AS YOU LIKE IT - BREAKFAST STRATA

 For our Easter Brunch, I made a Strata from a "Bon Appetit" magazine dated December, 1997.  Over time I have so significantly changed the recipe that now I just call it the "As You Like It Breakfast Strata".   Here's how it looked coming out of the oven.  I should have taken a side shot to show how much this puffed up.  The finished dish was very light and flavorful.

Here's the revised recipe.

AS YOU LIKE IT BREAKFAST STRATA

*  2 cups whole milk

*  1/4 cup olive oil

*  6 cups sourdough bread, cut into 1" cubes

*  1-1/2 cups whipping cream

*  8 large eggs

*  1 tablespoon chopped garlic

*  1-1/2 teaspoons salt

*  3/4 teaspoon black pepper

*  1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

*  6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1-1/2 cups)

*  1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 3/4 tablespoon dried)

*  1-1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence (dried)

*  6 cups AS YOU LIKE IT OPTIONS**.  Mix and match to your preference:

    -  mushrooms (shitake, crimini), sauteed in butter or olive oil, cooled

    -  cherry tomatoes, sauteed or roasted with olive oil, cooled

    -  sun-dried tomatoes, cut into pieces

    -  ham, chopped

    -  spinach, fresh chopped

    -  Italian sausage, cooked and cooled

    -  leek, sliced into 1" pieces, sauteed in olive oil, and cooled

    -  artichoke hearts marinated in oil, drained and halved lengthwise

*  1 cup Fontina cheese, grated, packed

*  1-1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated, packed

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Butter a 9x13x2" glass baking dish.  Prepare your "As You Like It Options."  Whisk milk and oil in large bowl.  Stir in bread.  Let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.  Whisk cream, eggs, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a bowl to blend.  Add goat cheese.  Mix herbs in small bowl to blend.  

Place half of bread mixture in prepared dish.  Top with half of the "As You Like It Options", half of the herbs, and half of the cheeses.  Pour half of the cream mixture over all.  Repeat layering with remaining bread, Options, herbs and cheeses, and finish with remaining cream mixture.

Bake uncovered until firm in center and brown around edges, about 1 hour.

** The options I used in my strata were shitake and crimini mushrooms, roasted cherry tomatoes, and about 2-1/2 cups of artichokes.   So good!!

MY FIRST COOKBOOK & "Toad in the Hole" Recipe

 One of the prized possessions of my childhood was my very first cookbook, "Let's Cook With Gail".  There is a bookplate inside the front cover wherein I wrote my name, pre-cursive, in pencil; and since we learned cursive in the second grade, I would have been six or seven when I got this treasured cookbook.

The recipe book was first issued in 1952 by The Farmer, Saint Paul, Minnesota.  The red booklet above was issued at that time.  The beige book with red binding was issued in 1954.  The 1954 version is my first cookbook.

 The Farmer was a newspaper focused on agriculture which began in the late 1800's and has continued following many mergers over the years, to the point that it is no longer recognized by the name.   In 1952, The Farmer began a monthly series of cooking lessons "for boys and girls."  Children received the "Let's Cook With Gail" booklet, and were instructed to cut out the lessons in the newspaper and paste them into their booklet.  Gail was an actual person - the eleven-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Palmby, who lived on a general farm in Blue Earth County, Minnesota.

Most of the recipes in the booklet are basic and suitable for all ages.  For fun, I decided to make one of the recipes, "Toad in the Hole."  

Here's the final result.

I liked it!!!   

STARBUCKS EGG BITES

I really love the Costco egg bites but I wanted to see if I could find a good alternative to make for myself.   An online recipe search brought up the "Keto Starbucks Egg Bites" which they report "...are an easy DIY version of Starbucks, except they are much better and cheaper."  I've never had a Starbucks egg bite so I can't compare; however, if you make these, and you've had Starbucks, please comment below so all readers will know.    They certainly are easy!  FYI, the recipe below was modified from the original.

STARBUCKS EGG BITES - Makes 12.

*  10 eggs

*  1 cup cheese of your choice, shredded

*  1/2 cup full fat cottage cheese

*  1/2 teaspoon salt

*  Black pepper to taste

*  Herbs of your choice

*  Veggie/Proteins of your choice (pre-cooked and cooled)

Preheat oven to 300º and place a baking dish that is filled with 1 inch of water (a "bain marie") on the bottom rack.  This will create a humid environment and help the eggs cook evenly.  Your muffin tin will be placed in this baking dish.  For example, see the above photo where I used my broiler pan.   Spray a muffin tin with oil.  Cut and pre-cook the veggie/protein of your choice.  Ideas for add-ins include sausage, ham, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, green onion, bell peppers, asparagus or anything that you like and have on hand.  You won't need much, perhaps a cup or so.  

