Mushroom and Leek Migas

It's that time again....time to Spotlight a new amazing cookbook. I'm sure most of you are acquainted with the author in some form or another. She's a fellow blogger (I love when this happens!) by the name of Meagan Micozzi. She has an amazing blog (of course) called Scarletta Bakes

She's been giving away some amazing stuff lately so I highly, highly recommend that you give her visit and see if you can win something.

So...she has this new cookbook, The New Southwest

and I'm here to tall you about it...during the next 3 weeks. Aaaaaaand (this is a BIG and) during the 3rd week, I'll be giving this cookbook away to one of you lucky people.

But let's explore a little. See what's inside. I mean, you never buy a cookbook without browsing through the pages first, right?

So for this week, Mushroom and Leek Migas is on the menu. It's typically a breakfast dish but how many of you love to eat breakfast for dinner? I'm a huge fan, that's for sure. Which is why I chose to make this for dinner. It's quick, easy and delish! I had all of the ingredients on hand

...except for the leek. Oh...and the cheese. So I ran to the store...(because I needed a bottle of wine anyway) and picked them up. Not long after I got home, dinner was served. But honestly, if you don't want to run to the store...you can use any kind of cheese you want. If you don't have a leek on hand, use whatever onion you've got.

It's all good.

Talk about a great meal for those busy weeknights. Loaded with flavor and guaranteed not to send you to bed hungry. Do you have a vegetarian in the house? Peeeerfeeeeeeect! Can't go wrong there.

And one more thing, if dirty dishes aren't your thing...then you're going to love this even more. One pan is all you need.

Mushroom and Leek Migas
Printable Version

4 5" corn tortillas
1 1/4 cups oil (divided)
10 large eggs
1/4 heavy cream (milk will do if that's all you have)
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz crimini mushrooms (or whatever you prefer would be just fine)
1 leek, ends removed and sliced
2 TB minced garlic (or to taste)
1 cup shredded Manchego cheese (or whatever you have on hand)

Cut the tortillas in half then slice into thin strips (about 1/2"). Heat 1 cup of oil in a large heavy bottom saucepan over medium high heat.

Working in batches, fry the tortilla strips for 1 to 2 minutes or until browned, flipping as needed. Keep an eye on them. They go from golden brown to burnt real quick.

 Remove from pan to a towel lined plate or baking sheet.

(if you really really want to save time, you can buy tortilla strips from the market, but honestly they're not as good. Just sayin')

Whisk together the eggs and heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Once you're finished with the strips, rinse out the pan and heat up the remaining 1/4 cup of oil over medium heat.

Saute the mushrooms for about 3 minutes or until tender (ooooh they smell so good). Add the leek and saute for another 2 minutes. Then add the garlic.

The aroma level just jump up several notches! Seriously!

Saute for a minute before pouring in the egg. Stir constantly in a circular motion until the eggs begin to solidify then add those lovely crispy tortilla strips.

Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the eggs are cooked through.

Remove from heat, top with the amazing, tangy Manchego cheese and serve. If you'd like, chop up some cilantro, avocado, maybe a little tomato and sprinkle on top as well

Holy moly....good stuff I tell ya! I can't wait to try something else from this book.

Stay tuned for the next feature....coming your way in the very near future.

There are about 15 of us playing around in The New Southwest Cookbook so by all means, check them all out. You can find us all listed here: http://www.girlichef.com/2013/10/TheNewSouthwest-CookbookSpotlight.html

This post is part of The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlightsponsored by Hippocrene and hosted at girlichef.

Migas and The Homesick Texan Cookbook Review

It's that time....we've been playing around with The Homesick Texan for a few weeks now. I've shared a few recipes and tidbits here and there. And now....it's time to lay it all out on the table. Tell it like it is....give you the skinny. Express my honest opinion. Give you the scoop on whats between the covers.  I'm going to tell you the lowdown on the hoedown.

