This warm bread is an easy-to-make breakfast or snack on the boat. Recipes serve 4.
Toast is a universal comfort food. During the cold winter in New Hampshire, my dad toasted homemade bread on our cast iron oil-burning stove and then topped it with a fried slice of ham and a fried egg. It was crisp, runny, and delicious. I have fond memories of these toasty breakfasts and find that it is a cinch to prepare on a boat. Whether using a toaster, oven, or grill, or sautéing bread in butter on the stove top, toast is not fancy, but supremely satisfying! Butter, jam, or Nutella are great toppings, but there are countless ways to turn simple toast into a hearty breakfast, lunch, or snack. When toast is the centerpiece of a meal, I like using a sturdy whole-grain or sourdough bread.
Simple Cheese Toast
4 slices of bread, toasted
4 slices of Swiss, provolone, gouda, cheddar, or fresh mozzarella cheese
Optional toppings: sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, or peppers
Top toast with cheese and broil or bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit on a sheet pan or in a covered skillet on a stove top set to medium. Serve as soon as the cheese melts with an optional topping if you wish.
Pear, Goat Cheese, and Nut Toast
4 slices of bread, toasted
4-6 Tbsp. goat cheese
8 thin slices of fresh pear
4 tsp. honey
4 tsp. chopped walnuts, pecans, or sliced almonds
Spread toasted bread with goat cheese, top with sliced pear, drizzle with honey, and top with nuts.
Honey Berry Toast
4 slices of bread, toasted
4 Tbsp. ricotta (or crème fraiche, mascarpone, or cream cheese)
4 tsp. honey
1 tsp. lemon peel, grated
4 Tbsp. berries (sliced, if large)
Spread warm toast with ricotta, drizzle with honey, then sprinkle each piece of toast with a little lemon peel and berries.
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Fig and Blue Cheese Toast
4 slices of bread, toasted
4 -6 Tbsp. blue cheese
1 tsp. dried thyme
4 fresh figs, halved or 4 dried figs, quartered
Spread toast with blue cheese. Broil, bake, or sauté until cheese melts, then top with thyme and figs.
Chutney Cheddar Toast
4 slices of bread, toasted
4 Tbsp. sweet or hot chutney
4 slices of sharp cheddar
Spread toast with chutney and top with cheese. Broil, bake, or sauté until melted.
Apple Pie Toast
4 slices of bread, toasted
4 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. each cinnamon and sugar
10-12 thin slices of apple
4 slices of sharp cheddar (or enough to cover toast)
Spread toast with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then top with apple slices and cheese. Broil, bake, or sauté until cheese melts.
Meat and Cheese Toast
4 slices of bread, toasted
4 slices of fried ham or bacon
4 slices of Swiss cheese
4 sunny-side up eggs (optional)
Lay ham on toasted bread, then cheese, and broil, bake, or sauté until cheese melts. Add a cooked sunny-side up egg on top for a full breakfast.
Banana Bacon Toast
4 slices of bread, toasted
4 Tbsp. peanut butter
8 slices of banana
4 tsp. honey
8 slices of cooked bacon
Spread each piece of toast with peanut butter, then lay sliced banana on top, drizzle with honey, and top with bacon slices.
-by Lori Ross
