La Mom's Flan

Sometimes I reminisce about my childhood in Tijuana, Mexico, and at times I can't believe the stuff I saw, the things we did, and how traviesos me and my brothers were. But what I remember most of all were the smells coming from the kitchen: the wonderful smells of my abuelita cooking beans on the stove top, or my tios grilling carne asada outside or the smell of burnt sugar. I'll always remember that smell because once my mom was teaching my tia (her younger sister) how to melt sugar (for the flan) and my aunt burnt it. It's a molassesy-burnt-candy smell. Once you smell it you'll never forget.

***

My mom has been making flan forever. I was quite impressed how easy her recipe is. To save time (and not dirty too many dishes) she usually just blends everything in a blender. But blending in a large bowl works just a well. Also let me say that if you've never melt sugar, you may want to start practicing first. In the beginning the sugar first may seem that it's not melting at all and then comes the point where it will melt rather quickly and if you don't keep stirring it will burn. So don't leave the kitchen when doing this step. Lastly, to make this flan even more lovely, decorate with edible flowers.

INGREDIENTS (serves 8)

• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt sugar until liquefied and golden in color. Carefully pour hot syrup into a 9 inch round glass baking dish, turning the dish to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Set aside.

In a large bowl, or in a blender, beat eggs. Beat in condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour egg mixture into baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake in preheated oven 60 minutes. Let cool completely.

When flan has cooled, cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 4 hours or overnight. To serve, carefully run a knife around edges of flan and invert onto serving platter with edges (there's going to be syrup running down the sides).

Egg and Toast

Sometimes you find yourself awake on a Sunday morning, slightly hungover from the previous night's wine that you just had a bit too much of, and the last thing on your mind is making a huge breakfast. All you want is a hot cup of coffee and a little egg, a little toast and some aspirin. 

This morning I found myself in that predicament so I made this recipe because to me this is the simplest, fastest way to combine egg and toast and it's quite good. The best part is that you only need two main ingredients!

INGREDIENTS (serves 1)

• 1 slice white bread
• 1 egg
• Salt
• Pepper
• Butter

DIRECTIONS
First get yourself a biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter (or use a glass) and make a hole in the middle of your piece of white bread. Set aside.

In a small non-stick pan, melt a little butter on medium low heat. Meanwhile, break open your egg and gently pour it in a small dish or shallow cup, try not to break the yolk.

Place your slice of bread on the pan and with a steady hand, pour the egg into the middle of the hole in the bread. Cook for about two minutes, depending how much you want your yolk to cook though. I love mine a little runny. As it cooks, season with salt, pepper and a little marjoram.

With a plastic spatula gently lift the bread and turn over to finish cooking on the other side. About another minute or so. Serve immediately.

Crepes

We had a end of summer festival at work several weeks ago and various food vendors came to our campus to sell their foods. One of the vendors (which had the longest line!) was selling homemade crepes, both savory and sweet. Well, my co-workers and I stood in line for what seemed forever but it was worth it. I got a lemon-butter crepe and a strawberries and cream crepe and they were divine.

I finally got the urge to make something last night for dessert and gave crepe making a try. I have to say making the batter is quite easy, the most difficult part, I think, was trying to get the pancake thin enough and being able to flip it. The recipe below is from Alton Brown and I used 2 ounces instead of 1 ounce, as he suggests. You can you any type of filling, but I went with an easy one: sweet sour cream and raspberry sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• Butter, for coating the pan

DIRECTIONS

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly (I poured 2 ounces). Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

*Savory Variation Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, spinach or sun-dried tomatoes to the egg mixture.

*Sweet Variation Add 21/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur to the egg mixture.

Sour cream filling: Mix 1 cup sour cream with 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 tsp. vanilla. Set aside in fridge when ready to use.

Raspberry Sauce

• 1 pint raspberries
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

DIRECTIONS

Place half the raspberries in a saucepan with water and sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and sauce is thick. Add the remaining raspberries and orange zest. Heat through at the lowest temperature setting. Top filled crepes with raspberry sauce and garnish with sour cream and fresh raspberries.

