How about a wonderful egg dish that you can serve for breakfast with a slice of toast and a side of fresh fruit, or for brunch with some added meat choices? This skillet meal can do both. It’s also very healthful with all fresh vegetables, eggs and cheese. With some sausage, ham or chorizo, and a green salad, it can also be dinner.

We favor spicy, so I added a splash of Tabasco over the tomato layer, in addition to the sprinkle of red pepper flakes over the green pepper layer. If you prefer it not as spicy, you can omit the red pepper flakes, and cut down on the black pepper and Tabasco—but don’t eliminate the Tabasco completely. It adds a lot of flavor to the eggs.

Spicy Southwestern Eggs

Use a heavy 10” skillet, preferably cast iron

2 T olive oil

3 green onions, chopped

2 small potatoes, thinly sliced

3 tomatoes, diced

3 or 4 dashes of Tabasco sauce

½ green bell pepper, chopped

2 or 3 sprinkles of red pepper flakes

1 C white or yellow cheddar cheese, grated or shredded

4 eggs, slightly beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

3 T fresh parsley, minced

Topping: 2 slices cooked and crumbled bacon (optional)

Sauté onions in oil until soft. Add the potato layer across the top. Simmer a couple of minutes. Add the tomato layer and Tabasco and simmer a couple more minutes. Add the bell pepper layer and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Cook another minute. By now the potatoes and bell pepper are tender. Pour the beaten eggs over the top. Sprinkle cheese and fresh parsley across the top. Simmer another minute until the eggs begin to set. If you choose the bacon topping, add it now.

Set broiler on high. Keeping an eye on it, place the pan under the broiler a minute or two to finish the eggs and melt the cheese. Remove from broiler and allow to stand a couple of minutes. Pour the coffee and you’re ready to eat.

 

For those of you who love scallops (or even shrimp) as much as I do, you’ll really love this recipe. The first time I made it I used scallops. The second time shrimp, and the third time scallops again. I prefer it with scallops because I love them, but our friends preferred the shrimp version. However, we all agreed both versions were equally delicious.

The scallops or shrimp remain tender, and the sauce is creamy and smooth. Adding fresh parsley, freshly grated nutmeg and thyme can make all the difference in the deep rich flavor. Nutmeg wonderfully enhances any cream or milk-based sauce. A dash of red pepper flakes brings out the flavor and does not add “heat”.

For easy assembly, first measure out the ingredients in the order given.

Savory Scallops

Serve in 8” ovenproof casserole dish

or 6-8 ramekins for individual appetizer servings

The italicized ingredients are substitutes.

12 large sea scallops (fresh or frozen)

If frozen, when thawed slice in quarters)

(16 large shrimp (fresh or frozen)

If frozen, when thawed cut in thirds)

Note: if using fresh scallops or shrimp, add one-half cup chicken stock in place of the “thawing” liquid described below.

½ C water

½ large or 1 medium shallot - thinly sliced

(Or 4 T finely minced onion)

1 whole bay leaf

2/3 C dry vermouth

1 t salt

3 T unsalted butter

3 T flour

¾ C fresh cream or half and half

1 C whole or 2% low-fat milk

1 t fresh lemon juice

(Or ¼ t fresh lemon zest)

1/8 t dry thyme

1 pinch freshly-ground nutmeg

1 shake hot red pepper flakes

1/2 C freshly grated Gruyere cheese

(1/2 C freshly grated Swiss cheese)

2 T minced flat-leafed parsley

(Or 1 T parsley flakes)

1 T grated cheese for topping

1 T parsley for topping

In a covered skillet, allow the scallops to thoroughly defrost—either in the refrigerator or on your counter. Remove scallops to a bowl, reserving the “thawing” liquid in the pan.

To the liquid, add the water, shallots, bay leaf, vermouth and salt. Bring to boil and simmer uncovered 8 to 10 minutes, or until the shallots are tender. Remove from heat, cover to keep warm.

In a smaller skillet, melt the butter, add the flour and cook over medium heat about 3 minutes--stirring with wire whisk or fork--until the mixture is smooth and golden (“roux” in French cooking).

Add the roux to the above liquid and whisk until thoroughly blended. Add the cream, milk, lemon juice, thyme, nutmeg and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens a little. Add the scallops, grated cheese and parsley. Simmer a couple of minutes to cook the scallops. Remove the bay leaf. Pour into the casserole dish, top with the reserved cheese and parsley. It’s ready for the table. Can be served over steamed rice, and accompanied by a mixed salad and some crusty bread. If you enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, a chilled chardonnay or pinot grigio are very both nice.

If you’re serving it later, or freezing for later use, immediately cover with plastic wrap to prevent a “skin” from forming on top. Freeze while still warm. To serve, thaw thoroughly and bake in preheated 350º oven 30–45 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.

Enjoy!

The Conservative Cook strikes again! This time with a delightfully pleasing breakfast muffin loaded with energy – light, fluffy and not too sweet. No need to stop by a bakery or coffee shop to pick up a donut, muffin or fat little breakfast pastry. Munching on one of these with a good cup of coffee, tea or glass of juice will get you on your way any morning.

