eggs

TODAY AT “CHEZ BELLA” – Scrambled Eggs & Bread

Bellas Scrambled Eggs & Bread

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Aaahhhhh, never judge a book by its cover, nor a dish by it´s name ! 🙂
If you do, you might have just past by this wonderful little dish, never to know what culinary gem is lurking behind its unassuming name.
Which cook in the World would sink so low and be proud and happy about “scrambled eggs & bread”, to actually publish a post about this ? –
Well, I actually am, and I must say, when I plated this dish for Bella and myself, I was smiling and feeling happy about the food we were about to eat (or, in Bellas case, about to devour.) 🙂
The Turkish flatbread came out of our neighborhoods Turkish bakers oven just about 30 minutes earlier (he delivers) ; the eggs are fresh from my neighbor’s hens, and the tomatoes, green chilies, cucumbers and scallions come from the farms in the immediate area.
So everything was as fresh as can be, and with a simple dish like this, the difference to supermarket food is apparent in every bite.
Nothing against supermarket food, I have eaten it and enjoyed most it most of my life, just that when possible, I like to eat the fresh and less processed stuff 🙂
So there you have it – a great, fresh, affordable, quick and easy to prepare dish I love ( so does Bella) and of which I can be proud of, five stars or not. 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !

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Why “Chez Bella” ??? Because……….click here.
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Toast 1/4 of a large Turkish flatbread or any other bread of your choice.
Whisk 6 fresh eggs, season with kosher salt, sriracha and garlic paste to taste.
In 3 oz of whole butter or 2 tblsp EVO saute 1 cut scallion, 1 green chili and 2 ea diced tomatoes until heated through, add the eggs, cook until done to your liking.
To serve, top the bread with the eggs, serve with salad of your choice.
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Scrambled Eggs & Bread

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Frittata (Kind Of………..)

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Black beans, potatoes, mushrooms, eggs and loads of cilantro – what would serve better as proper condiments than salsa verde and salsa Mexicana ? 🙂
Ever since I have discovered authentic tasting salsa verde and salsa Mexicana at my neighborhood international food market, I have them in my larder and fridge at all times, using it to enhance breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes of all types – eggs, seafood, meat, pasta, rice, vegetables, etc, etc. Together with chili paste of all levels of hotness, Maggi seasoning and soy sauce, these are the condiments/seasonings without almost none of my meals are complete. 🙂
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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Frittata (Kind Of………..)

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Preparation :
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: whisk 10 ea whole eggs with kosher salt, sriracha and a dash of maggi

: saute 16 oz cooked, large- diced potatoes in 2 tblsp EVO until golden

: add 6 oz raw botton mushrooms, saute with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste until mushrooms are cooked through, about 2 minutes,

: remove to absorbent paper

: saute 1 ea medium onion, julienned, in 1 tblsp EVO until translucent, add 16 oz cooked, drained red beans (or beans of your choice), season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: add the onion/bean mix to the potato/mushroom mix, add 1/2 cup coarse-chopped cilantro

: add 2 tblsp EVO to a medium-hot cast iron or nonstick pan, add half of the whisked eggs, cook until the bottom of the eggs has just set, turn heat to low

: add the bean mix, spread out even

: add the second half of the eggs, shake the pan to make sure everything is properly distributed and coated

: cover the pan and cook VERY slowly on the stove top until all the eggs have set; slide out to a plate, return upside down to the pan, cook another minute; alternatively, if you are using a cast iron pan, place uncovered in a 375F preheated oven until set, about 20 minutes

: to serve, slide out of the pan as is on a serving platter, or turn upside down onto a serving platter; serve hot or at room temperature, serve as snack, appetizer, or main course

: Frittata (Kind Of………..)

: Frittata (Kind Of………..)

: Frittata (Kind Of………..)

: Frittata (Kind Of………..)

: Frittata (Kind Of………..)

