Project Cookbook and the Weeknight Gnocchi

Guys, it is actually happening!!! The writing has begun. The cookbook is officially underway! I'm really excited about this project, and believe me it's been a long time coming. As a very young newlywed I knew nothing about cooking, literally nothing. Everything I know today I learned from reading. Reading cookbooks, and magazines, piles of recipes and articles. Long before the days of 24 hour food shows on television I spent many hours poring over books. The first real cookbook that shaped my cooking skills was the old 1980s red and white checked Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. I never understood why it was called the "New Cook Book' really, but it is the one book every newly independent adult needs to own. Besides some pretty impressive recipes it also covers the basics- how to cook rice, make plain pastry, roast times and temps for meats. It's literally the elementary, junior high and high school of cooking compiled into chapters. 

As the years went by, my collection grew and I began to grow my skills in the kitchen and I started entering contests. I started to think to myself, hey I can do this, I can write recipes, I should write a cookbook! I kept folders of notes, and bought blank journals and wrote page after page of recipes I made up in my different kitchens. I was writing and still reading, new cookbooks come out all the time so I never ran out of things to read. Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines began to pile up at my house too. Scraps of paper became bookmarks and I learned more techniques and entered more contests and then friends started saying "you should write a cookbook!" The time wasn't right, but still I saved and filed and wrote, and cooked and baked.

Then several years ago I met my friend Ray. We had a mutual interest in food and started throwing around some ideas. We put together a group of writers and set out to launch an internet magazine about food in our state. We collaborated on a few social media groups focused on Iowa food, historical foods and eating out. We eventually started talking about cookbooks. Writing cookbooks, to be exact. Ray knew I wanted to write my own, and he encouraged me to do it! He was secretly hoping I'd go down the Iowa recipes path but that's not what I had in mind, and even he thought about writing an Iowa-centric cookbook, or compile one anyway. 

One day, when we thought we still had a lifetime to work on these things, my friend was gone. His passing left a lot of people heartbroken, and made me value the time we did have even more- talking about crazy food ideas, his hobo dinners and the time he ate some "wild peppers" he found and ended up nearly poisoning himself. I knew if there was ever a time in my life to make this project a reality, it was now, for my friend. For myself.

So here we are. Project Cookbook is a go and I'm working on it almost daily. In my head I have a vision, how I want the photography to be, the outline is working. I've got chapters decided and have been sorting through my journals and scrapbooks looking for the right recipes to include in the book. Because I am "The Baker" around here, of course there will be some pretty fantastic cakes and pies and pastries included, but lots of great entrees and appetizers too. I am really going to focus on things my family loved me to cook.

So let's talk about this recipe. It's definitely going in the book, and it's one of my favorite things to make. Weeknight gnocchi. Why weeknight? Because we are using a big time shortcut which shaves a LOT of time off the prep of this dish and makes it something that's totally doable on a weeknight. Who  doesn't love that? These are so easy to make you can even get your kids in on the fun, rolling and cutting into little dumplings. Let's make this!

Easy Herbed Gnocchi

1 cup dry instant mashed potato flakes

1 cup boiling water

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten

butter

fresh thyme for serving

Combine the mashed potato flakes and boiling water in a medium bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl stir the flour, salt and pepper and thyme, crushing slightly in your fingers. Add the prepared mashed potatoes and mix in, using a fork or a pastry blender, until mostly combined, looking like small peas. Add the egg and mix in well. Knead once or twice.

On a floured board, roll out egg sized portions of the dough into half inch diameter ropes. Cut into bite sized pieces with a knife. Place on floured parchment on a sheet pan to hold until all dough is rolled and cut.

When ready to cook, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the gnocchi in batches and boil until they float, maybe 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and continue to cook all. 

In a large skillet melt a couple tablespoons of butter. Add the cooked gnocchi and heat, stirring only occasionally until the gnocchi are golden brown in spots and coated in butter. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and serve.

I served my gnocchi with some pan-roasted chicken breasts, and it was easy to do. Using a cast iron or other oven safe skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of oil and butter until foaming. Season 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts with salt, pepper and fresh herbs of choice. I used thyme. 

