Iced Coffee Nog

The weather is finally getting warm, finally.  We had a tease of an 80 degree day the beginning of May, then it snowed.  It's warming up again, hopefully to stay this time.  It's not really too hot for hot coffee yet, but I can hope, can't I?

Ingredients per serving:
1 egg
1-2 TBS cane sugar
1/2 cup cold, strong coffee
1/2 cup whole milk 
or half and half
pinch of salt


Mix all the ingredients in a blender and serve over ice.  You can blend the ice in, but will need to make the coffee stronger to compensate for the extra water. Tastes like Haagen Daz lite.

Hearth and Soul Hop

Cowboy Cookies - GF

I hate oatmeal.  It's ok going down loaded with butter and sugar, but it never satisfies me.  I am still hungry after eating oatmeal, so I haven't eaten it in years....not kept any in the house either.  I don't even go down the cereal aisle.

Picture me in the fall, with some friends, picnicking on a pontoon boat on the lake on a GORGEOUS "just the right temperature" day.  Picture me being offered a cookie made by someone else introduced as a coconut oil cookie. Picture me trying not to have an "Ewww" face. (I'm not really a cookie person, ice cream is my "go to", and not all women are good bakers and coconut oil is NOT always baking friendly. The cookies I tried to make with coconut oil a while back were horrible.) Picture my eyes popping out of my head at the surprise at how much I like this cookie. An oatmeal cookie that's relatively healthy and not a hockey puck.

Cowboy Cookies

All bagged up to save for later......

Blend:
1 cup coconut oil
1 cup cane sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl whisk together or sift:
2 cups white rice flour
2-3 TBS unflavored gelatin
1/2-1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2-1 tsp cream of tartar

Blend flour mix into wet mix.

Add:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup semi or dark chocolate chips (approx 5 oz)

Dough will be crumbly.  Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet (actually, I didn't grease).  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

These bad boys will SPREAD, so give them room to grow.  I used an ice cream scoop to keep them an even size, made hand sized cookies.  The first batch I made I used less gelatin and less cream of tartar, made for a crispier cookie...like a granola bar on the edges.  The second batch I used the larger amounts and it made for chewier cookies.  I also made a double batch and used the Bosch.  We had votes for both variations in our household.  Extras can be frozen and make for convenient snacks and travel food....just add milk.

Would work well for making ice cream sandwiches....just sayin'.

Edited 032013: Not to shock you or anything, but this is NOT a weight loss friendly food....just sayin'. ;)

See ya in the Gumbo 
Scratch Cookin' Tuesday 
Gluten Free Wednesday 
Melt in your Mouth Monday

French Toast - GF

Contrary to popular belief,  french toast is not a way to use up stale bread.  It is also not a way to use up an over abundance of eggs.  It is simply the ultimate vehicle for highlighting the exquisite taste of maple syrup....and butter, lots and lots of butter!  At least in our house. ;)

Ingredients
bread, sliced
eggs
cinnamon (optional)
nutmeg (optional)
vanilla (optional)
cane sugar (optional)
sea salt (optional)

butter
maple syrup

Preheat greased pan to a medium low heat.  Beat the eggs in a wide bottomed bowl....as close to the size of the slice as you can manage.  I use about 2 slices of bread per egg. This is an estimate only.  The size of the slice and the size of the egg can vary.  Any one of the optional ingredients can be added,  if desired.  I don't know that I would add all of them at the same time.  Soak the bread in the egg, coating each side completely, and carefully place in hot pan.  Cook for a few minutes on each side.  Keep warm in a low oven if doing a large batch.  Layer butter between each piece on individual plates.  When butter is melted, drizzle with maple syrup.

Lick plate when done.

See Ya In The Gumbo 
Melt in Your Mouth Monday 
Gluten Free Wednesday

Unglazed Gelatin Donut Holes - GF, DF

The evolution of leftover onion ring batter.

Mix equal parts beef gelatin and cane sugar with a wee bit of cream of tartar and extra salt, if needed. Mix with leftover egg and rice flour and add extra flour until you can work it like Playdo and not have it stick to your hands.  I like to divided the ball in half and then half again, then half again and so on until I have multiple, roughly equal pieces, that are about the size of my thumb to the first joint.  They expand a little when they fry in the coconut oil.  They are more forgiving of temperature, so I usually stick them in last. You may have to roll them to get them to brown evenly.