To a blender add the eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, salt, pepper and herbs.  Blend on high for about 20 seconds.  Pour evenly into the muffin cups.  Then add the veggie/protein ingredients.

Place the muffin pan into the bain marie and bake for 30 minutes or until the center of the egg bites are just set.  Remove from the oven and the bain marie, and let cool 5 minutes.  Gently remove the bites from the muffin tin.

The egg bites can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, or freeze them for up to 2 months.  Reheat in microwave or a warm oven.

***  Please let me know what you think! ***

EASTER BRUNCH - SAUSAGE-STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

Looking for a delicious, but easy, entree for your Easter brunch?  This is a tried and true recipe, and all of it can be made ahead the day before.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED FRENCH TOAST
Serves 10.
*  1/2 pound pork sausage, cooked and crumbled (I prefer to use hot Italian sausage.)
*  4 ounces cream cheese, softened
*  1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
*  1 (1-pound) loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch slices
*  8 eggs
*  1/2 cup half-and-half
*  1 recipe Maple-Praline Sauce (See recipe below.)
*  GARNISH:  Toasted, chopped pecans (optional).
     In a medium bowl, combine sausage, cream cheese, and red pepper, stirring well.  Spread mixture evenly over half of bread slices.  Top with remaining bread slices to form a sandwich.  Place in a single layer in a large baking dish.
     In a small bowl, combine eggs and half-and-half, whisking well.  Pour mixture over sandwiches.  Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours, turning sandwiches once.
     Preheat oven to 400 F.  Grease a rimmed baking sheet.  Place sandwiches in a single layer on prepared baking dish.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Serve with Maple-Praline Sauce.

MAPLE-PRALINE SAUCE  - Yield:  Approximately 1-1/2 cups.
Can be made ahead and reheated/microwaved for serving.
*  1/2 cup butter
*  1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
*  1/2 cup maple syrup
     In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add brown sugar and syrup.  Bring to a boil, reduce head, and simmer for 2 minutes.  Watch carefully or the butter will separate.  Serve warm.

Recipe adapted from:  Christmas Cooking Southern Style

BREAD PUDDING - MY FAVORITE RECIPE

It is understandable that the foods we were raised on remain our comfort foods, our all time favorites.  Bread pudding is that for me.  Although I frequently order it for dessert in restaurants, I am also routinely disappointed.  Typically the pudding is too bready or too sweet.  My mother's recipe for bread pudding results in a creamy, smooth custard, and just the perfect amount of sweet.  It is wonderful!  Today I share this recipe with you, and I hope that somewhere along the line a chef picks up the recipe and gives it a try.  It is quite a contrast to restaurant "bread pudding."

MOM'S BREAD PUDDING.
Butter a casserole/souffle dish.  Preheat oven to 350º.  In a large bowl whisk together:
*  6 eggs, large
*  ½  cup sugar
* ¼ teaspoon salt
Scald: 4 cups whole milk (or a mix including ½&½); 
Add:  1½ teaspoons vanilla (plus optional:  ½ teaspoon cardamom)
Then whisk it into the egg mixture.  
Add:  
*  4 cups of cubed bread*
*  ½ cup raisins/currents (optional)
Let rest a few minutes in order for the bread to soak up the egg mixture.  Pour all into the prepared casserole dish.  Sprinkle top with cinnamon.

Set casserole dish in a bain marie** and bake at 350º for about an hour, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Refrigerate as soon as possible to avoid separation of the custard.

 NOTES:____________
*  Throughout the year I dry out left over bread and save it in a metal tin.  That way, I always have what I need to make croutons, dressing/stuffing, bread crumbs for coating fish, and for bread pudding.  Of course, having fresh left over bread is a good excuse to make bread pudding!

**  bain-ma·rie

ˌbanməˈrē/

noun

1. a container holding hot water into which a pan is placed for slow cooking

QUICHE AS YOU LIKE IT!

It is unusual for me to use a purchased pie crust when I always have everything on hand to make a crust.  That said, I was recently at Aldi and bought frozen pie crust at a ridiculously low price, with two in the package.  I used one for my Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, and decided to use the other for a quiche.  

Quiche is one of the easiest things to make, particularly when you can use a frozen pie crust!  The beauty of this recipe is that it can be made to use what you have on hand, to suit your own taste.  Naturally, if you use all ingredients you love, you will love the final result.  

