Eggs certainly have a special place on the breakfast table. With yellow yolks and silky whites, eggs can make your mornings brighter by ‘sunning’  up your breakfast plate. Whether scrambled, fried or boiled, eggs make a quick and a hearty breakfast that is packed with flavor and  loaded with nutrition. This characteristic quality of eggs, combined with their bright and sunny sides, probably accounts for their popularity in the breakfast category.

Check out some of my eggceptional breakfast ideas…..

Eggciting California Breakfast Wrap

(Tortilla Wrap with Scrambled Eggs, Canadian Bacon and Avocado)

California seems to have a love affair with avocados;  Californian versions of salads, sandwiches, soups or any other dishes have avocados as one of the ingredients. I love to add avocados to some my concoctions when I have them handy. With their neutral flavor and a rich, creamy texture, they are a great addition  to any dish.

Here’s how I put a “California” spin on a breakfast wrap. I used the left over guacomole sitting in my refrigerator and a couple of tortillas that were remaining after a fiesta dinner the previous night. Crispy bacon, scrambled eggs and mashed avocados come together in this breakfast wrap that’s ready in minutes and is great for eating on the go.

Grab one for yourself and kick start your day with this eggciting wrap.

Serves 2

2 flour tortillas

6-8 slices of Canadian Bacon (more on The Cook’s Thesaurus)

¼ cup your favorite shredded cheese (I used Sargento Authentic Mexican)

about ½ cup guacomole (or 1 avocado pitted, mashed & seasoned with lime juice, salt, pepper and finely chopped jalepenõ)

Scrambled Eggs

3-4 large eggs (2-3 if using extra large or jumbo)

4 tbsp whole milk, cream or half ‘n’ half

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp butter

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the bacon slices and fry on both the sides till brown and crispy, about 3-4 mins per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Fry the remaining slices and put the on the plate.

In a prep bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saute or omelet pan. Add the eggs mixture and cook them over medium low heat, folding them over almost constantly with a spatula, until the desired doneness. Take off the heat and check for seasonings.

Lay the two tortillas on a flat surface and top it with equal amounts of bacon, scrambled eggs, guacomole and shredded cheese. Season with more salt and black pepper if you want and fold it into a wrap.

Eggsuberant Breakfast Toasts

(Open-faced Toast Sandwiches with Scrambled Eggs and Smoked Salmon)

Every morning, bright and sunny eggs often get scrambled in my kitchen before they end up on the breakfast plates. Its the quickest and easiest way to make breakfast for lil’ Nia on any weekday during morning rush hour.

My idea of breakfast is very simple - scrambled eggs on toasts. And sometimes, a thin slice of smoked salmon on top adds an eggsuberent twist! The smooth, silky smoked salmon and the creamy scrambled eggs together complement the crusty bread toast in both texture and flavor. I go shy on seasoning the eggs, as the salty smoked salmon takes care of it. On the other hand, adding dill to the eggs introduces a subtle bitterness to the overall taste of this sandwich that is surprisingly refreshing and flavorful.

This is eggsactly how I like my breakfast, simple and elegant!

Serves 2

4 slices of whole grain bread

butter, for toasts (optional)

4-6 slices (about 1 packet) of smoked salmon

Scrambled Eggs

3-4 large eggs (2-3 if using extra large or jumbo)

4 tbsp whole milk, cream or half ‘n’ half

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp butter

4-5 sprigs of dill, minced, stems discarded

In a prep bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saute or omelet pan. Add the eggs mixture and cook them over medium low heat, folding them over almost constantly with a spatula, until the desired doneness. Take off the heat and check for seasonings. Mix in the dill and spread over warm toasted bread.

Top it with slices of smoked salmon and serve immediately.

Eggtraordinary Breakfast Frittata

(Italian Omelette with Sausage, Onions, Potatoes and Cheese)

On the weekends, when I have more time in the mornings, I like to make our breakfast eggstra special with some Frittata – the Italian version of an omelette—where eggs are first cooked in a pan on the stovetop, then popped in the oven for a few minutes to puff up and brown on top. It certainly adds a nice change of pace to our weekend mornings.

This rich recipe is great for either a breakfast or brunch. With some basic stuff that you may have rattling around in your refrigerator or pantry, you can whip up this one-skillet-wonder in a matter of minutes. In my version, I have used some ordinary, rather typical “breakfast” items – eggs, sausages, potatoes, cheese – and have turned them into this eggstraordinary frittata!

Serves 2

3-4 large eggs (2-3 if using extra large or jumbo)

scant ¼ whole milk, cream or half ‘n’ half

½ cup grated cheese ( I used Sargento Swiss Cheese)

3-4 sprigs parsely, finely chopped

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp butter or oil

2 breakfast pork sausages, diced

1 small onion, diced

1 small red potato, diced

grated Parmesan/Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for topping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs until foamy and stir in milk/cream, grated cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Whisk more to mix everything well.

Heat oil or melt butter in a non-stick oven proof pan or a cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the sausage, onions and potatoes and cook thoroughly, about 5-7 mins. Pour the egg mixture over the top. After a minute or so when the egg is cooked along the edge of the pan, pull the edges away from the sides of the pan with a spatula so that the frittata does not stick to the pan.

Transfer the pan to the pre-heated oven. Bake for 10-12 mins until puffed and golden. Drizzle grated Parmesan cheese and serve hot with your favorite bread or salad.

The Best Eggscuse

(“Mango Sunrise” - Mango Juice & Prosecco Breakfast Cocktail)

I think breakfast cocktails are the best excuse to get drunk first thing in the morning. Whatever eggcuses you choose, here’s a breakfast cocktail that will spike up your morning! The “Mango Sunrise” is just like the traditional Mimosa, except it’s made with Mango juice and Prosecco.

So my excuse is that “I’m just having some juice!”. What’s your eggscuse?!

For 1 cocktail serving

1:1 Bolthouse Farms Amazing Mango : Prosecco

(You can use any type of mango juice like Maaza, Frooti and any other type of sparkling wine in place of Prosecco. Soda, Seltzer or Sparkling water would be a great substitute for a non-alcoholic version)

Fill half the cocktail flute with mango juice and slowly pour chilled Prosecco. Mix it with stirrer and serve chilled with frittata for breakfast or brunch.