Three Ways to Celebrate National Hot Breakfast Month
February 10, 2022
By Cristen Clark
Celebrate National Hot Breakfast Month with these easy ways to start the day off with protein-rich, filling and nutritious options.
The folks that promote Jimmy Dean® and its family of products knew what they were doing long ago, declaring February as National Hot Breakfast Month. At the time, research showed that 60% of people were grabbing a quick bowl of cold cereal for breakfast. February was a great month to showcase hot breakfast foods; who wouldn’t want a warm, welcoming breakfast on a cold winter day? To bring a little more pizazz to the morning meal, set time aside to enjoy delicious proteins grown and raised by Iowa farm families.
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Tacos for Breakfast
Breakfast tacos are always a hit for my family. Simply fill a flour tortilla with protein-rich scrambled eggs and shredded cheese of your choice. Add tasty breakfast meats like sausage crumbles, diced ham or bacon, and top with spicy salsa or taco sauce. Microwave for 30 seconds and enjoy. For an easy breakfast on-the-go, wrap in foil immediately after making the tacos. These also work well for busy mornings by making a batch ahead of time and storing them in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap.
Wake up with Oatmeal
A lot of my friends love to make “overnight oats,” which are rolled oats soaked in a combination of ingredients, including milk, yogurt and fresh fruit. The oats are stored overnight in the refrigerator, and then served chilled with extra fresh fruits and shredded coconut or chopped nuts. While overnight oats are delicious, I prefer a warm, comforting bowl of oatmeal that can be microwaved quickly and jazzed up in a variety of ways. To a microwave-safe cereal bowl, add 1/3 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats and 2/3 cup of milk. Microwave for 90 seconds. Add a splash of heavy cream for richness, a pinch (or more) of brown sugar, a dash of cinnamon, two tablespoons of raisins and some chopped pecans.
Bacon for the Week
On the weekends, we like to make “bacon for the week”. We bake a pound or two of bacon at 350 degrees F for around 20 minutes. I let the bacon cool and wrap it in paper towels and put in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator. When breakfast time comes each day, anyone can grab a slice or two out of the baggie and pop it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. The trick to delicious, reheated bacon is to undercook the bacon slightly, then it won’t be overcooked during the microwave warm-up.
So often we focus on the evening meal being the main meal to sit down and enjoy with family. Try adding a nice, hot family breakfast to the schedule this month to get everyone’s days started off right!
Egg Tacos
Makes 4 tacos
Ingredients
4 flour tortillas
1 tablespoon butter for warming tortillas
4 large eggs, scrambled, over-easy or choice
pinch of salt and pepper for eggs
3/4 cup shredded cheese
8 deli ham slices, 4 thick cut cooked bacon strips or 1 cup cooked sausage crumbles
salsa or taco sauce
optional: tomatoes, green onion, cilantro, parsley
Warm tortillas in a skillet or on griddle. Cook eggs. Add eggs to warmed tortilla, sprinkle on cheese and add breakfast meat of choice. Warm in microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and add salsa or taco sauce. Garnish with tomatoes, chopped green onion and fresh cilantro or parsley. Serve warm.
Delicious Old-Fashioned Oatmeal
Makes 1 satisfying bowl
Ingredients
1/3 cup oatmeal
2/3 cup whole milk
pinch of salt
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons shredded coconut
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted
In a microwave-safe bowl add oatmeal, whole milk and salt. Microwave for 90 seconds. Stir. Add brown sugar, raisins, coconut and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Top with chopped nuts. Serve warm.