Eggs

Ricotta Toast with Basil Egg for Breakfast

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Food-Eggs-Ricotta Toast

A bit of a warm breakfast on a heat-soaked morning, but the cooking is minimal and the food is a fine change from summer yogurt and fresh fruit.  Make your coffee first because once you begin making this sweet little meal, it’ll need your undivided attention.  Use up some of those ever-ripening Minnesota –Indiana, Illinois, Aix-en-Provence, New Jersey– tomatoes. Just add a few ruby-red slices to your ricotta-slathered toast along with an egg and a little julienne basil, et voila, you’re at the table!  Here’s how:

ricotta toast with basil egg    1 serving (repeat for more)

                         Read through recipe before cooking. 

You’ll need:

  • 1 slice whole wheat bread
  • 2 tablespoons ricotta
  • kosher salt/fresh ground black pepper
  • 3 thin slices tomato
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil or butter
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons julienne basil
  1. Place oven rack 4 inches from broiler element.  Preheat broiler.
  2. Spread ricotta on bread, season with salt and pepper; place on baking sheet.
  3. Broil 2 minutes or until ricotta is warm. Remove from oven, top with tomatoes. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and broil again for one minute.
  4. While you’re broiling the bread, cheese, and tomatoes, heat oil or butter in a small skillet over medium high heat.  Add egg and cook until almost, but not totally done. Season egg with salt and pepper while it’s cooking. (Egg should be runny on top.)
  5. Add egg on top of the tomatoes and garnish with basil. Run under broiler briefly to finish cooking egg.
  6. Serve hot.

{printable recipe}

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dog days of august in saint paul, minnesota

Just for fun for dog days, here’s Tucker the Pup in 2010.

The heat we missed in early August when we had two weeks of temps in the 70’s arrived last weekend.  With temperatures pushing 100 degrees Fahrenheit and heat indexes way over that, Saint Paul folk — typically able to withstand any onslaught of cold or hot weather–are wilting. (It’s State Fair time, too.) People who never complain about the weather are just about “under the weather” over this last blast of wet-breathing miasma.  Those without air conditioning are leaving home in search of relief in friends’ homes or malls.  When Dave and I gave up even grilling the other night and headed to Scusi, our favorite across-the-street wine bar, we found that the poor restaurant cooling systems can’t keep up with it either, though they gave it a valiant try. (It was bearable.)  Of course, you have to figure there are pizza ovens, huge gas stoves, grills, and salamanders adding to the fray.  The dripping server brought our happy hour half-price pizza and salad with a wan grin, but was clearly unhappy to be running around in the typical waiter garb: long-sleeved white shirt, black slacks, and apron.  The rest of us had our muumuus on — or the male version thereof.

A great big boomer thunderstorm rolled in overnight and I awoke with hopes of a cooler, less humid morning—-no joy.  79 degrees F and a dewpoint of 73 at 7am when we walked the mile with the slower and slower dogs.  No hope in sight for days.  This is why, America, Minnesotans have cabins up north.  Just in case you wondered.  Going to the lake is a time-honored past time in northern Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.  I grew up going as often as my parents could get away and I’m sorely disappointed this morning that not one friend invited us up for this sweltering weekend.  We are considering holing up in a hotel with freezing central air, ordering room service, and watching sleazy movies Saturday and Sunday.  Or, as I told Dave, “Look and see how many miles we have.  Maybe we can fly somewhere cool.”
“And where would that be?” asked Dave.

I’m guessing we’re stuck in our basement with Netflix and a few cold beers or, if I’m lucky, lunch and an afternoon at Mall of America.  The only time we approach that place is when it’s 20 below zero and we can’t look at each other across the living room one more afternoon or when it’s 95 and I need a walk and red wine in the same afternoon.  I’m not sure we’ve ever bought anything there except maybe at Williams-Sonoma.  I do need some dishes, though.

In this heat I’m reading:  TRANSATLANTIC by Colum McCann ( new and lyrically written) and FAMILIES OF THE VINE: Seasons Among the Winemakers of Southwest France by Michael S. Sanders. Non-fiction that reads like fiction is Michael Sander’s forte-published in 2006, but I sadly missed it.  I adore Michael Sanders and this book is about one of my favorite grapes–Malbec or Cahors, as it’s known in France.  (French “Malbec” is usually a blend of grapes, however–Malbec, Merlot, and Tannat.)

And I’m listening to:  MUMFORD AND SONS–  2 albums:  Babel and Sigh No More.    As I prepare for choir to start, I’m listening, over and over again, to our first (one rehearsal) anthem–which is a ’96 rendition of the 23rd Psalm by Stuart Townend. No scooping, though!  Probably everyone’s sung it (we haven’t), but I adore anthems that congregations can participate in.   Too often, we only hear the 23rd at funerals.  Does anyone preach on it even when it’s in the lectionary?  Actually, I rarely hear anyone preach the psalms.  Pity.  I love the people’s song prayers. 

Help the hungry in Syria?

Like everyone else, I’m praying for peace in our world and food for the hungry–especially in Syria.  If you’d like to contribute–something very positive to do when we think we can do nothing–contact the World Food Programme.  They’re getting food to Syrians in-country as well as in the refugee areas.

Stay cool as you sing a new song,
Alyce

38 Power Foods, Week 35 — Yogurt — Smoked Salmon Frittata with Horseradish Yogurt and Irish Scones

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This is also A Week of St. Pat’s Recipes, Friday…

There’s nothing like a scone.  You can pronounce it skone or skahn, as does my friend, Marie, who’s from South Africa:

“I asked the maid in dulcet tone
To order me a buttered scone
The silly girl has been and gone
And ordered me a buttered scone.”

Long or short “o,” however  you say scone, make a pot of tea while the scones bake and be sure your butter is softened–or  your cream whipped, if you like that.  My barely sweet little scones are a good foil for a savory frittata without moving all the way to sugar-high coffee cakes or Danish, which are more time-consuming at any rate.   Along with some sliced (or grilled) tomatoes or a bit of salad, they round out a gorgeous brunch or lunch.  If it’s brunch, you might stretch the occasion to include an Irish coffee for St. Patrick’s Day or another special Sunday.

