garlic and rhubarb, but not together, a fritata, noodles and veg

 

what i've made recently

 

 

Fideo, and Sazon.  We liked this very much.  I also saw a recipe that used a few fresh roma tomatos pureed instead of the tomato sauce.  I would like to try that version as well.

This blueberry crumble was freaking amazing.  AMAZING.

Ooooh, The Mister bought some little fresh cheese pizzas for the kids, and one day I stole one and took it to work and put slices of tomatos and everything bagel seasoning on it.

Blueberry breakfast cake.  A close second to the crumble.

Savory cheese muffins.  These ones had whole wheat flour and smoked cheddar.

First we made the Potato Cheddar Chive Bakes, and then we made spinach, red pepper and feta bakes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies from One Part Plant.

We made a batch of instant pot egg bites with ham and cheese, and a batch with spinach and peppers.

Our chocolate muffin saga continues with Fluffy Chocolate Muffins

egg bites

 

snapshot - omelette game still strong

 

i made an omelette!

I've watched a few episodes of Selena and Chef on Crave, and it's a pretty fun show.  The premise if you haven't seen it is that professional chefs teach a non chef how to cook - over video chat.  Truly a made for a pandemic tv show.

I've had a couple of favorite episodes, but the episode with Chef Ludo Lefebvre was the top for me, because now I know how to make a real omelette.

When I was a kid my mom had one of those omelette pans that was 2 separate sides and hinged in the middle.  I don't think it really gave her the results she wanted, because I don't remember her using it a ton, but I do remember not being very excited about omelette breakfasts because the outside of the omelettes were always browned, and I HATE eggs that are cooked so long they brown.  Hate hate hate.  And because of that I never made them at home or ordered them at restaurants.  

But!  The recipe he showed Selena cooked quickly and didn't brown and I was so interested to try it, so I did, the very next morning.

You guys, making an omelette is so easy.  So easy!!!!!  I made 3 practically perfect omelettes in almost no time at all.

My favorite part might have been the filling - boursin cheese, which we happened to have in the fridge, yay, a cheese that the chef called something like "the velveeta of France."

 I've made them a few times now and they turn out lovely every time.  

If you've never tried to make one before you should!

Ludo Lefebvre's omelet recipe at Bon Appetit

Ludo Lefebvre's youtube video 

The easiest - hardboiled eggs in the Instant Pot

I think I've mentioned before that I am terrible - truly terrible! at peeling hard boiled eggs.

No matter what method I try I always gouge half the white off with the shell.  I can't help it; it's a gift.

Before we got our instant pot I'd read that making hardboiled eggs in it was not only easy, but they were super easy to peel too.  

It's a true damn miracle guys.

And it's also true that hardboiling the eggs in the IP is super easy as well.

Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the IP.  Place the steam rack in the pot, and lay on as many eggs as you'd like.

Put the lid on and set the pressure cook setting for 5 minutes.

When it beeps, let it sit for 5 more minutes, then vent to release the pressure.

Remove the eggs to an ice bath and let cool.

Not only is it fast and foolproof, but THE EGGS POP RIGHT OUT OF THE SHELLS.

It's a beautiful thing.

We've been making a batch every couple of weeks and I sometimes make a couple of deviled eggs for breakfast - and this weekend I've been eyeing this muffuletta deviled eggs recipe.

Happy Sunday!

Recipes I've made - no photos

I am always on the lookout for new pancake recipes and this one was a real winner. Light and fluffy and a hit with the kids. I froze the leftovers and they reheated quite nicely. Pete's Scratch Pancakes

I made these ham quiche cups for a Sunday dinner and they were easy and tasty.  The leftovers were delicious for breakfast.

Another Sunday dinner was this very very delicious slow cooker creamy beef stroganoff which was amazing!  Of course the kids didn't like it, but the adults did.

For dessert one night I made these peanut butter and jelly bars which were good but very very rich.  But good.

I have made this Asian peanut butter pork three times since finding the recipe.  Delicious tender pork with a killer sauce.

