Our First Fall Breakfast Of The Season...

Joe and I LOVE Fall! It is our favorite season. Too bad for us, though, that we can't truly experience Fall down here in Houston. But, we still love to create Fall in our home and imagine that the hot humid weather is instead the brisk, cool weather we long for.

This morning, was one of those mornings. Joe made coffee and we sat out to make a delicious Fall breakfast for the kids!

The menu:

Kale-Goat Cheese Frittata and Apple Cider Donuts

Both were delicious in their own way. Of course Joe immediately grimaced at the thought of eating kale, but he ate it with little arguing. This dish was OK, but was very rich so make sure you have something else salty for a side. I think a slice of bacon would have been perfect. Or, you could even put bacon in the frittata. Basically, Joe told me it was a omlet with a fancy name and ingredients...I have to agree, but it was fun making it! The donuts were great! We have never made donuts before and didn't have a donut cutter, but after a few mishaps at the beginning, we got donut making down to a fine art!

Here are the recipes if you would like to try them!

Kale-Goat Cheese Frittata

2 cups coarsely torn fresh kale

1 med onion, halved and thinly sliced (I would use a sm onion next time)

2 tsp olive oil

6 eggs

4 egg whites

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 cup drained oil-packed dried tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat broiler. In 10 in oven proof nonstick skillet (we used cast iron), cook and stir kale and onion in oil over med heat for 10 min until onion is tender.

Meanwhile, in med bowl whisk together eggs, egg whites, salt, and pepper. Pour over kale mixture in skillet. Cook over med-low heat. As egg mixture sets, run a spatula around the edge of the skillet, lifting egg mixture so the uncooked portion floes underneath. Continue cooking and lifting edge until egg mixture is almost set but still glossy and moist.

Sprinkle egg mixture with dried tomatoes and goat cheese. Broil 4-5 inches from the heat for 1-2 min or until eggs are set. Cut into wedges to serve. Makes 6 serves.

Apple Cider Doughnut Recipe
Yield: about 18 doughnuts and doughnut holes
Ingredients
For the doughnuts:
1 cup apple cider
1 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups flour, plus additional for the work surface
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk (low-fat or nonfat work fine)
For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider
Or for a maple syrup glaze:
1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
And vegetable oil for frying
Directions
1. Boil the apple cider in small saucepan (or a crockpot on high) until it is reduced to 1/4 cup. That will take 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Beat the sugar with shortening until smooth.
3. Add eggs and mix well, then add buttermilk and reduced cider.
4. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in another bowl.
5. Add these to liquid ingredients; mix just enough to combine.
6. Transfer dough to lightly floured parchment or wax paper and sprinkle the doughnuts with flour.
7. Turn the dough over onto one of the sheets and sprinkle the tops with flour.
8. Roll the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Use more flour if the dough is still sticky.
9. Put the dough to the freezer until it is slightly hardened, about 20 minutes. Then remove the dough from the freezer.
10. Make the glaze: While the cut doughnut shapes are in the refrigerator, make the glaze by whisking together the confectioners' sugar and the cider until the mixture is smooth (or follow the maple syrup glaze recipe below). Set aside.
11. Using a 3-inch doughnut cutter, cut out the doughnut shapes.
12. Put the cut doughnuts and doughnut holes onto the second cookie sheet pan.
13. Refrigerate the doughnuts for 20 to 30 minutes. (If you have leftover dough scraps, just re-roll them, refrigerate them briefly and cut additional doughnuts from the dough.)
14. Add enough oil or shortening to fill a deep pan 3 inches; heat the oil to 350 F (check with a frying or candy thermometer).
15. Fry several doughnuts at a time, turning once or twice, until golden brown and cooked through. That should be about 1 minutes per side. Watch them carefully; they'll quickly burn otherwise.
16. Remove the doughnuts with metal tongs or a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain.
17. While still warm, shake a few at a time in a paper bag containing cinnamon sugar OR pour the glaze (see ingredients) over them.
18. Cool on a rack.