1/2 cup of your favorite tomato sauce
Splash of water (just so the sauce does not thicken too much)
2 eggs (if you would like more, you should add more sauce)
Pinch of dried or fresh chopped parsley
2 tsp parmesan cheese
The Carnivorous Herbivore |
|
Growing up in my grandmother's Italian kitchen, my mother had this often, but never really made it for us. Eggs baked in tomato sauce is an easy breakfast, lunch or snack that is wonderful with homemade tomato sauce (or tomato gravy, as my grandmother called it!). In a pinch, however, this is also delicious with a prepared jarred sauce. I love it because it's low-carb, and, as a soon-to-be bride, I am trying to tighten my figure! You don't have to keep this low-carb, however. This is delicious with toast, baguette, roll, or any other type of bread that you can dip into the yummy sauce. I cook my eggs to the over-hard stage, but cook yours to taste. You'll need: 1/2 cup of your favorite tomato sauce Splash of water (just so the sauce does not thicken too much) 2 eggs (if you would like more, you should add more sauce) Pinch of dried or fresh chopped parsley 2 tsp parmesan cheese Place the tomato sauce and splash of water in a saucepan or small frying pan with a lid. Mix to combine. Set over medium heat until it boils. Lower the heat, and add the eggs. Cover. Cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with the parsley and the parmesan. Cover to melt the cheese. Serve and enjoy!
0 Comments
Even with all the rain here in New York City, I'm still trying to keep hold of summer dishes. I really wanted to make a taco recipe that used chorizo, as I love the smoky flavors, but I couldn't find any in my local store. I love this Emeril recipe, but even though I love him, there were too many steps and essences for me (especially for a worknight!). So I took the idea of his recipe and totally paired it down. I ended up using a spicy pre-cooked chicken sausage, that I sauteed with some green peppers. I then layered the filling on some warmed soft taco shells with cheddar cheese, sour cream, lettuce and black bean and corn salsa. I loved how the black beans really added a great layer of flavor, but I still plan to try a fajita or taco with chorizo soon. You'll need: 1 lb chicken sausage 1 green bell pepper, sliced in strips Small flour tortillas Lettuce and tomato Cheddar cheese Salsa of your choice Sour cream, to taste First, chop your sausage in rounds, and slice up your bell pepper. Fold a few taco shells in some paper towels, and place them in the microwave, but wait to heat them. Get out your salsa and sour cream and set them on the table. Slice up some lettuce and tomato, if using. Shred your cheddar cheese and place on the table. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray, and add the sausage. Let the meat sear a bit to get some great flavor without moving it a lot, and toss to get the other side. Add the pepper, and cook to your desired doneness (I like mine still crunchy). Heat the tortillas on medium for thirty seconds. Serve immediately, and enjoy! My grandfather is going to be ninety this year, and his social calendar is way more full than mine! I just got back from visiting him in East Hampton (no, he's not a hip-hop mogul, he's just been there since before it was cool), and boy, does he have some great stories! This recipe is a depression-era one. His parents would make this with day-old kaiser rolls so they would seem fresh--and it really does work! The butter steams up into the roll and makes it fluffy and soft again. I used to live on these when I was a kid. My family would stay for the summer at my grandparents' house, and my brother and I would beg for this dish for breakfast every day. It really does taste fabulous, even better with some stories from the past... You'll need: 1 kaiser roll per person, my favorite has poppy seeds butter 1-2 tsp sugar Optional fruit for garnish Slice your roll in half, and butter both sides well. Add a bit of butter to a medium-hot griddle or frying pan (or spray with cooking spray). Place the roll cut-side-down in the pan and let cook until the exposed side is soft again (carefully poke to check). The roll should have some burnt parts, but as my grandpa says, "those are the best part." Remove to a plate, and immediately sprinkle with some sugar. Promptly eat, and enjoy! I did not share this meal with anyone. A few weeks ago, my boyfriend went to a bachelor party, and I made myself dinner and watched chick flicks with a Cotes Du Rhone and a cuddly puppy. Marinated French-cut lamb chops, grilled to a perfect medium-rare, and simple roasted asparagus. I thought of making a starch, but in the end didn't need one. This was a meal just for me. Because I deserve to eat delicious food even when I'm cooking for one. I was saving this post for a "rainy day," and I think this week is perfect, as it's still too hot for the grill pan (and this is one hot-cooking meal--my kitchen was warm when this was ready to eat!). You'll need: 3 french-cut lamb chops 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary Olive oil Salt and pepper Bunch of asparagus (about a dozen) Optional: Cote du Rhone Mix the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper and some olive oil. Marinate the lamb in the mixture for an hour. When you're ready to cook, trim the ends off the asparagus and toss with some salt, pepper and olive oil. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, Preheat your grill pan to high heat. Lay the asparagus on a foil-lined baking sheet and add the asparagus to the oven. Spray the grill pan with cooking spray. Set the lamb on the grill pan and cook for two minutes. Flip. Cook for two minutes more. Flip the lamb again, turning it to get crosshatched grill marks. Cook for thirty seconds. Flip again. Ditto thirty seconds. Set aside and keep warm. Check your asparagus, and toss to ensure even cooking. Cook the asparagus for an additional 3-5 minutes. Serve with the lamb. Enjoy! I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but my posts are super simple nowadays. A few reasons for this: 1) I finally got a new job and it has been keeping me really busy. 2) The insane heat wave we've been having--I can't heat up the grill pan if it'll heat my whole apartment to over 100 degrees. 3) Because of #1, I have been starving when I decide what I want, thus my meals have to be quick, easy, and without a lot of prepping. This meal was no exception. I had some hummus in the fridge after last week, and was craving something new. After searching for falafel recipes and finding none that I was impressed with (let alone had the time for), I thought I'd check out what the grocery store had. I decided on veggie burgers as a substitute, and I was pleasantly surprised. I usually find veggie burgers boring and dry. But this preparation really stepped it up a notch--the hummus added flavor and moisture, making this veggie burger something to write home about! Per person, you'll need: 1 whole-wheat pita, sliced in half Hummus (preferably homemade) Chopped lettuce and tomato 1 veggie burger, grilled, or pan-sauted Tahini, to drizzle First, start heating the veggie burger according to package directions for grilling or pan sauteing. Mine took about five minutes per side. Just time it while you prepare the other ingredients. Slice the pita in half, and carefully open the pocket. Chop some lettuce and tomato (I used grape tomatoes and chopped them in quarters). Spread one side of each pita pocket with hummus, and add some salad. Once the burger is done, slice it in half, then quarters lengthwise. Add the burger to the pocket, and fill with the rest of the lettuce and tomato. Drizzle some tahini over all. Enjoy! I am a big fan of Mark Bittman. When I first saw his article Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in Ten Minutes or Less, I was skeptical. A meal in ten minutes? But I have returned to this article again and again for great last-minute ideas and this one was no exception. While his explanations are one-liners "saute shredded zucchini in olive oil, adding garlic and chopped herbs. Serve over pasta," the directions really let the chef use their own creativity to make the meal unique. This time, his directions, "niçoise salad: Lightly steam haricot verts, green beans or asparagus. Arrange on a plate with chickpeas, good canned tuna, hard-cooked eggs, a green salad, sliced cucumber and tomato. Dress with oil and vinegar" were very to the point, but I had to add something special. I flaked the tuna (I used albacore packed in olive oil), and added 1/4 cup red onion, seasoning with salt and pepper. When I arranged the plates, I placed a bed of lettuce below, then added the tuna mixture to the center. For each plate, I added 1/2 a tomato, 1/3 cup cucumber, some lightly steamed green beans and broccoli, 1/2 can chickpeas, and hard-boiled eggs to finish the meal. Lightly season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with white wine vinegar and olive oil. Enjoy! I love summer picnics. Take your friends and your dog (if puppies are allowed), and go outside to eat in nature... or "nature" if you live in the city! This time I was yearning for roast beef, but wanted something a little different from the usual mustard or mayo. I modified one of my favorite beef sauces to spread on the bread. Add some chips and fruit salad (don't forget the iced tea!) and you're ready for a picnic. I sadly missed a going-away picnic yesterday. The weather and my work schedule didn't allow me to get there... Bon voyage, Kelsey! I know you'll be amazing! You can read about her exploits at Shanghai'ed. You'll need: 1 demi-baguette 5 slices roast beef 2 slices fresh tomato, halved 3 leaves lettuce, ends trimmed 1 slice red onion, separated in half-moons Horseradish spread, recipe below For the Horseradish Spread: 2 tbs prepared horseradish 1 tbs Dijon mustard 2 tbs Sour cream Salt and pepper, to taste First make your spread. Mix the horseradish, dijon and sour cream, and season a bit to taste. Note: taste your spread. If you like it a bit spicier, feel free to add more horseradish or Dijon, and remember the other ingredients will make the end result less spicy! Slice your demi-baguette almost in half, leaving one long edge intact. Spread