Is it Spring Yet?? (Twice-Baked Potatoes & Eggs Florentine)

If you like your eggs runny,
eat 'em right out of the oven!

To say that it has been a long cold winter is an understatement - and the Carolinas have had a relatively pretty easy time of it compared to our friends in the North and Midwest. With this mindset, I spent a good part of today working on a new recipe that screams Easter Brunch -- bacony, cheesey twice-baked potatoes with an egg cooked smack dab in the middle. Who can't love that!?!

I wrote, tested and photographed this for my little magazine gig today and then did a final taste test with a group of neighbors.  The verdict - don't change a thing!

That said, if you don’t like spinach? Leave it out. Prefer sausage to bacon? Switch it up. In other words, use your imagination —  in my world, it is perfectly okay to play with your food. 

Here's how I did it:

Twice-Baked Potatoes & Eggs Florentine

Basic recipe and method with one potato serves 2, use your multiplication skills to serve more

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 slices bacon, cooked crisp, drained and chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1 Russet potato, scrubbed and dried
• 1/4 cup regular or low-fat cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes (or thickly shredded)
• 1/4 cup regular or low-fat sour cream 
• 1/4 cup fresh baby spinach, thinly sliced (roll a stack of leaves and cut 1/8 inch slices)
• 1/8 cup onion, sautéed in a drizzle of olive oil
• 1 TBS softened butter
• 2 TBS Parmesan cheese, fine grated
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt + plus a small pinch to season the eggs
• 1/4 tsp black pepper + plus a few grinds to season the eggs

Neighborhood tasting -
The verdict: don't change a thing

Method

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

• Prick the potato a few times with a fork or sharp knife, rub it with with olive oil and sprinkle on a little Kosher salt; then bake in the oven for 45 - 55 minutes or until it gives when pressed. Remove to cool slightly. Lower the oven to 375 degrees.
• When the potatoes are cool enough to handle,  cut them in half and gently scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/8 of an inch around the outside. I like to run a sharp knife around the perimeter and then scoop the flesh out into a bowl with a small ice cream scoop, but a spoon will work fine. Set the potato skins onto a baking sheet.
• Mash the potato with a fork or potato masher - it does not need to be totally smooth, but make it as crumbly as you can. Add in the sour cream, sautéed onions, butter, Kosher salt and pepper. Stir until combined and then mix in the cheese and spinach.
• Now spoon the potato mixture into the potato skins. Use the back of a spoon and your clean fingers to create deep wells for the eggs.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and then one-by-one, crack an egg into a small bowl and slide it into the center of a potato. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Repeat for each egg/potato.
• Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 -25  minutes, or until the egg whites are set and the yolk is done to your liking. They will look shiny and underdone, but they will continue to cook after you remove them from the oven.

Enjoy.

Ole! (Quick and Easy Mexican Tortilla Scramble)

As a SoCal expat, I am a lifelong Mexican food lover.  But I also like to keep things healthy.  AND when it comes to breakfast, who has time for a big production? 

This morning I whipped up this little ditty that scratched each of those itches. It’s high in protein, low in fat and cooks up in a flash.  And if you use good corn tortillas (like the fresh ones you can get from a real tortillaria or Mexican market like the one I found on Hillsboro Road here and Durham or just about anywhere in SoCal) the South of the Boarder flavor comes through without any effort at all.  (Oh and for my WW friends, it comes in at 7 SPV, which may sound high, but it really does stick with you.)

Here’s how you do it:

Quick and Easy Mexican Tortilla Scramble

(Serves 1, just multiply to feed more folks)

Ingredients:

• 1 TBS chopped white onion (preferably a sweet onion like a Vandalia or Maui)
• 1 corn tortilla, cut into strips
• 1 egg and 1 egg white, whisked with a little salt and pepper
• 1 oz queso fresco cheese (the crumbly white Mexican kind – it comes in a block.  A good brand is Casique, or you can get the fresh kind from the deli section of a Mexican Market)
• Cooking spray
• Your favorite hot sauce (I like Cholula) or salsa to garnish

Method:

• Heat a non-stick or small well seasoned cast iron skillet
• Spray the pan with cooking spray and add the onions and tortilla strips.  Season with salt and pepper and sauté until the onion is soft and the tortilla strips are starting to get a bit of color.
• (Hit the mixture with a tad more spray if you are using cast iron)
• Add the egg mixture
• Lower the heat and gently stir to combine and create the scramble.
• When the eggs are set, add the cheese and stir to combine and warm through
• Serve with a dash or two of hot sauce

Enjoy!