I can think of all sorts of ways to doctor these up...cinnamon sugar coatings, dipped in melted chocolate, fruit centers....but I usually am so full on onions rings by the time I get to these, I don't feel like being adventurous anymore.

Sausage and Potato Casserole

This makes a lasagna pan's worth of food, or 2 smaller casseroles.

Ingredients
4-6 lbs of potatoes, peeled and sliced.
1 onion, diced

1/2 lb cream cheese or nuefchatel
1/2 lb of queso fresco **
1/2 lb farmer's cheese
2-4 TBS prepared mustard
4 TBS coconut oil
4-6 TBS gelatin
2 eggs
8 TBS cane sugar
Sea Salt, a lot.....2 TBS?
Cream of tartar as needed

1 lb Sausage, bite sized

1. Prep potatoes and onions and set aside
2. Combine sauce/filling ingredients until smooth.
3. Correct seasoning, should be slightly saltier/zestier than needed as the potatoes will neutralize some of the taste when it's all cooked together.
4. Combine sauce with potatoes and onions and pour into a coconut oil greased pan/s.
5. Add bite sized sausage evenly over the top.
6. Cook for about an hour at 350*-375*, cover, if needed to prevent burning.  
7. Check for softness of middle potatoes.  Adjust cooking time as needed.
8. Cool for about 20 minutes and serve.

This was a big hit the first time around.  It doesn't reheat well, as is. I used the leftovers as a soup by adding broth, some tomatoes and a little extra gelatin and salt. Traveled very well in my thermos. Fabulous!


**Queso fresco is ricotta-ish, without the additives usually found in commercial ricotta.

Hunk of Meat Monday 
Hearth and Soul Hop 
Fat Tuesday

Banana Bread & Muffins - GF

Adapted from the Joy of Cooking: 

Banana Bread & Muffins
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup coconut oil  or butter
1-1 1/4 cup bananas mashed

 1 3/4 cup rice flour
2/3 cup cane sugar 
2 TBS unflavored gelatin
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped apricots (optional)



I haven't had any bananas for YEARS. Cooked bananas do not cause discomfort like raw ones do though.  I could not resist the bargain of a huge bag of bananas for $1...and had a get together coming up.  I peeled the bananas and stuck them in the freezer until needed. 

Mix ingredients in order.  I use a potato masher or ricer for the banana and leave it on the chunky side.  I used Sucanat for the sugar, the caramel ish flavor goes well.  1 loaf recipe makes about a dozen muffins using an ice cream scoop for measuring.  Bake at 350*  for about 25-30 minutes for muffins, 1 hour for a loaf.  I used my toaster oven, so no preheating necessary.  Use a greased pan or tin or use liners.

The muffins were a huge hit and we actually had leftovers too. They freeze well and make a nice snack on the go....or a light meal with a glass of milk.

See Ya In The Gumbo
Melt in your Mouth Monday
Hearth and Soul Hop
Fat Tuesday
Totally Tasty Tuesday
Gluten Free Wednesday

Potato Salad with Pickled Eggs

Ingredients:

Cooked potatoes

Diced Beet Pickled Eggs

Mustard 

Diced Butter Pickles or Relish

Pickle Juice or ACV

Sour Cream

Cane sugar/Cream of tartar to taste

Salt to taste

I thought I had posted this a while ago, I guess it got lost in the shuffle. 

I know I used a Russet type potato and adding the pickle juice gave it the right moistness.

Adjust proportions to your personal tastes...I kept adding stuff until it tasted "right"....and I can't remember what I did anyway.....

See Ya In The Gumbo  
Fat Tuesday 
Hearth and Soul Hop

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

I make a mean fruit dip.  I love it for dipping strawberries and it goes great as a brownie topping too.  I got my recipes confused the other day and put WAY too much gelatin in the dip.  Seriously, dip should not be slice-able.


Directions:
I added 2 slices too firm cheesecake dip to 2 eggs in the blender and whipped. Much to my delight, the gelatin dip actually did blend in. I was concerned I would get a chunky smoothie....like adding coconut oil that turns gritty in the cold, ewwww.  I added OJ for liquid as needed and a large handful of frozen strawberries. "Seasoning" was some salt, cream of tartar, cane sugar and homemade vanilla extract.

Raspberry Lemonade Smoothie

Meet my new favorite hot weather breakfast...and lunch....and dinner.....

Raspberry Lemonade Smoothie!

