Make-ahead Hash

Maybe I pushed too much for too long.  I got sick.  The kind of sick that had me doing nothing on the couch instead of doing little things around the house.  Instead of blogging I got hooked on Breaking Bad.  Oops.  Finally feeling a bit better, I wanted to share a way to get dinner on the table in 10min, with a little prep work ahead of time. #win.

Make-ahead Sweet Potato Kale Hash
Inspired by Emily and Ranjani

1 small onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, diced

2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes

1/4t smoked paprika

1t ground coriander

2-4T extra virgin olive oil

coarse sea salt

4-6c packed kale, de-ribbed and torn into pieces (~1 head)

Preheat oven to 400deg.

Add chopped onion, jalapeno and sweet potatoes to a large bowl along with spices.  Add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of coarse salt.  Toss and roast 15-20min, until the sweet potatoes are almost tender.

While the first batch of veggies are roasting, wash and de-rib the kale.  Tear into pieces and add to the bowl (same one from the sweet potatoes, no need to wash).  Add a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkling of coarse slat and a few grinds of pepper.

When the sweet potatoes are almost done, add the kale and return to the oven for 10min.

Remove from the oven and let cool before transferring to microwave-safe containers.

When it's time for dinner, start cooking your eggs.  You can poach or pan-fry your egg, whichever you prefer.  I prepared mine sunny side up in a nonstick pan.  Once you get your egg(s) cooking, warm up a portion of the hash in the microwave.  To serve, top your hash with the egg(s)!

What's been your go-to quick meal recently??

Shot Glass Apple Parfaits

Here's another item from my cookie exchange brunch.  This brilliant and adorable idea came from Jersey Girl Cooks.  It's a great addition to a brunch menu because you can make them ahead of time and it's a healthy option.  I don't know about you  but if I was at a party and full size yogurt parfaits were served next to lots of savory exciting food I would totally pass it up.  However, this is something that veryone can partake in because it's just a few bites!  I topped mine with pecan praline granola from trader joes and  left some plain with just a sprinkle of cinnamon on top for a guest who can't eat nuts.  I made mine with only 2 chopped apples because these dishes are so tiny.  My mom bought this little set for me for Christmas last year and I just got around to using them.  They came with these tiny little plates, forks and spoons!  They are resusable OR disposable.

Shot Glass Apple Parfaits

From Jersey Girl Cooks

The amount of ingredients you need will vary with the size of your shot glasses.

Ingredients:

4 medium apples, cored and chopped into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla paste – if you do not have vanilla paste you can regular vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
24oz. vanilla flavored Greek yogurt
granola

Directions:

Take chopped apples and put in large bowl. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and vanilla paste, stir and let sit for 30 minutes. The apples will be sitting in a bowl of sugary liquid. Take apples and juice and put into saucepan on the stove. Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the apples are soft but not falling apart. The sugar mixture should thicken up a bit. Remove from heat and let cool. Layer the yogurt and cooled apple mixture into 12 shot glasses (less or more depending on the size of your glasses). Continue until you reach the top of each glass, then sprinkle with the granola.

Red and Green Potato Pancakes

Who doesn't love a potato pancake, right?  Crispy flavored potatoes that can be eaten at any time of the day make this girl very happy!  I thought that this would be a great addition to my cookie exchange brunch menu.  In fact, I think it was the best new recipe I made that day.  I found this recipe on The Enchanted Cook and loved her kicked up version of potato pancakes.  Even more I loved how the red of the pepper and the green of the chives made this seem very festive!
I never made potato pancakes before so I got a little nervous when the potatoes didn't hold together. I just went with it and they were perfectly fine.  I spoke to a few people and was told that this is totally normal.  Thank goodness!  I slightly adapted this recipe because I had pre-shredded potatoes I wanted to use and wasn't sure what the measurements were.  I also bought a package of thinly sliced pancetta and it only had 6 slices in it. I wouldn't mind doubling that next time. It all worked out and I was very pleased.  The only thing that I think that could be improved is my drying of the potatoes.  The potatoes should be very dry and I was a little lazy about it.  I ended up with a pool of eggy water at the bottom of the bowl which made the last batch a little messy. I served these two per person with a poached egg cradled in between.  Of course, at that point I was rushing too much to take a picture.  No worries though, I will be making these again without a doubt and will be sure to get a good picture of the plated dish. 

