Truffle And Saffron Scented Risotto

Truffle And Saffron Scented Risotto

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 small onion, small dice

1/4 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

1 ½ - 2 cups vegetable broth

¼ cup thinly sliced chanterelle mushrooms

1 Tablespoon shaved black truffles

Truffle oil

salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon saffron

cooked quail eggs (poached or boiled), sliced thinly

minced parsley, for garnish

Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes without browning until translucent.

Stir in the rice and cook for two minutes to toast kernels.

Stir in 1/4 cup wine and allow rice to fully absorb it.

Add the broth, 1/4 cup at a time, allowing the rice to almost fully absorb it before adding more. Stir often. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup wine. Cook to desired consistency, risotto usually tends to remain al dente. If you prefer a thinner risotto, use more broth.

Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chanterelles and sauté for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the truffles. Spoon into risotto, reserving the liquid.

Marinate the quail eggs in the reserved liquid to flavor them.

Season the risotto, transfer to a serving dish, garnish with truffle oil. For an attractive presentation, use a ring mold. Place the quail eggs around the risotto. 

This is an upscaled version if the plain risotto dish I often make for my family at home. Luxury ingredients such as white wine, truffles, saffron, and quail eggs instantly increase the value of this dish. Use the best quality ingredients you can afford. You will taste the difference. This makes a nice appetizer or side dish portion, to bulk it up for a main course, you could easily add in some protein.

Chinese Moon Cakes

They aren't too many Chinese desserts and they tend to be either quite simple, or quite tricky. I opted to attempt a tricky one, and I was very pleased with the results. I made my own sweet bean paste for the filling, and because salted, preserved duck eggs were not available, I did a quicker version of a preserved chicken egg. I didn't have a moon cake press, so I just formed the cakes, so they don't look as pretty as the traditional ones, but they are incredibly tasty and a not too sweet dessert. 

Chinese Moon Cakes
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups granulated (white) sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cool
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
3/4 cup coconut milk powder
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
sweet red bean paste
salted duck egg yolks
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 375◦F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs until light. Beat in the sugar for a few minutes until very light and fluffy. Beat in the butter and vanilla.
Sift together the flour, milk powder, baking powder, and salt together. Stir into the egg mixture. Knead dough lightly until it comes together into a smooth ball. Wrap and chill for at least an hour. 
Divide dough into 24 pieces. Roll each into a three inch circle, making the edges slightly thinner than the center. 
Spread some of the bean filling on each piece of dough, place an egg yolk in the center and cover with more bean paste, completely enclosing the yolk. Enclose the dough around this and roll into a ball. 
At this point, a moon cake press should be used, but I didn't have one. So I simply used a cookie cutter to make a little pattern on top. 
Place on the baking sheet, spaced slightly apart. Beat together the egg and water and use to brush each moon cake. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp. 

Note: I made a successful gluten-free version by simply substituting a gluten-free flour blend for the flour. Baking time will be slightly left as they crisp up more quickly, and they may be a little less tender, but still quite tasty. 

Cold Plate

Some days you may not feel like cooking, it may be too hot to think about cooking, you may have a bunch of leftovers or random ingredients you would like to use up, or you really aren't sure what you are in the mood for. That's where a cold plate comes in. 

A cold plate does not have a specific recipe or even a description of components it must contain. A cold plate is simply a plateful of cold foods, or foods that have not been cooked or reheated. It often contains salad ingredients and the likes, but really it can be any mismatch of things you would like. You could pull a leftover piece of pizza from the refrigerator, consume it cold, and technically consider it to be a cold plate, but typically a cold plate consists of several different items - cold pizza is simply cold pizza. Here is the most recent cold plate I made up.
It consisted of: salad with greens, diced tomato, soft boiled egg, and cheddar cheese sticks; whole grain crackers, hummus, roasted chickpeas, hazelnuts, fresh dates, frozen pineapple, and of course, a few chocolates to round out the meal. This was a cold plate, well actually there are a few dishes there as it did not all fit on one plate, for two. Cold plates can definitely be nutritious, light, and well-rounded meals. This one has vegetables, a little fruit, cheese for dairy, egg, hummus, and nuts for protein, and crackers as a whole grain, with a touch of dessert.

