Poached Eggs and Pesto

I decided to be a good wife this morning and wake him up with breakfast. Sadly this failed and I still had to force him awake (haha). We purchased a Ninja food processor yesterday, and I have been DYING to use it! So here is an easy fancy breakfast anyone can enjoy. :)

• Eggs
• Bacon (cut in half)
• Bread (any kind works, english muffins are popular, but we use ezekiel)

• 1 cup Spinach
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup Sun dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup Olive oil (I prefer robust, it has a deeper flavor)
• 1/4 cup Basil
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 Clove of smashed garlic
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/3 cup Shredded dry cheese (we use the parmesan, asiago, romano blend)

1. In a food processor blend the second half of ingredients from the spinach to the cheese until smooth and even.  Set aside.
2. In a large frying pan cook bacon pieces to your desired doneness. Soak up grease with a paper towel.
3. Poach eggs in a small saucepan with the water at a simmer, just under boiling. 

     How to poach eggs:

•      Place a saucepan on low-med heat with about an inch of water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat until just at a simmer and slowly pour egg in. (to make this easier I have a silicon egg ring that keeps it all together without any work!)
•      If you do not have an egg ring (super cheap!) you can manipulate the egg with a small spatula and keep pushing it together to prevent having egg soup for breakfast. 
•      Cover with a lid and let steam for a few minutes until the whites are done cooking and the yolk is to your preferred doneness.
•      Scoop out of pan with a slotted spatula and spoon and set aside until ready to plate.
•      (To save time, once the egg has set inside the egg ring, I take it out of the ring a push it to the side of the pan so I can put a fresh egg in the ring)

     4. Toast up your favorite bread and cut slices in half.


Plating:

• Spread pesto thickly onto bread, top with slices of bacon, egg, and a pinch of the cheese you used in the pesto
• Do the same thing as above, except wait until the end to add pesto and simply dollop it on top.

My tips:

• Blending the pesto beforehand is best since the flavors have more time to mingle.
• Leftover pesto is AMAZING and can be used on just about anything. (you can even add red wine vinegar and turn it into salad dressing!)
• Almost anything can go into a pesto, they're tons of fun and easy. Any combination of herbs, nuts, and dry veggies (like the spinach and dried tomatoes I used) will work.
• If you do not have a food processor you can still easily make this dish! Simple steam/saute/wilt spinach with the dried tomatoes, herbs, and garlic, and place a pile of it in between your egg and bacon!

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Sriracha Chicken Thighs!

This was an unexpected dish, but I do NOT regret it one bit. We were supposed to have sriracha grilled shrimp for dinner, but the seafood place we get our fresh stuff from was for some reason closed...ON A FRIDAY! So I more or less dug around in my kitchen and the internet, and after googling the different ingredients I had, eventually mashed together this recipe, a child of many others. (haha). And OH. MY. GOSH. This dish turned out absolutely AMAZING. So shocked. So satisfied. 

(Yes I forgot to put the honey in the picture) :P lol

• 1-2 lbs Chicken thighs
• 1/3 cup Sriracha sauce
• 3 tbsp Honey
• 3 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tbsp White vinegar
• 1 tbsp Fresh grated ginger (TOTALLY worth using fresh, but if you must use dried add an extra tbsp!)
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil
• 1 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds
• 1-2 tsp Black pepper

• Large handful of fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup Chopped scallions (green onions)
• 1/2 Sliced and deseeded jalapeno (it's spicy enough with the sriracha!)
• Some lime wedges (DO NOT FORGET ME! The lime brought the whole thing together!)
  

1. Wash chicken, dry with paper towels, and mix in a bowl with the first half of ingredients (chicken-pepper)
2. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in fridge all day or on the counter for an hour. (It's safe!)
3. Preheat your oven to 400 F, or fire up your grill!
4. Place in baking dish or on prepped/oiled grill and cook for about 45min until cooked (turn pan 180 degrees halfway through). The grill won't take nearly as long***
5. Serve with some steamed or roasted broccoli, or any other veggies you desire! 

Tips:

• The longer you let it marinate, the better!
• The measurements for any ingredient can be adjusted for personal taste. In my case, I NEVER measure pepper, I just grind a ton all over it haha. 
• You can always add stuff in, but you can't always take it out!
• Any topping or side works just fine
• Any part of the chicken would work as well. I'm typically a breast lover, but thighs just seemed right for this flavorful recipe. Wings would've been just to much work for me to eat right now haha. 
• Turning the pan 180 degrees when cooking AND baking can be essential to even cooking, especially if you have a conventional oven. A lot of ovens have 'hot spots', so turning it around makes for even cooking. :) 
• LET THE MEAT REST AFTER COOKING/BEFORE EATING! 
• ALSO! This can be made vegetarian friendly! (Look below)

      For my veggie lovers:

1.       Combine the frist half of ingredients into a small pot and simmer until thickened
2.       Stir fry some firm tofu and/or veggies and pour sauce on top

   (You could also simply swap out the chicken for firm tofu, marinate, and simmer on the stove!)