Red and Green Potato Pancakes

Slightly Adapted from The Enchanted Cook

makes 18-20 pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 bags Simply Potatoes, shredded hash brown potatoes

6 - 12 slices pancetta, thinly sliced

2 cups shredded cheesem, combo bag Monterrey Jack and Cheddar

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 small package of scallions, finely chopped (approx 1/2 cup)

3 large eggs, beaten

kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

canola oil for frying

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place pancetta slices on parchment and bake for about 15 minutes or until crispy.  Remove from oven and blot off oil with paper towel. When cool enough to handle give them a rought chop.

2.  In a large bowl mix together potatoes, pancetta, cheese, garlic, bell pepper, onions, eggs, salt, and pepper. 

3.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add oil. Form patties in your head and press together (they will not stay together completely).  Place the mound of potatoes in hot skillet. Cook approximately 1-2 minutes per side or until browned. Do not overcrowd pan and work in batches until done.

3.  Remove pancakes and place on paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil or moisture. Use paper towels in between layers as you stack them on the plate.

If you would like to make these patties a couple of hours ahead of time just leave them out on the counter and right before serving preheat the oven to 375 place on baking sheet and heat until warmed through.

Serving options - Sour Cream or cream fraiche topped with chopped chives, Serve with a poached egg on top or enjoy them as they are.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Butternut Thyme Bars

I promised another use for my Butternut Coconut Jam, and here it is.  To find the recipe, head over to Beantown Baker for my guest post :)  While you're there, take a peek at some of Jen's awesome creations (cannoli cupcakes anyone?), she's quite the talented baker!

Click here for the recipe!

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I have to thank Mary Crehan one of my fabulous Willow House hostesses for this recipe.  I tasted it at her party a couple of weeks ago and knew I had to make it.  It tastes delicious when it's warm right from the oven and is even great cold or room temperature.  I had some for breakfast the next day with a drizzle of agave syrup. I'm considering replacing my Baked French Toast with this dish for my cookie exchange. What do you think?

I didn't make any changes to this recipe besides adding some cinnamon and nutmeg and used 2 cups half and half and 2 cups whole milk.  Any combination of heavy cream, half and half and whole milk will work just like it does for the french toast. The bread pudding isn't overly sweet but some of my family felt that a dusting of powdered sugar would really complete this dish.  I did notice that it was an option but to be honest on Thanksgiving I was just too busy to pull out the shaker and fill with powdered sugar.  Next time I'll do that.  After speaking with Mary she mentioned that when making this the second time she sliced the bread instead of cubing it and it held it's shape better.  So I guess you can do it either way. 

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
1 loaf of challah bread, cut into cubes (or slices)
1 small can of pumpkin puree
2 cups of half and half
2 cups of whole milk
1 cup sugar
sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg, to taste
6 eggs, beaten
powdered sugar, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place cubed bread on a baking sheet and bake until toasted and browned (10-15 mins).  Combine half and half, milk and sugar, add pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Transfer bread cubes to a 9x13x2 casserole dish and cover with milk mixture.  Toss all the bread to coat.  Wrap with plastic wrap and allow bread to absorb milk in the refrigerator overnight.  The next day bake in a 375 degree oven for about 1 hour or until all the liquid is absorbed.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Serve warm, room temperature or cold. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Butternut Coconut Jam

With an abundance of butternut squash thanks to my CSA, I set out to try something different.  A quick perusal of my saved recipes and I found my inspiration.  Butternut coconut jam.  Oh yes.  Grated squash, cooked down to a jam-like consistency?  Awesome.

A unique addition to a cheese plate, this jam goes perfectly well with an assertive cheese.  I tried it with goat cheese, surprising no one :)

crostini w/goat cheese and butternut coconut jam

It also worked well in a pork tenderloin (1lb) that I stuffed with sage (1-2T), butternut coconut jam (1/2c) and gorgonzola (~1/3c).  I didn't write down an exact recipe, but it was similar to this technique.

stuffed pork tenderloin w/roasted brussels, sweet potatoes, onions and cranberries

Some other potential uses for the jam:
     as a cupcake filling
     inside a grilled cheese (w/sage or rosemary, nuts and/or apples)
     stirred into oatmeal
     on top of goat cheese ice cream
     in a fall s'more, between homemade graham crackers and marshmallows