Brown on both sides then pop in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes to finish. I removed the chicken, added another tablespoon of butter to the drippings and browned the gnocchi in the delicious chicken drippings. Oh. Em. Gee. Talk about luxurious. We will be making this again!!

REALLY Rockin' and some No Recipe Cooking

After all this time, we have yet to have a story about music. Well friends..... we are going to change all that right now. Those of you who know me understand my crazy love of heavy metal, death metal, dark and looming lyrics of hellfire and damnation, gruesome topics, war and disease, the hardest of the hard stuff, and amazingly enough, Lady Gaga. Yes, I am a Little Monster, and I am proud of it. The obsession took hold when she first came on the music scene. I had not yet heard a single song but I saw article after article about her in the London Daily Mail. The more I read about her, the more the fascination grew. Her crazy clothing. Her hair bow made of hair. Shoes that are mile high. I was so curious about her and eventually heard the song Poker Face. My bestie Ronda and I fell in love with the catchy songs on her first album and played them daily, usually accompanied by a round or four of Jager bombs in the townhouse we shared. 

The first album, The Fame, was firmly committed to memory when The Fame Monster came out and a whole new round of songs had to be learned, and learn them we did. Mastered the Bad Romance dance. Slayed it, and slurred it. Born This Way came along next, and by that time Ronda had moved away and The Chef and I had moved to the Little Lake House. Born This Way was filled with songs I just couldn't get enough of. The title track was a favorite, and I'd often belt it out at the top of my voice driving to work. Scheibe- loved it. Bloody Mary- crazy obsessed. It was after this album that I had my first opportunity to see Mother Monster in concert. My daughter Laurie, her friend Jim and I made the drive to Minneapolis on a pilgrimage to see our Mother in the Born This Way Ball. My life was complete that day. I cried when Highway Unicorn began and she rode onto the stage riding upon a giant mechanical unicorn. I died. I truly died, and went to heaven.

Artpop was the next album and once again, became part of me. Every song on that album was fun to sing and I learned every word. This time around when she came to the midwest my other daughter Debbee and I made the drive to Minneapolis to experience ArtRave. The stage was incredible- acrylic floors and waves and Lady Gaga walked all over during the show, singing and dancing over the heads of her screaming Little Monsters. Amazing. The costumes, pure amazing. Again, the songs filled my heart, Venus, ArtPop, Mary Jane Holland, Gypsy, every one was great and made me want to dance and sing, and I did so right there in the arena, with full abandon and not a care in the world.

Lady Gaga's most recent album Joanne is a collection of a totally different kind of songs. These songs are very personal to Lady Gaga and tell the story of her life and different times of pain and happiness, of struggle and triumph. Joanne is named for her late aunt Joanne, who is also her namesake. While the album has a raw, funky almost country vibe, the World Tour lives up to everything her fans expect. This time Laurie, Debbee, Jim and I made the trip again to Minnesota to bask in the presence of our Mother Monster. This show featured no opening act, we were plunged right into the heart of Joanne from the opening notes of Diamond Heart to the classics Bad Romance, Telephone and Poker Face, Lady Gaga just astounds me with her energy and stage presence. Again I cried as she took the stage, and screamed and danced and raised my paws when she asked me to. The show was over in a flash, and I felt so sad walking out of the arena. I do know that I will be back to see her again.

Because the Twin Cities are just three hours away, we didn't grab a hotel for the night. We hit the road and headed home. With good weather, and only a couple stops along the way, we rolled back into Des Moines around 3 a.m. annnnnnd crashed. The next day was a lazy day for me, The Chef's day off, so we lazed around and did very little. I needed to recoup from all the walking, dancing, and driving. So we eventually got to the time of day when tummies are grumbling but neither one of us really wants to cook, and we certainly have no game plan for the meal- what we do have is a package of chicken tenders and a package of frozen gnocchi. These things need to become a meal!