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Quiche au Fromage

I decided to have a 'fancy' easter breakfast, and when people think fancy breakfast for some reason quiche is the biggest dish that can come to mind. What a lot of people don't realize is how crazy EASY it is to make! The recipe I used is from my textbook from school (which I have cited below). I also converted the measurements from metric since most of us don't have a kitchen scale (haha). Mine ran out of batteries...

This recipe makes 4 8in tarts, but I cut the recipe in half and made mini quiches!

• 8 oz Gruyere cheese (I used a blend of parm, asiago, and romano. Any kind of cheese works!)
• 6 Eggs beaten
• 1/2 pint Heavy cream
• 1 pint Milk
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper (I used a lot more and used black pepper)
• 1/8 tsp or dash of nutmeg (trust me, it sounds weird but it's awesome

Add-ins:

• Bacon
• Spinach
• Fresh Garlic
• Mushrooms

1. Spray pan with a cooking spray that has flour in it (I love the Pam with flour in it! 
2. Line the bottom of your desired baking dish with pie or tart dough, making sure to smash it down and have it come up the sides a little bit
3. Sprinkle a pinch of cheese into each cup, or if using a whole pan make a thin layer 
4. Put pan in freezer while cooking bacon and sauteing veggies
5. Mix eggs, milk, cream, and spices in a large bowl or measuring cup
6. Top with cooked bacon bits, fresh spinach, garlic, sauteed mushroom, or any other topping you desire
7. Pour egg mixture into the cups until it reaches the rim, or if using a pan just pour it all in
8. Bake at 325 F for 15 min, turn pan 180 degrees, then cook for another 5 minutes or until quiche has completely set
9. Remove from oven, let sit for a couple minutes, then pop out the cups. If using large pan let quiche rest for 15-20 minutes, then slice with a wet knife. (makes the cuts clean!) 

No idea why Michael didn't want to make the last 2

KCCO Easter

My tips: 

1. Try to keep the eggs and dough as cold as possible until cooking
2. You can substitute cream for more milk if desired. It makes it less rich, but healthier
3. Almost any cheese and toppings work, but I would not recommend mozzarella! 
4. This dish CAN be refrigerated and reheated the next day. Leftovers galore!  
5. Only a very thin layer of dough is needed! It can be overpowering. 

My Citation: Gisslen, Wayne. "Quiche Au Fromage." Professional Cooking. Seventh ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. N. pag. Print.

Savory Salmon

This is a new-ish salmon recipe I started making. I formed the recipe from a ton of similar ones, and tested until I found what suited my fancy best! I find myself CRAVING this, and it's also really good for chicken too! I typically serve it with a either sauteed spinach, roasted sweet potato, or green beans.

• 1/4 tsp Mustard powder
• 2 tbsp Brown sugar (either dark or light is fine )
• 1 tbsp Chili powder
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp each Salt & pepper (I always add more pepper)
• 2 lbs Salmon 
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1/4 cup Soy sauce

1. Rinse off the salmon and pat dry with a paper towel
2. Combine the olive oil and soy sauce and brush onto salmon
3. Combine the spices and rub onto salmon
4. Repeat for other side
5. Cover and let marinate for at least 10+ min
6. Bake on a lined pan at 325 for 15 minutes, rotate pan 180 degrees, and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until finished. 
7. Let rest for 5 minutes, then enjoy! :)

My Tips:

1. I get my salmon fresh from a local vendor, and they always leave the skin on (which I hate!) haha. Rule of thumb is if you cook the fish with skin on it comes out moister than without, but I always take it off before cooking to make serving and eating easier. To do so place salmon on a cutting board and using a sharp knife cut in between the skin and fish with the blade angled downwards starting from the tail to the head. If needed here is a video demonstration that may help: Click here!
2. True for anything really: The longer it marinates and sits, the more flavorful the food becomes! 

Flour Tortillas

I got this recipe from an AMAZING cookbook called 'The Homesick Texan'. This cookbook was a purchase I will never regret. There were several different options in the book for tortillas, but I've always preferred the thicker fluffier flour tortillas over their super thin counterpart. Plus, these things are super easy to make! Enjoy. :)

• 2 tbsp butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (I always use olive oil!)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for kneading
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. Melt the butter into the milk in a small pot on low, remove from heat, and stir in oil.
2. In a separate medium-sized bowl combine the 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Mix in the liquids and stir until a loose ball has formed and you get all the bits mixed in
4. Knead your ball on a very lightly floured surface for about two minutes, just until dough is smooth
5. Place dough back in the bowl, cover, and let rest for an hour
6. Divide the dough into 8 equal balls (I always end up just doing 6!) and cover again to rest for 30 min
7. Roll out each ball into a 4-6 inch circle, the dough should be really thin, careful to not overwork dough
8. On a dry skillet turned on medium-high, cook tortilla on first side until bubbles start to form, flip and cook for about 30 seconds until light brown spots of deliciousness start to form.

