B.L.E.W.T.

bacon, lettuce, egg, waffle & tomato open-face sandwich

White Cheddar Waffles

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 5 ounces)

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside. Place the eggs in a second large bowl and whisk until just broken up. Add the milk and, while whisking constantly, slowly pour in the melted butter until evenly combined. Add the cheese and stir until combined. Add the milk-cheese mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until the flour is just incorporated and no streaks remain (the batter may have a few lumps); set aside. Heat a Belgian waffle iron to medium according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once heated, fill it with batter, close the lid, and cook until the steam starts to diminish (open the top and peek for doneness after a few minutes). Remove to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter. When ready to assemble sandwiches, pop the waffle in the toaster for a few minutes until warm. Layer, waffle, lettuce, tomato, bacon with egg on top. Enjoy!

These waffles are also delicious on their own - try with a bowl of soup or cut up for appetizer with a dip. So tasty!

saturday a.m. - eggs in tomato nest with cheesy grits

We woke up this morning and wanted something warm and tasty. Normally, I'd make a frittata or omelets but we have a serious lack of fresh vegetables in the house so I did a pantry raid - do note I said pantry raid.

Grits. Chopped tomatoes. Couple fresh things like some parsley, garlic & cheddar. Things are about to get delicious.

14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes

4 eggs

1/2 cup quick cooking grits

2 tablespoons butter

drizzle of EVOO

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2-3 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1/3 cup cheddar other cheese, shredded

S&P to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare grits according to directions (typically boil 2 cups of water and stir in 1/2 cup grits - stir periodically until thick). Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter, cheese and some S&P.

In a large saute pan, heat EVOO and add garlic. Sauté for a few moments until lightly browned. Drain about half the juice off the tomatoes and place the rest in the pan with garlic. Cook until some of the liquid has has evaporated and remove from heat. Make four little pockets in the tomato mixture and crack an egg in each space. Place sauté pan in pre-heated oven for about 6 minutes until eggs have glazed over. In shallow bowls, place a large scoop of grits, topped with eggs & tomatoes, garnish with fresh parsley. 

tastes of the south - fritters & grits

It is amazing how quickly Southern culture worked its way into our lives. Whether it's talking to people on elevators, throwing out a "bless" at any unfortunate situation, or enjoying cheesy grits for Sunday morning brunch - the South has had a positive impact on us!

This brings me to two Southern inspired dishes - both so delicious and very manageable to make. Carrot & zucchini fritters (above) and sausage 'n parmesan grits (below). For the fritters, I pulsed peeled/chopped carrot and zucchini in the food processor, but you could also shred by hand.

Fritters

small onion, chopped and lightly sautéed in a bit of butter until translucent

2-3 large carrots, peeled and shredded

2-3 zucchini, partially peeled and shredded (and squeezed dry)

1 tablespoon cornmeal

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

S & P to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl mix all ingredients. On a large misted baking pan,  drop fritters. I used an ice-cream scoop (filled it almost full) to delve out the fritters, and I also placed my Silpat mat on the baking sheet to prevent sticking. Bake the fritters for 10 minutes at 375, then lower temp to 350 and carefully flip fritters. Bake for another 15 minutes. Serve with a sour cream based dipping sauce or a bit of apple sauce - yum!

sausage 'n parmesan grits soufflé via Parade Magazine

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup stone ground grits

4 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

4-5 shakes of Tabasco

S & P to taste

12 ounces cooked sausage, crumbled (chicken, pork, spicy...whatever your preference)

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly butter a 4-cup soufflé dish. Combine 1 1/2 cups water and the milk in a heavy saucepan and warm the mixture over medium-low heat. Slowly stir or whisk in the grits until smooth and thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Lightly beat the egg yolks in a bowl. Gradually stir some of the hot grits into the yolks to temper them. Then stir the tempered egg yolks into the grits. Set aside to cool slightly. Stir the Parmesan cheese, sausage crumbles, Tabasco sauce, salt, and pepper into the grits. Place egg whites in a bowl, add a pinch of salt, and beat with an electric mixer until the whites are stiff but not dry. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whites into the grits until just combined. Scrape the mixture into the soufflé dish and bake in the center of the oven until the soufflé rises and is lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

This dish is golden on top and fluffy inside - so delicious for Sunday brunch. The original recipe did not have sausage, so feel free to leave it out for a vegetarian option. 

brioche pour deux

Cinnamon & Banana Brioche French Toast for Two

2-4 thick slices of brioche bread

1 banana

2 large eggs

1/3 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

tiny pinch of salt

2-3 tablespoons butter

 maple syrup

Whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon, salt and vanilla. Melt butter in a large fry pan. Dip bread in egg mixture, saturating well. Fry on each side until golden. Top with bit more butter (to taste), sliced banana and maple syrup.

