Egg White Pancakes

There are few things better than homemade pancakes on a Sunday morning. I've been trying to find the perfect recipe. I followed this recipe this morning, and the hubby and I were really glad I did. Of course, as sticking to any recipe is a challenge for me, I tweaked it just a bit. At the end, when all of the ingredients were smoothly mixed in the bowl, I added one stiff-peaked egg white to make the pancakes extra fluffy. That really did the trick. 

Eat your heart out. 

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Sausage, Mini Bell, Onion, Cheese Frittata

A perfect birthday treat for my husband! I made a (~)9x11 to have the next morning or so for a quick breakfast on the go.

8 eggs (beaten)
2 cups shredded jack cheese
3 hot sausages (sliced)
All vegetables: whichever, and however much, to your liking
sliced mini bell peppers: red, orange, yellow (sliced)
white onion (sliced)
white mushrooms (sliced)
salt
pepper

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, beat 8 eggs and add a dash of water (about a tablespoon or two) to help create a nice, fluffy frittata. In a pan, add some spray or a tablespoon of butter. To the pan, add the sliced vegetables and the sausage links. Add a tad of salt and pepper. When the mixture is lightly golden brown, remove from the pan.

Add the vegetables to a separate large bowl. This may sound a little strange, but slice the sausage links in the bowl of vegetables--this way all of the juices that pour out of the sausage flavor the vegetable combination. To the vegetable-meat mixture, add the egg and the cheese. Combine thoroughly.

To a lightly oiled/sprayed baking pan (approximately 9x11), add the ingredients. bake for about 15-20 minutes. Take the frittata out of the oven; once you see that it is almost congealed, place back in the oven, turn on the high broiler, and let broil for about 4-5 minutes, or until light, crispy brown.

Eat your heart out.

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Potato Leek Soup for the Soul

Few things inspire my cooking more than a seasonal change. Welcome to autumn -- my favorite time of the year. It seems like the most heartwarming dishes are served when the temps are cool. The romance of the turning leaves, a burning fire, and an early-setting sun melts into every bite.

Over the years, I've flirted with many fall recipes. But, one has kept me coming back: potato leek soup. I typically make it for Super Bowl and tailgate parties, and each time it's a winner.

I learned to cook by watching my mom prepare for our family of seven. So, I tend to prepare meals that could feed a small village. Also, I love the flavor combination of onion and leek, so I try to find the largest of each at the grocery store. You're welcome to adjust the ingredient portions to suit your needs and tastes.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons salted butter
3 large leeks, thinly sliced
1 large white onion, chopped
8 russet potatoes, thinly sliced and unpeeled
6 cups chicken broth (easily replaced with veggie broth for a vegetarian option)
1 1/4 cups of heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Make sure all ingredients are fully prepped; the potatoes and leeks are thinly sliced and the onions are chopped.

In a large, deep pot, lightly simmer the salted butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the leeks and onion. Saute the combination until the veggies are a mix of transparent and and golden brown. Now, your kitchen smells like something straight out of Heaven. Ryan-Gosling-massaging-your-feet-shirtless kind of Heaven.

To the leek-onion mixture, add the potatoes and broth. In the same pot. How nice and easy is that? Potato sizes vary, so just make sure that you have enough broth to just cover the russets. Keep the heat set at medium until the potatoes are fork tender -- a fork goes cuts through the potato with ease.

Afterward, turn the heat to low. In the same pot and using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until you've reached desired consistency. Think of it this way, the more you mash, the thicker the soup will be. Stir frequently.

Your soup is close to done. Add the cream, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Taste. Taste a lot -- it's the best part of cooking. Adjust the seasonings as necessary. Continue cooking the soup over low heat for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve. Eat your heart out.

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Cheeseburger Soup

I was on the hunt for the perfect hearty comfort dish for the snowy weather we've been having. I snatched and tweaked recipes from Taste of Home and Chocolate Covered Buttons. It is definitely not the easiest soup to make, but trust me -- the taste is totally worth it.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

3/4 c. onion, chopped

3/4 c. carrot, grated

3/4 c. celery, sliced

5 small - medium russet potatoes, cubed

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c. 2% milk

4 c. chicken or beef broth

4 tbsp. butter or margarine 

1 1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese

1 c. tomato (~ 2 tomatoes), diced

1 c. romaine lettuce, chopped

6 hamburger buns, coarsely cubed 

1 tsp. dried parsley

salt

pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees for the hamburger bun croutons (YUM). In a large sauce pot, brown beef over medium heat; drain any excess grease and set aside in a medium bowl.

Ready all vegetables -- dice, grate, slice, cube!

To the same sauce pot for the browned beef, add the onion, celery, carrots, parsley, and one tablespoon of butter/margarine. Saute over medium heat until ingredients are softened--about 10 minutes.

Add the broth, beef, potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for approximately 12 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.

Meanwhile, cube the hamburger buns; place pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 8 minutes, or until golden brown.

The soup is simmering, the hamburger bun croutons are baking, and your kitchen smells pretty fantastic, right? Mmm.

Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for approximately 3-5 minutes, or until lightly bubbly.

Add the butter-flour mixture to the soup; bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce to low heat.

Don't forget to check on the croutons!

Coarsely chop tomatoes and lettuce; grate the cheese.

Stir in the milk, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salt, and pepper. Cook until cheese melts.

Top with hamburger bun croutons, and enjoy!

 

Eat your heart out.

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Homemade Eggnog

My sisters and I are always looking  for something new to add to our traditional, Christmas recipes. This eggnog recipe, pulled and tweaked from Alton Brown's suggestions (so, you already know it's tasty), was not only delicious, but also fun to make.

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs, separated*
• 2/3 cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp.
• 2 pints whole milk
• 2 c. heavy cream
• ~ 6 ounces bourbon or rum
• 2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tsp. freshly grated cinnamon

Directions:

In the medium size bowl, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Slowly add the 2/3 c. sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside. Grate cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a large saucepan, and over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir occasionally, until brought to a rolling boil. Remove the saucepan from heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg-yolk mixture. Return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, pour into a large mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. While mixing, slowly add the 2 tbsp. of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture.

Add desired amount of bourbon or rum to individual glasses. Pour servings of eggnog, mix, and top off with whipped cream. Yum!

* Raw Egg Warning

Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell. For recipes that call for eggs that are raw or undercooked when the dish is served, use shell eggs that have been treated to destroy salmonella, by pasteurization or another approved method.

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Peet's Coffee & Tea printable coupon: $1 off most beverages

Yummy deal alert: At participating Peet's Coffee & Tea shops, get $1 off most beverages. Just print or show by phone this coupon. Juices and bottled drinks are excluded. Deal ends November 12.

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