The gnocchi is a no brainer. Trader Joe's has again made it easy, and delicious, for me to get a side on the table in just a few minutes, less than five minutes to be exact. Having already fallen in love with the sweet potato gnocchi, I still had a bag of Gorgonzola gnocchi in the freezer waiting for me to try. I thought this would be perfect with a juicy steak on the side but chicken is what's available today. Following the directions on the package, all you do is pour the contents into a bowl or saucepan and heat. You don't add anything, not even water. Frozen cubes of the creamy sauce and the delicate little potato dumplings heat up in a snap to creamy tender perfection. I wish I had thought ahead and grabbed some fresh parsley from the garden- while these were ridiculously delicious and I will absolutely buy them again, they were pretty rich and needed an herbal note to cut the richness a bit, and could have used a pop of color. Flavor-wise they were awesome, perfectly tender and the sauce was creamy and had the right amount of cheese so that it wasn't an overpowering Gorgonzola taste.

For my chicken, I just went on a whim with a few ingredients from the fridge and pantry. I used a 1 to 1 1/2 lb package boneless skinless chicken tenders, but you could use breasts if you had them, or even cut breasts into strips or nuggets. Drain them well, place in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, then add 2 tablespoons mustard to the bowl. Use Dijon or a spicy deli style mustard- grainy, I don't recommend regular yellow mustard but hey, if that's your thing, go for it. Use your hand to distribute the mustard evenly over all the chicken pieces and  set aside. In a shallow bowl, combine half a cup or so of flour with salt, pepper, your favorite herbs and seasonings. I used a good tablespoon of Penzey's Bouquet Garni and a generous tablespoon of Emeril's Essence. Mix those together well. 

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add a tablespoon or two of oil. Dip the chicken into the flour, coating lightly and add the the hot skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked through and golden brown. Don't crowd the skillet or you will have soggy nasty chicken goo. After I had browned all the chicken, I added a tablespoon f butter to the skillet and a couple glugs of Riesling- I had an open bottle I needed to use up. A quick sprinkle of bouquet garni in the sauce and dinner was served, drizzle the sauce over the chicken if you like. The mustard added a nice flavor to the chicken and the flour brought that crispy texture. Quick, easy, and on the table in under 20 minutes.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Cooking with Wine- Fish Piccata

You should always cook with a wine you would drink. Wise words, and truly, words to live by if you are like me and love cooking, love wine, and love cooking with wine. It's no secret to you guys that I am deeply in love with Riesling. Maybe it's my German DNA but there is something about that grape that just appeals to me. Big plus- unlike a lot of other whites, it's never aged in oak. I absolutely hate that oak flavor in wine, especially white. I've complained about that before so I won't rehash it all here. I grabbed an inexpensive Riesling recently, from the Fetzer winery, and it's great for cooking and amazingly drinkable.  

We've covered the wine many times before, so let's talk about something a lot more fun- grocery shopping. Not just any grocery shopping, we all know how much I HATE a boring trip to the supermarket, but fun grocery shopping, gourmet shops, ethnic markets, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, small town grocery stores, you get the idea. In these kinds of stores I don't feel like I have to rush to get out. I like to take my time and check out all the unique items. At the supermarket, for example, they have balsamic vinegar. Might even have two brands. But at Gateway Market or Dean and Deluca they will have twenty different balsamic vinegars, and shelf after shelf of olive oil and all kinds of wonderful things. Olives? You guys know how I am about olives, right? I get in trouble at the olive bars. I'm an olive hoarder, and heaven help me if there is a bin of Peppadews on the bar........

The spice aisle is another danger zone for me. Right now in our kitchen there is a six foot tall shelf unit that is packed with spices. Literally packed. Peppers, herbs, spices, flavored salts, whole spices, ground spices, hot and spicy, smoky and sweet, spices for baking, spices for pickling. In spite of this enormous collection of delicious, I never fail to find something new when I'm browsing in the spice aisle. Maybe a new curry blend, or a new meat rub. It ends up in my basket.

The Chef is always crackling jokes about the pastas and grains we have accumulated in the pantry. There must be four different kinds of lentils in there. Wheat berries, bulgur, amaranth, teff, farro, a few different types of rice. Pastas. Lots and lots of pastas. The Chef is an Italian guy so of course we use a lot of pasta! I love collecting the unusual shapes that I don't find in the normal supermarket and use them for special recipes and pasta salads.

Of course no trip to a gourmet or specialty food store would be complete without at least a couple additions to our staples and condiments. You never know when you're going to need a tablespoons of capers, or a few anchovy fillets. Yes, I do need that many containers of cupcake sprinkles and absolutely we need eighteen different kinds of hot sauce.

