Caffe Baci Veggie Fusion

Last week we drove up to Chicago. It was just 6:30 a.m. and we were eager to get some breakfast. Across the Millenium Park, Caffe Baci was the only place that was open at that hour. We walked in and the welcoming smell of coffee wafted from the kitchen. They had all sorts of wonderful goodies (muffins, cookies, cinnamon rolls, pizzettes, gelato and a variety of pastries) in the display counters by the entrance. They also had all types of Italian and local fruit juices and bottled beverages to choose from.

We were too early for the Gourmet salads, Italian and Grilled Panini, Baci Wraps and Specialty Soups. So, we settled for made to order freshly cooked breakfast from the Colazione (Breakfast) Menu. We had Veggie Fusion and Belgian Waffles for about $5 each and Strawberry Smoothie for less than $4. The Veggie Fusion was an egg white omelet with sauted, low cal cheese, spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms and was served with whole wheat toast and fresh fruit salad. The Belgian Waffles was warm and crispy, served with maple syrup, whipped cream and fresh strawberries...it was delicious! I can't wait to try their soups and paninis next time!

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

This smoothie is an easy to prepare breakfast---packed with vitamins and minerals, high fiber and refreshing too. Come to think of it, it's good any time of the day. Here's the recipe:

1/2 cup frozen whole strawberries
1/2 cup milk or strawberry yogurt
1 ripe banana
4 Tbsp sugar (or according to taste)
1 tsp milled flax seed

Place everything in a blender and puree till smooth. Enjoy!

Banana-Date Muffins

This morning, breakfast for teen son was Banana-Date muffins and Strawberry-banana smoothie. I had very ripe bananas waiting to be made into banana bread but decided at the last minute to bake the batter in silicone muffin cups. It turned out very moist when I added molasses to the brown sugar. Here is the recipe for Banana-Date Muffins:

2 large very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs
2/3 cup melted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp bead molasses
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped dates

Preheat oven to 350 F. Puree banana, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and melted butter. Set aside.
Sift cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt. Slowly add banana mixture and blend at medium speed till fully mixed. Fold in chopped dates.
Pour batter into silicone muffin cups and bake until muffins are done. A toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake should come out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Yum!

Tater Tot Casserole

I rarely make casseroles and when I do, my standbys are Three Cheese-Onion Casserole or my version of the Duggar Family Tater Tot Casserole.

I first heard of the Duggars a year ago when Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar were expecting their 17th child. The baby was born on August 2007. This family from Tontitown, Arkansas had another baby on December 18, 2008, for a total of 18 children!!! I checked their official website and found it had tips for financial success and house guidelines plus lots of practical recipes ranging from Layered Ice Cream Cake to Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap!

The Layered Ice Cream Cake recipe looked really tempting but I did not have everything I needed in my pantry so I settled for the Tater Tot Casserole. The original recipe is here. I modified it by adding a bag of frozen mixed veggies and a topping of sliced cheese to make it more nutritious and pretty at the same time.

MY VERSION OF DUGGAR FAMILY TATER TOT CASSEROLE
1 lb ground chuck, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 small bag frozen mixed vegetables (carrots and peas only)
2 lb bag tater tots
1 can cream of mushroom
1 can cream of onion
1 1/2 cup fresh milk
6 slices American pasteurized cheese

Brown the meat in a skillet and add frozen vegetables. Combine milk with cream of mushroom and cream of onion soup. Mix this into the meat and vegetables. Gently stir in frozen tater tots and transfer the mixture into an oven-safe dish. I used two small cake pans. Top casserole with sliced American cheese and bake at 350 C for about 1 hour or till the cheese begins to brown at the edges. The casserole is best eaten a day later after allowing the flavors to blend while in the fridge. To serve, microwave casserole till warmed through. This is great with a salad.