Poached Eggs and Hardboiled Eggs: Eggs Two Ways, No Yolking

It’s been five days, and the Husband-Elect and I have successfully polished off our haul from last week’s trip to the Farmer’s Market. (Friends helped.) While we appreciated the ground beef, liked the bacon very much, and freakin’ loved the bread, the highlight of our booty (heh) was undoubtedly the carton of eggs. The EGGS. Who knew?

Lemme explain.

Okay, you know how supermarket eggs are? Runny, pale yellow yolks with flimsy whites and shells that break if you look at them the wrong way? Farmer’s market eggs are not like that at all. They have bright orange yolks with a silky, almost syrupy texture. They have substantive whites you can actually bite into. They have thick, brownish shells that seem almost twice as hard as store-bought eggs.

But best of all, they’re not just eggs. They’re EGGS. They taste like the eggs you remember as a kid. Or like regular eggs, turned up to 11. Or like eggs on ‘roids. (Alex Rodregguez?) If supermarket eggs are regular humans, farmer’s market eggs are the X-Men – regular humans, but way better. Like with claws and telekinesis and stuff.

I prepared our EGGS two ways this past weekend: poached and hard-boiled. Neither method uses oil, butter or cream, which cuts down on the fat. And the techniques – one from The Kitchn, the other from Chocolate & Zucchini – are basically foolproof. I’m an idiot when it comes to hardboiling, and Clotilde’s way hasn’t failed me yet. I owe her something in return. Perhaps a really good egg?

I do need to mention: today I learned there may be an issue with pasteurization and farm-fresh eggs. If you’re nervous, you might want to avoid the poaching and skip ahead to hardboiling. Either way, you’ll feel eggscellent in the end. Eggstra special. Eggceptional, even. (Sorry.)

Whirlpool-Style Poached Eggs
Makes 1 serving
Adapted from The Kitchn.

1 egg
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

1) Add 1 quart of water, salt, and vinegar to a medium pot. Bring it to a boil. Drop heat to medium-low and simmer, making sure the bubbles remain pretty low-key. Using a slotted spoon, create a gentle whirlpool in the pot.

2) Get out a teacup and crack your egg into that cup. Very gently, lower the teacup into the whirlpool and set the egg free. It should migrate to the middle of the pot. 

3) Cook the egg 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. (Try not to go over.) Gently remove egg with your slotted spoon, and let some of the water drip back into the pan. Stick egg on plate. Salt and pepper to taste. Eat.

NOTE: If you’re having multiple eggs, I might do this one at a time. Otherwise … collisions. Yolk everywhere. Dogs and cats, living together. Mass hysteria.


Hardboiled Eggs
Makes 1 serving
Adapted from Chocolate & Zucchini.

1 large egg
Salt and pepper to taste

1) Get out a medium pot. Gently place the whole egg in the pot. and "cover with cold water by a 1/2-inch or so." Put it on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high. Once it starts boiling, kill the heat and cover the pot. Do not touch it for 7 minutes. (No more, no less.)

2) While egg is sitting, fill a medium bowl with cold water and a few ice cubes. After 7 minutes, put the egg in the ice bath. Let it sit 3 minutes.

3) This is all from Heidi, and it's genius: "Roll egg lightly on cutting board, hard enough so shell will crack, but not so hard you mangle it." (Why did I never think of this?) Peel your egg. Add some salt and pepper. Serve. To yourself, presumably.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving for Both Dishes
74 calories, 5 g fat, $0.50

Scrumptious Scramble: Weekend, Ho!

(Hey folks – today at Serious Eats, my column’s on Chicken Paprikash from Cooking Light. S’good stuff and a solid weekday dinner. Witness, if you get the chance.)

In our house (okay, apartment), weekend mornings are sacred. Since our roommates are usually out, they’re the few times The Boyfriend and I can sit uninterrupted (except for the $%&^# dog) and talk about whatever for an hour. The conversation can and does extend to politics, food, our parents, imaginary vacation plans, or whatever. Saturday, we talked about Dungeons & Dragons and farting. Yesterday, it was string theory and whether or not the universe actually has an edge.

Since the time is so valuable, we usually prep a big spread to go along with it – pancakes, bacon, eggs, fruit, really good coffee from here – the works. It’s cheaper and more personal than going out to brunch, and you don’t run into nearly as many hipsters. (P.S. If you live in Brooklyn, but aren’t from here, and don’t think you’re a hipster … you’re definitely a hipster. Nice face, hipster.)

We tend to fall back on omelets, French toast, and whatever else doesn’t need milk (because I forgot it again), but lately, I’ve been attempting to change things up a bit. Potato and Chorizo Frittata is a recent example, as is Sweet Crespelles. This weekend, it was Ellie Krieger’s Scrumptious Scramble, the idea of which I bogarted from Serious Eats.

I like Ellie muchly, because A) her food philosophy closely mirrors my own, and B) I covet her sweater collection. She’s all about real food in moderate doses. I’ve never seen her resort to diet products, and she speaks like a normal human being instead of a McKenzie brother filled with helium.

Oh, and her food’s good, too. This particular scrambled egg dish is amped up with tomato, red onion, and dill. Seriously, dill. The stuff you use to make pickles. As it turns out, dill is delicious with eggs, too, and it’s an unexpected respite from regular ol’ breakfast flavors.

So, next time you have a weekend morning, try this dish. It’s perfect for when you just want to sit and talk about the canon or Cormac McCarthy and/or whether flowers have butts.

Scrumptious Scramble
Serves 4
Adapted from Ellie Krieger

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 medium ripe tomato, cored, seeded, and diced (about 1 cup)
3 large eggs
5 large egg whites
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1) Heat olive oi over medium heat in a medium pan, preferably nonstick. Add onion. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring maybe twice. Add tomato. Cook 1 minute. Remove mixture to a nearby bowl. Turn heat down to medium-low.

2) Combine eggs and egg whites in a medium bowl. Whisk together.

3) Pour eggs into pan. Scramble a few minutes, until eggs are just about done. Drain collected water from tomato bowl. Pour tomatoes and onions into pan. Stir gently to combine. Add dill. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir once or twice. Serve. 

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
101 calories, 4.8 g fat, $0.73

Calculations
1 teaspoon olive oil: 39 calories, 4.5 g fat, $0.11
1/2 cup diced red onion: 34 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.28
1 medium ripe tomato, cored, seeded, and diced (about 1 cup): 22 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.75
3 large eggs: 221 calories, 13.9 g fat, $0.55
5 large egg whites: 86 calories, 0.3 g fat, $0.91
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill: negligible calories and fat, $0.30
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
TOTAL: 402 calories, 19 g fat, $2.92
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 101 calories, 4.8 g fat, $0.73

Spaghetti with Asparagus, Egg, and Parmesan: a Mutant Freak of Deliciousness

Though I’m cooking more often now, creating my own recipes continues to scare the living daylights out of me. My self-spawned dishes tend to be three-out-of-five star affairs, meaning they’re servable, but won’t necessarily knock your socks off. See, I’m still mastering certain techniques (read: all of them), and find pairing flavors tougher than Advanced Calculus. (Hey, if mathematicians had to eat their results, they’d have never picked up calculators in the first place.)

So, when I invent something that actually works, it’s like … it’s like … hm … how to express this without resorting to hyperbole?

Oh! I have it. It’s like riding a golden unicorn over a rainbow while world peace breaks out in the background. Or U2 playing an acoustic gig in my living room as I’m hand-fed chocolate-covered strawberries by Raoul Bova. Or taking a permanent vacation from my job, but with eternal severance pay and health benefits. (Dare to dream.)

Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating. But it is pretty cool. And today’s recipe, Spaghetti with Asparagus, Egg, and Parmesan, is one of those rare triumphs.

Tuesday night, I was in a spaghetti mood, but had a use-it-or-lose-it pound of asparagus whiling away in the crisper drawer. With no funghi available, Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms was out of the question. So was Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Parmesan, since I reallyreallyreally wanted some pasta. But both recipes fused together? That could work.

And did it EVER. It’s my new favorite comfort food. Creamy and cheesy and asparagus-y, I can see myself eating this over and over again until my death in 2097. (Yes, I’m shooting for 120. Believe in the stars!) And? AND? I would say I could eat 14 bowls of the stuff, but a single serving filled me to the brim.

Of course, should you decide to give it a shot:

1) To cut the fat even further, omit ½ tablespoon olive oil and a little parmesan.

2) Don’t throw out the pasta water. Love it. Be liberal with it. It’s vital to everything.

And that’s it, folks. Have a lovely weekend, and experiment if you get the chance. Occasionally, it’s worth it.

Spaghetti with Asparagus, Egg, and Parmesan
Serves 3

8 oz thin spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound medium-thin asparagus, rough ends snapped off, cut into 1-inch pieces
Cooking spray
3 eggs
½ tablespoon tap water
Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2 dashes cayenne pepper
¼ cup grated parmesan

1) Cook pasta ‘til al dente and drain, reserving ¾ cup of cooking water.

2) Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus and saute for 4 or 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ¼ cooking water and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes, until asparagus is crisp-tender.

3) In the meantime, spray a small nonstick pan with cooking spray. Crack three eggs into it, and add ½ tablespoon tap water. Cover and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until the top of the yolks cloud, but are still soft and runny. Remove from heat.

4) When the asparagus is done cooking, add drained pasta to the pan, stirring to reheat if necessary. Off heat, add the remaining ½ cup of cooking water, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir.

5) Ladle pasta into bowls along with 1 tablespoon water/sauce from bottom of pan (or more, if you like). Place egg on top and sprinkle with about 1-1/2 tablespoons parmesan cheese. Break egg, mix everything together, and enjoy.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
446 calories, 13.4 g fat, $1.24

Calculations
8 oz thin spaghetti: 800 calories, 4 g fat, $0.33
1 tablespoon olive oil: 119 calories, 13.5 g fat, $0.12
1 pound medium-thin asparagus: 91 calories, 0.5 g fat, $1.99
Cooking spray: negligible calories and fat, $0.03
3 eggs: 221 calories, 14.9 g fat, $0.55
½ tablespoon tap water: negligible calories and fat, $0.00
Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
2 dashes cayenne pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
¼ cup grated parmesan:108 calories, 7.2 g fat, $0.68
TOTAL: 1339 calories, 40.1 g fat, $3.73
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 446 calories, 13.4 g fat, $1.24

Chorizo and Potato Frittata: 'Til We Meat Again

(You guys! My column over at Serious Eats today is on Daniel Boulud’s recipe for Red Cabbage with Honey and Apples. I loathe red cabbage with the white-hot intensity of a thousand angry suns, and still thought this was DELICIOUS. We have enough to feed the entire block until 2022. If you get the chance, check it out.)

One of the trickiest things about healthy cooking is figuring out how to use meat. Lean cuts like chicken breast, pork tenderloin, and flank steak aren’t too terrible of an issue. In general, they can be consumed in greater quantities without causing crazy damage to your diet. On the other hand, while undeniably delicious, overdosing on fattier meats like pork belly and sausage will end your newest bout with Weight Watchers faster than you can say, “I’d like another serving of Bacon Explosion, please.”

That’s why it’s always a pleasant surprise to discover a healthy recipe that features fatty meat in a way you can actually taste it. Like say, my slightly altered version of Jamie Oliver’s Chorizo and Potato Frittata (found via Serious Eats). Chorizo is a Spanish sausage with a distinct, spicy flavor, and it permeates the entire dish without overwhelming it. Even better, since the sausage is cut up into small pieces, you’re guaranteed to get a chunk with almost every bite. Really, it’s like having your cake-izo and eating it, too.

It should be noted, though, that the sausage isn’t the frittata’s only highlight. While the potatoes are cooking, Oliver asks you to prepare an easy shallot/parsley/lemon topping that’s added to the dish at the very end. Having tried it, I have to say - it’s absolutely indispensible, and will probably make appearances on various meals in the future. Yum squared, dude.

As always, there are a few notes, should you attempt the frittata yourself:

1) The potatoes make this thing dang hearty. Thusly, it’s suitable for breakfast, brunch, lunch, linner, dinner, or late night after you’ve had a few brews. Go crazy.

2) To save fat and calories, I substituted 6 egg whites for 4 whole eggs, cut the chorizo by 1-1/2 ounces, and subtracted a potato. I think I lost about 9 grams of fat per serving that way, and it still worked out VERY nicely.

3) Use an oven-safe pan, and be careful with the handle once it’s finished. That thing is HOT, and twice in the last week, I’ve barehanded a fresh-from-the-oven vessel. NOT GOOD.

4) My sister liked this. She only likes: gum, Diet Coke, spaghetti. I consider it a coup.

5) I’m not ashamed to admit: I ate my piece with my hands, as if it was pizza. I highly suggest trying this, but waiting until it cools off a little first. Good times.

Readers – how about you? Any healthy recipes where bacon/sausage/filet mignon is prominently featured? Do tell.

Chorizo and Potato Frittata
Serves 4
Adapted from Jamie Oliver

3 small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small chunks
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
6 large egg whites
2-1/2 ounces Spanish chorizo sausage, chopped into 1/3-inch pieces
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked
2 small shallots, peeled and very finely sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
A bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked, very roughly chopped

1) Boil potatoes in salted water until tender enough to pierce through with a knife. Drain. Pour back into pot. Let dry out a bunch.

