La Platicona Habla: Tastes, Passions and Pursuits

After eating a delicious roast beast and homemade Yorkshire puddings at a friend's house for Christmas, I decided to give the puddings a try. The trick, I was told, was to let the ingredients sit out to room temperature before baking. Armed with that knowledge and a couple recipes to compare, I began baking. The first attempt was a failure, but after adjusting ingredients, I had a success.

Simply whip up 3 eggs, 1 1/2 c whole milk, and 1 c flour (with pinch of salt, baking soda, and 2 tsp sugar mixed in), and whisk untul smooth. Put batter on top of fridge to warm up for a half hour. Pour into greased muffin tin and bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and eat immediately while it is still hot. Mmmmm!

Labels: bread, eggs

I slept in and made this delicious breakfast tart using some delicious Camembert brie cheese, and a simple ratatouille. For the tart crust, I opted for a traditional flakey tart crust, rather than my traditional savory tart crust. The main difference between the recipes is less flour and more butter. I will post separately with that recipe. The advantage of the flakey tart crust is the omission of pre-baking the crust. You can simply mold the crust into the tart pan and add your filling. The baking time is also less, which is especially important in summer when it can be too hot outside for baking inside.

For the ratatouille, basically a French version of random vegetables sauteed and sometimes roasted in an oven afterwards, I used the produce I found in my kitchen, including 2 plum tomatoes, 1/2 white onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 of a yellow and red bell pepper, and dried herbs de Provence. Rather than labor over stove and onion, I decided to quickly sautee these vegetables in 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat to give them a quick browning. I cooked them for about 8 minutes and turned the burner off, letting the juice from the vegetables evaporate as the pan cooled down. You don't want watery or mushy vegetables, so this process of eliminating the moisture from them is key to keeping your tart intact and prevent it from breaking up.

After molding my crust, I layered the vegetables first, then slices of the Camembert brie cheese (I tried the brie version, and frankly, didn't like it as much as the other brand that was more firm). I poured in 4 eggs I'd whisked with 1/2 c of cream. Bake the tart at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. The result is rather amazing, considering all the butter put into that flakey tart crust! Enjoy.

Labels: bell pepper, cheese, eggs, herbs, onion, tart, tomatoes

Labels: bread, breakfast, cheese, eggs, prosciutto

Goodness, I sure have eaten a lot of eggplant this month. Every bite has been delicious. October ends the peak period for eggplant - so take advantage while you can. In making this tart, I finally followed the original recipe in Once Upon a Tart for tomato and eggplant tart. The tart has a subtle smokey flavor from the roasted eggplant, and the orange heirlooms I used were sweeter than the red ones they used in the cookbook.

This recipe calls for two steps - making and baking a tart shell, and preparing the filling. The good news is that the tart shell is rather easy, and the recipe makes plenty for 2 tarts (I have a large tart tin so I made two). You can always freeze one lump of dough and save it for a day you are feeling like having a tart but too busy to make another batch of dough. I find that the dough lasts about 3 weeks in the freezer.

For the tart:

1 batch of Crunchy Savory Tart Crust
I substituted 1/2 cup of wheat flour in the original recipe for added texture.

For the filling:

- 3 eggs
- 1/4 c cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 small eggplants, sliced
- 3 vine ripened tomatoes
- 1/2 c fresh grated parmesan
- handful of basil, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Labels: Eggplant, eggs, heirloom tomatoes, tart

The sweetest thing is having a zesty and elegant tart in a hurry. After preparing the tart crusts in advance, making this sweet tart from Once Upon a Tart was easy and rewarding. The best part about making this tart was that the ingredients were simple and few compared to others I looked at. I suggest that if you make this tart, you par-bake the tart crust so that the custard doesn't seep out and stick to the sides of the tart pan. So how many times can you say "best part about this sweet tart?"