Pasta, Eggs and Bacon

I have been in a cooking funk lately, and I think it has to do with me being preggers. I just had no motivation to cook. All I was craving was oatmeal and fruit, but my cravings seem to change on a weekly basis. Then, suddenly, today I wanted bacon! If you recall, just the smell of bacon would make me nauseous during the first trimester of my pregnancy, but today I was craving it. To make matters worse, I was craving spaghetti alla carbonara and that's definitely something my doctor would not recommend I have. Authentic carbonara is spaghetti with lightly beaten eggs (or egg yolks) that are just barely cooked with the heat of the pasta, giving the pasta a shiny, eggy sauce that is nowhere near scrambled. Some people shy away from this dish because the eggs are not fully cooked all the way. So, I had to come up with my own variation and that's why this is pasta, eggs and bacon because it's nowhere near authentic carbonara, but dang, was it tasty!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

• 1/4 pound spaghetti
• 4 thick cut bacon slices, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for sprinkling
• Coarse salt and fresh black pepper
• 1/4 cup frozen peas
• pinch of red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt is very generously and add your spaghetti and cook 8 minutes or according to package directions.

In the meantime, cook bacon pieces in a skillet just until nicely browned and crisp. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the bacon grease. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half and 1/4 cup Parmesan, a tiny pinch of salt and some fresh ground black pepper.

Place the reserved bacon grease back in the pan (no need to clean it out) and reduce heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook gently until it becomes fragrant. Your pasta should be done by now. Drain the pasta and add the pasta to the skillet. Raise heat back up to medium-high and working quickly, add the egg-milk mixture, the bacon bits and the peas. Keep tossing the pasta until all strands are coated with the egg sauce and keep cooking and tossing until the eggs just begin to set and just barely start to scramble and there is no raw egg left. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Sprinkle a little more Parmesan and just a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes. This makes a great breakfast dish, too!

Roasted Asparagus with Scrambled Eggs

Ina Garten has done it again! This was everyone's favorite dish at my Mother's Day brunch and I, of course, got the recipe from Ina's cookbook, Parties! I was amazed how delicious these eggs were and how well the roasted asparagus complemented them. If you're not an asparagus fan, you can totally omit them, but I have to tell you these were the greatest scrambled eggs ever....and I think it has to do with the half and half. The key to these perfect eggs is gentle cooking, and use a large, non-stick pan with high sides.

INGREDIENTS (serves 8)

• 2 pounds fresh asparagus
• olive oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 16 extra-large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups half-and-half
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Break off the tough ends of the asparagus. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil then toss to coat. Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.

While the asparagus are roasting, whisk the eggs in a large bowl with the half-and-half, salt and pepper to taste. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Cook the eggs on the lowest heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, to the desired doneness. Remove from the heat, add 2 more tablespoons of butter, and still until it melts. Check for salt and pepper and serve with the roasted asparagus.

Southern Egg Salad

Although I'm in my second trimester, my morning sickness came back. I was hoping that it would be over and done with, but I've been reading that some women can have the nausea throughout their entire pregnancy. So why am I telling you this? Because almost every type of protein makes me sick to look at, smell or even think about. Mainly chicken and beef right now, but I can tolerate mild, non-smelly white fish or shrimp. The only protein I'm able to handle right now are soy and eggs. So, at least my baby is getting some good nutrition.

I was craving an egg salad sandwich and I realized that I had never made one. I always buy them at the deli or my mom makes them for me. I don't like egg (or tuna or chicken) salad sandwiches to be too complicated. I like them simple and with just enough mayo. I saw this recipe on PBS and it was quite good. Very simple, very easy, and I bet you have everything in your pantry and fridge right now. I served them with a couple of fresh sherry tomatoes from our garden and it was just the perfect lunch. And the baby liked it very much, too!

INGREDIENTS (serves 1 pregnant lady)

• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon shallot, minced
• 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish, or chopped pickle
• 1/8 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (I used paprika)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 slices dark bread, such as multi-grain or pumpernickel

DIRECTIONS

1. Place eggs in a small saucepan, and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring water to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Immediately remove from heat, and cover. Let stand 12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, shallot, relish, and Old Bay Seasoning or paprika. Peel eggs; coarsely chop, and fold into mayonnaise mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes up to 1 day.
3. Top one slice of bread with egg salad and remaining slice of bread and serve with a side of sliced tomatoes or more pickles. YUMMY!