Egg Pesto Cheese Sandwich

Here is a warm, vegetarian sandwich - nothing particularly special but something a little different and definitely tasty. Here I have two toasted slices of homemade onion walnut wheat bread. I then topped it with some of my homemade parsley cashew pesto. Next I seasoned with salt and pepper and sliced some cheese on top, as well as adding a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Then I quickly 'scrambled' an egg in the microwave. I arranged all of these ingredients artistically on top of my bread, and popped the entire thing back in the toaster oven until warm and the cheese was melted. This can easily be served as an open-face sandwich, but it can also be stacked as a sandwich, wrapped in tin foil, and kept warm for a little while until ready to eat or deliver. This way, you can enjoy a hot sandwich on the go! 

Poached Egg On Toast

Poaching is my new favorite way to enjoy eggs. I like the soft texture the white keeps, encasing a delicate, gooey, slightly liquidy golden yolk. I don't think poached eggs need much to go with them, and they are a quick yet elegant easy protein source. A sprinkle of paprika often works well though. Here I have served a poached egg on a crisp piece of baguette, allowing the consumer to soak up every last bit of that egg. I used some crisp broccoli strips to garnish the plate and create sort of a star appearance, but celery, carrot, or pepper strips would work as well.

I cheat when poaching my eggs, and always poach them in the microwave. It is definitely quicker and just as tasty, the only downside is only one to three eggs can be cooked at one time. All you need is approximately one tablespoon of water per egg. Break the egg into the water and gently stab the yolk a few times, then microwave on HIGH (100% power) for one minute. The 'setness' of the egg and yolk will vary slightly depending on how much water is used and how long the egg is cooked, so vary this according to your personal tastes. 

Mini Broccoli and Onion Quiches

Mini Broccoli and Onion Quiches
8 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 head broccoli, finely chopped
1 small onion, diced
salt, pepper, and paprika to taste

Preheat oven to 375◦F. Grease 12 muffin cups. They can be lined as well, though paper liners may stick to the quiches a bit.
Beat eggs with milk and spices. Stir in vegetables. Divide evenly among cups. Bake for about 30 minutes until set. 

This recipe takes about five minutes to whip up, then I freeze the quiches and have them on hand for quick breakfasts. A good way to use up milk and eggs too. Feel free to add cheese or use different vegetables. 

Potato Zucchini Hash

Potato Zucchini Hash
1 medium potato
1/2 small white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 large cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 medium zucchini, sliced
1 large egg
seasoning as desired

Pierce the potato all over with a fork, place in a little water, cover and microwave for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Slice into wedges.
Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms and sauté for five minutes. Add the zucchini and potato and sauté a few more minutes until soft. Push the vegetables to the side of the pan and crack and egg in the middle. Fry until cooked, then season as desired.

This is a really quick and easy one dish meal that incorporated a good dose of vegetables, a starch, and some protein with the egg. Sprinkle some cheese over top to incorporate some dairy as well. 

Celery Cauliflower Quiche

Celery Cauliflower Quiche
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup chopped cauliflower florets
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 large eggs
1 cup 2% milk
2 Tablespoons tahini
2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 Teaspoons wheat germ
salt, pepper, and paprika to taste

Preheat oven to 375◦F. Place the vegetables in the bottom of a 7 or 8 inch round glass ovenproof bowl. In a medium bowl, beat together remaining ingredients. Pour over vegetables. bake for about 45 minutes until just set - quiche should not be jiggly but still moist. 

You couldn't really find a quicker and easier quiche recipe than this. The celery and cauliflower make a different but yummy flavor combination. If you prefer softer vegetables in your quiche, pre-steam the vegetables. This is a crustless quiche, but the small amount of flour and wheat germ help thicken the custard and form a thin layer on the bottom. This made two servings for me, though they were hearty main course servings. As a side dish, it could easily serve four. 

