Bellygasm

Easy Eggs Benedict in Minutes

 

Everytime I see eggs benedict on a menu, it puts a smile on my face. I like to dub it as sunshine on a plate: two softly poached eggs on top of a Canadian bacon and a warm, toasted English muffin served with a dollop of creamy, luscious hollandaise sauce. In other words, "Good Morning, Sunshine!"

Admittedly, I love eggs. It's one of my favorite food. I like it poached, fried, scrambled, deviled... you name it. I'll pass on Wheaties for eggs anyday. Adios, Mary Lou.

My eggs benedict recipe is a breakfast worthy of champions. Contrary to popular assumptions, it's actually easy to make eggs benedict with homemade hollandaise. It's all about timing and quick assembly. Follow my instructions, and you too will get a gold medal from your Sunday brunch guests. 

Suggestion: For a lighter, healthier option, you can swap the the Canadian bacon for a slice of tomato. For a more glamorous version, you can use prosciutto or smoked salmon for the savory component. For a French twist, try it with crossiant halves in lieu of English muffins.

Serves: 2-4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 slices of Canadian bacon or prosciutto
1 teaspoon of white vinegar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons of butter
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper (preferably white)
4 English muffins halves
Dash of cayenne pepper

Preparation

1. In a large saucepan, bring 3 inches of water to simmer. 
2. While water is coming to a simmer, lightly brown the Canadian bacon evenly on both sides over medium-high heat in a skillet. Set aside. Cover to keep it warm.
3. Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl until bubbly about 1 minute. Add egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, pepper and tabasco and whisk until smooth. Cover and set aside
4. Add vinegar to water. Break 1 egg into a bowl and slide it into simmering water as close to the surface of the water as possible. Repeat with other eggs.
5. Use a slotted spoon to gather any egg whites that might have spread out toward the yolk. You have to do this in the beginning of the poaching process. Cook about 2-3 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel. (Tip: Sight & touch are important for determining when the eggs are ready. For a soft, runny yolk, carefully bring an egg above water with a slotted spoon. You want it still jiggly like extra soft tofu, not firm like jello.)
6. Toast English muffins to warm.

Serving suggestion. Place a muffin on a plate. Top with 1 slice of Canadian bacon, 1 poached egg, a drizzle of your homemade hollandaise sauce, and a sprinkle cayenne pepper. Serve immediately.

(Note: You can poach the eggs and make the sauce before your guests arrive. Just drop the eggs in simmering water to warm them and add a few drops of hot water to your hollandiase sauce to bring it back up to temperature and thin it out since cold sauce tends to thicken.)

Best Lasagna Recipe Made Easy

Before The Simpsons, there was Garfield. As a child, I read the comic strip, watched the cartoon, and even had a stuck-on-you doll with suction cups on the paws that I put up on my mom's car windows. (Sorry, bad trip to the 80's.)

I always felt a particular kinship with the orange tabby cat. Besides being cynical, sarcastic, and borderline sadistic to John, his owner, Garfield loathes Mondays, diets, or any form of exertion. He is truly one badass kitty.

So what does Garfield have to do with my easy recipe for lasagna, you ask?

1. Garfield is the original foodie who was born in an Italian restaurant kitchen.
2. He eats practically everything, and his favorite food is lasagna.
3. As all impressionable, Saturday morning cartoon devotee, I too became food obsessed and a lover of lasagna.

I hope my simple lasanga recipe, a rendition on the classic, will be as well received for you as it did for me. My guests enjoyed 2nds and even 3rds!! If you prefer a vegetarian lasagna, just swap the sausage for sliced zucchinis and/or squash. I promise you'll never buy a frozen Stouffer's again.

Serves: 8-10
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound of spicy Italian sausage or ground beef (sausages are seasoned so it adds more flavor & complexity)
1 10-oz. box of spinach, defrosted, drained, & squeezed of any liquid
1 9-oz. box of no-boil lasagne noodles (barilla or your favorite brand)
6 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

For Marinara Sauce:
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon of dried basil
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4 1/2 cups of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup of red wine
Salt & pepper

Preparation

1. In a large skillet, add oil over medium-high heat. Removing casing and add sausages in bite sized chunks to brown for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside leaving oil and any fat rendering.
2. Add onion to sauté until translucent while scraping any carmelization. Add garlic, basil, oregano, crushed tomatoes, and red wine. Bring it to a boil before reducing heat and cover to simmer for 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. While the marinara sauce simmers, prepare spinach and set aside. (Tip: If the spinach is frozen, defrost in microwave per instruction. If already defrosted and at room temperature, make sure to drain and squeeze out any liquid.)
4. Preheat oven at 375F. Grease the bottom and the sides of a 13x9x3 baking pan with olive oil.
5. Spread 1 cup of sauce evenly on the bottom of baking pan.
6. Layer 4 uncooked lasagne sheets, half of the sausages, 1 1/2 cup of mozzarella, and 1 cup of sauce.
7. Repeat another layer of uncooked sheets, spinach, 1 1/2 cup of mozzarella, and 1 cup of sauce.
8. Repeat another layer of uncooked sheets, remaining sausages, 1 1/2 cup of mozzarella, and 1 cup of sauce.
9. Add final layer of uncooked sheets, remaining sauce, remaining mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.
10. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 50 minutes until bubbly. Uncover foil and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes until cheese is completely melted and starts to brown.
11. Remove from oven and let it stand for 15 minutes before serving.
     

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Cavatappi (Corkscrew) Pasta with Avocado

 

This is THE BEST pork tenderloin leftover recipe EVER. The avocado warms up once tossed with the hot pasta, turning a good dish into a great meal. It's light, healthy and creamy.  C'est impossible!  Made with only ingredients that you can find easily at your neighborhood grocery store, who knew weeknight dinner can be so fast and gourmet at the same time??  Honestly, I ate so much I had a Buddha's belly.

Ingredients

3/4 to 1 pound grilled pork tenderloin, cubed
1 large avocado, cubed
3 vine ripped orange tomatoes, quartered
1 cup KRAFT finely shredded Italian style five cheese blend
1 box of cavatappi pasta (De Cecco makes a good one) or your favorite pasta
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup of fresh basil, wash and torn for a rustic look
1 medium onion, diced
Salt & pepper to taste

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes

Preparation

1. Bring large pot of water to boil.
2. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over low to medium heat for 1 minute. Add ends of tomatoes (without seeds or liquid) to enhance flavor of oil for approx. 3 minutes.
3. Salt pot of water generously and add pasta to cook for approx. 7 minutes for al dente.
4. Add onion to oil and turn heat up to medium and sauté until translucent for approx. 5 minutes. 
5. Add tenderloin cubes and remaining tomatoes with seeds & liquid to onion to warm for approx. 2 minutes.
6. Drain pasta and toss with onion and tenderloin mixture. Once combined, remove from heat.
7. Add avocado, basil, and cheese and carefully combine.
8. Add salt & pepper to taste.