THE perfect over medium egg!!

Do you love eggs?  I do and there is nothing better than a perfect over medium egg for me.  I like my whites done and my yolks runny so I can sop them up with my toast. So many times the yolks break trying to flip the eggs, but I have finally figured it out and it is soooooooooooooo simple!
THE PERFECT “OVER MEDIUM” EGG
per egg:
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon water
salt and pepper to taste
  • Melt the butter in your pan over a medium high heat.
  • Crack eggs into the butter.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • When whites begin to solidify add the water and cover.
  • The rest of this is a matter of watching closely.  When the whites are done they will no longer jiggle.  Turn off the heat immediately and your yolks will be perfect.
  • Serve with your favorite toast.

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Korean Pancakes

I don’t know if other foodie bloggers find themselves, looking for new recipes, rather than making old favorites. I do. I love to try new recipes and see what turns out. No matter what the recipe tells me is going to happen, I really never know what I am going to turn out with. By now, you know, I tend to make changes in recipes. Oh, I have good reasons, like not having a necessary ingredient, or I may not like a particular ingredient or time causes a change in the method. The fun is in the doing and meeting new challenges and seeing the results. This is one of those recipes. The final results are definitely not what Emeril had in mind and not what I had in mind. Despite this, the resulting dish was filled with flavor and had an unexpected texture.
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
3 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce – gluten-free
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 frozen chili cube
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons lightly toasted sesame seeds 
½ teaspoon sugar
pancakes:
9 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 bunch scallions, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut into 2 inch lengths
4 ounces mushrooms, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups gluten-free flour mixture
1 ½ cups water
2 eggs
Method:
Make the sauce by combining the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, chili, garlic powder, sesame seeds and sugar in a small bowl, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside while you make the pancakes.
In a medium sauté pan over medium high heat, add 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil.
Next, add the scallions and mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms begin to wilt, about 3 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, water, and eggs and mix gently until just combined.
Add the cooked scallions, mushrooms, and salt and fold together briefly just to combine.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and, when hot, coat with 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil.
Add ½ of the pancake batter and use a spoon to spread into a 6 to 8-inch circle, trying to get the filling ingredients as evenly spread out as possible.
Cook the pancake about 4 minutes.
Once the pancake has begun to set and is golden brown on the bottom, flip the pancake to the other side, pressing with a spatula to compress ingredients.
Cook until golden brown on the second side, about 2 minutes longer, transfer to a warm plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm while you prepare the remaining pancakes.
Once all the pancakes have been cooked, cut into wedges and serve warm with the dipping sauce in small bowls for dipping.
Yield: 4 large pancakes or 10 appetizer servings 
Where I went wrong: Four minutes is a long time to cook a thin pancake and mine did not even change color at four minutes. I had this pale, emaciated pancake staring at me and telling me to cook it longer. I did. When it changed to a golden color, I turned it and cooked the other side until it became golden, also, longer than the prescribed two minutes. What happened, was those soft pancakes, hardened and became deliciously crisp. I know , this is not the way, they should be, but they were almost like a favorable cracker but not that crisp. The veggies were soft so I ended up with a crispy pancake with soft vegetables. Everyone ate them and my husband did his usual, mentioned that they were spicy. That was from the chili cube. Spicy is good in this recipe but if you are not a spicy lover, eliminate the chili flavoring. I am getting more and more used to spicy flavoring and like some of them. I have to say, my hubby was a doll, and took seconds. I am hoping, in time, he will adjust to a bit more spice, in his food. In the meanwhile, I modify, most times.
Please visit me at the Comfy Cook and My Sweet and Savory.
Don’t forget to link up to My Meatless Mondays.

