A Breakfast Bruschetta

Let's face it I am not a morning person and never have been. I wake up early but I don't get on with my day until I have my second cup of coffee around 10 am! I wake up in a good mood now, but I wasn't always that way, I used to be a real grouch in the morning. When I was growing up, it was my Dad's job to wake us up for school but he would just enter my bedroom and wiggle my foot until I woke up. I think he was afraid to come any closer!

Sunday is a special day and we have an unwritten rule that Sundays are personal days. On Sundays every one gets to do whatever they want as long as it doesn't interfere with anyone else's personal Sunday plans. And I always wake up in a very good mood on Sunday! Sometimes I just work on my genealogy research, catch up on my reading or watch reruns of Bonanza or Gunsmoke. But once in a while I am ambitious and make Sunday Brunch.





Breakfast Bruschetta
Recipe by BigBlackDog

3 whole English Muffins, split
2 c. fresh Spinach, cleaned
1 small tomato, diced
1/3 c. fresh Sweet Red Pepper, diced
4 Green Onions, chopped
1 clove of Garlic, minced
2-3 slices of bacon, crispy fried
3 eggs, scrambled
1 TBL EVOO, (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 c shredded Mozzarella cheese or any white cheese
Salt and freshly ground Pepper
Tad of Hot Hungarian Paprika, Basil or Tarragon

1. Break up the Crispy Bacon into 1/2" pieces
2. In a skillet heat the oil. Add spinach, bacon, garlic, sweet pepper, tomato, onions, Paprika and Tarragon or Basil and saute until spinach is wilted. Remove spinach mixture and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, scramble the eggs until just fluffy. Set aside.

To assemble the Breakfast Bruschetta:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place the split muffins on the sheet.
2. Put 2-3 TBL of Spinach mix on each English Muffin
3. Place 2 TBL of Scrambled Eggs on top of Spinach.
4. Sprinkle with shredded Mozzarella
5. Pop the baking sheet under the Broiler until the cheese is melted, about 1-2 minutes.





Sourdough English Muffins
Recipe developed by BigBlackDog

Makes about 12 regular sized muffins

1/2 c. sourdough starter (You could use 1 pkg yeast)
1 c. scalded milk
2 3/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 TBL honey
1 tsp baking soda

Semolina or cornmeal, for dusting

In a small sauce pan scald milk and set aside to cool.

Combine sourdough starter and cooled milk in a large bowl. Gradually add 2 c. flour. Stir to combine, cover with plastic wrap, and leave out for at least 4 hours or you can make it the night before and let it rise over night. The longer the rise, the stronger the sourdough flavor.

After the rise add salt and baking soda and mix well.

I form my English muffins free hand. Just taking a slight 1/2 c. of dough, forming it into a muffin shape and flattening it with my hands. Or you can roll out to 3/4" and cut with a biscuit cutter into rounds.

Spray griddle or skillet lightly with spray oil and sprinkle with semolina or cornmeal. Heat to medium, 350 degrees, and cook muffins for about 6-10 minutes on each side depending on how large you made your muffins, or until browned on the top and bottom and cooked through.

The muffins will rise while on the griddle, after the first turn I flatten them a bit with a spatula.







All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Welcome to the 7th HBinFive Bread Braid

This week for our HBinFive Bread Braid Challenge we made two very unique recipes, Avocado-Gaucamole Bread and Pesto Pine Nut Bread. Originally when I was planning the baking schedule, I thought these breads would be slightly green colored for St. Patrick's Day but as you see they are not green at all! But we enjoyed each of the breads although I do think the Pesto Pine Nut Bread was our favorite!

For the Avocado-Gaucamole Challenge I made Pulled Pork Sandwiches and All-American Cheese Burgers. And then with the Pesto Pine Nut Bread I made a Fried Egg Sandwich Deluxe with Bacon and by clicking on the below titles you can visit the posts for more information.



Pulled Pork Sammie





All-American Cheese Burger





Fried Egg Sandwich Deluxe with Bacon





If you are participating in the HBinFive Bread Braid, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general address.