Happiness = Cooking Christmas Breakfast with my Boy (Mexican Sweet Potato Hash with Sunny Side up Eggs)

Merry Christmas!

If you’ve read my blogs, or know me well, you won’t be surprised to hear that all I wanted for Christmas was to spend time with my family – and cook with Will.  He’s been my culinary sidekick since he was a little guy, and we make a great team in the kitchen. 

Both Christmas wishes came true this morning.

 

Scatter and squish

The inspiration for this breakfast came yesterday as Will and I watched Bobby Flay’s brunch show.  Funny thing is, the only things that are the same as Bobby’s dish is only the use of sweet potatoes and serving family style with the sunny side up eggs atop the hash.  But his show got us thinking about how to make a sweet potato hash with the flavor profile we gravitate toward – the traditional flavors of Mexico – cumin, coriander, poblano peppers, and cilantro.

Oh yeah, slid on those sunny side up eggs

The dish also gave us a chance to try out the cast iron pan Steve and Will got me for Christmas – by far the largest and heaviest cast iron skillet I’ve ever used.  

Here’s how Will and I put that bad boy to use this morning:

Mexican Sweet Potato Hash with Sunny Side Up Eggs

(Serves 4 – or 3 Barnett’s with leftovers for Will’s breakfast tomorrow)

Ingredients

• ½ roll of Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage
• 1 ½ sweet potato, cut into ½ inch cubes, boiled until just tender and then placed into a bowl of ice and water to stop the cooking.  We did this the night before, strained and kept in the fridge.
• ¾ cup sweet onion, diced
• ¾ cup red bell pepper, diced
• 1 poblano pepper, diced
• ½ cup cilantro chopped
• Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 4 eggs
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• Spices – Note, you will add these into the spices 2 to 3 times throughout the cooking process.  Measurements are approximations.  The amounts below are the total you will use, but feel free to add a bit more to taste.
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp chipotle chili powder (optional – if you have it use it! But no need to make a special trip to the store.

The method

Create the hash

• Pre-heat a large cast iron skillet (or other pan of your liking), lower the heat to medium
• Drizzle a little olive oil in the pan to get things going, then add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon
• Sprinkle about a third of the spices, but no salt or pepper
• Cook until browned, remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel
• Now add a bit more olive oil to the pan and add in the onions, red pepper and poblano pepper – in that order, sautéing each one before adding the next.  Add the next third of the spices and keep sautéing.  You can add some salt and pepper at this stage, but go easy.
• Now add in the sweet potatoes – and yes, you guessed it, the rest of the spices.  Scatter them into a single layer, squish them down with a spatula and step away.  You want this to cook low and slow to form a nice crust.
• When you’ve started to see some crust formation, drizzle a tad more olive oil if necessary and flip, scatter and squish again.  This is best done with a spatula so you can get up those yummy crunchy bits.
• Continue to follow this method until the right level of doneness is reached – then add the sausage back in, gently stirring as you go.
• Now add 1/2 the cilantro and stir
• Then pile up the hash into the center of the skillet….
• Right about now you should lower the heat to the lowest setting an start the eggs

Cook the eggs

• This is best served with a sunny side up egg, but if you like your eggs cooked longer, I won’t judge.  
• To cook ours, Will heated a non-stick pan, added some butter (heck, it’s Christmas!), cracked in the eggs, added a bit of salt and pepper, lowered the flame and topped the pan with a plate, cuz my pan lacks a lid.  
• The heat and steam cook the eggs to just the right doneness, no flipping required.

Assemble and serve

• Once the eggs are done, slide them on top of the hash, divide into portions and serve, with a sprinkle of cilantro. 

Enjoy.

Wimbledon Brunch (Mexican Tortilla Strata)

My good friend Bev is coming over to watch Wimbledon this morning. A great excuse to get together, watch some awesome tennis, catch up on life, and drink a little bubbly.  Who could ask for more?

Things get really quiet when folks tuck into this one...
followed by, "There's seconds, right?"

Bev and I are both SoCal Expats, and former members of the Orange County (California) marketing and communications community.  Funny thing is, we didn’t meet until she moved to Chapel Hill a few years ago.  A mutual friend connected us and we’ve been fast friends every since.  It is so fun to explore your new home with someone who understands where you’ve come from.  I love my time with Bev.