Before last month I had never heard of Lisa Fain. After reading through her cookbook, I feel like we would totally mesh! There's something about her that echos within my soul. Although I have never lived in Alabama, I feel deeply connected and very rooted to my family, the way of life and the food there. Being in the city, you just don't get that "down home" connection. One of the ways I cross all those state lines between me and my family is by cooking foods that feed my soul. Which is what Fain did when she started her blog and wrote this cookbook. She fed by her need to connect to her home while living in New York. 

Now....I have never "really" reviewed a cookbook before. It's rather intimidating. I mean, you want to be accurate and informative as well as sounding like you know what you're talking about. That's when I turned to my peeps over on Facebook and asked them what they're looking for when searching for a cookbook. What points they'd like me to touch on in my review. I got some awesome responses. You people are the best! Thank you so much for your guidance. 

With that said, let's get down and dirty....and into the nitty gritty of it all (ok, are you soooo over the idioms? me too)

When I look at a cookbook, the first thing I do is flip through the pages. I hate to sound so "shallow" but honestly, photos are very important. I have a hard time buying a cookbook that doesn't have a single photograph (besides Mastering the Art of French Cooking....HUGE exception). The Homesick Texan has a ton of fabulous photos. Not only of mouthwatering food but also a few nostalgic, pure Texas shots that are scattered about strategically.

Next...contents. Theme. Tex-Mex is totally up my ally. I love Mexican food. I love southern food. When you combine the two.....you have something uniquely Texan. The Homesick Texan has a fabulously diverse content which is brilliantly divided. How often do you open a cookbook and see a chapter called "The Larder: The Homesick Texan's Pantry"? This is probably my favorite chapter. In it Lisa acknowledges and addresses the fact that not every city has the ingredients for a good Tex-Mex meal. She discovered this while shopping in New York City. You will see a solid 8 pages of ingredients and kitchen equipment that you should have, with descriptions and alternatives. In the back of the book you'll find a "Resource" page that tells you where you can order items and ingredients if you can't find them in your local market or Mexican grocer.

Not only does she have your typical chapters for Appetizers, Seafood, Sweets but there are whole chapters dedicated to Pickles and Preserves....Salsa, Sauces, And Gravies and Tex-Mex Classics (not to mention Morning Foods; Chilis, Soups, and Stews; Beef, Pork, and Fowl; Sides, Hot and Cold and last but not least, Breads). That pretty much covers it all. And if you can't find what you need based on the chapters....all you have to do is look in the Index where you will find recipes listed not only by name, but by ingredient.

One important factor that was brought up on Facebook was the desire to see the level of cooking experience needed as well as the length of time it takes. Neither of these are addressed in The Homesick Texan. I have found though, that most of the recipes range from very basic to requiring a bit more "how-to" knowledge. But to be honest, this is all good, down-home food that can be cooked and enjoyed by anyone with any level of cooking experience. Each recipe includes a great little intro that makes you wish you were in Texas having it the way it was originally experienced. As for the "how long" portion. You'll have to gauge this a bit. If you browse through the instructions...mentally adding up the cooking time frames...you should get a pretty good idea on what's required. I will say that the instructions are easy to follow.

If you haven't been following along during The Homesick Texan journey I've been on, you can view the recipes I've cooked below:

Pork Tacos, and Black Beans

Poblano Mac and Cheese

Pan De Campo

And now I have one more recipe to share. This is an easy one. Not as quick as your typical scrambled eggs....but when you're getting ready to experience something fabulous.....prep is never as quick as ready set, ready go. But it can be effortless.

Migas

Printable Version

Oil for frying

4 corn tortillas cut into strips

1/2 medium onion, diced

4 jalapeno chiles, seeded, stemmed and diced (I didn't have fresh jalapenos so I used the kind in a jar)

8 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper 

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup (4 oz) grated cheddar cheese, jack cheese or maybe a combo

 

Usually I show you a nice display of ingredients all arranged on a cutting board or something. This time I decided to be real. I do gather all of the ingredients before starting on a recipe. But it's always "everywhere" on the counter....and that's how I really cook.

In a large skillet, heat about 1/2 inch of oil over a medium-high heat. Put the tortilla strips in the hot oil and let cook until nice and crispy...about 3 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Drain out the oil, leaving about 2 TB. Turn the heat down a bit and add the onions and jalapenos. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent. While that's going on, whisk together the egg, milk, salt, pepper, cumin and cilantro in a bowl.

Once the onions are translucent, add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add the egg mixture to the skillet along with the tortilla strips. Let the egg cook for a minute so the bottom sets a bit. Stir gently and then add the cheese

I have a confession to make here. I did a few things out of order. When I measured the cumin, instead of tossing it into the egg mixture, I tossed it into the pan with the onions and garlic. (silly me). Then I forgot to add the cilantro to the egg...so it went in along with the cheese. But you know what? It didn't matter. This is such a free-form recipe and very forgiving as it also allows for adjustments to accommodate your own personal tastes. More cheese? Less cheese? No onions? More heat? Just do it. We're talking about eggs here. Make it so you like it. 

Once the cheese has been added, gently stir until the cheese has melted. Add more salt and pepper to taste (if needed). 

Lisa Fain recommends that you serve Migas with salsa and tortillas. I personally found it very filling and satisfying. Not to mention simple. I didn't need the extras. (BTW...I halved the recipe and this plate served 2). All I did was sprinkle some jack cheese over the top and let it melt. (love me some melted cheese).

This is the perfect example of many of the recipes in The Homesick Texan. Complex in flavor yet simple enough for any level of cook to make. I loved the corn flavor that the tortilla strips added to the eggs. The jalapenos were a great addition of some slight heat. The smokey flavor from the cumin was wonderful. If I wanted to beef it up a bit....I could've added some chorizo or sausage. If I wanted more veggies...some diced tomatoes would've been a wonderful addition.

Let me wrap this up with a simple 5 star rating for a fabulous cookbook. It has been a sheer pleasure being part of the The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off that was sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at Girlichef*, (where you will find others who have cooked from and reviewed this cookbook. I recommend that you mosey on over there and see what the rest of us have to say).

If you love Mexican and / or Tex-Mex food....I highly recommend that you not pass this one up. It's a keeper and bound to become a favorite in your collection, as it is mine.

Thank you Hyperion and Girlichef* for including me in such a fun adventure.

SoCal Quiche

A.K.A.....BLT w/ Avocado Quiche. For reals. All of the ingredients of one of the most popular sandwiches wrapped up in one pie plate.

Just for the record...my oldest child doesn't like quiche.

Except for this one.

She was amazed..."Mom! I don't even LIKE quiche, and this is really good."

Through the Taste Maker Program with Foodbuzz.com, I was one of  the lucky recipients of a case of avocados from the California Avocado Commission.

Last week I received an email saying the avocados were on their way. I got home from work that evening and Poof! There they were....all snug in cozy, just waiting for me.

Being the avocado loving family that we are....I don't think I need to tell you how exciting this was.

The avocados were pretty hard when they arrived (which was last Thursday) and with Memorial Day weekend just around the corner, I wanted to showcase these babies. In order to speed up the ripening process, I popped them into a brown paper bag and sure enough....by Sunday, they were perfect for my BLT with Avocado Quiche.

SoCal Quiche
Printable Version

Pastry for 9" one-crust pie (I added some shredded Parmesan cheese to mine)
4 eggs
2 cups half and half
1 lb bacon, cooked and chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 handful arugula
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Pinch or two cayenne pepper
1 or 2 Avocados, sliced
1 tomato slice
1 handful grape tomatoes, cut in half

Preheat the oven to 425' F

Prepare your pastry and line your 9" pie plate with it.

Beat the eggs and  half and half. Add the bacon, cheese, onion, arugula, salt, pepper and cayenne. Pour into your prepared pie plate.

Which reminds me...the pie plate I used, for the very first time, was one that I had received from CSNStores.com. It was a Paula Deen Stoneware Pie Plate. What a great addition to my kitchen essentials! Not only is it beautiful, but man...is that baby DEEP! No worries about anything spilling over the top as I was placing it in the oven. (have you ever had that happen? man, what a mess it can be!)

Decorate the top with the tomatoes and avocado slices.

