Date and Tahini Shortbread Cookies

Sadly, I'm not much of a baker. This stems chiefly from the fact that you have to actually follow a recipe when you bake - that is if you want good results - and I really love to ad lib. Not the best method of baking. 

However, once in a while I'll break down and bake something - especially if it is for a catering gig. In this case I was creating a Moroccan-themed dinner for 40 people. I wanted one of the desserts to be an easy, pop-in-your mouth cookie with a nod to Morocco.

After some scouring on the internet, I found this recipe, which I altered to fit my needs.

These cookies were really good. They are what I would term 'adult cookies' because they are not very sweet and combine interesting flavors not found in something like - say - an Oreo. Not that there's anything wrong with Oreos.

First a Word about Tahini

Tahini is sesame butter. It is made from raw sesame seeds and has a nutty flavor. It comes unsalted and is not particularly yummy on its own. There are many, many delicious things you can make with tahini, though. And one of these days, when I have nothing else to do than write in my blog, I will tell you all about them!

When you buy tahini (and you can get it most anywhere now - grocery store, Middle Eastern deli, WalMart, etc.) - the oil of the sesame seeds will have separated and needs to be stirred in. This can take some effort because usually there is a thick sediment at the bottom of the container that is resistant to being incorporated. However, with persistence you will succeed - just like in life.

Once you refrigerate the mixed-up tahini, it won't separate again. It will keep for ever and a day in the fridge.

And now the recipe 

3/4 cup (one and a half sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup tahini

1 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour + extra for dates

8 Medjool dates, chopped into small pieces

Handful of raw sesame seeds

Place dates in freezer so they will be easier to chop. (Otherwise, they’ll just stick to each other and to the knife.) 

You'll need aluminum foil. 

Once you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter two cookie sheets or half-sheet pans (whatever you have).

Directions

Blend butter and tahini with an electric mixer. Add sugar and salt and blend until smooth. Add flour and blend again. Take the dates out of the freezer, remove pits and roughly chop. Toss with a tablespoon or two of flour so they do not stick to each other and will be distributed evenly in batter. Mix into batter with a spoon.

Divide the batter into two portions.  Take one portion and squish it into a sausage form on a length of aluminum foil - about 2 inches in diameter. Take your time, since the batter will be soft. The roll doesn't have to be super smooth. 

Sprinkle some sesame seeds along and on top of the roll of dough. Using the aluminum foil, roll the dough so that the sesame seeds coat the outside of the dough. Finish wrapping the dough sausage in foil and place into the freezer. Repeat with the second portion of dough. 

Your aluminum-wrapped dough sausages will be about 18" long. 

Freeze for an hour or longer. You can make the dough sausages way ahead if you want. 

Time to Bake! 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter your cookie sheet (or half-sheet pan). Or you can use parchment - but that's usually fussy. 

Unfurl the aluminum foil from the dough and cut the dough in 1/2-3/4" slices. Try to get all the slices about the same thickness, so they will cook evenly. 

Place on the baking sheet, leaving about an inch between each cookie. Bake for about 15 minutes or until brown on the bottom. 

While the first batch of cookies is baking, prepare the second baking sheet. 

By the way...  you can eat this dough raw - it has no eggs - and it is crazy good. You might just save one of those dough sausages for late night trips to the fridge. 

When the cookies come out of the oven, allow them to set for 5 minutes. Then remove with a thin spatula onto a cookie rack and cool completely before eating. These cookies will keep in a tin for a week or so. They benefit from dry conditions. If you live in the tropics like I do, store them in a plastic zipper bag in the freezer. Thaw briefly before serving. 

Let me know how they turn out!  

Not Your Mother's Turkey Meatloaf

Meatloaf is such a weird food. You mush all these ingredients together and bake meat into a loaf. And yet, the results are usually very tasty - and in American food culture meatloaf is wildly popular. It is considered to be comfort food. My comfort runs along other lines, such as very hot Thai and Mexican food, or sushi. But, to each her own!

Now disregard this somewhat lopsided intro to meatloaf and read on to my version of a turkey meatloaf that is a little different. I think the result will blow your taste buds out of their torpor!

The turkey, though quite yummy when roasted whole, has little to offer in the flavor department when it is ground up. Therefore, to optimize deliciousness, we need to ADD some flavor.