My mother-in-law gave me this basic bread recipe many years ago. She made delicious jams and jellies, and baked wonderful breads, cakes, cookies and candies. She was very happy to share her recipes with me, especially the easy ones. I stress the “easy” because, while we both loved to bake, we also had lots of other interests and time was very precious. Recently I came across her bread recipe, and in reading it was reminded how delicious it was. I knew that if I added or subtracted a couple of the ingredients, I might be able to come up with a whole new recipe—muffins instead of bread. Well, this one has evolved into a little breakfast “baking miracle,” and a lot more satisfying than a slice of bread. I wish she were still alive so I could share this one with her now.

The key basic ingredients are the flour, beer and sugar. That’s it. How easy is that? I made it up with these three alone, baked it in the greased loaf pan for 45 minutes and it was great. However, it was still bread. I was inspired by how easy it was, and made it again with some added orange zest, and a few raisins and currants. By substituting two 5-inch metal mixing bowls for the one loaf pan, I came up with two beautiful and tasty little golden loaves.

While still warm, I ran one across the street to our early-riser neighbors, and sliced the second one for us. We had it with a little butter, and a cup of coffee. We also added a piece of fresh fruit and a glass of tomato juice to round out our complete breakfast.

If you want to give this one a try, here it is.

 “Skinny” Breakfast Muffins

(Bake in a greased 12-small or 6-large unlined muffin tin)

3 C self-rising flour

NO substitute

1 12oz. can of beer

any brand, but NO substitute

3 T granulated sugar

NO substitute

1 or 2 shakes of salt

1 T toasted sunflower seeds

(or poppy, sesame, pumpkin, anise)

½ C raisins (dark or light)

(or chopped dried apricots, prunes, figs, apples)

2 T bran flakes

(or oat flakes, flax seed, crack wheat or ground grain)

½ C walnuts, toasted and chopped

(or pecans, almonds, peanuts, cashews)

1 t vanilla extract

(or orange, lemon, anise)

1 t oranze zest

(or lemon, lime, mandarin, tangelo)

The first three are the only ingredients that have NO SUBSTITUTES. It’s the chemistry of the combined flour, beer and sugar that cause the muffins to rise light and fluffy.

Spray the muffin tin lightly with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375º

Measure all the dry ingredients you’re using into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Lastly, pour in the cold beer and carefully stir until well blended. Divide batter evenly in the muffin pan. Top with a few chopped nuts, seeds, raisins or a light sprinkling of sugar/cinnamon mixture. Bake at 375º for 20 minutes (12 small muffins), or 30 minutes for 6 large muffins. Check with a toothpick.

If done, remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan a couple of minutes. Lift out, cool on a wire rack, or serve warm. Pour the coffee and you’re good to go!

If you baked these the night before, the best part is all you saved—money, gas and your precious time. Store any leftovers in individual sealed plastic storage bags. These freeze well too. If you share them with friends or co-workers, there won’t be any leftovers to worry about!

Enjoy!

One of my favorite dishes to order in an Italian restaurant is lasagna. However, unless the pasta is homemade, the texture is often thick and chewy. The very best lasagna I ever tasted was in Padua, Italy, when we visited there a few years ago. The filling was meaty but very light, and the pasta was smooth and velvety. We learned that the pasta was made fresh that day. It was absolutely fabulous and I still remember it vividly.

I’m sorry to say that while I can’t exactly duplicate that rich and wonderful flavor, I came close when I made some with my homemade pasta and ricotta. The pasta was a challenge until I found a great recipe. Now one of my favorite cooking utensils is the pasta attachment to my mixer. If you love to cook, and also love pasta dishes, I’d say purchasing one would be a wise investment.

I’ve made the pasta several times now, and it is always light and silky. I will share that recipe with you in a future article, but now I will concentrate on the lasagna. You can add meat, or just use all fresh vegetables and some good quality cheeses.

Also very important is the type of cheese you use. A packaged pre-grated or shredded product will lack the fresh moist flavor of a cheese you freshly grate (Parmigiano) or shred (mozzarella). The difference between freshly made ricotta and the stuff you find in those little plastic tubs is also remarkable. You really need to try it to taste the difference. Soon, I’ll also share the easiest ricotta recipe I have found for this low-fat creamy delight.

The only packaged product I’m using today is the sauce. Later in the summer when tomatoes are plentiful and lower-priced, I’ll be making my fresh marinara again. Being a conservative cook, I try to keep my recipes economical! Some of the jarred stuff does make a pretty good substitute, and I like Classico.

I have listed both fresh and prepared ingredients. You can choose the ones that fit best into your busy schedule.

