A special breakfast for Father’s Day

Every dad deserves a special Father’s Day this Sunday. Usually this involves beer and barbecue for lunch or dinner, so a special breakfast is often overlooked on this day.

Since the “experts” tell us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, why not get a good start on celebrating Dad with a bountiful and delicious Father’s Day breakfast?

Here are a few ideas for the “sweet” part of breakfast. Any of these recipes would be great with creamy scrambled eggs, and maybe sausages, bacon or a slice of ham. Even the keiki can help. After all, they are the reason he’s a dad, right?

Buttermilk-cinnamon coffee cake

Who doesn’t like a slice of homemade coffee cake on their breakfast plate? You can make it the day before if needed. Recipe from “Morning Food” by Margaret S. Fox. Makes 12 servings.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup corn oil

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg, beaten

1 cup buttermilk

In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, ginger, both sugars, and corn oil. Remove 3/4 cup of this mixture, and to it add the nuts and remaining teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix well; set aside to use as a topping. To remaining batter, add baking soda, baking powder, egg and buttermilk. Mix to combine. Small lumps in batter are okay. Pour batter into a well-greased 9x13x2-inch baking pan. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over surface. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve coffee cake warm; if made in advance, cool completely, then cover and store at room temperature overnight.

Jam fritters

Young children might like to spread the jam on the bread slices while you make the batter. Easy enough to make these right before serving. Recipe adapted from “The Breakfast and Brunch Book” by Patricia Curtis. Makes 16 fritters.

1 1/3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup milk

1 egg, well beaten

Dad’s favorite jam

8 thin slices bread, crusts removed

Vegetable oil or fat for frying

In a bowl mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir in milk and egg. Spread a thick layer of jam on four slices of bread; top with remaining four slices to make sandwiches. Wipe off any excess jam from edges of bread. Cut sandwiches into quarters, dip in batter, and fry a few pieces at a time in deep hot oil or fat (375 degrees), turning once or twice. When brown (three to five minutes) remove and drain on paper towels. Serve warm. Makes 16 fritters.

Banana fritters

Fritters are such a good “dad” thing. Here’s another from “The Breakfast and Brunch Book” by Patricia Curtis. Makes 16 fritters.

4 bananas

Powdered sugar

1- 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons sherry

Salt

1/2 cup flour

1 egg, separated

1/3 cup milk

2 teaspoons butter, melted

Vegetable oil or fat for frying

Peel bananas, cut in halves lengthwise, then in halves crosswise. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, lemon juice and sherry. Let stand 30 minutes. Stir a dash of salt into flour. Beat egg yolk. In separate bowl, beat egg white until stiff. To the flour, add milk, egg yolk and butter; fold in egg white. Coat banana slices with batter. Drop a few at a time into hot oil or fat (375 degrees), turning once or twice. When puffed and brown on all sides (three to five minutes) remove with slotted spoon and drain thoroughly on paper towels. Cool, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Pecan sticky muffins

Can you imagine all the flavor of a fresh-baked muffin combined with the gooey caramel goodness of a sticky bun? And these are easier to make than the sticky buns. Let the kids count the pecan halves and put them into each muffin tin. Recipe from “Muffins” by Elizabeth Alston. Makes one dozen.

Topping:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

48 pecan halves, or about 1 cup chopped pecans

Batter:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup oat bran

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 cup milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees Use muffin cups with a nonstick finish instead of foil or paper baking cups so that you do not lose the topping. For the topping, put 1 teaspoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar and four pecan halves into each muffin cup. To make the batter, mix flour, oat bran, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Beat eggs and brown sugar in another bowl. When smooth, whisk in milk, butter and vanilla. Pour egg mixture over flour mixture. With a rubber spatula, fold in just until dry ingredients are moistened. Scoop about 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned and firm in the centers. Remove from oven and immediately turn pan upside down onto a sheet of foil. Let stand five minutes, then remove pan. Serve muffins warm.