egg-in-a-hole

ok! yes! i love eggs!
now that i'm found out, it will be a much easier relationship between you (my 3 readers) and me. and i should probably start taking cholesterol medicine because can you even imagine?

my new "easy dinner" trick + a picture resulted in this for dinner last night:

(via grapevine twine)

i don't know if there is anything i love more than scooping up runny egg with bread. until i added an avocado. omigosh, run to your stove and make this NOW.

EGG in a HOLE + avocado!

Ingredients:
1 egg
1 piece of bread
butter
avocado
s&p

Directions:
1. cut out a 3" circular hole in bread. i used the top of an empty salsa jar.
2. butter one side (or both sides if you love butter)
3. put bread, butter side down on skillet - let it grill for a minute to make the bread a little toasty
4. crack the egg and put it in the hole! now we're having fun!
5. when the egg white is almost cooked through (about 3 minutes), flip it. let it cook for another 2 minutes. nudge the yolk with your spatula and remove the bread when the yolk is gummy, and has lost that flimsy feeling. this gets easier with practice, but its better to have more runny than hard fried egg!
6. remove the bread and add sliced avocado to the top. sprinkle with salt and other seasonings you prefer.

enjoy. add a salad if you're feeling fancy.

salad + marv n joe

I'm learning to make dinners that are filling, but also healthy and light. You see, we usually don't eat dinner until after 9:30, so I need something that won't stick to my ribs that late at night. My stomach can't hack it. Thus the entry of the salad with slice of bread into my dinner rotation.

I've made 2 versions of this salad now, and I am in love. For some reason I've always had acute anxiety about making a good salad, since I grew up on iceberg, carrots, and cucumber with ranch salad.

Easy steps to a great salad

1. Have a few mix-in's on hand to make it easier. I like to keep pears, apples, roasted butternut squash, and roasted cauliflower on hand. And I also roasted 2 cups of assorted nuts (chopped almonds, pecans, and peanuts) that I keep in a tupperware for sprinkling on EVERYthing. It's just what I like.

2. Pick your greens: I like a good mesclun or baby lettuce mix.

3. Pick your dressing: We've really been enjoying the champagne vinaigrette from Whole Foods.

Make your salad:
We employ the big bowl method at the Taylor household. Throw your greens in a big huge bowl, add in your mix-ins (idea #1: butternut squash, cauliflower, edamame) (idea #2: pears, apples, roasted nuts), and drizzle with your preference of dressing.

Toss it all together until dressing coats the greens well. And most important rule: make sure your dinner buddy gets an equal amount of mix-in's to you (mix-in's are their own currency in our house).

A good partner to the Salad the Marv N Joe. I used to eat the Marv n Joe in the Food Court at Utah State University. It is so simple and SO delicious.

Marv N Joe

Ingredients:
slices of bread cut thick (1 - 1.5 inches)
slice of cheese - something mild like white cheddar or provolone
tomato
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

1. Put the oven on Broil.
2. Drizzle olive oil on bread and sprinkle a little balsamic on the bread.
3. Put slices of tomato on top so it covers the bread. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the tomato.
4. Slice of cheese on top.
5. Put it in the oven and keep an eye on it! Your Marv N Joe will be finished just before the cheese starts to bubble. The cheese will look all melty and delicious. And the bread will be nice and crisp.

Ohhh I need another one right now.

dinner: spicy cauliflower pasta

hello dinner!

this recipe was quick, easy, and so tasty -a nutty, hearty, filling dinner. perfect for a rainy night. serve with some greens or beside broiled flaky fish.

ingredients:
head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 TBSP olive oil
salt
pepper
1 cup bread crumbs
chopped fresh parsley, about 1/4 cup
2 TBSP capers
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or more if you like-a the spicy)
12 oz. whole wheat pasta (i used rotini. we like textured pasta around here.)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (i used parm reggiano - it's velvety texture and yumminess is divine.)

step by step directions:
1. turn on oven to 400 F. spread cauliflower on baking sheet and drizzle olive oil and salt and pepper on top (toss to coat). add some minced garlic for added flavor! roast for 20 minutes or until golden brown on edges. stir once while roasting.
2. while cauliflower is doing its thing, cook the pasta until al dente.
3. when both are done, mix the two together. add capers, red pepper flakes and parsley and toss to coat. add water to loosen up the pasta.
4. right before you eat, toss with bread crumbs and cheese and serve right away.

*note: i tried roasting some tomatoes with the cauliflower but thought it added too much acidity. but if you are into it, tomatoes really brighten up this dish!
**adapted from williams sonoma eat well cookbook