Rancho La Puerta's Huevos Rancheros

On Friday our company took me and a few of my co-workers to Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. It is a fabulous spa and cooking school where my friend and chef Michel Stroot, used to work but he has now retired--although he does "guest appearance" classes at the school. If you're interested in the cooking school, it's called La Cocina Que Canta and they have excellent chefs. Our chef that taught us this class was chef Deborah Schneider.

This was the very first time I've been to this spa and it was fabulous. Generally, guests stay there for 7 days but we were able to get a special one-day package. Needless to say, the cooking school was excellent and the recipe below is what I made for our team builder.

These are not your typical huevos rancheros. This dish is healthy and what I found amazing about this recipe is that all the ingredients (except the cheese), came from the ranch. They grow everything there and they have a large chicken coop, too, and I am proud to say this is the first farm-to-table meal I've cooked! The huevos were so yummy and it was even better with the homemade tortillas another one of my co-workers made. This was probably one of the best team-builders I've ever been to!

INGREDIENTS (seves 8 to 10)

• 8 large tomatoes
• 1 large white onion, chopped into small pieces
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped into small dice
• 1 large green or yellow bell pepper, chopped into small dice
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced
• 1 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (low sodium)
• 10 eggs
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 2 avocados, seeded and chopped (you do this last, when the eggs are ready)
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375. Have a large pot of boiling water ready. Also, you will need a large bowl with ice (ice-bath) ready.

Cut a small "x" at bottom of each tomato and drop them into a large pot of boiling water. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Immediately remove and place them in the ice-bath to cool and stop the cooking. Once you can handle the tomatoes, peel the skins. Cut tomatoes in half around the circumference and gently squeeze out seeds (or use your fingers or spoon to take out). Chop tomatoes into medium size pieces.

Heat a large, heavy pan on medium-high and add two tablespoons olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, red and green or yellow pepper, and jalapeños. Add a good pinch of salt and sauté until onions become lightly transparent. About 6 to 8 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed. At this point, sauce will be slightly chunky. Add 1 cup stock and simmer a few more minutes. You don't want the sauce to be too watery. This is where you're going to have to eyeball it and add more stock, if needed (I only used 1 cup because tomatoes were a bit juicy already). Lastly, add 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper. Remove from stove and set aside.

In a large clay pot or 9x13 glass baking dish or casserole, add the tomato sauce. With the back of a small ladle, make an indentation in the sauce. Immediately crack one egg and slide it into the well you just made. You can also use a large spoon if you don't have a ladle. Continue doing this all over the sauce until you have all 10 eggs (we used 1 large clay pot and one smaller one to fit all 1o eggs). If you want, you can lightly sprinkle a little salt and pepper over each egg. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, or until your eggs reach your desired doneness.

Remove baking dish from oven and sprinkle cotija cheese over each egg, then sprinkle with chopped cilantro and chopped avocado and serve, family style!

Green Eggs and Toast

I've been rowing on the weekends and when I get home after my 2 hour rowing sessions, I am starving Marvin! Today I was particularly hungry for protein, and I was happy I found this recipe on Food Network. It's a really good breakfast, and it's visually impressive, too. It's got protein from egg, iron and riboflavin from the spinach, and just enough carbs from the bread.

SPINACH PESTO

• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 3 1/2 ounces Asiago cheese, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a food processor, pulse to blend, spinach, walnuts, garlic and cheese. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. While machine is running, drizzle in oil until the mixture forms a loose paste. Season, to taste, with pepper.

SCRAMBLED EGGS (serves 4)

• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons shallot, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 thick slices of toast

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, and shallot. In a nonstick skillet over low heat, melt remaining butter. Cook egg mixture over low heat, whisking the entire time so the eggs form little loose curds. Serve eggs over toast and dollop top with Spinach Pesto.