You will need:
- 3 large eggs
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/2 c sugar
- zest of one lemon
- juice of 3 lemons
- 3/4 c of heavy cream
- 1 par-baked flaky tart crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Step One: Whisk eggs and yolks together in a medium sized bowl. Add sugar while whisking and pour in lemon zest and juice. Still whisking, pour in the cream.

Step Two: Slowly pour in the custard into your par-baked tart shell and ensure that none spills over. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until it doesn't jiggle. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

I think this tart would go best with a dollop of cream and a piping hot cup of Earl Grey tea with milk. So far my tart making has been a success. The cookbook from Once Upon a Tart was worth every penny and makes a great gift for a first time or well experienced baker who enjoys classic pastries like scones, muffins, and these savory and sweet tarts.

Labels: cream, dessert, eggs, lemon, tart

Savory tarts are tart fillings that consist of eggs and vegetables, and sometimes even meats. I studied my tart baking book and I found a recipe for tomato and eggplant tart, but I am not that keen on eggplants in a tart. I opted instead for zucchini and herbs of rosemary and basil. I also decided that he Parmesan cheese and herb base could benefit from a bit of pesto instead. Feel free to alter this recipe as needed, but be sure to note that it is the herbs and Parmesan that really finish this recipe off.

You will need:
- 1 tart shell, par-baked
- 2 small zucchinis, washed and thinly sliced on the bias
- 3 Roma or vine ripened tomatoes, halved and sliced
- 3 tbsp of pesto + 1/4 c Parmesan
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 c cream
- herbs (rosemary and basil)
- Salt and Pepper to taste

Step One: Combine zucchini, salt, and 3 tbsp of olive oil; bake slices on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 400; remove and cool. Reduce heat of oven to 370. This pre-baking measure will prevent the zucchini from turning soggy.

Step Two: While the zucchini bake, take the tomato slices and lay them against the sides of a colander. Sprinkle with salt and let them drain over the sink or a dish until ready to assemble.

Step Three: In a bowl, combine Parmesan and handful of minced fresh rosemary and basil. You can spread this mixture on the bottom of the tart shell, or add the pesto sauce to it and then spread it out.

Step Four: Arrange the tomato slices, as shown, alternating it with slices of zucchini. When one layer is finished, fill in the center with remaining vegetables. Sprinkle with any remaining herbs.

Step Five: In a bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, salt & pepper. Pour this "custard" over the vegetables and place completed tart in the oven to cook for 20-25 minutes or until the center no longer jiggles. Remove from oven, and let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

This tart is very savory and lovely. I think the Parmesan and herbs really finish it off, and the presentation will certainly make an impression on your friends and family. Feel free to experiment with other fillings. I promise to post a sweet tart to demonstrate the versatility of this tart shell.

Labels: eggs, heirloom tomatoes, tart, tomatoes, zucchini

I always wanted to try a Spanish Torta, but I never had a seasoned cast iron pan lying around until this last weekend when the Baking Master decided to make cornbread in a cast iron pan.

You will need:

- 6 red potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
- 2 small yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 1/4 c olive oil, plus extra to roast potato slices
- 8 eggs (use large brown eggs)
- herbs (rosemary works great)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Step One: toss potatoes and onions in 3 tbsp of olive oil with salt and pepper to taste; spread onto a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Step Two: Lower temperature to 350

Step Three: Whisk eggs with salt and pepper. Scrape cooled potatoes and onions into egg mixture.

Step Four: Heave 1/4 c olive oil in cast iron pan over a stove burner on high heat. Pour in the potato and egg mixture and cook stove top for 1 minute. Place pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the center is firm to the touch. Remove and serve warm.

Labels: eggs, onion, potato, spices

I love to eat mashed potatoes, but often times I get carried away and I end up boiling too many potatoes. I usually leave these sad, naked little tubers in the refrigerator and never look at them again until they need to be tossed into the rubbish bin. So, to avoid another tragic execution I decided to put some leftover potatoes to work as faux potato latkes. The "refried" critters are a great side dish or snack and complement a soup, or go well with fried eggs (mmm).