My Tips: 

• If not cooking all of the dough at once, place rolled out dough in a ziploc bag with a piece of parchment paper separating each piece, squeeze out the air, and freeze until needed.
• When rolling out dough do NOT roll back and forth like a crazy person (haha), this will over work the dough. Roll out each side one direction at a time, you don't want to confuse all the gluten!
• The longer the dough rests, and the less it's worked with, typically the more soft and tender it is

Kudos To: The Homesick Texan  :D

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Easy Chicken with Parmesan Asparagus

Soooo I decided to be lazy tonight (at least halfway). After kneading a new batch a bread dough, I decided I didn't care to go 'all out' on dinner like I did last night. So when you're on a tight schedule, or feel like having a simple yummy dinner, feast your eyes on this! 

• 1.5 cups Panko breadcrumbs (or crushed crackers/normal breadcrumbs)
• 3/4 Shredded parmesan cheese
• Italian seasoning (I usually use my own mix, but like I said I'm being lazy tonight haha)
• 1 tbsp Garlic powder 
• Salt & Pepper 
• 1-1.5 lbs chicken breast or tenders
• 1-2 Beaten eggs
• 1 Bunch of fresh asparagus

1. Trim the fat off the chicken and cut breasts in half length-wise (you'll end up with 2 'almost' squares)
2. Toss the chicken in a bowl with the egg
3. In large ziploc bag mix together all of the dry ingredients
4. Shake chicken in the bag (no more than 1-2 pieces at a time) and place on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment. Continue until all chicken is coated.
5. Grab handfuls of the leftover seasoned cheese/crumb and press onto the top of chicken
6. Arrange washed and prepped asparagus onto the pan
7. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes, turn pan 180 degrees, and cook another 5 minutes until done.

Awesome Tips! 

• To prevent waste or eating overly chewy pieces, the easiest way to prep asparagus is to pinch and bend the bottom end of the stalk until it snaps. Whatever snaps off is the woody piece, and what's left is the good stuff! It's super fast and easy!
• Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. This was it'll be juicy and tender.
• Try marinating the meat the night before with worcester sauce, water, and citrus! I've been called strange for adding water to my marinades, but it REALLY boots the moisture level of the finished product. ;) 

Braised Balsamic Beef

This was an AMAZING dish tonight! Perfect with steamed green veggies and roasted sweet potato. :)

• 1 lb beef tips (or steak cut into 2 inch cubes)
• 1 whole white onion cut into strips
• 2 cloves fresh chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1.5 cups beef broth
• 1/2-3/4 cup sundried tomatoes (not the kind packed in oil!!)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp worcester sauce
• 1.5-2 tsp rosemary
• salt & pepper to taste (about 1tsp each is what I used.....maybe a little extra pepper)
• a dash of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1.5-2 cups thick-sliced mushrooms
• 1 tbsp capers

1. In large pan brown beef in olive oil with salt & pepper
2. Add onion, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook for about 2-3 minutes
3. Add flour and stir for 1 minute
4. Slowly stir in hot broth, making sure to scrape any deliciousness stuck to the bottom of pan ;)
5. Add everything else and simmer on low for 1.5 hours covered
6. Remove lid and simmer for 30 minutes. 

Tips:

• Can be made using a crockpot on high then low
• A variety of veggies can be added in or opted out. There's a lot of wiggle room with this dish!
• Instead of balsamic use red wine (one that you're willing to drink since wine's flavor get intensified when cooking!!) 
• The longer this sits and simmers the more tender the meat gets! 

Amazing Crawfish Etouffee!

Being from the south, the smell of this dish brings me straight home!

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 clove chopped garlic (or 1 tbsp) 
• 4 or 5 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp and 1 tsp flour
• 1 cup seafood/chicken stock, or water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper (...I like more)
• Cayenne to taste (1-3 shakes)
• 1-2 tsp Worcester sauce
• 1 lb crawfish/shrimp/chicken
• 1 cup Fresh Parsley

1. In large pan sauté veggies (all except parsley!) in butter until tender (not browned)
2. While stirring constantly add in flour and continue stirring until medium brown
3. GRADUALLY add stock/water while stirring & until absorbed
4. Add seasoning, Worcester, and meat and cook on medium-low for 15min
5. Remove from heat, stir in parsley, and let sit for 5-15 minutes to become awesome
6. Enjoy poured over some steamed white rice. :D

[A variation of: http://www.louisianafishfry.com/recipes.php?action=submit&id=34] 

Sweet Potato Hash-browns....First Post!

https://www.facebook.com/SweetPotatoHashbrowns

First recipe for this page should rightfully be my sweet potato hash-browns (who would've thought?? :P ). They are really simple, but it was just an awesome dish and MUCH healthier than normal hash-browns with breakfast....enjoy! :)

Makes 2 servings:

• One half of med/large sweet potato
• Olive Oil
• Pinch of salt if desired

1. Grate the sweet potato using the large hole side of a cheese grater or any other shredding device you own
2. Divide in half and form into 2 patties
3. Cook on a lightly oiled pan on medium for 3 minutes on each side
4. Serve with some eggs and veggies, and you've got one heck of a healthy breakfast! :)