The Best Scrambled Eggs

Okay, I know. You know how to make scrambled eggs. (Unless you're my friend from college, who used to beg her roommates every Saturday to make eggs for her.) I thought I knew how to make scrambled eggs. In fact, I thought I did a pretty damn good job. Then I heard about "low and slow" scrambling, and my life has changed. I've tried a couple of different "low and slow" methods, but this one is definitely the winner. They turn out super fluffy and not the least bit dry. I made them for Jeff without telling him I was trying something new, and he totally freaked for them.

So what does "low and slow" mean? Well basically, you cook the eggs over super low heat for a long amount of time, instead of over higher heat for a short amount of time. Oh, you didn't need that explanation? My bad. 

(Also, no I don't eat cream cheese on my bagels. I know, I know, what a weirdo.) 

So what you're going to do is take two eggs. Or three, or four, you know, depending on your appetite. You're going to crack them into a bowl, add a splash of milk, and then mix them up with a whisk (or a fork if you don't have a whisk, or, ahem, are too lazy to find yours). 

Then take your favorite pan and give it a mist of olive oil if you're lucky enough to have an olive oil mister, or you know, a spray of some other non-stick spray would work. Then add the eggs to the pan while it's still cold, and then put it over low heat. If you're feeling crazy, add a glob or two of butter into the mix. 

So here's the key part of this particular "low and slow" method: stir continuously. Make sure you're scraping the bottom of the pan as you go so that everything cooks really evenly. The eggs should slowly get less opaque, and then start to cook. When they're bunching up and just starting to look done, turn off the heat (they'll continue to cook a little after you take them off the heat, and you definitely don't want to overdo it). At this point, I like to stir in a little bit of cheese. And then I dig in. 

And voila! The best scrambled eggs you'll ever make! 

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Avocado Caprese Sandwich

What's the most summery of recipes? A caprese salad of course! The simple combo of mozzarella, tomato, and basil gets me every year. I've tried turning it into pasta before and added the ingredients to grilled cheese, but this summer I decided to go for sandwiches. Yummy, gooey sandwiches that managed to trick Jeff into going vegetarian for dinner. 

Do you have problems getting the men in your life to eat vegetarian? Jeff never seems to think a meal is a meal if there isn't a meat involved, and he usually complains if I don't give him enough protein. Not this time! He happily gulped his down (because boys don't chew and swallow like normal people) and has asked when we're having them again. 

Of course, I couldn't just go straight caprese on bread, because that sounds boring, and those weren't the ingredients I had in my fridge. I went for basil pesto instead of regular basil, heirloom cherry tomatoes instead of the big boys, and added avocado, spinach, and some red pepper flakes because, well, why not?

Avocado Caprese Sandwich (makes 2)

2 mini french loaves (or another sandwich roll)

Olive oil

4 slices mozzarella cheese (or some fresh mozzarella if you've got it!)

Handful of cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters

1 avocado, sliced

Handful of spinach 

Pesto

Crushed red pepper flakes

Salt

Pre-heat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut each loaf in half and brush insides with olive oil. Place halves inside down on baking sheet and bake until warm and the insides just start to brown, about 5 minutes. 

Remove from oven and immediately top one side with cheese so it can start to melt. Add tomato, avocado, and spinach on top of the cheese. On the other side, spread a hearty amount of pesto, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how much spice you like - Jeff added a ton!) and a dash of salt. Put the sandwich together, cut in half, and go. to. town. 

Just looking at these pictures is making me hungry. We're going to have to make them again, and soon!

Happy Friday! Don't forget, it's the last day to enter my Firmoo glasses giveaway. You can enter here.

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Sautéed Chicken with Tomato Pan Sauce

You guys, this is probably the most legit meal I've ever cooked.  The flavors were complex, and the chicken was perfectly done.  It really made an at-home date night Jeff and I had a couple of weeks ago feel like a real date.  You know that commercial for Barilla Meals for Two where they start cooking and then one of them turns on music, they open a bottle of wine and light some candles?  That. Really. Happened.

