Thanksgiving Eggs Benny

Today is the big day to think of, reflect about and declare our thankfulness. I'd like to think that I live every day in gratitude.  I try, but I know I'm not always successful. 

On this Thanksgiving 2019, I am thankful that I executed my most perfect Eggs Benedict to date. Perfect oval poached eggs.  Perfectly runny, yellow yolk.  Do you hear me?  It was PERFECT!  

Look at that shape! It's gorgeous. 

 

I mean, seriously.

The key to poaching eggs is all in your technique.  And, I've seen and read many techniques. Some make sense, some are way too complicated.  Here's what I do:

Place 1/2 cup white vinegar in a small bowl.  Crack one egg, obviously being careful to keep the egg yolk intact. Let it sit for 5 minutes.  Bring your water to a "just about to boil" stage.  Begin swirling the water with a spoon or whisk to create a little whirlpool.  Slip the egg and the vinegar gently into the vortex. Keep the swirl going.  Let the egg poach for 3 minutes.  Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towels.  Gently blot the top to remove excess water.  There you have it; perfectly cooked and shaped poached egg!

Ramen for Breakfast

I'm not  much of a morning eater, even though I know that I should.  But, when your daughter wakes you up with breakfast in bed, you get up and eat.  

My 13 year old has already had a busy summer. Camp in the mountains for a week, then directly to a lacrosse tournament in Charleston, so this week she's taking a break.  Her room has been cleaned (what?!?) and rearranged, list of chores has been decided and today she decided to embark on some cooking.

So, I'm woken to a big, hot bowl of ramen this morning.  Lots and lots of ramen.  Turns out, she had used 2 packages of noodles, which is about 5 times as much as I can eat in one sitting. She cooked her noodles in chicken broth, added chopped chicken and scallions and topped it all off with a poached egg.  This was a first attempt at poaching.  So, to quote Vivian, "Gordon Ramsay would say 'What? Are you eff'ing kidding me, mate?  This egg is as hard as my Gandy's flip flops.'" I think she's being a little hard on herself.  

High Five Eggs Up

For years, yes years, my husband and I have belly-ached about the lack of breakfast places in Columbia.  And, even more so, the lack of GOOD breakfast places in Columbia.  Some have come.  And gone. Then there are the old standards.  Don't get me wrong, there is certainly a time and place for a midnight run to the Waffle House.  I have fond memories of Simple Simon's in Spartanburg after a long night of Wofford parties. But now that I am a "mature" adult (yes, I use that term very loosely) I want a sit-down-enjoy-your-coffee-and-an-interesting-menu kind of place. 

Enter Eggs Up Grill.  Yes, it's a chain, but it seems different. It seems to be owned/operated by real people who really subscribe to the philosophy expressed on the website:  

Breakfast and lunch are what we do.
family friendly is who we are.

So, they opened last week. I made it over there one day for lunch with my mom and one of her friends. I was pretty hungry, so I didn't photograph anything. But I ordered the Tuscan BLT which was quite good. Nice grilled (non-grocery store) bread. It was NOT loaded with mayo, which is a good thing, in my book.
 
Today, I had the rare occasion to go out to breakfast with my husband. He was really excited about getting to try out the new breakfast place especially after I told him about all the corned beef hash dishes on the menu! So he ordered the corned beef hash benedict. It consists of corned beef hash atop English muffins, perfectly poached eggs and Hollandaise. I'm still adjusting myself to poached eggs and these were really just right. The Hollandaise was flavorful yet light. I'm ordering this next time we go.

If you don't like corned beef hash, you just ain't right!

I chose the "build your own" omelet: my design was spinach and Swiss. This may sound rather boring, but I have to tell you, it was just delicious. The cheese was real. Y'all know how I am about fake cheese. The spinach was fresh. This is huge. Spinach does not belong in a can and if you serve it to me watch your head because the dishes will fly! My omelet was perfectly cooked and came with grits, again very nicely seasoned and well cooked (no lumps at all) and wheat toast. I could only eat half of it, so Neil has a midnight snack waiting in the wings.

