Huevos Rancheros

I created my take on Heuvos Rancheros while trying to come up with an inexpensive Fathers Day gift that my dad would appreciate. I tested it out on him and my mom, and we all enjoyed it. But I knew I couldn't publish it until I tested it on my friend Kelly who has eaten Huevos Rancheros at every restaurant she has ever been to. I'm happy to say she liked my technique so here is the recipe. It is very, very filling. The weekend I made this in Palm Springs for my parents was one of the rare visits that we did not eat three meals in a day.

Huevos Rancheros

1 pkg pork Chorizo
6 tostadas, I prefer Romero's
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 14.5 oz can Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic (This is preferred, but any canned diced tomato will work.)
1 small can diced green chiles
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chipotle pepper powder (available from Target's Archer Farms brand)
6 jumbo eggs
1 bag shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 can refried beans

In a large skillet with a lid, heat just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add chorizo, deskinned, and chopped onion and cook at medium high until the chorizo has deepened in color and the onoin is translucent.

Add undrained tomatoes, chiles, powders, and 1/4 tsp salt.

Simmer 5 to 10 minutes on medium until slightly thickened.

Make six small wells in the sauce and crack eggs into them, it's ok if they run into each other a bit.

Cover, and cook over low heat until set, 3-5 minutes. I tend to err on the lower side bacause I don't want my yolks too set.

Serve on tostadas, sprinkle with cheese.

Serve with hot sauce and refried beans that have been "doctored" with a heavy helping of cheese mixed in.

Enjoy!

Simple Yet Impressive Tomato Pasta Salad

I always have a few recipes tucked away that are simple and easy to make at the last minute for the inevitable invitation that comes at the last minute. Here is a simple yet beautiful Tomato Pasta Salad recipe that takes advantage of the amazing heirloom cherry tomatoes that are so prevalent at the Farmer's Markets right now.

Heirloom Tomato Pasta Salad

Dressing (A wonderful Italian that I love. The recipe only takes 2/3 so you will have some left over for a salad with dinner.)

1 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup champagne vinegar (Available at Target for $4.99. It truly makes the dressing.)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
6 cloves pressed garlic

Combine all and shake to mix.

Salad
4 cups/3 baskets assorted heirloom cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 cup mozzarella balls, halved
1 lb cooked and cooled penne pasta
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
Black pepper

Combine pasta, tomatoes, and cheeses. Dress with 1/2 to 2/3 of dressing recipe. Mix gently, sprinkle lightly with black pepper and garnish with a sprig of basil. Travels beautifully.

The Lost Art of Letter Writing

In this day and age of Tweeting, Facebook, and IM, receiving a hand written note in the mail is fun and nostalgic. No one expects to receive a letter from a friend, much less a long missive. So don't be afraid to drop a quick note to those near and dear in the mailbox. Just a few lines in your own hand let those you love know you are thinking about them enough to take the time to put pen to paper and not just click send.

I love to send photographs that have been rediscovered, clippings from newspapers and magazines that remind me of a friend, comics that I know will elicit a smile, and of course, recipes. I always have on hand the few simple supplies needed for this noble endeavor. Pens, assorted stationary, stamps, and of course my address file.

Tired long ago of constantly scratching out and updating a more traditional address book, I created this handy file with index cards, a pencil, and a metal key ring. By always using pencil, updates are simple and clean. And for those few occasions where someone has moved often, I can simply pluck out the card and make a new one. I also regularly update phone numbers I've acquired in my cell phone so if I lose it or it dies, I still have all of the numbers. I even keep cards for those people I have lost track of over the years as a reminder to try and look them up every now and then.

Send your friend a letter and brighten their day. There is truly becoming no better way to catch someone by surprise.

Mai Tai Exchange

Dearest Eric,
I decided to try the Barefoot Contessa’s Mai Tai recipe recently and am sad to say it did not come out well. It tasted AWFUL. I even tried using a dark rum for more depth but all I could taste was the citrus from the orange juice and heat from the alcohol. Boring! Here’s the recipe:

½ Cup white rum
¼ Cup Triple Sec
¼ Cup Fresh Lime Juice
¼ Cup Fresh Orange Juice

How can we improve upon this recipe? Summer is here and I need a cocktail while I sit on my lounge chair and watch Bucky the bunny run amok in the garden.