Cheese Latkes

            For more recipes, join me at Comfy Cook and My Sweet and Savory

Cheese Latkes – This comes from the Holiday Series on My Sweet and Savory.  I was looking at some of the pancake recipes, I had posted on my blogs and saw cheese latkes and felt hunger pangs.  I decided to share with you since, I was not going to cook.
I happen to love cheese latkes. For those of you, who do not use the word latkes, try pancakes. There is something heartwarming about pancakes. It brings back memories of when my children were little and pancakes were a Sunday morning breakfast, particularly “puzzle pancakes.” There will be a photo below. That was the part of making pancakes that was fun, creating shapes that looked like animals or familiar objects. Sometimes, we didn’t know until the pancake was on the plate, what it turned out to be, if anything. The ones, below had no significance to me but if you find something in them, do share.
Although I found this recipe on Goldmine.com, it comes from one of my favorite cookbooks and chances are that I have made these, several times, over the years. The book is a big purple hard covered book which is well worn and it is called, Spice and Spirit, The Complete Kosher Cookbook. There are good solid recipes in the book and has been a go-to book up until I began my journey to learn how to cook gluten free. Then, I expanded and picked up a few gluten-free books to later find, I did better with regular cookbooks, making my own adjustments.
As a result, I built a new library (small but good for me) and attempted to get books by many of the cooks we bake or cook “with” online. Today, I got the best one, so far, Baking, from my home to yours, by Dorie Greenspan. I thought I would sit down and put a sticky on a few pages that caught my eye. I found that every page had a great recipe and that the sticky solution is not a solution, with this book. I think now, I will look at the recipes, that Tuesdays with Dorie has used, and make some of them.

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup cottage cheese, drained   (use Ricotta for a more refined taste)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used a gluten-free mix)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup oil for frying
Method:
Place all the ingredients except oil together in a large bowl. Mix until smooth.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in a skillet.
Using a large spoon, drop the batter into hot oil.
Fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.
Continue until the batter is used up, adding oil when necessary.  The latkes may be served topped with sour cream, applesauce or maple syrup. (I went for the maple syrup. Hubby ate them plain.)
These make a good weekend breakfast, a lunch dish, even a snack.

Apple Fritters

I am looking forward to seeing you at Comfy Cook and at My Sweet and Savory.
Don’t forget
MyMeatlessMondays
I made these fritters or pancakes during the holiday of Passover which is why I  used potato starch.  I would guess, you can sub in AP flour.  Apples, especially cooked are delicious and some of my best desserts are made with apples.  These fritters could have been blueberry, banana, peaches or whatever your favorite fruit is but apples felt right to me. These make a good breakfast, lunch, snack or even light dinner.  They are easy to make and good to eat.
Apple Fritters – Passover Style
Ingredients:
4 apples, sliced, chopped or shredded
4 eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup potato starch
oil to fry in

Method:
Place oil in large skillet (12 inch).

I tried slicing the apples first because I like the fritters to be chunky but they would not fry consistently so I changed over to putting them in the food processor with the eggs, beating the eggs and chopping the apples, at the same time.
Add sugar, potato starch and cinnamon to to egg mix.
Mix well.
Drop by tablespoons or if you have a cookie scoop (small) use that and drop batter into hot skillet.
Brown on both sides.
Remove onto paper towels to drain.
Eat or place into baking pan for later use.
Enjoy!

RICOTTA PANCAKES

  2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  2 teaspoons baking powder
  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  2 large eggs, separated
  2 cups milk
  1/2 cup ricotta, well drained
  1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • Set ricotta in a fine mesh strainer about 30 minutes before you start cooking, to drain off excess liquid.
  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
  • Combine ricotta, milk, egg yolks and vanilla in a separate bowl.
  • Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta and milk mixture, stirring gently until just combined.
  • Whisk in a small amount of the egg whites to lighten the batter, then fold in the remaining whites.
  • Heat a griddle over medium-high heat, and brush the surface with butter.
  • Use a ladle or measuring scoop to pour batter onto the griddle. Cook pancakes for about 3 or 4 minutes, then flip, cooking until both sides are golden brown.
  • Spread lemon curd between pancakes and dust with powdered sugar or serve with syrup and/or fruit.