Please leave a comment. Every once a while Mr. Linky flies the coop and we can then find your photos by clicking on the comment links.

Don't forget to copy and paste the HBinFive Badge in your Bread Braid post or somewhere on your FB Page. Or you can mention HBinFive but your blog post must be identified with HBinFive.

Please be sure to link back to the host blog, Big Black Dog, so your fellow bloggers who are participating today, will get lots of visits, as well.

Please do not add your link below until your HBinFive post or pictures are actually published.

***If any HBinFive member is concerned about linking up to the Bread Braid Gadget please send an email to me at ms dot bigblackdog at gmail dot com with your name and the URL of your pictures and I will link you up as soon as I can.


Please feel free to click on any of the links below and visit some of our HBinFive Members and see their wonderful interpretations of this recipe!








All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Easy Fried Rice

So far so good with my Ten in 10 Challenge. I was at the gym three times last week and I would have been there four times if there hadn't been a blizzard last Thursday! But it snowed for hours and there was no way I was going make it to the gym. But I did workout by shoveling a 2' wide path to our barn, does that count? I expected to be a little sore but I actually felt much more energetic then I have in months.

I have to admit, I'm surprised at how tasty some of the low calorie recipes have been so far. The Mussels with Tarragon Cream I made last week was very good and this week I made another Weight Watchers recipe, Easy Fried Rice which I enjoyed very much! I did add 1 clove of minced Garlic which is only 4 calories so not a biggie. I also substituted 4 Green Onions for the Scallions and I did cut down the Soy Sauce to about a 1 TBL which was plenty.







Easy Fried Rice
Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup scallions, sliced, divided (I used 4 Green Onions cut into coins)
3 cups cooked white rice
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, or to taste (I used abt 1 TBL soy sauce)
2 spray(s) cooking spray

My additions:
1 clove of garlic, minced

POINTS Value: 3
Serving: 6 @ 3/4 c. each

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; warm pan over medium-high heat. Add eggs; tilt pan so that eggs cover bottom.

When eggs start to set, break them up into pieces with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon. Cook until eggs are cooked through, about 1 minute more; remove eggs them from skillet and set aside.

Off heat, recoat same skillet with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat. Add carrots and all but 2 tablespoons scallions and add garlic if you decide to use it; sauté until carrots are crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in cooked rice, peas and soy sauce; cook until heated through, stirring once or twice, about 1 minute. Gently stir in cooked egg and remaining scallions; heat through.










If you're interested in joining the Ten in 10 Challenge please contact Lori at RecipeGirl!




All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

TFF - Salmon Potato Hash

This week for Tyler Florence Fridays I decided to make Salmon Potato Hash. My market sells salmon sausage which is a pork casing stuffed with fresh salmon. I bought a package some time ago and Mr. Tastebud's has said, more then once, "when are you going to use up this salmon sausage"! It was time to use it for something.

This was a scrumptiously delicious dish! There was nothing leftover and we nearly licked the plates clean. I would love to make this dish substituting the salmon sausage for salmon fillet or a mild Italian sausage.





Salmon Potato Hash
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

1 (2-pound) center-cut, skin-on, salmon fillet
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh dill, for garnish (I used chopped green onion stems)

Hash:
About 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 russet potatoes, rinsed in water and cut into large dice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced (skipped)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (skipped)
Pinch cayenne pepper (skipped)

Egg:
Water
White vinegar
4 to 6 large organic farm fresh eggs

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

For the Salmon:
Place the salmon on a large baking sheet skin-side down. Drizzle salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes until flaky. Transfer to a cutting board.

For the Hash:
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Once heated add the potatoes and shallow-fry for about 8 minutes until evenly browned on all sides. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and place onto a paper towel-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large bowl.

Using 2 forks, flake the salmon, removing it in chunks from the skin, and fold into the potatoes.

Remove most of the oil, leaving only a couple of tablespoons. Place over medium heat and add the sliced onions, sliced peppers and garlic and allow to caramelize. Add the green onions, thyme leaves, paprika and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Add the potatoes back to the pan and stir to combine.

