I just learned how to make scrambled eggs after 15 years of cooking. I love eggs, an over easy/soft-boiled egg may be my most favorite food over anything else.Want to know the trick? It’s all about the double-boiler. Back in May, at the International Food Bloggers’ Conference, Chef Keith Luce of the Herbfarm made the most incredible scrambled eggs as part of his elaborate lunch offering. They were from free-range, organically fed hens but there was nothing more added to the beaten eggs, except maybe a touch of butter; it was all technique.

At the  IFBC, Chef Luce slowly stirred the beaten eggs with a whisk in a medium-sized mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water, otherwise known as a double boiler. I don’t remember how quickly the eggs were stirred or what angle Chef Luce was tilting the pan, all I know is those eggs convinced me that I hadn’t had really good scrambled eggs before that.

Sheri came into the office recently raving about scrambled eggs, her and Barnaby had made over the weekend using farmer market eggs and the double boiler trick. “I didn’t even use butter, and they were amazing!” she said. My mom had given me a dozen eggs from her chickens and so I decided to give it a go. So simple. I used a teaspoon of butter and let it melt in the mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water. I poured in the beaten eggs and stirred slowly.

To learn how to scramble eggs after cooking scrambled eggs one way for 15 years seems somewhat unreal, like reinventing the wheel. I focused on the beaten eggs as if I had never cooked them before in my life. After a couple minutes they were done. Not fluffy or airy, like a French style omelette, nor wet or dense, these scrambled eggs were a combination of fluffy and creamy. Fluffy isn’t even the right word- custard-like? I gave some to my husband and said, I scrambled these a bit different, what do you think?

He said, “what kind of cheese did you put in this?” I said none. Then he asked, “Okay then, how much butter is in this?”  Not much! Isn’t it cool! I squealed, there is about a teaspoon of butter and just really fresh eggs- that’s it.

Looking for more scrambled egg techniques? Here are a couple more to try:

Above photo by NickWheeleron holiday

Possibly Related Posts:

• Friday Fun Links
• Young Winos
• What Celebrity Chefs Are Making for Thanksgiving
• The Great Stuffing Debate!
• Wine from Scratch: Wine in the Kitchen

Categories:	Chefs • Cooking tips • Technique • Uncategorized • breakfast • eggs • kitchen equipment • quick and easy	6 Comments
Tags:	Chef Keith Luce • double boiler scrambled eggs

When it comes to seasonal fall and winter squash, there is always one that seems to take center stage on restaurant menus, glossy food magazines and in premade food products. That would be the ever-popular butternut squash. Yes, as much as I love this creamy, sweet and mild squash, I feel that it has been over used in ravioli and in pureed soups. I think it’s time to stir things up!  By no means am I suggesting you set aside your beloved butternut, in fact, I think you should fall in love with it all over again and try it in something new. Think of it as butternut therapy for your butternut addiction. To get you started, here are a couple recipes that might make you look differently at your favorite gourd. Before I forget, you can substitute kabocha squash, acorn squash or sugar pumpkin and really try something different.

This recipe for marinated butternut squash is a tangy twist on sauteed butternut squash that is usually tossed with olive oil and fresh herbs.

Butternut and parsnip quesadillas!  And, for the salsa lover who wants to eat seasonally, you can get inspired with this beet salsa that not only tastes sweet, fresh and tangy- it looks like a bowl of ruby jewels just waiting to be sprinkled on a salad or scooped up with chips.

Another dynamic duo- risotto and butternut together! This creamy risotto with sweet butternut squash could be eaten as a side dish or eaten as a main course. This dish is like putting a warm sweater around your stomach.

Don’t forget dessert! Here is a twist on the old  apple crisp classic: Butternut Apple Crisp!

Need more delicious inspiration? Here are three more delicious ideas:

Kalyn’s Kitchen

101 Cookbooks

Relish

Pink Stripes

Above photo by lumierefl

Possibly Related Posts:

• Friday Fun Links
• Young Winos
• The Great Stuffing Debate!
• Wine from Scratch: Wine in the Kitchen
• The Ultimate Holiday Cookie Contest!