You will need:

- 2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes
- 2 eggs, well blended
- handful of chopped Italian parsley
- handful of finely diced onions (red or green)
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- oil for frying and a good frying pan (cast iron works best)

Step One: Mix the potatoes and half the egg mixture together to form a sticky consistency. Use a potato masher or fork to do this as an electric blender will make the mixture too liquidy. Add the remaining egg mixture if consistency is too dry and patties will not form in your hand. Add the parsley, onions, garlic, and mix well.

Step Two: In a cast iron pan, place enough vegetable oil in the pan to rise 1/2 inch. Heat this oil over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Step Three: Form small handfuls of the potato mixture in your hand to make patties. Fry the patties in the oil for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Consider adding things to these patties to make them hardier, such as peas or diced carrots. There are also several herbs and spices that can make these potato patties more savory, so experiment away.

Labels: eggs, patties, potato

I was so sad that the NY Times decided to place their review of Ann Quatrano's restaurant outside of Atlanta into the Times Select edition on-line requiring purchase. Lucky for me, however, I downloaded the recipe for her classic eggs in cream while it was still free and I give it to you--my dear and loyal reader--free again.

This recipe is served best with a side of roasted heirloom tomatoes. Alas, there were no heirloom tomatoes in the grocery store today, so I made do with vine ripened tomatoes instead.

For the Roasted Tomatoes:
- 3 sprigs of rosemary, picked and minced
- 4 vine ripened tomatoes, halved
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 1/4 c olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

For the tomatoes: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the tomatoes, rosemary, and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes until tomatoes are wrinkled and collapsing.

For the Shirred Eggs:
- 1/2 c heavy cream
- 8 large farm fresh eggs
- 3 tbsp of finely minced herbs (Italian parsley, rosemary, tarragon, chervil, use your imagination here)
- 4 ramekins

Step One: Boil a small pot of hot water (about 4 cups). Keep hot.

Step Two: In a separate small sauce pan, combine cream with salt and pepper over medium heat until just steaming.

Step Three: Place 1 tbsp of cream in each of 4 ramekins (small porcelien baking bowls that hold about 1 cup). Crack 2 eggs in each ramekin, keeping yolks intact. Top with 1 tbsp of cream and sprink herbs over each. Repeat until all 4 ramekins are filled.

Step Four: Place the ramekins in a small roasting pan (or cake pan), and gently pour that boiling water into the roasting pan (not in your ramekins, silly!) so that the water comes halfway up the sides of ramekins. Bake at 350 degrees until eggs are just set, about 20-30 minutes.

To serve: Place ramekins on a plate with 2 halves of the roasted tomatoes and a side of bread. The taste of these eggs is fantastic, as long as you don't overcook them like I did!

Labels: breakfast, cream, eggs

Going to New Mexico for a bushel of green chile? If you do, consider recreating my green chile masterpiece for breakfast this weekend. This pizza is variable to your diet, that is, vegan, veggie, lactose free, or carnivore. Another great thing is that there is a shortcut for the dough thanks to Whole Foods.

You will need:
- 1 package of pizza dough from Whole Foods (the pizza dough is premade in their deli section where the sandwiches and pizzas are and sells for $2.50, and you can also purchase a premade dough that is rolled out in the round for you too).
- 1 package of goat cheese (we buy Boulder HayStack Chevre)
- 5 roasted and peeled green chiles, chopped (you can use a small can of Hatch green chile or Bueno frozen green chile)
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 3 eggs, scrambled
- 4 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed (add to olive oil)
Optional: chorizo, tomatoes, breakfast sausage. If you add meat, be sure to cook the sausage first, and then add to the pizza before baking.

Step One: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (218 celsius). In a pan, cook your scrambled eggs over medium heat until cooked through. Cook any other toppings such as meat that need pre-cooking.

Step Two: Roll out your pizza dough and brush on the olive oil and crushed garlic. Sprinkle on your green chile, onions, eggs, and goat cheese. Top off with any optional ingredients. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Serve hot.