For the Eggs:
Place a large sauté pan with high sides over medium heat and fill with a few inches of water. Heat until just below a simmer. Add a splash of white vinegar and using a wooden spoon, stir the water in 1 direction to create a small whirlpool. Crack the eggs and add, 1 at a time, to the spinning water. Allow to poach until desired doneness. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.

To Serve:
Place the salmon-potato hash on serving plates or serving platter and top with the eggs. Pour Hollandaise sauce over the eggs and garnish dill (I used chopped green onion stems as garnish). Season with salt and pepper, to taste.



Hollandaise Sauce
Recipe adapted from "Tested, Tried and True" by The Junior League of Flint, MI

3 to 4 egg yolks (I always use 3 yolks)
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBL lemon juice
1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
Dash of Tabasco (I usually skip the Tabasco)

Put yolks, lemon juice and seasoning in blender and blend for about 30 seconds. Melt butter in microwave. With the blender on, pour a thin, steady stream of melted butter into the blender. Viola...it's done and delicious!






Please visit Tyler Florence Fridays and see what the rest of Tyler's groupies are up too this week.





All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Casatiello and a Nest

From Italian Baking Secrets; This spicy bread flicked with chunks of salami and freshly ground pepper, was usually made for Easter in the countryside of Naples, but it is now eaten year-round except during the steamy months of summer. The traditional Casatiello was a peppery rustic bread, shaped like a large doughnut and with eggs still in the shell held in place on top with two crossed hands of dough.





Do you remember Home Economics? When I was in Middle School we had to take Home Economics and I hated it. My Mom sewed everything I wore so sewing was nothing new for me. And knitting, well I made my first sweater when I was 10 years old, so really did not need any help in that department either. And as for cooking, it was better then sewing but not by much. The very first thing I ever made in Home Economics was Eggs in a Nest and I specifically remember this dish because it was about the only thing we made that year that I liked.





The Casateillo Bread was an easy bread to make and I loaded it with salami and Provolone cheese, at least a cup of each. The bread baked beautifully but I thought it would be a real powerhouse of flavor and it was rather subtle. But as soon as I tasted it, I thought of that long ago, silly Home Economics class and Eggs in a Nest. It's always so funny how flavors stir memories and the memories are so crystal clear.





Eggs in a Nest
Recipe from my memories of a long ago Home Economics Class

1 whole piece of soft bread
1 egg
1 TBL EVOO
1 tsp butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper


Cut a circle out of the middle of a piece of bread, careful to leave at least 1/2" border. I used a 2" cookie cutter to cut the hole.

Heat EVOO in a fry pan over medium heat. Add the butter. When the butter is melted, place the piece of bread in the pan. Crack an egg into a small bowl and gently slide the egg into the hole of the bread. When the white is semi cooked, flip the bread over to grill the other side. Salt and pepper. DELICIOUS!



The following video is from the movie Moonstruck. It is the breakfast scene with Cher and Olympia Dukakis. Olympia Dukakis is making Eggs in a Nest.





Google Books has the entire book, "The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread", by Peter Reinhart, scanned and you can find the recipe on Page 128 by clicking here.



All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

A Perfect Sunday Breakfast **Eggs Benedict

I love Eggs Benedict and whenever we are on vacation and staying at a big hotel I always order it for breakfast. Unfortunately some restaurants now have a cheese sauce instead of Hollandaise which is such a shame. Hollandaise is one sauce that should never be substituted. And lately I've noticed ham is replacing Canadian Bacon. Why? I like Canadian Bacon! Also the egg is supposed to be poached with a soft yolk! How and why perfectly good recipes morph into down right awful "food on a plate" is beyond me.

I also made a new English Muffin recipe. I wanted to try a different recipe but then just whipped up a recipe on my own. Hey sometimes it's best to just do what you want and not follow a set recipe. The muffins turned out great. I made them extra large because I knew I was going to be making Eggs Benedict for our Sunday Brunch and I wanted the muffin large enough to comfortably hold two poached eggs. So these were jumbo English Muffins. But you can make them any size you want.

