Breakfast for Dinner

Tonight, I was looking for something quick since we both got home a little later than usual. I turned to my menu and saw my Breakfast for Dinner category, and thought, that's it! So, I pulled out the ingredients for New Eggs Benedict from the Stonewall Kitchen Favorites cookbook.

"Old" Eggs Benedict is one of my favorite things, but it's pretty much the OPPOSITE of good for you, and definitely not something you'd want to consume a few hours before bedtime, but this recipe was quite a bit different. First of all, there's no hollandaise sauce - and that's where are the calories lie! The sauce for this recipe did call for some butter, but only a couple of tablespoons...along with some lemon zest, lemon juice, chives, salt and pepper. That makes a world of difference, and actually tastes really fresh, not heavy and fat-laden!

From Flickr - by bef_

I used English Muffins as a base (I tried to find wheat ones, but they were out of them when I went to the store, so I used regular ones) and piled some sauteed spinach on top. The spinach was quickly cooked in a little olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper so, nothin' bad there! I piled on a piece of smoked salmon - mmmm....yummy! - and then, the tricky part...poached eggs.

I think people are intimidated by poached eggs but it's not THAT hard! So, crack an egg, and put it in a small bowl. In a small pot of boiling water, stir until you get a little whirlpool and then drop the egg into the middle of the swirl. Drop one egg in at a time, let it swirl for a minute, keep up the whirlpool and add a few more the same way. I wouldn't poach more than 4 at a time. You should pull them out when the whites are stiff but the yolk still looks "wiggley." Maybe 2 - 3 minutes in a rolling boil.

A perfect poach!

I piled those poached eggs on top of the English Muffin, spinach and smoked salmon and then spooned a little bit of sauce over each one...and guess what, it took me about 15 minutes, TOTAL! And now I'm here talking to all of you lovely aspiring chefs! Looking forward to Friday and the weekend - we're going to visit some friends in Vermont...and I'm hoping we'll make it to the Farmer's Diner...all local and fresh, and if we go - you know you'll be hearing about it!

TOP 5 : Fresh Herbs That Work in Almost Every Situation

There are a lot of herbs and spices out there, and sometimes, it can be overwhelming to look at a recipe and see all sorts of ingredients you don't have, or better yet, haven't heard OF! However, I want to provide you with a list of five fresh herbs that you can save you in a pinch.

Parsley

1. Parsley : I buy parsley every time I do a big grocery shopping. It keeps well for a long time in the fridge, it's cheap, and it makes for the best garnish. I chop parsley in copious amounts, and use it generously. Did you know that parsley can also freshen your breath after a meal? That's why you usually find it in large sprigs on a dinner plate! I prefer the flat-leaf variety as it can be more widely used. Parsley can even be made into a pesto (usually made with basil). Check out the recipe for Fettuccine with Walnut-Parsley Pesto.

2. Basil : Basil is a perfect addition to any Italian meal, goes great with tomatoes and mozzarella, as well as sprinkled on top of pasta dishes. It also adds a lovely flavor to marinara sauce. Basil tends to go bad quickly, so if you buy it, use it! However, I've found that I can lengthen the life of basil by buying a plant, keeping it in the window, and watering it generously. The plant will continue to grow, giving you new leaves every so often, and draw out the time between basil purchases. If you find yourself with a large bunch of basil, and no use, make a pesto sauce (with basil, this time) and save it for a quick weekday dinner, tossed with some penne. A great lunch time use for basil is my favorite sandwich : Proscuitto, Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil.

Mmm...Basil with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

3. Chervil : This one is a bit harder to find, but if I find it, I buy it, and in the summer months, I usually try to grow it in a pot on my windowsill. It's a very light herb that makes for a lovely garnish, and tastes great in salads as well. It is related to parsley, but much lighter in flavor, and plays an integral part in the French herb mixture, fines herbes. A recipe I love, and use all the time, uses many different herbs, mixed with greens, and a maple shallot dressing for an extremely flavorful salad. It can be found in Barbara Lynch's, Stir.

