Spinach, Ricotta & Basil Stuffed Eggs
2 large Eggs
1/4 cup Milk
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard (optional)
Handful of fresh Spinach
2 Tbsp Ricotta
Fresh Basil
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Butter
Begin melting butter in saute pan on low heat. Crack open eggs into a bowl and add milk and dijon. Whisk eggs wildly until mixture is a pale yellow and air bubbles form. Add mixture to saute pan, season with salt and pepper and begin to cook on low/medium heat. Cover and continue to cook until the top of the eggs start to firm up. Add dollops of ricotta and pile with spinach and basil. Cover again until spinach starts to wilt. Flip one side of eggs over to the other, like you would an omelet. Serve immediately.
I have to admit I’m terrible at making omelets, and this is definitely not pretty enough or fluffy to be one… hence the word “stuffed.” That being said, the combo of the creamy ricotta with the basil and spinach is really nice and makes me wish I was sitting on a farmhouse porch drinking a strong cup of coffee.
As I mentioned in my last post, I had The Best Weekend. Two of my closest friends and I went to the North Fork of Long Island, first to attend the lovely Dorothy of Jaunsetter’s holiday housewarming, but also to follow one of her travel tips and stay at the Silver Sands Motel in Greenport. We got off-peak pricing on a waterfront cabin with a fireplace and stayed up until 3am sitting on the shag carpet next to the fire, drinking honey whiskey and discussing very important topics (lady gossip).During our dinner at The Frisky Oyster (I had shaved brussels sprouts with Meyer lemon jam, wanuts & parm and broccoli rabe with garlic and lemon), we were surrounded by an eight person bagpipe band. Loud/amazing.
The next day we visited the Orient Point beach, The Lunch Truck (for a delicious grilled cheese) and Shinn Estate Vineyards, where we did a quick tasting and I picked up a bottle of their Sauvignon Blanc.The best part of this is that you can get to Greenport on the LIRR… I have visions of holing up in a cabin for a cold wintery weekend and ignoring everything but a good book.
Have I mentioned how much I love the beach?
With the holiday season in full swing and lots of sports on TV, there are plenty of opportunities to serve up some party food! This just might be what you’re looking for…
Seitan Ingredients
1⁄2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1⁄2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1⁄2…
Smashed Potatoes with Balsamic Tomato “Jam”
Mixture of small red, white & purple Potatoes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt“Jam”
1 container grape Tomatoes
1/2 white Onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
pinch of SaltBring water to boil in a pot. Poke potatoes (I made six) with a fork and add to water. Throw in some salt. Allow to boil until potatoes are tender but not overcooked (should have followed my own advice). Drain and allow to cool slightly. Using a utensil of your choice (I used the bottom of a measuring cup), smash potatoes flat. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with sea salt. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 mins until crispy.
For the “jam”
Saute onion in olive oil with a bit of salt over low/medium heat until translucent. Add grape tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Cover and allow to cook for about 5 minutes or until tomatoes begin to split. Using a spatula or other kitchen utensil of your choice, smoosh (not a culinary term) tomatoes gently. Cover again and continue to cook, stirring occasionally as liquid reduces. Once the consistency is a bit thicker, remove from heat and serve with smashed potatoes.
This year will be my first time staying in New York over Christmas (I usually fly back to WA), so I decided I should buy myself a New York priced Christmas tree ($30 for a three foot tree! Seriously?!) My mom was lovely enough to send me my childhood ornaments so that I had something to decorate it with. We never had a flashy Christmas tree growing up, so I went all out with tinsel and colored lights.
I used my favorite kitty angel ornament as the tree topper. I’ve had this thing since I was about 3 years-old. It’s been through a lot.
I also added creepy dollar store Santas to my shadow boxes. This is about the extent of my festiveness.
I’m thinking of doing an ode to Greenpoint with a Polish-themed Christmas dinner. What are your favorite holiday food traditions?
Pear, Cranberry and Gingersnap Crumble
Adapted from Sweet Melissa PatisserieCrumble
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons (37 grams) packed dark or light brown sugar
1 cup gingersnap crumbs (4 ounces or 113 grams or about 16 storebought cookies)
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon table salt
Pinch of white pepper, especially if your gingersnaps aren’t particularly snappish
1/2 cup (4 ounces or 113 grams or 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooledFilling
2 pounds (about 4 to 5) large ripe pears (I used Anjou, suggested in the original recipe) peeled, halved, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces or 170 grams) fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (14 grams) cornstarchPreheat the oven to 350°F.
Stir together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, gingersnap crumbs, ginger and salt. Stir in the melted butter until large crumbs form.
In a 1 1/2 to 2 quart baking dish, mix the pears, cranberries, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk the sugar and cornstarch together then toss it with the fruit mixture in the pan. Sure, you could do this in a bowl but then you’d also have to wash that bowl and hooray for fewer dishes.
Sprinkle the gingersnap crumble over the fruit. Set the crumble on a foil-lined baking sheet (in a 2 quart dish, mine didn’t come close to bubbling over but I see no reason to risk it) and bake it for about 45 minutes, until the crumble is a shade darker and you see juices bubbling through the crumbs. See how long you can wait before digging in.