My end result looked nothing like the photo in the recipe- I either over cooked  my squash or over mixed it, so it lost the  individual strands, but the flavor of this yakisoba spaghetti squash was really great.

Ham and egg cups

This was Sunday breakfast last weekend - quick and easy and delicious.

Bread, crusts removed and flattened with a rolling pin.

Slices of ham

 Cheese

Eggs

Butter

Preheat oven to 350'

Lightly butter one side of each piece of bread. Place bread slices, butter side down, in muffin cups. Add a piece of ham to each cup, some sliced or shredded cheese, and an egg. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until eggs are done to your liking.

Carefully remove from muffin tin and serve. 

Breakfast from the Pioneer Woman

I cooked a couple of recipes from The Pioneer Woman for a project I ended up abandoning, but I thought I would share 2 of them with you anyway. This first one is a breakfast dish that you can prep ahead of time - Make Ahead Muffin Melts. Eggs and bacon are mixed with cheese, mayo and seasonings. Then when you are ready to eat you just smear the mixture on your bread or english muffin and broil. Easy.

I have never been good at peeling hard boiled eggs.

 

Here is the end result, which was good. I halved the recipe and also cut back on the amount of cheese and mayo because her quantities frightened me. I was sure Scott would love this, but some of the egg went to waste before we could get through it all. Still this would be a great breakfast for a group. I will definitely think of this next time the family comes to town.

                                                      Recipe:Make Ahead Muffin Melts

Light and fluffy scrambled eggs

This is my new favorite way to make scrambled eggs. They come out amazingly light and fluffy and contain only 2 ingredients.

Scrambled eggs with cottage cheese

Crack your eggs (however many you need) into a bowl and whisk. Add 1 tablespoon of cottage cheese for every egg. Whisk again. Cook as you normally would cook your scrambled eggs. (Please don't let them brown. Brown scrambled eggs are just wrong.)

Breakfast Sandwiches - Make em and freeze em.

I love breakfast! I do. I mentioned a while back that I like to have variety in my breakfast on the weekend, because my weekday breakfasts are boring toast or cereal. As I was driving to work the other morning I passed McDonalds and briefly fantasized about stopping and buying a McMuffin sandwich and enjoying a hot breakfast. I didn't, but as I ate my cereal at work I thought, why not make some breakfast sandwiches at home and freeze them, so I could have a breakfast that's not only hot but healthier than grabbing a drive thru sandwich.

I had all the necessary ingredients on hand - english muffins, eggs, cheese and ham, and the next morning before work I decided to put them together then so I could take one with me.

I used
6 english muffins
3 eggs and 2 egg whites
6 slices of cheese
sliced deli ham

I split and toasted the muffins and let them cool completely. I tore my cheese slices in pieces and put cheese on all the muffin halfs. You could use actual real cheese here if you wanted, but I love these fat free cheese slices.


Then I put some ham on half of the muffin pieces. You could use bacon, sausage, back bacon, or even omit the meat if you want. Tomato would be good if you were eating these fresh but it'd get soggy if you froze them. In my opinion.


Then cook your eggs. I only like scrambled eggs so that's what I made. I used 3 eggs and 2 egg whites. It was actually a little too much, next time I will do 2 eggs and 2 whites. Let the eggs cool so your sandwiches don't get soggy, then pile em on the muffins.


Then I wrapped 5 of them in foil, put them in a freezer bag and tossed them in the freezer. In theory I will take one out the night before, put it in the fridge to defrost, then nuke, toast or grill in the morning for a nice tasty hot breakfast.

I have since thawed and eaten on of the muffins and it held up very well. The bread didn't get soggy. The eggs tasted fine. Ham was good and cheese was yummy and gooey and dripped all over the place. Add a side of ketchup for dipping and it's a perfect portable breakfast!