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Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

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This dish is one of my “go to” dishes when contemplating endlessly without resolve in my mind what I will cook for the next meal.
Although I am a sucker for real curry, pasta sautéed in curry powder and “stuff” is something I can eat happily any time of the day, as often as twice a week.
Usually the basic ingredients are items I have always stocked in my fridge, freezer or cupboard:
Pasta, beef, shrimp or chicken, any type of vegetables, curry powder, a bit of kecap manis, chili paste, soy sauce or maggi seasoning, onion or scallion, eggs and herbs.
An added bonus to this dish is that it reheat’s wonderfully. (Some say it’s even better when re-heated) 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg (Sunshine On A Plate)

Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

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Preparation :
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: whisk 4 ea whole eggs, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: cook and drain 1 lb pasta of your choice

: saute 5 oz of mushroom in 4 tblsp clarified butter

: add 1 lb headless, tail-less, peeled and butterflied shrimp, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: remove shrimp and mushroom from pan, reserve

: in the remaining butter, saute 1 lb of fresh vegetables of your choice, season with 1 tsp garlic paste, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, remove from pan, reserve

: add two more tblsp clarified butter, add 1 tsp garlic paste, 2 tblsp curry powder, 2 tblsp turmeric, 1 tblsp kecap manis, 1 dash of maggi seasoning, 1 tsp chili paste, kosher salt to taste, saute until fragrant

: add pasta, mix well, put pasta to one side of the pan, add the eggs, scramble until set

: mix the scrambled eggs with the pasta

: add the shrimp, mushrooms and vegetables, mix well, check/adjust the seasoning; serves 4

: (Sunshine On A Plate) Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

: Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

: Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

: Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

: Curried Pasta With Shrimp, Mushrooms, Veggies And Egg

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BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS # 57 – Chicken, Spinach And Potato Frittata

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A bowl of granola for breakfast is a wonderful thing for a lot of folks – but for me, it is NOT.
If I want my day to start on a happy note, I need food that say’s HAPPY to me.
A bowl of granola or such just says BAHH to me and is, in my humble opinion, but a sorry excuse for a satisfying breakfast 😦 .
On the other hand, a delicious frittata – now we are talking ! 🙂
Throw in a couple of gherkins, a few green leaves and grape tomatoes in yogurt/honey dressing and Voilà ! – bring it on, tough day !
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Yogurt/Honey Dressing :
Whisk together 2 tblsp greek yogurt, 1 tsp organic honey, 1 tsp rice vinegar, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste
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Chicken, Spinach And Potato Frittata

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Preparation :
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: Cook 2 lbs peeled potatoes in lightly salted water until tender but NOT falling apart, drain, let cool enough to handle, cut into fine slices

: slice 2 med-size chicken breasts into slices, season with 1 tsp garlic paste, fresh-cracked black pepper and kosher salt to taste

: saute the chicken in 1/2 tblsp olive oil until cooked through

: remove chicken from pan, reserve

: saute the potato slices in 1 tblsp olive oil until browned

: return the chicken to the pan

: add 2 oz cleaned fresh spinach, saute for one minute

: add 6 whole whisked eggs

: cook on low heat until eggs have set, flip eggs to other side, cook until lightly browned; serve with gherkins and small salad of greens and tomatoes in honey/yogurt dressing; serves 4

: Chicken, Spinach And Potato Frittata

: Chicken, Spinach And Potato Frittata

: Chicken, Spinach And Potato Frittata

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No Name Soup

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This delicious soup follows the popular “whatever I find in the larder” principle. 🙂
Today, I found beef bones, mushrooms, canton noodles, eggs, cabbage, chinese sausage and fried shallots, which, together with a bit of time for the broth, is all you need to prepare this tasty delight.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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No Name Soup

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: simmer 5 lbs beef bones SLOWLY in 3 qt water, season with 1 tblsp garlic paste, 1 tblsp chili paste, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp grated ginger and kosher salt to taste for two hours or until reduced to 1 quart

: strain broth through cheese cloth or coffee filter (optional); check/adjust seasoning