Butternut Coconut Jam
adapted from The Kitch'n
Yield:

1 butternut squash (2-2.5lbs)
2c unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2c evaporated cane juice (or granulated sugar)
1/2c dark brown sugar (mine was unpacked)
1 cinnamon stick
8 whole cloves
2 vanilla beans
1c dried unsweetened coconut

Peel the butternut squash and cut into pieces.  Grate the squash (I used my food processor), or cut into small pieces.  Add squash, milk, sugars and spices into a large, heavy pot.  Split the vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds and add to the squash along with the scraped pods.  Cover and cook over medium heat until the squash is soft and tender (~15min or so).

Once the squash is tender, remove the cover and continue to cook on medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture is reduced and thick like...  jam :)  Mine took ~1hr or so.  Remove from pan from the heat and stir in the coconut.  Once cool, fish out the cloves, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean pods.  I left the jam as-is as I wanted to retain some texture, but if you prefer a smooth jam mash or puree the mixture.  Store in the refrigerator.



How would you eat this butternut coconut jam?  Check back later this week for another use!

Persimmon Apple Spice Bread

Fuyu persimmons

In late fall I look towards the appearance of persimmons in the market.  No, they're not grown locally, but they're in season somewhere, and that's ok in my book.

Trying your first persimmon shouldn't be taken lightly.  One variety (hachiya) is quite astringent when unripe, so you want to be a little careful!  The short, squat variety (fuyu) can be eaten at any time like an apple, but the acorn shaped ones must be ripe (very soft, almost mushy and bright orange) before using the flesh. 

Wanting to embrace the season, I added in another fall favorite, apples!  Together with some Chinese Five Spice I had picked up awhile back,  you've got a deliciously warming quickbread that's perfect for breakfast, a snack, or an addition to brunch.

Persimmon Apple Spice Bread
adapted from Food Blogga
Yield:  5 small loaves

You could certainly bake this in 2 normal loaf pans or even muffin tins, just adjust the baking time accordingly.

1 3/4c white whole wheat flour
3/4c AP flour
1 1/2t baking soda
3/4t baking powder
1t salt
1t Chinese Five Spice
1/2t cinnamon
1/2t nutmeg
1 1/4c evaporated cane juice (or granulated sugar)

3 lg eggs
1/2c oil or melted butter (I used a mix of melted coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil)
1/4c unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2c pureed persimmon pulp (traditionally made from hachiyas, but fuyus will also work)
3/4c chopped apple
3/4c toasted walnuts

Preheat oven to 350deg.

Add the dry ingredients (flour through sugar) to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.  Add toasted walnuts and toss to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs.  Add oil/butter, applesauce and persimmon pulp and whisk to combine.  Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.  Fold in the chopped apples.  Divide into mini loaf pans sprayed with nonstick spray.  Bake for 25-35min, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes clean.  Cool on a rack.

Serve warm or room temp, apple butter optional!  Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap to store for a few days, or freeze to enjoy at a later date.

If you're looking for different persimmon recipes, try  persimmon pudding, fall harvest muffins, persimmon cookies and persimmon date bread!

If you've tried persimmons, how would you describe the taste??  I was struggling with this, but I'd say sweet, with hints of honey or mango.  I'd like to know your thoughts!

Pop Tarts

You never know where and when inspiration will strike.  Often it's when you least expect it.  I was eating lunch with some folks at work when the conversation somehow turned to pop tarts.  They were never my thing as a kid, and given my penchant for healthier cooking these days, I didn't give them a second thought.

That is, until I thought about my tomato jam.  I know, I know, I've already posted about it several times, but this jam uses some of summer's finest produce and a totally intriguing way.  Challenging myself to use it different ways has been part of the fun.

While I don't have a go-to healthier pie crust recipe yet, I used a cue from Winnie and used greek yogurt for some of the butter in her dough.  This seemed like a great idea and definitely helped create a healthier treat suitable for breakfast or a snack!

Enjoying food so good it makes you smile; that's good living at its finest.

Sweet & Savory Pop Tarts
crust adapted from Healthy Green Kitchen

You can certainly use whatever jam you have to fill these, and if you want to make them sweet, swap out the rosemary for 1T sugar.

2c white whole wheat flour
1/2c finely grated gruyere
1/2t sea salt
1t chopped fresh rosemary (mine was heaping)
1 stick butter, cubed
1c greek yogurt (such as Fage Total 2%)
2-4T almond milk
1 egg
tomato jam

Add flour to a large bowl along with gryere, salt and rosemary, then stir to combine.  Add butter and yogurt, and cut in using a pastry blender or a couple knives.  The dough should resemble some large pebbles at this point.  Stir in milk, 1T at a time, until the dough just comes together.  Divide dough in half, flatten into a loose rectangle, wrap in saran wrap and then refrigerate for several hours or overnight (I only waited an hour and it was fine).

Take your dough out of the fridge and let it soften a bit for ~15min.  Place one half on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle at least 9"x12" in size (I used a ruler).  Repeat with the second half of dough.  Cut each 9"x12" rectangle into nine smaller 3"x4" rectangles.  Set the trimmings aside.

Beat the egg in a small bowl to use as an egg wash.  Brush over the surface of the first dough (9 rectangles), this will be the inside of the pop tart and help hold the top on.  Add a heaping tablespoon to the center of each rectangle (Deb advises leaving at least 1/2" perimeter of bare dough around the filling).  Place a small rectangle from the second dough (not egg washed) on top of the filling.  Press around the filling with your fingertips to seal the dough on all sides, and then press with the tines of a fork.  Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork (for the steam to escape).  Repeat with remaining rectangles.

Carefully add the tarts to a parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Top with grated cheese or egg wash and coarse sea salt.

Here's where I goofed.  I accidentally skipped the 30min refrigeration and found they baked better at 400deg for 18-20min, until lightly golden brown.    However, original instructions called for refrigerating them for 30min while you preheat the oven to 350deg.  Then they're baked for 20-25min.  I'd say you could do either option.

Let the pop tarts cool on the cookie sheet on a cooling rack.

These are best not too long after coming out of the oven (just don't burn your tongue!), although they will be ok for a day or two at RT.  Pop the tarts (haha) in the toaster to reheat them a bit before enjoying!

As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I have been entered for the chance to win a trip to Greece courtesy of FAGE.  You too can enter to win one of three trips to Greece by entering the FAGE Plain Extraordinary Greek Getaway here:  http://www.fageusa.com/community/fage-greek-getaway.

Tomato Corn Pie (CSA Week 10)

With the appearance of native beefsteak tomatoes and corn in my CSA, I knew exactly what was going to be on my menu this week...  tomato corn pie!

This recipe has been on my radar for awhile, and I'm glad I finally got around to making it.  Frankly I don't know what took me so long ;)  Combining two of summer's best with a biscuit crust, this is certainly a winner.  

Tomato Corn Pie
adpated from Gourmet
Serves 4-6

The lemon "mayo" (I swapped greek yogurt for most of the mayo) was a delightful surprise, although I'm going to suggest you put it in between layers instead of on top of all of the tomato and corn.  Even after draining the tomato slices a bit my pie was still juicy when I cut into it, just pour off the liquid if this happens to you.

For the biscuit crust:
2c white whole wheat flour
1T baking powder
3/4t salt
6T cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/4c greek yogurt whisked with 1/2c milk (or 3/4c buttermilk)

For the filling:
1/3c greek yogurt
2T olive oil mayo
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon (could double this if you have it)
1 3/4lb beefsteak tomatoes, peeled* and sliced crosswise 1/4" thick and drained on paper towels
corn kernals from 3 ears (~1 1/2c)
3 scallions, sliced (~1/2c)
2-3T thinly sliced basil
salt & freshly grated black pepper
5oz grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400deg.

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients for the crust (flour through salt).  Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or your fingers), until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Add milk, stirring just until a dough forms.  Gather into a ball and divide dough in half.

Roll out each half of the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to a size that's bigger than your pie plate.  With one circle, remove one sheet of parchment, invert into pie plate.  Use your fingers to pat the crust into the plate and discard the other sheet of parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together greek yogurt, lemon zest and juice, and mayo.

Arrange half of the tomatoes on the bottom of the pie crust.  Top with half the corn, scallions and basil.  Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Pour lemon-yogurt mixture over the filling and top with half the cheese.  Repeat layering with the rest of the ingredients.

