Even the most die-hard breakfast fan can grow weary of the same old bowls of cereal or scrambled eggs. Whether you prefer to start your day with something light and refreshing or something wrapped in bacon, think about testing out one of these breakfast hacks the next time you’re looking to shake up the most important meal of the day.
1. Hard-Boil Eggs In A Muffin Tin
Hard-boiled eggs make the perfect morning treat: They’re tasty, packed with protein, and they come in their own packages for on-the-go eating. It doesn’t take much cooking skill to boil an egg, but there is one hack cooks can use at home to make the process even simpler. In preparation for the week ahead, try cooking a dozen-plus eggs at once in the oven. Preheat your oven to 325 to 350°F. Place whole eggs, straight from the carton, into the cups of a muffin tin and slide into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven and allow eggs to cool in a bath of ice water. Voilà: enough ready-to-peel “hard-boiled” eggs to last several days.
2. Cook Hash Browns In A Waffle Iron
Hash browns, home fries—whatever you like to call them, a heaping serving of potatoes is a welcome addition to any breakfast plate. Of course, not all hash browns are created equal. Thankfully, the secret to getting them crispy on the outside, while making sure they stay tender on the inside, is incredibly easy to pull off. Your partner in this endeavor? Your trusty waffle iron. Instead of pouring waffle batter into your iron, load it up with shredded potatoes, cooking them the way you would a regular waffle. After taking a bite of the final result, you’ll never look at hash browns the same way again.
3. Let Oats Soak Overnight
The best kind of breakfast is the one you can make the night before. Save yourself the hassle of cooking rolled oats in morning by letting them soak in the refrigerator while you sleep. All you need to do is mix one part oats with one part milk—dairy and non-dairy milks work equally well here—and incorporate add-ins like honey, chia seeds, and banana slices, allowing the flavors to meld together in a jar. The dish will be ready to eat when you open the fridge first thing in the morning.
4. Turn Cereal Dust Into Cereal “Tea”
If you’ve been tossing away your cereal once you reach the crumbs at the bottom of the bag, you’re seriously missing out. That sugary, brightly-colored dust can be salvaged to make cereal tea. After disassembling a tea bag, replace its contents with crumbs from the cereal of your choice, then staple it back together. Dunk the tea bag into milk to brew up a mug of intense cereal flavor—no spoon required.
5. Dip Apple Rings In Pancake Batter
Thinly slice your apples into rings, dip them in pancake batter, and cook them on a skillet just like you would normal pancakes. They’re a somewhat healthier alternative to those pancakes you soak in maple syrup, and their smaller size makes them great for taking on-the-go!
6. Use Stale Bread For French Toast
A loaf of day-old bread is begging to be made into French toast. Rather than throwing out bread that’s a little on the stale side, use it to soak up some delicious, eggy custard. The denser and drier the bread, the more liquid it absorbs, which equals more flavor when it’s time to dig into your meal.
7. Use Leftover Bacon Fat To Fry Other Stuff
If your meal includes bacon, that means you have built-in oil with which to fry up the rest of your breakfast. Throw your bacon strips in a pan on low-heat before starting on anything else. Once the skillet has been coated with delectable bacon fat, use the excess grease to fry eggs, potatoes, and even bread. It may not be the healthiest way to start the day, but the taste will be worth getting out of bed for.
Making a healthy, hearty breakfast can be easier than you think. Know what else is easy? Getting a quote on renters insurance and more at geico.com. Try it now and see how much you could save!
Read Next: Now that breakfast is taken care of, let’s move on to lunch! Here’s how to make easy, DIY Pizza.
3 Easy Brunch Recipes in 15 Minutes or Less
Ricotta, Pear, and Prosciutto Tartine
Servings: 2
Ingredients
½ cup ricotta
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 medium pear
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 slices of rustic brown bread, toasted
4 slices of prosciutto
2 sprigs of fresh basil
Preparation
1. Add the ricotta, honey, and salt to a medium bowl. Whip with a whisk or electric hand mixer on medium speed for 1–2 minutes, until fluffy and smooth.
2. Slice the pear in half lengthwise on either side of the core and discard the core. Slice each piece crosswise into ¼-inch thick half-moons.
3. Melt the butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter begins to bubble, add the pear slices and cook for 60–90 seconds on each side, or until golden brown, being careful not to burn the butter. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over each slice of toasted bread, then layer 4 or more pear slices on top. Drape 2 slices of prosciutto over the pear, then garnish each tartine with a sprig of basil.
5. Serve immediately.
6. Enjoy!
Quickest Eggs Benedict
Servings: 2
Ingredients
Eggs Benedict
4 large eggs
½ cup water, divided
4 slices of Canadian bacon, cooked
2 English muffins, halved and toasted
¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
Quick Hollandaise
2 large egg yolks
½ tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup (½ stick) salted butter, melted and very hot
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Spoon 2 tablespoons of water into each of the 4 muffin cups at the center of a muffin tin. Carefully crack 1 egg into the water in each cup.
3. Bake for 9–10 minutes, or until the eggs are poached (the whites should be just cooked and the yolks should be runny).
4. While eggs cook, make the hollandaise: Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt to a blender or food processor. Blend on medium speed for 5 seconds, until combined. Turn the speed to high and carefully stream in the hot melted butter, continuing to blend until the hollandaise is emulsified. Transfer to a small bowl and cover to keep warm.
5. Gently use a spoon to loosen each poached egg around the edges, being careful not to break the yolks, then scoop onto a paper towel and pat dry.
6. To assemble the benedict, place a slice of Canadian bacon on each toasted English muffin half. Top with a poached egg. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of warm hollandaise over each egg. Garnish with a sprinkle of cayenne and the chives.
7. Serve immediately.
8. Enjoy!
Granola Banana Berry Parfait
Servings: 2
Ingredients
Stovetop Granola
1 cup quick-cooking oats
6 tablespoons chopped nuts, such as pecans, almonds, and/or walnuts
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons shredded sweetened coconut
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
Parfait
2 medium bananas, sliced into ¼-inch pieces on the bias
2 cups vanilla yogurt
1 cup chopped berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries
Preparation
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oats and cook, stirring frequently, until they smell toasted and are starting to brown, 2–3 minutes (be careful not to burn them).
2. Transfer the oats to a large bowl with the nuts, raisins, and coconut, and stir to combine.
3. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the butter and let melt, then whisk in the brown sugar and honey. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture bubbles and the sugar dissolves, 1–2 minutes.
4. Pour the butter mixture over the oat mixture and stir until well combined. Set aside until ready to use. Let any leftover granola cool completely, then store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 1 week.
5. To assemble the parfaits, arrange the banana slices around the bottom insides of 2 16-ounce clear glasses, nestling close together. Carefully scoop ½ cup of yogurt into each glass and smooth the tops. Add ¼ cup granola and ¼ cup berries, spreading evenly. Add another ring of bananas and the remaining yogurt, then top with the remaining berries and finish with another ¼ cup granola on each parfait.
6. Enjoy!
Yulinda harper says,
I enjoy eating good thank you for all the ideas.
Claire says,
suggestion 5. poaching an egg in plastic wrap seems crazy. I can’t believe you’re encouraging people to eat food that is likely to have esters from the plastic wrap leach into upon heating.
have you missed the train on the understanding of carcinogenic link to plastic temperature changes and water or food it contains?
sorry, GEICO, this is the height of irresponsibility, if not stupidity.