So when the weekend rolled around we started looking for a place to have brunch while watching the Men’s Finals Match.  Much to our dismay, we struck out on two counts: 

Ortega chilies and vine ripe tomatoes. 

1) Places that are open for breakfast at 9am on Sunday don’t typically have TVs

2) Restaurants can’t serve alcohol in North Carolina before noon (big sigh)

Not to be deterred, we decided to get together at my place.  I’ve been wanting to write down the Mexican Tortilla Strata recipe I created for our 4^th of July brunch in the mountains last weekend.  So I can make a second batch and actually pay attention. Bev can bring a fruit salad.  Steve can pop the cork on a bottle of champagne for us before he heads out to golf.  Again – who could ask for more?

The final layer of low fat Mexican
Cheese blend from Sargento

The strata is in the oven as I write.  The house smells marvelous. My gal pal is on her way and awesome tennis is ready to start. 

And that’s about as good as it gets.

Wimbledon Brunch (Mexican Tortilla Strata)

Serves 4-6 (can easily be doubled and made in a 13 x 9 to feed a crowd

Piping hot from the oven

Strata base

12 corn tortillas, cut into wide strips (4 per tortilla)

2  large tomatoes, cut into thick slices

¼ cup deiced Vidalia onions (or other sweet onion from your region, such as Maui onion on the West Coast)

2 cans of whole Ortega mild green chili peppers, torn into wide strips

½ pound pork chorizo, browned and drained well (use lots of paper towels and get out as much of the orange grease as you can. 

2 Cups (one package) Sargento low fat shredded Mexican cheese (yes, do your best to get Sargento as it will melt better. You can also grate a cheese of your choice)

Egg Mixture – whisk this REALLY well

7 large eggs

½ cup low fat milk

½ tsp ground cumin (I actually use a bit more, but I LOVE cumin)

½ tsp chili powder

a good pinch of Kosher salt and lots of ground black pepper

Method:

The night before:  Assemble the night before and stash in the fridge:

Spray an 8x8 square baking disk with cooking spray, then layer the strata base ingredients in the following order:

• Tortilla strips
• Tomatoes (season with salt and pepper here)
• Onions
• Ortega chili strips
• Cheese
• Tortillas
• Chorizo
• Ortega chili strips
• Cheese
• Tortillas
• (save 1/3 of the cheese for the top after you add the egg mixture)

Now pour the egg mixture over the strata layers.  Make sure to cover it evenly.
Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Cover with foil and put in fridge over night

The morning you are going to serve:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
• Take the strata out of the fridge for about 30 minutes to come up to temp a bit
• Bake foil on for 30 minutes
• Remove foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the cheese is starting to brown and a pick inserted into the middle comes out dry

Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes

Slice into wedges and enjoy.  

Serving Suggestion:  Great with a bit of avocado or guacamole.  A sprinkle of queso fresco cheese is also nice if you happen to have it on hand.

Brunch for a Blustery Blustery Day (Low Fat Southern Eggs Florentine) 6 to 8 WW Points Plus Value

Dang, it’s cold outside.  And rainy.  And a tad windy.  That won’t stop me from getting out there and running all those lovely Saturday errands.  But what better way to start the day than a cozy comfort food brunch? None, I say.

Sadly, words like “cozy,” “comfort” and “brunch” are red flags when you are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle and maybe even drop a pound or two.  

Until you try my Low Fat Southern Eggs Florentine, that is.  It’s Southern, cuz it features the ubiquitous below the Mason Dixon Line staple, cheese grits.  And Florentine, as a tribute to the spinach and Swiss cheese combo.  Read on to see how it stays figure friendly without losing a flavor punch.

Low Fat Southern Eggs Florentine (6 - 8 WW PPV)

(Serves One)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup quick grits (If you are increasing the recipe, standard grits would be great.  But for one, the quick variety is just fine)
• 1 cup water (lower PPV) or half water and half nonfat or low fat milk
• 1 Laughing Cow low fat cheese wedge, Swiss cheese flavor
• Kosher salt and Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning, or regular old black pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil, or cooking spray (again, you can save a WW Point here)
• 1 TBS-ish  onion, rough chopped (cut off a chunk and chop it up – you want it rustic, so don’t be fussy about uniform sized pieces)
• 1 big handful of baby spinach leaves, torn (see above about the rustic bit…. Leave in a couple of whole leaves for interest)
• 1 large egg – Farm fresh if you have access.  (If not, pop the extra buck and get the best darned eggs you can.  Seriously, you buy eggs by the dozen.  Do the math.) 