Generally, meatloaf will  have fillers, such as bread and egg, to help it stick together. For this loaf, we are using no such things. Ground turkey, when cooked, tends to cling to itself, which will give you a good loaf.
Lastly, spinach is a big part of this recipe. You can use frozen spinach right out of the bag. For some reason it works.

Ingredients

1-1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey (not just breast)
1 pound of frozen spinach (IF you do thaw it, squeeze some of the liquid out before using)
1 large onion
3 cloves of fresh garlic OR 1 tsp granulated garlic
2 tbsp whole grain mustard (or any mustard you  happen to have)
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or soy if you don't have Worcestershire)
2 tsp Oregano - crushed in the palm of your hand
Lots of ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
Olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 380 F.

Choose a large bowl to mix your ingredients.

Chop the onion pretty fine. Peel and chop the garlic.Place the turkey meat into the bowl and add onion and garlic. Add mustard, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, lots of black pepper, and salt. Now squish it with your (clean) hands until it is fairly well incorporated.

Sprinkle the frozen spinach over the meat mass and squish some more. At this point your hands will get terribly cold, but don't despair. 

When the spinach is incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl and go wash your hands.

Very generously oil your pre-determined loaf pan - we're talking at least 3 tbsp of oil. Make sure the sides are oiled as well. There should be a puddle of oil in the bottom of the pan - don't be alarmed.

Now place the meat mass into the pan by piling it up along the center. Once all the meat is in the pan, and the oil is moving up the sides, you can smooth the top. I like to chunk the top up a bit with a fork. That creates nooks and crannies that brown deliciously.

Place the loaf pan into the 380 F oven for about 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 F and continue to cook for 45 minutes. A total of one  hour.

Your turkey meatloaf will be done if it has pulled away from the sides. There will be bubbling juice all around the perimeter and the top should be browned. Remove from the oven and allow the loaf to sit for about 15 minutes before cutting.

When you cut it while it is still hot, it can be slightly crumbly - delicious, nonetheless. Make sure to scoop up some of those juices!

You can cover and refrigerate the rest. Once cooled, the loaf slices well. It is incredibly good on sandwiches with tomato.

You can also make the same recipe into patties.

Follow the instructions until the hand washing part. With moist hands, form the meat mass into small patties - about 3" diameter. Heat a lot of olive oil in a pan over medium and carefully place the patties in the hot oil. Don't move them at all for about 8-10 minutes while they do their thing over medium heat. Then carefully turn and finish cooking on the other side. You'll get more browning, if course, than with the loaf.

These patties are fairly fragile while hot, but pull together when cold. Also delicious as a sandwich!

As always, I encourage you to get creative. This is a recipe I came up with and it works for me (and those to whom I've served  it).

Give it a try and let me know how it goes! This is a no-carb recipe, if that's how you roll.

Southern Cornbread

How to do it right!

You know what you like. I know what I like. And I like a hearty, crunchy, grainy, UN-sweet cornbread. Rustic. Toothsome. Therefore, when I made Brunswick Stew, I started looking for a decent corn bread recipe. Since my mother is not on this plane anymore, I couldn't ask her. But I drew upon my Alabama genes and this is what I came up with:

I have my momma's square iron skillet - ha! And it is actually designed for cornbread. If you don't have a square iron skillet, you can use a round one. If you don't have any iron skillet, you shouldn't be cooking. Wait - what?

Of course you have heard of using bacon grease in corn bread - and yes, that's yummy. But I came up with a slightly different slant. Not to say you can't use bacon grease, though!

Use coarse or stone ground cornmeal. Supposedly, Southerners only use white cornmeal, but frankly, I've never had white cornbread in my life. So just use the yellow, because otherwise it will look weird. OR... use BLUE cornmeal - yes! It's awesome, and apparently has some pretty nifty nutritional advantages (like non-GMO, no pesticides, etc.)

And finally, you will see I used semolina instead of flour. (If you are in the Daytona area, you can get it at Bravo Market in the Middle Eastern section) I have the medium grind semolina. If you get Bob's Red Mill, it will be fine grind, which is generally used for pasta. The fine stuff will be okay too, if you can't get medium. And in a pinch, you can just use the flour - but it won't be as awesome.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups coarse cornmeal
3 tbsp semolina
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda (make sure it is fresh)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp oil (I use olive)
1 egg
1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Directions

Place butter and oil into your square or round skillet (and remember, no skillet... ) ;o) and place it in the hot oven.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir them around with a whisk.