Fresh spinach & milky good Swiss

If you are like us and have been jonesin' for a good breakfast place, rejoice in the fact that we now have one. The interior doesn't look like a diner or a greasy spoon...it's an attractive restaurant. The servers are all friendly (like neighborhood friendly) and the food is fresh and well prepared. Totally kid friendly and with the large patio, you can meet up with a big ol' group of friends. Check out the menu because it's a good lunch spot as well. I hope Columbia will support Eggs Up and it will be our neighborhood breakfast go-to for many, many years. 


P.S. My friend Stephanie is a super mom who is working here now.  Works out well to be available when her 3 kids get out of school. (There are 2 Stephanies so ask for "Stephie".) I can also vouch for Liz & Jay as excellent servers, so you really can't go wrong in the service department with this place!

Alotta Frittata

For the last couple of weeks, it seems that I can't get my fridge any less packed-to-the-gills. Last night was yet another night of trying to take bits and pieces of leftovers and put them to use once and for all.  I have 2 cooked chicken breasts and half an onion that have been staring back at me.  So, I grabbed the eggs and decided to whip up a big, puffy frittata.

I learned to make these from a cool cookbook called How to Cook without a Book.  I can't remember how long I've had this book, and in truth, I still read it just to make sure I have my measurements correct.  I've decided to make some notes in it and when Vivian is old enough to move out on her own, I'm going to give her my copy.

Last night, I chopped up most of that leftover chicken, used 3 slices of bacon, chopped up that onion, used a little Parmesan and the last little bit of the Colby we got from the Wisconsin cheese box that my brother-in-law sent.  All you do is cook the bacon and as it begins to render, add the onion.  Once these were cooked, I tossed in the chicken.  You spread all this out to cover the bottom of your skillet.  I'd already mixed 8 eggs, the cheeses and salt and pepper together.  You pour that over the bacon/onion/chicken and cook for about a minute or so to get the eggs to just begin to set.  Then, into the oven for about 13 minutes and you get a golden, puffy frittata.  Very little effort and very big payoff in the delicious department.  

I've never been able to get the Vivver to embrace the idea of an omelet.  But, as she ate her dinner and told me how much she liked it, she said "Hmm, this is kind of like an omelet and a pie, isn't it?"  Call it whatever you like, as long as you eat it!

I love coupons!

Yes, I love coupons.  In fact, Southern Savers has forever changed my life.  Getting a rock bottom deal is such a rush.  I wonder why it took me so long to understand this stuff.  

Recently I told you guys about Pillsbury's new Grands! Biscuit sandwiches.  I want to try these out because my Kindergartener is becoming bored with my breakfast offerings.  I mean, this morning the child rejected a piece of peanut butter toast because "it has too much peanut butter on it."  What?? Who are you?  You eat peanut butter with a spoon.  You have actually asked me to give you a bowl of peanut butter before.  And today, there's "too much."

Anyway, Publix has the Grands! sandwiches on sale 2/$5.00.  There is also a $1 Publix coupon that you can stack with another $1 manufacturer's coupon, making these little babies $0.50 per box.  But, Publix's sales run Wed-Tues, so tomorrow, this deal will probably be gone.  If you're interested in trying them for this ridiculously low price, print a coupon, head to Publix and get the store coupon in the Yellow Advantage pamphlet from the kiosk at the front door.  

Hopefully the wunderkind will dive into a bacon and egg biscuit tomorrow morning and squeal with delight. I just hope there's not "too much" of anything that might prompt a rejection.  Get your coupons and go try them out.  For $0.50 I'll try anything!

Men and Food

My sister and I share some food "hates."  It's kind of weird. Could taste be genetic?  My knowledge of biology tells me no, but it makes me kinda wonder.

We loathe:
celery
hard-boiled eggs
meat with bones in it
meat with fat on it

So, imagine my amusement to receive this email from her today...enjoy!

If I were to write a food blog, it would include the comment I got last night during dinner.  I was being lazy and decided to thaw out some frozen chili for dinner.  My guilt made me decide to make a great salad.  So, I reached to the back corners of the cabinets and pulled out hearts of palm, garbanzos etc to really make a “Salad deluxe” to go with it.  I also boiled an egg for the salad while the chili thawed.  So the comment I got about dinner...WOW you even boiled an egg.  Not impressed with heart of palm but a hard boiled egg..now that’s impressive!  I have to remember how easily impressed they are when I am stressing about what to make.