Mushroom Quiche

I wanted to make Thomas Keller's Over-the-Top Mushroom Quiche but it was just too much for one person. It had almost two pounds of mushrooms! Instead, I made a simple, yet very delicious mushroom quiche (and I added a few leftover zucchini pieces I had). I used a frozen pastry shell instead of making my own crust, but that was just for a time saver. If you're not a mushroom lover, you can use other veggies such as cut up pieces of sauteed broccoli, or sauteed spinach, or even roasted asparagus pieces. Try a French Rose with this quiche.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6 - 8 people)

• One 9" frozen pie shell **
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pound baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced (OPTIONAL)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 large eggs
• Pinch nutmeg
• 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup good Parmesan cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Line pie shell with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil. Place baking weights, or rice or uncooked beans on top of pastry. Blind bake the pie shell for 10 minutes. Let cool and remove the rice or beans afterwards.
3. In a large skillet add the olive oil and heat to medium-high. Add the onion and cook for one minute. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.
4. Keep cooking for another 8 minutes until mushrooms are a dark golden color.
5. Add the zucchini, if using, and cook another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
6. Spread half of Gruyère cheese at bottom of pastry shell. Add the mushroom mixture on top and top with remaining Gruyère cheese.
7. In a bowl, beat together eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg and season with a bit more salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture carefully over ingredients in pastry shell.
8. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese.
9. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until set. Serve hot or cold.

** Side note: I forgot to blind bake my pastry shell; the quiche still came out good, but the bottom of crust was just a tiny bit soggy.

Eggs Benedict, part deux

This recipe is straight out of the Lady's Home Journal magazine. YES, you heard me. Come on, I'm sure your mom or tia or grandma probably has one or two in their possession. And I know you've peeked at one at the check out counter at the Safeway. Anyhoo, this is probably the closest "original" eggs Benedict recipe out there. This one is a bit more labor intensive than my original eggs benedict post, but it is an awesome recipe to learn by heart because you never know when you'll have unexpected guests arrive at your house on a Sunday morning. PS: try "pompagne" instead of mimosas if you serve this for brunch. Pompagne is basically 2/3 champagne and 1/3 pomegranate juice. YUMMY!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

Poached eggs

• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 large eggs

Hollandaise sauce

• 3/4 cup butter (no substitutions), cut up
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch ground red pepper

Other ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, divided (no substitutions)
• 8 slices Canadian bacon
• 4 English muffins, split and toasted
• 1 tablespoon water
• Chopped fresh chives, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Make poached eggs: Fill a large, deep skillet with water. Add vinegar and salt; cover and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.

Break one egg into a small cup. Carefully slip egg into gently boiling water. Repeat with remaining eggs, working in a clockwise direction. Reduce heat; simmer eggs 2 to 3 minutes, until whites are firm near the yolk. Remove with slotted spoon in same order and place in a pan of ice water. Set aside.

Make hollandaise sauce: Place butter in a 2-cup glass measure. Cover with plastic wrap, turning back one section to vent. Microwave on High 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, until melted. In top of double boiler set above, not in, simmering water, whisk egg yolks and lemon juice until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove top only of double boiler from water. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle a few tablespoons melted butter into yolks in a thin, steady stream. Return top of double boiler to simmering water; continue to slowly add butter, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens. Whisk in salt and red pepper. Cover and remove pan from heat. (Can be made ahead. Let stand up to 1 hour over hot water.)

Heat oven to 200 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet. Add bacon and cook 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned.

Divide and spread toasted English muffin halves with remaining butter. Place halves on a cookie sheet and keep warm in oven. Return double boiler to stovetop. Whisk 1 tablespoon water into hollandaise sauce. Cover and keep sauce warm over low heat.

To reheat poached eggs, bring same skillet filled with fresh water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add eggs with slotted spoon and simmer until heated through, about 1 minute.

Arrange 2 muffin halves on each of four serving plates. Top each half with a slice of bacon. Remove eggs from simmering water with a slotted spoon, gently shaking off excess water. Place one egg over bacon; divide and spoon hollandaise sauce over each serving. Sprinkle with chives. Don't forget the pompagne!!!

