A Little Bit Better in 2026 Part 2

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

In continuing to try to do a little bit better this year, breakfast on-the-go is a must for me. My money is tight starting out the new year with Miss Marigold needing to go to the vet’s office because she had a bellyache (yucky, yucky). And car maintenance, including a tow to the shop, came up this month. I realized that I need to be much better at saving for unexpected expenses. So, cooking a quick breakfast sandwich at home will save me money and time. 

Here’s my typical breakfast:

2 pieces of Dave’s Killer Thin sliced bread- a drizzle of honey on each slice, along with a shake of cinnamon. Toasted for 5 minutes on 400°.

In a small microwavable bowl place a super thin- sliced piece of ham. I had Land o Frost in the frig. Next drop in an egg. Salt and pepper the egg and scramble around. (Ooo. I  just thought that a little Dijon mustard would have been a nice kick to the simple egg. Hmm. I need to try it!)

Place in the microwave, cover, and zap it for one minute.

When your toast is toasted and your ham and egg are cooked, well, assemble your sandwich.  The sweet of the honey and savory of the ham/egg is a nice combo. 

I wrap my breakfast sandwich in a paper towel and put in my purse or work bag.

Now, it takes all of 5 minutes to make. Calories are:

Honey drizzle-   21

Bread-               200

Egg-                     72

Ham-                   18

Cinnamon-           0

A total of 311 calories. Comparable to a Micky D’s Egg McMuffin at 310 calories which costs  between $4 to $7. A Chick-fil-a Egg White Grill at 300 calories which costs $5 to $6. This homemade breakfast sandwich costs pennies, or rather rounded up nickles, to make with no time spent in the drive-through line.

Sticking to resolutions Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen. 

Easy Fancy Christmas Breakfast: Chocolate Chip Croissant Custard

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

Do you want an easy breakfast recipe for Christmas morning? Prep time is 15 minutes and bake time is 30 minutes. What am I talking about? Well, its store-bought croissants, chocolate chips and a baked custard. I’m not sure what to call it. Delicious,  I’ll just say it’s delicious. 

Here’s what to do:

In a small oven proof skillet,  melt 3 pats of butter, while the oven preheats to 350°.

Split lengthwise 5 to 6 small croissants and set aside.

Crack two eggs into a small bowl and whisk them well. Set aside.

Making the custard:

On the stove, in a one quart pot, combine 1 cup half-and-half, a scant half cup of granulated sugar and a teaspoon of pure vanilla.  Heat over medium heat till it just begins to boil.

Now, pour just a little of the hot half-and-half mixture into the eggs and quickly whisk them together to temper the eggs. Repeat. Then, when the eggs are tempered, pour them into the pot with the rest of the half-and-half mixture,  whisking to incorporate.  Turn off the stove.

Putting it together:

Next, take the hot skillet from the oven and place it on the stove. Be careful. Arrange the bottom halves of the croissants in the buttered skillet. Top each half with a sprinkling of granulated sugar and chocolate chips.  Place the croissant tops over each. Then, pour the custard over the prepared croissants. Sprinkle the top with additional sugar. Just a little.  The sugar will caramelize and make the tops crunch.

Bake it:

Place croisssant custard in the preheated 350° oven in the middle. Fill a shallow, oven proof dish with water and place on a lower rack. This will help to evenly cook the custard.  Bake for 30 minutes or until a case knife put in the center comes out clean.

Chocolate chip croissant custard
The tops have a nice caramelized crunch.

Serve with your breakfast favorites; mine are coffee and bacon… I hope you try this recipe. 

Merry Christmas breakfast or any given morning.

Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen. 

You Can Make A Better Choice

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

Bags of fresh cranberries are plentiful in the produce section of the grocery stores this time of year. It’s one of those food traditions that we never question and expect it to be on the holiday menu. Cranberries also seem to be one of those foods that folks either love or hate. Personally, I love cranberries. It’s really tasty on a sandwich made with left over turkey the day after Thanksgiving. They are good for you, too. Look it up.

Now, you can reach for a can of that congealed cranberry juice stuff concocted way back when your great-grandmother was a young woman. Time saver and convenient, if cranberries are just a garnish for your Thanksgiving plate, not really to be eaten with your turkey, then have at it.

You can make a better choice: fresh cranberry sauce. Below is what I do every year.

Here’s my recipe:

1 bag of fresh cranberries, rinsed in cold water

1 cup white sugar

1 cup water

1/4 cup orange juice

pinch salt

pat of butter, optional

What to do:

Place rinsed berries in a two quart pot and turn burner to medium heat. Add sugar, water, orange juice and pinch of salt. I think the tiny bit of salt helps cut the bitter taste that cranberries sometime have and makes the taste brighter. Bring berries to a gentle boil, stirring to disolve the sugar.

The berries will begin to pop, as their skins split. You’re almost through with the cooking part, at this stage. When the berries foam up, turn the fire off. With a metal spoon, skim the pink bubbly foam from the top of the pot. If you want to, add the pat of butter. This helps reduce any foam that may remain- it’s kind of hard to get all of the foam out of the cranberry sauce.

Cool the sauce before placing it in the frig. It can be made a day or two ahead of turkey day. Serve in your great-grandmother’s pretty cutglass bowl. She’d think you are the cat’s pajamas.

Thanksgiving Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen.

June Cookie of the Month

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

File this one under super easy coffee dunker. And cheap? My yes! Made with flour tortillas, you can make many, many for pennies.

Cut four,  8 inch flour tortillas into six triangles each and place them in a single layer, on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Lightly spritz tortillas with vegetable spray. Dust with cinnamon sugar snd bake till crisp in 350° oven. While they baked, I cut up a handful of Hershey Kisses into small chunks.. I had them on hand, but you could use regular chocolate morsels and skip the chopping. After the cinnamon tortillas have baked, sprinkle the chocolate on top of the hot triangles. The chocolate will melt slightly. I took a butter knife and smeared the kisses chunks around a little.

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This vase is my favorite, bought at a Virginia Beach farmer’s market years ago. The flowers I grew myself. Autumn Beauty sunflowers, mixed zinnias, and brilliant white cosmos. The cosmos is the front runner this year and the Viceroy of butterflies adore it, too,

 

So good with a cup of afternoon coffee.

 

 

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This week, I’ve also made two kinds of pickles: Bread and Butter and Spicy Dill. The slide show is of the first batch Bread and Butter. They remind me of my daddy’s sister, Aunt Louise. She was a fantastic cook and had a pantry full of homemade goodness, including Bread and Butter pickles. On a visit to her home in Homer, Louisiana way back in the late 80’s, Aunt Louise gifted me with a jar. They were so good! I guess I make pickles because, yes they’re tasty, but they connect me to fond memories of Aunt Louise.

Garden Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen.