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Category Archives: Brunch

Easter Mini Bundt Pan Frittatas

18 Friday Apr 2014

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Eggs, Gluten Free, Holidays, Recipe

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Easter Mini Bundt Frittatas Breakfast Recipe1

If you are celebrating Easter, I’m wishing you a Happy one!  While Easter is not in my holiday rotation, I did want to share this recipe for Easter Mini Bundt Pan Frittatas that will be ideal to make with Easter ham leftovers.  Serve this up for brunch and make an extra batch to pack for easy breakfast throughout the week.

You can certainly bake these in a standard cupcake pan, but I was fortunate to find these gorgeous mini bundt pan at my parents’ and was happy to make it my own.  The frittatas were my first project and I’m certainly looking forward to future bundt creations!

Easter Mini Bundt Pan Frittatas

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil

1 cup diced ham

1 cup diced asparagus

1 cup diced yellow bell pepper

1/4 cup diced green olives (used jalapeno stuffed)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

6 eggs

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 6-container bundt pan with cooking spray or vegetable oil.

2.  Combine ham, asparagus, bell pepper, olives and dill and divide evenly among the bundt pan cups.

3.  Whisk together eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the filling.

4.  Bake in the oven until puffy and the eggs are set, 20-25 minutes.

Easter Mini Bundt Frittatas Breakfast Recipe4

And that’s it guys!  Hop on over to your table to enjoy these delicious frittatas.  And as always, experiment with your favorite filling ingredients – cooked chicken, sauteed mushrooms and spinach, add a jalapeno for some spice – all appetizing possibilities!

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Savory French Toast

24 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by in Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Recipe

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Savory French Toast

Before I grew up into loving sweet French Toast, enjoying the custard soaked thick slices of challah bread, sometimes dusted with confectioners’ sugar or dunked into heated maple syrup, I remember gobbling up bites of Savory French Toast.  I was still a child, and if memory serves me correctly, this dish was prepared by my Dad for special weekend mornings.  I’m sure my Mom has made that as well a time or two.

This is my take on this childhood recipe – Savory French Toast.

Ingredients

2 eggs

2 tablespoons half & half

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 Brioche slices

1 tablespoon olive oil

Serve with: smoked salmon, cucumber and tomato salad

Directions

1.  Whisk together eggs, half & half, milk and the spices.

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2.  Coat brioche slices in the egg custard.

3.  Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat.

4.  Cook brioche  3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.

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If you are looking to add more flavor, consider sprinkling the toast with grated Parmesan cheese and watch it melt!

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Apple Walnut Pancakes with Cranberry Sauce ~ Breakfast Recipe

23 Wednesday Oct 2013

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Dessert, Recipe, Uncategorized

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Pancakes for breakfast? Yes, please!  Last weekend I decided to upgrade the traditional “eggs-for-breakfast” and make pancakes instead.  Rather than making them plain or over-the-top-pumpkin-spice variety, I decided on the Apple Walnut Pancakes with Homemade Cranberry Sauce and based the recipe on one of my favorites for Apple Bacon Pancakes I have done in the past.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 apples, grated

1/2 cup chopped roasted walnuts

Directions

1.  Whisk dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients and whisk to combine.  Stir in apples and walnuts.

2.  Heat a large pan over medium high heat and lightly grease with oil or butter.   

3.  Use a measuring cup (1/4 c) or a small ladle to make pancakes.  Cook the pancakes for 4-5 minutes on each side. You will notice the edges drying out and bubbles appearing on the surface of the pancakes – that’s when you know it’s time to flip!