For this quiche, I used fried hot Italian sausage (previously fried up, then frozen), a mix of vegetables consisting of onions, minced garlic, sweet yellow pepper, and a seeded Roma tomato, and about a tablespoon of dried herbes d'Provence.   Here is a pic of Kevin fixing his breakfast.

QUICHE AS YOU LIKE IT.  Serves 6 - 8.
*  1 - 9" unbaked deep-dish pie shell
*  1 cup cooked meat, of your choice
*  1 cup vegetables, of your choice
*  1 cup shredded cheese, of your choice
*  6 eggs
*  1 cup milk or cream
*  1/2 teaspoon salt
*  1/4 teaspoon pepper
*  Fresh/dried herbs, garlic, chive, or other seasonings of your choice
Sprinkle cheese, meat and vegetables evenly on the bottom of the pie shell.  Beat together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and other seasonings until well blended.  Pour into pie shell.  Bake in preheated 375º oven for 35 - 40 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and outside edge comes out clean.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  

FAST AND EASY INDIVIDUAL PESTO SOUFFLES

A nice breakfast is always a treat for me but making anything too time consuming just isn't realistic at that hour.  This recipe for Pesto Souffle is so easy that it only takes about a half hour from start to finish, including baking time.  Most of the ingredients can be substituted for what you have on hand, and to suit your taste.  I added chopped Videlia onion to boost the flavor.

Sunday morning, coffee, the newspaper and Pesto Souffle.  Doesn't get much better than this!

PESTO SOUFFLE.  Serves 4.

*  1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

*  4 large eggs, beaten

*  1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

*  1-1/2 tablespoon Pesto [You can substitute dried herbs but reduce quantity to about 1/2 tablespoon.]

*  1/4 cup cream

*  Salt & Pepper to taste

Garnish:  Fresh basil and diced tomato

Well grease/butter 4 large ramekins and divide cheese among them.  Whisk together eggs, mustard, pesto, cream, salt and pepper.  Pour egg mixture over the cheese in the ramekins.  Bake in preheated 375º F. oven for 18-20 minutes.  Garnish and serve.

In baking, the souffle will puff up, nearly double in size.  Unfortunately, it falls very quickly.  You will need to rush it to the table for maximum presentation!

MU-SHU DEVILED EGGS

I made this recipe the other night for a small gathering of friends and since one person asked for the recipe, I thought I'd post the recipe here.  It is a delicious alternative to deviled eggs as we know them.

MU-SHU DEVILED EGGS.  Makes 18.
*  9 eggs, hard-cooked
*  2 tablespoons mayonnaise
*  Salt and Pepper to taste
*  1 teaspoon sesame oil
*  2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
*  1-1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
*  1 green onion, finely chopped, for garnish
Halve the cooked eggs lengthwise, scoop out the yolks, put them in a medium bowl and mash them with a fork.  Stir in a little bit of the mayonnaise, mashing as necessary to make a smooth paste, then add the rest of the mayonnaise and the salt, pepper, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, and ginger.  Mix well and spoon the mixture back into the egg halves.  Garnish with green onion pieces.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sorry I have no photos for this...

TURKEY EGGS

A real friend knows you are a good egg even if you are a little cracked!

Yesterday, I noticed something large moving in my garden. It was big and brown and, upon investigation, it turned out to be a wild turkey. Wild turkeys - many, many wild turkeys - have resided in Sunfish Lake and surrounding communities for as long as we’re lived here. In fact, I once counted 19 parading through my garden!

Well, I really don’t like large critters in my garden so I went out to shoo it away. Despite my loud noises, and despite how close I got to the turkey, it was definitely NOT budging. I returned to the house and went on about my day. Later, I went out to investigate, and here is what I found!

Okay, they weren’t in the egg carton but there were six large turkey eggs! Not knowing what to do with them I asked our friends Diane and Dale if they knew anything about turkey eggs. Here’s what they learned from their farming friends:

“Yes you can eat the turkey eggs just like you can eat duck and goose eggs. All 3 of those are a bit rubbery compared to chicken eggs. Since it takes about 25 days for the eggs to hatch, they're probably very safe yet at this time. If you crack it open and there's a spot of blood on the yolk, you can remove the blood and still use the egg.”

I suppose I could have left the eggs in the garden to see if they would hatch into six little turkeys to add to the huge number already in residence. However, in the interest of culinary science, the following photos show what I decided to do with the eggs:

To summarize, I found that the eggs were larger than extra-large chicken eggs found in stores, with especially large yolks. They fried up just like chicken eggs and, for me, had the same taste, except that because of the large yolk, the egg tasted much “richer” than chicken eggs.

Let me know if you want to come on over for breakfast!