Breakfast is a sacred and critical ritual, but one which is often sacrificed at the hands of busy student schedules. Morning meals are sadly reduced to a quick bite of cereal, a granola bar on the commute downtown, or, worse yet, the insistent growling of an empty stomach as early classes drag on.

Now that summer is upon us, rife with warm weather, fresh produce, and hopefully lazy mornings, it’s time to once again embrace the most important meal of the day. Rediscover breakfast with these three recipes — and, as a bonus, help cure those almost inevitable summertime hangovers.

   Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

 

S&C muffins - image-ED

Adapted from the 5th edition of Betty Crocker’s Cookbook, this recipe is a staple in my family’s recipe box. A cross between muffins and cake, and smothered in cinnamon and sugar, these treats make an excellent breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you omit the cinnamon sugar coating, this recipe serves as a great base for your favourite muffin. Just fold blueberries, chocolate chips, or any other ingredient of your choosing into the batter before portioning it into the muffin tin.

Yield: 1 dozen muffins

Ingredients:

Batter:

              • 
¾ cup milk
              • 
½ cup canola oil
              • 
1 egg 

              • 2 cups all-purpose flour 

              • 1/3 cup plus
              • 1 teaspoon sugar 

              • 3 teaspoons baking powder
              • 
1 teaspoon salt 

              • 1-2 tablespoons butter (for greasing muffin tin) 

Cinnamon sugar coating:

              • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
              • 
2/3 cup sugar
              • 
2/3 cup melted butter

Method:

              1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
              2. Grease the bottom and sides of muffin tin with butter.
              3. Beat together milk, oil, and egg into a large bowl.
              4. In another bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
              5. Sift dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
              6. Stir batter until flour is just combined. Your batter will be thick and lumpy, but do not over mix.
              7. Portion the batter into the muffin tin. Bake muffins for 15-18 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.

Coating:

              1. While the muffins are baking, combine sugar and cinnamon into a small bowl (a cereal bowl works perfectly).
              2. Melt butter over stove top, and then transfer it into another small bowl.
              3. As soon as the muffins are done, immediately remove them from the pan. Submerge one muffin in the melted butter for two to three seconds. Then, transfer the muffin to the sugar-cinnamon mixture, and roll around until thoroughly coated. Repeat for each muffin.

 

   Veggie Frittata 

 

This delicious egg dish is a great way to start your morning, and also to use up products taking up space in your fridge or produce nearing its expiry date. This version uses bell peppers, onions, and spinach, but the ingredient options are nearly endless. Some great additions include asparagus, bacon, mushrooms, kale, zucchini, and, of course, more bacon. Frittata is a crowd pleaser if you’re looking to treat your roommates or to surprise your parents with your culinary skills. Alternatively, if you don’t feel like sharing, your frittata can be kept in the fridge overnight and reheated in the oven the next morning to help ward off the Monday morning summer school blues.

Yield: serves 6-8

Ingredients:

              • 1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
              • 
1/3 cup yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
              • 1/3 cup orange bell pepper, finely chopped
              • ½ cup Spanish onion, finely chopped
              • 
2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach
              • 10 large eggs 
1/3 cup milk (any type)
              • 
1 1/3 cups mozzarella and Emmental cheese blend, shredded (cheddar is a good alternative choice)
              • 
1 tablespoon butter
              • 1 tablespoon canola oil
              • 
Salt and pepper to taste
              • 
½ teaspoon thyme
              • ½ teaspoon basil
              • ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic

Method:

              1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
              2. Combine eggs and milk. Beat together using a mixer or whisk until frothy.
              3. In a 10-12 inch frying pan, sauté the peppers and onions in the butter and oil over medium heat until soft. Add spinach, and sauté until wilted. (Note: Alternatively, you can bake this dish directly in a non-stick, oven-proof frying pan.)
              4. Add thyme, basil, and garlic to vegetables, and then add salt and pepper to taste.
              5. Remove fry pan from heat. If your frying pan is oven safe, spread vegetables evenly in the bottom of the pan. Otherwise, transfer your vegetables into an oven-safe baking dish and spread evenly.
              6. Pour egg mixture gently and evenly over the mixture in your pan/dish.
              7. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the egg mixture.
              8. Place dish in oven. Bake frittata for 25-30 minutes — or until top is slightly golden, firm to the touch, and cooked through.
              9. Serve immediately.

 

   Rum French Toast

 

rum french toast - image-ED

This recipe changes the meaning of “hair of the dog” for the better. With a crunchy exterior and chewy centre, this French toast is a delectable way to start any morning — and to make use of that loan rum shot left over from the night before. I always use challah for my French toast. It’s dense and slightly sweet, and holds together when drenched in the batter, making it the perfect vessel for French-toast-goodness. You can also use sliced bread, or, if you’re feeling creative, baguette. Regardless of what bread you use, make sure it’s sliced thickly. Using butter for frying is a second necessity for that perfect French toast flavour. Remember, butter is your friend — it is summer after all, you can always go for a jog later. Maybe.

Yield: Serves 5

Ingredients:

              • Bread, 10 slices
              • 4 eggs
              • 3 tablespoons milk
              • 2 tablespoons rum (dark rum preferred, but any type will work)
              • 2 tablespoons sugar
              • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
              • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
              • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
              • 3 teaspoon butter (for frying)
              • Optional: icing sugar, fresh berries, and maple syrup to garnish

Method:

              1. In a bowl large enough to fit a slice of bread face-down, whisk together milk and eggs with a fork or whisk until frothy.
              2. Add the rum, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, and mix until the sugar is dissolved.
              3. Over medium low heat, melt enough butter to coat the bottom of the frying pan. I used a pan that held 3-4 slices of bread at once, and used 1 tablespoon of butter per batch.
              4. Soak each slice of bread in the batter for three to five seconds — make sure to coat both sides.
              5. Place slices of bread in pan, and fry until exterior is browned and slightly crispy. Flip, and repeat.
              6. Repeat with each remaining slice of bread. Garnish with icing sugar, fresh berries, or maple syrup.