Other breakfast ideas:

Ham and Apple Breakfast Pie
Lemon Cornmeal Waffles
Yogurt and Berry Parfait
Bannock
Breakfast Burritos

breakfast burritos

This is a recipe Scott and I made earlier this month, and although it needs just one small tweak (in my opinion) I am very pleased with it.
Almost every Saturday from April until October Scott and I went downtown to the Farmers Market. And almost every Saturday we'd share a piece of bannock for breakfast. The mornings that the the bannock table weren't there always bummed us out. One morning when they were absent we were just too hungry to hold off until lunch time, so we walked a couple of blocks over to one of Scotts favorite places downtown, Cowboy Coffee. We were standing in line to order our coffee and tea when Scott spied a little pile of breakfast burritos in the glass pastry case. We ordered one which they warmed in the microwave and then crisped up in the panini press. It was wonderful, with egg, bacon, cheese, onions and some salsa. We gobbled it down and from then on were secretly pleased on Saturday mornings when there was no bannock so we could have a burrito.

But now the market is over, and those burritos aren't free, so we decided to try to make some at home. It was surprisingly easy, and we soon had 10 good sized burritos wrapped up in foil waiting to be eaten.

Here's our ingredient list:

1 1/2 lb potatos, cooked and chopped
1/2 lb bacon, chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 bell peppers, chopped
salt and pepper
300 g cheddar cheese, grated
12 eggs
10 large flour tortillas
salsa
foil

I had planned to cook the potatos the night before, but forgot so while we were getting the other ingredients ready, I steamed the potatos in the microwave, then cut them into medium chunks. You don't want the chunks too big so they fall out of the wrap while you eat it, but not too small so they don't disappear into the mix.

Chop up the bacon. Heat a large pan over medium high heat and cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tb of the bacon fat, reserving the rest. Add the onion and peppers to the pan and cook until the start to color and soften. Add the potatos and continue to cook until the peppers are soft and all the ingredients have some nice color to them. If you think the pan needs it, add some of the reserved bacon fat. Stir in the cooked bacon.


Crack your eggs into a bowl. Add 1/3 of the cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Whisk until the eggs are all broken up.


Turn the heat down to medium low and carefully pour the eggs in over the meat and veggies.


Cook slowly, stirring and turning as needed, until the eggs are set; not runny but not hard. Remove from the heat and set aside.

While the eggs are cooking, set out your 10 tortillas on foil, or just on the counter if you are going to store them some other way. When your eggs are done, divide the eggs between the tortillas.


Top the eggs with the remainder of the cheese and some salsa.


Then wrap them up.


I'll mention the one adjustment I will make for next time. My tin of salsa was small, about 200g, and it wasn't really enough. It was ok, but not great. My parents were our only testers on this recipe (I thought taking breakfast burritos to my co-workers was a little weird), and we all thought it was a little skimpy on the salsa. Next time I'll start with maybe 1 1/2 times that and see how it looks. But that's totally a taste thing, and what I think is not enough salsa someone else might think is perfect.


But how did they taste?


FANTASTIC. We loved them. Other then the salsa issue, there is nothing I would change. We ate one that morning after wrapping all those other ones up, and then a couple of days later I tried the coffee shop method and nuked one a little before finishing it off in our counter top grill. It was so, so good.


We tossed the rest in the freezer, and I'm happy to report that they still taste great! I was afraid that freezing might affect the taste or texture, but not at all.

When we went to the last market of the year, the bannock guys weren't there. We headed down to the coffee shop and tried their other flavor of breakfast burrito - Southwestern! Look for a recipe here soon.

ARF 5 A Day - Spanish Frittata

I know I've mentioned this a few times before, but I'd never made a frittata before until I reviewed this book last year. Now I am a frittata making machine!

A frittata is an Italian omelet that has the filling mixed in with the eggs, rather than the filling being folded between the two halves of cooked egg like a French omelet. The Frittata can be finished under the broiler, or flipped to cook the top side. I prefer them to omelets because they are easier to make. I also prefer the broiler to trying to flip them. I'm sure the top of my stove and my floor thank me for making that choice.

This one is a Spanish Frittata. I wanted to use chorizo sausage, but the only brand I could find is one that I am not fond of, so I used turkey sausage instead. It was delicious, and we didn't miss the spiciness of the chorizo at all, because right after I took the picture below the whole thing got doused in hot sauce.