Continue reading →

38 Power Foods, Week 34 — Eggs — Sriracha Eggs over Biscuits with Basil Salsa

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RELAXING ON THE WEEKEND…

Brunch is a loved meal that doesn’t get eaten nearly often enough. It spells S-L-O-W.  Relaxed.  No rush. Picking and choosing as in, “There’s too much to choose from!”  Shades of a string quartet bowing off in a corner.  An attractive guy in a long apron at your elbow, murmuring, “More coffee?  Champagne?”   Unfortunately, we go out for brunch most of the time–and spend a bundle, too.  We sort of assume it’s too much trouble to cook or maybe even to entertain midday on the weekends, but I enjoy it.  (Even for just two.)

Add to the pull toward the middle of the day menu that I am crazy about eggs.  One of my really good friends says, “I never met an egg I didn’t like.” That’s about the size of it.   If you don’t believe me, you’ll have to see some of the things I do with eggs.

This is my Oven-Baked Vegetable Soup with Poached Egg

 or my Porridged Eggs, which are eggs cooked in oats stove top:

You get the idea, right?

But take a look at today’s pretty little egg dish and…


To this fast meal,  you might add a little fruit salad and maybe a piece of coffee cake or pastry from the best bakery (chocolate mousse?) in town and you’re in business.  Bloody Marys and Mimosas (or some variation) are part of the conventional brunch wisdom, as is a vat of strong, perfect coffee and real cream.  A dash of Jack or brandy in the coffee might replace the marys and mimosas for some.  Even hot cocoa (mocha?) with a swig of brandy or a tot of Peppermint Schnapps would do the trick.  Don’t skip out on the fun drinks; they’re a big part of why people like to go out to those expensive, extravagant brunches at inns or hotels.   Set the table with your favorite things and pour a little pitcher of real cream.

Really quick real hot chocolate at my house:  To a microwave safe mug, add one ounce of good-quality bittersweet chocolate. (Just break it up; no need to grate) Add one teaspoon granulated sugar.   Pour in milk until the mug is about 3/4 full.  Microwave on full-power until hot–about two minutes in my microwave. (Don’t boil.) Whisk until smooth.  

Save yourself a few bucks and invite your sister or that neighbor you keep meaning to ask over.  There you go.  You have the entire Sunday afternoon to while away sipping that second (third) cup of coffee and dreaming about what you’re planting next month.

How about some dill?

And while you’re at it, you’re eating one of the thirty-eight power foods, eggs. One of the few foods with vitamin D, protein-packed, quick-cooking,  low-cal (90)  and inexpensive eggs are also loaded with B vitamins and lots of minerals.  There is little with which they don’t pair.  Eggs and asparagus are one of my most-loved combinations.

My Boiled Eggs and Asparagus on English Muffins with Cheese Sauce–perfect for Easter brunch.


My Dad called them (one of) nature’s perfect foods.  Read more about eggs here at The Incredible, Edible Egg. 

My friend Cathy’s “ladies” lay sexy-colored beauties. They’re just starting to “come on” with the longer light.

And while I love eggs, I don’t like chickens at all.  Here in Saint Paul, we can have chickens right in the city, but I’m not going there.  Cathy has to keep her ladies to herself and just share the eggs.  I trade her oatmeal chocolate chip cookies or granola for a dozen of these lovelies.  I get the bargain.

 So call a friend for next Sunday at 12:00 and——

Chill the sparkler, set the table, and make the biscuits on Saturday.  Put on your brunch music:

 Product Details

Williams-Sonoma Presents Sunday Brunch

  and make….

      Note:  These eggs are just barely “spicy.”  If you like HOT, double or triple the Sriracha.

sriracha eggs over biscuits with basil salsa
Serves 2              doubles, triples, or quadruples easily

There are people who would marry you for these.
    • Basil Salsa (recipe below)
  • 2-4 biscuits (depending on how thick you’d like your bottom layer)*
  • 1 teaspoon butter, melted or olive oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons grated sharp cheddar or gouda cheese (optional), plus a bit for garnish
  1. Make basil salsa and set aside.
  2. Slice biscuits+ (in thin or thick layers-up to you) and divide between two serving plates.
  3. Place butter or olive oil in small skillet and heat over medium heat.
  4. Meantime, in a small bowl, beat together the eggs, Sriracha, salt, and a grind or two of black pepper. 
  5. Pour eggs into pan and let set briefly, stir to bring uncooked eggs up from the bottom.  Repeat until eggs are cooked to your liking. Stir in cheese.
  6. Divide eggs evenly over biscuits and top with basil salsa. Garnish with a bit of cheese and another grind of black pepper. 

*No biscuits?  English muffins or toasted leftover baguette are good substitutes.
+Don’t want to worry about rushing?  Make your biscuits the night before.  Heat briefly in the oven (350 degrees Fahrenheit for five minutes.)
… … … … …

Sriracha is a hot chili sauce named for the coastal port city in Thailand from which it hails. The general recipe for sriracha includes ground chiles, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt, and was first developed to serve with seafood. (about.com)

 

 alyce’s basil salsa 
                               ***also tasty on chicken or fish tacos or plain grilled or poached white fish

  • 1/4 cup each chopped fresh basil and spinach
  • 1 tablespoon minced onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated or finely minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
  • 1 small tomato, chopped finely

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together gently.  Taste and adjust  seasonings.  (More onion? Garlic?) 

cook’s note I like this salsa without the heat of jalapeno, etc; it’s much fresher and the beautiful delicate basil is not overpowered by heat.  That said, add a bit of minced jalapeno if you like it. I opted for Sriracha in the eggs, which could be increased. You then have spicy topped by cool and fragrant–refreshing.

If you like this, you might also like my Poached Eggs on Grilled Cheddar Tomatoes

or my Egg+Egg White Omelet Filled with Cottage Cheese on Whole Wheat Toast

Say that three times real fast.

… … … … … … … …

38 Power Foods is a Team Effort!

Stop by these other blogs and see what they’re cooking each week as we team up to bring you some of the healthiest cooking available:

Minnie Gupta from TheLady8Home.com

Sarah – Everything in the Kitchen Sink

All sites may not blog power foods each week.

Are you a food blogger?  Join us:  Email Mireya@MyHealthyEatingHabits.com
   
 Sing a new song because while the snow is still piled up, the sun is shining in the beautiful city of  Saint Paul, Minnesota,
Alyce

Homemade Potato Chip-Steak Salad

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Just add fork

Sometimes I don’t know what gets into me.  I know I have something leftover and simple from which to create a meal.  Say a piece of steak or two small pieces, in this case.  (Neither Dave nor I could finish our dinner the night before. Is there something wrong with us?)  I didn’t set out to make a homemade potato chip-steak salad…but here’s how it happened: 

First,  I take the steak out of the frig and begin casting around for something to go with it.  Toast?  I could make a sandwich.  Pasta?  I could cook up some vegetables to go with the steak while the water boils.  Stir fry?  Omelet filled with steak?  Steak and eggs?  I could make  mushrooms in velouté  sauce with cream (Supreme is the name, I think–I made it up as a young cook without knowing its name.) and Dijon mustard, add the steak and serve it over rice.  How about a childhood favorite, beef hash?  (Who would waste great steak on hash, Alyce?) 

