Small Bites…Adventures in Downsizing

By Jan Kinzel

Oh, what a beautiful morning…..sitting by the serene sun-drenched hotel pool, enjoying a cool and very gentle breeze. The birds take their perches on the pitches of the Spanish-tiled roofs telegraphing to each other their plans for the day. It’s the first day of August and we have a move-in date of September 12!  Six more weeks to moving time and six more weeks of biding my time at the hotel. It’s vibrant here. The last couple of weeks the hotel has been filled with traveling teams of young people playing in various sports tournaments. The parents and coaches come along, too, making it a fun and interesting mix. Many different areas of the USA are represented, and represented well. The kids are pleasant, cheerful and excited about what each day will bring. Joeux d’ vie!

Morning is aging and soon they will stir, go to breakfast the hotel provides, and break the serenity I have been enjoying while I lounge at the pool. Now the space will be filled with exuberance, texting, giggling, rough-housing and the like. Am I disturbed by all of this? No! I feel privileged to be here among it all, and for a few moments, remember the days when my children were in their growing-up years! It’s time for me to get moving anyway to get ready for the day. We have a wedding to attend and other activities. But it’s great to take the time to enjoy the early moments of a beautiful morning in the sunshine with the birds chirping away on the rooftops.

Breakfast!  A great way to greet a new day and express love to family and friends!

The Menu: 

Baked Eggs with Fresh Herbs and Cream
Croutons
Little Smokie Links
Broiled Grapefruit
Toasted English Muffins with Sliced Strawberries
Freshly Squeezed Orange juice
Steaming Coffee

Baked Eggs with Fresh Herbs and Cream

Use two extra large eggs per person. With vegetable spray, coat a ramekin for each person. Place a small pat of butter in each dish and carefully add two eggs per dish. Season the eggs with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle a mix of finely chopped fresh herbs on and around the eggs. I like to use a little sage, thyme and basil. Add a teaspoon of crème sherry wine and 1/3 cup of half and half cream.  Bake in a 3750 oven until whites are set and yolks are cooked to desired doneness. Remove from the oven, garnish with a couple of basil or sage leaves. Place two of the croutons in one side to finish the presentation.

 Croutons

Slice a sour dough French baguette on the diagonal making thin large pieces. Lightly butter the slices and toast them on a baking sheet until very crisp. Rub a clove of garlic over the toasted bread.

Little Smokies

Place Hillshire Lil’ Smokies on a baking sheet lined with release aluminum foil. Bake at 4000 until they are lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl and serve family style.

Broiled Grapefruit

Use tart grapefruits and cut into halves. To make them easy to eat, cut between the membranes and around the rim loosening the sections. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of brown sugar and place a maraschino cherry with a stem in the center of each grapefruit.  Place under the broiler until the sugar bubbles and begins to caramelize. Serve each in a bowl.

 Toasted English Muffins with Sliced Strawberries

Toast English muffin halves in a toaster or on a baking sheet in the oven. After toasting, spread with butter or your favorite spread.  Sprinkle the buttered side with ½ teaspoon of granulated sugar. Top each one with sliced strawberries. Place on a platter and serve family style.

Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

Serve the juice in a special way of some sort.  I like to serve it in a pitcher with matching juice glasses that are hand painted in a rooster motif. (I also use rooster and chicken printed paper napkins and color coordinate the rest of the table.) I tell my grandchildren that we are “having breakfast with the chickens!” Another serving suggestion is to pre-pour the juice in flutes or martini glasses and garnish with a thin orange slice and sprig of mint.

Steaming coffee in French press pots is a fun touch! 

Tip: Look for the rare soulful opportunities and appreciate the gift.
This is the day the Lord has made…be glad… Psalm 118:24.