Simple Breakfast Prep

Feeding the family a good hearty breakfast seems to be a dying trend. I refuse to buy most processed foods and especially processed breakfast foods. Opening up a cardboard box of cereal, an instant packet of flavored oatmeal or grits or even whacking a can of biscuits or cinnamon rolls against the cabinet are just not options here.   Not only are they not as good for you due to all the chemicals and preservatives, but they can be quite costly as well.  So how do I get my family fed in the mornings without a lot of hustle and bustle?

*The first step is to have a plan!  I plan out a weekly menu that includes our daily breakfast plan as well.

*The second step is to cook even breakfast foods in bulk.  We make enough biscuits on Saturday mornings for two meals.  Sometimes we even make extra sausage and eggs and stuff those into buttered biscuits, wrap them in plastic wrap and put them all in a gallon sized baggie.  We can then unwrap to heat in the microwave or the oven.  I should probably start wrapping them in freezer paper to eliminate the contact with plastic.  And while I would love to get rid of the microwave, my dear husband would not.  ; )  We also make up two or three gallons of granola every 6 weeks or so.  It is not only used for breakfasts but for a healthy snack as well.  Our Sunday morning tradition of cinnamon rolls is easy to manage as Devin, my 23 year old daughter,  makes up a large batch every other week and freezes them in the pans that they will be baked in.

*The third step is to mix up muffin, pancake batter and baked oatmeal the night before.  The next morning we just turn on the oven and slide the oatmeal in, pour the muffin batter into tins or heat up the pancake skillet.  Not only is the prep time decreased but so is the cleaning time as all the ingredients and utensils were cleaned up the night before!  This step also leads right back to step two.  We make up large batches of muffins and have them for two mornings and as a possible snack.  Extra pancakes can be flash frozen--simply lay them out singly on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for about an hour then simply put in a gallon sized freezer bag.

*The fourth step is to train your children to do most of the above!  It is very rare to find me in the kitchen in the mornings!  My children are old enough to mix up all the muffins, pancakes, oatmeal, biscuits and cook all the sides such as eggs, grits, bacon, eggs, hash browns, fried apples or whatever.  This frees me up to snuggle with the little guy every morning and to get my blogging done for the day!

A reader recently asked for a couple of our breakfast recipes so I am including them here.  Please don't miss the links above for our simple granola and cinnamon rolls.  I would love it if you were to try the recipes out and leave me a comment letting me know how you liked them!!

Applesauce Muffins

1 cup softened butter 
2 cups sugar (I actually use 1 1/2 cups with no change in taste)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 cups of homemade applesauce or natural unsweetened applesauce from the store
2 tsp. soda
2 cups unbleached flour

2 cups fresh ground whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon


Cream sugar and butter; add eggs and vanilla.  Beat well.  Sift flour and  cinnamon together.  Heat applesauce; remove from heat and add baking soda.  The applesauce with puff up a little!  Add applesauce and flour alternately to butter and sugar, mixing well after each addition.  Place batter in greased muffin pans and bake for 15-20 minutes in 350 degree preheated oven.  When done, roll in powdered sugar.  This batter will keep in the refrigerator several days or you can freeze baked muffins.  Makes 7 dozen miniature muffins.  You can also make larger muffins and even bake it in loaf pans.

You can definitely leave off the powdered sugar, but kids really enjoy them with the extra sweetener and it makes them look extra special!  If you decrease the sugar in the muffins perhaps you won't mind adding a little extra on the outside.  : )   I get rave reviews and recipe requests when I take these anywhere.  Enjoy!!

Baked Oatmeal  from Beverly Lewis' Amish Heritage Cookbook

1/4 cup cooking oil                                                  1 t. cinnamon
1/2 cup white or brown sugar                                1 1/2 c. quick or rolled oats
1 egg                                                                        1 c. milk
1 t. baking powder                                                   1/2 t. salt

Beat together all ingredients with mixing spoon; pour into buttered 9 x 13 pan.  You can sprinkle with frozen or fresh blueberries or sliced apples as well.  We love it with blueberries!

Bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. 

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