: meanwhile, cook 8 0z egg noodles, drain, rinse

: toss egg noodles with 1 tblsp toasted sesame oil

: stir fry 6 oz sliced chinese sausages and 4 oz fresh shiitake mushroom in 1 tblsp peanut oil until sausage starts to brown at the edges

: add 8 oz cubed white cabbage and 1/2 bunch chopped cilantro

: add 1 qt beef broth, simmer 1 minute

: divide the noodles between 4 soup plates or bowls

: top the noodles with 1/4 of the soup, garnish with fried shallots, chopped cilantro and 2/2 boiled eggs ; recipe serves 4

: No Name Soup

: No Name Soup

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Chicken & Scallion Dumplings “Foo Yong”

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Ravioli, Dumplings, Maultaschen, Pierogi or whatever you call your little pasta pockets filled with a savory filling – if there are leftovers, what will be the best way to make a meal out of them ? I say, saute them with eggs and voila ! – a whole new, different, beautiful dish which, when properly prepared, will be as good as the first incarnation of your little pockets of deliciousness 🙂
So, while I would usually make this dish with leftover dumplings, today I did not even wait to have leftovers. Instead, I sautéed them right after they came out of the boiling water with some eggs, chili oil, chili flakes and cilantro and bingo ! What a great dish – perfect texture, taste and presentation
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Chicken & Scallion Dumplings “Foo Yong”

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Preparation :
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saute onions in garlic oil until translucent

add garlic confit paste, saute until garlic is fragrant

add lightly whisked whole eggs, seasoned with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

add freshly boiled, drained dumplings (if using leftovers, saute after onions before adding the garlic paste)

saute one minute until eggs are set

add chopped cilantro. to serve, drizzle with chili oil and sprinkle with chili flakes and more cilantro

Chicken & Scallion Dumplings “Foo Yong”

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EASY DOES IT # 16 – Two Quick, Simple Salad’s

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A lot of folk’s shy back from constructed salads because they find them difficult to make and the recipes too complicated.
I can asure you that nothing is further from the truth. First, choose two main components, such as pasta and cold cuts, rice and seafood, potato and vegetables, vegetables and cheese, any grain such as amaranth, barley, quinoa, or rye, add herbs or whatever else tickles your fancy. Add whatever else you want to add that you think will enhance your salad, dress with whatever dressing you fancy. Combine any ingredients you feel will go well together and experiment.
However, if the salad is to be served at a later point in time or outside at a party, I don’t recommend homemade mayo for obvious reasons, use the store-bought version which is safer. Also, for pasta, rice and potato salads, I recommend to cook the starch a bit longer than if you use them in a hot dish. The texture will be more pleasant.
Following find two simple salads which I made yesterday. The whole prep and assembly took about thirty minutes total. If you don’t have much practice, both salads might take you an hour, not bad for two different dishes that serve about 20 each. Just remember, It’s your salad – do with it whatever you like as long as YOU think it’s the way it should be: omit, add, deduct any ingredient You feel makes your dish a better one 🙂

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“Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad”

Penne rigata, shrimp, fennel leaves, eggs, peas, cherry tomatoes, mayo (easy on the mayo), olive oil, garlic paste, white balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, greek yogurt, maggi. Use whatever ratio of ingredients you prefer. If it tastes good and looks good, you’ve done it right 🙂
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“Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons”

Farfalle pasta, salame, pepper jack cheese, cornichons, scallions, mayo (easy on the mayo), olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic paste, white balsamic vinegar, cornichon liquid, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, maggi. Same here again, use whatever ratio of ingredients you prefer. If it tastes good and looks good, you’ve done it right 🙂
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Happy Cooking and Bon Appetit !
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Click here for more “Easy Does It”

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Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad

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Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad

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Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad

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Shrimp, Pasta And Egg Salad

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Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons

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Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons

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Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons

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Farfalle Salad With Salame, Pepperjack And Cornichons

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Breakfast Of Champions # 36 – Naanwich

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A great way to start a relaxing saturday at home with a couple of good movies, some good reading and lots of great food is to have a hearty breakfast of bubbly and a wonderful sandwich.
Here is what I fancied for a late breakfast by the lake this morning (besides a glass of veuve–clicquot):

Naan with eggs, spicy chorizo, shrimp, chilies and arugula. Life is Good !

Bon Appetit & Cheers ! Have A Great Weekend !

Naanwich

cook until eggs have set to the texture of your liking

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Preparation :
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bake naan until golden, brush with butter and sprinkle with sea salt

saute diced chorizo in plenty of butter

whisk whole eggs with chili sauce, sea salt and garlic paste

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add to chorizo, add finely sliced chilies and butterflied cooked shrimp

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cook until eggs have set to the texture of your liking

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Naan

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top naan with eggs, top eggs with arugula in lime vinaigrette

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Naanwich

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Naanwich

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Breakfast Of Champions # 33 – Frittata

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Oscar Night !

Let’s start the day with a breakfast that will help us get trough the day and the better part of the evening strong and fortified 🙂
I am a big fan of frittata, I prepare it quite often, seldom using the same ingredients, except of course the eggs. I use whatever is available from my fridge and / or cupboard. Any vegetables and protein and herbs.
Today it was eggs, herb butter, potatoes, peppers, faziola beans, bok choy and asiago cheese, seasoned with garlic paste, sea salt maggi and sriracha.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Frittata

: whisk whole eggs with sea salt and sriracha, add freshly grated asiago cheese

: melt garlic butter, add more garlic paste

: saute potatoes, bok choy, peppers, fazolia beans, season with salt and pepper

: add eggs to sauteed vegetables, cook until bottom has set, transfer to a 375F oven, cook until eggs have set

: Frittata

: Frittata

: Frittata

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Breakfast Of Champions # 32 – Milanesa Mexicana

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This exact dish was my daily breakfast staple for a few months back in 1975, when I spend extended time vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
At that time, Puerto Vallarta was still a smallish, sleepy city with few hotels and minimal night life. Puerto Vallarta became internationally famous after American director John Huston filmed his 1963 film The Night of the Iguana in Mismaloya, a small town just south of Puerto Vallarta. I still have a photo from 1975 which I took on the beach where Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were having their “sexy” beach scenes. It was basically a deserted piece of beach where only a few hippies and locals hung out. In the shot I took, there are as many pigs as people roaming the beach.
Times and Puerto Vallarta sure have changed since then 😦
However, at the time, the group of friend’s I spent most night’s with was a show band from Ireland named “Los Irlandeses”. They performed at the night club of the only 5-star hotel in town, the Westin Hotel, located on a small beach just outside of town. Their show started at around 11.00pm five times a week and that’s when and where I usually started my evening. They made sure to talk to me from the stage when I got there during the show and treated me as if I were a VIP. Since this was the hottest place in town, this little game made sure that by the time the show ended at around 1.00 am, there were already a few groupies sitting on my table, ready to party with the guy’s from the band and I.
We usually partied until 6.00 or 7.00 am (we were very young and sleeping during the day when it was hot made sense. Only the tourists came for a tan 🙂
So, at that time of the day, we usually went to a restaurant/bar in an area close to the beach which served great food (all food was good at that time of day). Almost all the time my best friend at the time who was the drummer of the band and I ended up ordering the same dish, day after day – Milanesa, accompanied by guacamole, salsa mexicana and fried egg’s, washed down with a few Dos Equis beers.
This was the usual daily before going to bed ritual. The Getting out of bed ritual in the late afternoon usually involved a couple of dos equis and a mexican style chicken and lime soup, containing shredded chicken, rice, vegetables and lots of cilantro.
So there you have it : Milanesa Mexicana and a few memories 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Viva Mexico !

Guacamole Recipe Link
Salsa Mexicana Link
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The Domino Principle, 1977

Milanesa Mexicana

saute breaded pork, veal, chicken or beef cutlets until golden and cooked to your desired doneness

meanwhile, prepare sunny side up egg’s

milanesa

top with guacamole

top with salsa mexicana

top with sour cream

top with sunny side up egg’s

Milanesa Mexicana

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