This isn’t so much a recipe as a suggestion. Sometimes life is hard and cupboards are bare. Sometimes you’re so tired from work that you just want something that tastes great without a lot of fuss. If that sounds like a day/week/month you’ve recently lived, then this is the breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack idea for you.

We ate these for a late weekday breakfast recently and it was such a treat. I used a jarred marinara sauce to keep it simple and instead of drowning the pita in cheese, I used a good manchego to bring the flavour without the grease and ooze. If you wanted to serve this for dinner, a nice arugula salad would be a perfect accompaniment.

runny egg on a pita
1 pita
2 T marinara sauce
1 t butter
1 egg
1 t grated manchego cheese

Turn on the broiler in your oven. Spread marinara sauce over pita bread and place on a baking sheet. Place it under the broiler to lightly toast the pita and warm the sauce – about 3-5 minutes should be good.

In a small frying pan, melt butter and fry an egg over med-high heat until the sides get crispy and the whites somewhat set. Do not flip. Remove the pita from the oven and slide the egg on top and cover with grated cheese. Broil for 1-3 minutes depending how soft you like your egg & until cheese melts.

Possibly related posts:

• haute egg sandwich
• red lentil curry dip with pita chips

I just wrote about casesar salads being a mainstay in my late teen years. Carbonara was another favorite. I grew up in a university town so there was an entire strip made up of bars and in between those bars, you’d often find restaurants catering to large college appetites and even larger portions. There was one such place that was hidden down an alley and tucked into a basement. It had a gimmicky name but it was where I had my first taste of spaghetti carbonara. It was rich and salty and perfect. I not only craved carbonara, I dreamt about it.

I’ve made carbonara once before…but it was a wholly vegetarian affair with broccoli adding colour and a more healthy bent. When I found myself with a bit of bacon (not a common ingredient in this household), I decided not just to make a caesar salad but to go whole hog and make a traditional carbonara. When I described this dish to my husband he said, “oh, like a breakfast pasta!” and it really is just that: bacon and eggs and pasta. Well, with a bit of cheese and a lot of garlic added in for good measure. I also had some garlic scapes from our CSA so I threw those in for a bit of colour and for their subtle garlic flavour.

Now, this is a pasta where beaten raw eggs are thrown in to cooked pasta. You might assume that this could get slimy, but fear not. Use fresh eggs, of course (organic & free range is what I always buy), but the hot pasta gently cooks the eggs into a silky and rich sauce. That said, I certainly wouldn’t be serving this to anyone with a compromised immune system (including the very young, the very old or the very pregnant), just in case.

Elsewhere: Check out my recipe for a delicious & garlicy kale and chard raw salad. It’s over at Poppytalk and it makes full use of our CSA bounty. Also, over at ReadyMade, I’ve got a post detailing the not-so-illicit sour cherry trade. Got a great sour cherry idea? Leave a comment over there!

penne carbonara with garlic scapes
500 g penne
3 eggs (free range, organic)
1/3 c grated parmesan cheese + more for sprinkling
freshly ground pepper
4 slices bacon, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 garlic scapes, diced*
2 T parsley, chopped

1. Cook penne according to package instructions.

2. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a medium sized bowl and whisk. Add in parmesan cheese and a lot of freshly ground pepper, whisking until combined. Set aside.

3. In a small frying pan, cook diced bacon until crisp, pouring the bacon and the fat into a bowl. Using the leftover grease in the pan, fry up the garlic and garlic scapes until fragrant, about 5 minutes over med-high heat. Set aside.

4. When penne is done, drain but do not rinse pasta under water (actually, never do that unless you are making pasta salad). Dump in the bacon along with the bacon fat and garlic scapes. Pour in the egg mixture and give everything a big stir, making sure pasta is well coated. Toss in parsley and sprinkle with more parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

* Dice up everything up to just below the flower. Throw out the tops which can be tough.

Possibly related posts:

• deceptively simple: broccoli carbonara
• hey, good looking: pasta primavera

Our CSA is off to a slow start this year. I knew what to expect since last year things were the same – relatively small bins until the harvest really kicks into high gear. When I made this Vancouver was in the midst of a heatwave so I wanted something quick to help cut down on cooking time and quick sauteeing or braising greens is one of my favorite ways to prepare kale, chard and the like. I had a good mix of chard and kale, along with a small head of broccoli, but I decided to throw in the tops of the turnip greens. Even though they were less than picturesque since they had been previously nibbled on by beetles, I knew that they packed quite a nutrient-rich punch (they’re rich with antioxidants, tons of vitamins, calcium and fiber), so if they were good enough for the bugs at the organic farm, they’d be good enough for me. As I’m also a fan of topping pretty much anything with a runny egg, as my post over at ReadyMade notes, I figured flopping on a couple of fried eggs wouldn’t be at all out of place.