Regards,
Jackie


Dearest Jackie,
I did some research into Mai Tai’s and it seems every modern recipe references Trader Vic’s original recipe except the Barefoot Contessa. The key ingredient seems to be orgeat syrup which is an almond syrup, which you can find at Beverages and More. After comparing multiple recipes, here is an amalgamation for you that relies heavily on Trader Vic’s recipe from his 1946 cookbook. Tell me what you think!

Juice of 1 orange
Juice of ½ lemon
2 ounces golden rum
½ ounce curacao
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon orgeat syrup

Shake all together with ice and garnish with an orange or pineapple slice.

Regards,
Eric

image via myrecipes.com

Brushetta Stuffed Pork Chops

I don't know why it is that when you stuff something it becomes more special. Maybe it is our love of receiving gifts that makes a stuffed entree similar to opening a gift on Christmas morning. Whatever the reason, here is a fun, simple, and impressive recipe for bruschetta stuffed pork chops. The panko gives it the feeling of real traditional stuffing.

1 1/2 tbsp oil
1 small chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, I use cherry
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
4 tbsp panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
3 tbsp heavy whipping cream or half and half
1 tbsp butter
4 bone-in center-cut pork loin chops at least 1 inch thick

In a covered skillet large enough to fit all four pork chops, add 1 tbsp oil. Cook onion and garlic over medium heat until translucent.

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, panko, cream, onion, and garlic.

From the opposite side of the bone, cut a pocket in the pork chops that goes all the way to the bone. The way I found to do this best is to stand the chop up, bone against the cutting board. Start at the top in the middle and slowly work your nice through to the bone. Once you reach the bone you can move gently in either direction to open the pocket.

Divide stuffing into fourths, and stuff each chop, securing with one or two toothpicks. (Don't use colored toothpicks. I learned first hand they will bleed on your meat.)

Dust both sides of stuffed chops with salt, pepper, and cayenne.

In the skillet, heat 1 tbsp butter and 1/2 tbsp oil (you can use the leftover from the saute) over high heat. Add pork chops and sear one minute on each side. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 6 minutes more on each side.

Remove toothpicks when plating, spoon a little of the leftover juice over each chop.

Pairs perfectly with a green vegetable and a starch.

Enjoy!

Etsy Love: Vintage Cake Stand

Eric knows I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect cake stand. This all started because I wanted to bake a chocoloate cake from scratch. After looking for what seemed like an eternity, I finally found the cake stand that suits me perfectly. What won me over was the cover. I am all about not using plastic wrap if I don’t have to. Go dig around on Etsy, there is so much good stuff there.

Images via Marianne Clare's Vintage Kitchen.

Bunny Palace

Meet Bucky, our mini lop bunny. Meet Henry, the chief bunngineer who built her this palace.

Easy, Beautiful Cheese Platter

For all of the time we spend creating handcrafted dishes that we hope our guests will remember, the most popular and always appreciated dish at a party is the cheese platter. Easy to make and not too expensive, the most important part of the creation is presentation and variety.

At my most recent party I put this platter together. It contains good old reliable cheddar jack, dill havarti, brie, blue, and fresh mozzarella cheese balls. I added some nice dry salami for color and finished it all off easily with a box of Pepperidge Farms Entertaining Crackers, and a few extra rounds of toasted french bread left over from the mushroom bruschetta I served.

The dish is successful because it offers a wide variety of flavors, allows me to show off a favorite serving platter, and can be prepared quickly and without mess. If I had been feeling more adventurous and hadn't been deep frying homemade jalapeno poppers, I would have sliced a fresh apple to compliment the brie and havarti.

So the next time you are trying to fill out the menu of a cocktail party, don't forget the dependable standby, the cheese platter.

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

I love eggs all times of the day. They are a high in protein and easy to make dish. Light, fluffy, and and the perfect blend of butter and salt, even I can throw these together and still make it to work on time in the morning.

Recipe
3 eggs
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper

Spray a small frying or saute pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Crack eggs directly into the pan. Break up yolks with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle a light layer of salt and pepper over the surface of the eggs. Cook, constantly turning the eggs with the spatula. When the eggs are almost done, drop in the tablespoon of butter and continue cooking and turning the eggs until the butter is completely melted. When the butter is gone the eggs are done, no further seasoning necessary. The eggs will be hot, fluffy, and lightly coated with butter, perfect to eat alone or with a slice of toast.

Enjoy!