Place the other half of the dough on top of the pie and then pinch the edges together with the bottom crust to seal.  Cut 4 vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape.  You can brush the top with melted butter, milk or an egg wash...  but I chose not to.

Bake for 30-35min, until crust is golden and filling is bubbling.  Cool on a wire rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

*To peel the tomatoes, slice a shallow X on the bottom and drop in boiling water for 10sec.  Plunge into ice cold water to cool, then drain and the peel should easily slip off!

Hang onto summer and go make this pie!!

Ebb Tide (Boothbay Harbor, Maine)

Besides the fact that one of Bret's best friends lives in Boothbay, Bret also likes to visit Boothbay to relive a lot of past memories.  During college, he spent one summer in Boothbay as a camp counselor during the day and waiting tables at night.  Bret claims that he worked a ridiculous amount that summer but that he also has some of the fondest memories of that summer.

As a result, there are some places that we have to visit every time we are in the area.  One of those places is a tiny restaurant called Ebb Tide.  Ebb Tide is tiny with small wooden booths where everyone squeezes in for some simple but delicious food.

Ebb Tide serves breakfast, lunch and dinner but we always try to stop in for breakfast whenever we can.  Although their pancakes were severely tempting, I opted for their standard two-egg dish, which comes with a breakfast meat and a bread.  I opted for two eggs over-medium with breakfast sausage and a griddled blueberry muffin.

Bret ordered the same dish but with crispy bacon and a biscuit.

This breakfast hit the spot, especially after we spent the night before catching up with Bret's college buddies over quite a few cocktails!  Best of all, each plate cost $5.95.  This is seriously a bargain for that much food!

Ebb Tide is located at 43 Commercial Street, Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

Breakfast at IKEA

Bret and I drove out to IKEA yesterday morning to pick up a new dresser for our new bedroom.  We got to the store pretty early and discovered that while the cafeteria is open at 9:30 AM, the store doesn't open until 10 AM!  Whoops!

We were both pretty hungry so we decided to grab some breakfast while we waited for the store to open.  I've never eaten at IKEA before but I guess there is a first time for everything!  IKEA was having some strange promotion where they would take off the amount of your food receipt from any purchase over $100 in the store.  Since we knew the dresser would meet that purchase amount, we got to eat our breakfast for free!

The IKEA restaurant is served cafeteria-style with cafeteria trays and all.  I ended up ordering their breakfast plate, which came with scrambled eggs, homefries, French toast sticks and sausage. 

The scrambled eggs had a weird texture so I didn't eat that.  But the rest of the food was actually pretty good.  I also have never had French toast sticks before and realize that I actually really like them even though I don't like French toast.  I think it is a texture thing for me and now I'm determined to make French toast sticks in our new kitchen.

I washed my breakfast down with a Swedish sparkling pear juice.

And maybe we went a little crazy on the free breakfast deal but we also split a dessert.  Yes, we had dessert with breakfast!  This raspberry cheesecake had a yummy ladyfinger crust and I definitely ate more than just my half of it!

I definitely wasn't expecting to have breakfast at IKEA but it actually was a great way to start the morning.  We shopped through the store in an hour and then headed to Bret's parents' house to swim off our breakfast at their pool.

IKEA is located at 1 IKEA Way, Stoughton, MA.

CSA Week 3

Another week, another round of awesome produce thanks to Marshall's Fenway CSA!  I wish I could say that I did something fun with the strawberries, but again I wound up simply savoring every bite :)  The asparagus also just got simply roasted with some extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and thoroughly enjoyed!

With all the broccoli last week, I made Melissa Clark's Roasted Broccoli with Shrimp.  I'm pretty sure this was a recipe I found thanks to Rose-Anne, but I couldn't find where she mentioned it, so thanks hun!  Loved the lemon zest, coriander and cumin used to spice up a pretty simple dish.

Next up were the beets and carrots...  and kale ;)  Since the oven was already on, I couldn't resist throwing in my beets and carrots for a good roasting.  They ended up on another delicious massaged kale salad!

Massaged Kale Salad w/Roasted Carrots & Beets

Serves 2-4

I included amounts here only as a rough guideline, feel free to add as few or many veggies as you'd like, or change up the toppings!

