by on April 5, 2018   •   14 Comments Breakfast & Baked Goods

The best serve-yourself weekday breakfast ideas

This winter was the first time I’ve had to change up our breakfast routine since the children were babies.

Up until last fall, we’d always start our weekdays together as a family, as school and work were both close enough to afford a somewhat relaxed morning. Then everything changed.

My eldest is in junior high school, so he’s the first kid up and out the door in the morning. Danny started a new job in the new year and eats breakfast bright and early. My two youngest are just waking up as their dad is leaving – one of them is famished and the other needs to wake up slowly before eating. They wander into the kitchen on their own time.

Since I’m usually busy prepping bagged lunches and checking on homework, I tend to only sit down to eat after everyone has left. Five people, five breakfast slots. At the beginning, when we were adjusting to the new schedules, I found myself preparing multiple breakfasts to accommodate everyone. Until I got smarter, that is.

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by on February 22, 2018   •   5 Comments Quick Bites

How to serve up a DIY breakfast taco bar

The Olympics are almost over; is anyone else as addicted as I am?

The performances are so inspiring and the athleticism absolutely jaw-dropping. I was moved to tears by Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir’s gold medal ice dance – and like the rest of the internet, I will continue to hope for a real-life romance (they actually train here in Montreal, not that far from where I live).

On a recent Saturday, when there was nothing but grey skies and freezing rain outside, the kids and I prepped the ingredients for breakfast tacos. Getting the little ones involved is part of the fun, and I can always use help grating the cheese or slicing the peppers. We spent a cozy morning watching Olympic snowboarding and munching on soft corn tacos. The kids assembled their own, customizing each to their tastes, and everyone was very, very happy.

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by on February 2, 2018   •   8 Comments Breakfast & Baked Goods

Embracing winter with Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal

During an interview, a podcast host once asked me if given the choice, would I prefer to stay in a cabin in the woods or a chic hotel in the city. You can probably guess my answer.

I find cities to be draining and nature is where I recharge. This is why I carved out an urban homestead for our family, even though we live in Greater Montreal suburbia. This is also why we jumped at the chance to hibernate for a few weeks in the deep woods when our extended family offered up their mountainside cabin to us last month.

I haven’t decided if I’m going to write about our trip to British Columbia yet (it would mostly be photos of mountains and the ski hill), but the decision to share this baked oatmeal recipe was inspired by those slow cabin mornings.

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by on January 16, 2018   •   4 Comments Breakfast & Baked Goods

The Best Ham and Egg Breakfast Sandwich (freezer-friendly)

Any hand-held breakfast-on-the-go that can sustain me for over eight hours deserves to be documented on this blog and passed along to you.

As I rushed out the door to the airport last Saturday morning, with a stash of warm ham and egg breakfast sandwiches tucked into my bag, I never imagined we’d be stuck in an airplane on the tarmac for nearly five hours before take-off. We had an 8:15AM departure, and the plan was to enjoy a leisurely lunch during a three-hour layover on our way to the small ski town of Smithers, BC.

But as it turned out, a winter storm had other plans for us, and that cheesy breakfast, eaten on the way to the airport at 6AM, was my last meal until about 4 in the afternoon.

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by on January 10, 2018   •   4 Comments Recipes

Cheesy Leek and Lentil Rolled Omelet with Artichokes

Over the holidays I hosted brunch a few times here on the homestead and today’s recipe was a hit at every gathering.

Serving brunch is my favourite way to pack friends in around the table when it is bitterly cold outside. Danny brews countless pots of French press coffee and I set up a hot cocoa bar for the kids, complete with homemade marshmallows. Everyone is happier in the morning (meaning the younger crowd) and as most of our friends have small children, it makes sense to get together early and wrap up by nap time.

I always like to bake when I’m hosting brunch –  scones, spiced swirl buns, citrus madeleines – there are always tried and true baking recipes to rely on for these special occasions. However, when it comes to rounding out the menu, I always get stuck when it comes to eggs. I’ve never been a fan of strata, and frittata is something I make for dinner when I need to clean out the cheese drawer. So what to make when you want to serve eggs to a crowd and are looking for something a little more exciting than a scramble?

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