I recommend browning the top of this pizza for 1-2 minutes under the broiler for an added crispiness. The results of the pizza will vary depending on the pizza dough you are able to procure. I think it is excessively cumbersome to make pizza dough, so the Whole Foods option is really the way to go. And as a final note, you can also eat this pizza with a side of Pato Sauce (my roommate's favorite).

Labels: eggs, goat cheese, green chile, pizza

Yes, that is "tart" with an "e" - an ode to my dear food blogger Clotilde who inspired me to whip up a batch of my very own pate brisee (the flaky crust of this quiche-like tarte) for this edible delight. I gathered a fresh bunch of asparagus and decided to pair it with an old favorite: eggs. I tried this simple tarte and found it very pleasing to both tongue and eye. I suggest that you begin by making the crust first, the day before is best, and then putting the ingredients together. The original recipe calls for asparagus and strawberries, but frankly, I was scared to try that combo.

Ingredients for the Pate Brisee (crust):
- 1 1/2 c flour (you can substitute 1/4 c of flour for 1/4 c ground almonds as I chose to);
- 1/2 c + 1 tbsp of chilled salted butter;
- optional egg;
- parchment or wax paper & rolling pin.
I made this in a food processor but you can make it in a mixing bowl with a pastry cutter and your own fingers.

For the eggy filling:
- 2 eggs;
- 1/2 c sour cream or whipping cream;
- salt & pepper;
- 1 tsp chopped italian parsley;
- 10 cooked & cooled skinny asaparagus stems.

Pate Brisee (crust):
Step One: In a food processor or your mixing bowl, combine the flour and cold butter. Cut with a pastry tool or in a food processor until well incorporated. Using your hands, place the mixture out on a clean surface and knead the dough slightly until it comes together. Let the dough ball rest for a few minutes.

Step Two: Roll the dough out onto a clean surface until 1/4 inch thick and line a greased tarte pan, sides and all. Prick the bottom of the lined pan with a fork and place in the fridge overnight or or at least 1 hour to chill before cooking and adding filling below.

Filling:
Step One: Combine eggs, cream (sour or whipping), salt & pepper, parsley in a bowl with a wire whisk. Set aside.

Step Two: Take out crust from the fridge and pre-cook in an oven at 360 degrees (180 degrees celsius) for 10 minutes. Pat down with a fork if it rises too much. Remove from the oven.

Step Three: Pour in filling and arrange asparagus on top in a radial pattern. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes at the same temp (360 F/180 C) or until golden on top. Remove from oven and cool. Serve and eat warm or at room temperature with a side of greens.

I made 6 mini tartes with this recipe and they turned out magnificent. They are a wonderful leftover lunch and easy to reheat. The best part is that the crust is a total breeze. I did not have to add that egg to the crust because my dough was so nice and sticky. You may have to add that egg if you are having trouble getting it to stick together. Don't forget to chill the dough after it is formed in the pan and to pre-cook it before adding the filling. These are crucial steps that can alter your crust's consistency and flavor. Also, adding the ground almonds instead of 1/4 c of flour gave the crust a nice texture and complimented the bitterness of the asparagus.

Labels: asparagus, eggs, tart

Chile comes in many varieties called Capsicum. Chile is native to the Americas and was first cultivated in Mexico over 5000 years ago. Chile is really a hollow fruit that encloses seeds coated with the chemical capsaicin that escapes into the inner wall of the chile and gives the chile its heat. The amount of capsaicin increases when that chile is grown in hot places with little water (like New Mexico), and decreases when the chile turn from green to red. Capsaisin suprisingly does not create ulcers, but rather, has many health benefits for the body, including increasing our metabolism, decreasing appetite preventing overeating, and inducing our body to sweat, causing us to burn more calories. So eat up!

The poblano peppers used for this dish are large, dark green peppers that require some intensive preparation. I propose that you prep them the night before you eat them so that you won't slave for hours over this dish. You can also put some beans in the crock pot the night before too (see blog post 10/18/05) and then "refry" the beans the day you want to eat this dish.

