Sunday mornings are usually the best time of the week to enjoy a relaxing breakfast while lazily reading the paper. We've just gotten out of bed around 9 a.m., started the coffee, went outside in our robe to get the Sunday edition of The Citizen, and have plopped ourselves at the kitchen table to catch up with the goings on of the world.

Oddly enough there is something missing. We hear a faint grumbling coming from somewhere. Ah yes, we are hungry for some breakfast.

Well we could have one of those pastry things that goes in the toaster, but they are filled with fat and sugar. Not a good idea.

We could have some french toast or pancakes, but then we would want to go back to bed after consuming all those carbs.

Eggs? The only problem with eggs is that they get cold real fast after they come off the burner.

There's always cereal, but we had that for dinner last night because we were too lazy to cook after happy hour.

I've got it.

How about something with only five ingredients that we can whip up all together, throw in the oven and have ready in time to eat while reading the wedding announcements.

On top of that this breakfast treat is not loaded with sugar, fat or preservatives and will not leave you with that just after Thanksgiving dinner weightiness. There is also a bonus, you can customize it.

Well what is it you ask? It's a popover.

A popover is a puffy, hollow bread leavened by steam that gets its name due to the fact that it “pops over” the sides of the cup that it is baked in.

The popover is an American creation with roots in English cooking. Often compared to Yorkshire Pudding, the main difference between them is that the pudding is cooked in beef or lamb drippings and served more as a dinner roll. The Yorkshire Pudding isn't a pudding like we think a pudding is, but actually refers to anything baked, boiled or steamed that is soft. Pudding is also another name for blood sausage.

Making popovers is similar to making chocolate chip cookies. Some people like their cookies chewy and some like them crispy, and some people like their popovers custardy and some like them crusty. Depending on how we want to eat our breakfast, the recipe varies slightly.

One of the most important things to remember when making popovers is to have all the ingredients at room temperature. For softer breads, we start by mixing three large eggs in a bowl on low until frothy, then add one cup of milk (I used 2 percent) and three tablespoons of melted butter until blended.

Next we add one cup of all-purpose flour and a half teaspoon of salt and beat the batter until smooth. You can use custard cups, popover pans or muffin pans. Fill the greased cups (PAM cooking spray works really well) three-quarters full. Bake in a 375 degree pre-heated oven for 50 minutes, slit a small hole in the top to release some steam then bake another 10 minutes. Do not open the oven while the popovers are rising or they will fall. This recipe makes four popovers using custard cups and a dozen using a muffin pan. Unless you plan on making tons of popovers then there really isn't any reason to buy specialty pans. These softer popovers are better eaten within the same day and piping hot from the oven. We enjoy ours with butter and honey or jam.

The preceding recipe was adapted from “The New Good Housekeeping Cookbook.”

For a longer lasting and sturdier popover the recipe changes a bit. In a blender, combine one tablespoon melted butter, one cup of all-purpose flour, one and a half teaspoon kosher salt, two large eggs and one cup of whole milk (I used a combination of 2 percent and half n' half).

Again remember that all ingredients must be room temperature.

Blend for 30 seconds then divide batter into six greased custard cups and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, then slit the top to release some steam to prevent sogginess.

This recipe produced a crustier bread that would be great to fill with items like chopped fruit, chicken salad or sauteed vegetables. Any leftovers can be placed in a zip bag for later consumption cold or reheated in a 400 degree oven for three minutes.

This recipe is courtesy of Alton Brown of the Food Network.

A few points to remember when making popovers: always have the ingredients at room temperature, use all-purpose flour, use real eggs, you need at least 2 percent milk fat for a tasty popover, don't over mix the batter, grease the muffin cups well, don't peek while they are cooking and remove from pan after baking to prevent sogginess.

Popovers can also be made with cheese inside, ground nuts, lemon zest or by substituting half of the flour with whole wheat for a healthier bread.

They are a breakfast trend definitely worth bringing back to the family table.

Valerie Usowski, an Auburn native, is the banquet manager at the Auburn Holiday Inn and a Culinary Institute of America graduate.