Chickpeas would have been a great addition to this lunch but when I went to my cupboard, there were none to be had. I did spot some almonds and I quickly toasted them in the pan before adding in the rest of the ingredients. It was a nice touch with their crunch and added protein and a pleasant surprise to the dish. The greens and the eggs work so nicely against each other. The slight bitterness of the greens is foiled by the sweetness of the balsamic and the silky rich sauce that the runny yolks provide. It was a great meal that packed a wallop of flavour and texture and had that rustic quality that made this meal stunningly effortless.

And as a total side note, this is my 500th post which is kind of crazy. My first blog post was kind of like a tentative feeler way back in February 2005 and I didn’t know if anyone would respond. I didn’t have a camera, my recipes were more like brain dumps and I remember the total amazement I felt when I got my very first comment ever. And then I got my second comment and wow-wee, I was stuck on this roller coaster! So a heart-felt thanks to everyone who keeps reading, sending me emails and leaving me comments because I know that without your feedback, I probably would have quit long ago.

braised greens with almonds and an egg on top
1 T olive oil
1/4 c raw almonds
1 lb random greens (I used a mix of turnip greens, chard, and kale)
1 small head broccoli, chopped
1 small onion, diced
3 fat cloves garlic, chopped
1 t balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper
4 eggs + additional olive oil

Rinse and roughly chop the greens, removing any of the thick, tough stems. In a large frying pan, heat up the olive oil and add in the almonds, tossing them about so they get toasted and brown. Add in the greens, broccoli, onion, and garlic and let saute until they turn bright green. Add in the balsamic vinegar along with enough salt & pepper to taste and stir things about for a few extra minutes.

Meanwhile, in another pan, heat up a bit of olive oil over med-high heat, and cook your eggs until the whites set yet the yolks are still runny. I also like the eggs to form a crispy lace around the edges. Extra crunch is always welcome!

Divide the sauteed greens onto 2 plates and top each plate with 2 fried eggs. Serve with some sourdough bread. Serves 2.

Possibly related posts:

• farm fresh dinner: new potatoes, braised greens and a beet salad
• waste not, want not: beet greens & fried potatoes topped with a poached egg

While I feel so many of the same things that Tea has mentioned in her post, I don’t have an answer. While I know the life I am living right now is based on my choices, I should feel 100% satisfied and lucky. And most days I am. I love where I live, I love my friends, I’m proud of the work that I accomplish. And my husband? I couldn’t imagine a life without him holding my hand, laughing at my tasteless jokes and loving me for who I am. But then there are other days when doing the simplest things seems too overwhelming.

This blog is a comforting place. It started off as a creative outlet, as a way to get back to writing, like in the days when I used to self-publish my own photocopied and stapled zine. It provides relief from my day to day, but sometimes because of life, it gets placed on the back burner. I’m not writing as much (or as well) as I used to, I’m feeling distracted and sometimes writing a post is like checking of an item on my to-do list. It’s not a great feeling. All I know is that it’s a busy time right now and soon enough I’ll find my way back here with a full heart and a full belly. But on with the food, it’s why you came here after all!

I made this meal yesterday for dinner and it was the perfect thing. Just fresh peppers from a Chinatown market, a plain old yellow onion, a couple of eggs, and a can of tomatoes from the cupboard. Elements that don’t seem like much, but when put together and heated gently for about an hour, turns into something almost magical. Not bam-pop-wow magic, but the kind you feel from inside. It is warmth and comfort and it just feels right. Like a cardigan and knee socks and crisp leaves underfoot. Like hand-holding. And so I hope this blog will continue to feel as comforting and tasty as this meal. Just please forgive my table manners once and a while.

stewed peppers, tomatoes & onions
1 T olive oil
1 large onion or 2 small ones, sliced thinly
4 large cloves garlic, sliced
4 large peppers (any colour), sliced
1-2 red dried chilis, crumbled
1/2 t salt
1 can of 28oz tomatoes, diced
4 eggs, optional

In a large dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat and saute dried chili peppers, garlic and onion until soft, translucent and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add in peppers and salt and stir occasionally until they soften up a bit. Throw in the tomatoes and combine. Cover for 45 minutes until everything gets soft and melty, stirring up everything when you remember.

If you want to poach the eggs in the sauce, I recommend it. Make 4 indentations with your wooden spoon and crack open an egg into each slight divet. Cover and cook until the whites firm up but the yolks are still runny. Gently ladle into big bowls. Serve with crusty bread.

If you skip the eggs, serve this with crusty bread or with over polenta, on top of pizza or use as a lasagna sauce. I’ve eaten this every which way and it’s always good.

