Big Brekkie- Two Ways

I’m a huge fan of the Sunday morning cooked breakfast.

I like it so much, I joined a Big Breakfast appreciation group on Facebook. Because you know, these days, that’s how you show your affinity for something. Like That awkward moment when you finish a TV show series and you don’t know what to do with your life anymore group. Couldn’t have said it better myself!

Speaking of which, now that I’ve see all of the Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Modern Family and The Real L Word episodes, I go to bed when I’m actually tired and rise early in the morning, eager for a cooked breakfast.

Sometimes a girl needs a change from eggs and bacon on a plate, it doesn’t feel half as interesting as serving up a big breakfast served on butter-slathered wholemeal toast with sauteed mushrooms or oozing out of a yummy bagel. So today, here are my two new favourite ways to eat a delish cooked breakfast. Nothing fancy, but what a way to start a day!

These recipes serve 2.

Big Breakfast with Sauteed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, poached or fried *(I’m sure you all know how to do this…)
• 4 slices wholemeal or wholegrain bread, toasted and buttered
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 brown onion
• 1 3/4 cups mushrooms
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 rashers rindless bacon *(you can also use prosciutto or pancetta)
• 1 large tomato, thickly sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped chives
• Salt & pepper, to taste

1. Using the oven grill, cook bacon and tomato slices on a tray lined with baking paper until the bacon is crispy and the tomatoes are soft but still have some shape.
2. In a frying pan, heat olive oil and butter. Add onion, mushrooms and 1 tbsp chopped chives. Cook the mushrooms for about 7 minutes.
3. To serve, stack 2 slices of toast on each plate. Layer the bacon, eggs and tomatoes and serve the mushrooms separately in a little ramekin or pot so you can enjoy them with the second slice of toast!

* I also like this breakfast with sliced avocado and occasionally baked beans and hash browns if I’m feeling extra oinkish.

Big Breakfast Bagel

Ingredients

• 2 plain bagels
• 4 rashers rindless bacon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 2 tbsp dried chopped onion
• 1 slice Tasty or Cheddar cheese
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1 tsp chopped chives
• 2 tsp Ranch dressing
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

Method

1. Preheat a sandwich press or oven.
2. Split the bagels in half and spread the bottom half with a thin layer of Ranch dressing and then Dijon mustard (sounds eww but it’s so good!).
3. Cook the bacon until crispy, drain off excess fat.
4. Fry or poach the eggs and set aside.
5. Cook mushrooms in a frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil, dried chopped onion and salt and pepper.
6. Drizzle tomato slices with olive oil, sprinkle with chives, salt and pepper and roast in oven until collapsing or fry in the same pan as the bacon.
7. To assemble, first lay the cheese slice on the bottom part of the bagel. Add bacon, mushrooms and tomato and finally top with the egg. Place the top slice of the bagel on and transfer to the sandwich press.
8. Try not to cream your pants as you watch the delicious yolk ooze out of the hole in the top of the bagel and dribble down the sides.Head for 2-3 minutes until bagel is crispy on the outside.