Make-Ahead Breakfast Croissants

This is the ticket for those times you need a hearty breakfast - and you know you’ll be in a hurry.  These can be made the night (or a few days) before you need them.  So convenient to then warm on a baking sheet in your oven 1/2 hour before throwing them to your family as you jump in the car.  Done!

Necessity is the mother of invention - and this is how this “sandwich” came to be in our family.  I have made these for many years now - before the days of the Egg McMuffin & the CroissanWich.  I remember being surprised when I first saw them advertised.  

My husband always packed as much as possible into our family vacations.  We often lifted our sleeping kids out of bed in their pajamas and strapped them into their seatbelts as early as 4AM to get an early start on our trips.  Cold cereal in paper cups on the road was not very successful the first few times we did that.  I decided to try something I could heat up, keep warm wrapped in foil and then newspaper, and give to the kids with a napkin and a carton of fruit juice.  

I was surprised at how long these could stay warm - up to a few hours sometimes.  When placed in a dutch oven that was already hot - it could stay warm for several hours.   

My husband & kids used to ask me to make them to keep in the refrigerator so they could grab them and run to early morning practices, work, church trips - you name it.  They took them out of the foil - microwaved them for about 30 seconds - then put them back in the foil to stay warm.  

So when (this past weekend) we had our family reunion - I made them so we could have a quick (and fairly mess-free) breakfast on our way to have family pictures taken.  Have you ever tried getting 24 people all out of bed and out the door (well-dressed) AND well fed before 9AM?  That is what this breakfast sandwich is for.

I was the cook at LDS Girls’ Camp twice - and I made these ahead and kept them in coolers.  They came in handy on rainy mornings with hot chocolate, as well as taken on early morning hikes.  The heavy dutch ovens on camp stoves were perfect for warming them up.  

Although this doesn’t really qualify as a ‘recipe’ - I’m documenting it here for my kids.  They always ask for the details on amounts, etc...  Here you go guys!

For the recipe & instructions - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Five Days of Conference Favorites

Yes.  This is a food blog.  But this week I'm focusing on a Utah phenomenon - LDS General Conference (and food, of course).  Around here the two go hand-in-hand.  Two weekends each year, on the first weekend in April & October - the LDS (Mormon) faith holds their Worldwide General Conference.  Although it's possible to attend in person (the beautiful Conference Center has a capacity of 21,000) - it's difficult to obtain tickets if you live in the US, Mexico, & Canada.  Because of this, most Latter Day Saints stay at home and enjoy the proceedings on television.

October General Conference 2011

This is one Sunday we don't attend our 3-hour block of meetings and teach lessons, serve in callings, etc...  It's our "day off" - where we stay home as a family listening to messages from our prophet & leaders.  I remember (with fondness) the General Conference Snuggle around the TV, staying in our 'jammies way past noon, and having everyone home together for an entire day.  And food is a big part of the tradition.


Today I'm linking to our family favorite Get-Out-of-Bed Breakfasts for past General Conference Weekends.  (Incidentally - it's amazing how Cinnamon Rolls could be voted the top food tradition for General Conference Weekend - I posted about this six months ago with our best cinnamon roll recipes HERE)  Check back later for "Stay Awake Snacks", "Between Sessions Lunch" ideas, "Girls Night Cooking", and "Conference Sunday Dinners".  Here we go...


Get-Out-of-Bed Breakfast Ideas: 

Since you know you don't have to be dressed in your Sunday best on this weekend - some kids (and adults) press the limit... meaning they are lucky to stumble from their beds to the couch by 10:00 AM.  It always helps to smell the aroma of a great breakfast luring you towards the kitchen.  Here are just a few of our favorites:

Pudding-Added Cinnamon Rolls

Sour Cream Breakfast Cake
(our all-time family favorite for Saturdays & Sundays)

In-the-Background Breakfast Bake

Smooth Caramel Syrup & A-maz-ing French Toast
which is made from...

Chunky Monkey Cinnamon Bread

Conference Crescents

Apple Fritter Bread

Swedish Cinnamon Twists

Fluffy Yogurt Pancakes

Blueberry Bliss Brunch Cake