Possibly related posts:

• pickled sweet peppers
• this ain’t yer mama’s turnip: braised turnips, onions & carrots

A little while ago I received an email from Adrienne who is the food blogger behind Nosheteria. She just published a memoir entitled Cooking and Screaming: Finding My Own Recipe for Recovery and wanted to know if I wouldn’t mind a copy. Of course I said yes! Her book recounts her recovery after a stroke-like condition at age 21 and how she discovered what she wanted to do with her life: cook and write.

Each chapter begins with a recipe, including a version of a “haute” egg sandwich. But there’s so many recipes worthy of making, especially the Tagliatelle with Grated Zucchini that starts off the book. But that one will come later in summer when I’m bombarded with zucchinis. As for the book? It was an enjoyable read. Adrienne’s descriptions of food transported me to the Berkley market where she did her shopping or made me wish I was snacking on her catered canapes. She not only cooks with passion but she definitely lives with passion. You can read my full review and follow me on my GoodReads page.

I really liked this sandwich and it reminded me of a simpler version of my apple & cheddar omelette. Next time I make this, I’ll follow Adrienne’s recipe and sub in English muffins for the toast. Also I’d make 4 sandwiches, as recommended, rather than just 2 giant ones. It would be much easier to grab-and-go that way. The original recipe called for blue cheese rather than cheddar and pear instead of apple. I’m not a huge fan of blue cheese and I hate pears, so this really is my take on her haute egg sandwich. But like most recipes here, it’s a highly adaptable one, so do with it what you will and enjoy a mighty fine breakfast sandwich.

And totally off topic, on my other blog, I’m having my first give away clearing out some “damaged goods” note cards from my etsy shop. Enter to win!

haute egg sandwich
(adapted from Cooking and Screaming)
4 eggs
3 T milk
salt & pepper to taste
1 T butter
1/2 T olive oil
1/3 c shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices of sturdy whole grain bread, toasted and buttered
1 T honey
1 tart apple, sliced thin

Whisk the eggs with the milk and salt & pepper and set aside. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and butter together over medium-high heat. Add in eggs and scramble until nearly set, about 3-4 minutes. Turn off heat. Sprinkle cheese over top, do not mix in.

Spread honey thinly on toasts and divide the apple slices equally over top. Grind some pepper over the apple. Divide the eggs in half and place on the apple slices. Top with remaining toast and eat up. It’s gonna be messy.

Possibly related posts:

• get your egg cred here: apple cheddar omelette
• runny egg on a pita

It’s been a pretty crazy couple of weeks. We’ve been tying up loose ends, wrapping up projects and beating deadlines so we could make some time for a visit with family. Tomorrow we’re flying to Ontario to visit my mom in the hospital, so it will be pretty quiet here until next week or so. I’ve got a stack of books, some homemade fig newtons (my parent’s favorite) and a few Ritter Sport bars to help keep my mom in good spirits.

cinnamon apple dutch baby
2 T butter
2 small apples, sliced
1 T cinnamon
1 T brown sugar
4 large eggs
½ c all-purpose flour
½ c skim milk

For the topping:
juice of ½ lemon
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400. In a large cast iron pan, heat butter and add in sliced apples, cinnamon and sugar. Saute until the apples are golden brown and the sugar has melted into a delicious caramel sauce.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together and add in flour and milk. Whisk until combined and pour over the apple mixture. Place skillet in oven and bake for 20 minutes or so, until the pancake is fluffy and golden brown. Remove from oven and squeeze lemon juice over top and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

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• dutch breakfast: dutch baby pancakes
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The idea for the apple omelette comes from Crave, a local Vancouver restaurant. I’ve been there twice for brunch and both times I had their omelette with goat cheese and apples. It was some serious love at first bite but I never tried to recreate it until I had my hands on the mandoline. If you don’t have a mandoline, fear not, just use very thin slices of apples instead or julienne it with a knife. I used cheddar since it’s what I had on hand and it was delicious…but using goat cheese will create some serious love. I also had a bit of prosciutto and added it in, but you could skip it if you wanted to keep things vegetarian. This weekend, try something different and put your autumn apples to good use. And why not wander over to the Food Network Canada blog, Eating Well and read my post on Seed Saving at the UBC Farm.

apple cheddar omelette
4 eggs
2 T milk
1 T olive oil or butter
salt & pepper
1/2 c grated cheddar cheese
2 T diced prosciutto
1 Granny Smith apple, julienned

Add butter or olive oil into a large cast iron pan and toss in the diced prosciutto, letting it get crispy. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the prosciutto and into the hot pan, tilting to spread the eggs evenly. Let eggs firm up a little, sloshing the mixture away from the sides and into the middle. Use your spatula to allow the remaining liquid to then flow into the undersides of the cooked eggs while still keeping the egg mixture even.

Continue to cook for another minute or so until the egg mixture holds together. While the middle is still a little runny, add grated cheese and then top with the julienned apples. Fold the omelette in half with your spatula. Cut in half and serve on a plate. Use any reserved matchstick apples as garnish. Serve with buttered toast and coffee while trying not to get a big head cuz dammit you just made a pretty spectacular omelette!