Since this recipe contains potato, and the mighty spud is a good source of antioxidants, I am submitting this to Cate at Sweetnicks for her weekly Antioxidant Rich Foods round up.

Spanish Frittata

2 tb oil
1 large sausage (chorizo, turkey), chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 medium red or white skinned potato, cooked and chopped
4 eggs
3 tb water
salt and pepper

In a large pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the sausage and onion and cook until the sausage is cooked through and the onions have softened. Add the potato and cook 3 or 4 more minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Whisk the eggs and water together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and add some finely chopped rosemary if you have any. Push the sausage and potatos evenly around the pan, then carefully pour in the eggs. Adjust your heat so the eggs cook slowly. Every few minutes, push the cooked eggs gently towards the center of the pan, allowing the uncooked eggs to run to the bottom of the pan. Continue to do this until the eggs are almost set. Place the pan under the broiler and cook, watching constantly until the eggs are set and the top is just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and carefully invert the eggs onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

Sandwich Week! Day Five

Day Five already! Today's sandwich is....










The Bacon and Eggwich.




While certainly not the healthiest sandwich in the world, this can be whipped up for a fast breakfast, lunch or dinner in minutes. If you use the microwave it can be even faster.

Here's how we make our eggwiches.

I only like my eggs scrambled, and for this sandwich Scott likes his fried. So, do what you will with your egg. Cook some bacon, 2 (or more) strips per sandwich. Sometimes we use bread, sometimes buns, sometimes bagels. Toast your bread item, if desired, and spread a little bit of mayo on one piece of bread. When your eggs and bacon are done, assemble your sandwich. Place the egg on the bottom piece of bread, then a slice of cheese. Top with the bacon and then douse the whole thing with hot sauce. Top with the other bread, and serve straight away, with ketchup on the side for dipping.


Daily Question - Your favorite restaurant is going to name a sandwich after you. What does it have in it? Leave your answer in the comments below.

Trivia Question 5 - What is the official Pepper of Texas? Save up your answers to the 7 trivia questions and email them to me on Day 7. A winner will be drawn and will be sent a prize!

O is for...

O is for Onion.
Who: The Onion.
What: An underground bulb related to the lily. Classified as a vegetable.
When: Onions and their kin date back to the Egyptian age. Egyptians worshipped the onion, believing it symbolized eternal life. Onions have also always been a staple food in Indian cuisine.
Where: Onions are easy to grow anywhere there is sun. Plant in December for onions in May to June.
Why: Onions are an excellent source of Vitamin C and fibre. They are fat, sodium and cholesterol free.

Onions are available for purchase fresh, frozen, canned, pickled, freeze dried and powdered.

Also in the onion family: leeks, chives, garlic and shallots.

Onions contain sulfuric compounds that cause watering of the eyes when an onion is cut. There are many wives tales to remedy the situation - including freezing the onion, wearing goggles and holding a spoon in your mouth.





Soupe A L'Oignon

From Mastering the Art of French Cooking
by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck


6-8 servings

1 1/2 lb or about 5 cups of thinly sliced yellow onions
3 tb butter
1 tb oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
3 tb flour
2 quarts boiling brown stock
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
salt and pepper to taste
3 tb cognac
rounds of hard toasted french bread
1 or 2 cups grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese

Cook the onions slowly with the butter and oil in a covered saucepan for 15 minutes.

Uncover, raise heat to moderate, and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes stirring frequently, until the onions have turned a deep even golden brown.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 3 minutes.

Off heat, blend in the boiling liquid. Add the wine, and season to taste. Simmer partially covered for 30 to 40 minutes or more, skimming occasionally. Correct seasoning.

Just before serving, stir in the cognac. Pour into a soup tureen or soup cups over the rounds of bread, and pass the cheese separately.



Spinach Salad with Mushrooms and Roasted Onions

We vary the dressing we use on this, but our current favorite is President's Choice Blue Cheese Vinaigrette.

Spinach Salad:

Spinach leaves
Sliced Mushrooms
Parmesan Cheese
Dressing
Roasted Onions

Toss the spinach and mushrooms together. Sprinkle with cheese and top with the onions. Drizzle with dressing of your choice.


