It took months, but as a U.S. Citizen, I finally got a Mexic...
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It took months, but as a U.S. Citizen, I finally got a Mexican Tax ID (RFC) and registered with AirBnb. Here is what you mus...
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So, @Lizzie suggested we post some more topics sharing ideas, so here I go...
I don’t offer breakfast to my guests (just teas, coffees etc) for several reasons. I would consider including it though if I could make sure it was quick, easy and inexpensive. My main concern really is the amount of food wastage (you buy loads of fresh stuff and then the guests aren’t hungry/want to eat out for breakfast). Food wastage is a huge problem in the UK, and I was not brought up to throw out food without feeling guilty!
With that in mind, I’m looking for suggestions on very easy, but still pleasing, breakfast ideas for guests that don’t break the bank and minimize the chances of food waste/washing up. I know you can batch bake stuff and freeze it, but that still involves a lot of baking and, sure, we could just offer cereals, fruit and pastries, granola bars etc. but I’d like to offer something a bit more exciting...
Here are some ideas for starters:
1. Berry & Mascarpone Waffles
This is super easy because there aren't too many fresh ingredients so you can stock up and put it together if, and when, the guests want breakfast. You just need:
- Toaster waffles – inexpensive/have a long shelf life. Just pop them in the toaster when needed.
- Mascarpone. Not too expensive at my local supermarket/lasts a reasonable amount of time in the fridge. You could try extra thick Greek yoghurt or Crème Fraiche instead.
- Frozen berries. The frozen ones come in a large container, cost must less than fresh ones and you just use them as and when you need to.
- I would add a dusting of icing sugar for presentation.
Photo from: http://www.cbc.ca/inthekitchen/2012/02/waffles-with-berry-and-mascarpone-topping.html
2. Get out your muffin tray
I never thought of this before, but if you don’t have the time to hover over the stove making a full cooked breakfast using lots of pans, or even an omlet, apparently a muffin tray can be a life saver.
You pop your omelet ingredients into a greased tray and stick it in the oven, resulting in very cute mini omelet muffins. Apparently, these still taste good when reheated in the microwave.
Recipe here: https://laurenconrad.com/blog/2013/04/good-eats-3-busy-girl-breakfasts-overnight-oats-green-smoothie...
A variation on this is to do a cooked breakfast by using bacon as a base, adding an egg and whatever else you fancy.
3. French Crepes (Pancakes)
Pop the crepes on a baking tray, then add some fillings, e.g. eggs and ham or cheese and ham, fold over the edges of the pancake and pop in the oven.
This recipe is for making the crepes from scratch, but I just buy the ready-made versions, which are inexpensive considering how many you get in a packet, last a while and probably look prettier than homemade versions, unless you are an expert.
4. Coddled Eggs
Does anyone know what an egg coddler is? Well, it’s quite an old-fashioned thing, but well worth a try as they look very pretty. I bought some inexpensively on Ebay. You just grease/butter it, add your accompaniment (smoked salmon and dill if you’re treating your guests, spinach, bacon, whatever you like) to the bottom and crack an egg on top (or two if you have a large coddler) and season. Put the lid on and place in a saucepan of water and bring to the boil. Cooking time will depend on if you want the eggs quite soft or more like hard boiled. The little hook on the lid makes it easy to remove from the pan. Serve with toasted bread.
You can either serve in the coddler, or turn the eggs out onto a plate, for a much fancier version of a poached egg. If you can’t get hold of a coddler, you could try this using small glass jars (Mason jars with lids are great), ramekins or whatever you think will be heatproof in the boiling water.
Image from http://www.bravotv.com/blogs/omelet-on-a-stick-cool-ways-to-cook-an-egg-steamed-coddled-waffle
5. Bircher Muesli
For a healthy option, this is a simple thing to prep. I do this for myself sometimes, but never thought how pretty it could look if you make individual ones in Mason jars or similar.
Soak some oats in Greek yoghurt and a tiny bit of milk overnight. Layer with berries (frozen work well) in a jar. You could also add slices of frozen banana. I add a bit of vanilla essence to the yoghurt before mixing, but honey is good too. This is a great option if you are not going to be around when the guests eat breakfast as you can just leave it in the fridge for them, and even add individual labels for an added cuteness factor.
Would love to hear more ideas on this!
Here are some more ideas for breakfasts that can be prepared in advance.
1. Breakfast Polenta Squares
Here’s another you can leave in the fridge for your guests if you are not going to be around to cook breakfast. It seems straightforward, keeps for a few days, is good served hot, warm or cold, and you can vary the ingredients too.
Recipe here: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-breakfast-polenta-squares-with-spinach-bacon-breakfast-recipes-from-...
2. Breakfast Quesadillas
We’ve heard of breakfast burritos, but what about a quesadilla version? The beauty of these is that you can wrap them individually and then pop them in the fridge or even freezer and then just reheat (in the oven, not microwave) as needed, meaning you have a ready supply.
Recipe here: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-ham-egg-and-cheese-breakfast-quesadilla-234092
And a take-away version here: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-the-wrapped-breakfast-quesadilla-227334
