Page 6 The INDEPENDENT, June 3, 2004 Food for Thought Whether you’re starting the day with a nutritious breakfast, or enjoying a leisurely weekend brunch, here are some recipes to perk up your favorite breakfast ingredients. HUEVOS RANCHEROS 4 corn tortillas 1 (16 oz.) can refried beans 8 eggs sour cream chopped green onions vegetable oil grated Monterey Jack cheese 1 lg avocado, sliced thin sliced black olives salsa Fry tortillas in 1/4 inch of oil until crisp, not browned; drain on paper towels and place on baking sheet. Heat beans. Fry eggs in a small amount of hot oil. Spoon refried beans on top of each tor- tilla, spreading evenly. Place two fried eggs on top of beans. Sprinkle grated cheese over top of all, broil just until cheese melts. Top with salsa, avocado slices, sour cream, olives and geen onions. Serve immediately. Variation: Poach eggs in a rich, spicy tomato sauce. Serve with hot corn tortillas and beans or rice. BAKED FRENCH TOAST CUBES 12 cups firm bread cubes 8 oz cream cheese, cubed 8 eggs 2-1/2 cups milk 6 tbs butter or margarine, melted 1/4 cup syrup (see Note) Grease a 3 quart rectangular baking dish. Place half of the bread cubes in the dish. Top with cream cheese cubes and re- maining bread cubes. Combine eggs, milk, melted margarine or butter, and maple syrup in a blender container or mixing bowl. Process or beat with a rotary beater until well combined. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread and cheese. Using a spatula, lightly press layers down to moisten. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Remove plastic wrap from baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until center appears set and the edges are lightly golden. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving. Serve with syrup. Note: Fruit syrup or maple syrup both work well, but serve with same type syrup that is used in recipe. Serves 6-8. MAKE AHEAD CREAM SCONES 1/2 cup sugar 3-3/4 cups bread flour 2 tbs baking powder 2 tsp salt 2 tbs grated orange zest 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries 2-1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled cooking spray for greasing egg wash (1 large egg whisked with 2 tsp heavy cream) Combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a stand mixer, using paddle attachment on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Blend orange zest and cranberries into flour mix- ture. Add cream and mix on medium speed until just combined. Remove dough from mixer; pat into a 10-inch-diameter round 1/4-inch thick, and divide into 12 equal wedges. Wrap in plastic and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours and up to 4 weeks. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange frozen scones on lightly greased baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and bake until gold- en brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely before serving. Note: These scones develop a wonderful texture if the dough is frozen overnight. Freeze individual scones, then bake as many as needed straight from the freezer. POTATO & EGG SCRAMBLE 6 slices bacon 2 tbs onions, diced salt and pepper to taste 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1/2 small green pepper, diced 2 potatoes, peeled, diced & cooked 6 eggs, lighly beaten Cut bacon into small pieces, fry until crisp. Remove with a slot- ted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour out all but 3 table- spoons of grease or replace with 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Heat oil, add green pepper, onion and potatoes; cook over medi- um heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are golden. Combine eggs, salt and pepper. Add bacon to cooked potatoes in the skil- let. Pour eggs over top and scramble over low heat until almost set. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and continue cooking until set. Sprin- kle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over top before serving. BACON & EGG QUICHE 1 (9 inch) pie shell 1/2 pound bacon 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated 4 eggs 1-1/2 cups half & half salt and pepper to taste Partially bake pie shell at 400° for 8 to 10 minutes. Fry bacon until crisp; crumble into bottom of pie crust. Mix to- gether cheeses and sprinkle over bacon. In a medium mix- ing bowl, beat eggs. Stir in half & half, salt and pepper. Beat together well. Pour egg mixture over cheese and bacon. Bake at 325° for 50 to 60 minutes or until set. The tough and remarkable egg Getting the best out of eggs doesn’t require a profusion of recipes, it’s appreciating the structure of the egg itself. It is, says George West, a Universi- ty of California veterinarian, “nature’s most perfect biologic package.” Egg cartons say to refrigerate eggs, but they don’t need it, says West. The egg evolved tough enough to re- main viable in scorching heat, and it emerges from a chicken coated with a protective film saturated with antibodies to protect the egg. If you get eggs from a farmer, or backyard coop, don’t wash them until just before us- ing them; the coating will keep protecting the eggs. In fact, the vacuum effect of putting eggs in and out of refrigerators is probably stressful. The shell is porous to allow evaporation, but its weave re- pels bacteria. The Irish butter eggs, to stop evaporation and to give the eggs a butter flavor. Northern Italians go one better and store white truffles in egg baskets to help trap the aroma. Church Directory V ERNONIA C OMMUNITY C HURCH F IRST B APTIST C HURCH Grant Williams, Pastor 957 State Avenue Vernonia, 503 429-6790 Sunday Breakfast 10:00 a.m. Morning Worship 10:45 a.m. *B.L.A.S.T. w/Nursery 11:00 a.m. *Bible Learning and Scripture Training Youth Group 6 -8:00 p.m. (Jr. & Sr. High) Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m. John Cahill, Pastor 359 “A” Street Vernonia, 503 429-1161 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Evening Worship Saturday, 6:00 p.m. G RACE R EFORMED B APTIST C HURCH D.J. Dickey, Pastor Grant & North Streets Vernonia, 503 429-1919 Sunday Services: Adult Prayer & Children’s Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 11:15 a.m. Evening Worship 5:00 p.m. Evening Service will change to 3:00 p.m. on Sept. 7,2003 Wednesday Service: All Family Bible Study, 7:00 p.m. A SSEMBLY OF G OD Darwin Harvey, Pastor 662 Jefferson Vernonia, 503 429-4615 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Evening Worship 6:00 p.m. Bible Study, Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Youth & Kids , Thursday 7:00 p.m. S T . A UGUSTINE (C ANTERBURY ) E PISCOPAL C HURCH 375 North St. (Vernonia Grange Hall) Vernonia, 503 795-2173 Sunday Services 10:00 a.m. V ERNONIA C HRISTIAN C HURCH Gary Taylor, Pastor 500 California Ave Vernonia, 503 429-5378 Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Nursery available Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m. Jim Kirby, Evangelist 410 North Street Vernonia, 503 429-6522 Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Every Wednesday: Ladies' Bible Study 9:30 a.m. Ladies’ Worship 10:00 a.m. Children’s Choir 3:00 p.m. Family Bible Study 6:30 p.m. S T . M ARY ' S C ATHOLIC C HURCH V ERNONIA F OURSQUARE C HURCH N EHALEM V ALLEY B IBLE C HURCH Pastoral Associate Juanita Dennis 960 Missouri Avenue Vernonia, 503 429-8841 Mass Schedule Sunday 12:00 Noon Religious Education Sunday 10:30 a.m. S EVENTH D AY A DVENTIST Kevin Reiner, Pastor, 543-2254 2nd Ave. and Nehalem St. Vernonia, 503 429-8301 Sabbath School 9:15 a.m. Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m. Prayer Meeting, Wed. 7:00 p.m. 850 Madison Avenue Vernonia, 503 429-1103 Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. Children’s Sunday School C HURCH OF J ESUS C HRIST OF L ATTER D AY S AINTS Jeff Cheney, Branch President 1350 E. Knott Street Vernonia, 503 429-7151 Sacrament Meeting, Sunday 10 a.m. Sunday School & Primary 11:20 a.m. Relief Society, Priesthood and Young Women, Sunday 12:10 p.m.