Roasted Onions

for salad for 4

1 red onion, sliced into rings
2 tb honey
4 tb olive oil

Preheat oven to 350'. Separate the onion into rings on a parchment covered baking sheet. Mix together the honey and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the onions and toss together. Bake for 15 minutes, then stir and bake for another 10 or 15 minutes until slightly brown and crisp.




Leek and Pepper Frittata

4 eggs
40 g goats cheese
1 colored pepper, chopped
1 leek, white part only, cleaned, halved and cut into rings
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tb oil
salt and pepper

Whisk the eggs, cheese, a bit of salt and pepper, and 2 tb water. Set aside. In a medium pan heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the peppers and leeks and cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic and cook until the peppers are soft and the leeks are starting to color. Pour in the eggs. Cover and lower the heat to medium, let cook until set. Place under the broiler for a few minutes to finish setting the top if needed.

Serves 2 to 4, depending on how hungry your husband is.

Did you know? The word ONION comes from the Latin word UNUS meaning oneness or unity.

Previous Alphabet Posts:
A is for Artichoke
B is for Beet
C is for Carrot
D is for Dogs
E is for Egg
F is for Fondue
G is for Garlic
H is for Hamburger
I is for Indian Food
J is for Jamie Oliver
K is for Kaffir Lime Leaves
L is for Lobster
M is for Mushroom
N is for Noodle

E is for...

E is for Eggs.
Who: Eggs
What: Eggs are... well, we all know what eggs are. Let's just say that most eggs that are consumed by us are of the chicken variety. You can also get duck, goose, ostrich and quail. The shell is also edible, but is rarely eaten.
When: Eggs are readily available.
Where: Hmm, eggs are readily available everywhere!
Why: Eggs are an excellent source of protein. They are also a good source of Vitamins A, D and E. All the fat contained in an egg is in the yolk. One egg has 70 calories and 5 grams of fat.

The health community seems to always be changing their minds on whether eggs are actually bad or good for us. Right now it seems that the general consensus is that eggs are good. They are inexpensive and easy to prepare. Eggs can be used in sweet and savory dishes. On their own they can be hard or soft boiled, pickled, scrambled, fried and baked. Eggs are crucial in the preparation of Mayonnaise, Hollandaise sauce, and custards.

Did you know? The world's largest omelet was made in Madrid by Chef Carlos Fernandez. It was made from 5,000 eggs and weighed 1,320 lbs!


Damn Good Eggs
2 servings

6 eggs
2 tb butter
2 tb cream
salt and pepper

equipment:
double boiler or a pot and large heat proof bowl.

Fill the bottom of your real or makeshift double boiler with water, about half full. Make sure the water doesn't touch the top pot or bowl. Bring water to a simmer. Place the top of the double boiler or bowl over. Put 1 tb of butter in the bowl and heat until the butter is melted. Check the water occasionally to make sure it is never at more than a gentle simmer. When the butter is melted, crack in the eggs and add the cream. Stir gently to blend together. Let cook over the simmering water, stirring carefully every 2-3 minutes.When the eggs are almost set to your liking, break up the last tb of butter over top and fold in. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until set.
Serve straight away. Squirt with ketchup if you must, but they won't need it!



Egg Foo Young

Serves 2-4

6 eggs
1 can of oriental vegetables, drained
oil

Sauce

1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tb sugar
2 tb tamari
1 tb rice vinegar

Whisk together the eggs and the vegetables (I sometimes add some grated carrot or thinly sliced mushrooms to the vegetables depending what brand I buy and what they have in them. This particular time the veggies were bean sprouts, water chestnuts and baby corn). Heat a bit of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot add a ladleful of the eggs to form a small patty. Cook for 3-4 minutes on both sides until set. Keep them warm while you make the rest of the patties.

Serve with the sauce or with hoisin or soy.

To make the sauce - combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Serve warm over the egg foo young.


Previous Alphabet Posts:
A is for...
B is for...
C is for...
D is for...