Small Spaces: Livin' in NYC

I like what this homeowner has done with his 178 square foot Brooklyn apartment. Although I'm not sure I subscribe to his 'the more stuff you put in the room, the bigger it seems'. I think a happy medium will prevent a small space from looking like a good candidate for an episode of Hoarders.



I do want that bed though. See the rest of the apartment here.

via Home by Sunset

images via The New York Times

Hanging Groups of Photos Easily

Nothing fills a wall with more personality that a grouping of family photos. However, many people find hanging the pictures challenging, especially when you are dealing with multiple sizes and frame types. Here is how to do it accurately and easily.

Supplies Needed:
Paper (I use freezer paper, like they wrap meat in, but any rolled paper will do, even some old and ugly wrapping paper, just use the white side)
Pencil
Scotch tape
Hammer
Nails (Invest in a box. They are cheap and a box will last you for years!)

Roll out the paper, lay a photo upside down on top. Trace around frame and cut out paper. Place your finger at the top of the paper where the middle of the photo hanger hits. Move the photo over until the edge of the frame aligns with your finger. Measure down to where the hanger is (or where the nail would need to go, however you want to think about it.) Draw a dot large enough to easily see on the paper. I also write a brief description of the photo so there is no confusion when it is time to hang. This also allows you to "theme" groups of pictures if you so choose.

After you have done this with all of the pictures it is time to go to the wall where you will be hanging them. Hang the paper in a pattern that you like with scotch tape. Using a small amount of tape makes them easy to move and adjust to get just the right layout. Once you have the papers in a pattern you like, hammer the nails right through the dot you made on the paper. Once all of your nails are in place, remove the papers one at a time and hang the pictures as you go.

When you are done you will have created a wonderful collage that will entertain your guests and beautify your home.

Perfect Lemon Chicken

I'm having a little party next Sunday so I started experimenting with foods that could be eaten with a toothpick, of course this would also make a great entree. Here is what I came up with:

4 chicken breasts
2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp grapeseed or vegetable oil
6 tbsp flour
Cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper
Juice of 2 large lemons, between 1/2 and 3/4 cup
4 tbsp sugar
Ground allspice
Cinnamon

Mix lemon juice, sugar, 2 shakes allspice, 2 shakes cinnamon, 4 shakes cayenne, salt and pepper; set aside.

Cut chicken into large cubes. Put flour, 2 shakes cayenne, salt and pepper in a gallon ziploc bag. Add chicken and shake to coat well.

Melt butter and oil over med/high heat in sauce pan. When it gets warm, add chicken cubes, picking them from the bag so as not to add too much flour. If the first one doesn't sizzle when it hits the pan, wait until pan gets hotter before adding the rest.

Cook chicken on all sides until it is golden brown. It should soak up all the butter and oil. Once it's golden brown, pour lemon juice mixture in and toss to coat. Cook until sauce thickens.

Serve as an appetizer or over rice as an entree. Enjoy!

Hot Buttered Rum

This is an old classic that we just recently tried. It is perfect for a chilly evening. It is one of those amazing drinks that spreads warmth throughout your body from the first sip. My favorite part of making it was hearing my friend say "Did you just put a tablespoon of butter in my drink?"

I buy my cinnamon in large sticks from the Chinese market. For about three dollars you get the equivalent of over a dozen of those little jars and by breaking off pieces as you need it it keeps for a very long time.

Recipe
2 oz. spiced rum
Twist of lemon peel
1 stick cinnamon
2 cloves
Boiling cider
Butter, cut into tablespoon pieces

For the cider, I find an open top tea kettle or stove top percolator without the insert is the perfect way to heat it. It will fill your house with a wonderful aroma while you keep it at a simmer for serving throughout the evening. I use Simply Apple Juice, a stick of cinnamon, 4 cloves, and a twist of lemon. If you don't use all that you have prepared, strain it and it will keep very well in the refrigerator until the next cold night.

In a heavy mug, add rum, lemon peel, cinnamon and cloves. Top off with cider and float a pat of butter on the top. Serve with a spoon for stirring.

Be prepared, everyone will want seconds.

The Perfect Roast Chicken

To me there is nothing as simple or impressive to bring to the table than a perfectly roasted chicken. It is an easy main dish to prepare and can be left unchecked for an hour while you do other things.

I don't use a roasting rack for my bird and I do not truss. If serving the chicken as is, I will use some stale bread in the bottom of the pan to elevate the bird. If I want to make gravy, I will line the pan with some weak celery or some coarsely chopped onions. I have even used apples as the base; this is a great way to clean out anything that is a little too "aged" from your fridge. I do not truss my bird because I want every inch of crispy skin possible. When finished the meat will be super juicy, infused with fresh herb flavor, and will fall off the bone.

Recipe
One whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry
One half cup butter, softened
Salt and Pepper
One quarter onion
Mixed fresh herbs (In this picture I have used tarragon, marjoram, and rosemary)
Something to line the pan

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line your roasting pan, or 9 x 13 baking pan, with something to elevate the bird. Rub every inch of the bird with softened butter, pretend you are massaging it. You want a complete coating so the juices are sealed in. Put herbs and onion into the cavity of the chicken. Set chicken in pan, trussed or untrussed, breast up and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
Put in oven and set timer for 55 minutes. Check your bird at 55 minutes. When the chicken is a beautiful golden brown it is done, no basting necessary. You can check it with a thermometer, but if your oven is properly calibrated I guarantee your chicken is ready.

Let the chicken rest for about ten minutes before carving. I prefer to carve my chicken in six pieces, keeping the thigh and leg attached.

Mojito

In these trying economic times I am finding that making fancy drinks at home is a great way to save money. Then when you do go out to the bar you can just sip on a two dollar beer.

This is a fun drink to make and impresses everyone you serve it to. Find fresh mint at your local farmers market (I pay $1.50 for a huge bunch), cut off the bottom of the stems and store it in the fridge in a plastic container with an inch of water in the bottom. It will keep for over a week.

Simple syrup is easy to make, but for such a small quantity I find it much easier to buy it premade at Trader Joe's. I've been working off the same bottle in my refrigerator for more than a month.

Recipe

2 oz. gold rum

1 spoonful simple syrup (two cups sugar, one cup water)

Juice of 1 lime (must be fresh to preserve flavor of the drink)

Soda water

Mint leaves

Muddle about 20 leaves with simple syrup in the bottom of a highball glass. Add rum and lime juice, fill glass with ice and top off with soda water. Serve with a straw .

Enjoy!

Collecting Sets

I am a collector. I love "sets"! Although an olio of one offs can be a sublime decor, I prefer displays of sets. I think maybe it is because you can spend some time and be thoughtful with each group, rather than just be over run by object after object after object. Does that make sense? In a way, it is making your space like an onion. If someone wants they can look at it as a bulb, but if they prefer they can peel away the layers to reveal more. Whereas if nothing goes with anything else they are just simply looking at a pile of minced.

Anyway, I also love nostalgia so I was so happy when my mother discovered these wonderful old spices in my grandmothers kitchen. FYI, if this is what your spice cabinet looks like naturally, you need to throw out and start over because you are seasoning your food with old bits of plant dust at this point. Actually, don't throw them out, but repurpose them into a fun nostalgic vignette in your kitchen. That's what I did with my grandmothers, and I think the addition of the Commemorative Andy Warhol soup cans really turns it into quite the little display asking the question "Art/Food, Food/Art?"

So the next time you are out at the goodwill store or down the street at a garage sale, consider buying all of the egg plates or ceramic vegetables or salt and pepper shakers rather than just one. They will be so much more dynamic as a team on display than as a lonely single.

Planning For Last Minute Guests

I love to entertain. It is definitely in the top three of things I like doing, just after reading and pet keeping. I will more often than not beg off on an invitation to go out to the latest hotspot nightclub, or even to the movies, but ask to come over and I will pull together something to eat and give the house a quick "sprucing" and be happy as a clam all the while. I never say no to someone coming over. What could be greater than getting to enjoy the pleasure of the company of a friend without ever having to leave your house.

Anyway, Jackie and her husband Henry came over for dinner the other day. It was fairly last minute, so I did not have days to plan a menu or theme for the evening. I work at Target, so when presented with needing to feed people at the last minute, it takes some creativity to come up with a cohesive menu based on the few raw ingredients I sell at the store and what I know I have in my fridge and pantry.

Thankfully, I have two guinea pigs who eat nothing but fresh veggies so I knew I had a whole head of romaine in the fridge. Also, I had just read the latest issue of Everyday Food from Martha Stewart so I knew I could cobble together a Penne Bolognese substituting ground beef for ground turkey. The menu in the magazine included a recipe for a feta cheese salad dressing, and I had feta left over from my last dinner party. I grabbed a package of Alexia frozen dinner rolls (there was a time and day when I used to bake my own breads, but unless I have serious time on my hands these days I "get real" with myself and go for high quality store bought breads), and created a garlic butter spread which Jackie flipped for.