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Paula’s Smashed Potato Pancakes

I had blueberry pancakes, the other day, and they were delicious which brought me to thinking of making June, pancake month at Cooking with Chaya.  Everyone loves pancakes and there are so many variations on the simple pancake.
I am starting with Paula Deen’s Smashed Potato Pancakes.
Smashed Potato Cake Paula Deen About 14 cakes
6 cups cubed (1-inch) Yukon gold potatoes
1/2 cups panko, divided I used about one cup of corn meal
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon not kosher
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup butter was not necessary for us
1/4 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Method:
In a large pot, combine potatoes and add water to cover.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender.
Drain well and mash.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes, cornmeal, egg, cheese, onion, butter, sour cream, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Form potatoes into 3-inch patties; dredge in remaining panko.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Add potato patties, and cook, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until brown and crisp.
Serve immediately.

BAKED EGG & HAM CUPS

BAKED EGG & HAM CUPS

PER PERSON
4 slices deli ham
2 eggs
grated cheddar cheese
  • Preheat oven 400 degrees.
  • Spray a muffin pan with PURE.
  • Place pan in oven to heat.
  • Line each muffin slot with 2 slices of ham.
  • Crack an egg into each ham cup.
  • Salt and pepper.
  • Bake 10 minutes.
  • Top with cheese.
  • Bake 5 more minutes.

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BAKED EGG & HAM CUPS

BAKED EGG & HAM CUPS

PER PERSON
4 slices deli ham
2 eggs
grated cheddar cheese
  • Preheat oven 400 degrees.
  • Spray a muffin pan with PURE.
  • Place pan in oven to heat.
  • Line each muffin slot with 2 slices of ham.
  • Crack an egg into each ham cup.
  • Salt and pepper.
  • Bake 10 minutes.
  • Top with cheese.
  • Bake 5 more minutes.

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CROQUE MADAME at ALWAYS EAT ON THE GOOD CHINA

Chris over at Nibble Me This made Croque Madame recently. It intrigues me so much I have been researching its origins and thought I’d share with you. I LOVE wikipedia – if you have a question, they have an answer!
To understand the Croque Madame we need a bit of history. A croque-monsieur is a hot ham and cheese grilled sandwich. The most typical cheese is gruyère. It originated in France as a fast-food snack served in cafés and bars. More elaborate versions come coated in a Mornay or Béchamel sauce. The name is based on the verb croquer (“to crunch”) and the word monsieur (“mister”)—the reason behind the combination of the two words is unclear—and is colloquially shortened to croque. While the origins of the croque-monsieur are unknown, there are many speculations on how it was first originated. The croque-monsieur’s first recorded appearance on a Parisian café menu was in 1910. Its earliest published use has been traced back to volume two of Proust’s In search of lost time.
A croque-monsieur served with a fried egg or poached egg on top is known as a croque-madame. The noted French chef Jacques Pepin also makes a version using chicken instead of ham, which he demonstrated in the “Our Favorite Sandwiches” episode on the PBS series (and its coordinating cookbook of the same title) Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home in which he worked with Julia Child. Many dictionaries attribute the name to the egg resembling an old fashioned woman’s hat. According to the Petit Robert dictionary, the name dates to around 1960.

So head on over to ALWAYS EAT ON THE GOOD CHINA for this great and easy recipe!

French Market Beignet Doughnuts – Real ones this Time



Look Closely…


Photo above…


And Below…





Remember last week


Dave here from MY YEAR ON THE GRILLI was ashamed that I declared… I CAN COOK THAT! But then, who couldn’t???  I actually bragged about opening a tube of dough and whipping cheater Beignets off in a matter of minutes.


I was ashamed, the guilt was over powering and I confessed… Today I want to finish the cycle of penance and give an authentic recipe for those delightful little breakfast snacks.