Instead of beginning any of those dishes,  I  find myself at the Cuisinart making homemade mayonnaise, using Daniel Boulud’s method:
    

Who is Daniel Boulud?

 

Make a poached egg and cook it for only two minutes.  Remove from water with a slotted spoon and place it in a food processor fitted with the metal blade.  Pulse until well-blended. 

Into the food processor bowl, pour 1T good-quality  white-wine vinegar (such as Chardonnay or Champagne) and 1T Dijon mustard. (I like to use the whole grain variety.) Pulse until well blended.

Through the feed tube, with the machine running, drizzle 1 cup canola oil.* Process until thick.  Season with salt and pepper.

*Daniel Boulud uses peanut oil

~~

And then I take out a skillet, heat a little canola oil and fry up very thin slices of potato for potato chips.  This is coming together, I think:

Drain them on paper towels. Salt and pepper immediately.   Don’t eat them all.

~~

Meantime, I “boil” an egg in the microwave.  (Break an egg into a greased, microwave-safe cereal-sized bowl.  With a fork, poke the egg white all over several times and the yolk once.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for one minute.  Let sit one minute.  Remove wrap, tip egg onto cutting board and chop)

Next:  A large bowl comes out of the cupboard (nearly done now–pretty quick!) and I line it with  

4 cups of mixed greens topped with the steak, 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, the chopped egg, 1/4 cucumber, chopped, 2 green onions, chopped, 1 carrot, sliced, 1 stalk celery, sliced, 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley, 1/2 each yellow and red pepper sliced, and whatever other vegetables I can find–including a beautiful warm summer tomato (don’t refrigerate them ever) and even a little leftover grilled sweet corn.

When the chips are done, I put them around the outside of the salad bowl.

A half-lemon is located and squeezed over the entire salad.  Salt and pepper are next.  I’m generous, but don’t go overboard.  After all, the salad will be dressed with real mayonnaise, right?

I slip a few pieces of baguette under the broiler.  (brushed with oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper)

And dinner is served:

I serve the mayonnaise separately; no need to over-dress this lovely bowl of goodness.

This process made enough for Dave and me.  He ate two servings; I ate one.  So I’d say this was about 3 servings!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
two-dog kitchen and around the ‘hood

I’m tired of the daytime heat.  Like the whole rest of the country, I guess. Storms often arrive late afternoon or early evening.  Things blow and go; little rain arrives, though when it does, it’s incredibly forceful.  I water everything daily.  A beautiful part of near-mountain living is the coolness of the evening and night.   While we  resort to air conditioning during the day, in the evening after suppertime it’s turned off and the windows are thrown open wide to welcome the sweet breeze.  All night long the air graces our rooms unlike the midwest where the heat lingers heavily.

My favorite breakfast these days…when I’m not having yogurt and berries: 

On the dinnerplace blog now:  Egg+Egg White Omelet filled with Nonfat Cottage Cheese on WW Toast

If I don’t get out early to walk the doggies (by 7:30), and sometimes even if I do, I later get in a power walk on youtube.  Sometimes two! There are several walks from which to choose–3 minute for a desk break, 5 minute, 2 mile, etc. They are easy to fit into the day and I often stick up the laptop (with the walking video on and the sound off) next to the tv when a favorite show is on.   I do the walk/exercise and watch Ina all at the same time.

I’m working on the soups for the cookbook almost daily.  Once I develop a recipe, it must be tested several times and then I pass it on to someone else for testing.  Does it work when someone else makes it?  I’ve now made posole several times, shall we say.  (I think I’ve got it down.)  My dear friend, sommelier Drew Robinson, was to come today to taste three of the soups (and one secret very-fast dessert) in order to begin the process of pairing.  Long ago, at some far-away dinner with our wine group, Drew let it be known he would provide the wine pairings for a cookbook I would someday write.  Not sure either one of us believed it would ever happen, but it’s happening!  Anyway, Drew forgot he has another wine-tasting tonight and we’re rescheduling.   I am a bit relieved because as much as I love my new posole recipe, I’m ready for something else to eat.  The next soups are a quick vegetarian bean and a cold avocado.   As the book will not have photographs, I keep forgetting to take pictures….I must do it!

I play inside with Miss Gab in the afternoons for a few minutes–too hot for her to run outdoors. 

You’re throwing the ball, right?

We’ve had plenty of time to visit with old friends and worship at First Congregational…one of my very favorite churches anywhere.  Last Sunday, the ample sanctuary was filled to capacity.  Nothing special occuring…and it was summer when  a lot of churches are fairly empty.  Why is FCC so full?  While I might not be qualified to say why, I do know these things:  there’s a bow toward tradition…while embracing the new.  All are truly welcome and these folks are joyful; what more could you want?  Except that when the table is laid and communion is about to begin, these words are said, “Come, all things are ready.”  Such a breathing place.

    One of the best parts about being here is more time with my family

    off to a beer festival…

    and lunches/shopping trips in the middle of the day:

    Trip to Toys r Us:  expensive
    Smile on grandson’s face:  priceless

    Sing a new song,
    Alyce

    50 Women Game-Changers in Food – #50 – Julie Powell – Poached Eggs

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    Poached Eggs:  They’re not just for breakfast anymore.   Alyce’s  Poached Egg Chef’s Salad

    If you saw the movie “Julie and Julia,” you’ll know Julie Powell didn’t like eggs.  While working her way through Julia Child’s Mastering The Art of French Cooking, Volume I in one year, Julie one day had to wake up and smell the eggs.  Yuck.  Something she never cooked.  But eggs were on the list and eggs are what she finally did fix.  And liked.  Who knew?

