California breakfast sushi roll

January 27, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This tickled me, as it’s a breakfast sushi roll and really works. It’s simple and a bit different.

Yields 2 servings

4 eggs, divided
6 tbsp milk, divided
4 tbsp grated Jack cheese, divided
cooking spray
2 flour tortillas
4 strips crisp bacon
1/2 large avocado, sliced
1/2 large tomato, sliced

For the spicy sour cream

2 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp hot sauce
1 tsp milk

Coat a medium skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat.
In a small bowl, whisk 2 eggs and 3 tbsp milk until incorporated. Pour into the hot skillet.
Sprinkle with 2 tbsp grated cheese and cook without stirring for 3 to 5 minutes until the top is no longer wet. You may need to turn the heat down so the bottom doesn’t burn.

Place the tortilla over the egg and gently flip them out onto a cutting board.
Place 2 strips of bacon on the bottom 1/4 of the tortilla (closest to you)
Top with half of the sliced avocado and tomato. Roll up as tightly and gently as you can.
Allow to rest for a minute then slice with a sharp knife into sushi rolls.
Repeat the process with the remaining eggs, cheese etc.

In a small bowl mix together the sour cream, hot sauce and milk. Drizzle over the sushi rolls and serve immediately

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat · Poultry

Mustard stuffed chicken breasts

September 8, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is so lovely and simple. The creaminess of the mozzarella with the tangy wholegrain mustard makes it extra special.

Serves 4

5 -6 oz large fresh mozzarella ball, torn into small pieces
3 oz strong cheddar cheese, grated
1 heaped tbsp wholegrain mustard
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 rashers smoked bacon

Heat the oven to 400 F .
Mix the cheeses and mustard together.
Cut a slit into the side of each chicken breast then stuff with the mustard mixture.
Wrap each stuffed chicken breast with 2 bacon rashers each, not too tightly, but enough to hold the chicken together.
Season and place on a baking sheet or pan and roast for 20 to 25 minutes or so, basting once.

Tip- If you want to use less bacon, stretch out each bacon rasher using the back of a knife to make each one longer and thinner and use only one.

Appetizers · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Bacon wrapped dates in a cream sauce

July 9, 2012 Belinda

These are not for the faint hearted or calorie conscious, but are delicious as a little starter. I don’t yet have a photo, but for now you can just picture them in your mind! Unctious!!

Serves 6 as a starter
12 rashers of bacon (streaky)
24 pitted Medjool dates

Sauce
Large knob of unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
5 fl oz dry white wine
1 ¼ cups whipping cream
2 heaped tsp grain mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped parsley to garnish

Preheat the oven to 450F
Hold a rasher of bacon by one end and use the blunt end of a knife to gently stretch it out by another quarter – this helps make the bacon crisper when cooked. Repeat with all the bacon. Cut each rasher in half and roll one half around each date.
Refrigerate while you make the sauce
Melt the butter in the frying pan over a gentle heat, add the garlic and shallot and sweat gently for about 5 mins until soft but not colored
Add the wine, turn up the eat and boil until the liquid is reduced by half.
Strain the mixture through a sieve and return to the pan. Add the cream and mustard bring to a rolling boil and boil for 30 secs. Season if necessary (bear in mind that the bacon is salty)
Divide the mustard /cream mixture between six 4 inch diameter gratin dishes.
Add four dates to each dish.
Bake for 8 to 10 mins until the sauce is bubbling and the bacon browning.
Finish off the dish with 2 minutes under a very hot grill to really crisp up the bacon.
Serve sprinkled with parsley and serve with some granary bread

Appetizers

Caramelized onion, apple and bacon in phyllo cups with gorgonzola

June 10, 2012February 7, 2016 Belinda

This is a variation on the previous blog recipe with the addition of apple and bacon. Outrageous huh?

Ingredients

2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large yellow onions, sliced (1/4 inch slices)
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped finely
1 packed tbsp brown sugar
4 strips hickory smoked bacon, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup good gorgonzola cheese, crumbled. (Please don’t buy that ready crumbled stuff, it’s not Italian and tastes like wallboard)
26 mini phyllo shells from 2 x 1.9 oz packages in the freezer section. Prepare/cook according to the instructions

Directions

To make the caramelized onions, heat 2 tbsp butter and olive oil over medium low heat in a large non stick skillet.
Add the onions, cover and cook for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove the lid, and cook an additional 15 minutes or until beautifully caramelized.
To make the apples and bacon, heat the chopped apples in the remaining 1/2 tbsp butter and brown sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Saute for 10 to 12 minutes or until the apples are softened and lightly browned.
Wipe the pan clean and place the bacon in it. Saute over medium heat or until crispy and browned, stirring occasionally. Drain on paper towels.

