Breakfast Bribery

Huevos Rancheros is the husband's favorite, so I make it whenever I have a few extra minutes in the morning - or whenever I want to talk him into getting a new couch.

OK, let's do this:

Huevos Rancheros
makes enough sauce for 3 servings
total time 20 min

3 T oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 T oregano
1 t cumin
1/8 t cayenne
14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained a little
1 14 oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
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tortillas (I use whole wheat flour, but corn is good too)
eggs, cooked how you like 'em (I do over medium)
handful shredded jack and cheddar cheese
handful chopped cilantro
sour cream

Heat 1 T oil in a pot and fry the onions for 3 minutes.  Add the spices and cook for anther minute. Add the tomatoes and black beans and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer.

Heat 1 T oil in a large pan.  Toast the tortilla for a couple minutes on each side.

While the tortillas are toasting, make the eggs how you like them.

Place the eggs on the tortillas, then top with black bean mixture, cheese, cilantro and sour cream.

Serve with a sharp knife - the tortillas can be difficult to cut, plus the knife comes in handy when bargaining for that new couch.

Presto, Pesto!

I've still been able to find great basil at the farmers' market, so I'm stocking up on pesto before it's too late. 

If you live somewhere where the weather is already shitty and cold and there's no basil in sight, then I think now might be the perfect time to book that Southern California vacation you've always been dreaming of.  Tell your boss I said it's ok.


OK, let's do this:

Stupid Easy Pesto Sauce
makes 1 1/2ish cups
total time 5 minutes

Big, fat bunch of basil - like, 4 cups or so
1/2 c shredded asiago cheese
3 cloves garlic
1/4 c pine nuts (optional)
salt, to taste
1/2 ish cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients except oil in a food processor and run until everything's combined.  Add olive oil slowly until desired texture is reached.

I don't use the pine nuts because I think they taste like fart, but that's just me.

Pesto freezes beautifully - you could even freeze it in 2 tablespoon increments in an ice cube tray......genius.

"Oooh! I LOVE arugula!"

Arugula is awesome, but people treat it as if it's impossible to find or something.  People always gush over it.  That's because people are dumb.  You can use this to your advantage.

How to impress people in 3 easy steps:

1) Buy some arugula
2) Toss it with dressing
3) Put it on a plate

With quiche I like to add a little arugula salad.  Partly because it looks awesome and partly because I like to try to balance eating pie crust first thing in the morning.

Here's how to make a kick ass dressing in less than 1 minute.


OK, let's do this:

Kick Ass Dijon Dressing
makes 6 servings
total time: 1 min

3 T Dijon mustard
2 T Mayo
1 or 2 T olive oil, you can choose the consistency.  I'll let you.
1 T capers if you have them
salt and pepper to taste

Stir all ingredients together and toss over the arugula.  Save the extra in a little jar for a week or so.

Bonus: Put it on things like asparagus and broccolini and call it an "aioli," and pretend you're fancy!