Lately The Chef and I have been on a more healthy track when it comes to food. We still like an occasional "naughty" treat but for the most part it's been lean proteins like chicken, fish and lots of eggs, and tons and tons of fresh fruits and vegetables. This time of year there is everything under the sun available from farmstands to supermarkets. I'm going with one of my favorites, baby spinach, and some beautiful flounder fillets to make a deliciously light and flavorful version of one of my favorite Italian dishes, veal piccata. Briney capers and freshly squeezed lemon juice and a big splash of that beautiful Riesling will complete my dish. The Chef still needs his pasta, so I'm adding some buttered orzo, but you could easily swap that for rice or even quinoa or another grain for even more protein power.

The Sinful Food Garlic Olive Oil is the perfect oil for this dish. It adds a nice garlic flavor in the background without being overpowering. I think it makes the dish. You need to invest in this oil and you can get yours by clicking HERE.

Easy Fish Piccata with Wilted Baby Spinach

6-8 flounder fillets*

Signature Seasoning

flour

2 teaspoons Sinful Food Garlic Olive Oil

1/3 cup Riesling

2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon capers, drained thoroughly

2 tablespoons butter

1 package baby spinach, washed and dried

hot cooked buttered orzo for serving

*Use can use any light flaky fish you like, such as tilapia, sole, etc.

Pat the fish dry on both sides. Sprinkle with Signature Seasoning. Dredge the fillets in flour and shake off the excess.

Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet until hot. Add the fish and cook about 2-3 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until golden brown. Remove the fish to a plate and keep warm.

Add the garlic, wine, juice and capers to the skillet. Cook for a minute to blend flavors and soften garlic. Increase the heat to high. Stir the butter in until melted, then add the spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted.

To serve, place about 1/2 cup orzo on plate, top with about 1/3 cup spinach, then the fish. Serve with sauce spooned over and additional lemon wedges.

This is the first time I've ever cooked flounder, and to my memory may even be the first time I've ever eaten it. I can assure you, it will not be the last! The flounder was probably the best tasting fish I have ever had. Zero "fishy" taste, and while that sounds almost silly, most people know what I mean. I purchased the frozen fillets at Aldi and they were quick to thaw, individually packed, had zero bones- just delicious. I am definitely going to stock up on flounder- can't wait to try it in things like fish tacos, stuffed fillets, etc.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." As a Brand Ambassador, the company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift or something of value. Regardless,  I only recommend products or services I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

It's Morel Mushroom Season

Mushroom haters, look away. Things are going to get really mushroomy in a very short time. It's springtime and in most of the country, springtime means rainy cool weather mixed with a few warm days combined with woodsy landscapes and lots of decaying leaves and wood and that makes the perfect climate for fungal things to start to grow. Things like moss, mold, and mushrooms! In Iowa, as in many other states, the big prize in the woods is the morel mushroom. People will spend entire days tromping through wet and squishy wooded areas, mesh bag in hand, eagle eyes focused, hoping to find that one in a million gem- the morel. Personally, I keep my eyes focused on the ground and scan the trees for my favorite spring mushroom- the pheasantback, which is also plentiful during morel season but it often overlooked. Anyway, the morel is the big draw here and if you're not a mushroom hunter, you better know someone who is and isn't stingy because these babies will cost you a mint in the grocery stores, upwards of $30 a pound depending on the season.

I have to admit, I no longer wander around the woods looking for mushrooms. Growing up as little girls my sister and I always went mushroom hunting with our dad, and in fact the last time I did go out was also with my dad. We found nothing, not even a tick, but ended up having a nice lunch in a small town café afterwards.

This year I had all but given up on the hope of having any tasty mushrooms to eat. Someone offered to sell me some, but they would have to be mailed and honestly, for $30 I wasn't sure what condition they'd be in by the time they arrived, so I declined. Then a miracle happened. One night, and we're talking everyday average weeknight, the kind of night you might do some laundry, or catch up on your DVRd shows or lawnwork, I got a text, from my daughter, and in that text was a picture. It was captioned "Is this a morel?" Incredibly, my daughter, who lives in the city even, was mowing her yard and doing her lawn thing and she found not one, but three nice morel mushrooms growing right  in her front yard. Of course, I exclaimed YES IT IS and then promptly asked "Can I have them?" I drove right over and claimed my prize.

