alone give you the opportunity to frequently create a novel French toast treat. Add other flavorful ingredients, such as fruit, cheese, and nuts, and you have yourself a gourmet morning meal.

French toast variations

Here are some quick tips to make your everyday French toast something special.

• Try a variety of different breads. Instead of white or wheat, use French bread, pumpernickel, rye, or raisin toast. You can even use sliced bagels, quick breads, poundcake, English muffins, cinnamon rolls and even croissants.
• Take advantage of fruits in season. You can puree fresh fruit and add it to the egg mixture to sweetly coat the bread, use it as a filling between two pieces of bread, or simply as garnish.
• Replace the milk. Instead of regular milk, use chocolate milk, coconut milk, soymilk (which comes in a many flavors), or fruit juice. You can even whisk canned pumpkin with the eggs to make a novel batter.
• Add fabulous flavors. Add distinctive flavor with ground cinnamon, clove, ginger, cardamom, allspice, 5-spice powder, pumpkin spice, and even black pepper or chile powder. Fresh orange or lemon zest lend bold citrus flavor, as does flavor extracts, such as vanilla and almond (and the many other flavorings available in the baking aisle at the supermarket).
• Fill it up. Puree cream cheese or goat cheese with fruit or other ingredients to create a creamy filling for two slices of bread or a slit in a thick slice. Mix softened cheese with nuts, dried fruit, preserves or honey for a tasty array of stuffed French toast variations.
• Tasty toppings. Butter and syrup and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar is always delicious but topping your French toast with fresh fruit, flavored yogurts, ricotta cheese, toasted nuts, chocolate chips, or whipped cream turns your everyday French toast gourmet.
• Make it savory. French toast typically leans to the sweet side, but it can also be a delectable savory dish. Add fresh or dried herbs to the egg mixture, whisk in a little wine, and drizzle with pesto or top with sauteed vegetables. Or, for a sweet-hot variation, add chile powder to the egg mixture and stuff two pieces of bread with a puree of cream cheese and jalapeno jelly. Serve with a mango salsa.

Simply use your culinary imagination and dig right in to the tasty variations you create. Here are three fancy French toast recipes to get you started.

Fancy French Toast Recipes

Pumpkin Orange French Toast
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
Zest and juice of an orange
4 thick slices of whole grain bread
Butter
Maple syrup

Directions:
1. Whisk together pumpkin and cinnamon in a medium-sized shallow dish. Add eggs and whisk until smooth. Whisk in orange zest and juice. Mixture should be thick enough to coat but thin enough to pour like a syrup.

2. Preheat a nonstick griddle (or skillet) to medium high heat. Dip bread in pumpkin mixture, turning to coat, and let each side soak for 1 to 2 minutes. Spray griddle generously with nonstick cooking spray or brush generously with butter and cook battered bread for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until second side is lightly browned and pumpkin mixture has cooked through.

3. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.

Blackberry Cheesecake French Toast
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup blackberry preserves
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 eggs
Pinch of salt
8 slices sourdough bread
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Confectioners’ sugar
Maple or homemade fruit syrup

Directions:
1. In a food processor, blend cream cheese, honey or agave nectar, almond extract and preserves until smooth. Stir in almonds. Generously spread cream cheese mixture evenly on four pieces of bread. Top with remaining pieces of bread. Set aside.

2. In a medium-sized shallow dish, whisk together milk, vanilla, eggs, and salt until smooth. Preheat griddle (or skillet) to medium-high heat. Dip the stuffed pieces of bread in the milk mixture, turning to coat. Let each side soak for 2 minutes.

3. Mix butter and oil together and brush on griddle (or skillet). Cook stuffed bread for 2 to 3 minutes each side, or until crisp and golden and the filling is warm. To serve, diagonally slice each stuffed toast into four pieces, dust with sugar, and drizzle with fruit syrup.

Chocolate Coconut French Toast
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 eggs
3/4 cup chocolate milk
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup shredded coconut
4 slices brioche or white bread
Plain or vanilla yogurt
Extra shredded coconut for garnish
Banana or mango slices

Directions:
1. In a medium-sized shallow dish, whisk together eggs, milks, and vanilla until smooth. Place coconut on a plate.