Ingredients per serving:
1 forage fed egg
1 cup lemonade
1 generous pinch salt
1/4-1 tsp cream of tartar
1 handful frozen red raspberries
sugar to taste **

**These raspberries are exceptional and don't really need extra sugar, but sometimes commercial berries need a little help.

Blend and pour immediately, fresh is best.

Beet Pickled Eggs

The grass is popping and the chickens are laying, so fresh eggs are in abundance....yeah, taking over the fridge. I was inspired by the many GORGEOUS pictures of eggs pickled with beet juice...they look like a sunrise when cut open.

Ingredients:
Leftover beet juice or pickling liquid
ACV
Cane Sugar
Hard cooked Eggs
Sea Salt
Cream of Tartar
Pickling Spices (optional)

1. Cook eggs to the hard cooked stage and chill WELL, this can be done in advance.
2. Mix the ACV, juice, sugar, salt, cream of tartar and spices, if using, together in a pan. 
3. Adjust proportions to taste,  I like a sweet tart flavor with emphasis on sweet.  
4. Bring to a quick boil and let cool while peeling chilled eggs.
5. Layer eggs in a wide mouth jar and cover with warm beet juice.
6. Let sit, refrigerated, for a few days, at least.
7. Enjoy!

Update:  Taste test after 2 days soaking earns 2 thumbs up...even better than I expected!
(No picture available of one cut open, I couldn't wait to eat it.)

First Homemade Pizza (including GF crust)

I give this a B+. This was really easy to make...until things went wrong....mostly due to inexperience.

I had problems with wetness while mixing and stickiness after rolling  trying to get it off the rolling surface onto the pizza board and again off the board and onto the pizza stone in the oven.  It looked and tasted yummy enough to try again though....otherwise, I would be sticking to the occasional English Muffin Pizza. ;)

My surface area for rolling was too small, in hindsight, I should have divided the dough into 2 pizzas....or used less liquid?  I ended up adding a LOT of extra flour correcting the original wetness.  As it was, the dough when cooked was THICK, too much bread for my liking.  It held together very well though...only breaking where I ripped it trying to transport.

I don't know about you, but I try to avoid gums....guar gum, locust bean gum, xanthum gum.  Quite honestly, my digestive system can handle wheat on occasion BETTER than the gums.  The gums aren't just in gluten free baking products/flours, but in dairy, coconut and other products you wouldn't think needed "gluing."

Ingredients
2 tsp yeast
1 cup warm milk
1 egg
2 cups rice flour
2 tsp cane sugar
2 tsp gelatin
1 tsp sea salt
2 TBS coconut oil
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda

(Added to correct too wet dough)
1/2 cup corn masa, white or blue
1/4 cup arrowroot or tapioca flour/starch
2 tsp coconut flour (optional)

Mix yeast into warm milk first in a separate container.  Add egg to mixer or food processor and whip.  Add other ingredients in order a little at a time, blending as you go.

Flour your rolling area well, I used additional corn masa flour.  My dough stuck where I missed a few spots. This amount of dough will make a very large pizza or 2 smaller pizzas, so adjust accordingly. ;)  Roll in thin as the dough will double, at least, in thickness.  Based on my experience, I would flour the paddle as well.

Cook crust for 10 minutes at 425* F.

Add desired toppings and bake for an additional 15 minutes or so.

The pizza pictured above is a freshly shredded Mozzarella/Parmesan blend  with dried basil and red pepper flakes.  We let is sit for about 15 minutes on a cookie rack before cutting.

Fried Okra, French Toast and Maple Milk

I have a confession to make...I am not a "real" gourmet.  I can't be, I am disqualified.  My bulk bottle of Cinnamon is older than my first born, who drives now.  I am about halfway through...perhaps I will be forced to buy a replacement sometime before I die.

In the spirit of out with the old and in with the new, I have been digging DEEP into my freezers, yes plural.  I found in the back of one of the freezers a bag of unopened breaded okra, a unopened loaf of bread, a half loaf of bread, 3 mostly empty, but air filled plastic bags (I seemed to have a collection of meat bone/onion kin bags), 4 half filled bags of freezer burned french cut green beans (now chicken food) and a jar of ?????, I think it's a dried herb, possibly burdock. I haven't purchased any frozen veggies for a few years now, so I can only guess how long they've been there.  They took up more space than the bread, and at least I can remember WHEN the bread was purchased.