2) Preheat oven to 375°F.

3) In a large ovensafe skillet, heat potato and chorizo over medium-high. Saute 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chorizo should have rendered its fat by the end.

4) While the chorizo and potatoes are cooking, add eggs, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Whisk 'em all together.

5) After that, slice up the shallots. In a small bowl (separate from the eggs), combine shallots, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of olive oil, and a little salt and pepper. "Pinch shallots with your fingers to dress." Marinate a few minutes.

6) Okay. By now, the chorizo and potato should be done. Put them on a plate. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of olive oil to the pan. Add rosemary and jack heat up to high. Cook until a little crispy. Add eggs. Quickly add chorizo and potato pushing them around so they're evenly spread out. Put pan in oven. Cook until the eggs are set, a little puffy, and are ever-so-lightly browned on top. Remove from oven and immediately remove frittata from pan.

7) Add parsley to shallot mixture. Sprinkle over frittata. Serve right away.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
215 calories, 10.7 g fat, $0.85

Calculations
3 small red potatoes: 190 calories, 0.4 g fat, $0.47
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
2 large eggs: 147 calories, 9.9 g fat, $0.25
6 large egg whites: 103 calories, 0.4 g fat, $0.75
2-1/2 ounces Spanish chorizo sausage: 323 calories, 27.2 g fat, $1.07
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked: 2 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.18
2 small shallots: 41 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.53
Juice of 1 lemon: 13 calories, 0 g fat, FREE (I paid for the zest in last Friday’s recipe)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil: 39 calories, 4.5 g fat, $0.04
A bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley: 2 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
TOTAL: 860 calories, 42.6 g fat, $3.41
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 215 calories, 10.7 g fat, $0.85

Brunch Clafouti: The Pop Quiz

For the following quiz, use a No. 2 pencil and a soft eraser. Do not use a pen or mechanical pencil. An essay written in pen will not scan and receives a score of zero. Cell phone use is prohibited.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

According to recipe source Serious Eats (who got the idea from Nicole Rees’ Baking Unplugged), clafouti is:

A) a fruit-studded baked custard typically eaten as a dessert
B) a new Kanye West song, featuring Ne-Yo and Wayne Newton
C) a lovely, albeit humid region of Morocco
D) a pancreatic ailment

The most hilarious alternate name for Brunch Clafouti is:

A) Brunch Dougflutie
B) Brunch Nicebooty
C) Flunch Majooti
D) Egg and Fruit Thing

The following can be used in Brunch Clafouti, according to your personal taste:

A) Strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries
B) Lamb shanks, pig tails, or cow fangs
C) Motor oil, coffee grounds, or road tar
D) Lions, tigers, or bears (oh my)


TRUE OR FALSE

You should use an oven-safe pan to make Brunch Clafouti.

A) TRUE. That’s highly logical.
B) FALSE. I love melting stuff.

Thanks to the addition of liquor (Amaretto, Grand Marnier, etc.), you will get totally wasted off Brunch Clafouti, causing you to wander the mean streets of Brooklyn sans pants, until a homeless man is forced to take you under his wing, except “under his wing” means “into a secret band of elite assassins posing as homeless people to get a better scope of the area,” where you’ll spend several years becoming a top-notch internationally-renowned killer, until the clafouti buzz eventually wears off and you slink back home in a cat crate in the luggage compartment of an airplane to Cleveland.

A) TRUE. Sounds like fun.
B) FALSE. The alcohol cooks off, leaving nothing but flava behind.

Apropos of nothing, when you’re done reading this post, you should head over to Serious Eats, where my Monday column features a tasty, frugal CHG reader suggestion: Curried Cauliflower Soup with Honey.

A) TRUE. Ooo! Soup!
B) FALSE. Ew! Soup!
C) UNDECIDED. Woo? Soup?


FILL IN THE BLANK

Making Brunch Clafouti is kind of like making _______.

A) a frittata
B) a replica of Excalibur out of discarded drinking straws and adobe
C) whoopee
D) I have to go to the bathroom.

Substituting three egg whites for two whole eggs (called for in the original recipe) cuts about ten grams of _____.

A) fat
B) crack-cocaine
C) DELIGHT
D) No, seriously. I have to go. I had two cups of coffee this morning.

George Clooney is _____.

A) A lover of Brunch Clafoutis the world over
B) Handsome, but getting a little long in the tooth.
C) Handsome and ageless. Choice B obviously doesn’t know what it’s talking about.
D) Time to hit the ladies room.