Usually when I cook, I feel like I'm still making "college-y" meals.  If I don't have shallots, for example, I'll toss in an onion instead, or if I'm somehow out of onions I just leave them out all together.  Cutting corners always seems like a good idea in the moment, but leads to less satisfactory meals.  This recipe took a little longer than my usual weeknight routine of tossing a chicken breast into the toaster oven and adding some barbecue sauce (or let's be even more real, heating a frozen pizza), but it was definitely, definitely worth it.  Plus, the recipe called for wine, which meant I got to enjoy a little "chef juice" while I worked.  Win win win.

Sautéed Chicken with Tomato Pan Sauce (adapted from Keepers)

Serves 4

You'll Need:

4 bone in chicken thighs with skin

1 TB olive oil

4 TB unsalted butter, divided

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise

One handful of fresh basil, chopped

Salt and pepper

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and 1 TB butter over medium-high heat until the foam from the butter begins to subside.  Generously season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides, then add to pan skin-side down.  Cook until it is golden brown, about 6 minutes.  Turn the chicken over, reduce the heat to medium, and cover the pan.  Cook until cooked through, 10-15 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a platter and tent with aluminum foil.

Pour off all but one TB of fat from the pan and return to medium heat.  Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the wine, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan, and simmer until most of the wine has evaporated.  Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often and pressing down on them with the back of a spoon, until they start to break down, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the basil and remaining butter.  

Serve the chicken topped with your sauce, along with a fresh summer vegetable like asparagus.

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Salmon with Oyster Sauce and Stir Fried Broccoli

This recipe came to me like in a dream.  I was at work trying to think of a new way to make salmon for dinner.  We've been eating a lot of salmon lately, partially because I really like salmon, and partially because I accidentally told my doctor I eat salmon once a week and now feel like I need to live up to that expectation.  I was doing a lot of olive oil and lemon juice for a while but got tired of that, then moved on to soy-honey glazes, but I wanted something new.  Then I thought, why not pretend I was stir frying it and cook it in oyster sauce?

It turns out that salmon and oyster sauce were basically made for each other.  This is the fiance's new favorite meal, we've been eating it once a week for the past month or two, and every time he raves over it.  I'm pretty partial to it myself too.

On a side bar, one of my friends freaked out once when I said I was using oyster sauce and thought she wouldn't like it, so I tried to tell her there aren't actually oysters in it.  Turns out I was lying, because it's made using oyster extracts.  But if you're worried about it, just consider whether you've ever eaten broccoli and beef in a restaurant, because if you have and you liked it you definitely like oyster sauce.

Salmon with Oyster Sauce and Stir Fried Broccoli
Serves 2

You'll Need:
1/2 cup rice
3 TB sesame oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced (I like to freeze ginger and grate it)
2-3 heads of broccoli cut into florets
1/2 onion cut into strips
1 lb fresh salmon
3 TB oyster sauce, divided
2 tsp low sodium soy sauce, divided
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup water


Cook rice according to directions, adding 1 TB sesame oil to the water.

Take salmon out of fridge to allow to reach room temperature.

In a large pan, heat 1 TB sesame oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and fresh ginger, heat until fragrant.  Add broccoli and onion and cook until broccoli is cooked through.  Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.

Add remaining TB of sesame oil to the pan.  Add 2 TB oyster sauce and 1 tsp soy sauce to pan (watch out, the soy sauce tends to splatter) and place salmon in pan.  Cook 4 minutes a side until the salmon is cooked through, feels firm to the touch, and flakes easily with a fork.  Remove from pan.

Add the vegetables back to the pan to reheat over medium-low heat.  In a small bowl, mix together corn starch and water, stirring until combined.  Add remaining oyster sauce and soy sauce.  Pour sauce mixture over vegetables and allow to cook down for 2 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken.

Serve salmon and vegetables over rice, with maybe a few sesame seeds on the top if you're feeling fancy.

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