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The resulting meal was quick and tasty. I wasn’t sure if the brown rice crust would actually hold up as crust, but it worked surprisingly well! The cheesy-eggy topping studded with broccoli made for a pretty comforting spread…just the thing for someone who hadn’t had anything (but coffee) all morning! Served with a green salad and a topped with some fresh salsa, it made for a perfect midday break. Not a bad way to use up leftovers at all!

brown rice & broccoli cheddar pie
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, minced
salt & pepper
a couple dashes of hot sauce
2 c leftover brown rice
1/2 head of broccoli, cut into florets and stems chopped
6 eggs, beaten
2 T milk
1 t chili powder
1/2 t dried basil
3/4 c grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet (or any other oven-proof pan) and add garlic and onions, sauteing until soft. Add in rice and stir until heated and slightly toasted. Season with hot sauce and salt and pepper, stirring to combine. Flatten rice to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and set aside.

Steam broccoli and remove from heat when the florets are bright green and semi-crisp. Drain and layer on top of rice. Beat eggs with milk, chili powder and basil. Pour over broccoli/rice and then sprinkle with grated cheese. Put in oven for 5 minutes on the centre rack. Put skillet in broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese turns bubbly and slightly brown. Remove from oven and cut into wedges. Top with salsa and serve with a tangy green salad.

Possibly related posts:

• brown rice bowl with vegetables & roasted chickpeas
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I made this meal after a trip to the green grocer. I bought two bunches of fresh local beets and I used the beets to make a tangy salad. I wasn’t sure what I’d do with the greens, but when dinner reared it’s head a couple days later, I pulled the greens out of the crisper along with a couple of potatoes and decided to fry the two together. The idea for the poached eggs came moments later when the beet greens shrunk considerably while sauteing, leaving the meal less hearty than I had hoped for. The eggs were a good call, making the meal an ideal rustic home-style dinner that would work equally well for a brunch.

I used proscuitto in this recipe, but you could easily leave it out for a vegetarian dish or sub in some salty feta instead for a nice bite. I’ve made beet greens before and I’ll make them again. Hopefully you will too.

beet greens & fried potatoes topped with poached eggs
2 large potatoes
1-2 T olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices of proscuitto, diced
1 large bunch of beet greens, rinsed thoroughly & roughly chopped
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 T fresh rosemary
2 T fresh parsley
salt & pepper
4 poached eggs

Boil potatoes until tender. Slice into rounds and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and saute garlic, onions, and proscuitto add in sliced potatoes and fry until golden on both sides.

Boil water in a medium sized pot and start poaching your eggs. Meanwhile, move potatoes to one side of the pan and add in beet greens, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. When beet greens get wilty, about 2 minutes or so, toss with fresh rosemary and parsley and stir around the potatoes into the mix. Divide mixture onto 2 plates and top with poached eggs.

Possibly related posts:

• farm fresh dinner: new potatoes, braised greens and a beet salad
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After the funeral, everyone headed down to the church basement for “fasba”, a low German Mennonite term for coffee and sandwiches. This fasba meal included buns, deli meat, pickles and sweet danishes. Everyone sat down to fasba and reminisced about Grandma Bun, with people taking turns talking about their favorite memories. It was a lovely tribute to a wonderful woman. Afterwards, we helped tidy up which included taking home some buns and ham slices. So when it came to making breakfast this morning, I looked at those tired looking grocery-store bought buns and figured that maybe in my little way, I could pay tribute too.

Grandma Bun didn’t like fast foods and she probably wrinkled her nose at store-bought pies. She relished homemade meals and I think she probably was quite resourceful herself when it came to cooking. So when I looked at what I had in my fridge and came up with baking eggs inside of some buns, well, I’m sure she would approve of this humble dish. Delicious and savory and easy to put together, this meal makes a wonderful breakfast any time of day.

savory baked eggs in a basket
4 whole wheat buns
unsalted butter
4 large free run eggs
4 slices of deli ham, diced
2 green onions, diced
1/4 c smoked gouda, grated
1 t sweet paprika
salt & pepper

1. Cut into the bottom of the buns, removing most of the insides…but keeping the outsides sturdy. You don’t want to remove all of the insides but it should still be able to hold an egg and other good things. Dispose of those innards you just removed (or better yet, save them for breadcrumbs). Butter the inside shell of the bun and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes or until butter melts and the bun is warmed through and just a bit toasted.

2. Place half of the ham and onions in the bottom of each bun, crack an egg into the hole and top with the remaining ham and onions. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika and salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 10 – 15 minutes. Remove foil and place on upper oven rack and broil for a few minutes until cheese gets golden.

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• breakfast? i can do that. scrambled eggs with salsa
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