4.  Add butter or oil, as needed between the batches.  Serve the pancakes hot, with a drizzle of honey, yogurt and homemade cranberry sauce.
And speaking of cranberry sauce, it has got to be one of the easiest things to make yourself in the kitchen!  Simply combine fresh cranberries with organge juice, zest of oranges or mandarines, a little bit of grated ginger and sweetener.  You can use sugar or honey, to taste.  I like mine on the sour side and don’t use too much of either sweetener.
The combination of hot pancakes with cool yogurt and cranberry sauce will surely win you praise with your breakfast companions.
I have been eating the leftover of the cranberry sauce and yogurt for breakfast, as a parfait, tossed together with chia seed granola.  Bon appetite!

Brunch at Pickle Cafe, Adrift Hotel ~ Long Beach, WA

07 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Eggs, Restaurant Review, Uncategorized

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We spent the weekend in the beautiful Long Beach, Washington, just under four hours away from Seattle.  This was an especially sunny and warm weekend for our fall, and we appreciated and treasured every moment of it.

I booked a room at the Adrift Hotel & Spa (more on this later) and spent Sunday morning looking out at the beach from the windows of Pickled Fish – the hotel restaurant, located on the fourth floor.

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I started with a beautiful Bloody Mary, spicy and thick, stirred with celery sticks and garnished with two olives.

Bloody Mary Brunchimg_2320

The food choices were quite obvious.  With the proximity to the ocean, we ordered Crab Cakes Benedict with roasted potatoes (they must have had truffle salt sprinkled on top).  Our second choice was the Daily Frittata with local albacore, chanterelle mushrooms and bell peppers.  The two arrived looking beautiful.  The crab cakes were filler-free, light and sweet tasting of crab.  And then we dug into the frittata, foraging for mushrooms.  Alas, there were none! Not a single bite.  I was quite disappointed, and informed our server.  She didn’t argue too much.

Crab Cake Benedict and Frittata

Instead, she returned with a heaping plate of butter sauteed chanterelle mushrooms.

Mushrooms

And just because we were on vacation, I thought dessert would be in order.  In came the plate with Brioche French Toast, garnished with berries, confectioners’ sugar, whipped butter and whiskey syrup.  The best French Toast I’ve had in a long time.  The bread was thoroughly soaked in the egg custard and soft in the middle, yet still crisp at the edges.  I could’ve gone for an extra shot of syrup.

French Toast Brunch img_2332

Needless to say, we were happy and full.  We spent the next few hours walking and horse back riding on the beach. Oh vacations!

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How to Bake Eggs

25 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Eggs, Recipe, Vegetarian

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Because there are only so many times you can turn eggs into an omelet or a quick scramble for breakfast , I came up with a new way to prepare this breakfast staple.  Baked Eggs with Roasted Tomatoes, Sauteed Spinach, and Queso Fresco. 

Perhaps I was inspired by the French Onion Soup that I had prepared and styled for work earlier in the week, but the idea of placing eggs into traditional ceramic crocks intrigued me.

I just happened to have a batch of roasted Roma tomatoes on hand and so the layering process began.  Soon enough the Artist and I sat down to a breakfast of individual baked egg scrumptiousness.

Baked Eggs with Roasted Tomatoes, Sauteed Spinach and Queso Fresco
Recipe for 2
 
Ingredients
 
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 cups baby spinach leaves
1/4 teaspoon red hot pepper flakes
salt and ground black pepper to taste
6 halves roasted Roma tomatoes
4 eggs
1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco
 
Directions
 
1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease two ramekins.
 
2.  Heat oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat.  Add spinach, red hot pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste and saute until spinach wilts, 3-5 minutes.
 
3.  Layer roasted tomatoes on the bottom of the ramekins.  Cover with an even layer of sauteed spinach.


4.  Break two eggs inside each ramekin and sprinkle with queso fresco.

5.  Bake the eggs in the preheated oven until the whites are set and the cheese is slightly browned around the edges, 15-20 minutes.

Serve the eggs with your favorite hot sauce and crispy corn tortilla strips.

How fun and easy would this be for breakfast in your house?  Enjoy!