2 small bunches of carrots

1 bunch of beets (3 good size)

2 medium bunches of kale

2 ripe avocados

coarse sea salt

3-4T lemon juice

2-4oz goat cheese

Sunflower seeds (or other nut/seed of your choice)

Preheat oven to 400deg.  Wash carrots and cut into chunks on the bias.  Add carrots to a medium bowl and toss with 1-2T (melted) coconut oil, salt and pepper.  Wash and trim off beet tops (save them to use for sauteed greens or another recipe coming soon!).  Wrap beets in aluminum foil.  Spread carrots on baking sheet and add package of beets.  Place baking sheet in the oven and bake until nice and roasted.  The beets will take a bit longer if they're large, to test simply pierce with a fork- if the fork slides in and out easily, they're done!  Remove from the oven and set aside.  Once the beets have cooled a bit, peel and chop into bite-size pieces.

While the veggies are roasting, wash the kale (I do this in a large bowl of water to make sure to get the grit from the leaves) and tear into a large bowl.  Add the flesh of the avocados (I usually roughly dice into the bowl), a sprinkle of coarse sea salt and lemon juice.  Rub around with your hands, trying to coat all of the kale with the creamy avocado flesh.  Set aside.

To assemble the salads, plate massaged kale, then top with roasted beets and carrots.  I finished mine off with crumbled goat cheese and sunflower seeds, but feel free to use whatever combination of cheese and nuts or seeds that you'd like!

I still had plenty of roasted beets after this, and wound up doing something a little crazy...  a roasted beet smoothie!  Different, but still pretty tasty ;)  Not to mention gorgeous- something that color must be good for you, right?

Roasted Beet Smoothie

1c almond milk

cinnamon

vanilla protein powder (optional)

1/2-1c roughly chopped roasted beets

1 frozen banana

Place ingredients in high speed blender in order listed and blend away until smooth!

Craziest thing you've ever thrown in a smoothie?

Hope everyone's weekend is off to a fabulous start!

Cheesy Oatmeal and Soft-Cooked Egg

After going for a quick run along the Charles River, I was absolutely famished yesterday morning.  Bret was starting to get his appetite back and had destroyed the chocolate croissant that I picked up for him after my run and was still hungry.  I wanted to make a breakfast for both of us that would be filling but soft enough for Bret to eat since he can't really chew.

I perused through my recipe book and finally settled on Everyday Food's recipe for Savory Oatmeal and Soft-Cooked Egg.  I added a bit more cheese to my recipe so I'm calling my version Cheesy Oatmeal and Soft-Cooked Egg.

First, I gathered my ingredients.  I doubled the ingredients since I was making this dish for two:

• 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• Coarse salt and ground pepper, to taste
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons of shredded Yancey's Fancy Buffalo Wing cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens

In a medium saucepan, I brought two cups of water to a boil.  While the water was heating up, I sliced up the scallion greens.

Once the water was boiling, I added the oats, along with a pinch of salt and pepper.  I stirred the oatmeal and reduced the heat to let the oatmeal simmer.

I then lightly sprayed a nonstick frying pan with cooking spray.  I warmed it over medium heat before cracking the two eggs into the pan.  I seasoned the eggs with salt and pepper and let the eggs cook until the egg whites had set but not a second more because I wanted a nice runny egg yolk.

I ladled the oatmeal into a shallow bowl.  I topped the oatmeal with cheese, an egg, scallions and more cheese.  Since Bret was told to avoid spicy food, I used regular cheddar cheese for his bowl.

I did, however, add a generous helping of spicy buffalo wing cheese to my bowl!

This dish was super healthy and really filling!  I love that it is really simple and that you can add other ingredients to the dish to make it your own.  Once Bret gets better, I'd love to make this dish again and add some chopped crispy bacon or add cayenne to the oatmeal!

Tell me, what was the best breakfast dish you ate recently?

Bits & Pieces

I'm in the midst of writing about the latest project, but in case you were wondering...

A wedding cake (and many cupcakes) were made last weekend!!


Luckily I've eaten more than just sugar the past week ;)  In search of a mushroom-filled dinner that wouldn't require me to turn on the oven (anyone want to gift me an air conditioner for my kitchen?), Rebecca pointed me to Deb's Mushroom Crepe Cake.  One look and I knew I'd be making it the next night!