Categories:	Baked Goods • Cooking tips • Technique • Uncategorized • desserts • quick and easy	4 Comments
Tags:	autumn • butternut squash • fall • winter squash

Lets face it, we all get stuck in food ruts. Seared salmon on top of mixed greens has been my fast and healthy go-to dinner for far too long. Time to shake things up! Of course like anyone, saying one thing and doing another can be challenging when you work full time, have a family or planning within a budget.

1. Make it Easy on Yourself
You don’t have to get all Martha on everyone and make every single meal from scratch, complete with hand-sewn napkins. Obviously, that would be pretty cool, but maybe you should work up to that. You can still buy a pre-made roasted chicken at the store on the way home, but instead of serving rotisserie chicken as is, cut off the meat and put it in a panini or toss it with a vegetable-packed salad.

2. But I Love Spaghetti Every Night…
Really? Okay, no one is going to blame you, but you might want to mix it up a little bit- what about adding some sauteed peppers or throw in some olive and capers for a little puttanesca inspiration? Try a different sauce or put that irresistable tomato sauce on a grilled chicken breast or roasted eggplant.

3. Plan Ahead
Doesn’t someone telling you to plan ahead sound super bossy and for some of us, unrealistic? I get that. Honestly though, doing one thing like throwing flank steak into a quick marinade the night before or prepping one thing for tomorrow’s dinner while you are throwing tonight’s dinner together doesn’t add up the hours, 15 minutes maybe. Have an office refrigerator? Cooler in your car? If you get a long lunch break, you can save a trip to the grocery store after work, by going on your lunch break.

4. Buy a New Kitchen Tool to Experiment and Force Yourself to Try Something New
Nothing makes you think outside the box more than purchasing a fun new kitchen tool. You don’t even need to splurge on a Vitamix to stir things up. Even buying something as cheap as a potato peeler that has fun ridges on the sides or even purchasing a panini press from the Goodwill will help inspire you to write up a different shopping list.

5.  Use Resources Right Around You
If you are grabbing lunch at a restaurant, don’t just read the menu for what you are eating now, see what else looks appetizing and try and replicate it yourself for dinner later on in the week. Ask all your friends, your mom and your co-workers what they are making for dinner, sometimes the simplest ideas are buried underneath all your creative brainstorming. And lastly, nothing is more inspiring for getting you out of your food rut by reading food blogs. They are overflowing with ideas and they are all cooked by real people who are not trying to sell you something!

Here are a just a couple of food blogs to check out:

Steamy Kitchen
Roots and Grubs
Cooking with Amy

Above Photo by: Gudlyf

Possibly Related Posts:

• Friday Fun Links
• Young Winos
• The Great Stuffing Debate!
• Wine from Scratch: Wine in the Kitchen
• The 2,000 Pound Rib Feast

Categories:	Cooking tips • Salads • Technique • Uncategorized • kitchen equipment • quick and easy • tools	6 Comments
Tags:	cooking inspiration • food blog • food rut • quick and easy

This week we are recognizing Mommy (and one Daddy) bloggers who, through their hard blogging work, have helped many a parent put a quick dinner together, provide laundry tips, and teach us shortcuts for making school lunches. Mommy and Daddy blogs offer more than just useful parenting and cooking tips, they are also the voice of a community.

Just as informative as reading news blogs, and as addictive as a gossip column, mommy bloggers are an inspiration to new mothers and experienced grandmothers alike. With all the gorgeous food photography and delicious recipes, you don’t have to be a parent to appreciate this week’s featured food blogs.

Just to kick things off, here are some quick and easy menu ideas for the week!