Tomato Brioche Madame Pour Deux

2 thick slices of brioche

2 thick slices of ripe tomato

4 ounces Farmers cheese (or other mild cheese)

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

2 eggs

S&P

Toast brioche. Top with dijon mustard, tomato slice, S&P, cheese (sliced thin). Place under broiler until cheese is melted. Top with an egg over easy or sunny-side up. Serve with salad for a light dinner.

Brioche is rich and buttery and makes a great meal any time of day. My mom gave us half a loaf from Patisserie Poupon in Baltimore. Yum!

a winter brunch

On Saturday, I volunteered at Salud Cooking School in Whole Foods. We had a delicious menu! Some recipes are here and others will come when I recreate at home.

Smoked Salmon Canape (on a cream cheese spread atop pumpernickel rounds)

Citris & Fennel Salad with Mint

2 pounds fennel bulb

3 to 4 oranges (blood oranges would be great)

1/4 cup EVOO

2 lemons, juiced

2 tablespoons, chopped mint

2 ounces arugula

S&P to taste

Remove the fonds (tops) of the fennel bulbs. Slice bulbs in half, remove cores. Slice into thirds and then slice very thinly. Peel oranges and slice into wedges, removing white pith. Whisk EVOO, juice, S&P - whisk well and add mint. Place fennel slices, orange and arugula in dressing and coat. Assemble on a platter, garnish with more mint and fennel fonds for decoration.

Felt like spring on Saturday - 70 degrees!

Trim asparagus ends, roast in a baking sheet at 425 degrees for about 8 minutes (dot with butter and salt to taste before roasting). Remove asparagus and top with 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese and zest of a lemon. Serve room temperature.

Egg Cups with Prosciutto and Wild Mushrooms

3/4 pound wild mushrooms (bunapi, oyster, shitake, chanterelle), chopped

1/4 cup shallot finely shopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons creme fraiche, sour cream or plain yogurt

12 slices of Prociutto to line tins

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped

large eggs

S&P to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sautee shallot in butter and when butter is hot, add mushrooms and cook liquid out (at least 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in tarragon and creme fraiche.

In Pammed cupcake tins (or buttered ramekins), assemble prosciutto in base and sides of cups. Divide mushroom mixture into the cups and crack an egg in each. Bake in middle of oven for about 10-15 minutes, until whites are set but yolks are still runny. Season with S&P and remove to serving platter, garnish with parsley.

Sausage & Stone-Ground Grits Souffle

a Sunday of (new) favorites

There are some things I don't ever really cook. A big one is pancakes. I don't love pancakes (not the way, say, my brother does), and Vance and I are really egg people on weekend mornings. This Sunday, though, we woke up and before I was even out of bed, I had the urge to make pancakes. That is so odd.

Easy apple, walnut & cinnamon pancakes.

Bisquick! That is why these are easy apple, walnut and cinnamon pancakes. Prepare Bisquick mix as box notes and set aside. In the food processor combine:

2 medium peeled apples (quartered)
1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pulse until mixed (but not all the way to mush). Mix with 1/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts. In a well-buttered pan, pour pancake batter. Assemble a small scoop of apple mixture into pancake and drizzle a little more batter on top. When bubbles form at edges, flip. Top with butter and syrup - oh goodness - so good.

These recipes don't go together at all, but they were both enjoyed on Sunday and are quick and easy.

This makes a large portion that could easily feed four or five.

Chicken Tikka Masala via Slow Cooker

Chicken

9 skinless boneless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

1 tablespoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 cup yogurt
4 tablespoons butter
1 whole jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, diced

Sauce
4 tablespoons butter
1 whole large onion, peeled and diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Kosher salt 

3 tablespoons garam masala 

1 piece fresh ginger, about 2-3 Inches, peeled and grated
4 cups crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon raw or white sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch

1-½ cup heavy cream
Cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1- 1.5 inch pieces. Sprinkle the coriander, cumin, cilantro, cayenne, salt and pepper over the chicken, then stir in the yogurt until all the pieces are evenly coated. Cover lightly and let sit for 10 minutes before proceeding. Melt 1 tablespoon the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Raise the heat to medium high and quickly brown about 1/4 of the chicken. Transfer browned chicken to the slow cooker as it is finished, using 1 tablespoon of butter per batch, and repeat until the chicken is all in the slow-cooker. 

Prepare the sauce. Return the pan to the heat and melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, jalapeno and kosher salt, then stir. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to lightly brown around the edges. Stir in the garam masala and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute) before raising the heat to high and adding the crushed tomatoes and raw sugar. Stir well, scraping the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil. Pour over the chicken in the slow-cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or until the chicken is very tender. Use a fork or whisk to stir the cornstarch into the heavy cream until smooth. Pour into the slow-cooker and stir gently until the colour is even. Replace the lid and let cook for 10 minutes or until bubbly around the edges. Serve over hot Jasmine or Basmati rice with naan. I also steamed some spinach so we had a bit green.