Thank you for completing this test. The answer to every question was D.


Brunch Clafouti
Adapted from Serious Eats
Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar, divided (if using cranberries, double the sugar)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3 large egg whites
1 cup (scant) 2% milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups fresh fruit, such as pitted cherries or raspberries (I used blueberries – Kris)
3 tablespoons brandy, amaretto, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau—whatever you have on hand
Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

1) Preheat oven to 425°F.

2) In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt. Whisk together. Once mixed, slowly whisk eggs in. Everything should be smooth when you're finished. Add milk and extracts. Whisk again until smooth. 

3) Heat a medium oven-safe skillet over medium heat. After about 2 minutes, add butter. Melt, "swirling to coat evenly." Add remaining sugar. Add fruit. Jack heat up to medium high. Cook until fruit makes a syrup, around 3 minutes, shaking frequently. (Note: SE says the syrup process will be longer for cranberries.)

4) Kill heat and remove pan from burner. Pour in brandy. Shake the pan to coat the fruit with the brandy. Add egg mixture. Bake 10 to 12 minutes "in the upper third of the oven." The clafouti should be puffy and totally cooked when you pull it. (Check the center with a toothpick or knife to see.) Remove from oven, dust with sugar, and serve right away.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
247 calories, 5.6 g fat, $0.95

Calculations
1/2 cup all-purpose flour: 228 calories, 0.6 g fat, $0.05
1/4 cup sugar, divided: 194 calories, 0 g fat, $0.08
1/4 teaspoon salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1 large egg: 74 calories, 5 g fat, $0.13
3 large egg whites: 51 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.38
1 cup (scant) 2% milk: 123 calories, 4.9 g fat, $0.24
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract: 1 calorie, 0 g fat, $0.06
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional): negligible calories and fat, $0.10
1 tablespoon unsalted butter: 101 calories, 11.3 g fat, $0.06
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups fresh fruit (blueberries, here): 103 calories, 0.5 g fat, $1.99
3 tablespoons brandy, amaretto, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau: 114 calories, 0 g fat, $0.71
TOTAL: 989 calories, 22.5 g fat, $3.81
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 247 calories, 5.6 g fat, $0.95

Spinach Rice Casserole: Play With Your Food

Occasionally, I find a dish I mostly like, but doesn’t completely sell me. Inevitably, it'll be moderately tasty, but there are one or two elements that knock it from a solid A to a less-impressive B-minus. And then, the demands of blogging / working (/ showering / sleeping / listening to hours of Heart videos / drooling) prevent me from trying it again. It’s a bummer, but thus is life.

Then, along came Spinach Rice Casserole from Tammy’s Recipes. The first time I made it, I followed the recipe to the letter. And the inaugural bite elicited the following reaction:

“Wow. This exceeds all my expectations. I really like how the fresh spinach plays off the cheddar, while the rice lends it some heft beyond a quiche, making it more suitable for dinner. Also, I think the … FOR THE LOVE OF BEA ARTHUR, HOW MUCH SALT IS IN THIS THING?”

It took a minute, but once the salt and Worcestershire sauce hit the tongue, they overwhelmed the other flavors. Not so much that the casserole was inedible, but enough to make me want a glass of water, stat.

Still, beyond that relatively minor issue, the dish had crazy potential. So, a few nights later, I took another shot, and changed a few things around for health/to my taste. I:

• substituted two egg whites for one of the eggs
• swapped 2% cheese in for full-fat cheese
• switched in brown rice for white rice
• halved the salt (though you could go even lower)
• halved the Worcestershire sauce

And? MAN it was good. Those minor tweaks catapulted the casserole from Merely Acceptable to Rotation Worthy. Which lead me to this sweeping, giant, somewhat hastily-considered decision about all recipes, everywhere: if you’re 75% on a meal, play around. Odds are you can get it to at least 90%, which in my book merits an A-minus / moderate college scholarship .

If you decide to go ahead here, a few things to know:

1) In a pinch, I’m pretty sure frozen spinach would work in this, but it wouldn’t be nearly as good. Fresh wilted leaves add just as much texture as flavor, and the frozen stuff, being much mushier, will compromise the bite.

2) Buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself. It’s worth it. Trust me.

3) You’re gonna need a side dish. The casserole is substantial, but needs an addition to make it a full meal. We used bananas, because – why not?

And with that, happy weekend, everybody!