Beans and Grits

Recipe for a really quick, easy, and well-balanced meal on a budget:

1. Sauté some chopped onion in a little oil in a small frying pan until softened.
2. Add in some precooked beans. If you have a little bit of leftover bean salad on hand, that is even better. I used a mixture of six beans along with chopped sun-dried tomatoes and sliced black olives.
3. Move this to the edges of the pan and crack an egg in the center. Cook until desired softness.
4. Meanwhile, cook a bowl of oat bran in the microwave. 
5. Serve the mixture in the frying pan over the oat bran, with desired seasonings - I recommend some salt and freshly ground black pepper, but if you are more adventurous, try some more exotic herbs and spices. 

If your egg is runny (surprisingly, my new favorite) it creates a delicious sauce for the beans and oat bran. This is an easier spin-off on a dish of beans and grits, which would be cornmeal. 

Fried Egg

Can you tell it is my last day of pre-scheduled posts, and that I will be returning tomorrow? Here's something I decided to try for breakfast one day - a fried egg. I typically have an egg for breakfast once or twice a week, but I usually stick to hard-boiled, or poached or scrambled in the microwave. One day I was in the mood for a little something different. I melted a little coconut oil in a small frying pan (coconut oil is delicious and very versatile if you have not tried it yet). Then I just cracked in an egg and watched it cook. Now I am the type of person that likes my eggs well done - as in fully cooked and not running for fear of food poisoning. I am not totally paranoid, just cautious. So I don't enjoy sunny side up or soft boiled eggs, and when I fried my egg, I fried it until it was thoroughly cooked. Obviously this picture was taken before it was completely done. I must admit though, I have begun to develop a taste for yolks that are slightly underdone. Not the kind of yolk that oozes out and runs all over the plate, but the kind that are soft with a little give, the kind that are still slightly golden yellow and not totally pale yellow. Sometimes my eggs turn out like this when I poach them in the microwave, even though I cook them for the exact same amount of time each time. I can never tell if the yolk will be soft or not, but when it is, it soaks into the bread and is actually quite delicious. next thing you know, I'll be enjoying rare steaks as well. (don't count on it).

On The Fly Fried Rice

On The Fly Fried Rice
1 teaspoon oil
2 Tablespoons chopped onion
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons green beans
1 large egg
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup cooked rice
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 heaping Tablespoon hummus
optional: some shredded cheese

Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the vegetables for a few minutes until crisp-tender. Push vegetables to the outside of the pan. Beat the egg with the salt and pepper and pour into the middle of the pan. Scramble the egg until cooked, then mix with the vegetables. Stir in the rice, seasoning, and hummus and cook, stirring, until heated through. Sprinkle in the cheese, if desired. 

This is a dish I came up with quickly one night when I was in need of a quick supper using leftovers. I took the idea of fried rice and enhanced it with the ingredients I had on hand. I had a bowlful of leftover rice and some leftover green beans. I quickly chopped up some onion and carrot, used some hummus and spices I had on hand to flavor the dish, and added an egg, which is traditional in fried rice, for some protein. Obviously ingredient amounts are approximate, and ingredients and amounts can be varied to create any quick supper dish. I served my rice with some leftover toasted fish cakes on top for a complete meal.

Egg Soufflé

This was named as a recipe for scrambled eggs in the microwave. However, I think it is much better described as an egg soufflé. It is really easy to make and really tasty too. it rises nicely, and has a nice, light and fluffy texture - just like any soufflé. It can be served as a part of breakfast, lunch, or supper, or a hearty snack. Serve it with bread, biscuit, crackers, fruit, or whatever you would like! It can also be dressed up as you would like - with herbs, spices, cheese, chopped vegetables, or diced meat. I discovered that it makes a really good vegetarian replacement for a burger when served on a bun. If you just need one, and don't want to make up a batch of veggie burgers, this is the perfect size and shape.

Egg Soufflé
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon milk
butter or oil
salt and pepper
herbs, spices, cheese, vegetables, meats, etc.

Beat all together in a tall, but not wide, mug. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 90 seconds. It may need an additional 20-30 seconds after that to reach desired firmness. Gently run a knife around the egg to loosen it and serve as desired. 

Egg-In-A-Mug

Here is another quick and healthy breakfast that is cooked together all in one mug. The flavor possibilities and combinations are endless!