Beat the egg in another bowl and then stir in the buttermilk.

When the butter in the skillet is browning (watch that it doesn't burn), take the skillet out of the oven. Swirl the fat around to grease the sides and pour the rest into the dry ingredients. Stir immediately - don't worry that it is clumpy.

Now add the egg/buttermilk mixture and fold it in with a fork. Stir only long enough to incorporate the wet with the dry.

Do not:

• Beat the batter
• Overmix the batter

Pour the perfectly mixed batter into the hot skillet and pop it in the oven. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the cornbread is brown and pulling away from the sides.

Serve immediately with butter and cane sugar syrup, maple syrup, honey, Lyle's Golden Syrup, or molasses! Yum Yum Yum!

Brunswick Stew

Brunswick Stew – An Exploratory Adventure of Taste

I had Brunswick stew once in my life. It was at my friend Jane’s house, and I completely loved it. Mind you, this was many years ago, but I never forgot the orgy of flavors that unfolded in my mouth.

Fast forward to 2014. I was going to have a house concert with a country singer. What better food to cook for 16 people than something Southern? Brunswick stew popped into my head!

And so began my quest for a good recipe. I Googled “Brunswick Stew” and found all sorts of strange recipes that required several bottles of barbeque sauce, pre-cooked, shredded pork, and other processed foods. This sounded nothing like the stew I had enjoyed years earlier. In fact, it sounded pretty horrible.

Just don't do it.

 

The afore-mentioned Jane was then so kind to send me her recipe, which had been passed down from her grandmother. They are all from Alabama – so bingo! Simultaneously, I received a recipe from a friend’s friend in San Francisco, which apparently was also from the days of yore. Now I had something to work with!

After perusing both recipes (both of which were more suggestions than actual recipes, which is fine with me, since I never follow a recipe anyway), I came up with my own version. Now mind you, I don’t know if I committed some horrible fallacy by southern standards when I added celery, or seasoned the broth – but the end result was pretty damn tasty, and therefore I will share it here with you!

First let me say that the meat choice is pretty much up to you. I’ll tell you what I used, but you can also add beef, or – if you want to explore your deeper southern roots - more exotic meats, such as possum, coon, squirrel, and so forth. 

Also let me mention, you cannot (I mean CAN NOT) make a little bit of this stew. Prepare to either feed the masses or to have Brunswick stew until all eternity.

You will need a very large pot. And no matter how big your pot is, you’ll still wish you had an even bigger one. I used a menudo pot, which holds just under 4 gallons. It wasn’t big enough – but it worked-ish. You can use a huge stock pot or two large pots - though that is a pain.

Finally – make this stew ahead. It definitely improves with age and reheating. 

Ingredients

5 pounds chicken leg quarters

2-3 pounds pork butt

2-3 pounds turkey legs

4 bay leaves

1 tbsp pepper corns

1 tbsp celery seed

4 tbsp salt

5 pounds potatoes

3 pounds onions

8 ribs of celery

2 large cans tomatoes (whole or diced)

1 large can (or two small) tomato paste

1 large bottle of Worcestershire sauce

3 green bell peppers

5-10 jalapeno peppers

1 lb. bag of frozen Lima beans

2 lb. bag of frozen corn

4 cans of creamed corn

Salt and pepper to taste

Hot sauce

Directions 

1. Place all your meats into the giant pot and cover with water. Add bay leaves, pepper corns, celery seeds, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer until meat is done and tender – about 1 hour.

2. Remove the meat and let it rest until it is cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, strain the broth into various containers and discard the solids (pepper corns, bay leaves…). The fat will rise to the top of the broth. With a shallow spoon, skim off some of the fat and discard.

3. De-bone and skin the cooked meats. Shred the chicken and turkey with your fingers. Cut the pork in small cubes. You don’t have to get too precise about it since the cooking process will further dissolve the meats.

4. Add about 2+ gallons of broth back to the (washed) pot. You can always add more later if it is too thick. Use the remaining broth for soup – or whatever. It freezes well. The broth should be well salted at this point. If it tastes a bit too salty, don’t freak out – it will be absorbed by the gazillion ingredients you’re about to add.

5. Peel and dice the potatoes. Peel and dice the onion. Wash, trim and dice the celery. Bring the broth to a boil and add the vegetables. Let them simmer for about 30 minutes; stir occasionally. 

