If you are not eggs-actly sure...

Such a week for meat and eggs. Recalls and more recalls. And a perfect, but unexpected topic to discuss today. I love eggs and look forward to having them on the weekends. I like them for any meal, not just breakfast. The French say there are about 1000 ways to cook eggs. I know about 10 and so eggs seemed to offer me an endless culinary adventure, until this week.

I am very careful about where I buy my eggs and feel safe and at peace with the ones I eat. That is the key. Ask, ask, ask and question everything, even what I share here. This issue goes way beyond our health, safety and enjoyment of eggs. There are dozens of articles and news clips available and so educate yourself on eggs and their whole story from hen to your hand. There are some reference books listed, too, on Our Little Green Book tab. Ultimately, you and you alone have to be at peace with what you buy and either put in or on your body. I have found my "pieces of peace" and want you to find yours, too!

If you are not exactly sure about this whole egg recall mess or if you are setting out to lower your consumption of eggs for whatever reason, it is pretty easy to do, and tasty, too. If you bake a lot, here are some simple substitutions:

1. For each egg in the recipe, substitute 3 tablespoons of applesauce or mashed banana. Most everything will turn out the same and be nice and moist to boot.

2. You can also use flax seeds and water in place of eggs. Use 2 parts warm water to 1 part flax seed and put in a blender for about 15 minutes. Then, blend away and really grind this up until smooth. One tablespoon of this mix equals 1 egg. Refrigerate any leftovers and use up within 10 days to 2 weeks.

I have never tried the actual "egg replacement" products and so I cannot comment on them.

I have had "tofu" egg salad and it is quite good. The secrets to tofu? First, it must be organic and second, the seasonings should be bold. It can absorb whatever flavors you like and be absolutely delicious.  And so, I took this recall as a chance to adventure a little into the tofu unknown. I am still on shaky ground with tofu or I guess I should say, I am in the skill-building stage! The ultimate challenge for me was to find a yummy "scambled'' recipe. By George, I believe I've done it. If you are not feeling the adventure, these would be delicious made with real eggs, too.

Denver Tofu Scramble

1 tablespoon unsalted butter*
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced sweet onion
2 tablespoons minced green bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
1/2 pound organic tofu, firm or extra-firm
1-1 1/2 teaspoons good quality curry powder
sea salt and fresh black pepper

In a skillet, melt butter and add in garlic and onion, Saute for a few minutes and then add in peppers and saute until they just lose that "raw" state and are still crispy. Drain tofu and crumble or cut into small cubes. Toss with curry powder and add to skillet. Stir to mix well and cover for about 3-4 minutes, or until heated through. Taste and adjust curry. You may want to sprinkle on extra. Season with sea salt (little sprinkle should do it) and fresh black pepper. Serves 2

*Note: For a more Indian presentation, I use butter or ghee as the fat and serve with naan. For a more Asian finish, toasted sesame oil as the fat would be delish, perhaps with a splash of soy sauce and served with rice. For more South of the Border flavors, use olive oil and serve with salsa as pictured here. I didn't have any tortillas on hand though and used my favorite cracker.

You can also cut loose and add in other veggies like mushrooms (saute with onion), tomatoes, corn, spinach, broccoli or whatever suits your fancy. I also like this served in wraps, nestled in tomato or avocado halves, scooped on crackers or chilled with a little mayo added in, like a curried "egg'"salad. Once you get the flavor to your liking, the options are endless.

For a weekend breakfast, this is really good served with home fries or sweet potato fries, which I just realized I have never shared that recipe for...will do later in the week!

Meatless Monday: Egg me on

I bought the peaches; I really did and actually set some aside to make Friday's cheesecake recipe. But then, as I suspected, things didn't go as planned. I made salsa instead.

I have some cooked black beans leftover and feel that after all the intensity of last week, I need some comfort food. That is the beauty of cooking veg. Whether you are just doing Meatless Mondays or meatless every day, you can keep basics like cooked beans ready on hand and presto, you can create another dish in the flash of a pan.  And so, tonight, I am cozying up to Huevos Rancheros and calling it a day. Tomorrow, I am back at it with a very "newsy" post.

Huevos Rancheros

Tortillas of choice, 1-2 per person
Fresh eggs, 1-2 per person
Cooked black beans (or use canned Eden Organic Refried Beans)
Pico de Gallo
Jalapeno Dressing (see Monday, August 9th)

Warm tortillas in oven while preparing eggs and beans. Add a small amount of olive oil to a small skillet and if desired, add a clove of fresh garlic and some sliced green onions. Cook until garlic starts to soften and turns a little golden. Add beans and mash. Continue cooking beans and stirring them around so they form a little crust and aren't too wet.

Cook eggs as desired. I start mine out as a "fried" egg and then before completely set, I pop the lid on the pan and the yolk turns that pretty pinkish tinge as in the pix. These are my mom's favorites: pink eggs she call them.

To assemble: Place tortilla on a plate and spread with refried black beans. Top with egg. Surround your creation with Pico de Gallo and drizzle Jalapeno Dressing over top. Serve with avocado wedges.

Pico De Gallo

3 large tomatoes (I like to mix colors)
1 shallot or about 1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded and deveined, if desired, and chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Mix all these chopped vegetables together and mix well. Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Refrigerate any leftovers. This is a basic go-to salsa fresca. Makes about 2 cups.

Breaking News: Getting Better (The Red White and Food)

From a post I did last year, some of you may remember that we had chickens when we lived both in Mexico City and in Houston, Texas. They are lovely as pets...gentle, intelligent, fun and funny, and when in a calm mood, pretty good little pals to hold and pet. And, all that goodness and personality before the eggs even start to appear...friends with benefits indeed! Oh my, there is no egg that compares in flavor to your own "backyard" egg. The yolk is amazing...rich, beautiful and at least a mile high!

Hen-keeping is becoming quite the thing and I wish I could have them again but the good news is I also love my three pups and the bad news is, well, they are terriers. 'Nuf said.

Because of our past experience with our own Little Red Hens, I am a very careful egg shopper and search for not only a local farmer, but one who is humane as well. I was thrilled when Reshma sent me this article today. Maybe, we are getting somewhere and each state can follow California's example...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wayne-pacelle/breaking-gov-schwarzenegg_b_637275.html

If you are interested in keeping your own hens, there is a great guide in Organic Gardening,  June/July 2010 issue and for keeping rarer breeds, an April 2004 article in Martha Stewart's Living magazine is really detailed and helpful. Both and more are available at your local library.

                                                  

Here is some Egg-cellent news!

Summer and hard-cooked eggs go together in so many ways...deviled eggs, potato salad, bean salad and so on. They are so easy to make that I often forget to pay attention to what I am doing and overcook them. Yuck...that "five o'clock shadow" around the yolk ruins how beautiful a hard-cooked egg should look.

And so, every once in awhile, actually more often than that, I have to go back to the basics.

Here is the sure-fire way I have learned (and re-learned!) to hard cook eggs and avoid that very unappetizing gray ring around the yolk. It also makes for a nicely cooked white, never rubber-y. I follow this method and set a timer...key strategy...and they turn out pretty as can be every time!!

Always Pretty Hard-Cooked Eggs

Place eggs in a pan of cold water. Bring to a soft, rolling boil (blurry pix) and turn off heat. Cover and let sit 15 minutes. Plunge eggs into a bowl of ice water and let cool down for several minutes. Use immediately or put in 'fridge.

Note #1: I use the leftover boiling water to blanch some veggies. It's already hot, so why not!

Note #2: In case I forget which eggs are hard-cooked and which aren't, I give them the "spin test." Spin an egg. The hard-cooked one will spin like a top. The raw one will wobble around.

Note #3: My experience is that week-old eggs peel better and so I save out a couple of eggs from each trip to the farmers' market and let them sit few days before cooking them. The ice bath helps, too.

Under Featured Recipes. "eggs", there is a great deviled egg recipe from a post last year. Happy Weekend!

Bloody good fun, Part 2, and thoughts turn to brunch

Last night was so much fun at Eggshells!!! They had a crowd of eager Bloody Mary sippers and seven teams mixing up their best with showmanship to match. Suzi Parker, the bartender extraordinaire and author of 1000 Best Bartender's Recipes, was the celebrity judge and guess what???? Our playful recipe was her pick for the best Bloody Mary!!!! Such a hoot. Check out Suzi's book at Eggshells. Thanks, Suzi! Thanks, Eggshells!

