Negotiating for Morning Duty
We were married almost 8 years before we had kids. In our discussions of whether to add kids to our little family and if so, when, it was agreed upon that if we did have kids my husband would be in charge of mornings; waking them, getting them dressed and fed, taking them to school, etc. I had him promise he would do this; of course, it did not kick in at birth, but at school-age.
In all seriousness, this was a big deal. It was a point I reminded Will about numerous times before the kids were born and certainly after. I am NOT a morning person and I am ALWAYS running late. So, we knew that it would have to be this way or they would never get to school on time.
Will has lived up to his end of the bargain and gets them dressed, fed and out the door on time (with the exception of yesterday, but that was my fault because I accidentally reset the clock to pm when it was am…it's a long story, but see what I mean? I didn't even have to get them up, and I still messed up).
But the point is I like to do what I can to have healthy, tasty, quick breakfast-by-the-hand options for them to grab in the mornings and contribute a tiny part in helping them get out the door on time.
Breakfast Bites
Truthfully, often that means keeping a good selection of yogurt, cereal, granola bars or applesauce {a healthy version of these items – You've always got to check the labels on these items, they can be filled with junk!}, but sometimes I bake something that can be heated up the next morning, or eaten straight from the fridge, depending on the child.
I have been baking a lot lately, keeping my kitchen warm from the oven, while the temps plunge outside. I have tried both of these recipes several times and each can be customized to your family's preferences.
Both are gluten free, as in there is no flour of any kind in the recipe; that's just the way the recipe comes; no special fiddlin' or finaglin' with it. So, if you need to be gluten free, these recipes will fit the bill. But if you are able to eat gluten, you will still love these recipes.
As always, I have made a few changes to the recipes, but again, feel free to do the same and make it your own.
Oatmeal Cupcakes
{The boys named them this, but they aren't really cupcakes at all}
My boys have always loved oatmeal; the real stuff, we don't do instant EVER! It all started before they were born. A big bowl of oatmeal topped with fresh and dried fruit made each morning by my dutiful husband on morning duty for me was the only thing that kept morning sickness at bay for me with both pregnancies. I also really loved pizza during my pregnancies and so do the boys….ah, but I digress…Oatmeal. It's a breakfast of champions.
In our gluten free home, I use only certified gluten free oats. Note: Some people with gluten sensitivities or Celiac Disease can't handle eating even the certified gluten free oats. I mention this just in case you are thinking of preparing these for someone that must adhere to a gluten free diet; a little heads up.
We have no trouble with the Trader Joe's Certified Gluten Free Oats, which is what I used for this recipe.
Oven: 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Grease muffin tin; makes 12 standard size "muffins"
Ingredients
2 cups oats
½ cup of honey
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup of milk
¼ cup of half-and-half
1/3 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
A few shakes of cinnamon, depending on your taste
Dash of salt
Variety of mix-ins: mini chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruits, chopped apples, dark chocolate chips, coconut, etc.
Mix all ingredients together, adding mix-ins last. I like to top the oatmeal cupcakes with a bit more of the mix-ins too. I usually do a variety of dried fruit, nuts and chocolate.
Bake for about 30 minutes until the edges are golden and center is set. They are great warm straight from the oven or cooled and straight from the fridge; heat them in the microwave for a few seconds for a warm breakfast – can be messing and crumbly. I put them in little bowls and give the kids a spoon.
Egg & Ham Cups 
I am seriously not a big fan of pork; never have been really. There are a few exceptions: sausage from City Market in Luling, TX; Pitchfork Sausage at the MN State Fair; and Trader Joes' Rosemary Ham. This Rosemary Ham is soooooooooo good. Did you get that? That's a lot of Os. This ham is wonderful in pasta dishes; on grilled cheese sandwiches with a slice of apple; tossed in salads; wrapped around string cheese; and mixed into egg dishes, such as these Egg and Ham Cups. This ham is minimally processed, oven roasted, no artificial ingredients and very tasty!
Note: the original recipe called for bacon, but I think that if you like pork, sausage, bacon or ham will be great in this recipe; or perhaps a turkey bacon or a chicken sausage; that could be very good. So, choose a meat.
Oven: 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Grease a muffin tin; makes 12 standard size "muffins"
Ingredients
Bacon, ham, sausage or no meat
6 eggs
Approximately ¾ cup of chopped peppers and onions
½ cup shredded cheese (I use a blend of cheeses)
½ cup of half and half
Salt and pepper to taste.
Chop up your bacon or ham, onion and peppers.
Beat the eggs with half and half, mixing in the cheese, peppers, onions and meat and salt and pepper.
Pour mixture into muffin cups.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until eggs are set in the center.
The Scoop
These are great recipes to whip up together with your kids; a special time of bonding and baking…if you don't mind the added mess and havoc of cooking with your kids. And really it all depends on mama's mood at the time of these little undertaking; so, go with flow. They are also super easy, hardly-have-to-think-about-them recipes to make all by yourself in a quiet kitchen when you are all alone or they are all asleep….finally!
Have some fun, use your kids' favorite fillings and always take breakfast by the hand as you run out the door for the daily mad dash to work and school.
You're thinking that you should have negotiated with your spouse to take on the morning duties, aren't you? Well, perhaps there's still time. Over and out…
Anna