6. Meanwhile, core and dice the bell and jalapeno peppers (cut the jalapenos into smaller dice). When the potatoes are just about cooked, add 2 cans of tomatoes, ½ bottle of Worcestershire sauce, and the peppers. Stir and bring back up to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.

7. Add your diced and shredded meats and stir to combine. At this point you want to taste what’s going on in the pot. You might want to add some more Worcestershire sauce and/or salt. But be conservative, since there is more to come!

8. Once the meat is simmering and you’ve tasted your fledgling stew, add the tomato paste. You can put the tomato paste in a bowl and loosen it up with some broth so it will integrate better. Stir it in really well – this might take a while.

The stew will now get thicker. It should have a good tang from all those tomatoes and the Worcestershire sauce.

This is the point at which you can stop. In fact, you should stop. Let the stew cool and then refrigerate overnight (if you can get the giant pot into your fridge).

Note – my pot was completely full at this stage, so I removed about ½ gallon of stew and reserved it in a container for later use. 

 To continue…

Heat the stew to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the stew is bubbly, add frozen the Lima beans and frozen corn, stirring well. Keep heating over medium heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Taste the stew and add salt, more Worcestershire sauce, and ½ bottle of hot sauce (optional). In the end, you’ll probably use the entire large bottle of Worcestershire sauce.

Now stir in the 4 cans of cream-style corn. Stir stir stir! The creamed corn is going to totally transform the stew and pull it together. Bring everything back up to a simmer, taste, adjust, and serve!

I let people add their own hot sauce instead of putting it IN the stew. 

This will keep in the fridge for about a week and in the freezer for about a month. If you reheat it, do so slowly. 

This is best served with Southern Corn Bread - drenched in butter and syrup.

It's Been a While

It has been a year since I last posted in my blog. Good intentions and all that...

That doesn't mean I've been dormant - oh no! My meetup group, Port Orange Cooking and Wine has been booming with activity and happy foodies who attend my classes and events. I'm thrilled and humbled! Check it out -  Port Orange Cooking and Wine

I started offering cooking classes earlier this year and they have been quite successful so far. Now I am expanding to seek participants beyond the meetup group (gasp!) and have joined Thumbtack - a handy way to broadcast my services.

This means, if you are not a member of Port Orange Cooking and Wine, but still want to participate in one of my awesome classes, you can find me via this link: Alicia's Dishes Whole Food Cooking Classes

All whole food cooking classes are suited for any level of experience. All classes last approximately four hours and include demonstrations and hands-on practice. We eat some of the food we make, and you get to take some of it home - depending on what we are preparing. Recipes are emailed to you after the class.

In each class we:

·        focus on fresh, unprocessed foods that are as close to their original form as possible

·        learn about nutritional and health benefits of various foods, spices, and herbs, as well as oils and fats

·        hone resourcefulness

·        learn which foods love each other, which combinations work

·        practice meal planning

·        learn and practice handy knife skills

·        explore the nature of a wide variety of foods so that you can improvise with ease

·        eat and have a good time

Still full of good intentions, I do mean to post more actual blog entries with recipes and handy cooking tips. Feel free to poke me about it - I get caught up in stuff and get busy.

Tomorrow (September 5) I'm teaching a class on sauces - including the five famous French Mother Sauces and some of the so-called Daughter Sauces that are made from the Mothers. We'll also learn to make really good gravy and learn all about roux (which is the basis of all gravies).

If you want to check it out - there is still one spot left: Adventures with Sauces

 

And in November I'm teaching a holiday cooking class where you will learn the art of good stuffing/dressing, side dishes, cranberry sauces, and more gravy making.

Get in touch with any questions you may have and I hope to see you at one of my classes!

Deliciously, 

Alicia

Salsa!

On the heels of Cinco de Mayo, let's talk about salsa!

After living in Phoenix for 20 years, I have become accustomed to doing something on Cinco de Mayo. Here in Florida, it's not a big deal, but on May 5 I had some friends over and we enjoyed a few Mexican delicacies (and Shepard's Pie - but that's another story).

Unless you live in a Tundric wasteland and you work 16 hours a day and never have access to fresh produce, there is no reason not to make your own salsa. Granted, there are a lot of decent-to-good salsas on the grocery store shelves, and in the winter, when you can't get good tomatoes (unless they are from Chile), then buying a jar or two might be in order. But it's Spring, followed by Summer - and salsa making time is upon us!

