Waffles 4 lyfe! (Liège-style Belgian waffles)

Over time, the entirety of my immediate family has trickled down to live in Chesapeake, Virginia. While I love the area, the job market has invariably left me further north. As the odd man out, it can sometimes be difficult to make family get-togethers. This was the case this most recent Mother's Day. I was sad to miss spending time with my family, but doubly so when I learned my equally epicurean sister had served gaufres de Liège, Belgian waffles with pearl sugar, as a holiday brunch.

Thus, with a waffle, I die

Eggs in a Row (Portuguese Baked Eggs)

Among my friends and I, weekend brunch is one of our most sacred traditions. So it was quite a downer when, after a few visits, it became apparent that the fanciest place for brunch in town didn't approve of our entourage. Maybe it's because we currently max out at two gray hairs per head, maybe it's because we wore t-shirts on our first visit, but the aura of antipathy fast became a palpable presence. Mimosas shouldn't come with a side of sneering. With the only remaining venue for elaborate breakfasts being my own home, it was time to devise something that could combine delicious flavor, elegant presentation, and the ability to be assembled before I open my eyes in the morning. That's how I settled on the idea of baked eggs, and, as a proud Luso-American, when I found a recipe for Portuguese Baked Eggs, I knew we were in business.

The breakfast business

The Scone Guy (Raspberry Lemon Scones)

It started out simply enough, I baked Aaron some raspberry lemon scones to bring to work. I figured he and his officemates could use a treat. Heady on the train of requests and compliments that followed, more scones were suddenly in the works. Blueberry one day, lavender another... then came peanut butter chocolate banana, a batch of my original very vanilla bean scones, and, most recently, a double batch flavored with jewel-like dried apricots and slivered almonds. I'm not sure what's wrong with me, exactly, but somehow I just can't stop making scones. I could try making muffins, or cinnamon buns, or a banana bread but, to me, the scone is the undisputed king of the breakfast table. I'm soon going to have to declare a moratorium, as I don't want to just be known as "the scone guy." I'm so much more than that. Regardless, this week found me patting out the dough for scones again.

Habit-forming substances

Nomsense (Maple Bacon Buttermilk Doughnuts)

In a recent imessage chat with my friend Laura, I typographically described something as "nomsensical." Never ones to shy from coining new terminology, we agreed to use it to describe delicious but overwrought and unusual items, like deep fried Mars bars and bacon-crusted doughnuts. Hungry to test our new linguistic creation with a culinary counterpart, I settled on the latter for experimentation. Plump, cakey baked doughnuts are a sweet treat that invite any variety of toppings, but there's some breakfast magic to be found in the fusion of smoky bacon and sweet maple syrup. The resulting flavors amplify each other in a harmony so perfect it's nomsensical.

Nomsensically delicious

A Scone's Throw Away (Vanilla Bean Scones)

As is no secret to our barista, Aaron and I have an addiction to vanilla scones. More correctly, I have an addiction to scones, period. They are, in essence, a sweet biscuit and as I love both sweets and biscuits I find myself perpetually wanting to throw caution to the winds and luxuriate in creamy, buttery, crumbliness with reckless abandon. It just so happens that one of my favorite pairings for said exquisite crumbliness is vanilla.

Exquisite!

Bananarama (Roasted Banana Bread)

Perhaps it's embarrassing to admit to, but I just recently learned the "flax egg" trick of vegan baking. Whisk together one tablespoon of freshly ground flax seeds with three tablespoons of water and chill for one hour and you have a dairy-free "egg" with all the binding action of the original. Excited as I am with this new knowledge, I can scarcely resist the urge to try it out over and over again. Our friends Gregory & Piyanka gave Aaron a copy of the Forks Over Knives cookbook, so I have a hefty source from which to seek inspiration.