It's pretty unusual to find a morel mushroom growing in a city yard. That's not really the ideal climate for these guys to grow, but on a shady slope in her front yard, apparently there is a pretty significant underground body to this mushroom because it sent up several of the fruiting bodies. Besides the three she found, we saw several stumps of stems where either a keen-eyed dogwalker had spotted a couple, or maybe a squirrel or raccoon found the tasty tidbits. Regardless, I still had two pretty big and one small morels to cook. I'm happy about that!

Most people, at least most people I know, egg, coat in cracker crumbs or flour and fry them. Like a vegetarian chicken nugget in a way, but to me this seems like a boring thing to do to such a delicacy that we have available for such a short time. I decided mine were not destined for the dredging plates but instead would meet some cousins, fellow forest dwellers porcini, wood ear and cute little white mushrooms and have a party atop a sizzling ribeye. Yes, that's definitely the way to go. My recipe is sized for dinner for two, so adjust accordingly if you're cooking for a larger group.

To get the most garlic flavor, use Sinful Food garlic olive oil. It makes a big difference in flavor! You can get your big clicking HERE.

Pan Seared Ribeyes with Wild Mushrooms

2 rib eye steaks

1/2 package (about 5 or 6) smallish mushrooms

3 morel mushrooms (fresh or dried)

4 or 5 dehydrated porcini mushrooms

3 or 4 dehydrated wood ear mushrooms

2 tablespoons chopped sun dried tomatoes

6 cloves garlic, chopped

salt and pepper

Sinful Food garlic olive oil

butter

1 cup beef broth

2 tablespoons cognac or brandy

1/3 cup half and half

2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in a teaspoon of water

chopped fresh parsley for serving

Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water until soft enough to cup up. Slice the button mushrooms and place in a medium bowl. Drain and pat the other mushrooms dry. If using fresh morels be sure to soak and clean them well and inspect for insects. Cut the mushrooms into half inch pieces.

In a heavy skillet (I recommend cast iron) melt about 3 tablespoons butter and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. When sizzling hot, add the mushrooms. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally to allow the mushrooms to brown and cook off any excess liquid. Add the garlic and the tomatoes and cook for a minute or two. Season with salt and pepper.

When mushrooms have browned, add the cognac OFF THE HEAT and the beef broth. Bring to a boil and allow to reduce slightly. Add the half and half and continue cooking until thickened, using the cornstarch slurry if needed. Remove to a bowl and keep warm.

Rinse out the skillet. Set back on the heat over medium high. Season the steaks well (I like to say season aggressively) with salt and pepper. Add a swirl of olive oil to the skillet and add the steaks, cooking to desired doneness, then remove to a plate to rest. To serve, slice each steak into strips and place on serving place, top with the mushroom sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

This dish looks so impressive when plated with the morels peeking through the rich sauce. We like our steak medium rare and the perfect side for this was a simple green salad with Dijon vinaigrette and shaved Asiago cheese. Simple, delicious food.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." As a Brand Ambassador, the company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift or something of value. Regardless,  I only recommend products or services I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Dinner for Two- Eggs in Purgatory

Farmers Market season is just a mere five days away now and I can hardly wait! Des Moines is home to the number two  of The Best 101 Farmers Markets in the nation as ranked by The Daily Meal. That's pretty exciting! This year the market opens with 288 vendors, selling everything from produce, to crafts, to meat and eggs, to home baked goods and so much more. Hard to believe our amazing farmers market began with just fifteen vendors, so long ago in 1976. Seems a lifetime ago. Now it's a destination, a great spot for a date, a family outing, and with all the condos and lofts in downtown, a fantastic place to grocery shop!