I've used the same Hollandaise recipe for years and I've never had one problem with curdling. In fact I never knew there was a problem with making Hollandaise until just a few years ago. So either I'm using a foolproof recipe or I've been darn lucky! I'm hoping it's the recipe!!

The Hollandaise Sauce recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, "Tested, Tried and True" by The Junior League of Flint, MI. I think this was my very first cookbook and my Mom gave it to me for Christmas one year. I've made probably close to half the recipes and have never been disappointed yet. It's out of print now but every once in a while I see a copy for sale on Ebay. I should get a new copy, one of my puppies chewed the back cover off! But this just adds to the charm...right?







Hollandaise Sauce
Recipe adapted from "Tested, Tried and True" by The Junior League of Flint, MI

3 to 4 egg yolks (I always use 3 yolks)
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBL lemon juice
1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
Dash of Tabasco (I usually skip the Tabasco)

Put yolks, lemon juice and seasoning in blender and blend for about 30 seconds. Melt butter in microwave. With the blender on, pour a thin, steady stream of melted butter into the blender. Viola...it's done and delicious!







Sourdough English Muffins
Recipe developed by Big-Black-Dog

Makes about 12 regular sized muffins

1/2 c. sourdough starter (You could use 1 pkg yeast)
1 c. scalded milk
2 3/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 TBL honey
1 tsp baking soda

Semolina or cornmeal, for dusting

In a small sauce pan scald milk and set aside to cool.

Combine sourdough starter and cooled milk in a large bowl. Gradually add 2 c. flour. Stir to combine, cover with plastic wrap, and leave out for at least 4 hours or you can make it the night before and let it rise over night. The longer the rise, the stronger the sourdough flavor.

After the rise add salt and baking soda and mix well.

I form my English muffins free hand. Just taking a slight 1/2 c. of dough, forming it into a muffin shape and flattening it with my hands. Or you can roll out to 3/4" and cut with a biscuit cutter into rounds.

Spray griddle or skillet lightly with spray oil and sprinkle with semolina or cornmeal. Heat to medium, 350 degrees, and cook muffins for about 6-10 minutes on each side depending on how large you made your muffins, or until browned on the top and bottom and cooked through.

The muffins will rise while on the griddle, after the first turn I flatten them a bit with a spatula.







Eggs Benedict
Recipe adapted from "various sources"

2 eggs per person
English Muffin, 1 recipe
3-4 slices Canadian Bacon per person
Hollandaise Sauce, 1 recipe

Garnish: Fresh fruit and parsley sprigs

Lightly fry Canadian Bacon and set aside on paper towels to drain. And cover to keep warm.

Take a small frying pan and fill it about 2/3 full of water. Bring the water to a light boil. Crack an egg into a small bowl. While swirling the water around, gently slide the egg into the swirling water. For the next egg repeat. When the egg white is firm remove with a slotted spoon and drain. See note for Microwave Poaching.

Split the English Muffin with a fork and toast. Butter each slice and place on a plate butter side up. Place 1-2 pieces of Canadian Bacon on each muffin slice. Carefully slide egg on top of bacon and top generously with Hollandaise Sauce. Garnish and serve.

NOTE: Although I've never tried this, here's a method for Poaching an Egg in the Microwave. I think I might try this method next time I need poached eggs.







All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Whisk Wednesday -- Oeufs Mollets Florentine

This week for Whisk Wednesdays we made Oeufs Mollets Florentine or Eggs Forentine. I love brunch and so served this on Sunday during the Chicago Bears football game and it was perfect and very, VERY good!!! I made some English Muffins the night before and as usual the English Muffins were delicious and perfect side with the eggs.




Oeufs Mollets Florentine
Recipe adapted from "Le Cordon Bleu at Home"

12 eggs (I used 4 eggs)
Salt
2 lbs of spinach (I used 1 lb but should have used more!)
5 TBL butter

Mornay Sauce:
1 TBL butter
2 TBL flour
1 c. cold milk
salt
white pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 egg yolk
1/3 c. creme fraiche or heavy cream
1 oz Gruyere cheese, grated (abt 1/2 c.)

Topping:
bread crumbs
1 1/2 oz Gruyere cheese, grated


All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog