Eggs and Poatato Breakfast Scramble

I know I will seem like a hypocrite for posting this, but here I go.  In my about page I mention a few fun facts about myself.  One fact  I mentioned is that I don’t like eggs and here I am posting an egg recipe that I actually liked.  I know…it’s a total shocker.  First let me explain myself for trying this recipe.  I’m desperately trying to love eggs, but for some reason I’m insanely weird.  I figured if I continue to force myself to eat eggs, I eventually will like them.

I’ve always felt like the oddball.  My relatives, friends, strangers all seem to enjoy eggs and I couldn’t understand why.  To me, eggs smell and taste funny.  I even tried to trick myself to like eggs by pouring an excessive amount of ketchup over scramble eggs and that didn’t even work…such a bad idea.

Growing up, my family didn’t cook eggs nor eat eggs.  I guess it’s a family thing. When Easter came around, my parents didn’t bother.  Instead, I had a large easter basket filled colorful plastic eggs and candy.  When I would attend Easter parties, I would just collect the Easter eggs for fun and let others eat them.  Maybe ten years from now I might appreciate eggs.

Here’s my question you:  What’s your least favorite food?

Author Note:

The author from Cookie and Kate listed variations to try:

-sharp cheddar with dill, feta or goat cheese

-pepper jack and cilantro

-swiss and paprika

Eggs and Potato Breakfast Scramble

Adapted from Cookie and Kate 

6 ounces red potatoes diced (or enough to cover a pan in a single layer)

1/4 cup water

2 tsp olive oil

pinch of salt

3 large eggs

dash of milk

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup cheese, grated

1 Tbsp fresh or dried herbs

Combine water, potatoes, oil, and salt in a pan.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Cook for 5 minutes or until the water evaporated.  Lightly brown the potatoes and loosen the potatoes from the bottom of the pan.  Add in the herbs.

Scramble eggs with milk and pour into the pan, toss in the scallions.  Scramble until the eggs are set and remove from the heat.  Sprinkle the grated cheese on top and serve immediately.

Chicken Tikka Masala

I remember the first time I had indian food.  My friend took me to the mall and there I had my first plate of indian curry. My friend ordered for me because the menu looked foreign to me.  I had no clue what I was eating, but I dove in and I was in love.  Chicken tikka masala tasted unlike anything I ever tasted before.  It’s spicy, rich, and full of complex flavors.  I think that was the first time I fell in love with spicy food.

Since there aren’t any good Indian restaurant in my area, I thought I try to recreate chicken tikka masala.  I’ve made this a couple of times but I think I finally nailed this recipe.  This may not be the authentic way of making chicken tikka masala, but it does satisfy my Indian food craving.  To be honest, I prefer this recipe over any other Indian restaurant.  It’s comforting and defiantly hits the spot.

Author Note:

The key ingredient in this dish is the garam masala, which is an indian spice blend.  Garam masala is sometimes difficult to find in some stores, so you can try ordering it online or make your own spice blend.  I bought mines at an Indian food market.

In chicken tikka masala, the chicken is marinated in yogurt and spices before being cooked.  I’ve marinated the chicken before, but I left that step out because I never have enough time or never plan ahead when I make this.  So instead, I skip the marinating process.

Chicken Tikka Masala

6 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

half of jalapeño chopped (about 1-2 tablespoon)

1 inch ginger root, peeled and chopped

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

2-4 tsp garam masala

2 (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

1/2-1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup half and half

3-4 chicken breast or 6-7 chicken thighs

fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

The chicken:

Line a baking dish with foil.  Season chicken with salt and black pepper.  Place the chicken under the broiler and cook until the chicken is cooked through.  Once the chicken is cook, rest for 10 minutes before chopping.

The masala:

In a large pan, melt 2 Tbsp butter on medium heat.  Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño pepper.  Cook until they are soft.  Add the turmeric, coriander, cumin, garm masala.  Stir and cook for about 2 minutes.  You want the spices to toast a bit, but not burn.

Stir in the canned tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the curry mixture into a blender and carefully blend until smooth.  Pour the blended mixture back into the pan and add 4 Tbsp of butter and salt.  Cook on low heat for 5 minutes and stir occasionally.  Stir in the half and half and chopped chicken.

Serve the chicken tikka masala over basmati rice and top with cilantro.

Brown Butter Brownies

Everyone knows I love brownies.  I’m always looking for that perfect brownie recipe and I think I’ve found it. When I saw this recipe on Freutcake website, I couldn’t resist making this.  Leah from Freutcake mention that Bon Appetit magazine says that these are the best brownies they ever had.  Bold statement.  What make these brownies stand out is it uses brown butter.  The brown butter gives the brownies a nutty flavor, which you don’t see in most recipes.  These brownies are extremely fudgy and chocolatey, which you will need a glass of milk in hand to eat these.

So here is my question to you:  Do you have a favorite brownie recipe?

Author Note:

I tried to simplify this recipe.  I think it’s best to have your dry ingredients ready, so you can focus on making the brown butter and making sure the butter doesn’t burn.  Once the butter is browned, you immediately add it to the dry ingredients.  Also, the original recipe adds walnut into the batter, but I left them out.  I think a good brownie doesn’t need the nuts, because it ruins the overall taste of a brownie.

Brown Butter Brownies

Adapted from Freutcake 

non stick vegetable spray

10 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp water

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs, chilled

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup walnut pieces (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Line an 8×8 metal pan with foil,pressing the foil against the pan sides and leaving a 2 inch overhang.  Coat the foil with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, add sugar, cocoa powder, salt, water, vanilla extract and sit aside.

In a sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Cook the butter until it stops foaming  and have brown bits at the bottom of the sauce pan.  Stir occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Remove the butter from the heat immediately and pour the butter into the dry ingredients.  Mix until the ingredients are well incorporated.  Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time into the hot mixture and beat vigorously (you don’t want your eggs to scramble).  When the mixture is thick and shiny, mix in the flour.  If using nuts, add them to the batter.

Pour the chocolate batter into the prepared greased pan and bake for 25 minutes.  Cool on a rack.  Using the foil overhang, lift out the brownies and cut into pieces.

One Lovely Blog Award

I would like to thank Angie at Naturally Frugal Homemaker for nominating me for the One Lovely Blog Award.  I’m very humbled and honored that Angie chose my blog.  It hasn’t been a year since the blog been up and I never thought anyone would like my blog.  It feels great to be recognized.  Thank you Angie.

Rules of acceptance (as mentioned by other bloggers)

*thank the person who nominated you and link back to them in your post

*share 7 things about yourself

*nominate 10 or so bloggers  you admire

*contact your chosen bloggers to let them know

7 new things about myself:

1.  I don’t own any red clothes.

2. I’m not a fan of fresh mint

3. I’m afraid of heights

4. I’m obsessed with Giada De Laurentiss

5. I love an adventure-traveling to places and not knowing what I might discover (sorry, if that doesn’t make any sense)

6. I’m addicted to reality TV shows

7. I can’t cook rice-it always burns and turn mushy

Here are my nominations for the One Lovely Blog Award (listed in no particular order)

Whiskey Drinkin’ Chimney Sweep

Oh Shine On 

Allison Eats

Warm Vanilla Sugar 

The Night Bakery 

Every Craving 

The Subjectivist 

Just A Smidgen 

The fauxMartha