Method

• Make the cheese grits
• Bring the liquid, salt, and pepper or TJ Seasoning to a boil in a small sauce pan.  (Watch it carefully if you include the milk; it may boil over if you don’t)
• Sprinkle the grits into the briskly boiling liquid, stir and lower the heat.  Cook by the instructions on the package until creamy and tender.
• When the grits are done, add the wedge of cheese.  Stir until melted and combined.
• Cover and keep warm on the lowest possible flame

 Cook the eggs

• Coat a non-stick pan with the oil or spray with the cooking spray
• Sauté the onion until soft; add the spinach and a little salt and cook until just getting soft.  Make a “well” (or a divot, for the golfers in the crowd) in the mixture. 
• Crack the egg and place it into the indentation in the spinach.
• Lower the heat, cover the pan and be patient until it cooks to the doneness of your liking.
• When the eggs are done, put the grits in the center of a small plate, top with the egg and spinach, sprinkle with pepper, and….

 Enjoy!

  

Back Porch Evenings - (Deviled Eggs Two Ways)

What a great weekend.  Steve's playing in a tournament at Croasdaile, I did my part to stimulate the local economy and had fun Saturday exploring historic Hillsborough, and last night we kicked off a series of  “back porch” evenings that bring folks from our neighborhood together for beverages,  appetizers and a really good time.

The makin's for great deviled eggs:
farm fresh eggs, savory flavorings,
and my electric egg cooker. 

My contribution seemed to go over well – deviled eggs two ways.  But then, I don’t think I’ve ever met a person (especially of the male persuasion) who does not enjoy a good deviled egg. 

The inspiration for yesterday’s batch was a trip to Blue Sky Oil and Vinegar, a cute little shop that just celebrated one year of business bringing the best quality olive oils, infused oils and balsamic vinegars to the Chapel Hill area.  Blue Sky has a great jalapeño white balsamic vinegar and I’d heard that it is good in deviled eggs.  Based on the comments and empty egg pate last night, I think I heard right.

Since everyone can’t get their hands on jalapeño vinegar, I’m also sharing my normal everyday deviled egg recipe.  I took this one to the party last night as well, and it also received good reviews.  It’s a bit more savory that most DE recipes, and features celery seed (NOT celery salt) as a key ingredient.  I hope you enjoy it as well.

Recipe #1 - Holly’s Basic Deviled Eggs:

Makes 12 pieces

Ingredients

• 7 fresh eggs (I know, the recipe says it makes 12 and you are cooking 7 eggs.  Stick with me here)
• 2 green onions – diced VERY fine
• 1 ½ to 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (if you have small eggs opt for the lesser amount)
• 1 ½ Tbs good mayonnaise (Helman’s, Best Foods – or if you are in the South, Dukes)
• A good pinch of Kosher salt and 5 or 6 grinds of black pepper
• 1 tsp celery seed (not celery salt)
• 12 capers, for garnish (optional) – you can also dust with a little bit of paprika for a more traditional look.

Recipe #2 Holly’s Essence of Jalapeño Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

• Same as the basic ingredients, but substitute:
• Blue Sky Jalapeño White Balsamic Vinegar rather than apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh seeded jalapeños for the celery seed
• ¼ pickled jalapeños rather than capers for a first garnish
• Add a very light dusting of chili powder as a second garnish

Method for either variety

Note About Cooking Eggs:  First off, if you don’t have an electric egg cooker  - buy one.  They are CHEAP and make perfect hard-boiled eggs without sticking. Worth the extra appliance.  My mother had one of these babies when we were growing up and I have had one since I move out on my own.  Frankly, I really don’t know how to boil an egg otherwise.

• Hard boil and cool the eggs (drop them into a bowl of ice and cold water if you are in a hurry), slice them in half and separate the yolks into a bowl and set 12 of the 14 empties on a platter.  Toss the extra egg white, or feed it to the dog. The extra yolk will ensure that you don't have skimpy eggs.  
• Using a fork, crumble the eggs into a fine texture
• Add the rest of the ingredients and combine into a smooth mixture.  This may seem a bit drier than you are used to; but trust me – you really don’t want a gloppy egg. 
• Taste and adjust seasoning, as you desire
• Now using a teaspoon (or pastry bag, but that is just too much clean up for me) fill the egg whites
• Add the garnish and chill until it’s time to serve

 Enjoy!

