Muffins, biscuits make for easy breakfasts. Here’s more.

Preschoolers to collegians have been home since late March. This means moms, grandparents, guardians and even aunts and uncles must plan three meals a day for their younger relatives.

During the school year, some kids grab breakfast at school or through the drive-through at a fast-food restaurant. Diligent moms or relatives have a hot breakfast ready for the kids or at least juice and cereal.

I admit it: I was spoiled to my granddaughter having breakfast at school. Now, we go through a box of cereal quickly, or she gets tired of that brand and wants a new cereal that sounds better. Sometimes she wants a muffin, biscuit or doughnut, and others she wants bacon and eggs.

Now, I am not a morning person. I am a night owl who doesn’t care to eat breakfast until at least 10 a.m. If it is eggs and a meat, I probably will skip lunch. Not a good idea, I know, but I do. I usually prefer a bagel with cream cheese and fruit or an English muffin with peanut butter and jam or a protein smoothie.

With my granddaughter, it is a different story. She wakes up hungry. She’s ready for food. To keep all of us happy, I have found some muffin recipes that we all enjoy. My daughter is out the door by 6:30 or 7 for work, and happily grabs a muffin and a to-go coffee. Lilly’s up by 8 or 8:30 and grabs a muffin or wakes me up to prepare breakfast or to help her make pancakes.

She attended a hands-on cooking camp earlier this summer, and I bought her a cookbook for her birthday. Now, she wants to cook everything. Last night, I was mincing garlic, and she said, “I can do that, Mamie, Chef Danie taught us.” She proceeded to take my knife and cutting board and mince the garlic.

I also found microwave muffin pans that cook muffins in the microwave in 3 minutes for six or a double stack two pans for 12 muffins in 6 minutes. The pans work well.

If home cooks like to have a ready-to-go breakfast, here are some muffin ideas that may work well for all the family just like they do for us.

Snickerdoodle muffiins

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 cup oats

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup milk

Mix all dry ingredients together, flour, oats and 1/2 cup of sugar

Mix egg, butter, vanilla and milk

Add wet mixture to dry mixture. Mix until everything is mixed well.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 of the way full, Bake at 400 for 12-14 minutes.

While baking, mix the topping together, 1/3 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Once muffins are out put topping on muffins. If you prefer a lot of topping, brush a little melted butter on top of muffin to get more of the topping to stick. – Just a Pinch Recipe Club

Easy sweet potato biscuits

1/3 cup light butter

2 3/4 cups reduced-fat all-purpose baking mix

1 cup sweet potato, mashed

1/2 cup 2 percent reduced fat milk

Cut butter into baking mix with a pastry blender or 2 forks until mixture is crumbly. Whisk together sweet potato and milk; add to butter mixture, stirring with a fork just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 4 or 5 times. (Dough will be moist.) Pat or roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a 2-inch round cutter. Place biscuits on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 2 dozen. – Mississippi Sweet Potato Council

Savory breakfast muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 1 bunch)

3/4 cup diced Canadian bacon (3 ounces)

1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.

Combine whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, pepper and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk eggs, buttermilk, olive oil and butter in a medium bowl. Fold in scallions, bacon, cheese and bell pepper. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until just moistened. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan (the cups will be very full).

Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges and turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Make ahead tip: Individually wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. To reheat, remove plastic, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds.

Reheat and run: Bake muffins on weekends and enjoy the leftovers for grab-and-go weekday breakfasts. Wrap leftover muffins individually in plastic wrap, place in a plastic storage container or zip top bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To thaw: remove plastic wrap, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on high 30 to 60 seconds. --- www.cooking.com/

Andrea Yeager can be reached at ayeager51@cableone.net/ and Cooks Exchange, 205 DeBuys Road, Biloxi, MS 39535-4567.