    To begin with, Julie was a young married woman in NYC with a job that was stressful.   She needed more.  She loved to cook.  What else to do but to cook all of Julia Child’s recipes from The Art of French Cooking in a year and blog about it?  The original blog (2002-3?) is still online if you’d like to peruse it; blogs have changed immeasurably since then.  I actually did read it once upon a time…  If you’d like to read quite a bit of it all at once, you can still order the book, Julie & Julia .  As you more than likely are aware, the book became a very popular movie of the same name (2009) that taught everyone I know about  food bloggers.  I no longer ever have to explain what I do with my free (insert eye roll) time; people just say, “Oh, like Julie in Julie and Julia.”  I just nod my head, “Yes.”  What more can I say? She did change our world.  No doubt at all.  I don’t know how many food bloggers there were in 2005 versus 2012, but a current figure  (wrong/right?)  is over 11,000 in the United States alone.  Smile.

    As far as poached eggs go, I’m a fan.  I often blog them:

    Egg Salad #2

    Alyce’s Asparagus-Mushroom Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette and Poached Egg #3
    Poached Eggs on Grilled Cheese Tomatoes–one of my favorite breakfasts
    After the cut.

    Don’t know how to poach eggs or are scared?  Ah, gwahhn.  Heat up some water and let those eggs slip naked into the hot tub.   There are ways to make them more perfect, but here’s the easy lesson I posted in my Dinner Place blog, which is all about cooking for one person: 


    Alyce’s Method for Poaching Eggs:

    1. In a deeper small skillet or saucepan, heat 3″ water to boiling.  Turn down the heat to simmer and add a small splash of white vinegar (1 tsp) if you have any.  You don’t want a big boil here, the whites will fly all through the water.

    2.  Crack one egg into a ramekin or tea cup and tip the egg slowly and gently into the water, holding the cup in place for a couple of seconds as the egg begins to set.  Repeat with second egg a certain distance away so that the whites, if possible, aren’t touching.  Either let simmer for 3 minutes or so (occasionally spooning hot water over yolk if you like)  or, alternately, turn heat off and cover tightly for 3-5 minutes, depending on how set you like your eggs.  3 for runny yolks, 5 for firm.  Approximately.

    Not perfect, but perfectly edible.  Just add salsa.
    I like my eggs “eye ball” set (haven’t drawn hot water over tops) and quite runny — often for salad dressing or part of anyway.   Most people want the yolk completely masked–above.

    3.  Remove each egg from its bath using a slotted spoon or spatula and tap the spatula gently on a towel or paper towel to remove excess water before sliding the egg onto the plate.

    4.  Season well with salt and pepper.   Eat immediately.

    A couple of tips:  Room temperature eggs crack more easily than cold eggs; you have less chance of shell fragments.  Also:  crack  your eggs on a flat surface, not on the edge of the pan.  You can also buy egg poachers (metal cups with long handles on legs) or silicone poachers for the microwave.  I’ve never tried either gizmo, so let me know if you like them.

    Here’s my equipment:

     
    And, of course, tasty eggs–all sizes!

    We can raise chickens right in the city here in St. Paul.  These are from Cathy Velasquez-Eberhart and her ladies.

    Here’s my copy–a first edition even.

    Julia’s Method

     Notice that Julia Child was always “Julia Child” until the movie came out.  Now she’s just Julia.  Kind of like Just Joan. (“Jewel of the Nile” l985–Kathleen Turner)  Well, maybe not!

    Just for grins, I’m going to look up Julia’s instructions. Hold on.  Whoa.  This is all coming back to me.  If you’ve the book (Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I), it’s on pages 116-117.  Yes, it’s two pages of instructions that you’re welcome to.  I make my instructions short and simple; you’ll learn technique and improve your eggs over time IF you’re a beginning cook or even an accomplished cook who hasn’t made poached eggs.  Not that my technique is better (cough cough), but while I’m wordy, I’m not quite as wordy as Julia—usually. 

    One biggy is that even Julia admits you might want to make a 6 minute (boiled) egg instead of poached.  (Not likely for me.)  She also wants you to use fresh eggs, which are worth hunting for.  Check out your Farmer’s Market if you can’t find eggs any other way.  You can then set up a schedule to buy eggs from that person throughout the year.  I trade things for my eggs–things like baked cookies, granola, homemade ice cream sauces, etc.  You could try trading a service even.  Often, however, the eggs are no more expensive than quality eggs from the store.

    One thing Julia writes is that if you need to keep the eggs for any length of time, place the cooked eggs in ice water.  You can store them in the frig like that.  Later, to heat them, slide them into salted hot water for 30 seconds. This is perfect if you’d like to have some friends for Sunday brunch.  You fix your poached eggs on Saturday, and do the hollandaise and English muffins (oven) on Sunday.
    Or what if you’d like to do a few eggs for yourself for weekday breakfasts?  Do them Sunday afternoon and eat them Monday-Tuesday.

    A Couple of Thoughts About Eggs 

    We eat a lot of eggs and while they have a bad rap for cholesterol, so far we have no problems as we ease on toward 59.  I encourage young or new cooks to make eggs.  They are easy, fast, accessible, and inexpensive protein.   They store well.  They travel beautifully (if boiled.)  You can do all kinds of things with them!  In two minutes flat, you have an omelet and you can put nearly anything in the frig or pantry into it.  In twenty, you’ve cooked a dozen, boiling, and you  have lunches for work done.  Go eggs.

    Want more about Julie Powell?

    Watch a great video of Jacques Pepin and Julia Child poaching eggs together.  Julia uses the metal egg poacher with the long handle!  HA HA!!
    Read Amanda Hesser’s 2003 NYT article about Julie Powell’s “web log or ‘blog'”
    NYT 2009 updated article on Powell
    Julie’s 2010 blog
    Wiki biography
    Time Magazine, 2010–Julie becomes a butcher.

    ~

    With this post,  I give a low bow and fine thanks to our great group of bloggers writing about Gourmet Live’s 50 Women Game-Changers in Food as we come to the tail end of our project.  A few folks will write another post summing up the whole 50 or writing about someone spectacular who didn’t make the list (Marion Cunningham for me), but mostly this is our last hurrah.    I joined the group late, but have enjoyed all of my experience and am thankful for all of the learning, camaraderie, and fun…  Please take time to visit the other fine bloggers and see what they made for “Julie” week — or any other week, for that matter.

    THANK YOU, LADIES:

    Val – More Than Burnt Toast, Taryn – Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan – The Spice Garden
    Heather – girlichef, Miranda – Mangoes and Chutney, Amrita -Beetle’s Kitchen Escapades ,

    Linda A – There and Back Again, Nancy – Picadillo, Mireya – My Healthy Eating Habits
    Veronica – My Catholic Kitchen, Annie – Most Lovely Things, Jeanette – Healthy Living
    Claudia – Journey of an Italian Cook, Alyce – More Time at the Table
    Kathy – Bakeaway with Me, Martha – Simple Nourished Living, Jill – Saucy Cooks
    Sara – Everything in the Kitchen Sink

    Several of us plan to begin another blogging venture (though I’m about to put the blog on vacation and join up a little later) featuring the 38 healthiest foods featured in 


    Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients by The Editors of Whole Living Magazine (Dec 28, 2010)

    I hope you’ll join us!

