Breakfast

Pair the asparagus with potatoes and small cubes of ham or roast turkey. Blanch them separately so the green spears maintain their vibrant color and then saute the whole mixture together until crisp and browned. Top with over-easy eggs and sprinkle with fresh thyme. The eggs here are over-easy, but you can poach, soft-boil, or scramble them before setting them on the hash.

Sour cream Belgian waffles are nice because it doesn't have to rise, so you can use it immediately, or mix it and leave it in the refrigerator overnight for morning.

1/4 cup butter, melted

Smoked salmon is classic brunch fare. Chives and dill have a natural affinity for salmon, and in this recipe herbs are worked into a rich buttermilk biscuit dough with a simple cream cheese spread.

I called Nekisia Davis, the owner of Early Bird Granola, to see if she would divulge the recipe for the granola I had tasted in the store. I knew Ms. Davis from when she was a manager at Franny’s restaurant, where she used to concoct amaro from roots, stems and leaves. She gave me the proportions, emphasizing that it’s the balance of sweet and salty that makes her granola like health-conscious crack. But how did you come up with the idea to use olive oil? I asked. “I put olive oil in everything,” she said. “I make French toast in olive oil. I put it on toast with jelly.

For want of a better term, the more-vegetable-less-egg frittata, one in which the proportions of eggs and vegetables are reversed, and the veggies take center stage. Instead of six eggs and a cup or two of vegetables, I use two or three eggs with three or four cups of vegetables. Think of it as a big vegetable pancake bound with just enough creamy-cooked eggs to hold the thing together. Which vegetable you use barely matters.

This hearty breakfast meal, full of fresh tomatoes and mushrooms, gets much of its terrific flavor and texture from the English muffins that line the bottom of the dish.

Many types of bread can be substituted for white sandwich bread, including cinnamon-raisin bread and challah.

Use a light hand when seasoning with kosher salt, as the cheese itself is rather salty. Cooling the quesadillas before cutting and serving is important; straight from the skillet, the cheese is molten and will ooze out. We advise against using sharp or aged cheddar cheese in this recipe, as both tend to separate and turn greasy. Serve the quesadillas with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream. Finished quesadillas can be held on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven for up to 20 minutes.