Whole grain, apple and ham breakfast casserole
Oh, dear. Can you believe that the last month of summer is half gone? That means that school is starting already. It seems that the main thing I accomplished this summer is trying to keep cool, complaining about the extreme heat and the corresponding extreme electric bill from the air conditioner running constantly, and begging for the high percentage of forecast showers to please send a few drops to our town. We are extremely grateful for the recent relief in both areas, plus lower temperatures and enough rain to revive the lawns from the ugly brown that they had all acquired to a semblance of green.
With school starting this week, have you noticed the articles in the press and magazines about the importance of a healthy breakfast for our kids before leaving home for a day of learning? This takes me back to my childhood, we won’t mention how many years. We did not just crawl out of bed and run out the door to school. My brothers had to go to the barn and milk cows, feed all of the animals and be back in the house for breakfast, cleaned up and ready for an 8:00 a.m. school bus. Skipping breakfast was not an option. Sometimes it was fried potatoes and eggs, but more often it was a healthy cereal made from cracked wheat that we prepared in an antique coffee grinder. It was often prepared like cream of wheat.
That brings back another memory at the time of our little brother’s birth. We were all born at home and at that time new mothers were bedfast for nearly three weeks and we had hired help with the household duties. An older lady whom we as kids did not know filled this need in our home. She could not cook for sour apples! She made a travesty of our usually welcome hot breakfast. My dad with an authority sounding voice said to all six of us, “Just keep your mouth shut and eat it.” Guess what, that is just what we did, but were overjoyed when her three weeks were over and our mother took over the cooking. We also had a cereal made from this same ground wheat that we made into a cake like breakfast food that we all enjoyed. I brought the idea to my own family and all but one daughter liked it. One daughter still makes it and brings some to our annual family camping weekend. Her older sister still cringes at the thought.
As I look back, with no fast foods available and no cash available, we ate very healthy from products available from our farm life. Maybe that has something to do with our longevity since 6 out of 7 of us lived beyond our eightieth birthdays.
As usual I have veered from the original idea of the importance of eating a healthy breakfast for school kids. Reports have been published about the improved ability to learn when a healthy breakfast is supplied to school kids. This does not mean a bowl of sugar coated cereal accompanied by a glass of too sugar laden so called fruit juice. I saved a recipe from the Journal Gazette just to try for myself, but it should fill the criteria of a healthy breakfast and can be prepared the night before and baked in the morning.
Here is to healthier breakfasts and smarter kids. Maybe I should change that to “more readily prepared to absorb learning”. (I say kids today are not smarter than we were, they are just exposed to more facts!)
WHOLE-GRAIN, APPLE and HAM BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
4 ounces of deli-sliced ham, sliced
3 apples, peeled, cored and diced
6 slices whole grain bread, cubed
8 egg whites
½ cup fat free half-and-half
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
In a medium sized casserole dish, toss together the ham, apples, bread cubes and cheese. Beat together the egg whites and half and half. (I think I would use the whole egg.) Pour the egg mixture over the bread and meat. Use a fork to gently press the bread to absorb the liquid. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the casserole. Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate until morning. Bake at 375 degrees, covered for 20 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.
The next one, I think I gave it to you once before, I bake often for myself. My daughter served it at a brunch several years ago and I think you will like it, too. I have the recipe taped to the inside of my cupboard door where my nosey little old friend does not see it and hide it from me.
OATMEAL BAKE
3 cups quick oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup peeled, sliced apples
½ cup diced fresh peaches
½ cup blue berries, optional
1 cup English walnuts, coarsely chopped
Combine oats, brown sugar, (I use ½ cup Splenda brown sugar) baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Combine beaten eggs milk and melted butter. Add to dry ingredients. Stir in fruit and nuts. I omitted the peaches and blueberries. I do not care for blueberries and did not have any peaches, so I used two cups of chopped apples. Place in an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, Do not over bake.
I like it best when I zap it in the microwave for a few seconds before adding milk. It works well to add the blueberries at this point.
May this help to create a healthier, happier and better educated group of future leaders in our community, state and nation.
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