Vegetable and Fresh Ricotta Lasagna

6 strips homemade lasagna noodles (cut 4” x 8”)

6 strips Barilla “no boiling required” lasagna noodles

1 fresh Italian zucchini squash, cut into ¼” round slices

½ C chopped onion (any kind)

1 ¼ cup fresh spinach, chopped small

1 10oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

½ C fresh mushrooms (any kind), sliced

1 4oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained

2 T fresh minced parsley

1 T dry parsley flakes

1 cup fresh ricotta

1 8oz carton low-fat cottage cheese

2 eggs slightly beaten

½ C egg substitute

3-1/2 C fresh marinara sauce

1 26oz. bottle Classico marinara sauce

2 C freshl mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 C packaged shredded mozzarella cheese

1 C freshly grated Parmigiano cheese

1 C grated Kraft parmesan cheese

1 pound ground lean sirloin (optional)

If you’re in a family of meat lovers, you can substitute ground veal, pork, turkey, chicken or sausage for the beef. Brown the meat in a skillet first and drain off any fat. This will keep the dish “lean” and reduce the calories.

Combine the spinach with the mushrooms, beaten eggs, ricotta, half of the Parmigiano and meat (if used).

In a 9 or 10-inch square baking dish, begin by spreading a couple of tablespoons of the sauce over the bottom of the casserole dish. Then put down 2 strips of noodles to cover the bottom of the dish. This makes a good “foundation” for the other ingredients. Put the zucchini slices down, top with more sauce, the chopped onions and some mozzarella.

Add 2 more strips of noodles, the spinach mixture, and the remaining Parmigiano. Add the last 2 strips of noodle, the rest of the sauce, sprinkle the parsley and remaining mozzarella over the top.

Cover the dish with loose fitting foil (so it doesn’t stick to the top cheese layer) but secure the edges. If you’re using a dish with a glass lid, that’s even better.

Bake covered at 350° for 1 hour. Remove the foil or lid and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes to melt the top cheese layer.

After removing it from the oven, let it stand about 15 minutes. This allows it to steam-off a little so it’s easier to cut into serving slices. It’s time to eat!

If you want to freeze what’s leftover, cut into individual portions and store in plastic storage containers. When you want to enjoy fresh lasagna again, defrost and microwave a few minutes on a medium power. It still tastes freshly made.

Enjoy!

Spring is closer than I thought. So it’s salad time again—to fill either a lunch or dinner bill. How about a big Chinese Chicken Salad? Like my other recipes, it too is very easy to prepare, and you can even do it in advance. While the dressing is similar to vinaigrette in consistency, the rice vinegar and sesame oil really add a smoky and nutty flavor. You can serve the greens alone with the dressing, or add other ingredients to create a lunch or full dinner.

Cooked chicken, turkey, shrimp, tuna or tofu are excellent proteins, and anyone can make this salad into a variety of meals. As you probably know, the chicken and shrimp versions are common salad menu items in many restaurants, and dressing variations are plentiful out there too.

Below is my favorite salad combination. This dressing recipe is my original which I came up with after much experimentation. I like it so much, I also use it on coleslaw, paper-thin sliced cucumbers and otherwise plain green salad.

To prepare the salad in the morning for a lunch or dinner, after slicing the fresh vegetables, refrigerate them in sealed plastic bags with a damp paper towel to retain crispness. You can keep them refrigerated for an extra day or two if your plans change. Then you’ll only need to assemble, dress and toss when you’re ready to eat.

The plastic bag/damp paper towel trick really helps to keep any vegetable moist and fresh.

You can vary the salad part, but the dressing recipe must be adhered to exactly to get just the right blend.

CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD

Dressing:

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

¼ cup canola salad oil

1-1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar

1 tsp poppy seeds (toasted or plain)

Measure all ingredients into a dressing bottle, shake well and it’s ready. For later use, refrigerate it.

Salad:

1 head Romaine lettuce—cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

3 green onions—cut diagonally into ¼ inch pieces

2 chicken breasts or 4 thighs (skinless, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces)

1 cup fresh snow peas—sliced in half

1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts

½ cup peanuts (plain or salted)

½ cup sliced almonds (for topping)

For the chicken, you may wish to poach it yourself. I prefer to use the breast or thighs of a prepared roasted chicken available in most supermarkets. It’s a lot quicker and easier with a lot less clean up.

The combination of ingredients can vary, and will depend on what you or your family prefer. Below I have listed a few more you can add or substitute. Also, toppings can vary from fried wonton skins to Asian noodles, clear rice noodles, croutons or just a sprinkling of sliced almonds.

If you’d like to try it with Asian or clear rice noodles, you’ll find the directions for preparing those products right on the package. I never use them and prefer the sliced almonds. I don’t think they add that much flavor to the salad, but everyone’s taste differs and you may like a crunchy finish. To me they always take more time to prepare than I like to spend on a salad! The almonds always work for me.

Optional ingredients:

1 head of green, red or Chinese cabbage, sliced fine

1 8-oz can sliced bamboo shoots, drained

1 small can of Mandarin orange slices, drained

1 small can pineapple chunks, drained

½ cup fresh shredded carrots

2 celery stalks, sliced in diagonal half-inch pieces

½ cup fresh bean sprouts

½ cup cashew nuts

I think you’ll find your own combination to be delicious, and I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do.

©Pauline Boren 2008