Spinach Rice Casserole
Adapted from Tammy’s Recipes
4 servings

9 or 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons of fresh, minced onion
1 cup cooked brown rice (measurement is after cooking, not before)
1 cup (4 ounces) 2% sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup 2% milk
1 egg, beaten
2 egg whites, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Cooking spray

1) Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.

2) Heat a large pan or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add spinach and water. Cover. Cook a few minutes, until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally.

3) "In a large mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients." Stir. Add spinach. Stir again. Pour everything into the baking dish.

4) Bake 35-40 minutes, until top looks golden brown and it's not mushy in the middle. You can test this with a knife, fork, or toothpick.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
200 calories, 11.4 g fat, $0.94

Calculations
9 or 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves: 65 calories, 1.1 g fat, $1.99
1 tablespoon water: negligible calories and fat, free
2 tablespoons of fresh, minced onion: 8 calories, 0 g fat, $0.06
1 cup cooked brown rice (measurement is after cooking, not before): 216 calories, 1.8 g fat, $0.11
1 cup (4 ounces) 2% sharp cheddar cheese, shredded: 360 calories, 36 g fat, $1.00
1/3 cup 2% milk: 41 calories, 1.6 g fat, $0.08
1 egg, beaten: 74 calories, 5 g fat, $0.13
2 egg whites, beaten: 34 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.25
1/2 teaspoon salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce: 3 calories, 0 g fat, $0.11
TOTAL: 801 calories, 45.6 g fat, $3.74
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 200 calories, 11.4 g fat, $0.94

Egg McMuffins for Homeskillets

Like 10% of all Americans, I used to work at McDonalds. Like 33% of all McDonalds workers, it was the morning shift.

Everyday in the summer of 1997, I hauled my cookies in at 5am to start the percolator, fire up the grill, and lug 50 pounds of Happy Meal toys out of the sub-basement. My early morning co-workers were a sweet 72-year-old, a slightly retarded janitor, and a middle-aged woman that had no business dealing with the public. On good days, I got to take orders from the drive-through, and didn’t have to face anyone for a few hours. On bad days, entire buses of senior citizens would argue with me over the price of a 60-cent cup of coffee.

During that time, I learned the menu backwards and forwards, including basic nutritional information for most of the meals. While the Deluxe breakfast would melt your aorta, I was always pleasantly surprised at the Egg McMuffin. An egg, a muffin, a slice of Canadian bacon, and a dollop of cheese would come in around 300 calories, which still stands as one of the leanest fast food breakfasts around. Plus, they were (and are) delicious. I know. I ate one every morning for three months.

After last week’s Strata, I had a bunch of leftover Canadian bacon, and decided to give homemade Egg McMuffins a shot. Happily, it wasn’t rocket science, and ten minutes of cooking time scored me two eminently edible imitations of the real thing. Even better, no one yelled at me afterward.

So! For your McMuffining pleasure, here are step-by-step instructions for homemade Mickey D’s. Of course, there are a few things to know first:

1) If you don’t have an egg ring handy (and who does?), try a THOROUGHLY WASHED tuna can with the lids pried off. (NOTE: Don’t use a Bumblebee can. The bottom lid sticks outward, making it nearly impossible to remove. See the pics below? It took ten minutes of straight-up wrestling to create that hole. In the end, it was big enough to pour the egg through, but I almost lost a thumb in the process.)

2) For a more McDonalds-like experience, go with American Cheese. Then, have a 62-year-old retiree berate you because his coffee was too hot.

3) The muffins aren’t browned in a toaster for two reasons: A) they’re harder to hold, and B) I like ‘em better this way.

4) At $0.93 a serving, these should be cheaper than your local Mickey D’s. If not, look at it this way: you don’t have to deal with the tall girl behind the counter. You know – the one with the 1000-yard stare, whose only thought is, “Man, I can’t wait to get back to school. This nametag is making my boobs itch.”

Happy cooking!

Egg McMuffins
Makes 2 McMuffins

Cooking spray
2 English muffins, split in half
2 slices Canadian bacon
2 large eggs
1 ounce reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I prefer Cracker Barrel)
Salt and pepper to taste

1) Coat a medium non-stick pan with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Once pan is warm, place English muffins facedown on pan. Squish lightly with a spatula, so they get evenly browned.

2) While muffins are toasting, break one egg into a cup. Break its yolk with a fork, but DON’T beat the egg.

3) When muffins have been lightly toasted (about 3 minutes), place them on a plate and IMMEDIATELY sprinkle grated cheese on one side. This will get the melting process started.

