12. Bacon, Brie & Egg Pocket

 

 

I had this leftover canister of crescent roll dough which needed to be used soon, so I came up with what I thought was a brilliant idea for an egg recipe - crescent roll "tarts" filled with bacon, brie and an egg.  I mean, c'mon... BACON?  Yesssss.  BRIE?  Fatty, creamy deliciousness!  CRESCENT ROLL DOUGH?  Buttery, flaky and irresistible.  Plus, it was pretty darn easy.

 

I made two HUGE tart pockets and really only needed three pieces of bacon.  I almost exclusively use bacon from Salume Beddu - this amazing porkery here in St. Louis.  I get their bacon, salami, sausage... pretty much any pork that needs to be cured or specially prepared.  All my other pork (chops, ground pork, steaks, etc.) comes straight from the family farm, but they don't do the "fancy" stuff.  ;)  If you happen to live in St. Louis, you should check them out. 

 

Mmm... Crispy bacon waiting to
be crumbled into salty nuggets of
epic tastiness. Perfect to pair with
creamy, double cream brie cheese!

Slice some brie into smaller squares or rectangles.  I bought a
standard wedge and didn't quite use the whole thing for both tarts.

Once you have the bacon and brie ready and waiting, grab a small cookie sheet and grease that baby up!  I am a die-hard "butter" person when it comes to greasing a dish, with some exceptions for olive oil if I'm roasting fish or veggies.  Butter is natural and delicious and it's pretty dang easy to grab a hunk by the wrapper and paint it onto a flat surface.  Next, bust open a canister of crescent roll dough.  Specifically, you'll want to get the kind that comes in a sheet, rather than the kind that is perforated to tear into triangles.

 

Lay the dough down and cut straight down the middle.
Then, add brie to half of each half of dough.

Add crumbled bacon on top of the brie.

Next, you'll want to whisk up an egg and coat the edges of the dough with the egg wash.
Don't throw away the extra - you'll use it on the top of the tart to help make it golden & shiny.

Ok, so here's "part 1" of Laura gets real all over this blog post... I did not photograph the next step of the process.  GASP!  WHAT?  Sorry.  The thing of it is, the next step is where I cracked a fresh egg over the bacon and brie.  I was super pumped to get a fancy shot of that glorious yolk perched on top of this thing, but... Well, as soon as I cracked that egg, the white started going all over the place and I was forced to hurry my self up and seal the pockets.  One of these days I might start getting my husband to play photographer so we get get better procedural pictures (ever noticed that my hands are always out of the way?) but I often do these things when he is still asleep or otherwise occupied.  Also, I have to come clean and tell you I'm not 100% confident in his artistic vision.

 

Anyway... Sorry again, but you're just going to have to trust me when I say that the next thing you do is crack fresh eggs on top and gently set the yolk on the bacon (so it doesn't break) and then hurry up to fold the pockets and pinch all the edges closed.  I pinched the edges together, then folded them on top of themselves, and then used a fork to press them down.

 

Brush the tops of the tart-pockets with egg wash.

Put them in the oven at 375 for about 20 minutes
or until the crescent roll dough is golden brown.

 



BOOM!  Look at that perfectly golden pocket filled with salty, creamy goodness!  I had this with a small side salad of mixed greens with balsamic vinegar.  I almost wish I would have just drizzled balsamic vinegar over the tart...  I love me some balsamic vinegar.  Like, all the time.  On everything.

And now it's time for "part 2" of Laura gets real... Honestly?  This thing was just ok.  I know!  Crazy, right?  I mean, bacon + brie + egg + carby goodness, should totally equal ambrosia.  I didn't want to clue you guys in at the beginning, but here's my two cents:  The brie was definitely creamy and the texture was great, but the flavor was a little bland.  I think I'll be trying a different flavor of this technique using some stronger flavored ingredients.  Maybe sharp cheddar?  Pepperjack?  Feta?  Stay tuned, because I'm not giving up on this concept.  And the bright side, is I can absolutely milk this whole tart pocket (tarcket?) concept for at least half a dozen "egg a days."  Something heavenly will result.  I'm sure of it.

Love & Eggs,

Laura

This egg brought to you by Sophie, my silver cuckoo marans. She's really on my good side right now because she has been reliably laying several eggs a week since the beginning of January. 





 

 



 

 

 



11. Eggs In Pepper Rings With Spicy Potatoes

Are you on Pinterest?  If you aren't then you have a choice to make - check it out and become addicted, or avoid it at all costs and enjoy more productive free time.  For those of you who don't know, Pinterest is a social media site where you create "boards" and "pin" interesting or useful links for safe-keeping.  It's especially great for organizing online recipes, craft ideas, travel tips, etc.  Well, being an egg-fanatic, I have an entire board dedicated to various egg recipes or ideas and this idea was a simple and easy one that I have been wanting to try.  It just so happened that I had an extra bell pepper and potato laying around and my husband LOVES peppers, so I thought today was the day!

