Food/Travel/Nature/Cooking/Culture
Sunday morning breakfasts are special. This weekend we are celebrating my husband’s birthday early because he will be out of town for his book tour on the 22nd. I have made one of his favorite breakfast treats, Eggs Benedict with a twist. Here’s the dish….from the bottom up!
Home fries cooked in duck fat…..
Two perfectly poached eggs…
Hollandaise sauce and a sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning….
Gluten-Free Eggs Benny!
I’ve been intrigued of late by some Facebook posts, Pins, and recipe posts talking about a dough free pizza. Pizza without crust? Whatsa matter for you? Believe it or not…. this stuff is good. And for those who need to be gluten free or carb free…it is a BONANZA! I decided on a rainy day to make a big batch of Beef Barley and Mushroom soup. But I wanted a side dish to make the meal a little more hearty. So… why not try the dough free pizza?
Unfortunately, while I was cleaning my oven, the glass door cracked and needless to say I had no oven to bake the pizza in. I started to think…hmmm…could I make a pan pizza on the stovetop? Or in my trusty electric frying pan? Yes….and yes….both will work for this recipe. The latter is better if you prefer a little lighter “crust. In other words, it is much easier to control the temperature on an electric fryer than on an electric stovetop!
And, disclaimer for both…if you detest the taste of slightly burnt cheese….do not make this recipe! The cheese does get dark on the bottom because the heat comes only from that direction….so accept that and move on to the delicious, pizza wonderful taste of this great recipe.
The “Crust”
3-4 cups mozzarella (shredded)
3-4 eggs (beaten)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1tsp basil or oregano
Mix together and spread into a cast iron skillet or 12-15 electric skillet.
Cook at 450 degrees 10-15 minutes or until top is set and bottom is medium golden brown. Cover after 5 minutes. (if you do this in a cast iron skillet, spray with Pam and preheat on medium for 5 minutes) Add toppings, re-cover and finish cooking with stovetop/temp. on off. The residual heat will melt the cheese and warm the toppings.
The Toppings
Use your imagination!
Pepperoni
1/2 -3/4 cup pizza sauce or any good past sauce
1cup mozzarella (shredded)
1/4 cup asiago (shredded)
roasted red peppers, onions, ham, olives…etc.
Christmas dinner includes some old favorites and a new winner, creamed rosemary potatoes. Begin by sweating 2 cloves of sliced garlic and a medium sweet onion in 1 stick butter. Add some snipped rosemary leaves, (a couple sprigs will do) and some herbs d’provence, salt and pepper.
Next, combine 12 oz softened cream cheese and some light cream (about 1 1/4 cups) with an immersion blender, Layer 2lbs sliced potatoes with onions and garlic, then pour cream mixture over all. Top with finely grated parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Side two is a spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. We like ours to have hard boiled eggs, bacon bits, and mushrooms. Mmmm!
The star of the table, though is always the roast beast. In this case a prime rib roast, bone-in, slow cooked on our ceramic grill/cooker. I like to leave my rub on overnight.
The finished product is slightly smoky and tender.
Accompany with a horseradish sauce, a great cab and of course your loved ones.
Christmas week breakfasts are always special in our house. Last nights dinner becomes corned beef hash, the perfect foil for eggs fried in duck fat. A little hollandaise sauce on top of the hash, gilds the lily.
So yummy!
Rainy day comfort food is in order today. I ask Sonny what I can cook for him while he is visiting. He is a man of few words, a Gentle Giant. But a little nudging merits the answer. Corned Beef and Cabbage with boiled vegetables. Perfect for a cold, rainy day in NC. Boil the corned beef with spice package and a few extra peppercorns. Throw in a couple bay leaves. Skim off scum for a clear broth. After one hour add potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage quarters. Continue cooking for another hour. Remove veggies and top with a couple pats of buttter. Make mustard sauce for serving. 3/4 cup sour cream, 2T whole grain mustard, 1t horseradish, 2t cornstarch. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of liquid from corned beef pot. Microwave on 80% power for 1 minute. Whisk. Repeat cooking for 1 more minute. Slice your corned beef and enjoy!
We did!
It’s Christmastime in North Carolina and Sonny #2 is coming home for a visit. So mama started cooking this week to make all of his favorite dishes while he’s here.
My son loves all things salmon. Skin, roe, sushi, lox, and smoked. He also loves to eat gravlax. So naturally, I made him some! Gravlax is an easy cure of salmon with salt, sugar, pepper and usually dill. I switched it up a little this time and used some smoked coarse salt in the curing process.
The color and flavor are delightful! Soft and buttery smooth, it is great served with a mustard dill sauce on crostini, crackers, etc.
Hope sonny enjoys!
Everyone clamors for a good breakfast around holidays in our home. A Spanish Tortilla and Green Eggs with ham are on the menu today. Sauté spinach with finely diced onions and Canadian bacon in a skillet, then add 5-6 eggs beaten with a 1/4 cup whole milk. Add salt and pepper. Add 1 cup shredded cheese of choice (I used a mac n’cheese blend of cheddar, american and jack) and cook on a med-low heat until set. If you can flip the whole thing over..all the better.
My Spanish tortilla consists of thinly sliced potatoes lightly browned in olive oil in a skillet, 1/2 cup rough chop of roasted red peppers, 1/4 cup diced onions, salt, and lots of ground pepper. I whisk up 2-3 eggs with a little milk and a grated mild white cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the potato slices and bake in a 375 degree oven until golden brown on top. Invert onto a plate and slice into wedges.
Sabroso!
A beautiful day in Dennis port started out with great breakfasts at the Red Cottage Restaurant. Quiche, eggs and grits with a big slab of grilled ham, and caramelized onion, cheese and sausage omelet. Hot coffee, great service and many gluten free options mean a 4 star rating for this little gem of a place.
Who says northerners don’t know ‘que? Pork butt, here we come! When it’s almost Father’s Day and my hubby wants to barbeque, I say let’s do it! First: rub, rub, rub. Second: make marinating sauce to dab on the butt as it takes a long, slow sauna in our combo griller/smoker. Third: make the blue cheese coleslaw. Shredded cabbage and carrots, crumbled blue cheese, mayonaisse, balsamic vinegar, celery salt, sugar, cracked black pepper. Fourth: make special barbecue sauce to spoon on after cooking for extra flavor. Finally: corn on the cob so sweet you can eat it plain.
Yáll come back now…ya hear?
After a relaxing afternoon boating and fishing with friends on East Twin Lake in Lewiston, Michigan we reap the bounties of this wonderful, relaxed way of life. A 3.5 pound large mouth bass makes a delicious dinner when accompanied by braised Brussels sprouts with bacon and garlic. I cook the bass en papiotte, Michigan style. After cleaning and descaling, stuff cavity of bass with sliced scallions, lemon slices, and a little butter. Season liberally with thyme, salt, pepper, olive oil, and a splash of white wine. Wrap up tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil. Bake in a 425 degree oven or on a grill with medium high heat for approximately 25-30 minutes. Be careful when opening foil as steam will be hot!
And don’t forget dessert! Hudsonville Ice cream is a Northern Michigan favorite. Try their new flavor, Chicago popcorn carmel. Outrageously good! Vanilla ice cream with pieces of popcorn and a salted carmel swirl! WOW!
Betzabroad...My personal recipe for tasting our big, fat, wonderful world 