So a Guy Walks into a Diner . . .

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"F - U - N - E - M ?"

"S, V - F - M ."

"F - U - N - E - X ?"

"S, V - F - X ."

"O - K , M - N - X  !"

I couldn't have been more than 10 years old when my mother first recited that little scenario to me.

I seem to be channeling her this morning though I can't say why.

I had M . . .

I had X . . .

There you have it.

 

Copyright © 2005-2011, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Farmers Market Fresh Frittata with Corn and Zucchini

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Fast, fresh, easy.
Creamy and delicious.
20 minutes prep time, 30 minutes cook time.
Serve as part of a special weekend brunch or whip up for a quick weeknight dinner.
What are you waiting for?
It's Saturday and I'm off to the farmers market for more.

Farmers Market Fresh Frittata with Corn and Zucchini
Christine's original recipe
(print recipe)
Ingredients:
8 large eggs
water
4 medium zucchini cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 ears corn, shucked, kernels cut from cob
1 cup shredded white cheddar
1/2 teaspoon Benson's Supreme Garlic and Herb Seasoning (to taste) and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil for the pan
a sprinkle of finishing salt (optional)
Preparation:
Crack eggs into a large glass dish and whisk gently with a fork until blended.
Add about 1/4 cup water and stir until blended.  Eggs will be thick.  Set aside.
To prep the zucchini, cut off the stem and flower ends, slice lengthwise in half and then lengthwise again into quarters. Cut the zucchini crosswise into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces.
To prep the corn, remove the husks and silk. Place the corn cob standing up in a wide bowl and, using a sharp knife, cut down the cob, releasing the kernels into the bowl.  Do not cut too deeply into the cob.
Sauté garlic over medium heat in about a teaspoon of olive oil until softened and aromas rise.
Add zucchini and sauté until it is just tender. Do not allow to burn.
Add the corn kernels, the Benson's seasoning (or salt), and a few grinds of pepper and stir to combine.
Allow most of the water that the zucchini will throw off to evaporate, but not all of it.
Pour the eggs over the vegetables and mix oh so gently with a fork.
Allow to cook for 3 minutes to set the bottom.
Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the frittata.
Going around the edge of the skillet, lift the edge with a spatula to allow uncooked egg to run into the space created.
 Keep lifting and turning until only the middle of the frittata jiggles when you shake the pan, adjusting the heat so the bottom doesn't burn.
Transfer to a 325-degree oven and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the middle is softly set.  A knife inserted into the center of the frittata should come out clean.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with finishing salt if desired, and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Cut into wedges and serve.

Please use no more than medium to medium-low heat to prepare this dish otherwise the eggs will turn out rubbery.
The cheese may be combined with the eggs prior to pouring over the vegetables if desired. This will result in a more homogenous egg-cheese mixture, but, hey, I was playing.
Fresh chopped herbs may be used with abandon.
The Benson's salt-free seasonings are one of several that I've been experimenting with. A subject for another post. Substitute sea salt if desired.

Copyright © 2005-2010, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Buckwheat Crêpes with Chestnut Spread Filling Plus Gifts From Paris

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I'd been waiting for oh so long, never giving up hope, checking the post office every day, when finally it arrived.

That old adage, good things come to those who wait, was never more true: The moment I tore into the package and saw what Emily of Tomato Kumato had sent me, I couldn't have been more delighted. How did she know just what to send me? Clever girl!

I knew right away just how I would use the Bonne Mamman Chestnut Spread, which you will see in a minute. The Fleur de Sel is one of my favorites and I was just about to use up the last of mine when this arrived. Great timing, Emily.

Season's Eatings is Katie's (Thyme for Cooking) holiday gift exchange event that pairs bloggers from all over the world and challenges them to send a gift specific to their region to the person they've been paired with. I'm glad I participated this year and plan to do it again next time the holidays roll around. Click on this link to see Katie's roundup. Be sure to come back for breakfast . . .

After going wheat-free last summer, pancakes and waffles were off my list of things to eat, leaving me feeling a bit deprived from time to time. So for some while now I've been working on perfecting a buckwheat crêpe which finally came together a few days before my Paris package arrived. (Showing again what perfect timing Emily has.) This is going to be my go-to recipe when a craving for pancakes gets to be more than I can resist.

These crêpes are light, airy, moist, slightly nutty in flavor, a little sweet, and utterly delicious and satisfying. You don't have to stuff them with chestnut spread as I did for my sons and daughters-in-law last weekend; they are perfectly wonderful on their own or with blueberry preserves on the inside and a bit of cinnamon on the outside.

