Mama's Cuisine Menu: Breakfast

Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie

They say that as you get older you develop more of a sweet tooth. If my parents are any test of this theory, I would have to say, yes this does indeed seem to be true.
When my siblings and I were kids (in the 60s) we had dessert once a month (not counting the coffee cake dad made on Sundays). These days nary a pie recipe gets published that my father doesn’t want to try, especially when I’m around to make the crust.
He made this delicious crumble pie (with a few minor changes from one in Sunset Magazine) a few days ago and it was half gone by noon. There are three of us. The pie serves 12. Did I say it was half gone by noon?

Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Coolin time: 2 hours
Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

Topping:

3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
6 Tbsp butter

Filling:

6 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apples (about 2 1/4 pounds)
2 teaspoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup dried currants
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
9-inch frozen pie shell (I recommend our super easy, super flaky, sour cream pastry crust)

New Jersey Italian Hot Dog

I was a boy the first time I ate this sandwich. I remember being somewhere around 13 years old at the time, and I went down with my stepfather Frank to a place called the Corner Store in Fanwood, New Jersey.
Frank always bought the newspaper and coffee at the store, which, oddly, was not on a corner. I can’t remember why we were there around lunchtime, only that I was hungry, and that Frank suggested I get an Italian Hot Dog. Seemed like a decent enough idea.
When the cook handed it over the deli counter, it did not look anything like any hot dog I’d ever eaten. For starters, it was on a sub roll, and was huge. Four hot dogs lurked within that roll, but you could barely see them—they were covered in a jungle of potatoes, peppers and onions that had been grilled on the deli’s flattop.

I took a bite, and instantly tasted a hit of deli mustard. Then the tangy hot dog—I love that pop! you get when you bite through the casing—and finally that curious, breakfasty combination of potatoes, peppers and onions. This was good! I ate the whole thing, which probably weighed close to two pounds, long before we even got home, just a few miles away.
This is my Jersey dog. I know there are other versions, some with special bread, some where everything inside, including the hot dog, has been deep-fried. I’ve even heard of a few versions of this sandwich that use ketchup, a condiment which, when combined with a hot dog, will get you whacked in most parts of Jersey. I like those Italian hot dogs, too. (Except for the ones with ketchup) But this one always reminds me of that otherwise unmemorable day I spent with my dearly departed stepdad long ago. It’s a memory I still hold close.

New Jersey Italian Hot Dog Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-6

Ideally you would find the special pizza bread roll, which is round, like a muffuletta roll. These can be hard to find, though, so use a good sandwich loaf. Try to avoid using a hot dog bun; those are too small for the Jersey dog.

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 medium green peppers, sliced into strips
1 large yellow or white onion, sliced into strips
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, or a mixture of oregano, basil and rosemary
8 beef hot dogs, preferably with natural casings
4 sandwich buns
Mustard

Breakfast Casserole with Leeks and Asparagus

Looking for ideas for a special brunch? Why not a warm and welcoming breakfast casserole? Assemble everything the night before and then just pop it in the oven first thing in the morning.
Breakfast casseroles are really quite easy to make. Bread, eggs, milk, and cheese are your base. Where you can get creative is with the seasonings and additions.

In this one, we are celebrating spring with asparagus and leeks. Feta is our cheese of choice, along with some Parmesan for the topping. Bacon makes an important appearance as well. (You can skip the bacon if you must, but I don’t recommend it.)

We’re seasoning with Herbes de Provence, which is like the French equivalent of Italian seasoning. Great with eggs. You can use dried thyme or tarragon if you don’t have it.
By the way, this breakfast casserole? It’s exceptional. Thumbs up from all present. Enjoy!

Breakfast Casserole with Leeks and Asparagus Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Pro tip: raw bacon is much easier to slice if it is frozen. So keep your bacon chilled until you are ready to cut it, or put it in the freezer for several minutes before slicing.

Ingredients

3 slices thick-sliced bacon (about 3 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound of asparagus, trimmed of woody ends, cut into 1/2-inch diagonal pieces
6 slices of bread, cut into 1 1/2 inch wide square pieces, including crusts
2 leeks, cleaned, cut in half lengthwise, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces, white and light green parts only, about 2 cups total
2 Tbsp butter, divided 1 Tbsp and 1 Tbsp
1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon of dried herbes de provence (can sub dried tarragon or thyme)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese