Family recipe Monday: breakfasts

See if there is any bacon, and if there is ask the cook which pan to fry it in. Then ask if there are any eggs, and if so try and persuade the cook to poach two of them. It is better not to attempt toast, as it burns easily. Also in the case of bacon do not turn the fire too high, or you will have to get out of the house for a week.

Serve preferably on china plates, although gold or wood will do if handy.
--Mrs. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Favorite Recipes of Famous Women, edited by Oveta Culp Hobby, 1925.

We are a little bit better than Zelda Fitzgerald at making breakfast, apparently. This is good to know, especially on Monday mornings. Breakfast breads seem to be a particular family favorite, somehow. Here are a few to get your day started on a cheery note. As always, these have not been edited or updated, so adjust them to suit your needs.

Cinnamon rolls

4 T shortening
3 T sugar
1 ½ tsp salt

Mix and add 1 cup boiling water. Cool. Add 1 egg and 2 cakes yeast which have been dissolved in ¼ cup tepid water. Add 4 cups of flour. Mix. When the dough is formed pour over it 3 T cooled and melted shortening. Let rise until double in bulk, roll out to ¼ ” thick and spread on it 1 stick butter which has been melted and cooled. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, chopped nuts or raisins. Roll and cut in slices and let rise again. Bake until done.

Glaze

¾ pkg. powdered sugar
½ stick butter
Enough milk to dissolve sugar

Heat until sugar is smooth and pour over rolls.
--Vada Brooks Johnson
 

Oven pancakes

Preheat oven to 475*F. In a 9”x9” glass dish, place 3 T butter; melt in oven. Do NOT brown.

Remove from oven. Pour in well-mixed batter of
3 eggs
¾ cup flour
¾ cup milk
Juice of 1 lemon (optional)
½ tsp vanilla (optional)

Bake 10-12 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve with powdered sugar and lemon juice (traditional), berries, jam, syrup, toasted almonds or macadamias and butter.

Serves 3. If making for 4 or more, add 1 egg, ¼ cup flour and ¼ cup milk for each person, 1 extra tsp for each, and larger pan.
--Pat Monaco

Buckwheat, blue cornmeal, and buttermilk pancakes (Sally’s Three-B pancakes)

Four-B if you include blueberries.

1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 cup blue cornmeal
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
2 T sugar
½ t baking soda
2 eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk

Mix the dry ingredients. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Add the buttermilk and beaten egg yolks to the dry ingredients, then fold in the egg whites. Drop ¼ cup at a time on a greased griddle. Turn once when lower surface is set. Serve with butter, honey, molasses, pecans, and/or whatever else appeals to you.
--Sally Shelton

Cornmeal batter cakes

1 cup corn meal
1 T flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
Milk to make batter very thin

Scald cornmeal with enough boiling water to dampen well. When cool, sift in flour and salt. Add beaten egg and milk to make thin batter. Beat well. Have griddle very hot and well greased. This makes a cake with a nice crispy edge. Note: Don’t use baking powder. Serves 2.
--Origin uncertain; this is a 19th-century recipe, at least

Now get out there and don't let Monday get to you!