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Brunch at Stopsky’s Delicatessen ~ Mercer Island, WA

06 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by in Brunch, Restaurant Review, Seattle

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Last Sunday I had the pleasure of brunching double-date style with one of my most food-ravenous friends.  Lera, I’m talking about you.  I picked Stopsky’s Delicatessen for the occasion and headed over the I-90 Bridge with the Artist.
 
 



A bright, casual decor with an enormous wall of family photographs in black and white greeted us at the door.  The service was prompt and friendly.  The waitress didn’t even blink once when the order for alcoholic beverages was placed within seconds of us entering.  Pomegranate mimosa for Lera and blood mary for me.

The Bloody Mary was a piece of art – garnished with a skewer of olive, pickled garlic and cauliflower, the drink was bloody red spicy.  I resisted ordering another one.  Lera’s mimosa came adorned with a booze-soaked apricot.  She refused to let me taste it, and I knew better than to fight her on this one.

The food was alright.  I wish it was better.  Lera and I ordered Latkes Benedict – two latkes patties, topped with sliced pastrami (the pastrami was seared first which was quite lovely, giving it a nice crisp texture), poached duck eggs (upgrade from the regular egg for extra $3) and Hollandaise sauce.

The latkes! Oh how I wanted a crisp potato pancake.  Alas, that did not happen.  The latkes were for the better word gummy. 

The eggs were perfect, buttery, creamy and soft.  I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I tasted the difference between the duck egg and a chicken egg, but it was fun trying.

The boys ordered sandwiches.  The Artist passed the pickle my way immediately.  How I love pickles! And I would have loved to have two or ten more. 

Will I return?  Unlikely.  The company and the bloody mary were clearly the winners at this brunch.  I wished more for the food.  We ended up driving the circular streets of Mercer Island after brunch, looking left and right at over-sized castles on the water.

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Salmon Eggs Benedict at Lynn’s Bistro ~ Where to Brunch in Kirkland, WA

05 Wednesday Dec 2012

Posted by in Brunch, Restaurant Review

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How would you like to start your morning off with a complimentary basket of fresh French pastries?  Perhaps a mini croissant, pane e cioccolata, and a savory scone (French?) with a ramekin filled with apricot jam?  This was exactly how the Artist and I started our Sunday morning brunch at Lynn’s Bistro in Kirkland, Washington.  Ok, truthfully, the morning started with a cup of coffee at home, followed by an oil change, but the other way sounds so much more romantic, doesn’t it?
  
The bistro was empty when we came in, so the service was fast if somewhat absent-minded.  We were never offered beverages, but were promptly informed of daily specials and then left alone to decide.  That’s when the basket of pastries arrived and kept our hunger at bay.

I chose a Smoked Salmon Benedict served on an English muffin with lobster sauce and a side of roasted potatoes.  I snapped a photo of the plate, gave half of it to the Artist and slowly cut the poached egg in half.  The yolk was perfectly golden and liquid.  As it ran out of the white, it soaked into the English muffin and begged to be eaten.  I obliged.  This was the perfect bite.  I could have done without the potatoes, which were unfortunately al dente.  As much as you want your pasta to be al dente (to the tooth), the roasted potatoes should be perfectly tender inside and crisp on the outside.
The Artist ordered a Wild Mushroom Omelet with Gruyere cheese, onion and cream.  The mushroom resembled duxelles and were heavily seasoned with herbs.  The eggs were perfect – light, rich, creamy from both the cheese and the cream – the ultimate!  Sadly, the Artist’s potatoes must have come from the same batch as mine.  
Regardless, our plates were wiped cleaned, the bread basket was picked empty, and we finished brunch with complimentary plates of fresh fruit.
I look forward to coming back to try Lynn’s infamous crab cakes.
Happy day!
214 Central Way  Kirkland, WA 98033

(425) 889-2808


Brunch: Poached Egg with Smoked Salmon and Salsa Verde on Toasted English Muffin

04 Sunday Nov 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Eggs, Recipe, Vegetarian

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I am in love with poached eggs.  And smoked salmon.  And a properly toasted English muffin.  But I must admit to my dislike of Hollandaise sauce.  Instead I chose to use salsa verde for its brightness, acidity and flavor.