What I used:

• 2 eggs
• 1 potato
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 small onion
• Pepperjack cheese
• Cajun seasoning
• Salt & pepper
• Butter

 

I wanted to knock the potatoes out first since they would take a little longer.  I peeled one potato (peelings straight into the compost!) and cut it up into very small pieces to make sure it cooked more quickly.  Then, I chopped up a small onion and mixed it in.

Potatoes and onions.

One and a half tablespoons of butter.

After throwing the potatoes and onions in the pan and stirring them up with the butter, I added a very healthy dose of Cajun seasoning as well as salt & pepper.  The hubs and I like our food with a kick!  If you prefer something less spicy, you can get away with simple seasoning salt and a little black pepper.  If you want it spicier, then a few dashes of cayenne.

Seasoned potatoes on medium heat...

...end up looking delicious like this!

While the potatoes are cooking in the pan, get your bell pepper washed and cut into rings.

I had an orange pepper on-hand,
but any color would work.

Unfortunately, I had to cut out a
soft spot, so one of my rings
turned into more of a "C" shape.

I put the potatoes in the oven to keep them warm while I moved on to the fun, eggy part.

Half a tablespoon of butter, then
raise the heat and set the peppers in.

Once the peppers have started to cook,
put the heat on low to medium-low &
crack the eggs inside the pepper rings.

Cover the pan and keep checking on
the eggs until the whites are *mostly*
set - you still want them slightly snotty.

Add some slices or shreds of cheese -
I used pepperjack - and cover the eggs
back up for another 30 seconds or so.

YUMMY.  Now, I need to come a little bit clean about something... I did not personally taste this endeavor.  To be perfectly honest, I'm not so in love with the taste of bell peppers that I want a mouthful of them.  However, the "egg in a pepper ring" creates such a pretty presentation that I enjoyed making it.  Plus, the husband looooves peppers.  In fact, and I'm actually a little dismayed by this, he told me that this was his favorite way he has ever eaten eggs.  SERIOUSLY?!  After all the omelets and quiches and sandwiches and however many other egg dishes I have served him, this super simple method is what rocks his world?  Though to be fair, I think he says that every time I serve him something new.... ;)

The good news is this:  The "egg in pepper rings" is extremely simple and easy, it has a lovely presentation, and according to my husband it "tastes so #*@%ing good."

So give it a shot (if you like peppers) and impress someone with this clever idea!

Love & Eggs,

Laura

These eggs brought to you by Dory and Sophie.

 

Fall/Winter Moulting & Why Eggs Get Scarce

First of all, I totally warned you.  Right up front I said there may be weeks or months that I can't find the time to write an entertaining and witty ode to the egg.  So, I refuse to hear any complaints about the fact that it has been three and a half months since my last post.

Ok, that is my grumptastic opening to a more informative post that is less about eggs and a little more about chickens.  You see, chickens - just like all birds, really - do this thing every year where the lose all their feathers and grow in new ones.  They look positively awful when it is happening.  My hen Alabama looked so pitiful that if anyone who didn't know better had happened to see her, they might have reported me to PETA or the ASPCA or something.  Unfortunately, I kept forgetting to get a good photo of her (she would have been the best example) but I did snap this photo (above) of Mrs. Featherbottom.  Now, Mrs. Featherbottom is a Black Australorp - one of my largest and fluffiest chickens.  However, in the photo above you can see how patchy her feathers are, how very sad and scruffy her tail is...  THIS is moulting.

Here's how things go down around my little chicken zoo:

March - August:  Yay!  EGGS!  Many EGGS!
September:  Hey!  Hens!  I only got five eggs this week... What gives?
October:  No offense, ladies, but you all look like zombie chickens and I'm not getting any eggs.  You better make this up to me later.
November - December:  Hallelujah!  I got two eggs this week!  It's a miracle!
Mid-January:  FINALLY.  The chickens are slowly starting to lay again... Maybe two a week from some of the best layers... Still none from the wimpier ones.
February:  We're getting there...
March: Yay!  EGGS!  Many EGGS!

So you see, during the late fall and winter months, I'm basically eggless.  And since I shudder at the thought of paying for eggs at the store, I can't be as frivolous and awesome with my egg recipe testing.  The few eggs I get from newer/younger chickens are just enough for me to have a couple weekday breakfasts.

You probably don't care about any of this... Really, I'm just trying to give you some good news and I'm taking a very long-winded approach in delivering said news.

THE EGGS ARE RETURNING!