Some of my farmers market goodies from seasons past

So, it's time for the 2017 farmers market. I've been reading up on what's new this year. Forty seven new vendors, that's what!! The market averages 97 farmers and produce growers. I love the fresh produce, not just the everyday stuff, but the unusual lettuces and greens, carrots in every color, all kinds of unusual mushrooms, just everything you can think of. Livestock farmers bring some of the most amazing meat products and eggs from pasture-raised chickens. Have you ever had a true farm fresh egg? Yes, the yolk is bright orange and not the dull yellow of commercially produced eggs, but the shells- the shells are not usually white! Most often you'll find brown eggs but many chickens produce "Easter eggs" in all shades of blue and green. They are beautiful and delicious. Ever try a duck egg or a quail egg? You can find them at the market.

Iowa is a rising star in the winery and brewery worlds and those businesses make their place at the market too. Iowa is a wonderful state for grape growing and we have some fantastic varieties. Brianna, Edelweiss, Marechal Foch and Frontenac are just a few. Need something to go with that wine? You can find artisinal cheesemakers at the market too. In fact, with some of the gourmet food producers, you can assemble a pretty darn good charcuterie plate from goodies you bought at the market. Grab a baguette from one of the many bakers that have stands, and take home a jar of jam or jelly too.

The changing seasons give you an ever rotating selection of fresh produce. Spring vegetables like asparagus, spinach and morel mushrooms are among the first to appear. The warm summer months bring bushels of green beans, onions, more salad vegetables, Iowa sweet corn, and the joy of the market- the Iowa summer tomato. I can taste them now. Summer gives way to the cooler days of autumn, and that means last season crops, greens, onions, potatoes, squash and pumpkins. Soooo many beautiful squash and pumpkins. You might even find a pumpkin pie or two.

Hungry now? You're in the right place, and you don't have to munch on your fresh produce. The market is packed with great food to eat as you stroll. Egg rolls, pupusas, Nepalese dumplings, breakfast burritos, pastries, gelato and breads, and if you are in a people watching mood, the Court Avenue District has a host of restaurants with sidewalk seating, so you can enjoy the gorgeous sunshine, sip a mimosa or Bloody Mary or an iced tea and watch the action. You will always find some live entertainment too. Musicians, street performers, dance troupes- there is always something fun going on.

I had a couple handfuls of sliced scallion and chopped
tomatoes in the fridge- tossed them in there too.

Before we get to our recipe, let's go back to the tomatoes. If you have ever had a garden, if you've ever tasted a juicy tomato fresh off the vine and still warm, if you've ever had to settle for a supermarket tomato in the middle of February, you know what I'm talking about. Summertime is also when we are the busiest, and least likely to want to come home and cook a big meal. As a kid we would even have dinners of sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and maybe some sweet corn. Believe me we weren't poor, but Dad was a gardener, and those home grown tomatoes....... mmmmmmm. Anyway, the farmers market is the perfect spot to grab the ingredients for this simple dinner. Basics- tomatoes, eggs, herbs. This classic Italian egg dish is so quick to get together whether you use fresh tomatoes or a can of crushed tomatoes. Grab a box of those beautiful Easter Eggs and some fresh herbs, a head of garlic, and a baguette. Now you're all set! The origin of the name "Eggs in Purgatory" is a little fuzzy. It's very similar to the African "shakshouka" and not all that removes from Huevos Rancheros if you think about it. Maybe it's the slightly spicy tomato sauce the eggs are simmered in, I don't really know, but I do know this- it's delicious, easy and good for you! Let's make some.

A drizzle of olive oil is the perfect finish for this dish, and Sinful Food's garlic olive oil is perfect. Get your Sinful Food olive oils and Signature Seasoning by clicking HERE.

Eggs in Purgatory

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

big pinch crushed red pepper flakes

4 eggs

Signature Seasoning

Parmesan cheese

Sinful Food garlic olive oil

crusty bread for serving

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of olive oil and add the garlic. Cook and stir until garlic is softened but not brown. Add the Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper, and cook for about a minute until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes to the skillet. Reduce heat and cover. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, cut 4 slices from the crusty bread. Brush each side with olive oil and toast on both sides. Place two toasts on each of two plates and set aside. Reserve remaining bread for serving.

I had dinner for one, so I spooned a small amount of the
sauce into my mini cast iron skillet for one egg.

With a spoon make 4 wells in the sauce. Break the eggs into a small bowl, one at a tie, then slip each egg into a well. Season with Signature Seasoning. Cover and cook to desired doneness. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Use a slotted spoon to place the eggs on the toast slices, sprinkle with additional cheese if desired. Drizzle with a small amount of garlic olive oil. Serve with additional bread for sopping up the sauce.