To assemble the shells, place the caramelized onions, cooked apples and bacon and salt in a small bowl and mix well.
Evenly distribute the mixture among the mini phyllo shells. Top evenly with the crumbled gorgonzola.
You can put them in the oven at 400F for about 5 minutes until the gorgonzola is melted, but you don’t have to. I rather like the melty cheese on the top. Watch them incase the pastry starts to burn though.

This recipe makes 13 servings of two phyllo cups each.

Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Meat · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Brussel Sprout gratin

June 10, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is a recipe from a fellow blogger called “The View from Great Island”
This will get you addicted to brussel sprouts if you weren’t already, like me!

Preheat the oven to 350F I would say this serves 5 – 6 as a side dish, but 4 for a main dish.

5 – 6 cups brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
4 slices bacon
3 shallots, sliced
Oliver oil
3 tbsp Marsala wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 heaped cups grated Gruyere cheese
2 tbsp butter
fresh thyme leaves
freshly ground nutmeg
zest of half a large lemon
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk

In a large pot, snip the bacon into 1 inch pieces and saute over medium heat till it starts to get brown and crisp.
Add in the shallots and brussel sprouts and saute for a few minutes.
Deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine, stirring up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Put a little olive oil in the bottom of an oval gratin dish and spread out half of the sprouts in the dish.

Season well with salt and pepper, the fresh thyme leaves, lemon zest and a dash of nutmeg.
Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over the top. Dot with a tbsp of the butter and season with salt and pepper.

Top with the remaining sprouts and the past cup of cheese. Dot with the last tbsp of butter.
Mix the milk and cream together and pour it gently over the whole dish.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Breakfast · Do-ahead · Egg based · Gluten Free · Meat

Bacon, potato and egg breakfast casserole

June 5, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

Serves 6 as a main course

4 thick slices of bacon, cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, cleaned out and diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp salt, divided
8 extra large eggs
1 large cup milk, preferably whole
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 cus frozen diced potatoes, unthawed

Heat the oven to 350F

Lightly grease a 13 by 9 inch baking with oil.

Put the bacon slices in a large skillet and turn the heat on to medium. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally until crisp. Add the onion, yellow bell pepper, sun dried tomatoes and 1 tsp of salt and cook over medium heat until all the vegetables are fragrant and soft- about 5 more minutes.
Turn off the heat and let cool slightly.

In a separate bowl beat the eggs thoroughly and whisk in the milk. Whisk in the remaining tsp of salt and the black pepper.
Stir in the cheese, frozen potatoes, bacon and vegetables from the skillet. (Don’t worry, the frozen potatoes cook just fine)

Pour the whole mixture into the prepared baking dish. At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for 24 hours, this saving you oodles of time when entertaining for brunch!

When you are ready to bake the dish, bake for 40 minutes or until the eggs are firm and the top is sightly golden. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.

Serve immediately with fruit, rolls or toast.

Note,

This recipe calls for frozen potatoes for convenience and it really works. It’s not worth the bother of pre- cooking potatoes.

Egg based · Gluten Free · Grains · Meat

Bacon and leek risotto with poached egg

August 25, 2011February 8, 2016 Belinda1 Comment

Serves 6

PREP TIME: 50 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes

Recipe c/o Jill Duplex

So tasty and comforting!

Ingredients

6 large eggs

5 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 2 large)

1 1/2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice (about 10 ounces)

3/4 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh Italian parsley leaves (for garnish)

Additional finely grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

Preparation

Bring large skillet of water just to simmer over medium-low heat. Sprinkle water with salt.

Working with 1 egg at a time, crack into small bowl and slide egg into simmering water.

Cook eggs until whites are cooked through but yolks are still runny, 3 to 4 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, carefully transfer poached eggs to medium bowl filled with ice water.

DO AHEAD Eggs can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate in same bowl of ice water

Bring broth to simmer in medium saucepan; cover to keep warm. Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally.

Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add leeks to drippings in pan; cook until soft but not brown, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer 2 generous tablespoonfuls leeks to small bowl; reserve for garnish.

Add rice to pan; stir 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; stir until absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup warm broth to saucepan; stir until broth is absorbed. Repeat adding broth and stirring until rice is tender but still firm to bite and sauce is creamy, stirring almost constantly, about 23 minutes total.

Add bacon, chopped parsley, butter, and 2 tablespoons cheese. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Meanwhile, heat poached eggs in medium skillet of simmering water just until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Divide risotto among 6 bowls. Top risotto in each bowl with poached egg.

Sprinkle egg with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with parsley leaves, additional cheese, and reserved leeks.