Category Archives: Breakfast

Breads, Breakfast

breckenridge biscuits

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I’m obsessed with my I bought a couple months ago, specifically about high-altitude baking. I mean, I read it like a novel.

The author-cook {} talks all about her trials with cooking at various elevations and I’m just over here nodding through it all. It’s been a joke these last few years to bake things properly, no matter what I try!

Well, I’m done trying to adjust my own sea level recipes. I’m all about following hers to the T, because they’ve been 100% successful so far.

These biscuits are now a permanently saved & hand-copied-onto-a-notecard recipe that I will always use here in Quito. They are just as fluffy-wonderful as they would be in Eugene, Oregon.

The author is incredibly thorough and detailed in each recipe, giving notes on elevations of 0; 3000; 5000; 7500 and 10,000 feet. My printable version will only show the 10,000 ingredients & instructions. If you live anywhere above sea level, seriously buy this book. And, no, the author has not asked for an endorsement nor even knows I exist. I told you I was obsessed. ;)

 

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Breakfast

high-altitude glazed cinnamon scones

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As usual, I have included the original sea level notes in my printable recipe below, so this is for everyone!

Just to give you a little picture of what’s happening at the moment… I’m currently sitting at my computer, feeling the floor (and maybe the walls) literally shake. If you have ever lived in South America, you probably have experienced their version of partying. It’s almost 10:00, it started over an hour ago and it will probably go on for a couple more hours at least. Someone (I don’t know if just a neighbor or if the guards were called) is banging repeatedly on their door but to no avail. Besides the cultural differences which has been already written about in many books, I think I have just always been an old soul. How does anyone have the energy to scream and stomp and scream and cheer and holler and dance for so many hours to music crashing through most floors of this tall apartment building?

Update later: the party lasted almost 5 hours and multiple people tried to get them to stop. I didn’t call the guards because I knew it was futile, but I would have if they had woken the baby. Thank goodness they didn’t. He and Mike slept like…babies. ;) This is different than when we lived in Arequipa, Peru – we were told by our neighbors (after other neighbors partied all night) that if one called the police, the police would tell the “guilty” who called them. This would endanger them depending on the situation so no one ever called. Everyone partied and everyone hated it, haha! 

Oh goodness, that has NOTHING to do with these amazing breakfast scones, but I am having a hard time concentrating. :)

These really were amazing! Especially with a steamy cup of coffee right next to it.

I adapted it for high-altitude and it actually worked well the first time! Usually at 9800 feet elevation it takes multiple tries, if ever, to get dough recipes to rise (or not collapse) properly.

I’m really falling more and more in love with the website. It really does share terrific financial tips, recipes, and so much more. You can thank for these scones!

 for the printable recipe.

Breakfast

high-altitude english muffins

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When we first moved to South America at the beginning of 2009, I craved a lot of food we couldn’t get. Just random things, mostly sweets. :)

As the years go by, though, the craving more turned to missing. We miss a lot of things we can’t get in Quito. A lot of the healthier options the States has to offer being on top (I still miss certain candies and treats, of course!) and now certain baby items along with basic conveniences. Sure, we don’t have the temptation of a lot of the junk food USA has in abundance but we also don’t have a lot of healthy options either.

That’s okay. We make do. And we exercise, that also helps. ;) (Oh, don’t get me started on running at 9800 feet elevation…)

Anyway, it occurred to me one day that I could make English muffins, one of the items I used to buy way back when. Granted, we didn’t have whole wheat flour (we do now!!) when I first started making these, but no big deal.

These were completely legit. I’ve made them multiple times and they always work out so well here.

Funny thing is – my baker friend up in Oregon said they didn’t turn out as well at sea level, even after she made the called for adjustments.

Here’s the  with my re-wording of a few things that helped me “stay the course” better, but it’s not really adjusted from .

Note for those interested: I live at 9800 feet. It’s a testament to ‘s skill that these worked so well. :)

Breakfast

applesauce oatmeal muffins

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Looking Back: Originally posted on Nov 20, 2010.

If you’re looking for a sweet muffin, this isn’t your recipe. But it is a good muffin!

It’s easy to make and a gives you a good quick healthy breakfast option. They’re pretty heavy so one was enough for me at a time, but I do hope you enjoy them!

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Breakfast

blueberry muffin cakes

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Looking Back: Originally posted on Feb 29, 2012.

Original text:

Sometimes a rainy Saturday just calls for an extra special morning treat.  Especially if a bunch of girls are coming over to your house and you promised muffins.  ;)

These were super easy to make.  The only annoying thing is washing a muffin tin by hand.  The one time I really wish we had a dishwasher!  I took out the nutmeg because no one ever seems to like nutmeg…including myself lately, which didn’t use to be the case… Anyhow, add half a teaspoon of the stuff if you want!

Print the recipe  and bake some warm goodness when you have half an hour.

Me?  There are just too many recipes on this planet to warrant repeating very many.  However, this one’s definitely being saved if I ever need/crave blueberry muffins!  The yum sugary top has me sold.

Breakfast

looking back: mini cinnamon rolls

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Looking Back: Originally posted on Aug 25, 2012.

As I mentioned in my , I decided to clean up the site and start it fresh. These “looking back” posts will be fairly frequent as I catch up my collection of recipes on here…

Unfortunately, unless I make the dough from scratch, this particular recipe is impossible to create in Quito. At least, I am unaware of any store selling tubes of crescent roll dough… However, I am so used to having to make dough (pies, pizzas, etc.) from scratch that maybe I’ll just need to make these again soon!

From the original post:

These little babies were a cinch to make.  My brother dropped by after I had made them, ate one and was moderately pleased.  When I returned from an errand a little bit later, there were only a few left.  Hmmm…  Apparently they were better than he let on!

I’ve never actually made normal-sized cinnamon rolls from scratch so I can’t fully compare, but I sure prefer eating the mini ones better!  I love bite-sized foods.  :)

The maple-flavored icing was the kicker.  The perfect touch.  And I’m not usually a huge maple fan!

The idea came from and the recipe from . Seriously just make this next time you need a quick breakfast/brunch crowd pleaser.  The 8 minutes is completely worth it.

Print/download the recipe here: