Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but it also can be one of the hardest to do right.

The get-out-the-door-frenzy most of us face makes it easy to make decisions that are good for neither our wallets nor our health. Grab-and-go fast food breakfasts or a pit stop at the coffee shop can cost plenty of cash and calories.

Stocking up on healthy cereal, such as low-fat granola, is a good way to avoid this. Many grocers and natural food stores offer bulk cereals at lower prices than boxed varieties, many costing less than 50 cents per serving.

And keep a selection of portable fruits, such as bananas, peaches, apples and oranges, which can get you out the door even faster on particularly crazy mornings.

Another easy and inexpensive solution is to bake a batch of all-in-one breakfast muffins during the weekend. With about 20 minutes effort you can have a dozen breakfasts lined up (muffins freeze particularly well).

While blueberry and banana muffins are popular choices, many recipes are more sugar than fruit and can leave you hungry by midmorning. But these buttermilk-based savory ham and cheese breakfast muffins are loaded with hunger-fighting protein.

And at just about 65 cents each, they are a much better bet than those costly coffee shop pastries.

These muffins stay fresh in the refrigerator for three days, or can be sealed in plastic wrap and frozen for up to two months. To reheat, remove the plastic wrap, cover the muffin in a paper towel and microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds.

Ham and cheese buttermilk breakfast muffins

Start to finish: 45 minutes (20 minutes active)

Servings: 12

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 large eggs

11⁄3 cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 1 bunch)

1 cup diced ham (6 ounces)

1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

1⁄2 cup finely diced red bell pepper (1 small)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or line it with muffin cups.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pepper, salt and cayenne pepper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil and butter. Stir in the scallions, ham, cheese and bell pepper.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and use a rubber spatula to mix until just moistened. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan (the cups will be very full).

Bake the muffins until the tops are browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife and transfer the muffins to a cooling rack. Serve warm.

To store, individually wrap the muffins in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month. To reheat, remove the plastic wrap, cover the muffin in a paper towel and microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds.

Pumpkin and apples wed well in oven pancake

By The Associated Press

Be sure to serve this light, baked pancake from Lou Seibert Pappas' "A Harvest of Pumpkins and Squash" as soon as it comes out of the oven. Cast-iron skillets work particularly well with baked pancakes.

SAUTEED APPLE-PUMPKIN OVEN PANCAKE

Start to finish: 40 minutes (15 minutes active)

Servings: 6 to 8

4 large eggs

2⁄3 cup canned pumpkin

2⁄3 cup whole milk

2⁄3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1⁄8 teaspoon salt

11⁄2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

4 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, divided

3 tablespoons butter, divided

4 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into 3⁄8-inch slices

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Heat the oven to 425 F. Place a large cast-iron skillet or a 10- or 11-inch round souffle or casserole dish in the oven to heat.

In a blender, combine the eggs, pumpkin, milk, flour, vanilla, salt, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar. Blend for a few seconds to just mix the ingredients. Scrape the sides and blend again to incorporate. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the apples and saute until just tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1⁄2 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Stir to coat the apples, then remove the skillet from the heat.

Remove the cast-iron skillet from the oven and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, tilting to coat the bottom.

Spoon the sauteed apples over the bottom of the cast-iron skillet. Pour the batter over the hot apples, then bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

(Recipe adapted from Lou Seibert Pappas' "A Harvest of Pumpkins and Squash," Chronicle Books, 2008)

Get a taste of the tropics with pineapple crisp

By The Associated Press

When Priscilla Southworth moved from Hawaii to New Hampshire, she brought back this recipe for pineapple crisp. It was such a hit, it was included in the cookbook her West Congregational Church in Concord, N.H., published last year.

PINEAPPLE CRISP

Start to finish: 1 hour (15 minutes active)

Servings: 8

1 large pineapple, peeled, quartered, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks

1⁄4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1⁄2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces

Heat the oven to 350 F.

In a deep, 2-quart baking dish, combine the pineapple, sugar and tapioca, tossing to mix well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and flour. Add the butter and use a pastry blender or butter knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it forms a crumbly mix.

Sprinkle the butter and flour mixture over the pineapple.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly and the top is browned and crisp. Cool on a wire rack.

(Recipe from West Congregational Church's "175 Years and Still Cooking," Morris Press Cookbooks, 2007)

Homemade lemon pie without the labor

By The Associated Press

Emily Dyer included this simple lemon pie recipe in a family cookbook she and her four sisters assembled and self-published last year. It was a family favorite because her husband's mother made it for her son whenever he visited.

This pie has an assertive lemon bite. If you prefer it milder, add another half can of condensed milk and another egg yolk.

GRANNY'S EFFORTLESS LEMON PIE

Start to finish: 1 hour 45 minutes (15 minutes active)

Servings: 8

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

2 egg yolks

3⁄4 cup lemon juice

1 prepared graham cracker pie crust

Whipped cream (for decorating the top)

Heat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, egg yolks and lemon juice. Pour the mixture into the crust, then bake for 7 minutes, or until the center is set. Remove from the oven and let cool 20 minutes.

Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Just before serving, decorate the top with whipped cream.

(Recipe from Catherine, Francine, Margaret, Emily and Lil Dyer's "You Want me to Bring 'A Dish?'" Lulu.com, 2007)

Savory popovers are easy to make, go with anything

By PATRICK DECKER

For The Associated Press

Popovers complement nearly any meal and are a great alternative to dinner rolls. They can be filled with vegetables, such as chopped spinach or corn, and any variety of cheese. Serve warm from the oven with butter.

CHEDDAR BROCCOLI POPOVERS

Start to finish: 45 minutes (10 minutes active)

Servings: 6

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup all-purpose flour

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup milk

3 eggs

1⁄2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1⁄2 cup frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

Heat the oven to 450 F.

Prepare a 6-cup popover pan by spraying each cup with cooking spray and drizzling about 1⁄2 teaspoon of the butter in each.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk vigorously until the batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Whisk the cheese into the batter.

Fill each of the prepared popover cups about a third full with batter; there will be batter left over.

Divide the chopped broccoli between the cups, then divide the remaining batter between the cups, pouring it over the broccoli (the cups should be about two-thirds full).

Bake the popovers for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 F and bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until the popovers are risen and deep golden brown. Transfer the popovers to a wire rack to cool briefly. Serve warm.