If you don't want to do that...just chop it all up and mix it in with the rest of the goodies. Sprinkle the top with a little pepper if you'd like.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat down to 300' F and continue baking for another 30 minutes or so. If the crust is getting too dark, just cover it with a strip of tin foil. To test for done-ness, insert a knife halfway between the center and the edge. If the knife comes out clean, then its done. If not...back in the oven it goes.

Allow the quiche to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

And there you have it....a great breakfast quiche. Perfect for a Sunday brunch, a family gathering...or a side for an afternoon bbq.

Lemon, Basil and Egg in a Baguette

Doesn't that look interesting? It's really good! And it was my dinner. Mine alone. Just for me. Do you know how challenging it can be to cook for one person? Totally not my thing but I was hungry and no one else was home. I looked at a bowl of lemons and wanted something with lemon. But I didn't have any meat defrosted. Egg popped into my mind and there my search began. A rather quick search with a quick solution. Just for me.


I'll tell you all about it in a minute. First, let's talk about challenges. I enjoy a good challenge. Maybe not stress that comes with some challenges, but the fun kind. The kind that makes you think outside your box and makes you grow, in a fun way (read food way). If I haven't done it before, I wanna try it. If I have done it, I wanna do it differently. That's where Marx Food's Iron Foodie 2010 comes in.

                                         
Marx Foods is the company where I got 2 pounds of incredibly yummy morel mushrooms from and some really fun palm leaf bowls and plates. Well, now they're hosting a challenge, complete with some ingredients. Secret ingredient. How cool is that?! You see...Marx Foods doesn't just sell mushrooms and biodegradable plates and bowls. They sell a whole line of gourmet ingredients. Sooo...in order to be considered as a participant in their Iron Foodie 2010 contest, I need to answer a few questions...one of which was just answered above regarding why I want to compete in the challenge. In case I didn't make myself clear....the cut and dry answer is....the shear fun of expanding my "box", growing and learning!

Have you ever dreamed of spending time with one particular person in the kitchen? It has crossed my mind several times over the years. I wish that I had lived closer to my grandmother, Elvie. I would've loved learning all that she knew about cooking. She could pull together a spread for the whole family and everyone was satisfied and full of good, home cooked food. Then I think how awesome it would be to laugh and play with butter in the kitchen with Paula Deen. She just looks like she has a great time playing with food, and of course eating it and sharing the love with those around her. But if I had to pick one person, I think I'd have to say, Julia Child. We could drink wine and make a huge mess and come out with a fabulous dish. I have a feeling I'd learn the most from her....I'd really have to pick her brain on all that she learned in France. I'd probably end up learning more than just food stuffs. She was a go getter and conqueror, not only in the kitchen, but in life.

I love french fries. (I mean...honestly....who doesn't? Well, besides my virtual twin sister, Joy) A little greasy....crispy on the outside and soft and hot on the inside. I particularly enjoy dipping them in ranch dressing. On occasion, well, on a lot of occasions, I finish my fries before anyone else does. If you value your fries, do not leave them unattended during my watch. You just might find yourself a few fries short of a serving. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to get burgers and fries on a Sunday afternoon for the family, only to arrive home with a bunch of half empty bags. I got away with blaming the burger joint employee's for being stingy with the fries a couple of times. Eventually....they caught on. I no longer am allowed to do the burger runs on my own.

(only 2 more...then we'll get to the recipe)

Thanksgiving Dinner! Now we're talking!!! When I think back to all the family meals we had together during my childhood....Thanksgiving is my favorite. We all got together, we all helped in some way (I usually had to set the table.....sigh) and we all ate like pigs. One of my aunts and I would fight over the crispy skin. Hands were often slapped (very often mine) for "testing" the food before it was served. Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday with the perfect meal. You get all the good food and quality, memorable family time without the stress of buying presents.

We all have a food we cannot, will not, flat out refuse to eat. I can't stand eggplant. I have tried. It has even been secretly included in my meal, but not unnoticed. There are other foods I'm not fond of, such as beats, and brussel sprouts....but eggplant tops that list. Beats run a very close second. Fish....isn't by choice, it's an allergy thing. But if you want to see me gag, shiver and look completely ridiculous....make me eat an eggplant. Don't say I didn't warn you.