Yes, having put all their energy toward shedding and re-growing their feathers... and having suffered through only the shortest hours of daylight (Educational sidebar - the number of hours of light in a day is what triggers the chickens' laying... some people put artificial lights in their chicken coops during the winter to boost egg production but I don't wanna.  Running electric out there can be a fire hazard, if you lose power and the temperature in the coop plummets some of the chickens could die, AND I kind of think they deserve a break for a little bit - don't you?), THE CHICKENS ARE STARTING TO LAY AGAIN!

It helps that I added four new chickens in 2012 that only matured during the "no egg" months.  So they're downright excited to get their breakfast machines started.

Now that I have eggs again, I'm anxious to get back to my 365 egg recipe quest.  Check back soon for the first recipe of 2013!

Love & Eggs,

Laura

10. Angel Hair Carbonara



I know, I know... my posts have been semi-MIA lately, but seriously - I warned you in my introduction that periods of postlessness were likely.  Luckily for all of us, my business travel should be done for the year and I have successfully checked some major projects off my "to do" list.  So, I'm happy to not only bust out a post today, but I think it's an especially delicious dish.

I'm sure that many of you have heard of "Spaghetti Carbonara" or seen it on menus.  You many have even eaten it.  I was very surprised recently to discover that many people didn't realize that eggs are a key ingredient for this pasta, giving that sauce it's unique creaminess without any actual cream and not too much cheese.  Plus, like many pasta dishes, it's super easy.

What you need for 4 servings... And by "four servings" I don't mean little puny side-dish servings, I mean big, hearty, full-bowl servings that work as your entire dinner:

• Pasta
• BACON - As little or as much as you want
• 2 eggs
• Fresh Parmesan cheese
• Half of a white onion, chopped
• 2 very large cloves of garlic, minced or chopped
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1 cup of peas (optional, obvi)
• 12 ounces of sliced mushrooms

First, fry up the bacon in a very large pan.
You'll also want to have a large pot of
water on another burner, heating up and
getting ready for the pasta.

After removing the bacon and setting aside,
add the mushrooms to the pan and cook
in the bacon grease until they are just
starting to turn golden brown.

Add half a chopped white onion and stir.

Once the onions begin to get translucent,
add the chopped garlic and mix in with
the mushrooms and white onion.

Once you add the garlic to the pan, add your pasta to the now-boiling water.  Angel hair doesn't take too long to cook, which is definitely one of the benefits.  I don't think you will EVER see me make anything with actual Spaghetti.  The thickness of spaghetti really holds back my twirl-skills and if I'm making any long-noodle dishes I will almost always go for Linguine or Angel Hair (my most favorite). To make four semi-large servings, I use about 4/5 of one whole box.  I should really start being more professional with my measurements and recipes, but it's just not my natural style... I usually like to assume that people are smart enough to figure out a few details on their own.  Also, I would like to mention that I have found whole wheat angel hair to be easier to cook and have a much better texture than spaghetti or fettuccine.

While the pasta cooks, make sure the
stove is on medium heat & add the peas
to the mushrooms, onion and garlic.  I
have a very strong preference for fresh peas,
but frozen is second-best. Canned? NO.

Once the pasta is ready - and don't over-
cook it because it will continue to cook a
bit in the next few minutes - add it to the
frying pan, along with the butter, and begin
tossing all the ingredients together until
they are well-mixed and the pasta is
evenly coated in bacon grease and butter.

Reduce the heat again to low, and it's time to add the eggs!  Most recipes ask you to beat the eggs in advance of adding them to the pasta, but I have done it both ways and haven't noticed a difference, and I'd rather have one dirty dish rather than two.  The most important thing for this step is that you quickly puncture the yolks and begin mixing up all the pasta.  You'll want to mix very well, and continuously for several minutes.  The goal is to get the egg mixed with the butter and grease, coating all the pasta, all without letting the eggs "scramble."  You won't really see the eggs, so there aren't any bits of hard egg white or anything like that.  Really what it does is add a richness to the "sauce" that is slick and creamy but only appears like a shiny coating on all the noodles.  I mixed mine very thoroughly for about 3-5 minutes.

Once everything is well-mixed, I slowly add small handfuls of Parmesan cheese.  While you can, of course, use the grated stuff that comes in a can, I would highly recommend you get something a little richer and fresher.  I have even made this dish using Italian cheese mixes that include Asiago as well as Parmesan.  Some recipes call for a lot of cheese, which will give you a thicker, creamier sauce.  I prefer to only add enough to give the pasta some extra flavor, but let the other ingredients speak for themselves.

Now comes the time where I must apologize... It had been a long day and I was anxious to sit down, eat, and relax.  In my rush, my brain made up memories of taking some additional pictures.  Fortunately, the rest is super easy to describe with words:

1. Put some pasta in a bowl
2. Top with a little additional cheese, and some black pepper
3. Crumble bacon on top

Most recipes have you mix the bacon in with everything else.  Which is totally fine.  However, one of the things I love most about bacon is how salty and crispy it is.  Soggy bacon is like hearing a classical masterpiece from a orchestra of kazoos.  I mean, let's be real... I still eat it, it's just not as good.  The point is that when you crumble the bacon on top of the pasta, it stays crisp throughout your meal.

