Melrose - Mum's little helper: Meals, snacks and nibbles

MEALS, SNACKS & NIBBLES

Delicious breakfast for Dad

This bake is the easiest and quickest twist on a fried breakfast. Use double or triple the ingredients to feed the whole family.

Makes 1-2 servings

tea

Menu

All-in-one breakfast bake with
pan-fried brown mushrooms and beef sausages

Orange juice
Cappuccino

All-in-one breakfast bake

4 slices white bread
60 ml (4 T) Melrose spread (a flavour of your choice)
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
½ onion, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 eggs, beaten
30 ml (2 T) milk

Preheat the oven to 180°C and cut the crusts off the bread.

Spread each slice of bread with 15 ml (1 T) Melrose spread. Lay the tomato and onions onto two of the slices and season with salt and pepper.

Cover with the other two slices of bread (Melrose side down) and cut into triangles. Arrange the sandwiches in an ovenproof dish.

Beat the eggs and milk together with a balloon whisk and season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour over the sandwiches in the dish, pressing the bread down to soak up all the egg, and leave to stand for about 10 minutes.

Put the dish in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until set and golden brown. (While the eggs are baking, pan-fry mushrooms and sausages - SEE NOTE)

Carefully remove the breakfast bake from the oven, using oven gloves and set the dish onto a dinner plate. Serve the mushrooms and sausages (see below) alongside the breakfast bake.

NOTE: Pan-fried mushrooms and sausages: Drizzle a little bit of oil in a large non-stick pan and fry 2 beef sausages until almost cooked. Shake the pan gently every now and then to move the sausages around and turn them (be careful though, the pan and the oil is very hot and can cause serious burns. Always make sure younger kids have an adult present.) When the sausages only need another 2-3 minutes, add 3 brown mushrooms and fry them, turning once or twice, until tender and cooked. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Clever idea: Nothing beats a glass of fresh orange juice with your breakfast. Why not make fresh orange juice as a special treat for Dad? Because Father’s day is in June, it’s the season for citrus fruit, like oranges, so it will be affordable and available everywhere.

How to make your own Cappuccino

Bring 125 ml (1/2 cup) of low-fat milk to the boil. While the milk is heating, make 125 ml (1/2 cup) strong, black coffee. When the milk just comes to the boil, remove from the heat and whisk briskly with a balloon whisk. Pour the coffee into a cup or mug and pour the milk in afterwards, spooning all the foamy milk froth that formed form the whisking, on top. Serve with brown sugar and sprinkle with a little bit of cocoa or hot chocolate powder just before serving.

Tip: You can add a dollop of whipped cream on top for extra richness before you sprinkle the cappuccino with cocoa or hot chocolate.

TO SERVE: Lay a tray with a tray liner in a colour that Dad would like, or make him a special personalized liner. Put the plate with the breakfast bake, sausages and mushrooms in the centre of the tray. Remember to add a knife and fork, as well as a napkin. Put the orange juice and cappuccino on opposite sides at the top of the plate. If you have space on the tray, roll up Dad’s newspaper and tie it with a ribbon or piece of string and add that to the tray with his breakfast.