2. Preheat griddle (or skillet) to medium-high heat. Dip bread in egg mixture and let each side soak for 2 minutes. Generously spray griddle or skillet with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Dip one side of each bread in the coconut mixture and lay bread on the skillet with coconut side facing up. Gently press coconut into batter on bread with a spatula or your fingers. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the bottom is lightly browned. Carefully flip and cook 2 minutes or until the coconut side is toasted. Be sure to not scorch the coconut.

4. Serve French toast sliced at a diagonal and topped with yogurt, shredded coconut, and fruit.

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Years ago - almost decades ago - my husband and I rented a crazy old house on top of a hill. In the early summer of our one year there, we realized the hillside was covered with wild blueberry bushes. Our mornings quickly became about a wander through the extended “yard” to pick enough blueberries for our morning cereal. As I had never lived in an area where blueberries (or any berries for that matter) just grew wild, this was completely novel to me. I loved every minute of it.

Super tasty superfruit blueberries

Blueberries are a fruit native to North America. They are a “superfruit,” meaning they are nutrient-rich and antioxidant-strong. There have been studies linking blueberry consumption to anti-aging characteristics and anti-cancer compounds. As if their being yummy wasn’t enough.

When it’s blueberry season now, it seems like blueberries are the only fruit the kids want. I have to hide cartons of them in the back of the fridge if I have any hope of enjoying them myself. I buy quite a lot of blueberries when they are on special, and I freeze some of them for the winter. We put them in cereal and yogurt as well as make pancakes and excellent muffins. We blend up smoothies and cook them down into a syrup (delicious over ice cream). I even tried a recipe for blueberry pork chops. And pie. I make pie.

The funny thing about blueberry pie is that, as much as I like and seek out fresh blueberries, I never really liked blueberry pie. The cooked down filling was always too
sweet for me. Cloyingly so. Several years ago, I happened upon a recipe for a fresh blueberry pie that cooks down just a small portion of the berries. The rest remain whole and uncooked, so when you take a bite of pie, you get that fresh berry burst. Yum.

Last summer my husband planted some blueberry bushes in our yard. We knew we wouldn’t have berries the first year, but hoped for some this year. Our patience will be rewarded! The bushes are bursting with developing berries. I can’t wait to forage for breakfast in the yard again. And maybe have enough for a pie or two.

Freezing Blueberries (or any berries)

Place parchment paper on a rimmed cookie sheet. Gently spread the berries out on the cookie sheet in a single layer. Place in the freezer. When the berries are frozen solid, pour them into a reclosable plastic bag, squeeze out the excess air, and put back in the freezer. Thaw them by reversing the process. Simply pour the berries onto a rimmed cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and put in the refrigerator until the berries are completely thawed.

Or just use them frozen in smoothies or yogurt.

Recipes with blueberries

Open-faced Blueberry Pie

The original recipe calls for four cups of blueberries, but I have a deep-dish pie pan, and it wasn’t quite enough.

1 pie crust, blind-baked and brushed with 1/2 an egg white while it’s still piping hot
6 cups blueberries, rinsed and picked over
3/4 c plus 2 tbsp water, divided
3 tbsp cornstarch
2/3 c sugar (a touch more if the berries aren’t very sweet)
3 tsp fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Whipped cream for serving (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp water and the cornstarch.

In a heavy saucepan, place a quarter of the berries and 3/4 c water. Bring to a boil then let simmer until the berries start to burst and the mixture just starts to thicken. Add the cornstarch mixture, sugar, lemon juice and salt, stirring constantly. Over a couple of minutes, the mixture will become translucent. Remove from the heat.

Working quickly, fold the cooked blueberry mixture into the fresh blueberries and spoon into the prepared pie shell. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

Blueberry Muffins

Sometimes, to make mornings easier, I’ll put together the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients the night before, and refrigerate the wet ingredients. In the morning, I turn on the oven, mix the two bowls together, fold in the blueberries and fill the tin. Very little thinking involved.

2 1/4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 c sugar
1/2 canola oil
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 c plain yogurt
1 1/2 c fresh or frozen blueberries
Brown sugar for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine sugar, canola oil, egg, egg yolk and yogurt. Mix well.

Fold the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture with several swift strokes. Then fold in the blueberries.

Spoon the mixture evenly into 12 lined muffin cups. Tap the tin to remove the air bubbles, then sprinkle a bit of brown sugar on the top of each muffin.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes.