While this dish is usually some combination of bacon, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and sometimes peas, there's really no reason you couldn't be flexible and make some tasty variations.  Maybe sausage instead of bacon?  Or add some diced tomato?  Broccoli?  What makes Carbonara so special is the unique sauce that is neither marinara/tomato-based, nor is it a thick Alfredo style.  It's most similar to an olive oil sauce but manages to be creamier and more flavorful.  It is by far, one of my favorite pasta dishes EVER.

Love & Eggs,

Laura

These eggs brought to you by Bronte (black and white hen), my Silver-Laced Wyandotte, and Alabama, on of my blue-egg laying Easter Eggers.

9. Doggy Bag Steak 'n Eggs



I'm certain, absolutely certain, you have heard of "Steak & Eggs" before, but in the ridiculous case that I should be wrong about something, let me quickly explain: It's steak.  With eggs.  It's steak and eggs together in one meal, and it's something that people eat sometimes.  There, that's over with.

If you order steak & eggs at a diner or restaurant you'll actually get a whole steak, eggs, toast, and possibly potatoes too.  That is entirely too much for one meal, in my opinion, especially breakfast.  However, the flavor combination of tender steak with runny egg yolk is MMMMMM.  Luckily for me, last week was my 3rd wedding anniversary.  In an effort to prevent us from spending our "special day" eating frozen pizza or whatever else we have stocked and can be made in the 20 minutes from when I get home to when I'm so ravenously hungry I start to scream and throw things, I made a reservation at one of my favorite steak houses in St. Louis, Citizen Kane's.

While I usually get the filet, I opted for a New York Strip this time - mostly because it was the same price and it's bigger so I thought that seemed to make sense.  Did I like it as much as a filet?  No, and I'll probably revert back to my usual order the next time I'm fortunate enough to convince my husband it's ok to spend $150 on dinner (we like wine AND dessert).  However, I managed to bring home half my steak, plus a little bit of leftover creamed spinach and mashed potatoes which means I'll manage to make three meals out of my order, so that's nice.

Since I don't usually have extra steak laying around, I thought this was an excellent opportunity to make a "Steak 'n Eggs" breakfast.  It also plays into one of the themes of this blog which, if you haven't picked up on it, is that with a little creativity and an open mind, you could eat eggs every day of your life and never get bored with it.  Sometimes you can even get creative with non-breakfast related leftovers.

So, here's what I took home from Citizen Kane's:

• Approximately 4 ounces of New York Strip steak
• Less than 1/4 of a cup of garlic mashed potatoes
• About 1/4 cup creamed spinach

I could have used the potatoes, but opted out.  There's enough flavor going down with the steak, spinach, and egg.

First, I slice three thin slices of steak off,
totally approximately 2 ounces.

Then, I lay them down on a micro-wave safe plate.

I heat up the spinach by zapping it for 30-
45 seconds in the microwave.

And I get the fried egg going.  Man, I never, ever
get tired of seeing beautiful photos of egg yolks.

While the egg is cooking, I nuke the steak slices for 45 seconds.  It really doesn't take much to get the steak hot and you don't want to over-cook it and dry it out.  The juices are a very good thing.

I only use a little bit of the creamed spinach - about half of what I brought home.  I spoon a little bit over each of the steak slices, and I save the rest for a second Steak 'n Eggs indulgence later.

And finally - I slide my fried egg on top of the spinach, then salt and pepper the whole thing.

Honestly, I wish this was a meal that photographed better.  I take the majority of the responsibility in that I'm not a professional food photographer, but also I just don't think this meal is easy to make visually appetizing once you start cutting into it.  You're just going to have to imaging all the different textures and flavors.

To help you imagine, I will employ nearly pornographic descriptions of how amazingly delicious each bite of this luxurious breakfast is:  The steak is so tender, I don't even need my knife to cut it... Juices seep out each time I prepare another bite.  The spinach is so rich and creamy, it's like a savory gravy that cascades over my taste buds.  The egg yolk is thick and salty, pooling on my plate in anticipation of the next bite of steak that will be used to wipe it up.  The egg itself is firm and fresh with a crispy edge, crackling slightly as I bite into it...  Ok, so did the words help?  I swear, this was one of my most delicious breakfast concoctions.

So, next time you end up with a few measly ounces of steak, you should totally give Steak 'n Eggs a try.  It's super rich and you don't need much of it to feel like you've just eaten a "splurge" breakfast.  And, not to keep harping on the calories aspect, but this breakfast was only about 250 calories.  ROCK.

Love & Eggs,

Laura

This egg brought to you by Alabama,                                                my oldest "Easter Egger" hen.