If you have guests visiting over the summer, treat them to a breakfast loaded with Texas flavor! It’s the perfect way to greet the day for guests who might not be conversant with the glories of Lone Star cuisine. Preparing this easy, quick and delicious breakfast leaves time to visit with your guests and enjoy a warm spring morning.
Breakfast begins with a Prairie Sunrise Mimosa, the perfect accompaniment for early morning conversation on the deck. Watch the sun climb into the sky and then sit down to the pride of the Rio Grande Valley, the incomparable Texas Star Ruby Red Grapefruit, drizzled with warm cotton blossom honey.
Follow with the main course, an Italian frittata with a Southwestern kick. It’s eggs, spicy chorizo sausage, minced green chilies, chopped tomatillos, diced red and green bell peppers, scallions and Mexican-blend cheese. It’s topped with more cheese, chopped chipotles and cilantro, and comes to the table bubbling hot. If there is any frittata left, it’s good at room temperature or even cold for a late morning snack.
Accompanying the frittata are sliced fresh tomatoes, iron skillet cornbread with hominy and green chilies, and Texas Toast cinnamon toast. It all goes well with Southern Pecan coffee.
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Prairie Sunrise Mimosa
Texas Star Ruby Red Grapefruit
Southwestern/Italian Fritata
Iron Skillet Hominy Cornbread
Texas Cinnamon Toast
Southern Pecan Coffee
Prairie Sunrise Mimosa
Into a tall glass, pour two ounces of fresh orange juice, and then slowly add two ounces of sparkling rosé. Garnish with a slice of orange, quartered and slipped onto the edge of the glass.
Texas Ruby Red
Grapefruit with Honey
Cut a fresh Rio Grande Valley Ruby Red Grapefruit in half. Cut a small slice off the bottom of the fruit so it will sit flat on the serving plate, or serve in a small bowl. Run a sharp paring knife between the membrane and the fruit in the triangular sections to loosen the segments and then drizzle with a teaspoon or more of warm honey.
Southwestern Italian Fritata
10 to 12 inch oven proof skillet
1 dozen large eggs
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Tabasco Sauce
Nutmeg
Splash of milk
8 oz. package shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided use
½ pound chorizo sausage (if you buy as links, remove casings)
3 scallions, sliced thin, with part of the green tops
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 medium tomatillos, diced
1 small can diced green chilies
Set the top rack of the broiler about six inches from the heat source and turn on the heat. On the stove top, brown the chorizo over medium heat. If the sausage exudes more fat than you want, remove it from the pan, pour off the excess fat, and return the browned sausage to the skillet. Add the chopped vegetables and sauté until softened to taste.
Crack 10 eggs in a large bowl (a rule of thumb is one egg for each inch of the skillet’s diameter), and whisk to blend with splash of milk. Add salt and pepper to taste and add a few gratings of nutmeg and several dashes of Tabasco. Add ½ the shredded cheese and the can of diced green chilies and blend.
Pour egg mixture over the sautéed vegetables and browned chorizo in the skillet and cook until the eggs are beginning to firm up but are still slightly liquid in the center. Occasionally run a heat-proof spatula around the edge of the skillet to prevent sticking. When the egg mixture jiggles only slightly when the skillet is shaken, take the skillet off the stove and sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese on the top. Add the chopped chipotles and place pan under the broiler. Be careful, it’s hot.
Broil until cheese melts and top begins to brown. Watch closely to prevent burning. Remove from oven and let rest for five minutes to finish setting up.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and cut into wedges for serving, with a choice of green or red chili sauce or salsa.
Green Chilies and Hominy Cornbread
To your favorite cornbread recipe or cornbread mix, add one can of drained white hominy and one small can of drained diced green chilies. Bake as directed. Serve with soft butter. (If you like cornbread with a crunchy crust, try a segmented cast iron skillet or a tray designed to produce cornbread sticks.)
Texas Cinnamon Toast
Thick sliced Texas toast
¼ cup light brown sugar
Ground cinnamon
Softened butter
Set broiler on high and heat. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly on buttered bread. Dust with another shaking of cinnamon if desired. Place under broiler and brown until bread is toasted and topping is bubbly and brown. You can experiment with different sugar to cinnamon ratios according to your taste. You can also use white granulated sugar.
Southern Pecan Coffee
There are numerous brands of Southern Pecan Coffee available in stores or on the Web. Prepare as directed and float one or two spiced pecan halves on the surface.