Now, all that sipping on Bloody Mary's got a few of us thinking about brunch and lo and behold, this recipe floated into my inbox this morning. It would also make a wonderful light dinner, too. Using fresh local eggs and produce will make it sublime. Have a wonderful Father's Day weekend, everyone! And because my dad loved both eggs and sunsets, I have renamed this dish. Here's a kiss for you, Dad xoxoxox

Sunset Eggs

 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

 1 cup thinly sliced roasted green peppers (about 2 peppers; see note)

 1 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers (about 2 peppers; see note)

 3/4 teaspoon paprika (try smoked paprika here)

 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

 1 small bay leaf

 1 cup whole canned tomatoes, with juice (or from a glass jar or fresh if you can get them. Use Eden Organic canned brand...no worries about BPA)

 sea salt and freshly ground pepper

 4 large eggs, local if possible

 Crusty bread, for serving

In a large, ovenproof skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and the garlic and cook until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the green and red peppers and cook for 2 minutes. Add the paprika, sugar and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes longer.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Add the tomatoes and their juice to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down, about 20 minutes longer. Discard the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.


Bring the sauce back to a simmer. Crack the eggs over the sauce so that they are evenly distributed across the surface. Transfer to the oven and bake until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still soft and runny, about 7 minutes. Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping.


Note: To roast the peppers, place the peppers on a hot grill or hold them over a gas flame on the stove until black and blistered on all sides. Transfer the peppers to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 15 minutes. Peel, seed and stem the peppers. Set aside until ready to use.

A Touch of Calming Lavender

I was a little discouraged by the shape of my tomatoes when I got home. They look dreadful...not enough water but, with all the rain the past two days, here's hoping. I have a fabulous homemade fruity catsup I am chomping at the bit to make, but these are all I have so far to work with...

What did look great were my herbs, especially the rosemary and lavender and a robust dwarf lemon basil, delicious on scrambled eggs this morning.

Years ago I found a fabulous organic vinaigrette with lavender and drained the bottle for every last drop. This weekend, I am going to make my own. I have been adding sprigs of rosemary to my basic vinaigrette and love it and I am really excited about this lavender version. Plus, with the news so horrible this week, I could use some of the calming effects from the lavender. My heart goes out to the Gulf, the campers in Arkansas, our troops and so many others this week. And, I am anxiously waiting for my daughter to wake up and call and sound much better. She was sooooo sick all day yesterday and last night.

Here is how I make vinaigrette. Classic vinaigrettes are a 3:1 ratio of oil to vinegar or citrus juice, but I play around with this some. The real secret is in the delicate flavor added by the shallots. Wonderful. Also, I like to play with the vinegar, using balsamic, sherry or fruit vinegars and the oils, using walnut occasionally.

Basic Vinaigrette with Lavender

Peel and mince a shallot and put in a glass jar with 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar or lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt. Let stand 15 minutes. This will make the flavors in the shallot mellow and sweet. Then, add in 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, some fresh black pepper and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Shake it all up in the jar, then taste. Add more salt if you wish and a good teaspoon or more of lavender blossoms and several sprigs of fresh lavender leaves. Taste again, this time with a fresh lettuce leaf so you know how the flavors will be in salad. Marjoram and savory would be nice additions here as well. Let sit awhile at room temperature to let the flavors infuse and taste again before serving, adding in whatever else you wish. Store in 'fridge.

I am really fond of all citrus flavors and so I always use at least half fresh citrus juice for the acid. When using lemon, lime or orange juice, I always add in the zest. It is so flavorful and I love the texture it adds, too. Think I'll go toss up a salad and calm myself down a bit.

Market Day begins with an icy, cold beer???

Saturday is market day and the fresh options are gorgeous. Before heading out to take pix, I wanted to grab a little liquid refreshment. Looks like beer, right? Bubbly, amber-colored, beautiful frothy head. Well, I think it is an even better brew. This magical liquid is kombucha (go to Wikipedia for more info), and where else but New York would you find it on tap? I love to drink this fermented, sparkling, herbal tea-like elixir when I travel. Very refreshing and a big boost to the immune system. So expensive to buy already bottled, I will share how to make it in a later post. The find of the day (except for the beautiful market below) was a bottomless cup of kombucha on tap for $3. Bottom's up!

Market Day Breakfast Sandwich and a Brew

Cook two farm-fresh eggs any way you'd like them. Top with fresh cheese, salsa, avocado slices and mound onto two pieces of whole grain bread, lightly toasted. Cut in half and eat, along with a nice salad of just-picked greens. Wash down with sparkling swallows of kombucha. Coffee helps finish the morning renaissance.

