I was not always a morning person. Growing up in the Hasty home, a full breakfast was an everyday occurrence. Early morning was an EVERY day event. Whether you had just returned from an overnight birthday party or had a friend over and indulged a little too long in the midnight hour, there was never a reason to sleep the day away unless you were dying. When the sun was up, it was time to get up. If you needed sleep, you should have gone to bed earlier. The only reprieve was when mom would take pity and let me go back to bed after dad left for work. Looking back, I realize Mom probably allowed me to return to bed because I was a nightmare (and still am....Sorry Jason!) when I am tired.
Many times, 6:00-6:30 (yes that is A.M.) would roll around, even in the summertime or on the weekend, and we would get the call, "Get up. It's time to eat." Oh, the agony! Of course, that late-night revelry was clearly worth it, but breakfast was the last thing I wanted, having just gone to bed a few short hours earlier. After a groggy, head-bobbing breakfast of pretending to be awake and alert, I would listen for the sound of the front door closing and dad leaving, knowing that mom would allow me a little more sleep. Shhh....don't tell my dad. Thanks, mom! At the time, being forced to get up, eat breakfast, and start the day was torture, but I survived! It was character building! And Dad....now I willingly get up (when I am there visiting) at 6:00 A.M. and talk your head off while you are trying to read! 😊
Back to breakfast....I can say we had a real, homecooked breakfast probably 95% of my childhood. The breakfast was either bacon and eggs, biscuits with gravy or cooked fruit preserves, or an egg dish of some sort with a meat and bread side. We did have cereal on occasion when dad was away at men's breakfast meeting or out of town, but that was rare. My mom cooked. Yes...the biscuits, as well as everything else (including the jelly canned at some point), was made from scratch! My mother rose EVERY morning and prepared breakfast for the family before my dad left for work around 6:30. Again, thank you, Mom!
Along with the homecooked food, there was always a small glass of juice and a larger glass of milk. Oh, how I detested drinking milk, 2% milk! The combination of milk and eggs NEVER sat well with me. I tasted it the entire day at school. PLEASE, PEOPLE, do not pity me. I know that in today's world it would probably be considered child abuse if a parent made their kid eat a well-balanced breakfast that they didn't want to eat. I was NOT abused, I was just strongly encouraged to obey and not to complain about it. Besides, I don't think my mother ever knew about my dislike of eggs and milk, especially together, until I was grown and moved out of the house (if she even knows now).
As for the milk, I still do not drink it willingly unless it is accompanied by a brownie, cookie, or some other delightful delicacy. Also, marriage brought along the discovery of the pink-lidded, skim milk. Much more palatable in my opinion! And...by the way, my parents still arise at the crack of dawn (make that before the crack of dawn) to walk, read, and then eat breakfast, usually all done before 7:00 A.M. Yes, I still sit down and eat with them, although now I do it willingly and do not drink the milk!
Breakfast and I still do not agree. The time set forth for "breaking the fast" can not occur at the crack of dawn for me. My stomach just doesn't do mornings. I wake up and make my coffee first thing in the morning, but oftentimes, 10:00-10:30 in the morning comes along and I get a bit light-headed and realize, "Oh! I need to eat!"
As much as I like to cook, I do not enjoy cooking in the morning. For me, it needs to be already prepared burritos, egg muffins, a bagel, or something else quick and easy to fix. That is what led me to this post.
This morning, I knew I needed to eat something because I had a long day ahead of me and would be driving out-of-town with a friend for a doctor's appointment. I opened the refrigerator with my typical "yuck!" feeling. Nothing ever sounds good to me first thing in the morning except coffee! After perusing the fridge, I found some left-over white rice and mixed veggies and decided on fried rice. Here is how I made it:
Quick and Easy Fried Rice
Ingredients:
1½-2 c. cooked white rice
1 strip of bacon, cooked and cut into pieces
½-1 c. cooked mixed vegetables
1-1½ Tbsp. soy sauce
garlic powder, to taste
onion powder, to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 egg
Crack the egg in the skillet over medium heat. Begin stirring immediately and cook until done. Add in the rice, veggies, bacon, soy sauce, and seasonings, tasting to get the flavor you desire. Stir over medium heat until thoroughly heated. Remove from stove and serve.
This was a quick, filling morning treat. You can use ham or bacon, 1 or 2 eggs, adjusting it to fit your taste and what you might have in the fridge. It took about 3-4 minutes from start to finish to be ready to eat.
Happy breakfasting!