Simple enough.  Toast an English muffin.  I toasted mine three times to get the right crispness on the inside and the outside of the split muffin.

Poach an egg in barely simmered water with a touch of vinegar to keep the egg white coagulated.  Carefully dry the egg on a paper towel to remove access water.

Lay smoked salmon on one side of the muffin and top with the egg.

Spoon salsa verde over the egg and top with the second half of the toasted muffin.

Time to eat!

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Joining the Pinterest Craze: Sunny Side Up Eggs Inside Bell Pepper Slices

08 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Eggs, Gluten Free, Ideas, Kids, Recipe, Vegetarian

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Art doesn’t happen strictly on canvas.  Art can, and does, happen everywhere.  Even in my kitchen!  One morning, the Artist was set on making Sunny Side Up Eggs Inside Bell Pepper Slices.  He must have heard me talk about this fun recipe and seen pictures I shared from Pinterest.  Have you checked out the site yet?  Be sure you have hours of free time to browse, and while you are there, you might as well look me up, under snackingkitchen, of course.

But back to the eggs, the Artist headed to the store, early in the morning, to pick up a pepper, and came back with a huge, organic, green bell pepper.  I would’ve chosen a different color, but his palate dictated the serenity of green.

While this recipe was prepared by an adult, it will work equally well prepared by children!  So please, be sure to cook this with your kids!  They will love it, and they will love you for letting them in the kitchen.

Sunny Side Up Eggs Inside Bell Pepper Slices

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 bell pepper, cored, cut into 1/3″ slices, crosswise
4 large eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.  Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.

2.  Saute pepper slices on one side for 2-3 minutes.  The skillet needs to be large enough to fit 4 slices of pepper without overcrowding them.

3.  Crack eggs into individual small bowls.  Be careful not to break the egg yolks.

4.  Flip pepper slices to the other side and lower the heat to medium.

5.  Pour each egg inside a pepper slice. Magic – the pepper holds the egg within its borders.

6.  Cook the egg to desired doneness and season with salt and pepper right before serving.

This was fun to make and even more fun to eat.  Next time, I’ll use an orange bell pepper, or perhaps even a large poblano.  While the eggs are cooking, I would recommend toasting a piece of toast and lightly buttering it to later dip the bread into the rich, soft yolk.

The secrets to the dish:
~ Be sure the peppers are sliced evenly, so they are fully touching the surface of the skillet, otherwise the egg white will escape
~ Control the heat
~ Cook the pepper on both sides

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Easy Chicken, Kale and Bell Pepper Frittata Recipe

17 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Chicken, Eggs, Recipe

≈ 1 Comment

Let’s face it – I haven’t been to the grocery store in longer than I would like to admit, but when it comes to making breakfast, I couldn’t present the lack of groceries as an excuse not to cook.  So I turned the contents of my fridge, saving an ingredient or two in the process, into this Easy Chicken, Kale and Bell Pepper Frittata. 

I used leftovers of rotisserie chicken, a cut up bell pepper, and kale, that would’ve completely wilted the next day.  Be sure to scroll down to see my hint for “flipping” frittata to ensure it cooks evenly on both sides.


Easy Chicken, Kale and Bell Pepper Frittata

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped rotisserie chicken
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 shallot, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 cups kale leaves, torn
salt and pepper to taste
4 large eggs, beaten

Optional: sour cream, salsa, fresh basil

Directions

1.  Heat olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.

2.  Add chicken, bell pepper, shallot and garlic.  Saute for 5-7 minutes until pepper and shallot become tender.  Add kale and saute for another 2 minutes, or until it wilts slightly.  Season with salt and pepper to taste

3.  Pour in beaten eggs, and lower the heat.  Cook the eggs gently, until they set on the bottom.  Use a heatproof spatula to gently push uncooked eggs to the bottom of the pan. 