 A Word on Cilantro

 If you are not a seasoned salsa maker, you might take issue with cilantro. Cilantro is a much misunderstood herb. However, if treated properly, it adds just the right layer of flavor to your salsa. It won't overpower and it won't taste soapy. Trust me on this one.
 
The cilantro plant, once blooming, will produce coriander pods that taste nothing like the leaves and stems. And speaking of cilantro stems, you can use them along with the leaves. Unlike parsley, cilantro carries a lot of flavor in the stems.

A Note about Peppers

.

Obviously, you will want to put peppers into your salsa, since that is one of The Main Components. There are about a jillion different types of chile peppers, all of which have varying tastes and heat levels (refer to the Scoville Heat Chart over there <--).

If you know how to treat chile peppers, you can make salsa with no heat at all, or salsa that will blow off the top of your head - up to you. A good pepper to use for salsa is the jalapeno. Jalapenos have a medium heat level. The red jalapenos are usually a bit hotter and go well in fruit salsas to offset the sweetness. 

If you are sensitive, wear latex gloves when treating the peppers. The majority of capsaicin  is held in the membranes of the pepper. It can mess you up! Therefore, be careful when processing peppers. To make a salsa with almost no heat, cut the flesh away from the seed pod and membranes and toss the rest in the trash. If you want some heat, include a bit or a lot of the membranes. The seeds are really useless. They don't hold a lot of heat and they are not digestible. 

Serrano peppers are also nice in salsa. They are much smaller than jalapenos and somewhat hotter. I love their fruity flavor. Habaneros or Scotch Bonnets are evil, evil peppers. They have an awesome flavor if you can get past the insane heat they lend to a dish. Handle with care! One eye-rub with a habanero infested finger and you will suffer. Not to mention that capsaicin can actually produce skin irritation akin to second degree burns. However, not wanting to be an alarmist, proceed with confidence! 

Let's get started with an actual recipe before I lose you all to my ramblings.

Pico de Gallo

This is a raw salsa that is incredibly fresh and bright. You can eat it with some good tortilla chips, over a quesadilla, on your morning eggs, and so forth.

If you don't have a food processor or a little chopper, just chop by hand. It takes a moment, but is well worth it. This pico will keep in the fridge for about a week, but is best eaten in the first few days.

Halve 5 tomatoes and squeeze over garbage bowl to remove some or all seeds if they are loose and watery. Chop remaining tomato.

Chop 1 white onion

Press or chop lots of garlic – 4-5 cloves

Cut out seeds and ribs of 3-4 jalapenos and chop fine

Chop ½ bunch cilantro

Mix tomatoes, onions, garlic and cilantro and put them into the salsa processor in batches – pulse until desired consistency. Add about 1 tsp salt and pulse to combine. You don't want to make a puree, but rather still be able to see what is actually in the salsa.

Place salsa into the designated bowl and add the juice of one lime and some salt to taste. Let it sit for a bit and then enjoy! This will make about 3 cups (I'm just guessing).

 

Onward to Tomatillo (or green) Salsa! 

The tomatillo is not related to the tomato, though it is also a nightshade. It is rather related to the gooseberry, and as such is quite tart. It's used a lot in Mexican cuisine, and once you get into Mexican cooking,  you sort of get the hang of  when to add tomatillos.

This fruit is surrounded by an inedible papery husk. When you remove it, you'll find that the tomatillo is sort of sticky. You can wash that off with ease. Though are firm when raw, they give it up easily when faced with a blender or chopper. For this salsa, you will roast the tomatillos on one side so that they are half cooked and half raw - lends itself to an interesting depth of flavor. If you roast them all the way, they are very mushy and taste a bit blah for the sake of salsa.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

2 pounds tomatillos

1 medium white onion

4 large cloves of garlic

4 jalapeno peppers

1/2 bunch of cilantro

2 tsp salt (approximately)

Juice of one or two limes

Heat the broiler.

Peel off the papery skin and wash tomatillos well. Pat dry and place stem side down in a baking pan. Place pan under the broiler until the tomatillos are brown on top, and the juices start to flow. Place roasted tomatillos and any juice the blender.

