is a twist on the normal huevos rancheros that is usually prepared with chili or beans. It is best to prepare this for no more than four people unless you are really good at cooking a lot of sunny-side up eggs!
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
Four large flour tortillas
2 tablespoons olive oil
One half of a medium onion, diced
One small can diced green chilies
One jalapeño, diced
8 ounces medium sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and pepper to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons butter
1 cup salsa, either purchased or homemade
8 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 cups cheddar cheese, grated
Procedure:
Wrap the tortillas in foil and place them in a 300-degree oven to warm.
Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the green chilies and jalapeño and sauté a further 5 minutes. Add in the shrimp and cook them until they turn pink, about 5 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper and set aside covered with foil so that the mixture stays warm.
Divide the butter between two non-stick skillets, and place them over medium heat. Melt the butter. When it begins to bubble, place 4 eggs into each pan and cook the eggs sunny-side up. This should take about 5 to 7 minutes.
Place a warmed tortilla on each plate. Top with the salsa. Divide the shrimp mixture between the tortillas. Place two eggs on each of the tortillas. Garnish with the sour cream and grated cheddar.
Baked Blueberry, Almond, and Lemon French Toast
This is a great way to make French toast because it can be made the day before you serve it. As it sits, the bread absorbs the custard resulting in a creamy textured dish. Just before it is baked a melted butter and brown sugar mixture is drizzled on top for extra richness. I have used both fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe depending on the time of year that I am making it. If you use the frozen berries, do not thaw them out. Trader Joe’s sells frozen wild blueberries now that are grown in Canada and they are great in this French toast.
Serves eight people
Ingredients:
One 24-inch long baguette
6 large eggs
3 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sliced almonds
2 cups blueberries (about 12 oz.)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
For the syrup:
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Procedure:
Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Cut twenty 1-inch thick slices from the baguette and arrange them in one layer in the baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, lemon zest, vanilla and sugar and pour evenly over the bread. Chill the pan, covered, until the liquid is absorbed by the bread, at least 8 hours or up to 1 day ahead.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Sprinkle the almonds and blueberries evenly over the bread layer. Melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar. Drizzle this mixture over the bread and bake French toast for 20-25 minutes until it is golden in color and any liquid from the blueberries is bubbling.
Make the syrup while the French toast is baking. In a small saucepan cook the blueberries and maple syrup until the berries have burst, about 3 minutes. Pour the syrup through a sieve, pressing on the solids. Discard solids and stir in lemon juice.
Serve the French toast with the syrup.
Brandied Spiced Coffee
I first made this great boozy coffee drink at a brunch class. It’s also perfect as an after dinner drink. The coffee is heated for only about 5 minutes with the brandy, so all of the alcohol will not evaporate. This is important to know if you are serving it to someone who does not wish to partake of alcohol.
Makes eight servings
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
2 large cinnamon sticks, broken up
3 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 cup high quality brandy or cognac
8 cups strong, freshly made coffee
Whipped cream for garnish (this is optional)
Procedure:
Place the sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom in a pan. Add in the brandy or Cognac. Heat, stirring for about 3 minutes until the sugar is just about dissolved.
Add in the coffee and heat through another 2 minutes. Strain the mixture into 8 coffee mugs. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired and serve immediately.
Chile Ham Croque Monsieur
You may have heard of the French classic dish called Croque Monsieur. I have seen it prepared in many ways, sometimes as a grilled ham and cheese sandwich topped with a creamy white sauce, or the sandwich may be dipped in an egg batter and then grilled or fried. This recipe is a southwestern version of the Croque Monsieur.
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons softened cream cheese
1/2 cup canned green chiles, chopped
1 cup ham, diced
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese,
