This set of recipes embodies my split personality during the winter months. There's a side of me that's ecstatic for the cold weather because it's an excuse to indulge in comfort foods. But there's another side of me that wonders why I continue to live somewhere that's buried under snow for four months out of the year – and that side wants to forget about fall and winter flavors and turn its attention instead to light, summery flavors that are just around the corner.

Turns out, that second personality has gotten her way, and I'm taking off to visit my grandparents in Florida this week. So as an ode to Florida, and to my grandparents' love of a traditional breakfast, I made this trio of desserts called The Early Bird Special.

French Toast Donuts

You'll need:

A donut pan
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar for the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoon butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tsp maple flavoring

Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees and grease your donut pan with vegetable shortening or oil. Sprinkle the cavities with sugar, shaking out excess.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, syrup, butter, eggs, milk, vanilla and maple flavor. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing just until combined. Fill each donut cavity 2/3 full and bake for 8 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove from pans while still hot and cool on a wire rack. Best served warm.

Bacon Nest

Being a vegetarian, I used Morning Star Farms veggie bacon for this, but the real thing will work as well. Using a pizza cutter, slice cold bacon into think strips. Heat two tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Carefully drop strips into hot oil, allowing them to curl as they cook. Turn pieces over to ensure proper cooking. (Veggie bacon tends not to curl, so to achieve the “nest” look you'll need to manipulate it with tongs while it cooks.) Place nest atop donuts and drizzle with maple syrup.

OJ Granita

You'll need:

1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
Zest of 2 oranges
Juice of 6 oranges (12 oz)
Juice of one lemon

In a small sauce pan, bring water, sugar and orange zest to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Mix in the orange and lemon juice, and pour into a shallow pan. A baking sheet with raised edges works well, or a jelly roll pan.

Cover with foil and freeze 1-2 hours until solid around edges. Scrape mixture with a fork, mixing from the edges inward. Repeat the freezing and scraping process every 30 minutes (at least three times) until the entire mixture is flakey. When ready to serve, scrape into serving dishes.

Chocolate-covered Espresso Beans

You might want to use decaf if you are actually serving this to your grandparents.

Choose freshly roasted medium roast coffee or espresso beans – a local roaster is best for truly freshly roasted beans. (Coffee & Tea Exchange, for example.) Any good quality chocolate will do – I like Ghirardelli dark chocolate. You can use chunks, squares or chips.

Set up a double boiler – which is simply one heat-proof vessel sitting atop another. I use a Pyrex glass bowl over a large pot. In the bottom pot, heat 2” water on medium-low heat– you don't want the water to actually touch the top pan or bowl. Place the chocolate – chopped, if you're using squares or chunks – in the top bowl and slowly melt it while you stir.

Once the chocolate it smooth, turn off the heat and allow it to cool for a minute. Mix in 1/3 cup of espresso beans. Use a small spook or fork to remove the beans from the chocolate and place them on a sheet of wax paper to cool – make sure the beans are not sticking together. You can cool them in the refrigerator or freezer if desired. When the chocolate cools and hardens, serve them in an espresso cup along side your donuts, bacon nest and granita.