Inspiration: now in baking form

Mysterious Origins (Fried Green Tomatoes)

Vacation is over! About a month ago, Aaron and I were conversing with our friend Kristin over our shared love of fried green tomatoes and, wonder of wonders, she recently presented us with some gorgeous specimens, just waiting to hit the bacon grease. Alas, much like honey is the tether that keeps me from veganism, bacon makes any contemplation of full vegetarianism impossible for me. Extra virgin olive oil has its own rich, fruity store of flavors to contribute for those who are less meat enthused, but I'm fairly certain rendered duck fat would taste amazing, too.

Guilty pleasures

Breakfast of Champions (Breakfast Kebabs)

At the beginning of the summer, J and I decided to purchase a new grill, and ended up with a large Weber charcoal grill. Something about grilled food, especially on natural charcoal, really makes my mouth water, so I was anxious to put it to use. Even more so, I didn't want to put myself within the limitations of standard thought and focus solely on lunch/dinner dishes, so I planned for a grilled breakfast.

Now THAT'S breakfast

Tarted Up (Feta Fig Tart)

I recently found a great tart pan neglected on a store shelf and was immediately tempted to find some way to put it to good use. I dimly recall a savory almond tart I was served at a Medieval banquet (like you do) and wished to continue the unexpectedly umami theme. Since summer is the season for deliciously juicy fresh figs, they seemed a great starting place. The resulting tart is quick, versatile, rustically elegant, and most importantly: easy, easy, easy.

Easier done than said

Breakfast with the Boys (Almond Pancakes)

James and I are always thrilled to hang with our nephews and, a few weekends ago, Ben and Dylan joined us in the early morning for a few hours of quality time. I wanted something relatively simple to make for breakfast; I hadn't had much coffee and both boys were full of excitement helping in the kitchen. I was smart and planned for pancakes. Keenly aware of the fact that both boys have a love of berries, I knew they'd have to play a part, as well.

A great start to the weekend

The Morning After (Chocolate Sandwiches)

On weekend mornings, I tend to be grumpily awoken by passionate, plaintive meowing for breakfast. Cats being fed, I trudge back to bedroom and try to get some more sleep. Early Morning James has one objective: more sleeping; and he will go to great lengths to ensure it. Of course, on some mornings you want to do something special and, at those times, it's nice to have a meal that can be easily prepared and quickly returned to the bedroom, too.

Morning pick-me-up

Baking a Better Biscuit (Fontina, Sage, and Spelt Biscuits)

As I mentioned before, I grew up surrounded by a big family and we'd regularly get together, almost always involving food. One thing my great-grandmother always made for Saturday breakfasts were her delicious, fluffy, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth perfect biscuits. How she did it I will never know.

Glowing with pride

Monkeying Around (Monkey Bread, Walnuts, Maple-Cream Cheese Icing)

Once upon a time, all of our family in Montoursville would gather round the table on Sunday mornings for family brunch. Come to think of it, I think that time was so long ago our nephew Dylan wasn't even born, yet, but the point is that it's been a while. I wanted to get everyone back together to spend some quality time, breakfast-style, so monkey bread was definitely in order.

Have a bite

Belated Breakfasts (Pumpkin Spice Waffles)

The last few weeks have been busy at our 9-to-5, but this week afforded us the opportunity for a delightful visit from Michelle and Christina from Martha Stewart Omnimedia.  Not only did they put on an engaging presentation, they were great to speak with - we had the opportunity to discuss cooking, the blog, Martha (of course), and much more.  It was certainly a highlight for both J and I (especially J, who, as mentioned previously, 'grew up with Martha,' so to speak).

That being said, things have been generally hectic, and the barrage of deadlines and obligations can quickly become a lot if you don't take the time to relax and enjoy something simple and delicious, like a homemade Sunday morning breakfast.  A few weeks ago, J mentioned that I would soon bring to you my pumpkin pancakes.  Unfortunately for J, I decided not to make pancakes; fortunately for me (and perhaps you), I DID make pumpkin waffles.

The prize