Check out these beauties...radishes, mushrooms, apples, rhubarb, apples, taters, and of course, more cupcakes!

Green eggs and no ham

I am jammed today. I help with an after school cooking class and won't be getting home until later than usual. Can you believe how late kids are in school? It is also Meatless Monday and wanted to share with those of you participating in MM what I am going to have for a quick, really quick dinner. The secret's in the sauce.

Many of you have asked if my cold turkey (ugh, not the best choice of words there) change to being meatless every day has been easy. No, not those first few days and I actually thought about chronically my withdrawal. Are those lamb chops I smell? Who's cooking out? I am a big eater and meat was right there prominently on the plate, not every meal but most. But, that nagging question in Eating Animals demanded an answer and the choice to become a vegetarian was mine. 

Over five months have passed and it is lots of fun learning new things and tasting new flavors and textures. Also, my blood worked is great as promised. But, the skinny thighs also promised by some popular books out there? Uh. no. Haven't seen 'em yet.

I am shocked how many flavors I missed before. Really, lots. I think eating meat dulled my palate. It is also very exciting that there are many roads leading into a well-balanced veg meal and I don't have to scarf down a lot of tofu and soy stuff. I am warming up to tofu, but all those processed soy things? Wolves in sheeps' clothing. Anyway, I am so happy I made this decision, both for my own reinvention and for all the environmental, health and animal welfare benefits.

Here is what I will be having tonight. Probably with a salad or some wilted spinach, some tortillas with black beans, avocado and salsa. But, the secret to the meal is in the sauce...that and really fresh eggs.

Green Eggs and No Ham

Cook two fresh leggs in a frying pan however you like them. I gently "fry" mine and when the whites start to set, I cover the pan and let them sort of steam until the yolks are cooked to a set but still somewhat runny stage. The eggs will be beautiful...what my mom calls Pink Eggs.

Get your blender ready to whip up Magic Green Sauce and toss in:

1/4 cup parsley leaves (I always seem to have parsley leftover and prefer the flat-leafed variety. Cilantro is great here, too.)
1/2 to 1 whole serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 large garlic clove

1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Blend until well mixed. Start off with 1/2 pepper for less heat and add in extra pepper and garlic to taste. Salt, too. I don't like a lot of salt. Drizzle on lots of stuff...eggs are only the beginning. 

Half Mast and Mostly, Filled with Fun

I got several comments about the " 'Boo.." post, almost as many as the "Let the elephant..." one and so I feel I need to add this post in before I move on to the granola and hot dogs which really are coming next!


Some of you were a little surprised by the peanut butter jar having a place of prominence at my dad's memorial service. I guess you did have to be there but I will share the scene better than I did in an earlier post. I had never planned a memorial service before and of course, my dad left me no instructions and my mom's only comment was, "Pensy, what are you going to do for Dad's service?"

Dad's "assignment" over the past few years was to write me a "Doomsday Book". When I was up with him in January, I gently asked him how the writing was going. His response, "Oh, good, babe. Yea, good. You will find everything you need in the metal box by my desk." The day after he died, I tiptoed up to his room to look for my book and you guessed it. The neatly typed Title Page was the book in its entirety. And so, feeling the heaviness of my dad's death and the fragility of both my mom's and brother's condition, I decided we needed to throw a party in Dad's honor.

While the flags all over their island were lowered to half mast and the antique fire truck was draped in black, our party for Dad was actually fun, moments softened with a few tears here and there, but mostly replete with laughter. One of Dad's most honored achievements was that he was a commissioner of the volunteer fire department and an honorary fireman, and so we had his party at Firehouse #3. I went full throttle on a display with different vignettes that told his story, right down to the foods and snacks he loved...hence the peanut butter. We had his letter sweater from high school, trophies won from sailing, medals from The War, oars from his beloved dinghy, books from the library, his walking stick and trowel and the piece de resistance...a collage of every theater and event ticket he had saved and a list of 85 favorite things. In the background, we played his favorite show tunes.

It makes me smile just to think about that day. My mom is still getting letters and cards which make her smile and my brother is happy . All is good. Here is one of the foods we served. Dad loved a good deviled egg and he loved Firehouse #3.

