Breakfast recipes for morning, noon or night

The old saying, "Eat like a king at breakfast, like a pauper at lunch and a beggar at supper" really says a lot for how we should treat our daily meals. Both our children love breakfast and breakfast-type foods. Quite often, that is our go-to meal at supper, when time is a premium or we just can't decide what to fix. Also, pretty regularly, we have breakfast for lunch after church on Sunday mornings.

I decided to pass along a few breakfast recipes that you can use for your family as you gather for that very important meal.

Healthier Breakfast Casserole

• 1 cup pasteurized liquid egg whites
• 1/2 cup pasteurized liquid eggs
• 2 cups fresh zucchini or yellow crookneck squash, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped (approximately 3-4)
• 2 cups red potatoes par boiled and chopped (boil for 20 minutes whole, then when cool, cut into small squares)
• 1 cup low fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 6-8 slices Canadian bacon

This can be made ahead of time. If you choose to, boil red potatoes the night before and store them in the refrigerator overnight. Par boiling the potatoes ahead of time means less baking time so as not to dry out the remaining ingredients. Chop all veggies, combine together, set aside. Whisk eggs, salt, pepper and garlic until well blended. You may have to add more liquid eggs, enough to cover the veggies in the casserole dish. Add cheese to egg mixture and whisk until blended. Spread veggie mixture into well greased casserole dish. Pour egg mixture over veggies, stir until all veggies are well coated. Top with slices of Canadian bacon. Bake, covered with foil the first 20 minutes, at 375 degrees. You may have to add a few minutes. Remove the foil and finish baking until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Slice into squares Serve with fruit and enjoy! Serves 6-8.

Three Cheese Breakfast Wheels

If you can find the crescent sheets at your favorite store, they are great. With using those, you don't have to worry about pressing the seams together.

• 2 packages crescent rolls or the crescent sheets
• 1 package cream cheese
• Onion flakes, dehydrated
• Salt and pepper
• Canadian bacon
• cheddar cheese
• Asiago cheese, grated

Heat oven 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray and gather your ingredients. Roll out crescent rolls and pinch the seams together making it flat. Sprinkle the onion, salt and pepper over the flat dough. Spread the cream cheese over the seasoning. Layer the Canadian bacon and cheddar over top. Roll like a jelly roll. Slice in 6 1-inch slices, place on cookie sheet, and sprinkle the Asiago cheese on each wheel. Place in oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. These are so versatile you can use any ingredients, making them as thick or thin as you like them. Serves about 6.

Egg Nest Casserole

• 3/4 pound bacon strips, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 package (30 ounces) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Drain, reserving 3 to 4 tablespoons drippings in pan. Stir in hash browns. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat 10 minutes or until bottom is golden brown; turn potatoes. With the back of a spoon, make eight evenly spaced wells in potato mixture. Break one egg into each well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, covered, on low 10 minutes or until eggs are set and potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cheese; let stand until cheese is melted. Yield: 8 servings.

Granola Breakfast Pie

When it comes to granola, how often are you thinking outside the box? There are so many ways to incorporate granola into your menu plan. I am sharing an easy breakfast recipe that is perfect for summer time. Have you ever thought about making a breakfast pie? Try this filling and flavorful breakfast pie.

• 2 cups Nature Valley Oats N' Honey granola
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 cups vanilla yogurt
• 2 bananas, peeled and sliced
• 3 strawberries, sliced
• 2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
• 2 clementines, peeled and sectioned
• Handful of clean blackberries

Place granola in a pie plate. In a small bowl combine the melted butter, honey and vanilla. Stir well and then pour over the granola. Mix the granola and butter mixture together well. Once fully coated, press the granola firmly and evenly into the pie plate as a pie crust. Bake this granola crust in a 325 degrees oven for 15 minutes.

While the granola crust is baking, slice and wash the fruit. Set it aside. Once the granola crust is bubbly brown, remove it from the oven and let it cool. Once cool add the yogurt over the crust. Distribute it evenly. Now arrange the fruit on top of the yogurt. Sprinkle with a bit of extra granola if desired. Slice and serve.

Other fruit combinations work well; be creative with your own personal preferences. Nature Valley has some new varieties out right now, and any flavor of granola will work in this and other recipes. Have fun trying these new flavors and recipes using the granola.

Some of the other flavors available are: Oats and Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate, and Cranberry Almond Peanut Butter.

Peaches and Cream Cake

This breakfast dessert is served at a bed-and-breakfast in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and it is really a delicious addition to any breakfast or brunch menu.

• 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (15 ounce) can sliced peaches, reserve liquid
• For the cream filling:
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons reserved peach juice
• For the topping:
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For the cake batter: mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add egg, milk and butter and beat for 2 minutes. Pour into a well-greased, 9-inch round pan. Drain peaches, reserving juice; arrange peaches over dough.

You may choose to cut into smaller pieces. For the cream filling layer: cream together ingredients and spoon over peaches. For the topping: sprinkle sugar mixture on top and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.