You will need: 2 c of shredded jack cheese; 4 poblano peppers; toothpicks; 3 eggs; medium skillet (castiron is best) and 3/4 c of vegetable oil for frying.

Step One: Turn the oven on broil. Place your peppers on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven. Cook these for 4 minutes, turn the peppers so each side is cooked. The skin will blister and turn black. Remove from the oven after each side is cooked and place immediately into a grocery bag or bowl and cover with saran wrap. Cover the bag or the bowl with a dish towel to retain the heat.

Step Two: After 10 minutes, remove the chile and peel the skins off. Gently make a long slit in the chile and remove the seeds.

Step Three: Stuff each pepper with cheese and close the slit by threading a toothpick into the chile. Refridgerate until you are ready to cook these.

When you are ready to cook these, start here:

Step One: Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs. Place the whites in a mixing bowl and whip or beat on high with a mixer. When the whites stiffen, then fold in the yolks. This is the "batter" for the rellenos.

Step Two: In a castiron skillet or medium skillet, place vegetable oil in pan and warm over medium heat.

Step Three: Dip the stuffed peppers into the egg mixture using your hands. Remove and immediately place in frying pan with hot oil. Cook on each side for 4 minutes or until egg mixture turns golden brown. Place each cooked pepper on a paper towel to drain off excess oil before serving.

Step Four: Serve the rellenos (stuffed peppers) with a side of refried beans. You can use the beans you cooked in the crock pot (see blog post 10/18/05) and simply place them in a skillet with 3 tbslp of hot vegetable oil. Let the liquid cook off and mash. Add salt to taste and serve.

Labels: cheese, eggs, fried, pasilla peppers

Once again, the basic red chile (see post 1/18/06) saves the day. Huevos rancheros provide an amazing Saturday morning breakfast. I suggest that you cook this when you have some time and if you or a guest are very hungry.

You will need: 1 potato, rinsed and diced; eggs; red chile (see post 1/18/06); corn tortillas; cheese (I prefer jack); refried beans; chorizo sausage.

Step One: Begin cooking this dish by frying up the potatoes in about 3 tbsp of vegetable oil. You should have about 1 cup or more of potatoes for 2 people. Fry over medium-high heat until golden brown.

Step Two: Using beans you made in the crockpot (see post 10/18/05), or a can of pinto beans, make refried beans by pouring them into a skillet with 3 tblsp of vegetable oil. Let liquid cook off and mash with a fork. Salt to taste and set aside.

Step Three: Reheat red chile (see post 1/18/06) in the microwave or over the stove and set aside for service.

Step Four: In a saute pan or comal (round castiron pan with no edges) heat up corn tortillas (traditionally you fry these for this dish but that is a lot of fat for one day). Place two tortillas on a plate and add a scoop of beans on each, cheese, and then an egg cooked to your liking (for poached eggs, see post 10/23/05). Smother this in red chile. Eat with a side of potatoes you just fried or if you like sausage, I recommend chorizo. Eat it up.

Labels: breakfast, corn tortillas, eggs, potato, red chile

I recently attended a potluck brunch and decided to bring a portable dish that mingling folks could carry in their hand while sipping mimosas. For the most quality burritos, you need top quality tortillas. These tortillas are made by Ms. Romero in San Luis, Colorado. My coworker loved them so much she had them sent in the mail. The next time you are driving to Taos, NM, be sure to stop at the local Philips Gas Station and buy a dozen of these tortillas. You will never taste a tortilla quite like it.

For 1 dozen burritos, you will need: 6 eggs; 3 medium sized russett potatoes diced; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 6 green chiles diced; salt and pepper to taste; 1 c shredded jack cheese; 1 dozen tortillas.

Step One: In a saute pan, heat vegetable oil on medium-high heat. When hot, add diced potatoes, salt & pepper. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Stir potatoes around so they don't burn.

