Breakfast (the most important meal of the day)

[Silver Girl]

I do have a 'proper' one, yes. Largely because it was a Christmas present - I'd hinted at this far shonkier little thing that was much cheaper in a local department store, but on balance I think it would have been a bit rubbish.
They're not a bad price on ebay actually - clearly a lot of unwanted gifts out there...
I would highly recommend it as it really does only take a couple of minutes to throw it all together and the travel stuff you get with it doesn't leak either. So far.

[lynsosaurus]

Yeah, I found quite a few "as new" or reconditioned ones on eBay, might give those a go. Ta!

[humblebee]

Lyns, do you ever make your own tattie scones? I was just looking back up the thread, where you mentioned them, and it brought back happy memories of breakfast in Glasgow last March when I was up there with the Nothings. Mmmm.

[islandhopper]

I have a recipe for some in a book and I've always meant to try it. Craving some now!

[lynsosaurus]

I've made them before but they've never turned out quite as I expected!

[humblebee]

I mentioned migas over on the Mexican thread. Need to share with you now. It's ace!

You need some left-over cooked potato to start with. Dice it and fry in olive oil to brown. Throw in some onion (diced) and tortilla (cut into thin strips). You want a fairly high heat and a good non-stick pan. Add some slices of red or green pepper (or both, if you're feeling dangerously reckless) and some chopped red or green chilli (ditto).

Keep stirring the frying pan. And while that's going on, get another pan out and scramble some eggs (you'll want probably two per person).

Add some jalapenos and halved cherry tomatoes to the frying pan and stir through to warm. They only need to be in for a minute. Then right at the end, remove it from the heat, and stir in some cubes of cheese (anything strong will do really - a mature cheddar is grand). Finally, fold the scrambled egg through and season it. Serve in bowls.

This is a really satisfying big breakfast - the textures of the fried potato and tortilla are lovely and chewy - but somehow still light and not overwhelming. Ten minutes start to finish. Do it!

[humblebee]

Now and again I see an advert for egg mcmuffins and I think, hmmm, those things are surely disgusting but there's a decent idea in there, I bet they could be alright if they weren't made by an organisation dedicated to making really horrible food.

So I had a go at a version of them this morning. I've never actually eaten the McDonalds version so it's guesswork really, but y'know.

I did three layers of things:

• veggie sausage patty bit - made up from one of those dry packet sosmix things, pressed out thin, fried on both sides
• potato fritter bit - some smooshed-up left-over potato with a bit of finely chopped onion - again pressed out thin and fried on both sides
• eggy bit - a thin omelette with some spring onion and grated cheese in

Made enough to double up each layer, so there were really six layers. Obviously, as a northern-Englander, I used a big oven-bottom muffin to put them in (split and toasted on the inside), and added two layers of brown sauce.

Carb-tastic and fairly amazing. If you're doing it, use as little oil as you can in the frying - the crispier and less soggy you can make it the better. About 20 minutes start to finish.

[crystalball]

Good Lord. Six layers! I'm slightly scared and very, very hungry.

[humblebee]

In something of a contrast to the last thing I posted on this thread, I tried mashed avocado on toast for the first time today. When am I supposed to start feeling different? Will you all come to my 350th birthday party?