What’s for Breakfast?
February 2, 2013 | My Jottings
Another bitterly cold morning here, way below zero. But things are going to warm up and we may get snow tomorrow, which always lifts my spirit. Tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday, and my husband, son-in-law, grandson and some beloved former neighbors will be coming over to watch. If I had a bucket list, “Watch a Super Bowl” would not even make it to the top 300 on my list. But I will make this for their snack and then retire with the Schnauzers to our bedroom so I can read, do my CBS lesson, and perhaps play a game or two of Words With Friends.*Happy contented sigh.*
My friend Kay in Cornwall told me about Susan Branch’s blog several months ago, and I visit there often. I was familiar with Susan Branch’s cookbooks and beautiful watercolor calendars, but had never thought to look if she has a blog. If you haven’t visited, you might like it. It’s like taking a mini-vacation each time you read one of her posts. She’s from Southern California (like me) and lives in a beautiful old home on Martha’s Vineyard (unlike me–boo). I love the beauty and the whimsy she creates on her blog. So when I read this post of Susan’s, I was intrigued. She wrote about what a wonderful treat B & M canned bread is. B & M canned bread? I’d never heard of it, and I wasn’t sure it sounded like much of a treat to me, on more than one level. Canned is so 1950s, right?
But because of the way she raved, I decided to see if I could find any B & M canned bread, and of course since I don’t live in New England, I couldn’t find it in our grocery stores. So I bought some on amazon. I had to buy a case of twelve, but that was okay, because I could use a few for us and give a few away. Well, I think this bread is yummy. You can taste the molasses and the rye, and when Susan says to toast it until the edges are very crispy, she’s right. If you ever try some I would recommend you toast it slowly until it’s slightly crunchy on the edges. It takes longer than you would think.
I like a lot of different things for breakfast but here’s what I’ve been having at least once a week ever since our case of B & M canned brown bread was delivered:
A thin slice of the rich and chewy bread, thoroughly but slowly toasted…
With just a bit of butter melted on it while it’s hot…
And a small dollop of creamy peanut butter spread on top. And I add a juicy orange and some raw almonds. And a steaming cup of tea. Wonderful!
Today will be a paperwork day for me. I hope to have enough self-control (that’s iffy) to work on just paperwork for four hours today. Then I will fix dinner, make Pico de Gallo and let those delicious fresh flavors marinate overnight for tomorrow’s Super Bowl recipe, and maybe fold some laundry. Michael and I were planning to watch Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont tonight, but when our Netflix copy arrived in the mail yesterday, it was broken. Another one will arrive on Monday, they say.
How is your weekend going?
What are you doing for Super Bowl Sunday?
May you have God’s peace and hope today….(and if you leave a comment with your first name, what area of the world you live in, and what your favorite breakfast item is, you’ll be entered in a drawing here on the blog and could win a can of B & M Brown Bread! Winner will be announced on Tuesday afternoon.)
I’m so glad you stopped by….
Glad you are feeling better! Bread sounds interesting… My fav breakfast is after Thanksgiving, my mom makes her wonderful turkey salad and sends it home with me. I love to wake up and remember it is in the frig, toast up some Rudy’s cinnamon raisin bread and pile on the turkey salad nice and thick, opened faced and heavenly….Weird but yummy!!
That doesn’t sound weird to me, Ginny. I think it sounds delicious – I often prefer dinner or lunch for breakfast. 🙂 xxoo
I have food issues & breakfast is definitely not my favourite meal of the day but I am alternating between fruit salad, puffed wheat & yoghurt with a latte on the side or a mixed plate of mixed nuts, dried & fresh fruit [latte on the side.] If I’m running late I have the latte & manage a fruit & nut bar on the way to school. It’s summer here so uncooked is cool. In winter it tends to be semolina, brown sugar & yoghurt [with latte! 🙂 ]Latte trumps all! 😀 Ganeida ~ Queensland, Australia.
Thank you for sharing, Ganeida! I’m with you – the latte sounds like the one thing that can’t be missed. 🙂 Breakfast isn’t my favorite meal of the day either, but I’m trying to eat breakfast regularly. I could easily just not eat until lunch time every day, but they say that’s not the healthiest thing. God bless your week, dear friend….xxoo
For a can like that it is worth a try. My very favorite breakfast is a bowl of Oatmeal cooked with Hot spicy Chili and a sprinkle of bacon crumbles sprinkled on top and all of it covered with a sunny side up egg with a fresh orange yoke yet unbroken – now that is a McInteer start for any day.
I well remember how much you liked this, Lar. I have never had chili in my oatmeal, but I have always preferred savory oats and not sweet – salt and butter for me. xxoo
My usual breakfast is porridge oats made with semi-skimmed milk, mixed with dried fruit and cinnamon. Unfortunately I undo the healthy aspect of this meal by adding sweetener – I’ve tried it without and just end up not eating the porridge. I think it’s traditional in Scotland to have porridge made with water with salt added. 🙁
When we go away on holiday here in the UK, we usually have a full, English breakfast. Not very healthy, but such a treat.
The B & M brown bread sounds wonderful, especially because it has molasses in it. Go and cut yourself a piece right now and have it on me! 🙂
xx
Your porridge is something Michael loves, Kay. I put nuts, cinnamon and fruits in his, and a little honey, or sometimes brown sugar. And when we visited the UK, we were so amazed by the full English breakfasts – Michael was in heaven!