Peel onion, cut it in half and slice into thin slices. Pull the onion rings apart, place onto a baking pan, sprinkle lightly with salt and place under the broiler until the onions are starting to brown. They might look dry and unevenly browned – but not to worry - we're just going for a little caramelization here. Add the onions to the tomatillos in the blender.

Wash the jalapenos and pat them dry. Rub the garlic cloves until all loose skin has been discarded, but leave the cloves intact with the skins on. Place both jalapenos and garlic cloves in a dry frying pan. Over medium heat, jiggle the pan frequently to toast/roast the garlic and peppers fairly evenly. This will take about 10 minutes. You may have to turn the garlic by hand. The peppers should have a light char on several sides. The garlic should have browning on the skin. 

When the peppers and garlic cloves are cool enough to touch, peel the garlic and remove the seeds and stem from the peppers. Toss garlic cloves and peppers into the blender.

Now add about 1 tsp salt. First pulse then blend the mixture until well combined. (If the tomatillos are still hot, pulse with care.) The tomatillos will liquefy, and the salsa will be fairly thin.

Cut off the big, course stems from the bottom of cilantro (previously washed and patted dry). Place the whole bunch, along with smaller stems, into the blender and pulse until incorporated but you can still see pieces of cilantro leaves. 

Pour the salsa into a container and check for salt – you will probably have to add more. Once seasoning is balanced, add the lime juice. Stir and refrigerate until ready to eat. 

This will make about 3 cups and keep in the fridge for about a week. You can eat it with tortilla chips, of course, but also with eggs or anything else. The tomatillo salsa will gel up in the refrigerator; it's good to let it come to room temperature before eating.  

What's this? 

Yummy stuff! If you want to get really Mexican with all of these salsas, try eating them with plantain chips. OMG - so good! I'm pretty sure you can buy them pre-made, but seriously - this is a food blog. So here's how you make them:

Plantain Chips

 First, get some green plantains - they have to be underripe to make chips, otherwise you just have fried mush. Peel them - this takes some doing - and cut the plantain in half. Then slice thinly on a mandolin. Thinly, you say? Well... how about 1/8 inch? You can try doing this with a knife, but a mandolin really works best. And if you don't have one, get one. They are very handy.

Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a frying pan (I use cast iron) - vegetable, peanut - an oil that can stand high heat. It should have some ripples but not be smoking. Drop a piece of plantain in and it should bubble around the edges. When your oil is ready, put in as many pieces  in the pan as will fit comfortably. Fry until pale brown on one side and flip with tongs. When they are browned, remove and place on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat until all your plantain has been fried.

If you live in a humid climate like I do, you can spread the plantain chips onto a baking sheet and give them a little crisp treatment in the oven before you serve them. Once they are cool, you can store them in a plastic bag for a few days. Check to see if they have become rubbery and pop in the oven, otherwise serve and enjoy!

These also go well with fruit salsas (coming soon) and ceviche (also coming soon)!

The Magnificent Egg

Easter is rapidly approaching and in deference to spring fertility rituals  of yore, I want to advocate for The Egg. Here are a few things you can do with eggs, but first, some information. 

Chicken eggs are full of incredible nutrients. (Duck and quail eggs are even bigger powerhouses of nutrition, but we are going to celebrate the chicken egg today.) They contain 11% protein, vitamins B1, B12, D, and A. They are full of potassium and iron. Eggs are a whole food that strengthens the immune system, promotes brain swiftness, and stabilizes the nervous system. It should also be mentioned that eggs contain HDL - the good cholesterol, and they can actually help you lower your LDL - the bad cholesterol. I could go on and on, but you can research the benefits of eggs as well.

And now a note about egg whites: 

It is generally advisable to eat whole foods. The moment you separate out one element, you don't have a whole food any more - as widely seen in white flour, white sugar and processed-to-death food-like products. Eat the whole egg - just do it! The yolk is where all the goodies are. Egg whites alone leach vitamin C out of your body and have hardly any nutritional value. But a whole egg or two make for a great meal. Of course, if you are making meringues, those rules don't apply - ha!

And now a note about organic, free-range, naturally fed chicken eggs: 

I don't want to get too soap boxy, but do you know how laying chickens in mass producing chicken farms are kept? It is incredibly inhumane. The chickens "live" under hideous conditions. Moreover, they are fed hormone laced foods, chicken meal (ground up chicken leftovers like beaks, claws, bones, eyeballs). This all translates into the egg you eat. "Grain-fed" is not as wholesome as it sounds. Chickens are not grain eaters. So being fed grains (instead of former fellow chickens) messes them up and translates into their eggs. If you buy the really cheap, mass produced eggs you are supporting this animal abusing, federally subsidized industry. Plus, you are eating eggs that are less than desirable as far as nutritional value and additives go.