Step Two: When potatoes are done, add all six eggs, tomatoes, and green chile into the pan with the potatoes, stirring around until cooked. (about 4 minutes) Potato and egg mixture should be covered while you reheat the tortillas.

Step Three: In a large skillet, griddle, or comal, reheat your tortillas - NEVER REHEAT TORTILLAS IN THE MICROWAVE! this is an insult to the tortilla - it's like reheating bread in the micro - it turns hard and gross. Place the tortillas on a plate and cover with a towel to retain heat.

Step Four: In each tortilla, place potato egg mixture and sprinkle cheese over it; roll it up and wrap each burrito in foil. Eat up.

Labels: breakfast, burrito, cheese, chorizo, eggs, green chile

If you are thinking about tossing out that left over crusty baguette bread - don't! You can convert this bread into breakfast with a little milk and eggs.

You will need:
- 6 (or four) hearty slices of leftover baguette (really fresh baguette isn't that great for this dish);
- 2 eggs,
- 1/2 c of half and half or cream;
- 1/2 tsp of nutmeg or cinnamon,
- 1 tsp of vanilla.
For a really yummy treat, add 1 tsp of frangelico or rum.
Butter, and quality maple syrup are a must.

Step one: in a bowl, whip the eggs with a wire wisk or fork, add milk, vanilla, and spices.

Step Two: Dip bread in so it soaks up mixture on each side, place in a hot skillet with 1 tbsp of butter melted (cook on medium).

Step Three: Serve with syrup, butter, and powdered sugar if you like.

Labels: bread, breakfast, eggs

Deviled eggs are not a fancy of the fifties anymore. This treat will be gobbled up in about 1/2 hour and everyone will want more. Surprise suprise. I recommend serving it at your next party or cocktail hour.

For this recipe you will need: 1 dozen boiled eggs, cut in half with yolks removed and set aside; 2 tblsp capers; 1 crushed garlic clove; 2 tsp salt (kosher is always best); 2 tblsp minced chives; 3 tblsp quality dijon mustard (try Colemans); 4tblsp mayo (real mayo); paprika to top off. Dan, please correct any of this in a posted comment.

Step One: After you've boiled and cooled the eggs in ice water, peel them and cut in half long ways. Place all the yolks in a bowl and refridgerate the whites.

Step Two: In the bowl of yolks, combine the mustard and mayo, incorporating until smooth. Add the garlic, salt, white pepper to taste, chives, and capers. Stir well.

Step Three: Spoon the mixture on top of egg whites, dust paprika on top, and decoarte with a long stem of chive.

Labels: eggs

This is a bastardized version of a delicious Peruvian dinner I had a coworker's house last year. I took the basic idea of a potato salad and combined it with some of the ingredients I had at this delectible supper. To Ms. Cave - I thank you for this inspiration of purple passion.

You will need: 4 purple potatoes boiled and chopped into large pretty pieces, head of bib lettuce, 1 avocado cut into pieces, 3 hardboiled eggs peeled and quartered, cheese, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon.

Step One: Boil the potatoes whole for 10 minutes, drain and plunge into a cold water bath. Quarter these.

Step Two: Boil the eggs (add eggs after water boils) for 10 minutes. Plunge into a cold bath of water. Peel and quarter.

Step Three: Tear of large pieces of lettuce and arrange on plate. Cut avocado and place half on each plate. Slice your favorite cheese for this dish. I recommend goat cheese or queso fresco. Place potatoes and eggs on plate, drizzle everything with olive oil and red white wine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze a small piece of lemon over avocado.

Serve cold.

Labels: avocado, eggs, potato, salad

In my continued quest for good eats, I have come upon a simplified hollandaise recipe (a faux bernaise sauce if you will) for delicious eggs Florentine. I have made this recipe several times and have perfected it for any cook. Beware: this recipe calls for a "fancy" cooking technique that you beginners may have trouble with. Don't try it out unless you have time and an extra dozen eggs in the fridge.

Eggs Florentine is an excellent breakfast/lunch time and perfect for lazy Saturday and Sunday mornings. If you are a vegetarian, this is for you. If you hate spinach, simply substitute the spinach for a slice of ham for Eggs Benedict.

