3 Favorite Breakfasts from Brooklyn Supper

A leisurely weekend breakfast with the whole family just hanging out together with no particular place to go; times like these are the moments when you make some of your best memories together. It seems those simple yet special occasions are all too few and far between, so you really have to make the most of them when they work out.

Make some fun rules for unhurried family breakfasts: Announce that whoever leaves the table first has to clean the table, or have a pajamas-and-bedhead dress code. Of course, you want to serve something a bit more special – no toast and cereal on a morning such as this.

When you are looking for breakfast ideas, start with supper. Brooklyn Supper, that is, which is a foodie blog written by husband and wife team Elizabeth Stark and Brian Campbell, Brooklyn natives turned Virginia residents.

They create tempting dishes that incorporate in-season, locally grown ingredients. Not only can this approach be healthful for your family’s diet and budget, but it also means you are serving fresh, delicious, and satisfying foods to your brood. Don’t worry that it has to be complicated, either. These bloggers have pages of breakfast and brunch goodies just waiting for you to browse. You can quickly find recipes and ideas featuring foods you have on hand or can easily grab at your favorite market.

Need a hand? Check out these enticing options. I would wager you have most of these ingredients in your fridge or pantry right now:

Cinnamon Orange Baked French Toast

Sinking your fork into a thick slice of French toast dripping with syrup is almost magical. Factor in the spicy-sweet flavor of cinnamon and the sugary tang of orange juice, and you have heaven on a plate. Oh, and did I mention this is a make-ahead dish?

Started with pillowy challah or buttery brioche, you whip up the egg mixture (in which you can swap plain old vanilla extract for an orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau), pour it over the pieces of bread, wrap it all up and then leave the concoction in the fridge overnight. The next morning, you simply pop it in the oven.

Brian and Elizabeth served this for Christmas, which is ideal when presents and photo opps are calling. Plus, cinnamon and orange make you think of wassail and the holidays, don’t they? But you could bake this for birthday breakfasts, Mother’s Day brunch, or really any time you just want a family breakfast that is totally indulgent without requiring loads of work and dirty dishes.

Buckwheat Orange Pancakes

While you still have all those fresh, sweet oranges available from the French toast, you can throw together some fluffy, flavorful flapjacks. Brooklyn Supper’s pancakes begin with buckwheat, which is actually not wheat at all but the seed of a rhubarb relative. The gluten free flour has a hearty, nutty flavor that is ideal for satisfying morning fare.

Brown sugar, buttermilk, and orange zest round out these disks of golden goodness. Elizabeth and Brian top them off with vanilla poached clementines and syrup. Hungry yet?

Standing at the stove flipping pancakes might not sound all that leisurely, but you can get everyone involved and make some family fun. Let the littles stir the batter. Older kids can try to make cool designs or flip without using a spatula. Another option is to make them ahead of time. Pancakes freeze beautifully with sheets of waxed paper between them. Just tuck the stack into a freezer baggie or wrap in foil and freeze until you are ready to serve them.

Poached Eggs & Rainbow Chard on Sourdough Toast

Not everyone wants a sweet breakfast. If your gang prefers a savory plate, this dish is a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds.

Crusty sourdough serves as the base of this recipe, toasted only after a garlicky rubdown. Next is a layer of rainbow chard, which Elizabeth sautés with an aromatic combination of butter, garlic, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

The pièce de résistance is that poached egg that rests atop the chard. If you’ve never poached an egg, don’t let it keep you from trying this satiating spread. She includes a link with full instructions on doing so in her post, or you can incorporate Julia Child’s favorite method. Bring the water to a boil, poke a tiny pinhole into the eggshell to release any air (and prevent it from cracking), boil the egg in its shell for exactly 10 seconds and then poach in the typical fashion.

Now that you have these mouthwatering meals on your mind, pencil in a long, laid back morning meal with your bunch in the very near future.

What are some of your family’s favorite breakfast dishes? Share your delicious recipes with us!