Category Archives: Brunch

Smoky Thyme Sweet Potato Hash

Sweet potatoes are such a staple in my life; they can be prepared so many ways, and are appropriate for every occasion.  I always like to have 1 or 2 on hand so I can whip up a meal at a moment’s notice without having to go to the grocery store.  Today I felt like brunch, so I came up with this dish.

Smoky Thyme Sweet Potato Hash | real food. home made.

Smoky Thyme Sweet Potato Hash

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and grated
  • 2 large shallots, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 t sea salt
  • 1/2 t black pepper
  • 1/2 t smoked paprika
  • 1 T fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • grated fontina cheese (optional)
  • 3 pastured eggs, over easy

Method:

  1. Mix the first batch of ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. Heat EVOO in a large pan or skillet with lid over medium heat.
  3. Add hash mixture, and alternate between frying and steaming with the lid on, stirring intermittently.  (If  you want to attempt to make them super crispy, more power to you, but I’ve never been able to master the technique.)
  4. Prepare your over-easy eggs.
  5. When your hash is done cooking, put a scoop on your plate, a few pinches of cheese (if desired), and the egg on top.

Smoky Thyme Sweet Potato Hash | real food. home made.

Grant likes his with sri racha.  I have a feeling I am going to be making this a lot for dinner this winter.  I hate going to the grocery store after work in sub zero temperatures!  “Iiiiiiiiit’s SMOKY THYME” is surely going to become my new catch phrase.

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Filed under Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner Ideas, Gluten Free, Vegetarian

“Almond Russian” Cocktail with Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

"Almond Russian" Cocktail with Cold Brew Coffee Recipe | real food. home made.

Almond Milk White Russian -or- “Almond Russian”

Ingredients:

  • 1 ice cube
  • 1 shot of vodka
  • 1 shot of kahlua
  • 1 shot of organic half & half
  • almond milk to taste

Try it!!  This creamy cocktail is sooooo good in the winter.

Cold Brew Coffee

Ingredients:

  • 1 pitcher
  • 1 mesh strainer
  • 1 cup coffee grounds
  • cold water

Method:

  1. Add the coffee grounds to the pitcher.
  2. Fill the rest of the pitcher with water.
  3. Let it sit in the fridge overnight.
  4. In the morning, strain out the coffee grounds with a mesh strainer 2 or 3 times and return the coffee to the cleaned pitcher.
  5. (optional) Add more water until the pitcher is again full.  I do this because my coffee comes out very strong.  I suppose it will depend on your pitcher size and your desired coffee strength.  Again, experiment with this; it is not an exact science.

Since these recipes are super simple and made with ingredients you already have around the house,  I fully expect you to try them.

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Filed under Alcoholic, Breakfast, Brunch, Vegan, Vegetarian

Turkey Apple Cherry Jam Sandwich -or- “Jammy Sammy”

Turkey Apple Cherry Jam Sandwich -or- "Jammy Sammy" | real food. home made.

I’ve been planning to make this sandwich ever since I got home from Traverse City, the Cherry Capital of the World (most likely).  Last night, however, the biggest flood in recent history hit our region, and I almost couldn’t make it to the grocery store!  Our basement flooded knee-deep, and we spent all of last night and all of today pumping out the water, throwing out everything that was wet, and re-organizing everything that was salvageable. I found time to bike to the market, thankfully, so I could put a nice dinner on the table after such a stressful and hectic 24 hours.

Turkey Apple Cherry Jam Sandwich -or- “Jammy Sammy”

Ingredients:

Method:

  1. Slice your fruits and vegetables (I use a mandoline to make life easy!)
  2. Toast the bread
  3. Make the jam sandwich!
  4. Enjoy.

Turkey Apple Cherry Jam Sandwich -or- "Jammy Sammy" | real food. home made.

(What I do next is chop up a heart of romaine, divide it between two lunchbots, add my extra tomato, turkey, apple, and onion slices, and top with dried cherries.  Perfect for mine and Grant’s lunch tomorrow.)

After losing so many “valuables” I definitely have a greater appreciation for the invaluables.  It’s been very cathartic going through everything, to say the least.  Here is a photo I salvaged of me and my dad from July 1995 in Rapid City, MI.

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Filed under Brunch, Dinner Ideas, Lunch, Sandwiches

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros | real food. home made.

Today, I rushed home from work and went to my polling location to vote for State Representatives.  I swear, when I am older, I am definitely going to be one of the ladies who volunteers at those things.  They were having a blast.  I would bring baked goods to share.  (I didn’t see any baked goods).

Usually I stop at the grocery store on the way home from work, but today I decided not to, and to “just wing it”; challenge myself to create something from what I had in stock at the house.  And this is what I came up with.

Huevos Rancheros

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

  • 1 jar specialty salsa (mild, medium or hot, based on preference)
  • 1 can black beans, partially drained
  • pastured eggs
  • 3-6 corn tortillas, warmed
  • 1 lime, quartered
  • small handful of cilantro
  • handful of corn tortilla chips (optional)
  • one avocado, sliced (optional)
  • freshly ground black pepper

Method:

  1. In a large skillet with tight fitting lid, turn heat to medium and bring salsa to a boil.
  2. Stir in beans and some bean liquid, and bring to a low simmer.
  3. Carefully crack the eggs evenly spaced throughout the beans.
  4. Cover with lid and cook just until whites are firm (yolks will still be runny).
  5. Microwave 1-2 tortillas per person, separated by paper towel for 20 seconds or so.
  6. Lay down tortillas and scoop two eggs and accompanying bean/salsa mixture onto each plate.
  7. Garnish with avocado and cilantro.
  8. Serve with a lime wedge and a handful of tortilla chips.
  9. Grind black pepper onto the eggs.
  10. Serve and enjoy – for breakfast, brunch, or dinner.

Huevos Rancheros is a great recipe to have in your arsenal; it can be thrown together at a moment’s notice with mostly stock items.  Hopefully now you can add it to yours!

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Filed under Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner Ideas, Gluten Free, Vegetarian