SAVORY CREPES FOR A LIGHT DINNER

Posted in Breakfast & Brunch, Pizzas & Small Dishes by sallybr

When I lived in Paris, I had crepes often. Once back in the US I made them at home every once in a while. However, I am the first to admit, not often enough. It is such a simple meal to put together, and yes, it can be light if you don’t go overboard on cream sauces and cheese. Our version is quite austere, so feel free to change it to your liking.

SAVORY CREPES
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
dash of nutmeg
1 cup all-purpose flour

fillings:
sauteed mushrooms
ham
cheese
tomatoes

To a blender, add all ingredients for the crepes except the flour. Blend for a couple of minutes, then add the flour and blend again until smooth. Place it in the fridge for 2 hours if you have the chance.

Pour 1/3 cup batter on a non-stick crepe pan (or small skillet), and cook on both sides. I like to brush a little oil before the first crepe, and work carefully with the flame to cook them to a light brown without browning too much. Place the crepes over a plate separated by parchment paper until time to assemble them. They can sit in the fridge for hours or even overnight.

Place a crepe on a surface, add your fillings to half the area, fold the other half over, then fold again to form a sort of triangle. Bake in a 350F oven for 10 minutes.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: With this meal, we’ve decided that crepes will be part of our regular rotation. The batter can actually sit in the fridge for a day or so, making it even simpler to get them going. The possibilities for fillings are endless, as you can imagine. Salmon with cream cheese and dill, sautéed shrimp, chicken breast in a cream sauce. We will quite likely stick with our versions, and serve a little something on the side. Like this delicious zucchini-sesame soup…

And of course, the icing on the cake…. my lunch next day!!!!

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29Apr2024

BEET-PICKLED DEVILED EGGS

Posted in Appetizers, Pizzas & Small Dishes, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Totally smitten by this recipe, because… color! It was inspired by a version I saw on Molly Yeh’s show Girl Meets Farm, but I made a few modifications.

BEET-PICKLED DEVILED EGGS
(adapted from Molly Yeh’s recipe)

3 cups of water
1 medium beet, peeled and cut in half
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 tsp whole black peppercorns
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon salt

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1/4 cup yogurt
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 avocado, mashed
Tajin seasoning to taste
salt to taste

Put the beet in a medium saucepan and add the water, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, peppercorns, cider vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil until the sugar is dissolved. Add the peeled boiled eggs to the pan, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight for the most intense color.

Cut the eggs in half, then scoop out the yolks and place them in a medium bowl. Put the egg white halves on a serving platter. To the yolks, mix all other ingredients, making a paste. Adjust with more yogurt if needed. Pipe the mixture into the holes of the egg whites, sprinkle additional Tajin all over.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Have you ever seen more beautiful color in a boiled egg? Now, the texture of the egg will be slightly different from that of a regular deviled egg due to the pickling step. It is going to be firmer and have a more assertive taste. Phil is not usually too fond of brined/pickled concoctions, but he loved these eggs, so if you are over-the-fence about it, don’t let it scare you. We don’t eat mayonnaise ever, but if you prefer the more authentic version, use it in place of yogurt. These were great as appetizer but also fantastic as my lunch next day. I will be re-visiting this recipe often… Such mesmerizing color!

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7Apr2024

KALYN’S SAVORY ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

Posted in Breakfast & Brunch, Pizzas & Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I’ve been following food bloggers for a very long time. Many stopped blogging, but a few of my favorites still hang on over many years. Kalyn is one blogger who passed the 15-year mark (a milestone I am going to hit in a few weeks…). For the most part she focuses on low-carb recipes and everything I cooked from her blog has been delicious. No lack of flavor, no odd textures. Back in 2022 she shared a recipe for zucchini muffins and I finally made them. They delivered all that she promised. No matter your take on amount of carbs, these are great. The almond flour makes them moist and quite tender. I made a few minor changes from her published version.

FLOURLESS SAVORY ZUCCHINI MUFFINS
(from Kalyn’s Kitchen)

1 small zucchini
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
salt and black pepper to taste
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
8 eggs, well beaten
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
2 T baking powder

Heat oven to 375F.

Cut stem and blossom end off zucchini, then cut in fourths lengthwise. Then on each piece, trim off and discard part of the white center part of zucchini, so you have zucchini strips with skin and about 1/4 inch of white. Cut those pieces into thinner strips, then dice to make small cubes around 1/4 inch square. You will have about 1 + 1/2 cups diced zucchini. Heat olive oil in non-stick frying pan and cook zucchini seasoned with the Herbes de Provence, salt and pepper until it’s softening and just starting to brown, about 3 minutes.

Put cottage cheese in a fine strainer placed in the sink and rinse with cold water, then let it drain well.
Beat the eggs until yolks and whites are well-combined.