Serving size: For 2 people or one really hungry person

What you will need:
- grab 1 dozen eggs (brown large),
- 2 English Muffins (you can also use day old baguette or any other bread if you'd like),
- 1 bunch washed and chopped spinach (not frozen) or ham,
- 1 tomato,
- 4 tbsp of cream,
- 3 tbsp butter,
- salt, pepper, Tobasco sauce or the like,
- vinegar (white, to cook eggs),
- parsley (optional).

Cookware: small sauce pot for poaching eggs, medium sauce pot for the sauce, a glass bowl that fits over the medium sauce pot, one skillet for the spinach or ham, wire whisk and 2 small bowls.

Step One: I like to start out by filling my pots halfway with water and bringing them to a smooth boil (note: not raging). Place the glass bowl over the medium sauce pot.

Step Two: If cooking spinach, wash it and then wash it again. Drain really well and throw into the skillet (no extra water or oil needed here) with a dash of salt and pepper on medium-low heat with a lid or piece of foil covering the pan. Cook this until slightly wilted and turn this off (takes about 3 minutes to cook if the pan is hot enough and the lid is on). Keep the pan of spinach covered, turn off the burner and leave it for now (as the pan cools, the spinach still steams b/c it is covered and the pan is hot).

Step Three: Do you know what a poached egg is? If you hate fried eggs, try poached eggs (like a boiled egg, but with a very soft center and out of the shell). You need to add one teaspoon of vinegar to the small pot of boiling water. Carefully crack your egg into the pot. If you are a beginner, I suggest cracking it into a small bowl first and then gently pouring the egg (without breaking the yolk) into the pot. (If you don't have vinegar, you can place a large slotted spoon in the water and place the egg on top so it doesn't lose its shape) Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the whites are cooked. Take a slotted spoon and gently lift the egg out of the water and place it onto a plate; cover the plate with foil to keep egg warm. Repeat this four times for four eggs.

Tip: If you suck at making poached eggs or any eggs besides scrambled ones, try the cheat method here. Instead of poaching, take a skillet and set the temp on medium. Cut your English muffin in half, lightly butter each side and cut out a small circle in the middle of each half. Place these muffins on the hot pan and crack one egg into each muffin (the yolk gravitates to the center hole without breaking). Cook this on each side for about 1-2 minutes, depending on how you like your yolks. Place these cooked muffin-eggs onto plates and put the spinach on top of this. This is the cheat method only, so skip to the sauce now.

Step Three: While you are waiting for those eggs to cook, you can cook the faux hollandaise. To begin, place 3 tblsp of butter into that hot glass bowl placed over the pot of bowling water. Then, take out 5 eggs. Separate the yolk from the white. You can do this by cracking the egg into a bowl (not the one on the stove) and using your hand to scoop out the yolks (spoons never work for this). Place the yolks into another clean bowl. After all five egg yolks are done, add 4 tblsps of heavy whipping cream or half and half, 1 tsp of salt, pepper to taste, and a couple dashes of Tobasco sauce. Whip this up real well with a wire whisk. Add a handful of chopped parsley if desired. Gently pour this mixture into the hot glass bowl with the butter on the stove. Whisk and whisk and whisk for about 5-7 minutes. If you don't keep an eye on this, it will curdle up like scrambled eggs. You have to whisk this constantly and if you are poaching the eggs at the same time, you should pay attention to your sauce. This sauce will get thick and turn a darker yellow when cooked. Take the sauce off the stove when done.

Step Four: Toast your muffins and cut them in half. Each muffin gets a healthy scoop of spinach (or slice of ham), and an egg on top. Immediately place the sauce over the top of this (the sauce is still cooking even though you took it off the stove because the bowl is hot). Serve this with slices of tomatoes if you like.

Yummy. Eat it up. Don't forget to turn off the stove when you are done.

Labels: breakfast, eggs, sauce, spinach