Sunny-Side-Up Eggs with Baked Potato Hash & Bacon

A year ago, I wouldn't touch a sunny-side-up egg with a 10 foot pole.  There was just something about a runny yolk that completely turned me off.  It's funny how our tastes change over time, though.  I find myself being open to more and more foods that I disliked growing up.  And I have to admit, it's fun to cook a delicious dinner and then watch Brad realize that "Hey, maybe black olives aren't so bad after all, and wow...mushrooms really ARE good!"  We should all try new foods at LEAST once, right?  We might just be surprised.

Anchovies?  Well, that's a completely different story...I'm not quite there yet! 

With all of the egg recipes floating around in honor of the upcoming Easter holiday, I recently had a hankering for them one Sunday morning.  This recipe in my latest issue of Glamour magazine seemed like just the thing to calm that craving. And yes...it helped me conquer my fear of the dreaded runny yolk.

The beauty of this dish is that it's a very simple and quick breakfast to whip up on a lazy weekend morning, but it's equally as scrumptious as a comforting dinner.  Now, that's my kind of meal!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Sunny-Side-Up Eggs with Baked Potato Hash
Adapted from Glamour magazine, April 2012 issue

Ingredients:
5 slices bacon
3 white or yellow fleshed potatoes
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 tsp. olive or canola oil
2 sprigs thyme
1 spring rosemary
A pinch of paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
Butter
4 large eggs

Directions:
In a medium skillet, fry bacon over medium-low heat, until crisp.  Flip bacon several times while it's cooking, to avoid burning.  Remove cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate.  Once cooled, break the bacon into small bite-sized pieces and set to the side.

While the bacon is frying, prepare the hash...

For Hash:  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch squares.  In a large bowl, toss potatoes and onions with oil until well-coated.  Stir in herbs, paprika, salt and pepper, and spread mixture onto a cookie sheet.  Bake until browned, turning occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook eggs:  Over low heat, melt butter in a small nonstick pan;  use just enough to lightly coat the bottom.  Crack an egg in a bowl (in case of bits of shell or broken yolk), then tip into pan.  Turn heat up to medium-high, and cook until outer white is fully set for sunny-side up.

For over easy, flip egg then reduce heat to low and cook until white is set but yolk is still runny, 10 to 15 seconds.  (If you like your yolk cooked a bit more, let the egg sit in the pan on low heat for another 15 to 20 seconds.)

Spoon hash onto plate, sprinkle bacon pieces over the hash, slide egg on top and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Repeat with remaining eggs.

Serves 4.

Incredible Butternut Squash, Chickpea & Red Lentil Stew

This stew is amazing.

Trying exciting new recipes is always fun.  When I saw this North-African modeled stew, I was intrigued and made a mental note to buy the ingredients on my next grocery trip.  It just sounded so different from anything that I usually make.  As it came together beautifully in the kitchen, it became this incredible marriage of spices and ingredients that resulted in heavenly smells wafting through the house.  I was sold!

After reading the recipe reviews, I decided to make some major changes to improve the dish.  You can see the original recipe HERE.  My biggest changes included using red onion and canned chickpeas, adding garlic and chicken to the dish, sauteing the onion and garlic before adding the other ingredients and also cooking the stew on the stove top instead of a slow-cooker.  Several of the reviews noted that there wasn't much flavor, and that all the ingredients sort of became the same consistency in the slow cooker.  Because of this, I added extra flavor by using red onion and by sauteing the onion along with garlic before adding the other ingredients.  This worked flawlessly and the vegetable broth deglazed the pan perfectly, adding even more flavor. 

Also, cooking this on the stove top kept the ingredients from becoming the same consistency.  The squash and carrots still had a little bite to them, and the flavor was incredible.  The cumin, saffron and fresh ginger in this stew really push it over the top in the deliciousness department!

Brad and I found the finished stew to be packed with flavor, and upon first bite, I even got a "Wow!" from Brad.  I think he was a fan.  :)

Luckily, there are left-overs in the fridge, which makes me happy.  I might serve them over brown rice tonight, or I just might serve it in a bowl all on its own again. 

This is a keeper!  Bon Appetit, my friends!

Butternut Squash, Chickpea & Red Lentil Stew

Adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
3/4 cup canned chickpeas, drained
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup red lentils
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon saffron, (see Note)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup chopped roasted lightly salted peanuts
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the chicken breast in an oven-proof dish, drizzling it with about 1 tbsp. of the extra virgin olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and bake for approximately 40 - 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.  Cut into small bite-sized pieces and set to the side.
3. In a heavy-bottomed stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat, drizzle 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.  Add the red onion and saute until tender and slightly golden brown.  Next, add the garlic and continue to saute for 1 additional minute.
4. Deglaze the pan by adding the vegetable broth to the pot, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom.
5. Add the squash, carrots, lentils, chickpeas, chicken, tomato paste, ginger, cumin, salt, saffron and pepper.  Stir together well.
6. Put on the lid, leaving it ajar, and simmer over lowish heat until the squash are tender and the lentils have begun to break down, about 45 minutes.  While it's simmering, stir the stew every now and then, to make sure the bottom doesn't burn.  If the stew starts to become too thick, you may need to add a little additional water during the process.  (I ended up adding about 2 cups of water.)
7. Just before serving, stir in the lime juice. Serve sprinkled with peanuts and cilantro.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

• Note:  Considered the world's most expensive spice, saffron contributes a pungent flavor and intense yellow color. It is sold in threads and powdered form.  