4.  Place a plate over the skillet, and flip the frittata onto a plate.  Gently transfer frittata back to the skillet and cook on the other side for a few minutes.

5.  Flip frittata again, slice into wedges and serve with sour cream, salsa, and basil.

And here you have it – easy, chicken frittata recipe with kale and bell peppers – healthy, quick, and cleans up your refrigerator too!

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Brunch at the Fat Hen in Seattle – Will it Make You Fat?

15 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Eggs, Restaurant Review, Seattle

≈ 1 Comment

One of the best things about the weekend is brunch!  Alcoholic beverages in the morning, hanging out with friends, crisp fried potatoes, and bright oozing egg yolks.  As much as I cook brunch at home, I love going out for brunch and have someone else wash the dishes.  Last week, my dear friend Lera took my sister and me to her local neighborhood brunch place – The Fat Hen.  Two words – charming and delicious!

We started with drinks – 1 grapefruit with sparkling wine, and 2 rhubarb fizz with a piece of candied rhubarb inside.  A few of us …. I’m not going to name any names, had a second round of drinks before the end of brunch.

While waiting for our main course to arrive, we nibbled on a bowl of delicious cured olives, bathed in olive oil and dressed with orange zest.

I snapped a photo of my Eggs Benedict served on a house-made English muffin with a thin slice of Canadian bacon, hollandaise and roasted new potatoes.  To make it just a bit healthier I requested an addition of spinach to the eggs. 

These tasted as good, or better, as they looked!  The hollandaise was light and creamy, with just enough acidity.  The potatoes were lovely and tender.  And the running yolk ran around the plate, bringing all the flavors together.

Thank you!

Next time you are in the mood for brunch, stop by at The Fat Hen.

1418 NW 70th st. Seattle, WA 98117
hours:W-F 7:30 – 2:30, F 5-9, S & S 8 – 3

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Individual "Cupcake" Frittatas with Smoked Salmon and Roasted Poblano Peppers

12 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Eggs, Fish, Recipe

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Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, but what happens when you imitate yourself?  In my case, you come up with yet another combination of ingredients for the Muffin/Cupcake Individual Breakfast Frittatas.  This time around, I build these mini-in-size but colossal-in-flavor breakfast delights around smoked salmon and a roasted poblano pepper.

Along with the salmon and the pepper, I threw in a few other refrigerator hermits for color, texture, and flavor.

Just in case you might be curios about the origins of this recipe, previous versions include Broccoli and Italian Sausage Egg Muffins and Roasted Vegetable Frittatas.


Individual Frittatas with Smoked Salmon and Roasted Poblano



Ingredients

nonstick spray

1 cup smoked salmon, broken into pieces

1 roasted poblano pepper, seeded and chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

6 spears blanched asparagus, sliced

10 large eggs

1/2 cup half and half

1/4 cup chopped dill

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

dash of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

4 ounces grated Mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Liberally spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick olive oil spray or grease with butter.

2. Combine smoked salmon, poblano and bell peppers, and asparagus in a bowl.  Evenly divide the ingredients among the 12 muffin cups.

3.  Whisk together eggs, half and half, dill, oil, baking powder, cayenne, salt and pepper.

4. Pour the egg mixture over the salmon and the vegetables.  Use a ladle or a liquid measuring cup with a spout to make pouring mess-free.

5. Sprinkle frittatas with Mozzarella cheese.

6.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the eggs are set and the cheese has melted.  

7.  Cool frittatas slightly and remove out of the muffin tin; serve immediately.  Try using a paring or a butter knife to run along the edges of the frittatas to help releasing them from the pan.  

If you happen to have a few frittatas leftover, wrap them well in plastic wrap and freeze them for last-minute brunch guests or for daily breakfast-on-the-go.


