Breakfast of champions

I will never cease to be amazed by popovers. You pour a lumpy, watery batter into a pan, you close the oven door and in about a half an hour you get this light, eggy, fluffy and impossibly tall pastry. Popovers are a great way to start a fancy brunch. Serve them at a luncheon, like a bridal or baby shower. Make these for that special someone for a romantic breakfast in bed.

There are some who will insist that you must have a popover pan in order to properly produce this finicky pastry. "Nonsense," says I. I have always used a muffin pan. A popover pan has cups that are about the same volume as a regular muffin pan, but the cups are taller and skinnier.

I used a new recipe this time. I worked out so well that I'm giddy with excitement! See for yourself!



Popovers. Homemade jam. Does it get any better than this?


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Popovers

4 eggs
2 cups of milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt

Grease a 12 cup regular sized muffin pan. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Whisk eggs until light and uniform in color but not fluffy, about a minute or two. Add milk and whisk only until incorporated. Measure out flour and dump it in the bowl all at once. Dump in the salt on top of it. Then stir with a wooden spoon until all the flour has been moistened and incorporated. Batter will be lumpy. Pour into prepared muffin pan, filling cups almost to top.

Place pan in very hot oven and bake for 30 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR. Once pan comes out of the the oven, poke the tops with a sharp knife to let the steam escape. Let rest for 5 minutes then turn out of pan. Serve with butter, jam, or flavored butter of your choice.

Notes:

Eggs should measure 1 cup. You may need more or less egg depending on size you have on hand. I made a half batch this morning. I only needed 2 cage-free nest eggs to get 1/2 cup, but I used the two larger of the four eggs I had.

My friend, M., likes these with garlic and cheese in them. I've never done it, but I'll definitely try it! I'd start with a half of a cup of grated cheese and a clove of minced garlic mixed in after the milk but before the flour.

Don't whisk or stir this batter too long. You really don't want to add any air.

These need to bake with the oven door closed and for exactly 30 minutes on 450. You do have an oven thermometer, don't you? Be sure to check your oven thermometer and set the temperature dial accordingly. I am super lucky to have an oven that is spot on in temperature. Most folks are not. You DO NOT want to use a convection setting if you have it.

Ridiculously easy hash, or what to do when you realize you bought 2 pounds more beef than you eat in a year.

1/2 cup onions, diced small
2 Idaho potatoes, diced small
leftover brisket, diced small
1 TSP minced garlic
1/2 cup left over liquid from crockpot

Saute potatoes, garlic and onions in large saute pan with lots of oil over medium heat. When potatoes are golden brown and tender, add brisket and liquid.

This would be darn good if it was topped with a poached egg.


Notes:

If you can, cook this in a non-stick pan. This will cut down on the amount of oil you need and keep the potatoes from sticking to the pan. Trust me on this. (Mental note to self, buy a non-stick pan)

I found some young Vidalia onions in the Fresh Market the other day. The look like scallions on steroids. I used closer to a cup of onion here to use up the Vidalias and because they are a bit more mild than a regular onion.

Foxy Moron's Egg Casserole

Here you go, Foxy, something to do with all of those eggs!

1 bunch fresh spinach, washed well
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1/2 log goat cheese, about 4 ounces
12 fresh eggs
1 1/3 cup cream
olive oil
~ 1 tsp each salt & pepper

Saute shallot and fresh spinach in saute pan until spinach is wilted. Drain well and add to generously oiled casserole dish, spreading evenly. Crumble goat cheese evenly into the bottom of the casserole onto spinach. Break all twelve eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add cream. Mix with a stick blender for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over spinach and goat cheese mixture. Poke into egg mixture anything that bobs to the top. Bake on 350 degrees, about 45 minutes, or until center is set and edges are browned.

Notes:
Cooked spinach is W-E-T wet! Drain well so you don't get a soupy, eggy mess!

I prefer to crack them one at a time into a small bowl then add to the larger bowl. The first time you break a bad egg into a large bowl of prepared ingredients, you will too!

If you don't have a stick blender, know it's worth the investment. This step incorporates a lot of air and will make the eggs super light and fluffy.

For this, I used a clear, glass 2.75 quart pan, measuring 7 1/2" x 9 1/2" x 3". Your mileage may vary with a different pan. The deep dish worked great for this!