BLT Benedict

Back in September, I had the fun chance to spend a day in the city with some of my favorite girlfriends. We were celebrating a birthday, so of course, that had to involve delicious food! We went to an awesome breakfast/brunch place called The Bongo Room. It was a hecka long wait to get in, but it was well worth it... well, ok, I didn't love what I got. I STILL don't know what I was thinking!! BUT... But, what everyone else got looked incredible {& we did get 2 orders of sweet pancakes to share. Those were heavenly}!

One meal in particular caught my eye, and after trying a bite of my friends, I decided right then and there I would be recreating it at home very soon. And let me tell you... I was so glad I did. We LOVED it. In fact my husband went back and poached himself another egg because he couldn't get enough.

Since I totally just copied this from what I saw, there is no real recipe, but I will tell you what I did. If you like Eggs Benedict & Pesto, this is a must try!!

{also, I took the easy route and used store bought Hollandaise sauce, but I am sure this would be even better if you were to make it from scratch.}

BLT Benedict

Eggs {poached}

English Muffins

Spinach

Bacon

Tomatoes

Pesto Sauce

Hollandaise Sauce

Start by cooking your bacon. I wanted it to have some substance, so I purchased thick cut Applewood Smoked Bacon. Next, wash your tomatoes and spinach, slice tomatoes, and set aside.

Next prepare your poached egg. If you have never poached an egg before, it is incredibly easy. Much easier than I expected it to be the first time I tried it. And lets be honest, who cares if it doesn't look perfect?! Here is a basic instruction video to show you an EASY way to poach eggs:

While your eggs are cooking, prepare your sauce according to the package directions {of course if you are making homemade, I would start there instead of the bacon!}. Add in pesto sauce (to taste) and whisk. Toast your muffin and prepare it by layering spinach, tomato, and bacon on top. When your egg is ready, place it on top of the bacon, and pour a good amount of hollandaise on top. Eat while hot!

Really, its that simple folks. Like I said, no real recipe, just an idea and ingredients.

Now I REALLY want this.

Like, NOW! 

Breaded Cauliflower

I shared my memory of where I was when I found about about the 9.11 attacks on another site today and thought I would share here too. I can't believe it has been 10 years already. I was in 7th grade waiting in my classroom for school to start (the bus dropped us off 45 minutes early). My next door neighbor said she had heard that a plane flew through a building in NY just before we left home. I thought it was too weird to be true. A teacher came into our classroom crying and turned on the news, then we saw the 2nd plane hit. Shortly after, another girl who had family on the east coast, and I were called down to the main office. I was so scared because we couldn't get a hold of my grandpa and he was supposed to be at the pentagon that day. Due to another emergency at another office he wasn't there and his co-workers were late and they pulled up into the parking lot as the plane came down. Six hours later, my grandpa was finally able to get home (normally 20-30 min away). My grandma worked at the World Bank and she experienced bomb threats on a regular basis. As soon as she heard the news, she left her office which was about a block away from the white house. She said as she was driving home she looked in the rear view mirror and there was a mob of cars behind her. She said she felt like Moses parting the Red Sea and leading everyone through. It was a big relief for us but a lot of loss and sadness that day.

Where were you on 9.11? What was your reaction?


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This is similar in ingredients to this post but they taste quite a bit different.

1 head cauliflower, broken into florets (about 5 cups)
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup butter


Minced fresh parsley, optional
Place cauliflower and a small amount of water in a skillet.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Drain and set aside.


In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and seasonings.  Place bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a large resealable plastic bag.  Add a few florets at a time into the egg mixture; toss to coat.  


Using a slotted spoon, transfer cauliflower to crumb mixture; toss to coat.


In a skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Cook cauliflower in batches until golden brown, about 4 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley if desired.


*I put the cauliflower on a plate covered with a paper towel to drain some of the butter after removing it from a skillet.


4-6 servings

Pavlova

January 26th is Australia Day, which was good enough reason for me to make Pavlova, a truly Australian dessert. It is one of my FAVOURITE desserts and people would make it for us all the time when I lived Down Unda'. I realized this morning that I never actually posted the recipe, so here it is!

I remember my uncle trying to make Pavlova at our home when I was younger, and telling me how hard it was to make. I had been home from Australia for probably a year when I finally decided that it really couldn't be that hard to make. And guess what, its not! It only has 4 ingredients (other than the topping), and you just have to make sure you whip it long enough, and cook it long enough.

I have made large Pav's, as well as small individual Pav's. I actually prefer to make the smaller ones these days. I find they are easier to serve, as well as decorate. There are lots of different recipe's online, but this is the one I have used for years & it has never failed me. Australian's use a much finer sugar called castor sugar, but its harder to find in the states (and expensive!), so I just use regular sugar... that's where "whipping it long enough" comes into play.

I forgot to take a picture of these before I served them to my young women, so sorry this isn't such a great picture. I almost always try to put some kind of red fruit on them, but strawberries and raspberries were just too pricey in the middle of January. If these had been for a special occasion, I might have splurged.

Pavlova

4 Large Egg Whites

1 Cup Sugar

1/2 TBSP. Cornstarch

1 tsp. White Vinegar

Topping:

Fresh Whipping Cream, whipped with a small amount of Vanilla & Powdered Sugar

Fresh Fruit, (washed & sliced) such as:

Strawberries

Blueberries

Kiwis

Blackberries

Raspberries

Passion Fruit

Banana's (not my cup o' tea!)

(berry varieties are good... an apple would be pretty nasty!)

Whip egg whites in electric mixer on medium-high speed, until soft peaks form. Start adding sugar about a tablespoon at a time, continuing to whip, until meringue forms stiff peaks.

