Free State Studios:

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Rise & Shine Breakfast Sandwiches

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
6 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves, chopped
1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 teaspoons vegetable or peanut oil
Canadian bacon rounds
4 English muffins

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the butter in an 8-inch round non-stick baking pan and place it in the oven for 5 minutes to melt the butter and heat the pan. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a large bowl, add the salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Stir in the spinach, tomatoes and cheese and pour the mixture into the hot baking pan. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the eggs are set, but still moist. Cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove the baked eggs from the pan by inverting them on to a plate, then inverting once more to get them top side up. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes more.

Pour the oil into a skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the Canadian bacon and brown lightly, 1 to 2 minutes each side. Split the muffins and toast them under the oven broiler. Using a 2 1/2-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the baked eggs into circles. To assemble the sandwiches, place a Canadian bacon round on the bottom half of each toasted English muffin, top with the egg circles and cover each with a muffin top. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Ingredients

6 ounces strawberry or plain yogurt
8 ounces (1 1/2 cups) fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved
1 small banana, peeled and cut into chunks
2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
10 to 12 ice cubes

Place the yogurt in a blender. Add the strawberries, banana, and sugar, if desired. Cover and blend for a few seconds to purée the fruit. Add the ice cubes and blend until smooth. Serves 2.

Pizza Pillows (Mini Calzones)

Ingredients: Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

1 cup whole wheat flour, divided
1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water (125 to 130 degrees)
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

Ingredients

2 cups pizza sauce, homemade or bottled
2 cups cooked sausage, or soy sausage-style crumbles seasoned with basil, rosemary and oregano
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, or soy mozzarella blend
2 cups chopped red, green or yellow bell peppers, broccoli or other vegetables
1/2 cup sliced black olives
garlic-flavored olive oil

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup of the all purpose flour, yeast and salt. Add the warm water, honey and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat the mixture on high for 3 minutes. With a large spoon, stir in as much of the all-purpose flour as needed to form the dough into a ball. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a smooth and elastic dough, 5 to 7 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise for 10 to 20 minutes.

Punch the dough down and divide it into 8 portions. Roll out one of the dough portions on a floured surface, making it as thin and round as possible. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of pizza sauce in the center of the rolled out dough circle, leaving at least one-inch of the dough edges uncovered. Arrange the sausage, vegetables and olives on the sauce, keeping the fillings off the edges of the dough. Sprinkle with cheese. To make a pizza pillow, carefully lift one edge of the dough circle off the board and fold it over the fillings to form a half-moon-shaped pocket. Crimp the edges of the dough to keep the filling in. Repeat with remaining dough portions.

Place the pizza pillows on a greased baking sheet. Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut three small slits in the top of each pillow. If desired, brush the tops of the pillows with garlic-flavored olive oil before baking. Bake the pizza pillows in a 400 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. The filling will be hot so cool briefly before serving. Pass the remaining pizza sauce for dipping. Makes 8 pizza pillows.

Time Saver Option: Substitute canned biscuits in place of the Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Dough to make the Pizza Pillows. Bake them in a 375 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

Recipe for Pizza Pillows by Jim Cosgrove, a.k.a. Mr. Stinky Feet.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bread

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 2/3 cup low-sugar strawberry preserves

Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter together using an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat for 1 minute. Mix in the eggs, then the buttermilk. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined. Pour half of the batter into the greased loaf pan. Spread the strawberry preserves evenly over the batter. Top with the remaining batter, Using a spatula or a frosting knife, swirl it through the batter to create a marbled effect. Bake the loaf in a 350 degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick or wooden skewer comes out clean. Cool the loaf for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan and finish cooling on a baking rack. To serve, slice the bread into 1/2-inch slice. Serves 8.