Fried Okra
The secret to non slimy okra is to slice it REALLY, REALLY thin before breading and fry the snot out of it....pun intended.  A friend taught me that...her's are almost crouton crispy and much loved by people who "don't like okra".  This was purchased, so thickness was predetermined, but I did manage to fry it to a crisp.

Okras is really easy to grow if you have SUN and live in an area with hot summers.  It will keep going long after the cucumbers and tomatoes have burned to a crisp.  You need to pick the pod when young, but the over grown ones make great chicken feed.  The flowers are very pretty too.

Ingredients
Coconut oil
Breaded Okra
Salt

Heat the oil and add a small soup bowl's worth of okra per batch.  Fry until golden and crisp...about 7 minutes or more.  Drain well.  Put it in a bowl and add a thin layer of salt.  Repeat batches until finished.  I did a sniff test before using the Okra, it was ok...and coconut oil can cover up for a multitude of sins so to speak. We ate it like popcorn straight from the bowl.




Breakfast this AM was built around using up "remnants" of stuff that was taking up space in the fridge as well.  Obviously, I have a LONG way to go on the cinnamon. ;)

French Toast
The last 4 eggs in the carton
The last few sips of milk in the jar, 1/4 cup?
Dash of cinnamon (hey, every little bit counts)
Dash of homemade vanilla
Remnants of a cream of tartar/salt mix, 1/2 tsp or so
2 TBS of cane sugar

About a half a loaf of previously frozen sourdough spelt bread
(My guesstimate for how much dip to make is approximately 1 egg per 2 slices of bread.  Your mileage will vary depending on the density of the bread.)

And, of course, the last few drizzles of the too big bottle of maple syrup from the fridge door for topping.
(The whole point of french toast IS maple syrup in our house.  Adding sugar and cream of tartar to the egg helps stretch it though.)

I used coconut oil on the griddle and cooked at medium low ("egg" temperature) for a few minutes on each side, then placed them on my pizza tone in the warmed oven while I made the rest of the batch.

Maple Milk
Pour a glass of milk in the empty maple syrup bottle and shake, shake, shake.  Pour into glasses and serve with the french toast.  It comes out very foamy, almost doubles in volume.  You could substitute it for a whipped topping in a glass of hot chocolate too.

Pantry Challenge

Potato Muffins/Biscuits - GF

You HAVE to try these...there just too easy and delicious!

Here's the original recipe, discovered by a friend's daughter:

Potato Muffins (May 1918):
The Farmer's Wife Harvest Cookbook

4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg, well-beaten
1 cup mashed potatoes
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk

My adaptation: Makes approximately 12 muffins
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 large leftover baked potato, skin removed
4+ TBS coconut oil
2 TBS cane sugar
2 tsp beef gelatin
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 cups rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt (if using coconut oil or unsalted butter)


Mix everything together in order in a mixer or food processor.  I added a few ingredient at a time and mixed a little in between.  It will look like cream cheese frosting or vanilla soft serve when it's thoroughly mixed. Grease the muffin tin generously.*  Fill each cup about 2/3 full to allow room to rise. Bake at 350 degrees F  for 25-30 minutes.  I used my toaster oven. When done, allow to cool slightly and run a knife around the side to pop them out.  I ate mine with strawberry jam.

*I used the back of a spoon to slather about a TBS of extra coconut oil in each cup, making sure to get the sides and bottoms.

These could easily be made as drop biscuits by making them free form instead...maybe with just a little tweaking.  They scream biscuits and gravy!

You could also place some protein in the center for a to-go meal:
Cheese and an apple slice
Spaghetti sauce with meat and gelatin
Scrambled egg with mushrooms
Jam with gelatin
Or  ??????

Fat Tuesday
Savory Sunday
Made From Scratch Tuesday
Hearth and Soul Hop
Totally Tasty Tuesday
Gluten Free Wednesday
What's Cooking Wednesday
Full Plate Thursday
Simple Lives Thursday

Decadent Triple Cream Potato Soup

A friend of mine gave up eating grains and won't eat her specialty cheeses without crackers....so guess what I get to play with?  I have no such food rules, so put the remainder of the Brillat Savarin Affine in the coconut oil lined crock pot with some potatoes, milk, egg, gelatin, salt and a little cayenne and onion powder.

Oh, yeah!