And, that's me. In one of my many nutshells. Now I just wait and see if I am chosen as one of the 25 contestants. (cross your fingers)

Back to my single serving dinner. I really enjoyed the lemon and basil combo with the egg, (of course cheese is always a welcome ingredient but it wasn't the king of this dish) all in a crispy baguette. Way simple to make with only a few ingredients needed. This dish is meant as a much larger meal, made with a foccacia, but I scaled it down, just for me. Giada really has some very wonderful recipes. If you want the original, full blown, feed several people reciep....click ---->HERE<----

This is a loose recipe....the quantities are adjustable and changeable. Do what sounds good for you.

Lemon, Basil and Egg in a Baguette
Printable Version

4" section of a baguette
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 egg
2 tablespoons or so of shredded parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon or so of chopped fresh basil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350' F

Hollow out the bread. Cut the bread up, or tear it, into bite sized pieces and set it aside. In a small bowl, lightly whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil. Brush the inside of the baguette with the lemon oil.

Stick the bread in the oven to toast. If you are one of the lucky ones who happen to have a toaster oven...go for it!! I don't have one. Never have. First time I ever used one was when I started my current job, about 2 yrs ago. I left my bread in the oven for about 15 - 20 minutes....I wanted it crispy.

While that's going on, in a small bowl, beat the egg, some of the cheese, and basil together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add most of the bread crumbs to the egg mixture. When your bread is toasted to your desire, fill it up with the bread/egg mixture. Top with more cheese

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, (roughly...I wasn't looking at the clock exactly) until the egg is cooked.

Good stuff, simple fresh flavors and ingredients that come together in a big way. And you know what? I didn't even miss not having any meat for dinner (thats a biggy for me....I like my meat). I think the whole wheat baguette that I used was earthy enough to almost make me think I was tasting meat. (weird, huh?) But if you'd like, you could totally add some bacon or sausage to this baby. Oooh...and maybe a handful of spinach. Ya....there definitely is room for personal growth with this dish.

Dinner for Breakfast

Yep....dinner for breakfast. And let me be more specific.....

Leftovers from dinner, for breakfast

We have here a little pork (not in the sausage or bacon form...but it's pork)...a little sauce (not necessarily gravy but it serves the same purpose) an egg and an english muffin. Put it all together and you have YUM!

Let me tell you what was for dinner the night before.

Pork in a Mushroom Gravy (I dunno what else to call it)
2 pork sirloins (or boneless pork chops) cut into 1" chunks
1/2 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper
5 crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, mined
2 teaspoons parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Vegetable oil to prevent sticking
1 - 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk, divided
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat about a couple of teaspoons of vegetable oil a large skillet over medium heat (add more oil as needed). Dredge the pork in the flour and brown in the skillet, in batches (you don't want to over crowd the skillet, which would create steam, making the flour mushy and preventing the meat from browning). Remove pork from the skillet and set aside, keeping warm.

Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of grease from the skillet. Saute the mushrooms and onions until just tender. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or less more. Sprinkle in the parsley, nutmeg and paprika....give it a quick stir. Pour 1 cup of chicken broth into the pan, scraping the crunchies off the bottom (this is known as deglazing). Pour in 1/2 cup milk and stir. Mix together 2 tablespoons of flour and 1/2 cup milk until there are no lumps, and slowly pour into the pan, stirring constantly. Combine well. Add the pork back to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook until the meat is done and the sauce has thickened. If you find that the sauce is too thick, just add a bit more chicken broth (1/4 - 1/2 cup).

Soo....that was dinner. It was yummy and tasty and easy. But I had some leftover and the girls weren't home and Sir Sportsalot doesn't eat leftovers. (good lord!!!!)

So I had it again for breakfast....

Heat up a serving of Pork in Mushroom Sauce

I have the coolest little mini cast iron skillets that are perfect for single servings. Oh ya...this was a single serving breakfast. You see, for some weird, unknown reason, I was up before the butt-crack of dawn! 4:30 A.M.!!!! My eyeballs opened (even though I couldn't see shit cuz it was still dark) and that's how they stayed. After being up for 2 hours, I got really hungry. It was only 6:30 in the morning and no one in my household would be up for another 3 hours at best. So ya....this skillet was perfect for my little breakfast.

