The electric sous chef and I were making breakfast the other morning. Starting last summer, we began making egg dishes that started with the letter “C”. Food should be fun, not just nutritious.

Sous chef and I have a lot of fun. These are not recipes from a cookbook, but we make them up and then name them. They must start with the letter “C” and they must relate to a country of origin. I’d like to take the credit for this, but my sous chef came up with the idea. For example, Cisco uses a sausage patty with chorizo. So far, we have about 20 different recipes.

The basic recipe is 3 eggs, always cheese, and some form of protein. We have had the best time coming up with names to go along with the ingredients.

J’s favorite egg recipe is the Clyde. It was the first one we named and made. It’s not really a sandwich. It’s 3 eggs, 3 pieces of bacon and melted cheese. Num.

J and I are big breakfast eaters especially during the summer. I think it’s due to our love of coming up with new ideas.

*****from the Recipe Box:

Give this a try. You will have a lot of fun coming up with the ideas.

I’ll share more in the future.

and remember: Aging seems to be the only way available to live a long time. Big kiss, Lynn

You know who you are.

Big Kiss, Lynn

The sous chef extraordinaire was here this week celebrating spring break and we made quite a few things. He’s not a fan of split pea soup, but his mama is, so we were generous making different things. Not all of them turned out well….hello chocolate soufflé.

Melt butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until tender, aout 5 minutes. Stir in peas and garlic. Nestle ham bone into the pot; add stock and diced ham. Fill pot with water to about 1 1/2 inches from the top. Mix and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot and stirring every 30 minutes, until peas are mostly disintegrated, about 2 1/2 hours. Turn ham bone and skim surface for fat once every hour. Take bone out, remove any meat, and return meat to the pot. Season with salt and pepper.

We played a few games as well. We love Risk and Cribbage. Games are a tradition for us.

**…….From the Recipe Box

I wouldn’t fill the pot with water next time. I like my split pea soup thick.

G says the other problem with this soup is it stinks. Whatever!

and remember: It’s not enough to live; you must have something to live for. Big kiss, Lynn

Big kiss, Lynn

Hooray, it’s Spring Break and my most excellent sous chef is here visiting. He’s been wanting to try a soufflé. Chocolate is every 15 year old boy’s taste of choice so chocolate it is.

We rarely have problems with recipes we are told are difficult, so I was expecting zero problems with soufflé. Well, I was wrong.

Let’s list the issues: We didn’t have the right sized dish. We didn’t use the right measurements. I’m not mentioning any names J. I’ve already ordered the correct soufflé dish so we can try it again. it didn’t make us hurl, so we will be trying it again.

This is a recipe from the Internet. They say 2 servings, but I don’t agree. I want more per serving.

Cooking spray

4 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

1 tablespoon flour

1 1/2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 egg white

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat 2 6 ounce ramekins with cooking spray and sprinkle each with 3/4 teaspoons granulated sugar.

Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, flour, cocoa and milk in a small saucepan over medium hea. Cook 2 minutes, stirring until smooth. Spoon into a medium bowl, and cool. Stir in vanilla.

Beat egg white until soft peaks form. Add remaining sugar. and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/4 egg white into chocolate mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Place dishes on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes until puffy and set. Sprinkle with powered sugar and serve immediately.

*****From the Recipe Box:

We did not like this recipe. Next time we’ll try Ina’s or Martha’s. We did so many things incorrectly. I’m so disappointed in us. Next time we will kick butt and take names.

and remember: Martinis are proof God loves us and wants us to have a good time. Big kiss, Lynn

Big kiss, Lynn

We really love our seafood here at the Thomas cabin. The only thing I’m still having issues with are oysters, but I work on it every year.

In a good sized bowl, I place my leftover salmon.  I don’t like it broken up so I like to give it some room.  Add finely diced red and/or yellow peppers, finely diced yellow onion, finely diced celery, S & P.  I add 1 egg for each 2 cups of salmon and enough mayonnaise to just moisten.   No seafood seasonings for this girl, I want to taste salmon, but lots of people like a smidgen of Old Bay.  I form this amount into approximately 8 to 10 patties depending on the amount on salmon.

Place them in the refrigerator to firm up a bit, 20 minutes or all afternoon.  When you’re ready to cook them, preheat your oven to 400-425 degrees.  Have a bowl with a couple of beaten eggs and a bowl of Panko ready to go.  Dip each cake in the egg and then in the Panko.  Place on a greased cookie sheet, drizzle with melted butter and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.  They will be crispy on the outside and nummy on the inside.

Keenan was staying up here one summer.  He and GPa had excellent luck salmon fishing.  We invented salmon cakes that year.  They are almost identical to crab cakes.  Depending on how you cooked the salmon originally, more S & P may be needed.  Finish them up just the same.

*…..from the Recipe Box:

Hints about coating: This is amazing.  If you are trying to eat a protein diet, but miss the ability to coat something in breading before baking or frying, I discovered something you will love….finely ground pork rinds.  I know, shut up!

Last night I was making salmon cakes for someone who doesn’t eat gluten.  I wanted a crispy exterior.  What to do, what to do???  I bought some gluten-free bread crumbs, but they did not rock my world.  Instead, I thought of all the options on a protein diet and worked from there.

Eureka!!!  Pork rinds!

and remember: I don’t mean to brag, but I put together a puzzle in one day that said 2 to 4 years on the box. Big kiss, Lynn

Big kiss, Lynn

Oops, remember how I was going to share all my favorite soup recipes? What a maroon I am. While I do so love soup and I do love to share, I get easily distracted these days.

So, I’ve added meatball minestrone soup before, but this is a different recipe. I like the ground beef in it. Big chunks of meat are not my favorite. If you use the ground beef, you get beef in every bite.

In a large fry pan, brown with olive oil:

• 1 pound hamburger
• 1 bunch fresh chopped parsley
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves, whole
• 3 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

Sauté until meat is done.

While the meat cooks, in a large soup pot, combine the following ingredients.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer.

• 1 15 ounce chopped diced canned tomatoes
• 1 can each Kidney, garbanzo, butter, drained
• 2 cans green beans
• 4 cans of beef broth
• 1 8 ounce can tomato paste
• Fresh veggies:  sliced zucchini, carrots, spinach mushrooms, whatever

Add meat mixture to simmering veggie mixture.  Cook with lid on for approximately 1 hour.  Add pasta when serving. I used elbow macaroni. I’m not a huge tortellini fan, but any pasta will work.

***** From the Recipe Box:

I like soup a little brothier than most, so I often add twice the broth. And yes, brothier is a word.

My boss made this every year to serve to the Business Office staff, yes, all 100 + of us.  What a woman.  She added tortellini when she added the meat.  Tortellini got way too soggy for me.  I cook my pasta separately and add it to the soup when I serve it.  You can use any pasta, but store it separately or every bit of broth will disappear.  I’m making the slurping sound of disappearing broth as I type.

and remember: Half of life is fucking up and the other half is dealing with it. Big kiss, Lynn

Big kiss, Lynn