Roasted Asparagus with Scrambled Eggs

I came home a little early yesterday and caught and episode of Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network. She made this dish for Jeffrey, her husband, who is always conveniently away during the week. Anyhoo, I halved the recipe because I'm cooking for one right now, and I used smoked Gouda instead of Parmesan, but that's just my preference. This was perfect for me and the eggs came out perfect. I forgot how delish it is to eat eggs for dinner. Yum.

INGREDIENTS (serves 1)

• 8 spears fresh asparagus
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan or smoked Gouda
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 tablespoon half-and-half
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
• 1 slice of 7-grain bread or 1 bagel slice

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Break off the tough ends of the asparagus. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat the asparagus completely. Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for 10 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Sprinkle with the Parmesan or smoked Gouda and return to the oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

While the asparagus is roasting, whisk the eggs in a bowl with the half-and-half, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste. Melt 1/4 tablespoon of butter in a large non-stick skillet. Cook the eggs on the lowest heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, to the desired doneness. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 1/4 tablespoon of butter, and stir until it melts (you can omit this if you're watching your fat intake).

Meanwhile, toast your bread. Serve scrambled eggs with the roasted asparagus and 7-grain bread (I placed the egg on top of my toasted bagel).

Traditional Irish Breakfast

Happy St. Patricks day everyone! Today is one of my husband's favorite holidays, mainly due to his Irish heritage. And one of his most favorite Irish dishes is the traditional Irish breakfast. You can totally make this at home; you'd be surprised how many specialized markets and online stores carry food from Ireland. You totally need the real thing to make this, but you can always improvise, as well. Don't forget to serve Irish hot tea and brown bread on the side. This meal is just brilliant!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 1 packet of Irish Sausages
• 1 packet of Irish bacon (or Canadian bacon)
• One Pack of White Pudding
• 4 Eggs
• 2 large tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 pint white mushrooms, sliced
• Irish Butter
• Grated Dubliner Cheese

DIRECTIONS

You are basically going to fry the bacon, sausages and white pudding until they are fully cooked and golden brown all around (do not fry the bacon crispy, keep it soft and well browned.) Keep them in a warm oven, covered with foil while you finish the rest.

Next, fry the mushrooms in Irish butter until soft, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside in oven.

Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and fry them, cut side down. Set aside in oven.

Finally, fry the eggs and grate Dubliner cheese on top if desired. Divide all this Irish goodness among four plates and be ready for your tummy to be happy!

The Perfect Tortilla (Española)

There are a few dishes that I can say I'm an expert on. One of them is, of course, ceviche. Another one is the perfect rib eye steak, and there's always my scrumptious jambalaya. So I figured that if I want to increase my cooking repertoire, I have to get another Diva signature dish under my belt. So, after several tries, I have finally conquered the tortilla Española. So my friend, give this a try. The best thing about this recipe is that you can make it the day before or even the morning of, and it will be fantastic.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6 - 8 as an appetizer)

• Olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper or half of a large one, thinly sliced into 2" pieces
• 1 small red bell pepper or half of a large one, thinly sliced into 2" pieces
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 6 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
• 6 large eggs or 5 XL eggs
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a cast iron skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and cook for 4 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and add bell peppers (green and red) and chopped garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook slowly for 10 more minutes. Set aside in a bowl.

Wipe the skillet and add about 1/2 cup of olive oil and heat on medium-high. Once the olive oil starts to shimmer a little, add all the diced potatoes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Toss for a two minutes then lower heat to medium-low. Put a lid on skillet or cover with the skillet with a plate and let potatoes cook for 15 minutes--just remember to keep tossing every 5 minutes or so. You want the potatoes to cook through yet not be mushy. Drain the potatoes on a colander and set aside.

In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a bit more black pepper. Mix potatoes, onions and peppers lightly, until well combined and set aside.

In a 10 inch non-stick skillet, add 1 teaspoon olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the potato/egg mixture and pat down. Let cook for 3 minutes then lower heat to medium-low again and cover. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, checking the sides to make sure it doesn't get burnt.

Place a plate over the top of skillet and flip it over (see movie below).

Cook the tortilla on the other side also on medium-low for another 10 minutes. Once tortilla is done, slide it into to your serving plate and let it cool down to room-temperature. The tortilla tastes best at room temperature and with a side of aioli. Buen provecho!

