Breakfast

Helen's Green Eggs (and Ham)

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Woman Connected to Recipe: Helen Lauraine

Submitted by Lauraine Palm Singh (Helen’s daughter)

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About Helen and her Green Eggs (and Ham):
Helen Lauraine (my mother) was born in 1920 as the only daughter of Claude and Lucile Lauraine. From an early age, Helen was adventurous and fun-loving. As a teenager, she talked two girlfriends into hiking into the mountains around Los Angeles. The trio became lost, spent the night in the woods, and the sheriff had to rescue them the next day!

Helen continued with this daring attitude as a wife, public health nurse, and mother of four. We lived in a small farming community in Nevada where our father was the Forest Ranger. Our prankster mother joined the local chapter of Beta Sigma Phi where she participated in numerous community service projects.

In addition, she dove enthusiastically into her role each year as someone’s “Secret Pal”. One year, for St. Patrick’s Day, she treated her Secret Pal (a good friend of our family) to Green Eggs and Ham. It involved sneaking into the Secret Pal’s home while she was away and injecting green food dye into the eggs in the refrigerator! The next morning when the friend cracked open the eggs for breakfast – Voila! Green eggs!

Helen was an awesome wife and mother who delighted in life and especially, her family. She continues to be an inspiration to us all!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 dozen eggs (raw)

  • Green food coloring

  • 1 syringe and needle

DIRECTIONS

Inject a small amount of green food coloring into each raw egg. Wipe off any dye on the outside of the egg and replace the egg in the carton with the injection hole faInject a small amount of green food coloring into each raw egg. Wipe off any dye on the outside of the egg and replace the egg in the carton with the injection hole facing down. Enjoy the friend’s reaction!ing down. Enjoy the friend’s reaction!

Gilda's Sourdough Pancakes

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Woman Connected to Recipe: Gilda Banfield

Submitted by Liz Banfield (Gilda’s daughter)

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About Gilda's Sourdough Pancakes:
My mother lived in Alaska for two years while she was newly married in the early 1960s. Sourdough was a mainstay in the region.

When the family relocated to Minnesota, where I was raised, she began using Sourdough to make pancakes, usually on summer mornings at the cabin.

You'll need basic sourdough starter to start this recipe. Any yeast-based sponge works. If it's been in the refrigerator a long time, it may have separated and look slightly grey in color and that's OK. If it's any other color (such as orange), your starter has gone bad and you must start over. 

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups sourdough starter

  • 2 Tablespoons sugar

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 egg

  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1 Tablespoon milk (+more if needed)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. The night before put starter in a large bowl on the counter to proof. Add equal amounts water and flour to the starter so that you have about six cups total of starter. Cover with a towel. 

2. In the morning, get a 2nd clean bowl out and put two cups of the overnight starter into the clean bowl. Reserve the rest of the overnight starter. Heat a griddle. 

3. In a small bowl, mix 2 Tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix well to remove any lumps. 

4. In another small bowl, whisk 1 egg and 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil, 1 Tablespoon of milk until well blended. 

5. Add egg mixture to your 2 cups of starter until blended.

6. Sprinkle sugar/soda mixture on top and fold in. Batter will start to activate so you must start making pancakes immediately to get the maximum air. Add more milk if consistency is too thick. 

7. Flip pancakes after big bubbles have popped. They will cook faster than standard batter. 

Store remaining Sourdough starter (the one that is reserved on counter and has not been mixed with other ingredients) in the refrigerator in a plastic container. Please note that is MUST be plastic (not glass) or the gasses will build up and eventually explode in your refrigerator.

Donna's Colorado Breakfast Casserole

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Woman Connected to Recipe: Donna Sutton

Submitted by Katie Lazansky and Mary Jo Bode

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About Donna Sutton:
Donna was a joyful person who loved to cook. Her home in the mountains always had the smell of wonderful food. She hosted tamale parties, where she taught us how to fill and fold with style. She always had specials ingredients that we had never seen, and always tons of butter.

Donna made everyone feel welcomed and loved in her kitchen. One of the most important lesson that Donna taught us was how to live fully, even when you know that your time on Earth is very limited.

Throughout the five years that she fought ovarian cancer with all that she had, she loved us. We cooked for her then, as it was a language of love and support.

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 slices fresh bread, cubed

  • 2 lbs. pork sausage, browned and drained

  • 2 c. cheddar cheese grated

  • 1 (4oz) can mushrooms, drained

  • 3 or 4 eggs, beaten

  • 3/4 tsp. dry mustard

  • 3 c. milk

  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup

INSTRUCTIONS

Placed cubed bread in greased 9x13 inch baking dish.

Layer browned sausage over bread and sprinkle with cheese and mushrooms.

Combine the eggs, dry mustard and 2.5 cups milk. Pour over bread and sausage mixture.

Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, combine soup and remaining half cup of milk. Pour over casserole and cover.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1.5 hours.

About half way through baking time, take cover off. Casserole may be stirred when baking.

Cynthia's Christmas Morning Breakfast Casserole

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Woman Connected to Recipe: Cynthia Lidgett

Submitted by Liz Lidgett (Cynthia’s daughter)

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About Cynthia and her Christmas Morning Breakfast Casserole:
My mother makes this casserole for us every Christmas morning. To me, it tastes like being home and love. Also, I can never get it just the way she can but I keep trying for my own kids.

My mother is a remarkable woman--smart, strong, funny, caring, and we often say her love language is food. She loves to make sure the people she loves are well fed.

DIRECTIONS

Butter stale white bread (remove crusts) and place the bread butter side down in a glass baking pan.

Layer with American cheese

Place another layer of buttered bread, this time with butter side up.

Pour 6 beaten eggs and three cups milk, mixed over the bread and cheese.

Place in the fridge overnight.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cover with aluminum foil for the first 30 minutes.