Reduce the heat to as low as possible and crack an egg in the skillet, over the meat and sauce

Put a lid on it and let it cook for about 2 minutes or until the egg is the way you like it. I like mine runny

You can either eat it as is....or get out your toaster and pour this over an english muffin or toast or a biscuit. It's all good.

And it tasted good. So good that when I made mine, I ate it without even thinking about taking pictures. Then realized that I needed to share it with you all cuz it was too good to keep to myself. So I made another one that I knew I wasn't even going to eat (I was full!!). I snapped shots of that runny egg and then saved it for my pork eating daughter, as opposed to my non-pork eating daughter. She LOVED it! Sir Sportsalot missed out on this one. I guess I could say...You Snooze, You Looze. But even if he wasn't sleeping half the day away, he wouldn't even try it.....cuz leftovers for breakfast are still leftovers. But he's really missing out cuz leftovers are so often better than the original. 

I think leftovers have a bad rap. They need a new name..."leftovers" just sound sooo....."been there, done that", used, second hand, "What are you having for dinner?" "......leftovers". What does that mean?  Thats just such a broad statement....and almost depressing in it's stigma. Leftovers....that could be anything and everything...and what comes to mind? An over cooked, reheated, dried piece of meat....shriveled up peas and some runny mashed potatoes (TV dinners are sooo leftover!!). But thats not what leftovers are these days. We do so much more with them...and reheating is done in a microwave instead of in the oven (omits the drying out part).....they aren't really leftovers anymore. They're almost a do-over. A second time around. I know....

They're an Encore! 

"What are you having for dinner?"

"mmmm....we're havning an encore!"

Play it Egg-ain, Sam

When I was a kid, my grandmother got up every morning and made a big breakfast. The whole nine yards.... bacon, eggs, biscuits (homemade), gravy, coffee and juice.

Man was it good!

Man, how I soooo do NOT have that kind of energy at the crack of dawn.

What I can do is throw together a few leftovers and come up with some good stuff.

At least it's better for you than a bowl of cold sugary cereal.

Just for the record....I love Captain Crunch

Yesterday I made some BLT's and Potato Wedges for lunch. (they was gooood)

Believe it or not, there were a few slices of bacon, and a couple of wedges that didn't get devoured. So I wrapped them up and stuck 'em in the fridge.

I woke up too early this morning (thanks to a specific jackass of a neighbor, but that's a story for another....never). Thank God for the Food Network. 6:00 a.m. and I'm watching Sunny make up something that I couldn't even focus on until the end....

Wait....what? Eggs, meat, potatoes? Reeeeeeeeeeeewiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiind!!!

Something totally yummy was being scooped onto a plate. Oh man....check it out! There was some chorizo, potatoes.....onions and some other stuff that my fuzzy brain didn't retain, but it got me thinking (and my stomach rumbling). Sunny's is called Breakfast Skillet Recipe in case you wanna see it done right.

Well, I didn't have the same ingredients that she had, but I had enough to of something to come up with a very tasty breakfast.

I broke up some of that leftover bacon....sliced a few of those leftover potato wedges and chopped up some onion. Tossed that together in a small skillet. After that was beginning to heat through I broke an egg over the top.

Now here's the trick....DON'T scramble it!

Lower the heat, put a lid on it and let it cook sunny side up style until the yoke is as done as you desire.

MMMMMMMMM

I Heart Hollandaise?

I didn't use to like Hollandaise sauce. Of course that was like....30 yrs ago and I hadn't tried it since. The adults in the family back then use to rave about it....and serve it on special occasions. As a kid, I was highly disappointed.

I love poached eggs though, and always have...and well, Hollandaise goes with poached eggs like gravy goes with biscuits, right? I mean....they're just meant for each other.

So it was inevitable that my taste buds would get a chance to redeem themselves.

Why this trip down memory lane? And the desire to prove that my taste buds have grown up?

I think it's been all this talk about my ancient Better Homes and Garden Cookbook recently.