Possibly Related Posts:

• Friday Fun Links
• Young Winos
• The 2,000 Pound Rib Feast
• Kabocha and Ginger Squash Soup
• How I Slaughtered a Chicken

Categories:	Pasta & Grains • Salads • Uncategorized • for Kids • quick and easy	Leave a Comment
Tags:	cooking for kids • daddy bloggers • Mommy bloggers

Possibly the most nostalgic smell from my childhood would have to be homemade applesauce. The apples usually came from apple trees in our yard or from my grandparent’s yard. Every fall a large bowl of multicolored red, pink and golden apples flecked with pocks and oftentimes worm holes, was common place in my mother’s kitchen.

I anxiously looked forward to the sound of the 1970’s red-handled apple peeler and corer grinding through the aromatic apples and watching it spray sweet and sticky apple juice on the counter and floor. After chopping and stirring, the heavenly smell of sauteed apples with cinnamon and brown sugar would coat the air. It would stretch and swell throughout the kitchen, creep into the hallways, living areas and even spread itself out onto the couch and weave its way into the fabric of our clothes. And before my dad would reach the front door of the house, the scent was already welcoming him home.

As we welcome fall, what better way to embrace it then with long lasting autumn flavors. Here is my mother’s ultra simple homemade Slow Cooked Applesauce:

Other fall recipes to try:

Possibly Related Posts:

• Perfect Scrambled Eggs
• Remedies for Your Butternut Squash Addiction
• 5 Ways to Get Out of a Food Rut
• Mommy Blogger Week
• Back to Brown Baggin it Hot Ideas for Back to School Lunches

Categories:	quick and easy	4 Comments
Tags:	apples • fall recipes • homemade applesauce

If it was one thing my mom dreaded more than anything else, it was making school lunches. Not like it was a terribly difficult or demanding chore, it was just one of those things that always needed to be done, like washing dishes or vacuuming the carpet. I think the real issue wasn’t the act of making the lunch, it was the effort of deciding what to put in it. You see, my mother can’t stand to make the same recipe twice, therefore making a school lunch day after day was quite the challenge.  Sometimes I’d get into a food rut, like everyone does and only request cheese sandwiches or a thermos of chicken noodle soup and perhaps that was the best thing I could have done for her- take her creativity out of the equation. To me though, there was nothing better than opening a mysterious, crinkly brown bag from my backpack and find a sweet note attached to a handmade sandwich or something silly, like a candy gummy rat or a finger puppet resting just inside to brighten my school day.

Now that school is back in session, it doesn’t have to be peanut butter and jelly every day; here are some delicious and creative ideas to surprise your little student.

* Create a mini veggie platter in a reusable container and a small container of ranch dressing.
* Create small, cucumber and cream cheese tea sandwiches without crust, or cut into shapes.
* Cook and chill pot stickers and pack them with raw sweet pepper and cucumber slices.
* Use small cookie cutters to make fun shapes into sandwich bread.

More Fun Ideas

Other Fun School Lunch Ideas
Cool School Lunches from MomsMenu.com
Pack a Lunch with Punch by Veg Cooking
Ideas for a Greener Lunch by iLunchbox

Above Photo by Lara604

Possibly Related Posts:

• Friday Fun Links
• Young Winos
• Do your food choices determine your political views?
• The Great Stuffing Debate!
• Wine from Scratch: Wine in the Kitchen

Categories:	American • Cooking tips • Travel • Uncategorized • for Kids • quick and easy	Leave a Comment
Tags:	Back to school • bagged lunch • creative brown bag lunches • for Kids • lunch box recipes • School lunch ideas

The most creative cooking usually happens when you have to make do with what you’ve got and nothing could be more true then the endless recipes made with instant ramen noodles. When I was in college I won a plastic spray-painted gold spatula for making Pad Thai, using a package of instant ramen noodles, ketchup,  peanut butter and a couple other ingredients; but I wasn’t always that creative, nor did I always have time.

As Labor Day draws closer, students are heading back or already back to college and that means many meals made in the microwave, toaster or simply with hot water. It’s nice to have a quick resource for instant recipe ideas, especially if eating dinner means 2:00 a.m. in the common area of a dorm room. Here are 10 quick and easy meals that can be made with minimal ingredients and require few kitchen tools and little effort.