Diva's Amazing (and super easy) Aioli Sauce

• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• The juice of half of a lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup Best Foods Mayo
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and place in fridge for a few hours for flavors to marry. Serve at room temperature with the tortilla.

Elaine's Eggs, Chili & Cheese Stratta

Okay, a strata is basically a fancy word for layered casserole or crustless quiche, if you will. But this recipe is tried and true and it's delicious. Elaine, my other mom, has been making this for several years and it's always a great hit with everyone. This is a great brunch item, too, because you can feed a lot of people and you don't have to do much work. Serve it with a side of fresh fruit--don't forget the mimosas--and you've got yourself a really, really good breakfast!

INGREDIENTS (serves 8 to 10 people)

• 10 Large eggs
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Large dash of salt
• 1 pint (16oz) cottage cheese
• 1 lb. shredded cheese, such as Jack Cheese or mixed
• 7 or 8 oz diced green chilies (Ortega brand, if possible)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Beat eggs with hand mixer and add melted butter, flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until well blended. Add cottage cheese, shredded cheese and chilies by hand and mix to combine.

Pour into a greased 9x13 dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake 25 - 30 minutes until casserole is golden brown and knife comes out clean from center.

Tortilla Española

I think in our past lives, my husband and I were Gypsies because we both love to travel and we don't like to stay in one place for long periods of time. Next year, we are going to Barcelona where the true gitanos are! So, in order to get me even more excited about our upcoming trip, I'm beginning to cook some Spanish recipes, and of course, the most famous recipe of all is their tortilla de patatas. This is my absolute favorite dish and if you're ever in San Diego, Tapas Picasso restaurant has one of the best tortillas Españolas.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

For Saffron Aïoli

• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon saffron threads
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For Tortilla:

• 2 small boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

DIRECTIONS

Make aïoli:

In medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and lemon. Set aside.

Place 2 tablespoons hot water in small bowl. In small, dry skillet over moderate heat, toast saffron for 30 seconds. Stir into hot water, then fold saffron water into egg mixture.

In blender, combine 4 tablespoons canola oil, garlic, and salt. Blend on high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add egg mixture and blend 1 more minute. With motor running, very slowly add olive oil and remaining canola oil in steady stream, and continue blending until thick, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Make tortilla:

Preheat oven to 300°F

In medium pot, combine potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to boil, lower heat to moderately low, and cook, covered, until potatoes can be pierced with fork, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

In small sauté pan, over moderate heat, sauté onions and garlic in vegetable oil until soft, about 5 minutes.

In medium bowl, combine eggs, potatoes, onions, and garlic. Heat 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and add egg mixture. Cook 4 minutes, then invert tortilla into ovenproof nonstick pan. Cover and bake until just set, about 10 minutes. Serve with saffron aïoli.

Nathalie's Breakfast

While I was in Oahu a couple of weeks ago visiting my sister, I had this huge breakfast one morning. And who made it? None other than my sister, Nathalie. Actually, while I was growing up, both my mom and step-mom used to cook us similar breakfasts for us...so it looks like the tradition passed on to my sister. And yes, we eat Pork and Beans for breakfast--I think it's a Mexican thing--or it could be just an Amador thing. Anyhoo, this is definitely the breakfast of champions. I bet you that if the Padres eat this for breakfast they'll win the World Series this year!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

• Vegetable or Canola oil for frying
• 1 lb. red potatoes (about 2 large ones), peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 4 large eggs
• 1 can Pork and Beans
• 6 slices of bacon
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Home Fries: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook until almost cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove cover and continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

Bacon: While the home fries are cooking, take a large cookie sheet with a lip and cover it in aluminum foil. Arrange the bacon on the sheet without overlapping. Bake for six minutes. Turn the cookie sheet around 180 degrees. Bake for another 4-7 minutes depending on your oven and how crispy you like your bacon. Lift the bacon out with tongs and set on a plate covered in paper towels.

Beans: Pour can of beans into a small sauce pan and cook on medium-low until it comes to a simmer. Keep beans warm until ready to serve.