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Birthday Celebration at Anita’s Crepes ~ Seattle’s Creperie

10 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Restaurant Review, Seattle

≈ 2 Comments

Crepes.  The world’s thinnest pancakes.  Round, golden brown, and delicious, they wear many hats.  They can be simple or complex, sweet or savory, but they must be delicious!  I grew up eating my mom’s crepes and finally matured to cook my own.  But when it came to celebrating my birthday with some of my favorite Seattle girlfriends, I turned to Anita’s Crepes. 


It was an especially cold and rainy Sunday morning and the girls and I huddled outside of this small, charming restaurant, waiting for our table to be ready.  We stared impatiently inside the restaurant, almost drooling, as we saw the lucky patrons sipping on bright orange mimosas and steaming coffee while enjoying plates of crepes, both sweet and savory.  Unfortunately, Anita’s Crepes does not take reservations, but the wait was very much worth it.

Our server was amah-zing!  She quickly put together two tables and got us seated.  Fortunately, we had some time to inspect the menu while we stood outside, waiting for the table, and were ready to order right away once our server returned with our drinks.  Word of advice: the white substance in the little bowls at the table is salt, not sugar.  Do not put it in your coffee…This one is for you, Carly.

I loved the fact that you could order your crepes made from regular flour, buckwheat, or a low-gluten mix (especially great for gluten-conscious guests).

We were all too hungry and too busy talking to take pictures, but everyone truly loved their crepes.  Several of us ordered the mushroom sauce on a side to go along with the crepes – delicious!  Savory, creamy, and earthy, the sauce made the crepes so much richer.

Are you surprised that there was room for dessert?  After all, it was a birthday celebration!  All of us shared this gorgeous dessert crepe (pictured above) filled with sweetened ricotta and candied papaya, and garnished with chantilly, pistachios, powdered sugar, and raspberry sauce.

I am looking forward to visiting Anita’s Crepes this summer to enjoy their crepes on the outside patio.

Anita’s Crepes

4350 Leary Way NW
Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 838-9997
Thank you for making my birthday special!

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Champagne Brunch with a side of Roasted Sweet Potato Hash and Sunny Side Up Eggs

07 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Eggs, Recipe, Sweet Potatoes

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Apparently I cook and write about breakfast/brunch quite often! So often, in fact, that one of my friends, Diana, suggested I dedicate the whole blog to breakfast only…Boring!  But in all seriousness, I love breakfast.  I especially love breakfast on the weekend, when breakfast doesn’t start until at least 10 am, and can be enjoyed leisurely in the company of someone special, with mood music coming from Pandora.
Last weekend, I decided that breakfast must include Champagne!  And so with a chilled bottle of Champagne in the refrigerator (alright, let’s be honest – it was a bottle of sparkling wine, but let a girl dream a little, ok?) I began chopping sweet potatoes, bell pepper, and onion and heating up a cast iron skillet in the oven.  Cracked eggs and toasted bread followed.  
Sadly, I was once again reminded that I turn into a useless ball of tired after a single mimosa, and spent the rest of the day in dire desire of a nap.  I did manage to pull myself together after a 90-minute nap to visit my parents and wash and fold 2 loads of laundry. Yay me!  I am Super Woman, hear me roar.
Roasted Sweet Potato, Bell Pepper and Red Onion Breakfast Hash

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, scrubbed and diced (1/3-1/2 inch)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (1 inch)
1 medium red onion, chopped (1 inch)
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place a large cast iron skillet inside the oven.
2.  Mix sweet potato, bell pepper, and red onion in a bowl.
3.  Add sugar, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Drizzle olive oil and gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.