4) Re-coat the pan with cooking spray. (Note: if you have a gas oven, do this away from the stovetop to avoid a fire.) Place the Canadian bacon in the pan. Place an egg ring OR thoroughly washed tuna can (with both lids removed) on the pan. Pour the egg into the ring. If some should leak out the bottom, no worries. You can flip it later.

5) After 2 or 3 minutes, the egg should be pretty set, so cut it out of the ring and flip it over. Then, add egg #2 to the ring. Flip the bacon while you're at it, too.

6) After another minute or so, egg #1 should be finished. Place it on top of one of the cheese-covered muffin halves, and add salt and pepper to taste. Then, add a slice of Canadian bacon and top with the other muffin half. Press down lightly with a spatula so the egg will finish melting the cheese.

7) Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the remaining ingredients.

8) Take a blog picture in front of a sufficient light source.

9) Serve and eat with glee.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
283 calories, 12.4 g fat, $0.93

Calculations
Cooking spray: 0 calories, 0 g fat, $0.04
2 English muffins, split in half: 240 calories, 2 g fat, $0.38
2 slices Canadian bacon: 89 calories, 4 g fat, $0.79
2 large eggs: 147 calories, 9.9 g fat, $0.38
1 ounce reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, grated: 90 calories, 9 g fat, $0.25
Salt and pepper to taste: 0 calories, 0 g fat, $0.02
TOTAL: 566 calories, 24.9 g fat, $1.86
PER SERVING (TOTAL/2): 283 calories, 12.4 g fat, $0.93

English Muffin Strata with Ham and Cheese: Breakfast for Dinner

When spaghetti isn’t cutting it and pork chops have been done to death, hungry citizens all across our fine nation turn to a beloved American tradition: breakfast for dinner (or BFD for short). Truly, there are few treats more glorious than eating bacon at 7pm, eggs after work, and hash browns during reruns of “Murphy Brown.” And if you can sneak in a cup of coffee without giving yourself a raging case of insomnia, bonus.

At its core, the most fabulous aspect of BFD isn’t the infinite possibility or the low expense. It’s not even the potential for a much healthier meal than you would have eaten otherwise. Nope – it’s the ability to feel like you’re nine-years-old again. Because BFD makes you feel a little naughty - like you’re doing something you’re not supposed to. Like you’re going against the natural progression of your day. Like you’re flipping time, space, and convention the bird. That may sound like a lot of responsibility to assign a piece of toast, but I assure you, it’s all true.

Which brings me to English Muffin Strata with Ham and Cheese from Cooking Light. It’s a breakfast casserole no doubt, but it’s hearty enough to make your whole evening, especially with a nice salad on the side. Personally, I loved the bits and pieces of Canadian bacon, along with the general eggy, custardy goodness. The Boyfriend loved that there were five more pieces when I was finished taking my share.

If you decide to go forth, there are a few things to know:

1) This is an egg strata subtly flavored with ham and Swiss, not a ham and Swiss strata subtly flavored with egg. Don’t go in expecting a Philly cheesesteak.

2) It's very good, but it's not going to smack you across the face with outrageous flavor. Sprinkle it with kosher salt and freshly grounded pepper before you eat it.

3) Don’t fret about serving size. While an 8x8 pan makes six portions, each is almost three inches high. It’s a decent amount of food.

4) Canadian bacon is a pricey ingredient ($3.99 for ten pieces at my local supermarket). BUT the leftovers can be used to make wonderful things like EGG MCMUFFINS, which will be Monday’s featured recipe. Don’t forget to check back.

5) Nutritional information was provided by Cooking Light, so only the price calculations are posted below.

So, go forth, lovelies. Have a sweet weekend, and if you get the chance, try a BFD. You’ll stick it to The Man, and it might just be the best part of your day.

English Muffin Strata with Ham and Cheese
Makes 6 nice-sized servings
Adapted from Cooking Light.

6 English muffins, split
Cooking spray
3/4 cup chopped Canadian bacon (about 3 ounces)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
2 1/2 cups unsweetened soy milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of ground red pepper
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites

1) Coat an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.

2) Slice each English muffin half into 6 equal pieces, like a pie. Place half of them in the baking dish. Layer as follows: all the bacon, half the cheese, remaining muffin pieces, remaining cheese.

3) In a small bowl or large Pyrex measuring cup, combine milk, mustard, salt, pepper, red pepper, eggs, and egg whites. Whisk together until smooth. Pour egg mixture over baking dish contents. Cover and stick in the fridge overnight (or at least 8 hours) to let everything soak in.