Over Easy Eggs: Over medium heat, warm a small amount of oil or butter, perhaps 1 1/2 tsp., in a small (8-inch) nonstick skillet. Crack two eggs into the pan. Cook until the white appears slightly solid, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip the egg over onto the yolk side and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, depending on how "easy" you want your eggs.

Finale: Serve two over-easy eggs, three slices of crispy bacon, a nice amount of home fries and pork and beans. Looks like meat is back on the menu, boys!

Eggs Benedict

My dad's favorite breakfast is Eggs Benedict. I also love it, but it was one of those dishes that I would always order at the restaurant because making the hollandaise sauce scared me a little-- I'm not really good at making sauces. However, after making it for the first time this past weekend, I realized it was quite easy. You just have to be patient in the constant whisking of the egg yolks.

EGGS BENEDICT (serves 4)

• 4 slices Canadian bacon
• 2 English muffins, split
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 4 eggs
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Hollandaise sauce, recipe below
• Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Warm up the Canadian bacon in a medium skillet and toast the English muffins, cut sides up, on a baking sheet under the broiler.

Fill a 10-inch nonstick skillet half full of water. Add white vinegar to the cooking water. This will make the egg white cook faster so it does not spread. Bring to a slow boil. Gently break 1 of the eggs into the water taking care not to break it. Repeat with remaining eggs. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook 3 1/2 minutes until the egg white is set and yolk remains soft. Remove with a slotted spoon, allowing the egg to drain.

To assemble: Lay a slice of Canadian bacon on top of each muffin half, followed by a poached egg. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon hollandaise sauce over the eggs. Garnish with chopped parsley.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
• Pinch cayenne
• Pinch salt

Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl and until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the eggs benedict. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.

Piñon: Beef Plantain Omelette

Piñon is a thick omelette-style cake filled with ground beef, fried ripened plantains and capers and olives. This dish is the epitome of good Puerto Rican comfort food and it tastes great served with a cold malta (if you haven't tried a malta yet, taste it with caution. It's an acquired taste!). My mom has perfected this dish but mine didn't come out as pretty looking as hers, hence no picture, but the taste was delicious. The sweet plaintains with the beef and sofrito is a winning combination.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 very ripe plantains
• Olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 Tablespoon sofrito (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon capers, rinsed
• 1 Tablespoon sliced green olives
• Salt and pepper
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup butter

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel the plantains, cut into 2-inch thick legthwise slices, and fry in the olive oil until golden brown. Remove, drain in a paper towel and keep warm.
3. Add one tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and saute the onion, green pepper, and garlic until soft but not brown, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and fry at high heat for 3 minutes. Pour in the tomato sauce, the sofrito and add the capers and olives. Cook 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (As always, taste first before adding salt).
4. Beat the eggs, adding salt and pepper to taste, until fluffy. Butter the sides and bottom of a round casserole and melt the remaining butter in the bottom.
5. Pour in half of the beaten eggs and cook over medium heat (over the stove top) for about 1 minute or until slightly set. Cover the eggs with one-third of the plantain slices, following with layers of half the ground meat. Add another layer of plantains, the remainder of the ground beef and top with plantains. Pour the rest of the beaten eggs over the top.
6. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, uncovered, being careful not to let the omelette burn. Then place in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes to brown the top of the piñon. Serve with rice and beans.

Five Minute Breakfast

As some of you may know, I've been sick the last couple of days and haven't been doing much cooking. But this morning I finally woke up with an appetite for breakfast. Unfortunately, I didn't have much to work with since I haven't done any grocery shopping. What I did have were eggs, cheese and croissants. So I made this fast and tasty breakfast for myself and my sister and it came out pretty darn good. The best part is that you only need 3 ingredients!!!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Croissants
• 2 Eggs
• 4 Slices of American cheese (or your favorite cheese)
• Oil for frying

First, in a large non-stick pan, heat a teaspoon of oil on medium-high. Slice the crossaints lengthwise and place a slice of cheese (optional).

Crack two eggs into the pan and fry them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. After two or three minutes, flip. Top with a slice of cheese and finish cooking for another two minutes. If you don't like a runny yolk, cook it a minute or two longer.

Place and egg with the melted cheese into the croissant and serve immediately.

YUMMY!