5.  Transfer vegetables to a hot cast iron skillet.
6.  Roast vegetables for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through.
7.  Serve Roasted Sweet Potato, Bell Pepper and Red Onion Breakfast Hash with a sunny side up egg, toasted bread, and a glass of mimosa.
When it comes to mixing up your mimosa, you are your own bartender!  I prefer orange juice without pulp.  Freshly squeezed is truly the best.  I compose my mimosa of 50% juice and 50% champagne.  Feel free to discover your own ideal proportion.  As you can tell, my breakfast partner chose 0% juice and 100% champagne.
Salute!

Playing With Food: Happy Face Breakfast

26 Thursday Jan 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Chili, Cooking, Decorating, Eggs, Ideas, Kids

≈ 2 Comments

Whether you are cooking for kids, adults, or adult kids, making your food fun is a fantastic challenge!  The other morning, making breakfast for myself and another kid-at-heart adult, I put together a happy face.  This couldn’t be easier.  

On the plate, arranged in the smiley face shape are: two sunny side up eggs (eyes), black bean and chocolate chili, sliced avocados (lips/mouth), and toasted whole grain black bread (hair).  Later on, I added a dash of hot sauce to each of the yolks (but I was too hungry to take a picture).  This was a relatively healthy, definitely delicious, and a fun breakfast to eat.


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Individual Frittatas with Roasted Vegetables and Cheddar Cheese

18 Tuesday Oct 2011

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Eggs, GlutenFree, Recipe, Vegetarian

≈ 8 Comments

I’m not sure what you have for breakfast, but I’m guessing it’s not soup.  I, however, have had soup for breakfast twice this week.  On Monday I had hot and sour and on Tuesday it was egg drop noodle – both leftovers from Chinese take-out dinner my friend Alla and I had over the weekend.  While slurping peas, carrots and some sliced baby corn, draped in whispy egg whites, I considered that perhaps I should have something more appropriate for breakfast than soup.

Almost immediately, I thought about the Mother’s Day post I wrote two years ago: Broccoli and Italian Sausage Egg Muffins.  Would you believe me if I told you that the post has had almost 52,000 views?  I’m not going to assume that every viewer has made the recipe, but even if one out of every 100 viewers prepared these broccoli and sausage frittatas, it would mean there have been 520 dozen of them out in the world, consumed for breakfast, brunch, lunch and possibly dinner.  I have received so many comments on this post that I decided to bake these frittatas one more time.


Rather than replicating the previous recipe exactly, I decided to make a vegetarian version using some roasted vegetables that I already had on hand.  I tend to try to conserve energy, so when I was roasting butternut squash for the Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Red Onion and Cherry Jam, I popped in a tray of chopped up red bell peppers, Japanese eggplant, red onion, and zucchini.  Feel free to create your own combination of roasted vegetables – sweet potatoes, beets, and even some butternut squash would be perfect this fall.

Ingredients


8 large eggs
1/4 cup milk (or half and half depending on how you’re feeling that day)
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon smoked sweet Spanish paprika
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 cups roasted vegetables*
4 ounces grated extra sharp cheddar (I used my favorite, Tillamook)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Whisk together eggs, milk, oil and baking powder.  Season with paprika, salt and pepper.



4. Lightly spray a 12-cupcake pan with oil. Spoon roasted vegetables into each cupcake “cavity”.


5. Pour the egg mixture over roasted vegetables.  I like to pour the eggs out of the measuring cups to prevent the mess, but you can use a ladle if you prefer.


6. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

7. Bake for 15-20 minutes.  


8. Allow the frittatas to cool slightly before removing them from the cupcake pan.  Serve 1-2 per person with a side salad and toast.



*Roasting vegetables: super easy! Cut up your vegetables into similar size, about 3/4 inch dice.  Liberally drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Transfer the vegetables onto a baking sheet, making sure the vegetables are in a single layer and are not overcrowded.  Roast in a preheated 425 F oven, stirring once or twice.  Roasting time will depend on your ingredients and how small or large you cut them.


I’ve been told by quite a few readers that these frittatas are perfect for freezing and breakfast on-the-go!  I’m planning to eat a few and freeze the rest.  Come back to find out how that works.


