One of my most vivid early-morning memories of our boys’ school days was of our oldest son munching his Cheerios while he shaved while our middle and youngest sons walked around getting dressed as they scarfed down uncooked oats with milk. Unconventional, maybe. But, as hectic as their mornings were, they did eat breakfast!

Hmm! Wonder where they got the “breakfast is important” message. Probably from their mom and dad, who have always had a hot cooked breakfast, but mostly while sitting down. (I have been known, though, to crunch toast while attempting to curl my eyelashes.)

The message is not new but seems to have been resurrected by diet programs that urge folks to eat breakfast to curb the frenzied gobbling of hunger crazes. Kids are notorious breakfast-skippers. “Is that an early lunch or late breakfast?” is one of my favorite quips when I spot a poorly concealed half-eaten candy bar or bag of chips in the classroom. My comments usually provoke begging and pleading on the grounds that the poor scholar had no time for breakfast.

Such tear-jerkers, which may or may not be true, do not change my hard heart, and may even provoke an unscheduled lecture on the importance of eating breakfast.

Be kind to yourselves and your kids this school year, folks. Make a promise to eat breakfast before facing each grueling day. Sit down, stand up, walk around; whatever! But do eat a morning meal.

I have a few really good ideas that I hope will help your family members, especially kids, to greet the day with enthusiasm. “Oh boy, I can’t wait to see what Mom is making for breakfast today,” they shout as they leap out of bed. (Yeah, I am kidding – in your dreams, right?)

Seriously, try out some of these suggestions. They are not as difficult as they seem, and you might be surprised at the results.

Whole Wheat Refrigerator Rolls

The dough will keep in refrigerator for up to seven days. Bake the rolls the night before and simply heat in the microwave before serving.

1 package dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons from a jar)

1/2 cup warm (not hot) water

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 cup milk, scalded (if you use reconstituted powdered milk, no need to scald)

1/3 cup melted butter or margarine (2/3 stick)

6 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

2 cups whole wheat flour (all white flour may be used)

2 to 3 cups unbleached white flour or bread flour

Sprinkle yeast on the 1/2 cup warm water in a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon sugar to yeast mixture.

Add melted butter to milk. Add to yeast mixture. Add egg; beat well.

Blend in 2 cups white or bread flour and 2 cups whole wheat flour and enough additional white flour to make a soft dough. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Turn out on a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, sprinkling dough with more flour as necessary to prevent sticking. This may be done with an electric dough hook.

When dough is smooth and elastic, place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover bowl with waxed paper or plastic wrap and a clean dish towel. Place in refrigerator until doubled, about 8 hours. It is then ready to use.

The night before or about two hours before serving: shape the number of rolls desired. Place on a baking sheet in a warm place and let rise until doubled. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Check after 10 minutes. If rolls are browning too quickly, lower the heat to 325 degrees for the remaining time.

Replace unused dough in refrigerator and cover. Makes 24 to 30 total.

Fried Pies

Kids love these – they can eat them at the school bus stop or in the car.

Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of raised Refrigerator Rolls dough and roll with a rolling pin into a circle about 3 1/2-inches across. Place 1 teaspoon of jam just off-center. Fold dough over and crimp edges with the tines of a fork.

Fry in butter or oil, or use pan spray. Skillet should be medium-hot. Fry pies for 3 minutes; turn; fry for 2 more minutes.

These pies can be filled and crimped the night before. Place on a baking sheet in the refrigerator. They will rise, making a slightly different kind of pie. In the morning, fry as above.

Pan Perdu

(French Toast)

Literally, “lost bread,” although I consider using up stale bread as “found.”

6 slices stale French (or other) bread, about 3/4-inch thick

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Line a baking pan with a single layer of bread slices. Beat together the eggs, milk and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread slices. Lift the slices with a fork to allow the liquid to run underneath.

When all the liquid has been absorbed, (Get yourself dressed while you wait!) fry the bread in a greased skillet (I use pan spray) until browned. Turn to brown other side. Serve hot with syrup or stewed fruit. Serves 3 to 4.

For more servings, double the recipe and lay out the slices in a larger baking pan.

Whole Wheat Pancakes or Waffles from Homemade Mix

Pancake and Waffle Mix:

You can double or triple the recipe as you plan to use it within three weeks.

2 cups white flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Stir together all ingredients and store in an air-tight container. Will keep three weeks unrefrigerated; to keep indefinitely, refrigerate.

NOTE: For spice pancakes or waffles, stir into mix:

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice

Pancakes:

(This is so easy I can do it when only half awake.)

1 cup mix

1 cup milk

1 egg

Beat together the egg and milk. Stir into mix until almost smooth. (Small lumps are O.K.) Cook on a hot griddle. Makes 6 pancakes. For more or less, use mix and equal amount of milk. For 1/2 to 1 cup mix, use 1 egg. For 1 1/4 to 2 cups mix, use two eggs, etc.

NOTE: for buttermilk pancakes, substitute sour milk or buttermilk for the milk. Add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda for each cup mix.

Waffles:

Make more than you need; freeze the extras and pop in toaster to serve.

2 1/4 cups mix

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons cooking oil

3 eggs

Beat together the eggs, milk, and oil. Stir into mix until almost smooth. (Small lumps are O.K.) Cook on a hot waffle iron following manufacturer’s directions. Makes 8 waffles.