And The Winner Is...

Drum-roll please......................................................

The winner of the latest giveaway - a great selection of Amazing Taste seasonings, plus a large 27 oz. shaker - has been selected! 

Random.org has chosen comment #3, from Shanda M.!

Shanda - Please email me at sugarandspicebyceleste@gmail.com to claim your prize!  :) :) :)

Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars + A Dream Come True

 

About a month ago, I nonchalantly checked my email as I went about my normal daily routine.  Only this time, I couldn't resist letting out a squeal of excitement as I read the first email that popped through.  It was from the Producer at our local Fox 6 News station, and she was asking if I might be interested in appearing on Good Day Alabama as a part of their morning cooking segment.  

I couldn't believe it. 

After I got past my initial shock, I sent her an email to confirm that I would absolutely love the chance!  The segment usually runs about 5 minutes long, so I got to work trying to figure out just what I wanted to make in that time frame.  There had been a recipe in the back of my mind for quite some time that I wanted to develop.  This was the perfect opportunity.  I pictured a dessert bar, which was sort of a combination of a Snickers candy bar and a chocolate chip cookie...a "Snookie" Bar, if you will (no...NOT the Jersey Shore kind!).  It sounded delicious, so I put on my apron and started experimenting that night.  

The results were quite scrumptious, and I knew that I had my recipe ready.  When the big weekend came, my sisters came up from Dothan to be here for the excitement.  Fortunately, the segment would be pre-recorded, so that helped me not be AS nervous.  But, I have to admit that the days leading up to the segment were filled with nervous anticipation.  I was SO incredibly excited!  I've dreamed of doing something like this, but never thought I'd EVER actually get the chance.

That morning, we loaded up the car and headed to the studio.  As I put my apron on and watched that morning's live newscast being filmed, I realized that it was really happening!  Soon thereafter, I was in the kitchen getting the chocolate and caramel melted and making the final preparations.

It was over in a flash, and the entire experience was a lot of fun.  Janice Rogers was the anchor that morning helping me along, and she was fantastic.

A BIG, BIG thank you to Suzanne Cornett and Janice Rogers at Fox 6!

I really hope that you enjoy this recipe.  The chocolate chip cookie dough is very, very easy to whip together in minutes.  The sweet-salty combination of the creamy caramel and chopped peanuts is divine, and there's no better way to top it all off than with milk chocolate!

Just be warned...these dessert bars are entirely way too addictive!  :)

Bon Appetit, my friends!

The Fox 6 studio...

Ready to go!

Setting up...

Showtime!

I'm so glad my sisters got to go!

Yumminess...

Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars (aka "Snookie" Bars)

Ingredients:

1 Box Duncan Hines "Butter Recipe Golden" cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup + 2 tsp. vegetable oil

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 cups Kraft Premium Caramel Bits

3 tbsp. heavy cream

1 cup roasted, lightly salted peanuts, roughly chopped

2 cups milk chocolate morsels

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 365 degrees F.

Pour cake mix into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Turn the mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, to break up any large chunks of cake mix.

With the mixer still on low speed, slowly pour the vegetable oil into the cake mix, and then quickly add the eggs. Increase speed to medium and mix for about 1 minute, just until the ingredients come together.  Next, add the semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter and mix on low for an additional 30 seconds to combine well.

Coat a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray.  Pour the cookie batter into the dish and smooth into an even layer in the bottom of the dish.

Bake in the preheated oven for 23-24 minutes, or until the cookie layer is nice and golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cookie dough comes out clean.  (Be careful not to over-bake.  You want the cookie layer to remain a little soft.)  Set to the side to cool, while you prepare the caramel and chocolate layers.

Next, pour the Caramel Bits and heavy cream into a small saucepan.  Over low heat, slowly melt the caramel and cream mixture, stirring often.  Keep an eye on it, because caramel has a tendency to burn quickly.  Once it reaches a very smooth consistency, pour the melted caramel over the cookie layer.  Using a spatula, smooth the caramel into an even layer. 

Now, sprinkle the chopped peanuts over the caramel. 

Using a double boiler, melt together the milk chocolate morsels and 2 tsp. of vegetable oil, stirring often.  Once melted, pour the milk chocolate over the peanuts and caramel and smooth into an even layer.