In a bowl combine the cooked zucchini, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese and beaten eggs.
In a smaller bowl mix almond flour, flax seed meal and baking powder.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, adding only part at a time and stirring each time until the mixture is combined. Fill muffin cups, dividing the mixture evenly among 9 muffins cups. Bake about 27 minutes, or until muffins are firm and slightly browned.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I omitted feta cheese because I did not have any. I made bigger muffins and instead of twelve I ended up with nine. These jumbo silicone liners are absolutely great! If you don’t have a jumbo muffin pan, they will still stand upright on a regular baking sheet. You can find a link to get them in Kalyn’s blog, I’ve had mine for a while. Love the colors also, as you might imagine…

They would be pretty nice with chunks of feta in the crumb, so consider adding that. The crumb is very delicate and they are perfect for a light lunch. The muffins freeze well, you can microwave them for 1 minute, and enjoy good as fresh.

Kalyn, thank you for yet another great low-carb recipe!

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13Sep2023

FETA EGGS WITH ZUCCHINI

Posted in Breakfast & Brunch, Pizzas & Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Please don’t judge this recipe by its looks, it would be unfair because it is delicious and so very simple! I eat a lot of eggs, my lunch is often a scrambled egg wrapped in a tortilla, or some type of omelette made by the husband, who is a pro at those. I am always searching for new ways to enjoy my favorite lunch item, and this is my newest obsession.

FETA EGGS WITH ZUCCHINI
(slightly modified from Skinnytaste)

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup grated zucchini, squeezed dry
Chili crisp hot sauce, any amount you like (I used this one)
2 large eggs
1 ounce feta cheese
ground black pepper to taste
salt to taste

In a small nonstick skillet, heat the oil and add the chili crisp sauce and zucchini, sautee on medium heat until the zucchini gets soft and starts to get some color. Add the feta cheese evenly over the zucchini and cook until it starts to melt a bit.

Carefully drop in the eggs, season with salt and pepper and cover. Cook on low until the yolks are runny and set, or cooked to your liking. Use a silicone spatula to transfer the eggs to your plate.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I have made it with other cheeses (Cotija and goat cheese), and they all work great. It is such a nice way to enjoy eggs, a slice of sourdough is the perfect way to deliver it to your mouth, but if you want to keep the carb index low, just enjoy the layer of zucchini to give it texture. It gets all crispy and cheesy underneath the egg, giving it that bit of texture that the fried egg by itself lacks. If you don’t have the chili crisp sauce, just use red pepper flakes.

If you love eggs, try this preparation. I imagine it could work well with finely grated carrots, or even some shredded cabbage in place of the zucchini. Worth playing with!

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13Mar2023

SHRIMP TACOS WITH JICAMA-MANGO SALSA

Posted in Pizzas & Small Dishes, Seafood by sallybr

We’ve had quite a few days with warm temperatures and that undeniable vibe of spring. This is a perfect light meal for the upcoming season. Simple, refreshing, full of flavors and textures. Make the salsa a few hours ahead if you have a chance.

SHRIMP TACOS WITH JICAMA-MANGO SALSA
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

for the salsa:
1 mango, peeled and cut into cubes
half a jicama, peeled and cut into small dice
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 large jalapeños, seeded, deveined and finely minced
juice of half a lime
drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

for the shrimp:
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 quart water
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
juice of half a lime
1 tablespoon grape seed oil
2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste (go easy on salt, as the shrimp will be brined)

to serve:
tortillas, taco shells, guacamole, Cotija cheese

For mango salsa, combine mango, jicama, tomatoes, and jalapeño in a bowl. Add the lime juice, olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for a couple of yours if you have the time.

Prepare a mild brining solution mixing 1 quart water with 1/4 cup kosher salt and 1/4 cup sugar, plus the juice of half a lemon. Submerge the shrimp in the solution for about 20 minutes. Remove shrimp from brine, rinse briefly and dry on paper towels.

In a small bowl, mix together chipotle, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper until evenly mixed. Sprinkle over shrimp, rubbing on both sides. Heat the oil on a large nonstick skillet, when really hot add the seasoned shrimp in a single layer. Cook until shrimp are opaque and sides are browned. Cut the cooked shrimp into pieces for serving, if you like, or leave them whole.

Arrange the shrimp inside tacos or over tortillas, spoon the salsa, and if desired, add guacamole and Cotija cheese.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This salsa is a winner. Make it, serve it with any kind of protein you like. I admit that prepping jicama is not my favorite pass time, but it was worth it. As always, most important thing is to not overcook the shrimp, but the brining step helps with the texture, and will allow a little more room for error in that step. I can hardly wait to bring this back to our table!