The above quotation is a piece of advice expounded by my mother, Robyn B. Krohn. Growing up I am not sure that I understood the significance of this; however as an adult (especially one who has a tendency towards being frugal), I do. An egg is the cheapest valuable source of lean protein, and can literally be made in a pinch. I always come back to this piece of advice when I am thinking of dropping by Subway for dinner.
Do you keep eggs on hand? I read an interesting article
entitled Revolutionizing Dinner in
the most recent edition of Real Simple Magazine. Real Simple followed
several women who have various problems in the kitchen: not having time, not
planning, needing healthier options, etc. Then, they showed these women real simple ways to work towards fixing
their problem. In the midst, they provided a list of ingredients that are great
to have on hand for last-minute meals. Here is a version of that list* (with a couple of items added by yours truly):
 |
| To read the entire article, pick up the October, 2012 issue! |
I wanted to share this because I think it is a really
great and comprehensive list – and really, it is not too demanding. I have
other cook books that provide a HUGE list of staples at the start, and
while it would be amazing to have
everything on that list it’s just not always realistic. But just looking at
this list, what can you imagine? I see…
-Potato Latkes (use frozen, shredded potatoes), topped
with plain Greek yogurt and apple sauce
-side(s): salad, whole wheat bread
-Sausage with sautéed pepper & onion, topped with
Dijon mustard
-side(s):
salad, (frozen) pureed butternut squash
-Chicken & bacon pizza (a plus if you have BBQ
sauce!) topped with parsley
-sides:
salad, apple sauce
I have a rather profound love of salad (the perfect side)
and apple sauce. Can you tell?
This week, as I was planning out some meals and
brainstorming a meatless option (always lessens the grocery bill), I thought of
my mom’s advice and then of a recipe that I really love and just sort of have
in my back pocket for weeks when I don’t feel like being very creative. I made
it last Thursday and read this article Friday– and low and behold, you could
make it with the list of staples above (just omit the paprika). Here it is (in case you are
interested):
Skillet-Poached Eggs w/Braised Peppers & Onions
-3 tbsp. olive oil
-3 red bell peppers, sliced (or 1-2 pkgs. frozen pepper
strips)
-2 medium onions, sliced
-1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
-1 tsp. paprika
-8 eggs
-2 tbsp. chopped parsley
-salt & pepper
-bread, for serving (optional)
-Pour the olive oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high
heat. Add the onions and sliced (or frozen) peppers and
cook, stirring, until they begin to soften (5 minutes). Turn the heat down to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and weepy (8-10 minutes).
-Add the can of tomatoes (with juices) and paprika (if using), and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer until the mixture has thickened a bit (about 4 minutes).
-Make 8 shallow wells in the vegetables, using a spoon or fork.
Crack an egg into each well, sprinkle on a bit more salt and pepper, cover, and cook until the egg whites have set (about 2-3 minutes). Sprinkle
with the parsley. This is great served with bread (for dipping), but add whatever side-dish you love!
 |
| I hope you try and love this! It is a but different, but is delicious and easy. |
So remember, on those nights when you're contemplating eating cold soup directly out of the can...if you have an egg (plus some easy staples!), you have a meal. :) Have a terrific Tuesday!
Always nice to hear that you three did pick up and remember a few things from your mother. :) Very nice. <3
ReplyDelete