4. Chives : Chives also make for a wonderful garnish, and have quite a bit more bite than the other herbs listed here. As part of the onion family, they add a lovely zest to a dish, and I rarely make scrambled eggs without them. Because this is a year-round herb, it's always readily available, and if you are plating a dish that seems to be missing a pop of color, add chives - you can't go wrong.

Mixed Herbs

5. Cilantro : Also known as coriander, as well as Chinese parsley, this herb is widely used in many cuisines. It's a very common garnish in asian cuisines, and it also plays a very important role in most salsas, guacamoles, and other Mexican sauces. I know, I'm sure some of you are saying that you don't like cilantro, it tastes like soap, etc...I admit that it is definitely an herb that you either love or hate. After reading an article about the strong feelings that people have towards cilantro, I found this: "Dr. Wysocki contends dislike of cilantro stems from its odor, not its taste. His hypothesis is that those who don't like it are unable to detect chemicals in the leaf that are pleasing to those who like the herb."  Hope that helps to explain your love or hate of this lovely herb!


Well, that's five! I hope that this post shed some light on the many herbs out there. I'll leave you with this: The best way to keep your herbs freshest the longest is to keep the stems in water. I put my herbs in a large vase or bowl, stems in water, covered with a plastic grocery bag. Then, when I need some herbs, I just pluck some off the bunch and put the rest back in the fridge. Another way to do it is to wash your herbs, and wrap them in a damp paper towel. Store them in ziploc bags in the refrigerator.

The snow is piling up out there, and I have a feeling I might have some extra time on my hands to do some cooking tomorrow. When you're stuck in the house, what better way to pass the time then with something you can enjoy when it's finished!

Until tomorrow...

A Biscuit in a Basket

Last night, I made Bacon and Chive biscuits. They were delicious, and I wanted to share with all of you! The original recipe is from the Stonewall Kitchen Favorites cookbook.  I made them to go with a corn and sweet potato chowder, as well as an arugula and asparagus salad (both of those recipes are also in this cookbook). This combo was great together, but these biscuits are so versatile. They can be served with a breakfast meal, and if you make larger ones, you could even use them to make breakfast sandwiches. They also go well with soups, salads, and I can totally see serving them to dip in a delicious bouillabaisse broth as well!

I adapted the recipe a bit. I prefer the thick-cut bacon to regular strips, so rather than 8 regular slices of bacon, I used 6 slices of the thick-cut. (If you are vegetarian, try making these with the Smart Bacon instead.) You'll need 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 Tablespoon of baking powder, 1 Tablespoon of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt (use Kosher), 1/4 cup of unsalted butter, 1/4 cup of shortening, 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives, and 1/2 cup of skim milk. (The original recipe calls for whole milk, but I lightened it up a bit...and I think you could probably use soy milk as well, should you have a dairy allergy.)

Set the oven to preheat on 375 degrees F. Cook the bacon until nice and crispy, drain on paper towels, and then finely chop. In a large bowl, sift the flour using a fine sieve, and then add the baking powder, sugar and salt. Stir well and then begin to add the butter and shortening. With both, you want to add small pieces at a time and use your hands to work the fats into the flour mixture gently. You can also use a pastry blender or two knives, but hands really do work best! Don't be afraid to get a little messy! Once the mixture has the appearance of cornmeal, add the chopped bacon and chives. Add the milk, and with a fork, stir the mixture until it just comes together. Don't overwork it! Now, the recipe calls for rolling out this dough and then using a circular cutter to make the shapes...but, again, don't be afraid to use your hands! I made small patties with my hands instead of doing all that rolling. Put the biscuits on an ungreased cooking sheet. I put a sheet of parchment paper down to assure that there'd be no sticking. You want the biscuits to be about 1/2 an inch thick...any thicker and they won't cook correctly, any thinner and they'll dry out. Put them in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the tops turn to a golden color. The recipe says you'll get 12 biscuits ... I think I made mine a little on the larger side, since I got 11 out of the batch of dough.



These biscuits are a quick and delicious addition to many meals. Give them a shot and let me know what you think!