    Sing a new song and poach a new egg,
    Alyce

    Trading Granola for Eggs – My Urban Barter Tale

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    I was on the road a couple of weeks ago and checking my computer when my I-Spy Radar saw an email with a subject line that had something to do with too many fresh eggs and trading cookies for them.  I try and stay off email a lot when I’m away seeing my kids or on vacation, but I couldn’t NOT look at this one.  Backyard eggs just hook me right in.  And, of course, cookies fall right out of my oven.

    My siblings and I grew up with fresh eggs; my dad either traded produce for them or shelled out a little cash to his Swedish farmer friend Munson.  When our  parents retired and took it (ha!) easy on a little “hobby” farm,  they had their own chickens and, hence, their own eggs, to say nothing of a garden that produced tomatoes the likes of which I’ve never again tasted.  When Dave and I visited as newlyweds, we had fresh eggs (fried in bacon or sausage grease) every morning early.  Why would you want anything else?  And why not at 6am?  There, of course, were also biscuits.  With sour cream and honey or molasses.  Unending pots of coffee.

    To say that  mass-produced eggs pale in comparison is an apt description.  Don’t you love the looks of this egg produced by one of Cathy’s ladies?

    (Read my post about this salsa here.)

    So, anyway,  I missed great eggs for years.  I really missed them because I just love eggs.  I go through phrases where sure that the SB diet will take off my well-fed excess, I eat them daily.  Then I begin to worry about the cholesterol and switch back to egg whites.  Whichever, I always eat vegetables for breakfast, too.  (Alternately, I’ll eat yogurt and fresh fruit for weeks on end–with my homemade low-fat granola.)  But back to the email:  as soon as I could arrange it,  I was ready to start trading whatever I had for those eggs

    In St. Paul, you can now raise chickens in your own back yard.  Right in the city.  Now I don’t have much space, and I’m only fond of eggs, not chickens, so I’m not putting up a coop back there in place of my postage stamp patio.  But I’m happy to oblige my friend Cathy and her family, who are the ones suffering from the overage.  Her “ladies” live in the yard, eat well, exercise daily, and are nearly pets who produce things like this:

     Here’s a closer up pic so maybe you can see the beautiful colors.  The whites are nearly blue:

    One week, I traded some oatmeal chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies:

    This week I made granola for Dave, so just made a bigger batch and traded that.

    It’s lovely with milk, better with plain Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey, and best with homemade ricotta and fresh fruit. Naturally, you can scoop up a little and eat it out of hand.  (I do recommend leaving a scoop or spoon in the jar as you’re keeping this granola awhile.)  Your choice.   Whatever you do, I hope you find someone with whom to trade it so that you can eat eggs like I’m eating!  Thanks, ladies.

    alyce’s low-fat granola with apricots, currants, and cherries
    based on David Lebovitz’  recipe, which he says was based on Nigella Lawson’s!

    • 5 cups old-fashioned oats
    • 2t cinnamon
    • 2t ginger
    • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, optional
    • 1t kosher salt
    • 1 1/2 cups each: chopped walnuts and almonds
    • 1/2 cup each: pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and plain sesame seeds
    • 1/2 cup each: chopped dried apricots, cherries, and currants or raisins
    • 1/3 cup each: real maple syrup and honey  (can use all honey)
    • 3/4 c applesauce 
    • 2T olive oil

    Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F.

    Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl or soup pot.  (oats through seeds)  Meantime, heat liquid ingredients over low heat, stirring, in a small sauce pan until just warm and well-combined. (syrup, honey, applesauce, and oil).  Pour liquid ingredients over dry and mix well for a few minutes.  Pour onto two or three large, rimmed baking sheets and bake 50-60 minutes until dry, golden, and crispy, stirring 3-4 times during the baking time.  Store in a tightly-sealed container for up to a month.  (This granola will not keep well in a plastic bag.)
    —

    Cook’s Notes:

    1.  I thought I’d share the differences between my granola and David Lebovitz’–his included 3/4 cup brown sugar (I skipped that) and had no fruit at all (I like fruit).  I also added ground cloves, which are optional.  But I definitely borrowed the idea of applesauce in place of the large amount oil usually used in granola and part of the reason it’s so caloric.  This is very low fat, crispy, tasty, and…  well, you’ll like it.

    If you’ve never visited the magical David Lebovitz blog,  please do yourself a favor and make the trip today.  David is an American pastry chef living in Paris who always has a great story to tell—  The food’s lovely, too, but it’s the stories that bring me back again and again.  FYI–David also does things like Paris Chocolate Tours if you ever get to the City of Light.  If you want more info, check the blog or ask David yourself in the comment section of his blog.

    2.  Changing it up:  The number of additions (and the size of their amounts), to the oats is rather flexible., as are the spices.   If you only have a few nuts and some raisins, for instance, you can still make this granola.  Or if you have only apricots and almonds…you can still make this granola.  Only have cinnamon?  Use 3 teaspoon cinnamon then.  See?   Do keep the main ingredients and proportions intact:  oats, honey, maple syrup, applesauce, and oil.

    two-dog kitchen and a bit of travel

    Mother Gabriela

    Our lilacs through the piano window.  Two views–above and below.

    Above: Tasting Sean’s brews in Colorado.  Our son’s on his way to becoming a master brewer.  Woo hoo!

    Above:  In Princeton–a facade saved, ready for its new building to be built behind.  Meantime, you can see the sky!

    My Easter cake…will blog soon.  Great for spring!

    Dogwood blossom in Princeton

     With Dave and Emily eating lunch in the sunshine in the West Village

                                                      At The Spotted Pig in NYC,  April Bloomfield’s restaurant.
                                                            Couldn’t get in.  🙁

    Dappled light –West Village/NYC (above)

    Gorgeous window boxes in downtown Princeton (above)

    Princeton spring–Dogwoods (above)

    “Yes, we did,”  said Gab and Tuck

    Sing a new song,
    Alyce

    50 Women Game-Changers – # 45 – Diana Kennedy- Fresh Salsa Mexicana from Jerez

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    Wake up and smell the salsa.
    This is not salsa made in New York City.
    Nor in San Antonio.
    This salsa is made in your house. On your cutting board. 
    And not in your Cuisinart.