But . . . If you can get your hands on a jar of this stuff with the cute brown gingham lid, go for it. It's fabulous. A bit sweet. Fruit butter smooth with a slightly grainy tooth at the same time. Perfumed with vanilla. Holy cow! I took one bite and thought, OK, yeah there's sugar in here and I'm just going to live with it for a day.

Buckwheat Crêpes with Chestnut Spread Filling
Christine's original recipe
(print recipe)
Makes 6-8 crêpes - recipe may be doubled
Ingredients:1/2 cup organic buckwheat flour (see Cook's Notes)
1/4 cup organic brown rice flour
1 tablespoon organic tapioca starch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine kosher salt
3 packets Splenda (equals approx. 2 tablespoons sugar in sweetness)
1 egg lightly beaten
2/3 cup 2% milk
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon good vanilla extract
Unsalted butter for the pan
Preparation:
Sift together all the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
Whisk together the wet ingredients until fully blended.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the liquid mixture into it.
Using a fork, stir until all the flour is mixed with the liquid. The batter could have lumps in it, and that's fine. The batter will be watery.
Melt 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon butter in a 5 to 6-inch pan over medium-low heat, spreading the melted butter to cover the bottom of the pan.

Drop 1/4 cup batter into the center of the pan. It should spread to the edges. If it doesn't, next time use 1/3 cup batter for each crêpe.

Cook until bubbles form on the top of the crêpe, steam begins to form, and the bottom is just turning brown.

Using a wide spatula, flip the crêpe and cook an additional 30 seconds on the other side.

Stack the finished crêpes on a plate and keep them warm, covered with a kitchen towel, until all the crêpes are done.

Spoon Bonne Mamman Chestnut Spread or your favorite filling along one side of a crêpe and roll it up, cigar style. Repeat with the remaining crêpes.

Sprinkle with cinnamon or drizzle with your favorite syrup.

Cook's Notes

For those who are interested, buckwheat is not a grain. It's a fruit seed, related to the rhubarb family, and it's entirely gluten-free. Studies using buckwheat have shown a number of health benefits in humans, which you can read about on the World's Healthiest Foods site.

I would be remiss if I did not brag about our local farmer, Kevin Cunningham, who raises barley, oats, buckwheat and other grains at Shakefork Community Farm, turns them into stoneground flours and sells them to us lucky folks at the farmers market. And although I avoid the grains these days, I'll be stocking up on the buckwheat groats and flour whenever they are available.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Scrambled Eggs with Herbs

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Not just any eggs... these come from my own free-range hens who are currently sleeping in the greenhouse but who will be moving just as soon as the chicken house is finished.

And not just any herbs... these herbs are field-grown in France, flash frozen within hours of harvest and are available here in the States from Darégal, a company with roots going back more than 100 years in the Darbonne family of Milly La Forêt.

Those who know me might wonder what I'm doing promoting frozen herbs in a container when I'm such a proponent of growing one's own or at least buying them fresh from local farmers markets. It's true, what I just said: growing herbs is easy, healthy, and very satisfying, especially when you can chop them, fresh-picked from your garden or windowsill, and sprinkle them on your scrambled eggs, or in your pasta sauce. But I also know that not everyone has the wherewithall to grow their own herbs. And not everyone is near a farmers market. And not everyone can afford to buy a $5 bunch of fresh herbs only to put a tablespoon of them in a recipe and then watch the rest slowly become so forlorn as to be quite inedible. I know I can't.

I've just had a most delightful conversation with Charles Darbonne, great-great-grandson of Armand Darbonne who started the herb business in 1886. Charles is the U.S. representative for Darégal, and after talking with him for quite some time, I decided to write about this convenient line of fresh frozen herbs for the home kitchen.

Darégal offers finely-chopped single-note herbs like parsley, dill, basil, oregano and cilantro, all to be kept in your freezer between uses, but it is the blends that speak to me. The Italian Blend has a mix of finely chopped red onion, flat-leaf parsley, basil, garlic, oregano and thyme. I used a heaping teaspoon for six eggs in this scramble. The Original Blend is made up of basil, onion, oregano, garlic, rosemary and thyme and is delicious in stews and braises.

Seems to me if you're in a hurry or don't have fresh herbs on hand, chopping such a small amount of herbs, to say nothing of peeling and mincing a tiny bit of red onion, to say nothing of going to the market and purchasing the bunches it would take to make up that heaping teaspoon, makes the convenience-in-a-container worth it right there.

Don't get me wrong. I'm still a very strong advocate for growing your own herbs and think everyone should give it a try. But the fresh taste and convenience of Darégal Gourmet Herbs is worthy of your freezer pantry when you need fresh herbs in a hurry.