I love how it looks. The canvas feel it has....

The old drawings....so retro!

My favorite part of any cookbook...the Weights and Measures! (the ultimate cheat sheet!!)

And the charm of old, brittle pages that are browning on the edges...

I noticed that my new BHG has a slightly different recipe for Hollandaise sauce, which I thought was interesting. But for the sake of "memory lane" I'm going to make the old version.

Btw....I'm not going to go into how to poach an egg. I haven't mastered that yet. I have no clue how long to cook them to get the desired yolk. Any tips guys?

Soo...in the Sauce section of "Soups and Sauces" we have Hollandaise Sauce, Quick Hollandaise Sauce and Mock Hollandaise Sauce.

I stuck with Hollanaise Sauce:

1/2 cup butter

4 egg yolks, well beaten

1/2 cup boiling water

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Melt the butter in a double boiler. I don't have a double boiler so I use a glass bowl and it works just fine....

Very gradually add the melted butter to the beaten egg yolks, stirring thoroughly. If you add the hot butter too quickly, you'll cook your eggs and get a lumpy sauce. Then gradually add 1/2 cup boiling water, while continuing to stir....

Return to double boiler; cook and stir constantly until sauce thickens...

Remove from hot water; slowly add the lemon juice and salt.....stirring constantly...

Cover; place back over the hot water (with the burner OFF) to keep warm until ready to serve.

Make your poached eggs. (Totally related to Julie from Julie & Julia, here)

It is me or do these kinda look like jellyfish.

Assemble over a toasted Thomas' English Muffin and a slice of canadian bacon....plop that poached egg on top and let the sauce smother it all together under a blanket of goodness...

And yes....I am totally in love with Hollandaise Sauce!!! I'm just pissed that its so fattening! LOL

However....my daughter informed me that my Hollandaise doesn't taste like the kind at restaurants. Apparently restaurant Hollandaise doesn't have lemon? I do have a packet of Knorr Hollandaise Sauce mix in the cupboard...... Ooooh....now I remember!! I bought the packet on a whim a couple of weeks back. But instead of using it, I figured..."hell, I can make it myself"....so that was the beginning of the beginning.

I will try the packet and see what my daughter has to say about it. Will it be better than mine? Will it be better than the restaurants? Inquiring minds want to know....

Eggs $1.70 a dz, Bell Pepper $2.99 lb.....

.....Breakfast cooked by your daughter....priceless!!

This morning before I left for work, before most teens even think about getting up on a summer day, and even before the cat was awake

Ok, I'll give you that one....the cat's always asleep. I'm sure the other one was too but I couldn't find his fat ass.

Anyways...early this morning Natalie asked me if I wanted an egg for breakfast. She's discovered how good eggs are when you add tons of goodies. Most people do this with omelettes, but not Natalie. She makes "Fancy Scrambled Eggs".

Last week she jokingly sent a picture of her breakfast to my phone (thinking she was sooo funny cuz I'm always taking pictures of food). When I offered to blog about her breakfast I think she kinda liked the idea. Sooo....here it is.

She started off sauteing mushrooms, onions and I think garlic but I didn't catch everything she chopped up...oh ya...and some orange bell pepper....

(hmmm....what are those green things in there? Must be a couple of green onions that snuck into the wrong baggy)

Then she added in some grape tomatoes, sliced in half....

Added a couple of eggs...

Scrambled and stirred until softly cooked, then topped with some chopped cilantro and cheese....

Meanwhile toast up something good. I love Thomas English Muffins. My kids have discovered these new Hearty Grains, Whole Wheat, Extra Fiber honey sweetened, good for you Thomas Muffins that are pretty good. Maybe a little sweet...but not bad.

So I saw a couple in the toaster and I asked Nat if one was for me.

Her reply...Noooo! I didn't know you'd want one!

Ooook, guess I'll make my own. I can do that much. After all she IS making me Fancy Scrambled Eggs.....

And serving them up in a Fancy Bowl...

Hmm...is this payback for something done many moons ago? I mean she KNEW I was taking pictures! The little shit.

(Love you baby doll....breakfast was great!)