Photo Montage: My Week of Breakfasts

Two "pried" eggs over collard greens (with bacon), a sliced tomato, and strawberries.

Two fried eggs, 2 chicken sausage links, salad and soup.

Half a cheese-less omelet with avocado, sweet potato hash, side of cantaloupe and strawberries.

Left over Hamburger, 1 egg, sliced tomato and avocado. cup of broccoli soup and coffee. 

Pulled pork over swiss chard with two eggs. 

Crust-less quiche with sliced tomato and cantaloupe. 

2 fried eggs, grilled steak kabob, sliced tomato/avocado, mixed fruit. 

There are several things you can learn from this photo montage. 

1. Canteloupe is in season. 

2. Most of my breakfasts make use of last nights leftovers. 

3: I love avocado and tomatoes. 

4. There is no such thing as a "breakfast" food. It's meal one people 

More Quiche, please.

A few months ago we went to this little french bistro in Hyde Park called Piquant for my girlfriend *Jessica's birthday brunch. It's a place I'd been wanting to try out for a while but was avoiding because I didn't want to be tempted by all of the gluten filled pastries. So this was a perfect excuse to go. Who doesn't love food excuses?

In a french bistro you can really get in trouble with all of the tempting danishes and croissants so I scoured the menu for a healthier choice. I was pleasantly surprised in finding a gluten free Quiche with a petite salad for only $9! What a bargain and it was delicious. Imagine a hashbrown-like potato crust and a cheesy creamy filling all topped off with a drizzle of gravy reduction. Perfection.

Mr. FFF and I have been back a few times and I can't bring myself to **order anything else. Even though I end up making a Quiche about once a month, this was unlike anything I'd ever had. Of course this got my mind racing as to how I could recreate it at home...This is when the spaghetti squash crust was born. The key to this crust is moisture, as in you really don't want the natural moisture from the squash. 

REWIND: Have you already cooked your squash? Don't know how to cook one? Please start here or here.

3 Step Spaghetti Squash Crust: So now that you have a cooked and spaghettied (that can't be a word) squash, go into your linen closet and get an old kitchen towel, maybe two.

Step 1: Once its cool enough to handle, spread a  few handfuls of squash on the cloth towel. Starting from the long side roll up the towel and press with your palm to remove the water. Unroll and place in a bowl. Repeat the process with all of the squash- you might have to get a new towel if the original one gets too wet.

Step 2: Once your squash is dry add a teaspoon or two of melted ghee or coconut oil. Get in there with your hands and make sure it is thoroughly mixed in the squash.

Step 3: Build your crust. Evenly spread the squash in your glass pie pan and using your fingers press the squash on the bottom and sides.
 
Cook for 10-15 minutes on 425 until slightly browned. Don't try to go for crunchy, unlike potatoes squash is NOT good crunchy. Trust me on this.

Don't have a favorite recipe? I make it different every single time depending on what I have in the fridge. I usually use left overs. Sometimes I used less half & half and more eggs, sometimes I only have four eggs or no meat or no spinach and only left over broccoli. It happens, here is where you get to be creative. But I do have a basic recipe that I like and try to aim for if I have the ingredients on hand. And when I don't its still good.

Quiche:
1/2 c.  chopped onion
6-8 oz. of bacon or sausage
5 eggs
3/4 c. half & half or milk
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
dash of nutmeg
5 oz. chopped, drained Spinach (this is half of a frozen package- save the rest for another dish)
one sliced tomato
1 c. cheese (Swiss or Cheddar)

Lower the oven temperature to 325.

Cook onion and sausage in skillet until meat is cooked and set aside to cool. In large pyrex, whisk eggs, mix in salt, pepper, nutmeg, and half & half. Make sure your spinach is not watery (you can do this by squeezing excess water out over a sink with your hands) and stir into egg mixture. Once the spinach is mixed in add the cheese and cooled onion mixture.

Pour into the crust, top with sliced tomatoes and cook for 40-50 minutes. Toothpick inserted in the center that comes out clean is your cue to take it out of the oven. Let it rest for 15 minutes and then slice up and Enjoy.

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*She has a great blog too! Some uplifting whimsical reading over there.
**That is how I get, once I find an amazing dish a restaurant I don't even get to try other items because I always order the same thing.

Killer K's Chili

Ahhh... Mid-October in Florida. The weather is getting crisp and cool (low of 63/ high of 85), the humidity is at bay (sort of). Obviously its time to break out the ole Chili recipe and try to recreate this belly warming, deliciously satisfying, spicy meaty mouthful.

A few years ago, along with my father in law, my husband and I entered Steve Otto's 22nd Chili Cook-off. We didn't win with our recipe but to be fair there are some serious chili heads out there! Like almost professionals- it wasn't a fair competition.


Be warned: this Chili is good. People might see/smell you eating this for lunch or taste it when you have them over for a game; they will ask you to make them a batch. It happens eveerrryytime. Below is my latest recipe (I change it up depending on what ingredients I have on hand). Its gonna take a few hours; DON"T WORRY IT'LL BE WORTH IT!

*Killer K's Chili

Basic Stock:
2 lb. Ground Chuck
1 lb. Sirloin Steak (1/2 inch cubes)
1 Chorizo Sausage
1 lg. Valdia (sweet) Onion
1 Green + 1 Yellow Pepper
1 Poblano
2 Serrano (if I want it really hot ill add a Habanero or two as well)
4 Garlic Cloves
2 Bottles Beer (dark if possible; that Coors Light in the fridge will do the trick)
2 (15 oz.) Tomato Sauce
28 oz. Diced Tomatoes
1(14 oz.) Beef Broth
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. White Pepper
1/2 tsp. Liquid Smoke

With your cast iron skillet, brown ground beef and sirloin in batches. Drain and set aside. In same skillet add chorizo along with onion & all peppers. Saute until soft, about 3 minutes. The grease in the chorizo should be enough to saute all of the vegetables but if it is not add some olive oil. Add garlic and continue to saute about 2 more minutes. Pour in beer to deglaze skillet and let alcohol burn off, about 5 minutes or once beer is reduced by about 1/3.

In a large stock pot, combine all browned beef, the chorizo/vegetables mixture, then add the remaining ingredients: tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, salt/pepper and liquid smoke. Bring mixture to a boil, stir, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour.

Spices, Round 1: Mix all spices in a bowl. Add to Chili; simmer for 30 minutes.

2 tsp. of Chicken and Beef Bullion
1/4 c Cumin
1 tbsp. Jalepeno powder
1/2 tsp. White Pepper
1/4 c Brown Sugar
1 tbsp. unsweetened Cocoa
1 tsp. Cayenne pepper
3 tbsp. Chili Power
32 oz. Beef Broth
28 oz Chili Beans/Kidney beans (optional- I like Chili sans beans)

Spices, Round 2: Add remaining spices to chili; let simmer for another 20 minutes. **Keep a little extra beef broth on hand, you might need more if some liquid evaporates or if you like your Chili loose (in consistancy; not morals).

1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Chili Powder
1/2tbsp. Liquid Smoke

This year's Steve Otto Chili Cook-off will take place in a combined event called Riverfest: Chili, Beers & Cheer. It's gonna be fun; You should go.

* Team Name from 2009 Chili Cook-off; recipe adapted.