Scrambled Eggs with Herbs

Christine's original recipe

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon butter

6 fresh large to X-large eggs

2-4 tablespoons water

pinch kosher salt or sea salt

1 heaping teaspoon Darégal Gourmet Herbs Italian Blend

Preparation:

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the butter and turn the heat to medium-low.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl and gently beat with a fork until the yolks and whites are just blended.

Add water and salt and beat gently to mix thoroughly.

Add the herbs, allow to sit for a minute to soften then beat gently to incorporate.

Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and allow it to cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute.

Using a wooden spoon, begin pushing the egg mixture from the sides of the pan into the middle, allowing the uncooked egg to flow into the space provided. Do this slowly and gently. Allow the eggs to cook for 15 seconds between pushing them toward the middle.

Continue to push the cooked eggs toward the center of the pan until they are all softly cooked with a glossy sheen. Be careful, once that sheen is gone, you've overcooked your eggs.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow to set for an additional 10 seconds.

Spoon immediately onto warm plates, garnish with freshly cracked black peppercorns and serve with your favorite toasted bread and a few strawberries.

Cook's Notes:

You will be able to read about my hens, and the rooster, whose name is Butthead most of the time, and the chicken house on my garden blog soon. I'll leave a link here when it's up.

Happy chickens make wonderful eggs with hard shells and deep orange yolks.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Oatmeal And Eggs For Brunch

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There are folks who love me despite my predilection for culinary weirdness. Those are the dishes you will seldom see on this blog. And then again, sometimes they're just too weird to not show you.

Take today's brunch: Every morning Mr CC leaves oatmeal in the pot for me to have for breakfast. And like a good girl I almost always eat it, breakfast being "the most important meal of the day..." blah, blah, blah, and oatmeal (in our case, steel-cut oats) being so very good for you, blah, blah, blah. All very true and, sometimes, all very boring.

On days when I don't have to get up early and run off to work, the oatmeal will often sit in the pan until mid-morning, me not being a breakfast eater at heart. So as I walked into the kitchen sporting a few hunger pangs an hour ago, there sat the oatmeal, in the pan, with the requisite chunks of apple. And me craving eggs.

Now you can see where this is going, right?

Place your significant other's lunch taco skillet over medium low heat and toss in a teaspoon of butter or Earth Balance (which is what I use almost exclusively).

When the butter starts to sizzle, plop in the cooked oats and spread them around in a circle about 6-inches in diameter and make a hole in the center that will hold 2 eggs.

Break your eggs into the center, sprinkle the whole thing with freshly ground black pepper and some luscious coarse sea salt such as Sel de Guerande, place a lid over the pan and gently cook until the eggs reach your desired consistency of doneness.

Top with a dollop of your favorite salsa, I used Amy's Organic Black Bean & Corn.

Weirdness factor: high. Delicious and satisfying factor: Very high.

The apples? I ate them while the eggs were cooking.

I think this pretty much covers all the food groups with the exception of dairy. Drink a glass of milk.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Campari Tomatoes: Good For Breakfast

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Just a few weeks ago I could walk into my local Safeway and pick up any number of boxes of small-but-mighty, juicy, sweet Campari tomatoes. I discovered the taste of these babies some time ago and knew they were exemplary grocery store tomatoes. No cardboard taste here. I also knew that not many people knew what I knew.

Now, thanks to Ruth Reichl, who wrote about them in May 3rd's Gourmet Weekly, I'm lucky to find a mere box or two. And there's always someone else eyeing the very boxes that I'm eyeing.

Lucky for me, this time I got to them first. And no one was hurt.

This time.

These are US grown, pesticide-free tomatoes. Packed with antioxidents, they'll do your heart good. If the news hasn't hit your area yet, get down to the grocery store and pick up as many boxes as you can carry. Then run for your life.

Campari tomatoes are perfect on a BLT (until, of course, the heirlooms come in), in a fresh tomato sauce, or with your scrambled egg breakfast.

Bon Appetit!

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

The Brick Layer's Omelet

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Recently, Mr CC's Aunt Kay sent an article that had been clipped from the March 10, 1963 Bonanza Magazine within the San Francisco Sunday Chronicle, Western Dining section. The article, part of which is shown above, was written by Jane Benet with a photo by early Bay Area photographer, Roy Flamm, and features a recipe from Ralph Johnson, my late father-in-law, painter, sculptor and art professor at UC Davis from 1957 to 1988. The recipe is a re-print from the Artists' & Writers' Cookbook published in 1961.

