Breakfast

I added Smitten Kitchen's recipe for breakfast apple crisp to my recommended links about three weeks ago. The recipe was a use for my large batch of Michigan apples. Not surprisingly, it was amazingly good, and I'm happy to say I have a couple gallon bags full of already diced apples that I can whip this easy recipe up again and again over the next few months. I know another apple crisp will be top priority for breakfasts over the holidays.

One of the cool things about this recipe is the fact that it's actually meant to be served cold, which is a great time-saver on busy mornings. But at the same time, I heated some for trial and was in love with it, too. Turn this dish into a great dessert just by warming it and serving it with vanilla ice cream instead of eating it cold in a bowl with yogurt.

Cost Per Person $0.44

This open-faced sandwich recipe comes from Marsha via a favorite bagel joint of hers in the Newport Coast area of California. I don't remember the name of the store, but it's not a chain, which makes it difficult to order it out. Just get the supplies and eat in.

Although I'm doing better eating plain bagels or buttered bagels, Paul really enjoyed this bagel creation served on an Andy Warhol Marilyn plate. In fact, Marsha was quite proud when Paul gave up half of a bagel he would usually put peanut butter on to have an additional half of the sandwich. It was a great and filling breakfas. I know the quality of the bagels and freshness of the avocado had a huge part to play in the flavor. We'll be planning such breakfast sandwiches for guests in the near future.

This is a great way to practice eating avocados for a natural way to lower cholesterol. In that case, a doctor would also likely recommend lightening up on the cream cheese and switching to a whole wheat bagel or even a slice of whole wheat bread instead.

Avocado Bagel

• 1/2 Sesame Bagel, Toasted
• 1 Tablespoon Cream Cheese
• 1/5 Avocado, Sliced
• Lemon Pepper in Grinder, To Taste
• Salt, To Taste

Cover the bagel with the cream cheese. (Marsha is very generous with the cream cheese.) Top with the avocado slices, sliced your preferred thickness. (Marsha's son, Austin, likes his slices super thin.)

Sprinkle with Salt and fresh ground lemon pepper to taste.

Down in the basement of the La Tour Notre Dame Best Western was a small room with brick walls and archways and nice tables with chairs crammed up against the wall to provide enough seating. Many Europeans don't do breakfast. At most, it's a hot drink and roll. Occasionally, juice accompanies the meal. I learned pineapple juice is quite popular in France.