Buttered Eggs

So, in my email this morning was a recommendation from Amazon that I might like a new book..."Outlander Kitchen" by Theresa Carle-Sanders.  It's a cookbook inspired by the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon!  Amazon was right...again.  I DO like this book.  I also like the website: http://outlanderkitchen.com/ 

As I was scrolling through the list of recipes (and being how we hadn't eaten breakfast yet), I decided to try the Buttered Eggs from The Scottish Prisoner.  I had all the ingredients...you probably do too...there aren't that many.  Eggs, Butter, Salt and Pepper.  A frightening amount of butter, actually. One full tablespoon of butter per egg!!

So, I made a few minor adjustments (namely a little less butter!) and cooked these up. Delicious!  A toasted English Muffin and teaspoon of homemade Blueberry Preserves are the perfect accompaniment.  We are now ready to hitch up the oxen and go plow the back 40!!  

Here's the recipe.

BUTTERED EGGS

3 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat.  While that's doing, season the eggs with a little salt and pepper and beat well until the white and yellow are well combined.  When the butter starts to get frothy, pour the eggs into it and stir often with a fork or spatula.  You want to incorporate the butter into the cooking eggs, so don't stop stirring!  Gently, though.  When the eggs are still moist, turn the heat off and and finish cooking and stirring until they are done. You don't want to overcook them...they should be done, but still moist and creamy looking.  Serve with toast.

The eggs tasted great, but even though I used less butter than the original recipe called for, I would decrease the butter to only 2 tablespoons if I made this again.  Or increase the eggs to 6 instead of 4!

Also, just in case you're interested in history, this dish was described in a cookbook as early as 1660 (The Accomplisht Cook by Robert May).  Here's the instructions for preparing it in 1822 (from The Cook and Housekeeper's Dictionary by Mary Eaton):

BUTTERED EGGS. Beat four or five eggs, yolk and white together; put a quarter of a pound of butter in a bason, and then put that into boiling water. Stir it till melted, then put that butter and the eggs into a saucepan; keep a bason in your hand, just hold the saucepan in the other over a slow part of the fire, shaking it one way, as it begins to warm. Pour it into the bason and back again, then hold it over the fire, stirring it constantly in the saucepan, and pouring it into the bason, more perfectly to mix the egg and butter, until they shall be hot without boiling. Serve on toasted bread, or in a bason, to eat with salt fish or red herrings.

Steak & Onions with Hunter Sauce

1/2 tablespoon butter
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
2 boneless shell steaks (I prefer ribeyes, about 1/2-inch thick)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 pkg Knorr Hunter Sauce (or 1 packet Brown Gravy Mix)
1 cup water

Heat the butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until melted.  Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring often for 7-10 minutes or until lightly browned and tender.  Remove the onions and keep warm.

Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper and add them to the hot skillet.  Cook, turning only once, for 7-10 minutes total, or until steak is of desired doneness. Remove to warmed serving plates.

Add the sauce mix and water to the skillet.  Whisk over medium heat, stirring to combine and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  Boil 1 minute until thickened.

Serve steaks topped with sauce and onions.  Excellent with Mashed Potatoes!

Adapted from Woman's Day magazine recipe from 2006.

Strawberry Lemonade Bars

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pureed strawberries (about 3/4 cup whole berries)
1 cup lemon juice
2-3 teaspoons lemon zest
1-1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar, if desired

Preheat the oven to 350^F.  Butter a 9x13" pan.

Combine the first 4 ingredients and mix until crumbly.  Press into the prepared pan and bake for 17 minutes or until the crust starts to turn golden around the edges.

Meanwhile, combine the lemon juice, zest, sugar, and eggs and beat until smooth.  Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt.  Pour over the hot crust and return to the oven for 23-26 minutes or until set.

Let cool completely in pan on rack before cutting into bars to serve.  Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

My opinion:  Too much lemon juice!  It took closer to 45 minutes to bake this and it was very tart! So tart that you completely lose the strawberry flavor.  I would reduce the lemon juice to 1/2 - 3/4 cup and (maybe) add a bit more strawberry puree.  And I'd strain the puree to get rid of the little strawberry seeds, because they don't look very appetizing in the finished product.  Just sayin'....

Recipe found on Pinterest.

Russian Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup catsup
2 tablespoon grated onion (or 1 teaspoon onion powder)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Sweet Relish
2 tablespoons half & half or milk
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Combine all ingredients until well mixed.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and preferably overnight.

Good!  Adapted from one found on allrecipes.com

Reuben Sandwiches

4 slices Seedless Rye Bread, from the Publix Bakery of course
Russian Dressing
4 slices Swiss cheese
8 thin slices Boar's Head lean corned beef
Small can Silver Floss Sauerkraut, drained
Butter

Spread Russian Dressing on the 4 slices of bread and lay a slice of Swiss on each one.  Divide the corned beef and sauerkraut between 2 of the slices and then top with the remaining bread and cheese to make 2 sandwiches.