As I've said before, Ralph was a great cook and dear friend and I was fortunate to share many an evening with him; my kitchen or his.

The story goes that when he was a young man, Ralph had a job as a hod carrier, working for a Danish bricklayer. His boss gave him the recipe which he then dubbed the Brick Layer's Omelet.

Mr CC is the chef of note here, claiming proprietary descendancy. He shopped for the ingredients and made the dish. I took the photographs and ate what was put on my plate. This is an old fashioned dish using simple ingredients. It was tasty but, more to the point, it was truly poignant.

Before I go any further, I simply must tell you about these eggs. Oh my god, they are so beautiful, their yolks so orange, their whites so perky and clear. They must have come from very happy hens.

Well, yes, as it turns out, they are very happy hens from our very own, local Wild Chick Farm. Pasture-raised, organically fed, they live about 12 miles from my kitchen. These particular eggs are from Araucana hens and may be purchased on Saturday mornings at the Arcata Farmers Market.

Brick Layer's Omelet
As re-printed in the SF Sunday Chronicle, March 10, 1963
Ingredients:
3 strips bacon
4 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup chopped olives (we used black)
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup monterey jack cheese cut into cubes

Preparation:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Fry the bacon in a 9-inch skillet until tender-crisp.
Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Leave bacon fat in the skillet.
Place the rest of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix together with a fork until the eggs and flour are combined.
Pour contents into the skillet and crumble the bacon over the top.
Bake in the 350-degree oven until the omelet is golden and puffy, about 30 minutes.
Cool slightly and cut into wedges to serve.
As Ralph said, "A little jelly is sometimes good with it."

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Easter Brunch: New And Improved Heart Healthy Pancakes

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If it's worth doing once, then twice, isn't it worth doing a third time just to get it right?

Running with that premise, I offer the new, taste-improved, now even heart-healthier, delicious mini-pancake. The addition of cooked, cholesterol-busting steel-cut oats is what makes this a pancake worth crowing about. Health factors notwithstanding, the addition of the oats give this pancake a delicious nutty taste and a texture your tongue will enjoy. All that, and the fact that I'm so into heart-healthy foods right now, I keep tweaking an already good recipe to make it fabulous.

Have I succeeded? I think so. But don't believe me; try them for yourself. Go on, they're good for you. You'll thank me later.

Here, sip on a pomegranate-champagne cocktail while you read on.

Christine's New and Improved, Heart-Healthy Mini-Pancakes
A recipe inspired by Eating Stella Style
Ingredients:
1/2 cup egg substitute (or you could use 2 whole eggs)
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons good vanilla extract (no sugar added)
1/3 cup almond meal (finely ground almonds)
1/4 cup organic flax seed meal
2 tablespoons Splenda granular (or you could use regular table sugar)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup cooked steel cut oats, cooled to room temperature
Preparation:
Combine the eggs, water and vanilla extract.
In a large, combine the almond meal, flax seed meal, sweetener, baking powder, baking soda, salt & cinnamon and combine well with a whisk.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with the whisk until combined.
Add the cooked oats and stir to fully blend.
Allow to sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
Place a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat and spray with non-stick spray.
When the pan is hot, drop the batter in 1/4 cup measurements into the pan. Do not crowd.
Cook until the bottom is firm when lifted with a spatula then flip to finish the other side.
The pancake is done when it springs back when gently prodded with a finger.

Serve with a dollop of the best plain yogurt you can find, some perfectly fresh, ripe fruit, and, of course, your champagne cocktail.

It's a lovely way to celebrate Spring.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved.

Heart Healthy Mini Pancakes

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Not only are they heart healthy, they're low-carb. A win-win little pancake. I made an earlier version of these here, when I was low-carbing a la George's book, and hadn't made them since.

Been thinking about it though, especially after reading Ilva and Joanna's new blog, The Heart of the Matter - Eating for Life, the other day.

I had seen this cute little image on Kalyn's blog and scooted over to there to take a look for myself.

This is compelling reading, people. I'm sure there are not many of us who've not been touch, in some way, by heart disease. Ilva and Joanna have joined forces to bring heart-healthy eating to the forefront of our minds and eating habits with a series of intriguing round-ups. Ilva's first round-up, featuring heart-healthy finger foods, can be seen here.

It's too bad I didn't get myself off the dime and get this post entered, as these mini pancakes, wrapped around a slice of strawberry, would have been perfect for the occasion. But that's okay because the next round up features low fat desserts and I've got a few of those up my sleeve.

