Everybody's Feasting for the Weekend

Between our weekend brunch, a cookout at a friends house, and an Easter dinner, we sure did a lot of cooking this weekend. First up... a breakfast skillet casserole for two from Cook's Country. Fast and simple, we will definitely be making this again. 

3 slices bacon, chopped
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, cut into 1/2" pieces
6 tablespoons heavy cream
4 large eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 scallions, sliced thin
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Cook bacon in 8" nonstick, oven safe skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper-towel lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan. Add half of bread to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl and toss with untoasted bread. Whisk cream, eggs, salt, and pepper in another medium bowl until smooth. Stir in bacon, scallions and cheddar. Add egg mixture to now empty skillet and cook over medium heat, using spatula to scrape bottom of pan, until eggs are just beginning to set, about 1 minute. Fold in bread and lightly pat mixture into even thickness. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes.

Saturday night we went to a friends for a cookout and decided to bring a strawberry pie. We only ever make desserts when we have others to share them with. This didn't quite set like we had expected it to, but it was still a nice fresh ending to a meal.

3 pounds fresh strawberries, gently rinsed and dried, hulled
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1½ teaspoon Sure-Jell for low-sugar recipes
generous pinch table salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 baked 9-inch pie shell

To make the filling, select 6 oz. misshapen, under ripe or otherwise unattractive berries, halving those that are large, about 1½ cups. In the food processor, process the berries to a smooth puree. You should have about ¾ cup puree. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, Sure-Jell and salt. Whisk to combine. Stir in the berry puree. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, and bring to a full boil. Boil for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan constantly. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, pick over the remaining berries and measure out 1 pound, 12 ounces of the most attractive ones; halve only extra-large berries. Add the berries to the bowl with the glaze and fold gently with a spatula until the berries are evenly coated. Scoop the berries into the pie shell, piling into a mound. If any cut sides face up on the top, turn them face down. Refrigerate the pie until chilled, about 2 hours.  Serve within 5 hours of chilling. Serve with homemade whipped cream.

Dave had a friend over for Sunday night so I used it as another excuse to cook. We started off with a Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette.

2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

2 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons olive oil 

8 cups baby spinach

1 cup fresh raspberries

3/4 cup shredded Gouda cheese

1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes

1/3 cup pistachios, toasted

Whisk jam in medium bowl until smooth. Add vinegar, mustard, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, whisking until combined. Slowly whisk in oil until thoroughly incorporated. Toss spinach and dress in large bowl. Add raspberries, Gouda, radishes and pistachios and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Then we tried the Macaroni Gratin and paired it with Thomas Keller's perfect roast chicken. We ended the meal with a Kentucky Derby Pie topped with Bourbon whipped cream. It was rich beyond rich. I took most of it into work with me and watched everyone else devour it.

He's a happy man!

Deconstructed Banana Cream Pie

We enjoyed this after our Easter dinner, compliments of Doug & Lisa.
Recipe coming soon....

Flank Steak with Herbed Potatoes & Green Beans

Let it be known: Dave can cook. We picked this recipe out of Cook's Country because it looked delicious and said it only took thirty minutes to prepare. Dave told me to stay out of the kitchen for a little bit while he handled dinner. By the time I stepped in to check on the progress, dinner was ready and the steak was cooked perfectly. Food always tastes so much better when someone else cooks it for you!

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
7 tablespoons olive oil
1 flank steak (about 1 1/2 pounds)
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

Toss potatoes and 1 tablespoon oil in large bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave until potatoes are translucent, 4 to 7 minutes, shaking bowl (without removing plastic) to redistribute halfway through cooking. Drain well.

Pat steak dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Combine vinegar and mustard in medium bowl. Slowly whisk in 5 tablespoons oil. Coat steak with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette. Heat remaining oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook steak until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil.

Cook potatoes and beans in now-empty skillet over medium heat until browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining vinaigrette, shallot, parsley and dill. Season with salt and pepper. Slice steak thinly against grain. Serve with potato and bean salad.

The Return of Breakfast in Bed

Sunday's are our favorite day because it's the one day of the week that both Dave and I have off from work. We usually make some tenacious game plan days in advance for how we plan to spend our Sunday Funday, but one thing always remains constant: Sunday brunch. Sometimes we go out, but more often than not, I'll make something at home from whatever leftovers we have and the usual breakfast staples. It's rare for me to sleep past nine whereas Dave will sleep well into the afternoon if you let him. I figured out soon into our relationship that breakfast in bed was the most peaceful and easiest way to get him up and going. It has become a weekly tradition and for our first weekend in Colorado, I decided to try a local favorite. I'm still trying to get used to the changes in altitude in regards to my cooking, but overall it was healthy and quick and Dave was up and out of bed in no time.

Huevos Rancheros from Rick Bayless (serves 2)

15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes, drained

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 medium white onion, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

4 warm corn tortillas

2 tablespoons queso fresco, crumbled

chopped fresh cilantro

In a food processor, blend the tomatoes to a coarse puree; set aside. In a small pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and jalapeno and stir frequently until the onion is lightly browned but still slightly crunchy, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic and then the tomato puree. Cook, stirring often, until thicker and darker in color, about five minutes. Add the salt and keep warm over low heat. In a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Crack the eggs into a bowl without breaking the yolks then pour into the pan and cook sunny-side up until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay two hot tortillas, slightly overlapping, on each plate. Top with tomato sauce, two eggs and sprinkle with cheese and cilantro.

Seared Scallops with Tarragon-Butter Sauce

Thought we'd try some "nice" seafood for our first blog entry. We've made Seared Scallops with Tarragon-Butter Sauce twice now. It's super easy and delish...

Thomas Keller's Macaroni Gratin (Grati de Macaroni)

My 15 year old son declared this, "Way better than both Kraft and school Mac & Cheese!" and yes he was right, it was pretty darn good!

The recipe can be found here at Almost Bourdain.

I used Jarlsberg cheese, as it is one of our favorites and we always have it in the fridge. The recipe calls for only 1/2 c. of cheese, so I imagine you could use just about any cheese without it being too overpowering.

Caramel Chicken

A wok, chicken thigh fillets and a few pantry items are all you need to serve up a delicious meal that will be well loved by the whole family.

How did I end up at the blog Almost Bourdain? I can get lost for hours (more realistically, half an hour) perusing different food blogs. I think I found another favorite!

Next I'll be trying Thomas Keller's Macaroni Gratin (Grati de Macaroni) that she has posted.

(The author Ellie's profile: Part time blogger, full time mum. Malaysian born, Chinese heritage. Dutch husband. Australian Daughter. Calling Sydney home since 1999. Passionate & enthusiastic home cook.)

Thai Peanut Turkey Burgers

In my efforts to help a sister out, here is my helpful tip of the day: Sometimes we cheat and use the photo from the web page where we found the recipe. Mmmmm, looks delish - can't wait to try the Thai Peanut Turkey Burgers!