10 Easy College Meals

Other Great Resources for College Recipe Ideas

Beer and Pancakes.com

Yum Yum.com

Surviving College.com

Possibly Related Posts:

• The Great Stuffing Debate!
• Wine from Scratch: Wine in the Kitchen
• Tonight Chef and Mixologist Kathy Casey at Nightschool
• Sustainable Found Food Artist
• Waiting by the River at Dawn

Categories:	Cooking tips • quick and easy • tools	3 Comments
Tags:	Back to school • Cheap and easy meals • College food • dorm food

The annual “Leave a Zucchini on Your Neighbor’s Porch Day” was August 8th, and even if you happened to sneak several large squash into mailboxes,  friend’s purses or onto co-worker’s chairs that day, the likelihood that you still have more zucchini than you know what to do with is pretty high. We figured you were not alone, so we have found 10 great recipes from Foodista and five more from food bloggers to help you get your creative juices flowing…oooh there’s one I forgot Zucchini Juice!

1. Raw Zucchini Pasta
2. Zucchini Pasta with Sausage
3. Stuffed Zucchini Boats
4. Zucchini Cookies
5.Savory Zucchini Pancakes
6. Zucchini Bread
7. Zucchini Parmesan
8. Green Curry with Zucchini
9. Zucchini Dip
10. Vegan Veggie Burrito

5 More Great Zucchini Recipes From Bloggers

All Things Nice Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

Home Joys- Zucchini Crust Pizza

Cooks United Zucchini Fritters

Chocolate and Zucchini Zucchini and Mushroom Crumble

Kalyn’s Kitchen Zucchini Carpaccio

Possibly Related Posts:

• Friday Fun Links
• Young Winos
• Do your food choices determine your political views?
• The Great Stuffing Debate!
• Wine from Scratch: Wine in the Kitchen

Categories:	American • Baked Goods • Chocolate • Cooking tips • Pasta & Grains • Uncategorized • Vegetarian • Veggies • condiments • desserts • quick and easy	Leave a Comment
Tags:	vegan • Vegetarian • Zucchini recipes

Not too long ago Mark cooked live lobsters for the first time and because it was such a special occasion, it called for special butter. Of course there is nothing more delicious than lobster dipped into sweet hot butter, but what if you kicked it up a notch? After boiling the lobsters he split them in half, placed them on the barbecue for just a couple minutes and brushed them with chipotle butter. They were quite the treat. I can imagine this butter on grilled corn on the cob, added to steamed clams or even spread on a baked potato.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Friday Fun Links
• Young Winos
• The 2,000 Pound Rib Feast
• Kabocha and Ginger Squash Soup
• How I Slaughtered a Chicken

Categories:	Fish & Seafood • Sauces • Shellfish • Uncategorized • condiments • quick and easy	2 Comments
Tags:	grilling • lobster butter • seasoned butter

Sometimes you don’t want to wait six weeks for the sweet tangy brine of your  homemade pickles. That’s when you make a quick pickle. My personal favorite are pickled shallots. In less than two hours, you have yourself a sweet and crunchy condiment for your next burger or sandwich or a marriage made in heaven tossed with a fresh cucumber salad.

Other quick pickle recipes to check out:

Quickly Pickled Green Beans By Pickle This.com

Quick Pickled Asparagus By Group Recipes

Quick Pickled Red Onions by Molly Wizenberg

Above Photo by feministjulie

Possibly Related Posts:

• Friday Fun Links
• Young Winos
• The 2,000 Pound Rib Feast
• Kabocha and Ginger Squash Soup
• Vegetarian Thanksgiving Tips

Categories:	Salads • Technique • Uncategorized • Vegetarian • Veggies • condiments • quick and easy	1 Comment
Tags:	condimnet • pickled • pickled shallots • preserves • relish