    Plant your gardens and sharpen your knives.
    This salsa is worth the time it takes to  grow the ingredients and make it by hand.  But you can make it in its glorious Mexican-flag colors this weekend in honor of Cinco de Mayo if you’d like!

    If you’ve not been part of this journey thus far, welcome to my addition to a great group of food bloggers who are, week by week, cooking dishes from the 50 Women Game-Changers in Food from Gourmet Live.  This Friday we feature Mexican chef, teacher, and cookbook author, Diana Kennedy, a Brit (b. 1923)  who ended up in Mexico in love with Mexican food for more than fifty years.  Intent on sharing her passion, Kennedy wrote many cookbooks, (I count about twenty, though some are in English and some in Spanish.) but has remained most intent on passing on information about the culture of ingredients, agriculture,  and cuisine all over the country.
    “I’m a very active person,” she said. “I want to spend the rest of my days doing what I know best and that’s identifying what people are using in the culture.”   Read more
    Want to check out a recent interview?   Read a  2011 interview with 88 year-old Diana Kennedy here.
    But let’s get to the good stuff.  How do you make this salsa?  And what’s it good for?
    fresh salsa mexicana from jerez 
    1. 1 poblano chile—stems, seeds, and veins removed and flesh finely chopped
    2. 1 red jalapeño chile—stems, seeds, and veins removed and flesh finely chopped
    3. 2 yellow chiles—stems, seeds and veins removed and flesh finely chopped  *
    4. 2 serrano chiles, finely chopped
    5. 3 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
    6. 1 ripe medium tomato (about 4 ounces), finely chopped
    7. 1/2 cup water
    8. 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
    9. 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
    10. Salt
    Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl; season with salt to taste. Set aside to macerate for about 1 hour.
    *Not wanting an overly-hot salsa, I substituted red  bell pepper for these chiles.  My salsa was quite mild.  For a hotter salsa, try adding first one and then another yellow chile.

    Recipe courtesy FOOD & WINE.

    This salsa was really tasty with eggs, and while I’m not a chip-eater, I did try it with some tortilla chips and would have eaten more if I weren’t saving some for a Friday night movie.   I think it would make a great veggie dip; I’m always looking for vegetable-based dips.  You could ladle this sauce over simple greens or plain steamed vegetables.  I thought I’d try it with some plain grilled chicken and then in a chicken taco salad over the weekend.  My guess is it won’t keep more than a couple of days, but who would want it to?

    I just loved the colors and intrinsic beauty of the ingredients and kept taking photographs of the greens and the reds…. 

    And just to tease you:
    Eggs traded for cookies with a St. Paul pianist who has a backyard full of chickens.

    Please take some time and visit more of our great food bloggers:

    Val – More Than Burnt Toast, Taryn – Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan – The Spice Garden
    Heather – girlichef, Miranda – Mangoes and Chutney, Amrita – Beetles Kitchen Escapades
    Mary – One Perfect Bite, Sue – The View from Great Island, Barbara – Movable Feasts
    Linda A – There and Back Again, Nancy – Picadillo, Mireya – My Healthy Eating Habits
    Veronica – My Catholic Kitchen, Annie – Most Lovely Things, Jeanette – Healthy Living
    Claudia – Journey of an Italian Cook, Alyce – More Time at the Table
    Kathy – Bakeaway with Me, Martha – Simple Nourished Living, Jill – Saucy Cooks
    Sara – Everything in the Kitchen Sink

    If you liked this, you might like Boiled Eggs on English Muffins with Asparagus and Cheese Sauce on my Dinner Place  blog:

    Cooking for One – It’s Fun!
     Sing a new song,
    Alyce

    Ricotta, Chive, and Prosciutto Omelette-Donna Hay-50 Women Game-Changers in Food-#31

    / More Time at the Table / 7 Comments

     

     Lydia Walshin (The Perfect Pantry) often has great recipe links on fb.  One day, she linked to a recipe for Stir-Fried Rice with Mushrooms from Jeanette’s Healthy Living.  Jeanette’s recipe came from the famous Chinese cook and cookbook author, Barbara Tropp, of whom I’m very fond.  The post title indicated the recipe was part of the 50 Women Game-Changers in Food blogging effort.  Each week, bloggers from all over the country feature the recipes of one of the 50 Women Game-Changers from the Gourmet Live List published last May.  I had to get in on this thing and here I am the very next week, blogging down-under Donna Hay’s recipe for Ricotta, Chive, and Prosciutto Omelettes.  Thanks, fellow food bloggers, for the warm welcome.  I’m thrilled to be participating!
     

    Donna Hay is Australia’s premier food editor and cookbook writer who began at the young age of 19 as a writer and food stylist.   By 25, she was the food editor for marie claire.  Since then, she’s published 18 award-winning cookbooks and now is the editor of the bi-monthly donna hay magazine with a circulation of nearly 400,000.  Donna also has a popular weekly food column in the Sunday editions of News Limited newspapers around Australia and The New Zealand Herald, reaching over seven million people each week. She is a regular contributor to UK’s leading lifestyle magazine, Living etc.  Click here for a list of Donna’s recipes and menus and here for the magazine’s ipad app.

    Before I began this blogging adventure, I had downloaded the magazine app for my ipad, which I keep in the kitchen unless I’m traveling.  The easy-to-use format of this beautiful app sold me as much as did the pictures that told such clear stories.  While looking at food photos, the reader can click and choose between reading the recipe (including photo, ingredients list, and story/directions) and cook mode, which with just a push of the finger takes you from the first bit of instructions to the last, page by page.  Right now, from what I can see, there are just a couple of issues available free.  Keep an eye out for more.

    My ipad with the donna hay mag at center. Screensaver: Colorado kitchen!
    While not a great photo, you get the idea of how fun this is to use.

    Let’s cook… 

    In the pan with the egg ring.  Watch carefully to avoid burning.

    This very quick, light meal consists of a souffle omelet (one in which the eggs are separated and the whites are whipped to peaks before the yolks are gently folded back in) with a tiny taste of salad –the spinach–and a bit of salty Italian ham for garnish and kick.  Two eggs truly make two servings here. If you’re on South Beach, this will cook with just a bit of adjustment.

     ricotta, chive, and prosciutto omelettes by donna hay

    Just add Chardonnay.