Heat a griddle (or panini press) and brush with a little butter.  Grill the sandwiches until toasted on both sides.  If the meat and cheese isn't hot and melty by the time the bread is golden brown, stick the sandwiches in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

Cut in halves or thirds and serve with dill pickle spears.

Yum!  I prefer mine with less sauerkraut. John likes more sauerkraut, no Swiss and brown mustard instead of Russian Dressing.

Bobby Flay's The Perfect Burger (aka The Crunch Burger)

I saw this on the Today Show a couple of weeks ago and decided to give it a try.  This is seriously "The Perfect Burger" as far as I'm concerned!  Juicy, sloppy, cheesy goodness!!  I may never cook hamburgers any other way ever again!  I put a little yellow mustard and catsup on my buttered and lightly toasted bottom bun, some Chipotle Sweet Relish, Dill Pickle chips, 2 thin slices of Beefsteak Tomato, Romaine Lettuce and Lay's Lightly Salted Potato Chips on the burger with a little Mayonnaise on the top bun.  Perfect Burger!  - Cathy, May 28, 2106

The Perfect Burger (aka The Crunch Burger)

Bobby Flay

 May. 16, 2016 at 8:15 AM

Samantha Okazaki / TODAY

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SERVINGS:  4

 Burger season is right around the corner! Avoid common mistakes and make this recipe from burger aficionado Bobby Flay.

Ingredients

• • 1½ pounds ground chuck (80/20)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Canola oil
  • Thin slices of white American cheese
  • Thin slices of white cheddar cheese
  • Sliced beef steak tomatoes
  • Sliced dill pickles
  • Sliced red onion
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Martin's seeded soft burger buns
  • Lay's potato chips
  • 6-inch wooden skewers
  • Dijon mustard
  • Horseradish mustard
  • Ketchup

Preparation

1. Form the meat into 4 equal-sized patties (6-ounces each) no more than ¾-inch thick.  TIP 1 - 80/20 ground chuck is Bobby's preferred choice for burgers because of the relatively high fat content, guaranteeing a juicy burger.

2. Using your thumb, make a deep depression in the center of each burger to keep the burger from puffing up and bulging in the center. 

3. Season the outside of the burger liberally with salt and pepper.  Do not season the meat mixture itself or add herbs or onions or garlic to it.  That is meatloaf.  We are making burgers.

4. Heat a cast iron pan or griddle over high heat until it begins to slightly smoke.  Add a few teaspoons of canola oil and put the burgers in the pan or on griddle and do not touch until a crust has formed on the bottom, this will take at least 3 minutes. Once a crust has formed, use a metal spatula and flip over and continue cooking until a crust has formed on the bottom and cooked to desired doneness (MEDIUM) another 4 minutes. DO NOT PRESS ON THE BURGER.

5. Place 2 slices of cheese on each burger add a few splashes of water and immediately cover the pan tightly and cook until cheese is completely melted, about 30 seconds.

6. A soft bun with sesame seeds is the way to go. Lightly toast the bun (if desired) and place the burger on the bottom of the bun. Add desired toppings and a few potato chips. Place top of bun on top and place a skewer through the burger.  

Hot Roast Beef Sandwich

2 Publix Bakery Egg Knot Rolls

1/2 lb Publix Deli top Round Roast Beef, cut into 1/2-inch strips

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon Lite Soy Sauce

3 splashes Worcestershire sauce

2 slices Sargento's Aged Swiss

2 slices American cheese

Mayonnaise

French's Spicy Brown Mustard

Good  Season's Italian Dressing Mix, prepared according to package directions (with white vinegar, water and        vegetable oil)

Shredded Romaine lettuce

Thinly sliced Beefsteak tomato

Cut the Egg Knot Rolls in half horizontally.  Melt half the butter on a large skillet over medium high heat.  Place the rolls, cut side down, in the skillet until lightly toasted.  Remove to serving plates and top the bottom half of the rolls with 1 slice Swiss cheese and 1 slice American cheese each. 

In the same skillet, melt the remaining butter.  Add the beef strips, soy sauce and Worcestershire.  Toss the meat around in the skillet until it's hot through and then divide the hot beef on the cheese-topped roll bottoms.  Spread a little mayonnaise and drizzle of mustard onto the roll tops.  Top the beef with lettuce and sliced tomatoes and drizzle with a little Italian Dressing then place the roll top over the sandwich. 

Serve with a Salad and a slice of Publix's Mini Apple Pie for dessert.  Excellent meal!!