The richness and boldness of flavor of the triple cream cheese balanced by the mildness of the milk, the lightness of the egg curds, the heartiness of the potatoes, the gentle heat of the cayenne, the savory of the onion all work together for this wonderful treat.


Ingredients: (fits a 4 quart Slow Cooker)
Coconut oil (prevents sticking )
1-2 eggs
1-4 TBS beef gelatin
4 cups milk
1/2-1 lb of Triple Cream Cheese
8-10 potatoes (peeled and cut into bite sized pieces)
Salt to taste
Cayenne Powder (optional)
Onion Powder (optional)

 Directions:

1. slather the coconut oil generously along the bottom and sides.  I used a butter knife with a long blade.
2. whip the egg in the bottom of the pot (saves dirtying and extra dish)
3. add milk and chunks of cheese
4. add salt and spices to taste. The cheese has very little salt, so make it slightly saltier than desired as the potatoes will absorb a lot.
5. fill to desired level with potatoes and stir to cover potatoes
6. Heat on high for about 2 hours until bubbling, then set low for another hour or so or set it on low and forget about it for the day or overnight if starting in the evening and serving for breakfast.

Ingredient Spotlight

Breakfast "loaf" and Soup

I was so pleased with the casserole I made yesterday, I wanted to make it again.  I was out of cottage cheese, so I improvised.  This is probably the "standard" recipe for some "officially named" dish already, but I made this for breakfast and used my meatloaf pan, hence I call it my breakfast loaf. ;)

Ingredients:
3 potatoes, peeled and shredded
A few chunks of white cheese (sliced off a 5 lb brick, amount unknown...I just threw it in.)
1 egg
Milk (mine is raw and grass fed but starting to overflow the fridge again)
Salt (I used WAY too much this time, don't use as much as I did.  I think cutting back on the potatoes to cheese ratio messed me up.****)
A dash of thyme
A few shakes of red pepper flakes
Extra cheese for the top

Scramble an egg in a mixing bowl and add shredded cheese and potatoes.  Add some milk enough to coat potatoes ( a cup?) and mix.  Add some salt ( use 1/2 the amount or less) and spices and mix well.  Slather sides and bottom of baking dish in coconut oil and add potato mix. Top with extra cheese.

Bake at 400* for 45 minutes or so.  Let cool and serve.

Chilled slices can be refried in a pan with coconut oil for about 10 minutes for an easy snack later on.

*****I finally figured out what went wrong....the salt level in the Colby cheese was much higher than in the cottage cheese.  We were able to enjoy this later that day re-purposed as soup by adding milk...... a lot of milk and NO extra salt.

Re-purposed Breakfast Loaf Soup

Breakfast Loaf Soup
Leftover Breakfast Loaf, chopped (most of it....)
Milk to desired thickness (approximately 2 cups)



Bring to temperature in a pan and serve.


Grain Free Real Food Carnival

Angel Food Soup

Angel Food Soup 

1. Heat broth (packaged or homemade)
2. Add extra salt as needed (make it slightly saltier initially, the egg will absorb some.)
3. Scramble some eggs (1-2 per person)
4. When broth is hot, stir in a circular motion and add eggs.  (Slower speed will give you longer, thicker threads....faster will give you smaller, thinner threads.)
5. Remove from heat and serve.

I have FOND memories of this soup. So simple and yummy and FAST.   It was a special treat in our house, but I imagine the origins were more along the lines of "empty pantry" or "what to fix?" syndrome.  It's practically free if the eggs come from your yard and the broth from the bones saved up from previous meals. You can, of course, spruce it up some.  Add some gelatin and coconut oil or a little sugar and cream of tartar.  Toss in some some leftover  potato or rice, noodles or serve with a chunk of cornbread slathered with butter.  Spice it up with a little Tabasco or basil or nutmeg or ?????

Pennywise Platter Thursday

Cottage Cheese and Potato Casserole GF

 This was inspired by all the baked mac and cheese recipes I've been seeing......

1. Whip 1-2 eggs in a large bowl.
2. Mix in cottage cheese (I was using up a container, so approximately 1.5 cups)
3. Add a generous portion of salt (approximately 2 TBS) plus desires spices (I used granulated onion and 90,000 HU cayenne) and blend well.
4. Add peeled, shredded potatoes (approximately 6 medium) and mix until evenly coated
5. Coat a casserole dish with coconut oil and add potato mix
6. Top with 1/2-1 lb white cheese (I used Jack)

Bake at 375* for about an hour

Let cool for about 15 minutes and serve.