Get your eggs at a local farmer's market or from a health food store that carries eggs from happy chickens. Are you going to pay more? You betcha. But think about it - if you pay $3 for 6 eggs, it will cost you a buck to make a 2-egg omelet. One dollar for a meal. Big whoop. Think about how much money we pay for meat (not a dollar, for sure), junk, soda, etc. etc.

Eggs from chickens that get to run around and peck have shells in all colors - which reflects their diverse diet. The shells are thick and sturdy. The yolks are really yellow - with no additives. Eggs in mass production are yellow because the birds have been fed stuff to make them yellow.

Chickens are really cool birds. Who knew? A few friends of mine keep chickens who become very attached to their humans. They will hop on your lap to be petted and have well defined personalities. It is not awesome to treat these darlings who give us their precious eggs with cruelty and lack of respect. Okay - I'm done now.

Eggs are - of course - delicious morning, noon, and evening. Cooked, poached, fried, scrambled - whatever you choose, they are versatile. I am not an egg-cooking genius. When I boil eggs, most often they crack and make a mess in the water. But I am good at making frittatas, and I'll share this wonderful one-pan meal concept here.

Here we go!

For 1 person, use 2 eggs. For 2 people, 4 eggs. For 3 people, 5 eggs. For 4 people, 6 eggs. Depending on how many other goodies you add, those egg quantities will e sufficient. You really don't want leftover eggs. They are like leftover French fries - not good.

Crack your eggs on a flat surface. That way the crack (!) is even and it's easy to pull the two halves of shell apart. Crack two eggs into a bowl and add about 3 tablespoons of milk, 1/2 & 1/2, or cream and whip the eggs until there are no more strings. This will ensure even cooking and good texture.

Vegetarian Frittata

Start heating your pan over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, butter and a little olive oil, coconut oil, bacon fat - in other words, your fat of choice. When the fat is hot - but not smoking - add one or two chopped green onions (white and green parts) and salt - a few pinches, according to taste. This will be your salt for the dish. You can add about 1/2 cup of diced zucchini, or summer squash, or red and/or green bell pepper, olives, jalapenos, grape tomatoes. Let your imagination go wild! Add some freshly ground black pepper, too.

Cook your vegetables until they have a little color but are still firm. They are going to continue to cook in the oven. If you want to use herbs, such as parsley, dill, basil, etc. chop and add to your beaten eggs.

Turn off the heat under the pan and slowly pour your eggs evenly over the saute, so that every part of the pan is covered in egg. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan, grated cheddar, crumbled feta, crumbled goat cheese or any combination of any cheese you like. Pop your pan in a in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. If you are only cooking a 2-egg frittata, you can put the pan under the broiler for a few minutes.

Before and after cooking

The eggs will cook, the cheese will melt. You will pull a picture of deliciousness out of the oven! After loosening the edges with a flat spatula, Flip the frittata in half and slide onto a plate. If you are making a larger frittata, loosen edges and slide the whole thing onto a warmed plate and cut in wedges to serve.

You can accompany your frittata with salsa, guacamole, hot sauce, sour cream with herbs, salt and pepper, and so forth.

Frittata with Meat

Bacon, Chicken sausge, ham... anything will do. If you are using bacon, cut it into bits and place in a cold frying pan. Heat slowly and stir to separate the bits. Keep frying the bacon until all the fat is rendered. That will be your fat (and most of the salt) for your whole frittata. 2 pieces per person should do. The more bacon you use, the more grease you'll have. You might have to remove some.

Remove the bacon and saute your vegetables in the grease. Add eggs, sprinkle bacon and cheese on top and bake or broil.

If you using sausage - and there are amazing sausages out there: chicken/basil, chicken/sun dried tomatoes/feta etc. - I recommend using some olive oil to fry your cubed sausage pieces. Cook until brown and scrumptious, then proceed as described above in the bacon part.

For an amazing dinner, add a fresh salad. A frittata is nutrient rich and very delectable. Your combination of vegetables is unlimited.

Try this and let me know how it goes! Get in touch with questions, too. 

Deliciously, 

Alicia