bacon

Fried Egg Sandwich

I’m a sold out breakfast-in-the-morning kind of person. You know those diet tips that say “don’t skip breakfast” and encourage you to start off your day eating a meal; I take them very seriously. And although my family would probably rather have a bowl of cereal, I am determined to make them real breakfast people, because it’s nice when people eat cooked food.

Pretty much anything that has eggs, bacon, and cheese is a winner, but this dish is childhood favorite that has been amped up with a little kale and gruyère (nod to Gwyneth Paltrow), and the “tangy zip of Miracle Whip”. (Because there is nothing else exactly like it.)

As organic as possible:

Serves 4

8 slices Bacon

1 cup finely grated Gruyère cheese

4 large Eggs

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

4 thick slices Country Bread

1/4 to 1/2 cup Miracle Whip

4 small or 2 large Kale leaves (hard stems removed)

2 tsp Olive oil

1/2 Tbsp (1 small pat) Butter

Arrange the bacon in a single layer in a large sauté pan, in two batches if necessary. Fry over medium-high heat until it reaches desired crispiness, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Wipe out almost all the bacon fat from the pan and make four 1/4 cup piles of cheese in the pan (they will sizzle and crisp immediately). Crack an egg over each flattened pile of cheese crisp. Generously salt and pepper the eggs. Cook until whites are set (not clear and runny).

In the meantime in a small sauté pan over medium heat olive oil and butter until butter becomes frothy. Coat the pan by swirling the oil and butter, add kale and sauté until kale is soften and slightly wilted (flipping once). Lightly salt and pepper the kale. Set aside.

While the eggs are frying and kale is sautéing, toast the bread in a toaster.

When all the preparation is finished it is time to assemble! Spread each piece of toast with 1 to 2 tablespoons of Miracle Whip, top with 1/4 of the sautéed kale, 2 slices of bacon, and one of the crispy Gruyère/fried egg combos. Repeat three more times.

Bakin’ Bacon

Have you tried baking your bacon yet? I’m sure by now you’ve seen a chef on Food Network do it, if you haven’t tried yourself. I remember watching the Barefoot Contessa layer it across a rack fitted into a baking sheet years ago. In one of my favorite cookbooks, Seriously Delish by Jessica Merchant, she has a whole paragraph in her introduction titled “Bake Yo’ Bacon”. Let me be the first to say, I am quick to stand by the old school method of frying it up in a pan. And now that I’ve said that let me also say, you are going to love baking it in the oven.

The first time I tasted “baked” bacon was at a brunch party. The hostess had cut the bacon pieces in half lengthwise and baked them into a chewy crispy combination of perfection. The first time I tried doing it myself, I was responsible for bring 5 pounds of cooked bacon to a breakfast bar themed menu for my son’s school party. I didn’t have time to stand in front of the stove and get dressed before having to make and serve my bacon obligation. And that was it, I gave it a try. And then it was: “why haven’t I done this sooner?”

So here is my first entertaining tip: If you need to make a surplus of bacon for a crowd, or your stove top is loaded with pots and pans and you still need to make that bacon, or your just not in the mood to stand in front of a burner because you’d rather be sitting down and drinking your coffee… Bake it!

Barefoot Contessa suggests placing it on a rack first, Jessica Merchant suggests lining your baking sheet with aluminum foil. I just jam it on there… a method for everyone. The rest of the instructions are about the same. Preheat the oven to 375° and bake for 20-25 minutes depending on the thickness of the bacon. And save your fat! Pour it into a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. (Great for biscuits, cornbread…)

Pasta Carbonara

My husband has been in Germany all week on business. So what’s a girl to do, except make dishes that I want to try; that I know he wouldn’t eat anyway! Carbonara in general is a bacon and cream sauce; in this case they are whisked with eggs which are actually cooked by the hot pasta, creating this amazingly creamy and flavorful dish. If you haven’t had it, you might (as I did) be skeptical and think it’s going to taste like breakfast on noodles. I promise you that is not the case. It creates this delicious coating of velvety yum that when paired with the Parmesan and caramelized onion (nod to Tyler Florence) makes a meal into an event to remember. Now if I could only get my husband to like bacon.

As organic as possible:

1 lb Linguine (easily substituted by spaghetti or long noodle of your choice)

2 Tbsp Olive oil

10 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips

1 yellow Onion, diced

4 Eggs

6 Tbsp heavy Cream

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Freshly ground Black Pepper

 

Start the cooking process for the pasta according to package directions, but be sure to salt your water!

Heat the olive oil in a skillet, add bacon and onion. Let cook until bacon is crispy and onion is caramelized, about 8 minutes give or take. In the meantime crack eggs into a large bowl and whisk with cream, Parmesan and a little freshly cracked black pepper. When bacon and onion are ready, spoon some of it into the cream and egg and whisk, add the rest including all of the fat and continue to whisk a little until it makes an emulsion.

If we have our timing right, the noodles should be al dente and ready to come out of the boiling water. Using tongs or a pasta scoop, place a portion of the noodles into the egg sauce, and toss. Add the rest of the noodles and gently toss until all noodles are coated with the creamy mixture of deliciousness.

Serve with a little freshly cracked pepper and light grating of Parmesan. Buon appetito!

Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence’s Spaghetti Carbonara

A Tale of Three Dishes Part II

Isaiah and I were again tagging along on one of Owen’s business trips. This time he was visiting one of his company’s plants in the charming town of Bretten, Germany. Many of the his colleagues lived in or near town and coming here was a little like a business reunion. Isaiah and I were accustomed to camping out in our hotel room, frequenting nearby parks and strolling through town. Part of the routine often included Owen participating in business dinners with visiting customers, so we were comfortable fending for ourselves. At times reservations had been made before our trip began and we knew which nights Owen would be away, but lining up our evening wasn’t always easy, as many times there was no set plan of “when and where.” Since I didn’t have an international cell phone, the only way Owen could get in touch with me was to meet back at our hotel or call the room, but if Isaiah and I were out exploring we needed to be flexible with our dinner plans.

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Little park outside of the hotel

One afternoon the baby and I returned to the room for his nap. By the time he woke up I knew Owen would be coming back soon, so I didn’t want to head back out. To pass the time I took out the crayons and paper I had packed. There was a perfect little desk in the corner for coloring shapes and practicing our colors. Isaiah was sitting in a chair and completely content, so I thought it would be a good time to run to the restroom. I left the door open so I could hear him and dart out if he started to move, besides I just going to be a minute. Right as I was walking out, I saw him standing on the chair and losing his balance. I couldn’t get there fast enough and he came crashing down, catching the side of his face on the corner of the desk.

My heart sank as I rushed to comfort him and inspect his injury. All of the sudden I felt home sick and helpless. I had no idea where the nearest medical facility was located, and no car to get me there anyway. Thankfully there was no bleeding, and I was able to get a wash cloth of cold water to sooth his wound and help with the swelling. It didn’t take long to see he was going to have a black eye. By the time Owen called to say we had been invited to his co-worker’s home for the evening, I had calmed down a little. After explaining to him what had happened and expressing my concerns about being good company, Owen and his friend convinced me that going there was the best option since his home had a medicine cabinet and some basic supplies, not to mention he was an asset as a translator if need be.

Picture taken a few days later, sob.

Picture taken a few days later, sob.

When Owen picked us up from the hotel, Isaiah and I were doing better. Owen was quick to put my mind at ease, professing (as I think many dads do) “it’s not that bad.” We arrived at Martin’s home and were greeted by his welcoming family. It was their custom to eat a large lunch and not very much for dinner, but they did put out some homemade bread, cider, and jams, a slaw like salad made from their very own garden vegetables and a few kiwis. The night was very comforting after the upset we had in our hotel room. Martin’s wife practiced her English with me while his daughter played the piano for us and his son brought out a box of building blocks for Isaiah.

His wife and some of the homemade goodies.

His wife and some of the homemade goodies.

Isaiah taking a turn at the piano.

Isaiah taking a turn at the piano.

The night had been just what I needed and the next day I was again feeling relaxed about our stay (as opposed to trying to book the first flight home). I had even decided I would take Isaiah out for the afternoon. Owen had told me about a restaurant I should try at the square around the corner from our hotel. This was my favorite part of town. The brick paved thoroughfare was really for pedestrians only (although occasionally there would be a random car parked in front of a shop). The path was lined with quaint little stores, one sold chocolates, another sold kitchen wares, a couple sold clothing, etc. Owen had explained that a particular restaurant, the second one with outdoor seating on the north side of the road, had a pizza type dish that he thought was pretty good. Trusting his recommendation, I made it our quest of the day.

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What I am about to tell you next is as serious as I can be. I had never tasted anything like this before. One word, flammkuchen. It wasn’t really like a pizza or flat bread I’d eaten. It was amazing! It had a thin crispy crust, there was some sort of beautiful white sauce, the cheese was mild and flavorful, the onions were soft but firm and sweet, and the bacon, oh the bacon; it was perfectly salty, crispy and chewy all at the same time. Together the combination was out of this world. It’s not to say that I had tasted flammkuchen and had a standard to measure it by, but I’m pretty sure I hit the jackpot! Life changing. Honestly it’s worth booking a vacation over.

I posted this picture only because there are remnants of the flammkuchen on the table.

I posted this picture only because there are remnants of the flammkuchen on the table.

The Curry, Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwich

I was eating my daily dose of vegetables and enjoying them thoroughly because they were generously doused with my Gram’s Curry Dip. And the thought occurred to me, “I wish I had a piece of bacon to dip in this right now.” (Admittedly I have issues). It was a total “light-bulb” moment, except you have to say it like Gru from Despicable Me. So let’s take Gram’s dip to the next level… a spread. Oh my goodness, you won’t be sorry.

Serves 2

As organic as possible:

4 slices thick white country bread

6 thick bacon slices, cooked crispy but meaty (you bacon lovers know what I’m saying)

2-4 leaves iceberg lettuce (depending on their size)

4 slices ripe juicy tomato

4 Tbsp Gram’s Curry Dip

Place the bread in a toaster oven (or toaster obviously) and toast lightly, for a little texture but maintaining softness. Spread some of Gram’s Curry Dip on the insides of all four slices (so the goodness is on the top and bottom of your new favorite sandwich). Layer on the lettuce, tomato and bacon. Top your sandwiches, cut them in half and serve. Then gloat, because those cute little cafes with their fancy sandwiches have nothing on you right now.