Even before discovering this new blog, I'd been re-assessing the things I cook and eat. Too much reading about what's good for you and what's bad for you will do that. It may be why I've not been blogging much. We've been eating mostly vegetables and salads in my kitchen; either food I've already put on this blog, or dishes that are just too simple, repetitious, and, therefore, not blog-worthy enough for my taste.

What makes these pancakes so healthy for you is the use of flax seed meal. Flax seeds are high is omega-3 fatty acids and have been found to lower bad cholesterol, reduce inflamation, and lower blood pressure, among other health-related results. All this in one little seed.

Because flax seed meal is perishable, I keep mine in the fridge and try to use it within 6 months of purchase. I put it in fruit smoothies and on my morning oatmeal.

Two years ago my blood pressure hovered around 150/86. Now it's at a steady 115/62. A very healthy and respectable range. Do I owe it all to flax seeds? Of course not. But it hasn't hurt one bit to include it in my diet along with lowering my consumption of animal fats and meats in general.

Hearth Healthy Mini Pancakes
Adapted by Christine from Eating Stella Style
Makes 8 large or 16 small pancakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup egg substitute (or you could use 2 whole eggs, beaten slightly)
1/4 cup reduced fat milk
1 teaspoon good vanilla extract (no added sugars)
1/2 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
1/4 cup organic golden flax seed meal
2 teaspoons white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon Splenda granualr (or you could use sugar. Or you could use honey. See Cook's Notes below)
1/2 teaspoon each, baking soda and baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch salt
1 teaspoon Earth Balance Buttery Sticks for the skillet (or you could use cooking spray)

Preparation:
Mix the wet ingredients together until well blended.
Combine the dry ingredients together in a bowl then mix them into the wet ingredients. Stir to combine.
Let sit for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add the teaspoon of Earth Balance.
For mini pancakes, use a 1/8 cup measure and drop the batter in small rounds into the skillet. Be sure the rounds are not touching each other - unlike in my photo.
The cakes are ready to turn when bubbles form and pop on the surface of the batter.
Cook until they spring back when gently touched.
Remove to a warm plate and repeat with the rest of the batter.
Serve with sliced strawberries, a small pat of whipped Earth Balance, and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

The uber-healthy Mr CC, who couldn't help himself and drizzled his with a little pure maple syrup, pronounced these delicious.

Cook's Notes:

If you decide to use honey in place of granular sweetener, reduce the amount of milk by the same amount.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved. No content from this site, including text and photos, may be copied, re-located or otherwise reproduced, in part or in full, for personal or monetary gain, without the express permission of the author.

A Breakfast Protein Smoothie That Packs An Anti-Oxident Punch

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This morning the swallows arrived, bringing with them a stunningly beautiful, warm day, and announcing that Spring is here. I don't care that the calendars say that Spring doesn't start until March 20th, I believe the swallows. They're rarely wrong.

This is a breakfast shake I make when the weather turns from the cold, wet grayness of winter to the gentle sunshine and soft, warm breezes of spring.

It's packed with protein, is low in calories and sports low-glycemic ingredients.

I start with organic, frozen, no-sugar-added sliced peaches and strawberries.

Whey protein powder, organic flaxseed meal and cinnamon are next - all good anti-oxident ingredients.

A little Splenda, vanilla extract and, finally, a pinch of toasted slivered almonds add flavor and texture.

Add water and buzz it all up in a blender and you have a thick, rich, smooth, frosty, decadent-tasting, low calorie, filling, good for you breakfast.

Breakfast Protein Smoothie

Adapted from 40-30-30 Fat Burning Nutrition by Joyce and Gene Daoust

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/2 cups water

1 22-gram scoop (about 4 heaping tablespoons) whey protein powder

1 heaping teaspoon organic flaxseed meal

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon good vanilla extract (no sugar, no corn syrup)

1/2 cup organic, frozen peach slices (no sugar added)

1/2 cup organic, frozen whole strawberries (no sugar added)

1 packet Splenda (if you use granular, you may have to use more as it's not as sweet)

2 teaspoons toasted, slivered almonds

Preparation:

Place the water in the blender followed by the next 4 ingredients and buzz for a second or two to blend.

Add the fruits, Splenda and almonds and buzz on high speed until the mixture is fully blended and the consistency of an ice cold milk shake.

If you use 1 1/2 cups of water, this will make a 2-cup smoothie. I usually have 1 cup for breakfast and save the rest for a mid-morning snack. Or share it with someone you love.

Copyright 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved. No content from this site, including text and photos, may be copied, re-located or otherwise reproduced, in part or in full, for personal or monetary gain, without the express permission of the administrator/owner.