Firehouse #3 Deviled Eggs

10 large eggs, hard-cooked and shelled

1 clove garlic, minced

2 serrano chilies, seeded and minced

1/2 cup real mayo

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder

1/4 teaspoon good chili powder

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon chopped chives

Slice off top 1/3 of each egg and set aside. (It is a great help to slice off the bottom of each egg so that it sits flat and doesn't roll.) Scoop out the yolks and mash together with the rest of the ingredients except the chives. Refill egg white shells. Garnish with chives and serve chilled. Serves quite a few unless you are also feeding firemen. Those guys can eat!

Breakfast anytime...hopefully not before noon

Had they ever met, Stuart Little and my dad would not have been on the same page. Or, at least not until late afternoon when they both “take a dive” and enjoy a good nap. I could see a chance for possible camaraderie there. Otherwise, Stuart, the perennial early riser and my dad, “morning is over-rated”, would have been incompatible bedfellows. However, there is one thing they would have agreed on, other than the nap, and that was a good egg for breakfast. My dad loved eggs…not fancied with sauces and fluff, but a good scrambled, over-easy or poached egg. Stuart Little agrees. Basic, simply cooked eggs belong right up there with the best of the best. Dad had designated “egg days” and woe be to anyone who violated them with thoughts of cereal, pancakes and yes, even my magic protein shake (If Our Green Table Could Talk entry). Egg Days were sacred and not to be passed over or violated with substitutions. Period. My parents have an extra fridge in their basement and that is where dad’s treasure trove of eggs “lived”. Religiously, every Tuesday night and Friday night, he would take inventory in the upstairs fridge and replenish the stock so that Egg Days on Wednesday and Saturday could “fall into place rather nicely.”

Simply cooked eggs need two simple components to be at their best: freshness and gentle treatment. Use old eggs and the whites are watery and the yolks, flat. Tough it up cooking an egg and you are one step away from rubber. Springtime has lovely eggs and you can find them easily now directly from farmers or from a market that knows local egg farmers! Make sure they raise their hens as nature intended: eating grass, grubs and bugs and enjoying plenty of fresh air, sunshine and clean water. (As a side note, when our children were little and we were living in Mexico, we had two Rhode Island Red hens, "Georgie" and "Road Runner", and later when we moved back to the U.S., we got two more hens and two ducks to boot. What a hoot they were and the eggs, oh my…I can still taste them! I heartily recommend having your own chicks if you can!!)

FUN!!! Right as I am writing this, our neighbors are coming over for a glass of wine and guess what they brought…6 beautiful home-grown eggs, 5 brown and 1 gorgeous green! They keep four hens in their backyard and feed them with their yard’s bounty of grass-y, worm-y things and add in some extra kale and yogurt for zip. The eggs are amazing...plump, deep orange-yellow yolks that sit up at least a mile high (well, slight exaggeration!), but they do tower over the firm, thick whites. They smell so great, too...almost "fragrant" and the taste is like spring itself...fresh, fresh, fresh.

Here is a recipe for simple, perfect-every-time scrambled eggs. All you need for extras are thick slices of toast with sweet butter and a little local honey and then another spring treat...fresh local strawberries.

Simply Scrambled Eggs (This recipe is adapted from Julia Child...really hard to top! I understand that baseball legend Ted Williams always made his famous scrambled eggs this way too...slow and easy does it!)

4 fresh eggs
sea salt and fresh black pepper
1 tablespoon sweet butter
1 tablespoon heavy cream (optional)

Break eggs into a bowl and beat just to blend whites and yolks. Season with sea salt and black pepper (The only change I make to this recipe is that I add salt and pepper at the end.) Heat a skillet over low heat and add butter. Heat until melted and then add all but 2 tablespoons of the beaten eggs. Slowly and gently scrape the egg mixture from the outside and bottom of the pan towards the center. Use a wooden spoon or spatula. It will take a minute or two until the eggs start to set. DON'T RUSH things by turning up the heat. After about 3 minutes more, the eggs will be like lumpy custard. Cook a little longer if you like a "drier" scrambled egg. Fold in last 2 tablespoons of raw egg, cook a minute or two until set and then season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. If you want, you can fold in additional sweet butter, the tablespoon of heavy cream or some herbs. Dill and chives are nice and still basic and shouldn't cause a veto! Serves 2-3.

Next entry, I will share the new goat cheese and crackers I found that we ate over talk of chickens, eggs and backyard gardens. Oh, and I have to tell you next about the dinner at Sam and Ed's (names changed to protect the employed)! Beyond fun!