Blueberry Pork Chops

Boneless center loin pork chops
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper
1/2 c white wine
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 c blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp butter

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Saute the garlic in the olive oil for a minute or two, then pan fry the pork chops in the garlicky olive oil until they are cooked through. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Add the wine, thyme, nutmeg, vinegar, blueberries, and brown sugar to the pan. Cook down by half. Add the lemon juice and butter, and cook just a minute or so more. The sauce should be slightly thickened. Serve the sauce over the reserved pork chops.

What a disappointment it was the summer I had braces. I was specifically instructed not to even attempt to eat corn on the cob. Fresh, sweet corn kernels were still tasty, but eating them just wasn’t the same. While everyone else got to use Grandma’s corn shaped corn ear holders and take part in the time-honored tradition of rolling their ears in the designated corn butter, I used my fork. Oh well. It was only one summer.

Corn is incredibly versatile

Although we think of corn as a vegetable, it is really a grain. Corn makes great bread and muffins (try adding some fresh corn kernels next time), can be ground into cornmeal for a yummy side dish (think polenta), it is ground into a flour (my husband once accidentally made pancakes with masa harina, and they were so tasty we made them again on purpose), and it is simply delicious all on its own. It’s breakfast (grits), lunch (tacos), and dinner (corn on the cob). It’s a food staple in many regions of the world and, heck, it can even provide energy in the form of ethanol as an alternative to gasoline.

Choosing Corn

This year’s corn season has begun and we have already had some good corn and some not so good corn. Sometimes you don’t really know until you bite into it. But you can pick the better corn with a few guidelines:

• Look for husks that are still green and moist and silks that are, at worst, just browning. Better yet, look for silks are still golden and firm. Never, never black.
• Feel the length of the corn. It should be firm, but yield ever so slightly to gentle pressure.
• Buy your corn the day you are going to eat it. It should not sit! Since corn starts to lose its sweetness the moment it is picked, time is the enemy here. Keep it cool until cooking time.
• If you get your corn from a small grocer or farm, ask when it was picked. Better yet, find out when they put out the day’s pickings and be there for the best selection.
• Some markets let you shuck the corn at the store, thus reducing the mess at home. This is fine sometimes, but I like to keep my corn husked until the very last minute and, in one way of preparing corn, I need the husks.

Cooking Corn

It seems like everyone has their own way to cook corn on the cob perfectly. It probably speaks to how easy it is to cook corn!

There are numerous disagreements in our family on how to boil corn. One side is the strictly time side (five minutes after returning to a boil) and the other is the milk side (boil three to five minutes, but with a half cup of milk added to the pot). Either way, it’s good.

There are other ways to enjoy fresh corn, however. My personal favorite way to eat fresh corn on the cob is grilled. Yes, grilled (and yes, I’ll grill anything).

Grilled Corn

You can grill corn with the husks on or the husks off. I like them both ways. I think the husks-off method makes for a more intense sweetness while the husks-on method promotes a more tender kernel.

Directions:

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

For the husks off method, shuck all the ears of corn.

For the husks on method, remove the silks from the corn while retaining the husks. Carefully peel back the husks as much as you can without ripping them off or tearing the husks. Remove all the silks and replace the husks.

When the grill is hot, place the ears on the grill, lower the heat to medium-low and close the lid. Rotate the ears every five minutes or so.

Husks off method takes about 15 minutes. Some of the kernels will be caramelized. Husks on method takes about 20 minutes.

Corn Fritters

Another fun thing to do when you have a bounty of late summer sweet corn is make corn fritters (I think they are wonderful with grilled porkchops). The fritters so bring out the sugars in the corn that they sometimes stick to your teeth.

Ingredients:

6 ears of corn
1/4 c flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp shredded mild cheddar cheese
Canola oil for frying

Directions:

To cut the corn off the cob, run the point of a sharp knife down the middle of each row of kernels, cutting them in half, shave the kernels off the cob in long wide rows, then scrape what’s left on the cob with a spoon.

Mix together the corn, flour, sugar, salt, pepper, egg and cheese.

In a wide frying pan with flat sides, pour in the oil about 1/4-inch deep. Heat the oil to 365 degrees F. Drop the corn mixture by spoonfuls into the hot oil, then gently flatten with the back of the spoon. Cook until golden brown on both sides, carefully turning once. Let drain and sprinkle with a little more salt.