Place the dish in the refrigerator and allow to cool for approximately 2-3 hours, or until the chocolate and caramel harden enough so that you can easily cut the dessert into bars.

Enjoy!

Notes:

• This dessert is best kept at room temperature.

• If you do not like peanuts, you can simply omit them from the recipe, or substitute with chopped pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc.

• This recipe for cookie dough is a wonderful, easy way to make cookies, also.  If making cookies, simply spoon the dough onto a greased cookie sheet (an ice cream scoop makes this easier and will ensure all the cookies are the same size).  Bake in a 365 degree F oven and adjust baking time to 12-13 minutes.

• When making cookies, be creative with this recipe! You can substitute almost any flavor cake mix or any flavor chocolate chips (ex: use M&Ms or chocolate/vanilla swirl morsels instead of chocolate chips). You can also add shredded coconut, a few tablespoons of chunky peanut butter or even unsweetened cocoa right to the batter!

For examples of different cookie recipes, please visit my other blog posts here:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

An "Amazing" Giveaway! + Chicken Linguine w/ Kalamata Olives, Cilantro, Fresh Mozzarella & Toasted Almonds

 
I'm so excited that the new Sugar & Spice by Celeste Facebook fan page hit 500 fans yesterday!  Thank you all for the support...You guys are awesome!


To celebrate, how about a giveaway?!  The awesome folks at Amazing Taste recently sent me some goodies to give to one lucky blog reader.  I use this brand of spices all the time and am very happy to be able to give a great selection to the winner.  


The thing I love about these spices is that they make my life a lot easier on busy weeknights.  They're an easy way to add tons of flavor without spending long in the kitchen.  Plus, they are all natural and contain no MSG.    
 
I recently used the Chicken Seasoning in a pasta dish, which turned out to be a new favorite.  I just adore cooking pasta dishes.  It's fun to experiment with different veggies and ingredients, to come up with something delicious...yet uncomplicated!  The following recipe was the result of  using what I had on-hand in my kitchen at the time.


One of my favorite elements of this recipe is the fresh mozzarella...added between the pasta and the sauce.  This method causes the cheese to slowly melt into all of the ingredients...Heavenly!

Now, back to the giveaway...

The Prizes:
This giveaway will really help stock your spice cabinet.  The loot includes:

• One large 27 oz. shaker of Amazing Taste Malibu Seasoning (This is my favorite and is a "zesty blend of garlic, onion, black pepper & paprika).
• 1 oz. packet of Chicken Seasoning
• .75 oz packet of Beef Seasoning
• .75 oz packet of Pork Seasoning
• .75 oz packet of Burger Seasoning
• 1 oz. packet of Chili Seasoning

How to  Enter:
It's super easy.  Simply leave a comment on this post, which answers the following question:

What's your favorite spice to cook or bake with?

Also, for extra chances to win, simply do the following and leave additional comments letting me know that you did:

• Like Sugar & Spice on Facebook
• Follow Sugar & Spice by Celeste on Twitter
• Tweet the following "NEW GIVEAWAY:  Stock your spice cabinet with this "amazing" giveaway from @SugarSpicebyC  http://sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.com/2012/03/amazing-giveaway-chicken-linguine-w.html"
• Follow the Sugar & Spice by Celeste board on Pinterest 

The Rules:

• Entries must be submitted by midnight (CST time) on Sunday, March 25th. 
• A winner will be picked at random (using random.org) and will be announced on Monday, March 26th.
• Please make sure you include your name and email address so that I will have a way to contact you if you win...especially if you leave a comment using the "Anonymous" option.
• At this time, the contest is open to US residents only.

Good Luck!  :)

Chicken Linguine with Kalamata Olives, Cilantro, Fresh Mozzarella & Toasted Almonds

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp Amazing Taste Chicken Seasoning
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
5 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large tomatoes, diced
5-10 Kalamata olives, pitted and minced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped; plus extra for garnishing
1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth 
Salt & Pepper, to taste
13.25 oz box whole grain linguine
Fresh mozzarella, sliced
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (How to Toast Almonds)



Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Sprinkle with the Amazing Taste Chicken Seasoning.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.  Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.  Set to the side.

Meanwhile, drizzle 2 tbsp of the olive oil into a medium skillet, over medium heat.  Add the red onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.  Next, add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are soft and golden brown, another 5 minutes.  Add the garlic to the skillet and saute for 1 more minute, or just until the garlic is fragrant. 


Next, add the tomatoes, Kalamata olives, 2 tbsp of the cilantro, diced chicken breasts, and finally the chicken broth.  Stir thoroughly and continue to simmer over medium-low heat, until the sauce thickens a bit, about 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.


While the sauce simmers, boil the pasta according to package directions.


Once the sauce is finished, place a serving of pasta on each plate, topping it with several slices of fresh mozzarella cheese.  Next, spoon the sauce over the pasta and cheese.  Garnish each plate with a handful of toasted almonds and reserved cilantro.


Enjoy!