Savory Sunday

Healthified Ramen

Ok, I admit it...I have a "thing" for cheapo ramen noodles.  I haven't actually eaten them in years, but the longing is still there.  I used to like them on the soggy side and would always rebelliously add the flavor packet DURING cooking.  I suppose it wasn't really the noodles I was craving, but the salt and flavorings.  If I was feeling guilty, I would add some frozen peas or corn to make it "healthy".  Yeah right.

Years later, I have found a "natural" version that has "acceptable to me" ingredients.
Specifically, Koyo Lemon Grass Ginger Ramen.  Technically one package is one serving, but we STRETCH things here by adding protein and extra salt...which is really what the flavor packet is anyway, mostly.
No soy, no MSG or "natural flavor", no super ubber long names.  I could, in theory, make it from scratch in my kitchen if I had the time, tools and the inclination.  There is one or two other flavors this brand carries that are acceptable as well, but I prefer this one.  It is in the "fun treat" category of our food repertoire as it contains wheat, "heirloom" wheat (whatever that means), but wheat none the less.  I always have to make a special effort to chew, chew, chew...too easy to be in a hurry, especially with ramen, as it has a tendency to slurp up and slide down in one fell swoop.

Healthified Ramen (Variations)

Base: (AKA things I always add)
Coconut Oil
Unflavored beef gelatin
Koyo Lemon Grass Ginger Ramen
Flavor packet
Extra Salt


Extras: (AKA...things I add depending on mood and availability)
Fresh Mushrooms...usually Crimini
Dried Mushrooms (Oyster mushrooms are a particular favorite)
Leftover brats
Leftover meatloaf
Leftover spaghetti sauce
Egg
(beat the egg and drizzle into hot broth while stirring in a circle...going for the whirlpool thing...right before removing from burner)
Onion - color or type doesn't matter
Cane Sugar/Cream of Tartar to balance
ACV or Rice vinegar
Red Pepper Flakes
Hot Pepper Oil

Simply Delish 
Fight Back Friday 
Pennywise Platter Thursday

'Shroom and Tater Scramble

I am liking our food coop more and more.  I can get fresh mushrooms for about half the cost of the grocery store.  I LOVE sautéed mushrooms...they have an amazing ability to infuse themselves with all the flavor you add to the mix.

So this is what I made with an abundance of homegrown eggs, fresh crimini mushrooms and potatoes that need to get used before they sprout.....

Canned potatoes would work in a pinch.

Ingredients:
Coconut oil (medium low heat)
1 small potato per person, sliced
Equal parts mushrooms, halves or quarters
Salt to taste
Chili powder (optional)
1-2 eggs per person

Add ingredients in order listed.  Clean and cut potatoes as the oil is heating and add to pan.  The potatoes will cook as you do the same for the mushrooms. Add the spices and test a potato...adjust as needed.  Add the eggs whole, then scramble in the pan. I like to use 2 eggs for breakfast and 1 egg for a light supper. Mix with other ingredients towards the end of cooking.  Serve when eggs are just firmed, but still moist.

Fresh eggs means Fried Eggs!

THE HENS ARE LAYING!  Woohoo! 

After a long drought and much rationing of fall eggs, we were surprised with 2 eggs one morning and 4 the next.  They have decided that the pile of hoarded baling twine is a good place to lay.  It IS real twine after all, not the orange plastic stuff.

To me, fried eggs slightly over easy is the only way to eat eggs.  Unfortunately, I live with other people, so have to compromise MUCH too often.  Deviled eggs come in a close second, but again I am the only one who thinks so.

I got up extra early this AM and made some JUST for myself.  I cut the potatoes into small matchsticks and fried them up in coconut oil first.  I did one batch, then decided I wanted more and did another batch.  I started to get hungry, so didn't let the second batch cook as long as the first...hence the two tone fries.  The eggs were then added to the pan after the fries were removed.  I like to cook them until the whites are mostly solid, then flip 'em and serve immediately.  Add a little salt and pepper and you're good to go.

I got a little impatient with my spatula and ended up serving pre broken.  Taste is fabulous and much appreciated.  Considering most of our grass and grubs have been under a thick layer of snow for a few weeks now, the eggs have amazingly good color.

Fried Eggs with Matchstick Pan Fries

Hearth and Soul Hop