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Brunch for One – Poached Egg Over Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Pancetta

13 Monday Jun 2011

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Eggs, Seattle

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On my day off, I found myself back in the kitchen testing yet another recipe for Robyn Webb.  This time I was roasting brussels sprouts with sauteed onions and pancetta.  Other than setting off my fire alarm for 5 long, painful minutes, the recipe came out well.  I love when the house smells like pancetta or bacon.

Not wanting to waste a hot oven, I wrapped beets in foil to get roasted and combined chicken thighs, carrots, and onion to be baked.  At the end I was hungry.  Having a bowl of brussels sprouts on their own didn’t seem appropriate enough.

That’s when I reached for the last egg in the refrigerator, got it poached, and served on top of brussels sprouts with a shaving of Parmesan.  Satisfying, delicious, easy, and quite beautiful!

What’s the last meal you cooked just for yourself?

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Brunch Time – Southwestern Quiche with Cornbread Crust and Linguica

27 Wednesday Apr 2011

Posted by in Brunch, Cheese, Cooking, Eggs, Mexican, Peppers, Pork, Recipe

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Hungry for brunch?  Tired of the same old quiche, fritata, or poached eggs?  Boy (or girl!) do I have a recipe for you!  My sister and I were hosting brunch at her place in Washington DC.  We decided on potluck and promised to provide eggs and potatoes – THE staples of brunch.  I chose to do the eggs.  After some brainstorming, compromising (creative culinary back and forth), and debating, I settled on a Southwestern Quiche.  Honestly, I wasn’t sure how it was going to come out, but having developed and tested quite a few recipes, I thought this one (my original creation) was worth a try.

Southwestern Quiche with Cornbread Crust and Linguica


Ingredients
1 cornbread mix
1 large red onion, diced, divided
1 bunch cilantro, chopped, divided
1 teaspoon of sugar
dash of hot pepper mix
2 poblano peppers
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 Linguica links
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk (or Half & Half if you are feeling extra decadent)
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded


Directions
1.  Pour cornbread mix into a large bowl.  Add 1/4 onion, 1/4 cilantro, teaspoon of sugar and hot pepper mix.  Follow directions on the package, adding milk and egg.  Whisk together and pour into a spring form pan.  Bake according to directions, cutting the baking time by 1/3.

 

2.  If you are lucky enough to have a gas stove, use it to roast poblano peppers.  Place the peppers directly over medium-high heat, and continue to roast until the skin is black and blistered.  Use a pair of long tongs to rotate the peppers while roasting, to ensure even cooking.  Once done, place the peppers into a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Why? you might ask.  Covering the peppers with plastic will create steam inside the bowl, separating the skin of the peppers from the flesh and making them very easy to peel.  Do not rinse your peppers – along with the water, you will wash away all the delicious flavor you just worked so hard to create!  Instead, pull the skin off the peppers using a paper towel.  Seed the peppers and roughly chop.

 

3. Remove the skin from linguica links and dice into 1/4″ pieces.  Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add linguica and the rest of the red pepper.  Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often.  Add diced poblano peppers and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

 

4.  In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk and the remaining cilantro.

 
5.  Spread the linguica and pepper mixture over cornbread.  Slowly pour the egg mixture over.  This is where things got a bit tricky.  The spring form began to leak.  Most of the eggs got absorbed into the cornbread.  At the end, it looked like the egg mixture was completely gone and all you could see was cilantro.  What to do?  Well, use foil on the bottom of the spring form to prevent any more leaking, and cover the food with shredded cheese!

6.  Bake the quiche in a hot, preheated oven (350-375) until the egg is settled and the cheese is completely melted.

7.  Allow the quiche to set for about 15 minutes.  Right before serving, pop the quiche back into the oven under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to bubble up the cheese.  Now you are ready to eat!  

Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?  Let me know!
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