with all of the horseradish spread. Layer in the meat, tomato and onion, and season to taste. Add your lettuce and, using the back of a knife, carefully fold it into the sandwich so you can close it. Slice your sandwich in half, and wrap for easy carrying. Serve with your favorite picnic foods. Enjoy! New York City is in the midst of an unbelievable heat wave right now. If you're not a lucky person who can escape the city for the summer (or at least a week!), you are suffering whenever you have to leave your apartment. Needless to say, cooking isn't really on the agenda. Ever. This dish is perfect for weather like this: the pasta starts hot, but when it touches the cool caprese salad, it becomes lukewarm as it warms the tomatoes and slightly melts the mozzarella. I love making this dish in the summer. My mom used to make it with angel hair pasta, but I love making it with rotini, and using grape or cherry tomatoes and small mozzarella balls (often called bocconcini). Per person, you'll need: 1/4 package rotini or angel hair pasta Handful grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered 5 leaves fresh basil, sliced in a chiffonade 5-6 little balls of mozzarella, quartered Olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste First, set a pot of salted water to boil on the stove. While you're waiting for the boil, slice and mix your salad, seasoning it well, and dressing lightly with olive oil. Start your pasta as soon as the water boils. Cook according to the directions for "firm." Drain your pasta well, and immediately add the salad to the hot pot with the pasta. Mix well. Serve immediately with a little extra salt and pepper on top and enjoy! I am a huge fan of breakfast and (especially) brunch. I can't start my day without the most important meal, and it must be a delicious one. I'm always finding new ways to make eggs, and I love changing up my go-to breakfast of lightly buttered toast with an over-easy egg on top. I was yearning for potatoes, but didn't want anything too heavy. I decided to make rosti, which is like a potato pancake, but without the egg and flour to bind it with. I added a handful of baby arugula for color and a peppery bite, and topped it off with my usual egg. If you want to make this for more people, just make one large rosti and slice it. Eggs optional, or make scrambled, one or two eggs per person. Per person, you'll need: 1 small red potato, shredded and squeezed dry 1/6 cup onion, shredded and squeezed dry Salt and pepper, to taste Unsalted butter, for the pan 1 or more eggs Optional: baby arugula to serve When you have shredded your potato and onion, mix it well, and make sure it's dry by squeezing it in a towel. Season the mixture to taste. Add some butter to a hot pan, and add the potato mixture. Using a spatula, flatten your potato out a bit, but be careful not to separate it too much. When you can see the edges are brown, carefully flip it. Cook for an additional two or three minutes, and remove to a plate. Spray the pan with cooking spray, and add an egg. Season the exposed side, and flip after a minute. Cook for one minute more. Top your rosti with arugula, then your egg. Add some freshly cracked pepper, if desired. Enjoy! My favorite marinade ever is my mom's pork loin marinade. But I had just made pork, so I thought, why not try the same marinade on chicken (pork is the "other white meat" after all!)! I was so happy with the results! The chicken was moist and perfect (I hate dry chicken breasts!!) and the marinade is so versatile, you can use this chicken for practically anything, from casseroles and pasta dishes, to this light and healthy salad. We ended up only using part of one of two chicken breasts for the salad, and the leftovers lasted a few days, making this a great make-ahead chicken dish. I wonder if this marinade would work on fish...? For the marinade, you'll need: 2-3 large cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp rosemary 1/2 tsp thyme 1/8 tsp powdered allspice 3 tbs olive oil 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts For the salad: Romaine lettuce 1/2 red apple, cored and cubed 1/4 cup red onion 1/3 cup walnuts or pecans For the Dijon dressing: 1 tbs white wine vinegar 1 tsp dijon mustard Salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 cup olive oil First, whisk together the ingredients for the marinade and slather them all over the chicken in a large zip-top bag. Let marinate in the fridge for an hour or (preferably) overnight. When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chicken with any extra marinade in a greased baking dish, and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through but still moist. Let rest while you make your salad. Chop the romaine, apple, and red onion and mix in bowls. Now mix your dressing. Blend the vinegar and mustard and season to taste. Whisk in the olive oil to emulsify. Chop some of the chicken (or all if you want more protein in your salad), and top the salads with the meat as well as your nuts. Dress lightly, reserving extra dressing in the fridge for future use. Enjoy! |
Categories
All
Archives
July 2015
|