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Next up: #32  Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian

    The gorgeous, intelligent locavores of the magazine world, Ryder and Topalian’s Edible series now numbers 60 editions, from Allegheny to WOW (southeast Michigan). And, despite the handicap of being free print mags, they actually make money!  (courtesy Gourmet Live)

    Check out how the other bloggers are honoring the 50 Women Game-Changers:


    Sue – The View from Great Island   
    Taryn – Have Kitchen Will Feed
    Susan –     The Spice Garden              
    Heather – girlichef
    Miranda of     Mangoes and Chutney 
     Mary – One Perfect Bite
    Barbara –     Movable Feasts              
    Jeanette – Healthy Living
    Linda –     Ciao Chow Linda              
    Linda A – There and Back Again
    Martha –     Lines from Linderhof       
    Mireya – My Healthy Eating Habits,
    Veronica –     My Catholic Kitchen     
    Annie – Lovely Things
    Nancy –     Picadillo                        
    Claudia – Journey of an Italian Cook

    Val – More Than Burnt Toast       
    Joanne – Eats Well With Others

    If you liked this recipe, you might like:

    Herb-Spinach Egg White Omelet on the Dinner Place blog

     

    How to make an omelet

    Sing a new song, cook a new recipe….

    Alyce  
    All photos  by Alyce Morgan, copyright 2012-unless otherwise noted or obvious.
    Donna Hay photo courtesy donna hay magazine.

    Instant Supper or Why I love Eggs, Honey

    / More Time at the Table / 1 Comment

    There are days when you just don’t want to put that book down.
    Remember those?  As a kid, my mom would not argue with me at suppertime if I was under a tree on a blanket with my nose in a book.  I try to do the same for myself nowadays on occasion.

    This day, I just watched the dogs.  No time to cook.

     Or there are times you’ve stayed on the phone too long with your sister.
    Your best friend.
    Your boss.
    If you’re a piano player, your butt might have been stuck to the bench, right?

    Here’s someone I’ve spent hours talking with.  Thanks, God.

     Or maybe you’re just tired.  Somebody burned up your brain online and you keep waking up at 4 and your cousin’s in an awful personal jam and work’s a mess and your dog got a thorn in his paw and you had to have a tooth pulled (like I did Friday) and … well… and..

    Maybe you taught a piano student to make chocolate mousse that afternoon.

     Perhaps you broke down and spent the cash to go see a movie and got home at 7.

    And then you just thank God for scrambled eggs.  Maybe scrambled eggs and tomatoes, if it’s summer.

    From my garden

    Could be scrambled eggs and toast.  Or asparagus.  Even a few fried potatoes (if you microwave them first, it’s even faster), eh?

    In this case:  in under five minutes, you can cook up some grated summer squash with a tish of onion or garlic, add your eggs, stir, plate, and top with salsa.

    There’s nothing magical about it.  Except that it tastes very good, is quite filling, and takes no time away from the weird novel your neighbor left on your porch.  Or from listening to a Charpentier Christmas Cantata or David Russell’s guitar music.  From playing with the dog.  Chatting with your husband.  Try it:

    Scrambled Eggs with Grated Squash and Salsa– Serves 1; doubles or quadruples easily

       Into a small skillet heated over medium heat, measure 1-2 teaspoons olive oil.  Grate 1/2 cup summer squash (yellow, zucchini, etc.) and chop 1-2 teaspoons of onion or 1/2 teaspoon of garlic.  Place vegetables in the skillet and cook for a couple of minutes until softened.  If you like, throw in a teaspoon or two of the fresh herb of your choice here; I like basil. Meantime, whisk (or fork) together two eggs and a teaspoon of water and pour over the squash.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Let eggs cook until about half-way set and stir briefly.  Remove from pan while still tender.  Top with salsa and serve with sliced tomatoes or toast.  Et voila.  Dinner is served.

    Two-Dog Kitchen or Around the ‘Hood

    Whenever I start a new job, my brain is full.  So goes it these last two weeks. Lots to dream of in this lovely worship space where God engages my heart…

    Prospect Park United Methodist, Minneapolis, MN

    The beautiful thing is, I told Gabby and Tucker (who must wait at home when I’m gone),

    is that I’m so very aware of the change-the transition–, once more, from writer-cook and pianist to  church choral director.  And while it isn’t easy in many lives, it is a truth that we are called to be together.  And together singing–however it happens–is fun indeed.  On 9-11, I’m so very grateful to be alive to share my voice.  Thanks to all the singers in my life.  And thanks, God!

    Sing a new song,
    Alyce

    "Egg Salad" or Ah Gotta Code in mah Noz and TIME

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    Egg Salad #2

     Living in a new place can do a lot of things to you.  You might retreat into comfortable behaviors and forms of communication. You might call your old friends every day. (Or you might want to.) You might surround  yourself with things that you know.  You might cook meals that are soft and warm.  Or not.  You might just take this opportunity to start anew.  I’ve done it all a bit.  For one, I’ve made chicken and noodles or chicken noodle soup three times in the last week, attempting to get a perfect recipe for a one hour meal.  I posted the first attempt here, but I continue.  The most recent (with boneless, skinless chicken thighs) is on examiner, for which I just included a link.   I’ve also made new and perfectly crisp AND soft  salads, replete with poached eggs.  Textures, textures.

    Egg Salad #1–in examiner article

    Newest attempt….Truly done in under an hour.  Way under if you use the food processor.

    Being in St. Paul is a joyous venture and adventure.   Every day is something new, but that might be because it’s spring.  The icebergs have almost melted unless you live on the south side of the street!  The yard is waking up day by day.  Nothing’s in bloom (crocus blooms at the neighbors), but the bulbs are peeking their little heads up.

    I couldn’t wait and bought these at the market.

     The birds, as I told our realtor, are nuts.   The previous owners fed them, and I’m continuing the insane practice.  Soon I know I’ll have thousands of little Jack Sparrows, Woody Woodpeckers, and “My Little Chickadees” flying around my kitchen windows.  I know this because I see the little biddies chomping around with bits of twigs and grass in their mouths.  I know what’s happening out there.  I have two jays who pop in, grab peanuts and depart making noises a little like Groucho Marx.  They are not sociable like the sparrows, who argue and kibitz at the trough all day long like old men in the coffee shop.  Not flighty like the chickadees who are easily scared off. (Boo!)  Not jealous like the male cardinal, who, until yesterday, wouldn’t share the feeder with anyone–not even his wife.  Yesterday, I did see him sharing and wanted to give him a little “high five.”