Here’s a photo of one of ours, taken in Yorkshire: http://www.justjulieb.com/the-full-english/
Have a blessed week, and am praying for you… xxoo
Susan Branch’s blog is fab! What an achievement!
xxx
No breakfast for you Ember? 😉
I looovvvee breakfast …especially since retirement…I can savor it everyday not just weekends.. instead of popping a dry granola bar in my mouth or micro waved instant oatmeal in a styro cup in between meetings & phone calls ! Today it was croissants & honey …from Paris France! Extravagant I know & I only have 6 left …..originally had 40 (!) …they come as frozen dough in dry ice & arrived as a gift from a dear friend. She & her husband were in the restaurant business & know how to eat like royalty! When these r gone I doubt I will taste them again as I looked up the cost …whoa! Could buy several cases of B & M bread for what they cost…
Have seen B & M bread on the shelves but never thot to try it…will now though (think the initials turned me off.. lol !). Let me know what u think about Mrs Palfrey @ the Claremont …when u get a working copy…too bad about that …hope u think it was worth the wait ! Tomorrow poached eggs on oatmeal toast & maple sausage 🙂
Oh my Linda! I can’t imagine what a French croissant straight from Paris would taste like. Moanworthy, I’ll bet. Yes, I wasn’t too keen on the label on this brown bread either. Ugh. But it’s good. Let me know if you try it – you’re in the right part of the country at least. I think I’ll see you tomorrow for the oatmeal toast and maple sausage, K? xxoo
Tauni ~ Southern California ~ I never used to eat breakfast then I heard that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. It is the “fuel” ~ gasoline if you will ~ that gets your motor going first thing in the morning (breaking your nighttime fast). I heard Dr. Oz say one time to make one meal per day the same meal, make it healthy and that way you will simplify your life a little bit and at least have one meal you know will provide good nutrition. I absolutely love breakfast now but due to the morning rush I chose to make this meal my main stay for the week. I found myself buying oatmeal from my local Starbucks (due to the morning rush didn’t have time to make anything) and really liked the added “extras” provided = a nut medley, a dried fruit medley and just enough brown sugar to make it slightly sweet. I can buy everything in bulk at my local health food market, so I do and it is even healthier = steel-cut oats (Starbucks used instant), a little oat bran (just cuz I love that), some almonds, pecans and walnuts, dried cranberries and raisins and maybe a few dried tart cherries (expensive though), I add cinnamon (cuz it tastes really good and helps the body’s metabolism burn more calories) and flax meal/seeds (need the Omegas) and a little brown sugar, or agave, or honey. On Sunday night I line up my five reusable containers and load ’em up! I have a healthy, hearty breakfast all week and it keeps me going until lunch. I actually have a hard time often times to remember to eat. I take thyroid medication and have to wait about an hour after taking my medication. So I keep this at my office and making my breakfast is part of my arrival routine. I do mix it up a little on the weekends, mostly when we meet the kids at Ruby’s 🙂 ! XXOO
Tauni you are so organized and inspiring! I think I need to hire you to come and cook for me! Your oatmeal sounds delicious. Xxoo
I had to laugh when I read Larrys comment. He neglected to tell you that the first words out of his mouth EVERY SINGLE MORNING (!) is…..”what’s for breakfast”? I kind of choked when I read the title of your blog thinking “this has to be a Sooter thing”. After 22 years of marriage, he still asks…”what’s for breakfast” hoping not to hear….”whatever you fix”. I can’t help it. Breakfast is not in my vocabulary.
I don’t think I’ve ever said “what’s for breakfast?” in my life before this post, Christy! So maybe it’s just a Larry thing. 🙂 Like Tauni, I’m eating breakfast because I think I should, not because I’m hungry at that time. I could easily wait until 11:30 and begin my day with a Cobb salad at our favorite place here… 😉
Hi Julie!
Thanks for mentioning that Susan Branch has a blog. I so enjoy her books etc.
That brown bread sounds so good! I think I would like mine with a slice of cheddar!
We are over 2/3 done with the Daniel Study and we enjoy it so so much. We have taken it slow as especially the last past is so so deep!
I still want us to do lunch. We will have to start trying to make a date!
God’s blessings! I must not see you at church because I mostly go to the first service.
Hugs to your hubby from me!
love, Susan
The Daniel study is amazing isn’t it Susan? And I like the sound of cheddar on this brown bread. I look forward to seeing you next time, and will now give Michael a hug from you. xxoo
No breakfast – I was scared I might win some canned bread!!! (not really) 🙂
For my breakfast today I had miso soup – a teaspoon of barley miso in a fairly big mug (half a pint capacity maybe), with a scallion chopped into it and a spoonful of dried nori seaweed sprinkle (finely chopped before drying), then boiling water tipped over it all to fill up the mug. The chopped scallion half-cooks in the hot water so it tastes sweet and delicious like new peas. Fab.
Your breakfast sounds like something I would like for lunch, Ember. Or for a chilly afternoon cup of something to warm up with. I think nori before noon would be a stretch for me. 🙂 God bless your week…xxoo