Garlic Butter Spread

4 to 5 cloves pressed garlic

1 tbsp dried parsely (or fresh, but remember, we are cooking on the fly here)
1 stick real butter (use the real thing and live every once in a while damn it!)

Before you prepare the rest of your meal, put the stick of butter, parsely, and garlic in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set on the stove top near where you are cooking so the butter can soften. Towards the end of your prep, mash the softened butter with the garlic and parsely, transfer to a pretty bowl or ramekin and pop into the fridge until you are ready to serve the meal. The butter will have set back up just enough to give you a wonderfully flavorful spread for your hot bread and your friend, who normally doesn't eat that much, will have finished four rolls before she even knows what happened.

As for the table, I first picked out my placemats, because if you are like me they are not all immediately accessible. So I grabbed some fun, light and springy yellow and green Vera placemats and then began to set the table. Now I have an eclectic collection of Fiestaware so as I started to set the table, I realized I could do something resembling a theme using just my yellow and green pieces and my large yellow Pyrex mixing bowl to serve the salad. It was an easy table to set, but by putting just a little thought into it it looked like I had spent quite a while fussing over it.

So that is my process for throwing a last minute dinner party. I hope my thought patterns can help you plan your menu and your limited time the next time you have friends agree to drop by without multiple days warning.

Plugging Away - Purex Complete 3-in-1

So the Federal Trade Commission announced Monday that they would begin fining bloggers who do not disclose if they are being paid for products or services they are endorsing "in a conspicuous manner within the frame of the blog". The new rules roll out December 1st and could result in fines of up to $11,000 per incident.

Anyway, I can assure you that I am not being paid to endorse this product. I am simply an average joe customer who has fallen in love with the ease and effectiveness of Purex 3-in-1 sheets. If you haven't seen them yet, they are a sheet that contains your laundry detergent, fabric softener, and dryer sheet all in one. You simply throw the sheet in with your wash and transfer it to your dryer. They are amazing, reasonably priced, come in two varieties, Regular and Allergen Free, and after you try them you will never, ever lug around a hulking bottle of laundry detergent ever again.

Oh, and by the way, why do they still make powdered laundry detergent? It is less effective and builds up in your washer. The only thing it is good for is scrubbing oil spots off of driveways (like how I tossed that little nugget of helpfulness in there?). Are there really that many people who need to fly with laundry detergent that we still need to sell it in powdered form? If you are out there and still using a powder, Stop! Save the lugging, spills, and general nuisance for something else. Go buy Purex 3-in-1 sheets.

Road Trips - Hiking Guide

I'm going to wrap up the Road Trip theme posts now with my favorite must haves from this last trip out to Utah.

1. Camelbak Hydration Pack – this pack holds 100 ounces of water, perfect for those long hikes and mountain bike rides. It expands as well so you can put in that extra waterproof jacket as well as your keys, wallet or mobile phone.

2. Adidas Response Sleevless Tee - $26 – I packed three of these tanks for the trip and they are great since they wick and absorb sweat like nobody’s business (I also use them for long distance running). You can also launder them in the hotel room with cold water and Woolite™ so no need to pack a lot of cotton tees that will prevent proper cooling.

3. Vasque Women's Mantra Hiking Shoe - $89.95 – BEST HIKING SHOES EVER. I’ve put so many miles on these shoes and they are still in great condition. No blisters or bruised toes. Breathable, comfortable and cushioned soles with every step. And more importantly, they are not pink or purple.

4. Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 55 - $38– This is one of the few sunscreens that doesn’t cause me to break out. It’s light and not terribly greasy.

5. Ray Ban - Original Wayfarer Sunglasses - $109 – Great coverage and they come in all colors.

Lists and Notes

I know that in this day and age of Blackberries, PDA's, notebook computers, and cell phones, a paper list might seem a bit old fashioned. But I love them! The picture above is a grouping of lists I collected from around my house that I am currently ticking off. There is something wonderful in the tangibility of a list that you can work through, and then toss when complete. It gives a finality to chores, shopping, tasks, etc.

Every man I have ever dated has laughed at my lists. But talk to my friends and ask them when the last time was that I forgot a birthday or was out of a key ingredient while preparing for a party.

I can ignore a beep from my phone without even thinking about it, but at the end of the day when I feel the cool smooth of that piece of paper in my pocket I remember that there is something I need to do!