My yolk was soft but not runny, and it was still delicious.

Since The Chef was not home for dinner, mine was actually dinner for one. I soooo love breakfast for dinner, and trying new ways to prepare eggs. Normally I am not a  runny egg yolk kind of person but I am really trying to embrace them, especially since May is National Egg Month and Iowa is one of the top producing egg states in the U.S. The slightly spicy Italian sauce and crusty bread helps. This easy meal is perfect for busy nights and needs nothing more than a little salad with a vinaigrette on the side to complete your feast.

Three Meals with Blue Apron- Part 3

Sadly it's the third installment and final meal in our Blue Apron box. I have been so impressed by the quality of the food in these pre-planned meal boxes, and the step by step directions are so precise and easy to follow literally anyone can turn out a chef-quality meal at home. Not one of these meals took more than 30 minutes to prepare. I didn't spend a single minute grocery shopping or planning. They did it all for me! With these meal packages, there is absolutely no reason to visit a drive thru ever again.

Today's recipe is very French-inspired and features two things I truly love- chicken and lentils. This recipe is unique in that is features two salads- the lentils are tossed with vinaigrette and served as a warm salad, along with a fresh salad of arugula and radish. So French! Lentils are so good for you, protein packed and with the chicken breast you've got a healthy and filling meal. The box came with three fresh radishes for the salad, but I still had a couple watermelon radishes in the fridge that needed to be used soon, so I used one of those in place of two of the radishes in the box and snacked on the extras while cooking.  Let's get started.

The ingredients are:

2 boneless skin-on chicken breasts

1/2 cup French green lentils

3 cloves garlic

1 scallion

3 radishes

2 oz arugula

1 lemon

2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons verjus blanc*

1 teaspoon lentil spice blend**

*Verjus blanc is a unique form of grape juice used for cooking. It's similar to an alcohol-free wine. Blanc is a white grape juice.

**Lentil spice blend contains ground thyme, ground bay leaf, mustard powder, ground white pepper

Cook the lentils- Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Using your fingers, inspect the lentils for any pebbles; discard the pebbles. Rinse the lentils and drain thoroughly. Once boiling, add the lentils to the pot of water and cook, uncovered, 24 to 26 minutes, until tender. Drain thoroughly and return to pot. Set aside in a warm place.

Prepare the ingredients- While the lentils cook, wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the root end of the scallion; thinly slice, separating the white bottom and green top. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Peel and roughly chop the garlic, cut off and discard the ends of the radishes; thinly slice into rounds.

Make the vinaigrette- While the lentils continue to cook, in a bowl combine the mustard, half the white bottom of the scallion and the juice of all four lemon wedges. Slowly whisk in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until well combined; season with salt and pepper.

Cook the aromatics- While the lentils continue to cook, in a medium nonstick pan heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium high heat until hot. Add the garlic, spice blend and remaining white bottom of the scallion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seonds to 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the verjus blanc and cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to one minute or until the verjus has cooked off. Transfer to a bowl, wipe out the pan.

Cook the chicken- while the lentils continue to cook, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In the skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium high heat until hot. Add the seasoned chicken, skin sides down, and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Remove from heat.

Finish and plate your dish- To the pot of cooked lentils, add the cooked aromatics and half the vinaigrette; stir to combine thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make the salad, in a large bowl combine the radishes, arugula and cheese; season with salt and pepper. Add enough of the remaining vinaigrette (you may have extra vinaigrette) to coat the salad. Gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the finished lentils and salad between two dishes. Top the lentils with the cooked chicken. Garnish the chicken with the green top of the scallion.

Doesn't that look fantastic? The watermelon radish slices added pretty color and I served the chicken sliced rather than a whole uncut piece of meat. I made this one evening that The Chef was working so the second plate I combined everything and tossed to make a protein packed salad for lunch the next day. It was perfect at room temperature. 

If you hate shopping but LOOOOVE eating healthy and beautiful food, I highly recommend you check out Blue Apron. It's exceptional quality and huge time savings make it a great option for busy people. I hope you check it out.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free with no expectation that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."