A first for making crepes, it didn't seem so bad (next time will probably not go as easy ;)).  There were definitely extra crepes, which made me wish I had more mushroom filling, but it was delicious!!  I don't think I made enough changes to Deb's recipe to post it here, but I did cut back on the butter in filling (used 1T butter +1T olive oil), used cave-aged gruyere and almond milk in the filling, added ~1t chopped fresh thyme and didn't measure my cheese (so was probably short).  The only change to the crepe batter was to use white whole wheat flour and omit the butter needed for the pan as my pan didn't require any.  Highly recommended, whether it be for a brunch or dinner spread!


I also got the first share from Marshall's Farmstand CSA and I couldn't be more excited for the summer :)  Check out the goods...

What should I make from my share??

A Quiet Moment at Milk Street Café

On Thursday morning, I had an appointment to meet with a colleague at Milk Street Café. We are part of the same professional networking group and had agreed to meet for coffee.

I arrived ten minutes before our 9:30 AM coffee meeting and I was famished. I didn’t have time for breakfast in the morning so I perused what was left of their breakfast pastries after the morning rush. I asked the guy behind the counter what he recommended and he directed me to their pumpkin muffin.

This enormous muffin was delicious as expected – moist but with a crumble top. Since I’m not a big fan of raisins, I was relieved to find just a few raisins in the muffin. This pumpkin muffin went perfectly with my skim chai latte and it gave me a lot of time to reflect. There have been a lot of changes in my life the past few months and I needed this quiet moment of reflection over breakfast.

Tell me, do you hurry through breakfast or do you take the time to quietly reflect over a cup of coffee?

Milk Street Café is located at 50 Milk Street, Boston, MA.

Sw Potato Burrito

Sweet potatoes rank pretty high on my list of foods I wouldn't want to live without.  So when I heard about the Bloggers Recipe Contest hosted by the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, I knew I wanted to try and come up with a recipe or two to submit.

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Must have been fate, as Janetha blogged about an amazing breakfast burrito she had in Chicago.  Sweet potatoes and black beans are not an uncommon pairing for me, but throwing avocado in the mix?  I had to try it!  And wow.  I'm in love.  The flavors melded harmoniously, and this will definitely become a regular on the rotation given how easy it is to throw together :)

ok, so maybe I stuffed a little too much in

PS- You don't have to take it just from me!  My friend Alyssa was able to join me for a burrito, and she raved about it as well, "I absolutely loved the combination of the sweet potatoes, eggs, guacamole, beans and spices. To die for!"

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos
Serves 3-4

2 lg sweet potatoes
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
cumin, to taste (I used ~1/2t)
3 eggs + 3 egg whites
splash  of milk (dairy or non-dairy, cream or even yogurt would work)
guacamole (1 avocado's worth, or 1/3 of the recipe)
whole wheat tortillas (8-10")
salsa (I used TJ's tomatillo & roasted yellow chili salsa, but you could make your own)
goat cheese (queso fresco would also be good)

Preheat oven to 350deg.  Wash sweet potatoes, poke them with a fork a few times, and wrap them in foil.  Place on a cookie sheet and roast for ~1hr, until they're soft and easily pricked with a fork.  Set aside and let cool, then cut into a rough dice.  Transfer to a bowl and mash with a little salt and freshly ground pepper.

**Roasting the sweet potatoes can be done ahead of time, simply refrigerate until use and bring the potatoes to room temp (or warm) before assembling the burritos.

Place black beans into a bowl, season with cumin, a tad bit of salt (or a little more if you're using no salt added beans) and some freshly ground black pepper.  Roughly mash with a fork, or puree in a food processor if you'd like.

Preheat a large skillet over medium low heat.  Add eggs and whites in a small bowl, a splash of milk and a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper.  Once the pan is warmed, cook eggs slowly, stirring quite often, until they have just started to set (unless you like them dry, in which case keep going until they are to your liking).  Turn off the heat.

To assemble burritos, place tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-30sec if you need to get them a little more pliable.  On each burrito, place ~3-4T black bean mash, ~1/3c roasted sweet potatoes, 1/4 of the eggs and 2-3T guacamole.  Wrap up (if you can!), then top with salsa and goat cheese.  I served mine with fruit salad!


It's not too late to enter the contest, entries are accepted until March 21st!