Egg-In-A-Mug
1 piece or bread, biscuit, bagel half, or pita pieces
salsa, mayonnaise, yogurt, butter, hummus, or pickle
1 large egg
seasonings, herbs, spices
sesame seeds or other garnishes

Fit the bread piece into the bottom of a microwave-safe mug. Spread with your spread of choice. Crack the egg over top. Sprinkle with remaining garnishes. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 60-90 seconds. 

Microwave Poached Egg

I have discovered a great trick! I regularly enjoy a hard-boiled egg for breakfast. But sometimes I am in the mood for an egg in the morning, and I have forgotten to cook one the night before. I have previously cracked an egg into a bowl and microwaved it, but it kind of makes some weird popping noises in the microwave and makes the bowl really difficult to clean. Then I recently realized I could "poach" an egg in the microwave. It's really quick, easy, tasty, and not as messy. And it really seems like a poached egg. After cooking, simple serve the egg on whatever bread you would like and add your favorite toppings, seasonings, and garnishes. 

To poach: Place three tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Crack an egg into the water, and pierce both the yolk and the white a few times. Cover the bowl with waxed paper and microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 90 seconds. That's it!

Crustless Mixed Vegetable Quiche

Crustless Mixed Vegetable Quiche
4 large eggs
3 cups milk
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bag (3 cups) frozen mixed vegetables, lightly steamed according to package directions
2 cups shredded cheese 

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line one 9x13 inch rectangular baking pan or two 9-inch round deep-dish pie plates. 
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, cornstarch, baking powder, parsley, and spices. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared pan(s) and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

The vegetables, cheese, and seasonings can be varied to match your tastes. Leftover, fresh, or canned vegetables can all be used, as long as they are lightly cooked beforehand.  Choose vegetables that are fairly small - I used a mixture of carrots, beans, peas, and corn. Not typical in a quiche, but it worked really well! This is a really easy recipe that requires no crust to fuss with. It is also vegetarian and gluten-free! It cooks very well, and can even be kept warm for a while without sacrificing quality. This dish really isn't anything special, but was the first to disappear and got raving reviews, so I guess it went over well.

Muffin In A Cup

This is a fantastic little recipe I recently tried for the first time. It makes a nice little muffin in a cup for a hot breakfast in a flash, kind of like a take on a chocolate mug cake. It is so quick to put together, and makes a very nutritious breakfast - it contains the protein of an egg, the fiber of flaxseeds, and a good fat, coconut oil. In addition it contains little or no added sugar or salt, and not preservatives or artificial flavors. You can also increase the nutrition content by added other nuts, nut butter, seeds, or fruits, for added healthy fats, fiber, or antioxidants. The only complaint I have is that the muffin is a bit on the dry side. Next time I may try adding a splash of milk or juice to it.

Muffin-In-A-Cup
1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup ground flaxseeds (I use frozen, and it works fine)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
stevia to sweeten

Choose a large, microwave-safe mug. I use an extra wide. 
In the mug, melt the coconut oil and beat in the egg. Beat in the remaining ingredients. Microwave on high (100% power) for exactly one minute. The muffin should be fully cooked and well-risen. You should be able to run a knife or spoon around the edge of the mug and lift the muffin out; or you can just eat it out of the mug. Serve warm.

This is a gluten-free recipe. If you don't have stevia on hand, honey, molasses, maple syrup, or regular sugar work too, although the muffin doesn't really need any sweetener at all. The cinnamon can be traded for another spice as well.
Add any nuts, seeds, or dried fruits you please for added flavor.
This is an excellent breakfast served with some fruit and milk!