Happy cooking all.

fall on fall

Today was one of the first days that I busted out a full-on fall outfit (courtesy of Meredith who gave me the sweater I currently have on). Did you know that having a friend in the retail industry is pretty amazing? Mer has gifted me some amazing finds including a pair of Anthro jeans I wear all the time, Leifsdottir sandals and one of my favorite sweaters. Speaking of friends, I will be heading up to Pennsylvania on Monday, and I am so excited to see my girls in the Hershey area!

Back to fall on fall, butternut squash hash with a burnt orange wool sweater, equals fall on fall.

I know I have raved about hash before, but seriously, hash 'n eggs are such an easy (and healthy) dinner. For this dish you will need...

half of butternut squash, peeled and cubed (roughly 1.5 cups)

half of a red bell pepper, diced

small onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried sage

1/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock

2-3 tablespoons EVOO

3-4 eggs (depending on how hungry you are)

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large saute pan, add garlic and onion. Saute until onion is translucent. Add cubed squash and cook for a few minutes. Add in stock, stir and place a lid over the pan. Allow to cook over medium/low heat for almost 10 minutes. Squash should be getting nice and soft. Add in diced bell pepper and sage, return lid and cook for a few minutes. Season with S&P. Ensure bell pepper is cooked through, but still crisp. Prepare eggs (Vance likes his sunny side up, I am an over medium kinda gal).

Assemble hash with eggs on top.

Butternut squash hash with eggs, side salad and a cheddar biscuit - yum!

I love butternut squash and, as it turns out, that is okay! We also love sweet potatoes, but when you look at the nutritional comparison, squash has sweet potatoes beat. Enjoy your squash!

Butternut Squash (about a cup) vs. Sweet Potato (cup)

Calories 63 vs 130

Fat (g) .1 vs 0.0

Carbs (g) 2.8 vs 4

Sugar (g) 3.1 vs 7

via Fit Sugar

leftovers...redone.

Preparing a creative and healthy meal out of leftovers can be a challenge, but last night it worked out quite well! I had a large amount of wild rice leftover from Saturday night's chicken Marbella dinner (which was delicious). 

Chicken Marbella courtesy of The Silver Palate Cookbook

I also had purchased button mushrooms that were on sale and of course we had our staples like eggs, spinach and Parmesan cheese.

Mushroom and Wild Rice Frittata (adapted from Eating Well)

Roughly 1.5 cups cooked wild rice (I used Uncle Ben's 10 minute rice)

6 large eggs

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

S&P to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 chopped onion, small-medium

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried

8 oz mushrooms (cremini, white button, shiitake), sliced

1 cup fresh spinach

1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Set cooked rice aside and beat eggs in a large bowl with parsley, dash of salt, shake of pepper and nutmeg. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Heat oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium heat. Add onion and bit more salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in rosemary, then add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until they release their liquid and the pan is almost dry, mix in spinach and sauté well. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in the rice. Pour the reserved egg mixture evenly over the rice and vegetables. Partially cover and cook until set around the edges, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Place the pan under broiler and broil until the eggs are set and the top is nicely browned, about 2 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

This frittata makes a delicious dinner or brunch. Serve with salad and a piece of crusty bread - delicious!

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a sparkle too aggressive?

One of my oldest and best friends, Jen, came to Nashville for the weekend. We had a great few days, starting the weekend with a sparkling wine and cheese tasting. It was interesting to hear the sommelier describe each wine and how it paired with the cheeses. Bready, fizzy, aromatic...aggressive - all interesting terms to describe our wines. Jen and I both enjoyed Lumasinna, a light Italian sparkler.

Clockwise -Bucheron (semi-soft), Gruyere (firm), Camembert (soft), Point Reyes Blue (medium-soft) & Manchego (hard)

Cheers with Bottex Le Cueille!

On Saturday, we hit some great shops like World Market and had dinner at The Wild Cow in East Nashville. Jen has been a vegetarian since the start of the year, so this was the perfect occasion to try a new vegan restaurant. I had a great black bean burger with a pineapple slaw. 

Sunday morning we went to Fido and had a delicious brunch. Eggs Benedict on toasted whole grain bread, yellow heirloom tomatoes, and wilted spinach - definitely a dish to make before fresh tomatoes are gone. 

Friends (like fine wine) get better with age...here is to another 20 plus years of friendship!

Fun fact - when opening a sparkling wine, do your best to remove the cork slowly (so it makes the sigh of a woman) as opposed to popping the cork. This method helps not to bruise the wine.