Fortunately, Mary at DEEP SOUTH DISH, had already provided a recipe for FRENCH MARKET BEIGHET DOUGHNUTS on her site!


Anyone who has ever visited New Orleans has a warm spot in their heart for these beauties.  Been a goal for awhile to learn to make authentic French market (OK, Cafe du monde) style Beignets.  Here’s Mary’s recipe…

French Market Beignet Doughnuts
Posted at http://www.deepsouthdish.com

1 envelope of yeast
1/4 cup of warm water
4 cups of sifted flour
2 tablespoons of shortening
1/3 cup of boiling water
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of evaporated milk
1 egg, beaten
Powdered sugar, sifted

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set aside. Sift the flour and set aside. Pour the boiling water over the shortening and stir until the shortening is melted.

Preheat deep fryer to 360 degrees. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of the sifted flour with the sugar and salt, melted shortening, milk, egg, and yeast mixture. Add enough additional flour to form a shaggy dough. Sometimes you will need all of the flour, sometimes you’ll need less – depends on the weather, rain, humidity, etc. in my opinion! Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll thin – somewhere between 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch thick. Using a  pizza wheel, cut the dough into 2-inch squares. Drop into hot fryer and brown on one side until golden, flip and brown on the other side. Remove and drain on paper towels, sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar and serve immediately with a cup of café au lait.

Makes between 30 and 40, depending on how thick you roll them.


I did cut the recipe in half, made plenty for the two of us…



And they came out great…



My penance is now complete, I can indeed cook authentic scratch Beignets.

FLUFFY BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

As my good friend Martha over at Menagerie tells me, storm days are perfect “CAVE” days. Days to just snuggle in and do nothing or better yet ONLY what you WANT to do! Today is one of those days as we batten down the hatches for what they tell us will be a “significant late season storm“. The temperature has dropped almost 20 degrees and the wind is blowing almost 60 miles an hour so I decided brunch was in order – a comfort brunch that is. Hot, fluffy buttermilk pancakes! Hubby likes to top them with molasses, but I love my homemade maple syrup.

The key to fluffy pancakes is not to over mix the batter.
Do NOT beat it smooth.
You should have some small lumps.

FLUFFY BUTTERMILK PANCAKES
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • Heat griddle to 375 degrees.
  • Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar into a medium bowl.
  • Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps.
  • Using a 1/2 cup measure, pour pancake batter about 2 inches away from each other.
  • When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over.
  • Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.
  • Repeat with remaining batter, keeping finished pancakes warm.
  • Serve with homemade maple syrup.

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STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE




Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker is our Friday baker at OUR KrAzY kitchen. She posted a recipe for Sour cream coffee cake last week that is one that she is trying to duplicate from her SIL. It looked and sounded like my grams old recipe that I told her I’d dig out grams recipe for her and then I decided to go a step further and make it and do a post to highlight the good and yummy flavors. You get a light fluffy cake and ooey gooey streusel – YUMMY!

Grams old recipe calls for Bisquick and I no longer use it for health reasons, but make my own so I will include that recipe too.

STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE
CAKE
2 cups bisquick
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons oil

STREUSEL
1 cup bisquick
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons-2 tablespoons cinnamon(based on flavor preference)
4 tablespoons butter

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Generously spray 9×9 square baking dish with PAM.
  • Mix cake ingredients together until well blended.
  • Spread into baking dish, mixture will be thick.
  • Mix streusel ingredients together until fine crumbles.
  • Spread over the cake. With a knife gently cut a star into the cake to gently press some streusel into the cake.
  • Bake 20-30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

HOMEMADE BISQUICK
4 ½ cups sifted flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter
½ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup powdered milk**

  • Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
  • Sift again 2-3 times in a large bowl.
  • Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until the mixture is similar to cornmeal.
  • Add dry milk.
  • Use in recipes that call for Bisquick or all-purpose mix.

**you can skip this ingredient if your recipe calls for any kind of milk, not water.
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