50 Breakfasts on the Fly

1. Ricotta-Honey Sandwich: Mix 2 tablespoons ricotta with 1/8 teaspoon lemon zest. Spread on 1 piece toasted country bread, drizzle with 1 to 2 teaspoons honey and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts or pistachios. Top with another piece of toast.

2. Sausage-Apple Biscuit: Spread a split buttermilk biscuit with apple butter and sandwich with a cooked sausage patty.

3. Bacon and Egg Biscuit: Sandwich 1 scrambled egg, a dash of hot sauce, 2 slices cooked bacon, salt, pepper and 1 slice American cheese on a toasted split buttermilk biscuit.

4. Deli Breakfast Sandwich: Spread 1 tablespoon prepared olive salad on the bottom of a toasted split kaiser roll. Sandwich with 1 scrambled egg, 2 slices each salami and mortadella, and more olive salad.

5. Pear and Brie Croissant: Spread 1 tablespoon apple butter on a split almond croissant. Sandwich with thin slices of pear and brie.

6. Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal: Combine 1/2 cup plain instant oatmeal, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/4 cup raisins and a pinch of salt in a mug. Add 1 cup boiling water and sprinkle with cinnamon. Let sit 5 minutes, then stir.

7. Coconut-Raisin Oatmeal: Make Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal (No. 6), adding 2 tablespoons toasted shredded coconut with the raisins and replacing the water with coconut water.

8. Cranberry-Apple Oatmeal: Make Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal (No. 6), replacing the raisins with dried cranberries and half of the water with apple cider.

9. Pancake Cones: Make thin 6-inch pancakes using your favorite pancake mix. Spoon a few tablespoons cottage cheese and 1 tablespoon jam onto each one. Roll into cones.
   

10. Maple Toast Sticks: Cut 1 slice Texas toast into sticks. Mix 1 tablespoon each melted butter and maple syrup and 1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon and vanilla. Brush on the bread and toast in the oven.     

11. Apple Toast Sticks: Make Maple Toast Sticks (No. 10), adding 1 tablespoon apple butter to the butter mixture.

12. Pumpkin Pie Toast: Sticks Make Maple Toast Sticks (No. 10), adding 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger and a pinch of ground cloves to the butter mixture.

13. Breakfast Egg Salad: Mash 1 hard-boiled egg with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon dijon mustard. Spread on a toasted split onion roll and top with 2 slices each tomato and cooked bacon.

14. Avocado-Egg Pita: Mash 1/2 avocado with 2 tablespoons canned chickpeas, a pinch of ground cumin, and salt and pepper. Spread in a toasted split pita. Fill with 1 sliced hard-boiled egg, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

15. Steak and Egg Sandwich: Spread a toasted split potato bun with 1 tablespoon soft herbed cheese. Sandwich with sliced cooked steak, 1 scrambled egg and a few tomato slices.

16. Smoked Salmon Bagel: Mix 2 ounces softened cream cheese, 1 tablespoon chopped smoked salmon and 1 teaspoon each chopped dill and chives. Spread on a toasted bagel and sandwich with sliced tomato.

17. Scallion-Ranch Bagel: Mix 2 ounces softened cream cheese, 1 tablespoon chopped scallion and 1 small pinch each granulated garlic and granulated onion. Spread on a toasted bagel.

18. Mini Bagel Sandwich: Top one half of a split mini bagel with 1 slice cheddar; top the other half with 1 slice Canadian bacon. Toast both halves until the cheese melts and the bacon heats through. Spread 1 teaspoon peach jam over the bacon and sandwich together.

19. Green Eggs and Ham: Top one half of a split multigrain sandwich flatbread with 1 slice Swiss cheese; top the other half with 1 slice ham. Toast both halves until the cheese melts. Whisk 2 egg whites with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon pesto and microwave in a bowl, 50 seconds. Sandwich the eggs in the bread.

20. Muffin-Pan Scones: Mix 2 cups self-rising flour and 1/4 cup sugar, then work in 1/2 stick softened butter by hand. Stir in 3/4 cup milk. Spoon into a buttered 6-cup muffin tin and bake at 400 degrees F, 20 to 25 minutes.

21. Lemon-Poppy Scones: Make Muffin-Pan Scones (No. 20), adding the zest of 1 lemon and 3 tablespoons poppy seeds with the flour.

22. Bacon-Cheddar Scones: Make Muffin-Pan Scones (No. 20), adding 1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon and 2 tablespoons each shredded cheddar and chopped chives with the flour, and reducing the sugar to 2 tablespoons.

23. Cheese Frittata in a Cup: Whisk 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon milk, 1/4 cup shredded cheddar, and salt and pepper in a coffee cup. Microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until the eggs are just set, about 1 minute.

24. Tomato Frittata in a Cup: Make Cheese Frittata in a Cup (No. 23), replacing the cheddar with mozzarella and adding 2 tablespoons chopped tomato.

25. Sausage Frittata in a Cup: Make Cheese Frittata in a Cup (No. 23), adding 2 tablespoons cooked crumbled breakfast sausage.

26. Eggs with Bacon Bits: Cook 1 slice bacon with a pinch of black pepper; finely chop. Sprinkle onto 2 halved hard-boiled eggs.

27. Waffle PB&J Toast: 2 frozen whole-wheat waffles. Spread one with peanut butter and the other with jelly. Sandwich together.

28. Elvis Sandwich: Spread peanut butter on 2 slices white bread or toast. Sandwich with 2 slices cooked bacon and 1/2 sliced banana.

29. Toaster Pastry: Mix 1 tablespoon each blueberry preserves and yogurt. Cut two 3-by-5-inch rectangles from 1 disk refrigerated pie dough. Sandwich the blueberry mixture with the rectangles and press the edges with a fork to seal. Bake at 425 degrees F, 20 minutes. Cool, then dust with confectioners' sugar.

30. Cranberry-Oat Cookies: Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup each rolled oats and dried cranberries, 1/4 cup dry milk powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, mix 6 tablespoons melted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup honey and 2 eggs; stir in the flour mixture. Drop mounds on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F, 18 to 20 minutes.

31. Granola Cookies: Make Cranberry-Oat Cookies (No. 30), replacing the oats and cranberries with 1 1/2 cups granola.

32. Bacon-Banana Cookies: Make Cranberry-Oat Cookies (No. 30), omitting the cranberries and adding 1 chopped banana and 3 strips chopped cooked bacon.

33. Herbed Egg Sandwich: Spread ricotta on 1 piece sourdough toast. Scramble 1 egg with salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons each chopped chives and dill; spoon over the ricotta. Top with arugula and another piece of toast.

34. Maple Granola: Mix 2 cups rolled oats, 1 cup chopped nuts, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/3 cup maple syrup. Bake at 350 degrees F, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes. Cool. Toss with 1 cup chopped dried fruit.

35. Breakfast Cheesecakes: Whisk 1/2 cup each softened cream cheese and lemon-, vanilla- or coffee-flavored yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey and 2 eggs. Spoon into 6 prepared mini piecrusts and bake at 350 degrees F, 20 minutes. Top with berries.

36. Tropical Gorp: Combine 1/3 cup each dried pineapple, dried papaya, crystallized ginger, dark chocolate–covered coconut, macadamia nuts and cashews.

37. Berry-Banana Gorp: Combine 1/2 cup chopped yogurt-covered pretzels and 1/4 cup each banana chips, pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) and dried cranberries, raspberries, blueberries and apricots.
 

38. Stuffed Apple: Mix a few tablespoons peanut butter with a handful of granola. Scoop out the core of an apple using a melon baller or paring knife and stuff with the peanut butter mixture. Cut into segments.

39. Spiced Orange Wedges: Cut an orange into wedges. Place in a resealable plastic bag with 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice; seal. Shake to coat.

40. Lime-Mint Fruit Salad: Toss 2 cups cut-up fruit with 1 tablespoon chopped mint, the juice of 1/2 lime and 1 teaspoon honey.

41. Nutella-Berry Baguette: Split and toast a 4-inch piece of baguette. Spread Nutella on one half and cream cheese on the other. Sandwich with sliced strawberries.

42. Mixed Berry Croissant: Mix 2 tablespoons mascarpone and 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest. Spread on a toasted split croissant and fill with mixed berries.

43. Frozen Yogurt Pop: Fill a paper or plastic cup with yogurt. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and poke a wooden pop stick through the plastic wrap. Freeze overnight. Tear or cut off the cup.

41. Nutella-Berry Baguette: Split and toast a 4-inch piece of baguette. Spread Nutella on one half and cream cheese on the other. Sandwich with sliced strawberries.

42. Mixed Berry Croissant: Mix 2 tablespoons mascarpone and 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest. Spread on a toasted split croissant and fill with mixed berries.

43. Frozen Yogurt Pop: Fill a paper or plastic cup with yogurt. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and poke a wooden pop stick through the plastic wrap. Freeze overnight. Tear or cut off the cup.

44. Spicy BLT Wrap: Top a wrap with 1/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese, 3 slices cooked turkey bacon, sliced tomato and arugula. Roll up and microwave until the cheese melts, 45 seconds.

45. French Toast Fingers: Beat 3 eggs, 1/4 cup milk and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Dip 4 thick slices challah or brioche in the egg mixture and fry in butter, turning once, until golden. Cut into strips and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

46. Ham and Cheese Grits: Mix 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup quick grits and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a mug or bowl. Microwave 3 minutes, stirring every 45 seconds. Stir in 2 tablespoons each chopped ham and shredded cheddar, and chopped chives to taste.

47. Maple-Nut Grits: Make Ham and Cheese Grits (No. 46), omitting the ham, cheese and chives. Stir in 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 tablespoon chopped nuts.

48. Hash Brown Sandwich: Prepare 1 frozen hash brown patty as the package directs. Split into 2 thin halves and sandwich with 1 slice American cheese, 1 scrambled egg and 1 cooked sausage link split lengthwise.

49. Breakfast Burrito: Scramble 2 eggs with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon chopped scallion; stir in 1/4 cup diced cheddar and spoon onto a flour tortilla. Top with 2 tablespoons salsa and roll up.

50. Ranchero Burrito: Make Breakfast Burrito (No. 49), spreading the tortilla with 2 tablespoons warm mashed black beans and 1 tablespoon sour cream before adding the fillings.Sprinkle with cilantro and roll up.