Sprinkle the cornstarch and vinegar over the meringue and gently fold in with a rubber spatula.

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper, and either make one very large circle with the meringue, or make small individual ones. Make sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher than the center... you want a slight well in the center of the Pavlova so you can fill it with cream and fruit.

Pre heat oven to 250 degrees. For large Pav, bake about 1 hour and 15 minutes. For individual Pav's bake about 40 minutes.

You will notice that as the Pavlova is cooling, it will start to slightly crack. That's normal, and ok because you will top it with the fresh fruit and cream. Make sure they are completely cooled before adding toppings. Decorate, Eat... and enjoy.

Christmas Quiche {egg puffs}

I have been slacking off folks. Its not that I haven't been cooking... I just haven't been posting! Such a busy time of year. But I did want to post this delicious breakfast dish. We have had these on Christmas morning for the last few years and we love them! One of my favorite parts about this recipe is that the majority of it is done the night before. So, once the kids are all tucked into bed with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, you can start the process of Christmas day cooking! Or just make them whenever you feel like a good mini quiche... I've been known to do that as well.

We make these in individual muffin tins. They are so cute and just the right portion. You can also serve these up with some salsa on the side if you are feelin' spicy!

Christmas Quiche

NIGHT BEFORE:

10 Eggs, beaten

2 Cups Cottage Cheese

1 Lb. Jack Cheese, shredded

1 small Can Green Chilies

1 1/2 Lbs. Sliced Mushrooms, sauteed

4 Green Onions, chopped

2 Slices Ham, 1/4th inch thick, diced into small cubes

Mix together and refrigerate overnight, covered.

MORNING OF, add in:

1/2 Cup Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 Cup Butter, melted and slightly cooled

Mix well. Spray muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. Fill cups 3/4 full. Bake @ 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. If using Jumbo muffin tins, cook an additional 5 minutes, or until tops start to slightly brown.

**This makes quite a few mini quiche. If you are feeding a smaller group, I would recommend halving the recipe.

Easter Breakfast Casserole

This is from a sweet little lady named Mazie Gray in South Carolina. She made it for a hoard of missionaries and its been made many times since! Its a great one to make the night before you have a large crowd.

Easter Breakfast Casserole

1 (12 oz.) package Johnsonville Breakfast Sausage Links
6 English Muffins, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 Cup Butter, melted
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup Onion, chopped
1/2 Cup Red Pepper, chopped
12-18 Eggs {depending on the size of your group}
2 Cups Milk
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/4 Cup Soft Bacon Bits

Cook sausage according to package directions. Cool slightly. Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch greased baking dish with the cut up muffins. Pour melted butter on top. Layer with sausage, cheese's, onion, and red pepper.

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper and beat. Pour egg mixture over bread/cheese mixture. sprinkle bacon on top. Cover with foil and place in refrigerator over night. remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking. Remove foil, and bake @ 350 degrees fro 50-60 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean and eggs are cooked through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve plain or with salsa on the side. Makes 12 large servings, or more if smaller.

Veggie Quiche with Potato Crust

I found this recipe earlier today and my parents made it for Sunday dinner. We all loved it and there was only 1 piece left. My parents doubled it to fill a 9"x13" pan to feed six people (including 4 BIG boys). You can really put any veggies in you like, just use what you have on hand. My parents put bell pepper, zucchini, squash, red onion, broccoli, and cheddar cheese--though we think feta would be yummy.

1-2 russet potatoes, sliced very thin

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced

1 cup of button mushrooms, sliced

1 zucchini, diced

1 cup fresh spinach, diced

1 tomato, diced

1/4 cup feta cheese

6-7 fresh basil leaves, chopped

7-8 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup milk

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat pie dish with cooking spray. Layer thin slices of potato all over the edges and bottom of pan, making sure to overlap them. Spray with cooking spray and bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onions for 3-4 minutes before adding the mushrooms. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes before adding the zucchini and spinach; cook for another 1-2 minutes then remove from heat.

Sprinkle the diced tomato, basil and half of the feta on top of the potatoes, then add the cooked vegetables. Beat the eggs with milk and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Pour the egg mixture on top of the veggies and top with the remaining feta.

Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the quiche comes out clean-don't overcook. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Quiche

Quiche is great because there are so many different things you can do with them and have such a variety of flavors. The recipe below includes the vegetables I had on-hand. Other things you might use could include: asparagus, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, sausage or bacon, etc. Also try adding more or less cheese and use variations of cheese: cheddar, mozzarella, feta, pepper jack, etc. If you guys have any other ideas, add them here or write a comment.

One day I went to lunch with my dad at the Dodo here in SLC. I ordered a southwest sort of quiche. It was so unusual, it had jalapenos, bell pepper, cheddar & pepper jack cheese, and had blue corn tortilla chips baked on the top. My dad and I both thought it was delicious!

2 tablespoons butter

1-3 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 onion, minced

1-2 cups fresh broccoli, washed and chopped into bit-size pieces

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup shredded parmesan

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust {i just used a frozen crust}

1 tablespoon butter, melted

4 eggs, well beaten

1 cup milk

approx. 1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt

black pepper

McCormick Season-All

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions, garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with cheese.

Mix together melted butter, eggs, milk and lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper and Season-All and any other seasoning you like. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until center has set and top is golden-brown.

(We ate all of it, I didn't get a picture of it cooked :-))

Egg Casserole

16 eggs
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 cups mozerella cheese, grated
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup diced ham
1/2 tsp onion salt
1 bunch green onion, chopped
2 cups milk

Beat eggs. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes (or until done) in 9 X 13 baking dish.

Optional toppings: sour cream, salsa, olives etc... or just eat plain. Yummy!