Savoring Saturday Mornings (Sautéed Eggs with Shallots)

Today is a big day – our buyers will do their final walk through, and I am finally going to start packing. So far Steve has carried the brunt of this chore and has made significant progress. Now it is time for me to roll up my sleeves and do my part.

But first… Saturday morning.

I’ve always loved Saturdays. Hopefully no office work to be done. A day for chores and errands. Maybe a walk or other exercise with friends. And Saturday mornings. Truly the best morning of the week.

I’m up and out early Monday through Friday. Saturdays take a much leisurely pace. Coffee with Steve on that patio or in the living room, rather than in a go-cup on the road. And an egg with toast for breakfast, rather than my normal yogurt with fruit and Uncle Sam or Grape-nuts sprinkled on top (usually eaten at my desk, often with the mute button on so the other people on the my first conference call don’t hear me crunching).

The egg truly lives up to its “perfect food” status. Omelets, poached, scrambled, fried. You really can’t mess them up.

This morning I made my take on the fried egg -- sautéed with shallots and olive oil served with hearty Best Bread from Orowheat. It will serve us well as we pack up the bedrooms and home office.

Here’s how to do it.

Sautéed (because us Southern Californians can’t say Fried) Eggs with Shallots

Serves two

Ingredients

• 4 large or extra large eggs
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (coat the bottom of the pan, plus a smidge)
• 2 Tablespoons minced shallots
• Pinch Salt
• Grind of black pepper to taste
• 2 pieces toast made with hearty whole grain bread (we like Orowheat’s Best Bread)

Method:

• Heat a skillet large enough for cooking four eggs
• Coat the bottom of the pan with the olive oil and then add a bit more
• Add the shallots, salt and pepper to the pan
• Sauté the shallots until soft
• Crack the eggs into the pan
• Cover with a lid or another pan
• Cook over medium heat until most of the whites are set
• Flip eggs and continue cooking for a minute or so to slightly set the yolk
• Slide the eggs onto the toast.

Enjoy.

Social Networking and a Walk on the Beach (Jeff’s SoCal Egg Soufflé Casserole)

If you are reading this blog you know all about social networking. But this past Saturday, I was witness to what I feel is the its true meaning.

A few months ago I was looking for a way to get some exercise on Saturday mornings when Steve was working at Black Gold Golf Course. So I started a walking group on Facebook, and invited a few of my OC Friends to join.

Next I created an event – a walk on the beach at Crystal Cove. A very diverse group joined me for that walk, including a high school and college pal, friends from work, former colleagues from agencies I worked with in the 80s and 90s, and a couple of former clients. We set off walking and by the end of our trek up and down the beach, everyone became fast friends and four or five miles later we enjoyed post-walk beverages at Starbucks.

Subsequent walks have taken us to Balboa Island, Newport Back Bay, and this week the beautiful beach at Salt Creek in Dana Point. The Facebook “No Name OC Walking Group” has grown to 23 members and anywhere from 6 – 13 folks have shown up for any given walk. Anyone can invite friends. Anyone can organize a walking event.

Friendships and business connections have been made on these walks that bring together people whose paths might not have otherwise crossed. In my book, the group represents social networking at its fines. From the computer screen to face-to-face.

Last week’s walk was more than likely my last with the group. Afterwards, walk organizer Jeff Gillis surprised us with a simple and lovely brunch at his home in Laguna.

Orange juice freshly squeezed picked from Jeff’s backyard tree turned into a refreshing and tasty mimosa that we enjoyed as he warmed a yummy egg soufflé casserole that reminded me of how important Ortega chilies are to our local cuisine.

Since before I can remember, a can Ortega chilies has been a kitchen staple. Perfect on a tuna melt, wonderful in a quick dip or in chicken enchiladas, and even better in scrambled – or now souffléd – eggs.

This one is a keeper. Thanks, Jeff for sharing this recipe with me and most of all for your friendship.

Ingredients:

• 10 Eggs
• 1 pint cottage cheese (nonfat is OK)
• 1 pound shredded cheese (sharp cheddar is best)
• 1 stick melted butter
• 2 cans 4 oz. chilies (Jeff says to choose your spice level, so theoretically you could do jalapeño, but I say Ortega chili is the only way to go)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix all wet ingredients.
• Fold in dry ingredients until well incorporate (don't over-mix).
• Put mixture in 9x13 inch pan (no need to grease pan, but you can spray with oil if you like).
• Bake for 35-40 minutes on middle rack. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Bon appétit!