Egg-tra Easy Breakfast

Here is a really simple, quick, and healthy breakfast idea. If you don't have time to cook scrambled eggs or hard-boiled eggs, try this technique. It is a simple microwave cooking method. It works for egg whites, egg yolks, and whole eggs, and can cook several eggs at once. Pictured here is just an egg white, which I used because I had a leftover egg white from a recipe I made, and I did not want to waste it, so I ate it for breakfast. This egg is similar to a scrambled egg. Here is how to make it:

1. Crack the egg(s) into a small, microwaveable-safe bowl.
2. Add salt pepper, milk, butter, cheese, chopped onion, parsley, or whatever else you'd like.
3. Cover the bowl with a piece of waxed paper, and microwave on high for 1 minute.
4. Remove from microwave and check the egg. If it is set, it is done. More eggs will take longer to cook. If the egg is not done, continue to microwave at 30 second intervals until it is desired doneness.
5. Carefully run a butter knife along the edge of the bowl to loosen the egg, then remove.

Now serve on toast, and add anything else you would like - ham, cheese, tomato, bacon, lettuce, or whatever! Here I just added a slice of tomato. This egg is good on toast, as a sandwich, in a wrap, with pancakes, as a simple omelet, or just a really quick side of protein with your meal. Keep this method in mind when you need to cook an egg fast!

Chocolate Challah Egg Bread

Here is another baked good I made for the Easter season. It is a challah bread, which is basically a rich, four-strand braided egg bread. It is something like a braided Easter egg bread, which is often pictured with colored hard-boiled eggs tucked into the pockets of it braids. I made traditional Easter egg bread last year, so this year I decided to make something a little different. 

This braided challah bread is made just like traditional challah and Easter egg bread, but this version contains chopped chocolate. This bread dough is made from yeast, flour, eggs, plus the addition of two extra egg yolks for richness. It also contains honey in place of regular sugar, and oil instead of butter. The dough is made, kneaded for about 10 minutes, then placed in a bowl to rise for an hour. Then it is punched down, the chocolate is added, and it is divided into four long ropes. Then it is braided, and allowed to rise for another hour, before it is finally baked for about 30 minutes. It is very important with this recipe to oil the dough, just lightly enough to coat it, so that it won't stick and it will be a lot easier to work with.

I used chopped dark chocolate, but my taste-testers thought the recommended semi-sweet chocolate would have been a better match. This bread is a sweet bread, but it is still bread, so it is not overly sweet. Semi-sweet chocolate would have added a hint of sweetness and probably would have worked better, although I did like the dark chocolate, as I am a big fan of dark chocolate. I have never braided anything using four strands before, so bread was probably not the best place to start.  However, I did practice using strings beforehand, but my braiding still din't turn out the best. I also found it a bit difficult to make the end where the strands start into a nice braid. Maybe I should stick to three strands. Looks aside, the bread turned out to be quite tasty. It was light and fluffy, but had a nice, crisp exterior. It was tender and soft, and makes a good snack or breakfast. It would be excellent spread with chocolate hazelnut spread.

Breaded Chicken Breasts

Breaded Chicken Breasts: A simple, quick, easy, and relatively safe option for supper. They go well with a variety of different side dishes, almost anything goes. Serve them with any kind of vegetables, and pasta, rice, potatoes, or simply bread. Breaded chicken breasts can be baked, pan-fried, deep-fried, sauteed, or broiled. Simply choose the cooking techniques that suits the amount of time you have and the other dishes you are preparing. For a dish this simple, there are actually a surprisingly high number of different recipes for the coating. How many layers should it have? What is the best type of breadcrumbs to use? What else should I add? The way we do our chicken breasts is fairly simple: dip them in a little beaten egg, and roll them in seasoned, dry breadcrumbs. Place them in a casserole dish and bake. That's it! No extra spices, coatings, or preparation techniques.

Common Dredges (the "glue" for the coating) are: egg, water, milk, buttermilk, ketchup, mustard, sauces.
Common Coatings: flour, breadcrumbs, Panko, cracker crumbs, cereal crumbs, chip crumbs.
Common Seasonings (to add to the dredge or the coating): salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, chili powder, basil, chives, mustard, vinegar.Common Toppings: tomato sauce, cheese, ratatouille, salsa.

Some people swear by the three-coating technique ;flour, then egg, the breadcrumbs. We have tried this and found that yes, it does produce a crispier coating, but the coating does not stick to the chicken as well. Some people say to spray the chicken with cooking spray or drizzle with melted butter for a crispier coating, but this does not improve the crispness significantly and increases the fat content in a relatively nutritious dish.