    Jack Sparrow and friends in the side yard if you look carefully.
    Girl cardinal mixing it up with the sparrows.

      I have very little around me that belongs to me.  I feel light.   While I have a decent percentage of my kitchen in  place (but not appliances I’m used to), I don’t have furniture that has my butt imprinted on it.  I have few clothes, which means laundry is simple.  There’s no piano here; no practicing.  My time is definitely my own; I have no job except for writing cooking articles for examiner.com in St. Paul.  The rooms of the house are pretty empty; I sweep them with a broom.  Wipe up the bathrooms and kitchen and I’m done with housework.  Hm.  

    I didn’t bring one of these.

     In other words, I have time for dog walks. I often read a blog called, “Don’t Eat Alone” (you can find it on my blog roll to the right) by a guy named Milton Brasher-Cunningham in Durham, North Carolina.  There’s a great post this week about walking. I think it was Barbara Brown Taylor who called it, “the spiritual exercise of putting one foot in front of the other.”

    “Come on, Mom.”

       Time to listen to Minnesota Public Radio ad infinitum, where I hear things I’ve never had time to hear before. (Chanticleer singing Ralph Vaughn Williams’ version of “Loch Lomond” for one.)  I hike on down the grocery (ok, it’s a block and a half) if I need an onion or a piece of meat.  (They have a great butcher counter and lovely butcher named Daniel.)  If I’m feeling flush, I mosey on over to Whole Foods (four blocks) or Coastal Seafood (four blocks) for fish or organic blueberries.  Time.

    I’m told “Goof Off” gets paint off wood.  Right.

     I’m painting my office.  Slowly.   It’s Pepto Bismol pink and it’s on its way to becoming a whiter shade of pale.  I think it’s called “moss” and, really, it’s kind of a dusty teal.  In my next life, I’d like to be the person who plays timpani (only in the orchestra, thank you) or writes paint names. Either will do.  If I named this paint, it would be “a greener Robin’s egg blue”, which is why I don’t write paint names.

    A local office designer is working on the furniture for my office and he sent me a chart of colors from which to choose the colors of my cabinets.  There are 25 colors, clearly visible, but the names are not legible over the computer.  I was so down.  I don’t know if I got Brackish Water or Dusty Sunset. 

    Painting in an old house (ours is nearly 100 years old) is a physical and spiritual experience.  It’s a great way to get to know your house intimately.  Every wave in the wall.  Every slant in the floor.  (My office floor makes me tilt my head.)  Every color that went before.  Well, not every.  In fact, before the Pepto Bismol pink, that room was a LOVELY shade of water-filled, pale green.  I’m getting to know the carpenter who cut the wood for the door and window frames so long ago.  How perfect and meticulous he was (I’m safe in saying a he in 1911 maybe) with the available tools.  Did he know how long his doors would hold up?  Or that I would try so hard to not get paint on the windowsills?

    There’s just something incredibly wonderful about being able to paint in the spring with the windows open and the music playing.  Spending the day with your hair in a bandana (shades of 1971), concentrating so hard on getting the green over the pink.  Hearing the street noises and trying to decipher them without looking.  Eating lunch on the the back steps in your sweatpants and the hub’s old black t-shirt full of paint smears.  Scrubbing the brushes at night, hoping they’ll dry by morning.   Living.

    I just finished GOAT SONG by Brad Kessler, who has a lot to say about living.  Simply, GOAT SONG is a book about a guy and his wife (not so much about the wife) who leave New York behind and move to Vermont to raise a small herd of goats.  Now while that story sounds likely, simple, bona fide, and typical, it is, however, none of those.  Brad Kessler not only wants a different life, he claims it in a far-reaching, thoughtful and thought-provoking manner.   He’s a fine, fine writer.  He’s an historian and a spiritual guide.  He’s a cook.  He’s a cheese maker.  He looks at one hundred pieces of land before he chooses one.  He buys goats and brings them home in the car.  He falls in love with his goats and, while he teaches us the history of goat herding, we, too, fall in love.   The goats, in turn, fall in love with him.  He travels to France to learn goat cheese-making first hand and gets around to doing something tres, tres beautiful with that milk.  Because Brad only buys girl goats and if they have any boy goats, they get sold.  And that doesn’t begin to tell the story. What I mean is:  I have time to read.

    I just started BLOOD, BONES, AND BUTTER:  The Inadvertant Education of a Reluctant Chef by  (Chef) Gabrielle Hamilton–just as good of a read, though light years away from Brad Kessler.  In common, they have a love of the land, our world, and food.  Sick as a dog with a wretched spring cold, I could not put down this book and fell asleep with it in my arms. Time.

    If you came here for a recipe, I suppose I’d better give it to you.  This is a light lunch or first course for dinner done in 5-10 minutes.  Sweet and filling.  Crunchy and soft.  Make extra dressing and keep in the frig.  Note:  Dressing keeps longer without the shallots or onions.  And you can skip the dressing totally if you make the egg quite soft (runny) and use that as dressing.

    “Egg Salad #2”  serves 2

    4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
    2 small tomatoes, sliced (Try the Mexican “brown” tomatoes–tasty and cheaper.)
    2 carrots, sliced
    1/4 c minced parsley
    1/2 English cucumber, cut into thin half-moons
    1t fresh lemon juice
    2 poached eggs (slide raw eggs, each in a cup, into barely simmering water for 3-4 minutes til white is firm)

    Dressing:  1 T balsamic vinegar, healthy pinch each kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, 1t minced shallot or garlic, optional, 1/2 t honey, 1/4 t dijon-style mustard, 2T extra-virgin olive oil–Whisk salt into vinegar.  Whisk in all else, though drizzle in 1T olive oil at a time, being sure it’s incorporated well before adding the second,)

    1. Divide greens and vegetables between two large shallow bowls.  Drizzle equally with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
    2. Top with well-drained egg and drizzle with dressing.
    3. Serve with a piece of hot, buttered whole wheat toast.

     Sing a new song and enjoy spring,
    Alyce 

    P.S.  I’ve come to realize a lot of my readers are from countries where English is NOT a first language.  I welcome you all, but hope you’re not trying to learn English from my blog!  I speak a little Spanish  (Hola, Que tal?) and less German (Wie gehts?)… and even less French (Mais oui!) Anyway, know that I’m aware and am grateful for your presence. I’d love to hear from any of you.  If you write in your own languages, I can figure out a translation.  But do write me–especially if you try the recipes!  Bon chance, mes amis.