4) Preheat oven to 325°F.

5) Remove dish from fridge and uncover it. Bake for 60 minutes, or until "a knife inserted in center comes out clean." Remove from oven. Cool 15 minutes. Serve.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price Per Serving
253 calories, 8.3 g fat, 3.4 g fiber, $1.01

Calculations
6 English muffins: $1.13
Cooking spray: $0.03
3/4 cup chopped Canadian bacon (about 3 ounces): $1.99
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese: $0.62
2 1/2 cups unsweetened soy milk: $1.25
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard: $0.27
1/4 teaspoon salt: $0.01
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper: $0.01
Dash of ground red pepper: $0.01
2 large eggs: $0.38
2 large egg whites: $0.38
TOTAL: $6.08
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): $1.01

Shaksouka? I Barely Even Know Ya! (Sorry.)

It’s snowing like mad outside, the office is unusually quiet, and A Charlie Brown Christmas is playing quietly on my cubicle computer. In a way, this is the holidays in all Big Apple workplaces: peacefully festive, with a tinge of melancholy. Or, maybe everyone’s just hung over from last night’s Christmas party. Take your pick.

Like every other place in America, it’s been slightly-to-mostly insane over here lately, what with card sending, gift shopping, tinsel hanging, funeral attending, and getting papers/projects/life in order for the ever-approaching New Year. There haven’t been many hours left for cooking, either, save for today’s dish, Shaksouka, and a botched attempt at quesadillas on Wednesday night. (On a related note: what kind of adult messes up a quesadilla? First graders are taught to make them before they’re taught to add.)

Anyway, about the Shaksouka: it’s an Israeli dish that’s tasty, incredibly inexpensive, relatively healthy, and (for all you secret six-year-olds out there) really, really fun to eat. Essentially eggs poached in a subtly spicy tomato sauce, the idea is to spoon a helping into a bowl, and then sop it up with a big hunk of thick, crusty bread. And if you can keep the sauce off your pants … bonus.

I made two alterations to the original Serious Eats recipe, which called for fresh oregano (I used 3/4 teaspoon of the dried stuff), and a 28-oz. can of crushed tomatoes (I pulsed a can of whole tomatoes five times in mah food processor for a fresher taste). Both changes worked beautifully, and The Boyfriend and I even have a cup of leftover tomato sauce for future pasta dishes. (Note to leftovers fiends: the eggs themselves probably won't keep very well, so I'd eat them a.s.a.p.)

Oh, and last thing – I didn’t have to go shopping for any of the ingredients in this dish. They were all already in the pantry, which is the culinary equivalent of discovering a forgotten $20 bill in your pants pocket. Pretty sweet, if you ask me.

P.S. Calculations are for four servings, though the picture only depicts two portions.

Shaksouka (or Shakshouka) (or Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce)
Serves 2 to 4
Adapted from Serious Eats.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes pulsed a few times
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 - 8 eggs

1) In a large skillet or saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, until onions are kind of soft, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano and water. Stir. Salt and pepper to taste. Jack heat up to high. When sauce comes to a boil, drop heat back to medium-low, cover, and cook 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2) Carefully crack eggs into sauce so they're evenly spaced. Re-cover skillet. Cook 5 minutes until eggs are just the way you like 'em. DO NOT STIR.

3) Carefully scoop eggs and a bunch of sauce into bowls. Serve with bread for some good times.

Note from Tara the original Serious Eats author: "Alternatively, if you are preparing up to 8 eggs and your pan isn’t wide enough to accommodate all of the eggs at once, poach them separately in water and add them to the sauce to serve."

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
252 calories, 13.9 g fat, $1.04

Calculations
1 tablespoon olive oil: 119 calories, 13.5 g fat, $0.12
1 small onion: 29 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.16
3 cloves garlic: 13 calories, 0 g fat, $0.12
1 (28-ounce) can chunky crushed tomatoes (or “chef’s cut”): 254 calories, 2.2 g fat, $2.00
2 teaspoons ground cumin: negligible calories and fat, $0.03
1 teaspoon ground coriander: negligible calories and fat, $0.13
1/2 teaspoon paprika: 3 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.02
3/4 teaspoon oregano: 2 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
1/2 cup water: negligible calories and fat, FREE
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
8 eggs: 588 calories, 39.8 g fat, $1.53
TOTAL: 1008 calories, 55.7 g fat, $4.16
PER SERVING: 252 calories, 13.9 g fat, $1.04