My Vintage Kitchen

Crazy for Cutlery

Visit our Store

I must say.....you know every time I say "I must say" I think of Ed Grimly. ANYWAY...I must say I am completely in love with our little cutlery set....how cute is that face and the little bun on this chickies hair? We try not to really plug the stuff we sell to much as really the main focus of this blog is cooking, but I just had to show you all how cute this little sweet pea is. Her partner is pretty charming too. Anyway, they are back in stock as is the very popular Penguin Thermos ( if you're still looking for last minute gifts.) 

Check back with us tomorrow as I will be posting the BEST Etouffee I have ever had in my entire life! You know it's good when the recipe calls for a whole stick of butter....lord have mercy on our arteries!

-Shelly

Is that a Fried Egg on your Salad?!

Shop Our Store

I know what your thinking...did two Bob Evans waiters collide...one with a breakfast bowl, and one with a salad? No my friends, they did not....and yes that is a fried egg on top of that spinach salad. I was flipping through the pages of Everyday Food and found this little recipe. Really the only reason I thought about making it was because I had all the ingredients, that by the way is never a good reason to cook something as it should probably sound good to you first. So the fried egg thing did not sound so good to me, because A. I thought I don't want a runny yoke all over my spinach and B. It's a fried egg, boiled egg seems OK but fried? hmmm. Well I must have felt adventurous because I went ahead and trusted the editors of Everyday Food and I must say this was excellent! The salad needs the yoke, it gives a rich lovely flavor to the salad and balances out the bitterness of vinegar and spinach.

   

Serves 4

2 bundles fresh spinach washed

3 med Yukon Golds (small dice)

1 shallot ( fine dice)

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese

4 eggs

Cook your potatoes in a bit of olive oil until golden brown. In a separate bowl mix the shallot with the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt & pepper.  Put your spinach in the bowl but don't mix in the dressing yet. Grate desired amount of Parmesan cheese on top of spinach. Top with your hot potatoes and start mixing together...till spinach wilts. Fry your egg over medium. Plate your salad and top with egg.

 

"Foofy Food"

This little Parmesan "Bowl" was ripped straight from the pages of Southern Living….if you don’t subscribe you should! I find myself more interested in the recipes of that magazine than Gourmet (although still awesome). I call this "foofy food" ( I do realize it's not pink and coated in buttercream)  because the little bowl is rather dainty and more something to serve your aunts or girlfriends, not that big strapping meat eating, wood chopping, horse riding man in your life....because we all have one of those right?

God I've been reading too many romance novels.

-Shelly

Start off with a small 6” flower pot and cover it with foil and coat foil with vegetable cooking spray. Place a 12” square of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spread ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese onto the parchment paper, patting it into a 8 ½” circle. (grated does not work…only use shredded)

Bake ate 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until pale gold in color. Remove from oven, and let cool 10 seconds. Working quickly, invert the Parmesan circle over the prepared pot. Carefully remove the parchment from the Parmesan circle. Reserve the parchment to use again. Gently press the cheese over inverted pot into desired bowl shape…if the cheese circle is too hot, it will slide down the pot, casing small tears. If this happen, gently press the cheese together to seal any large gaps. Cool basket completely (about 5 minutes) and remove from pot. Preheat to create as many baskets as you need.

For the Pecan Crusted Chicken

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

For each Chicken breast coat with a tablespoon of Apricot jam…I just brush it on. Put your crushed pecans in a plate and dredge chicken in nuts.

Bake 30 minuets or till done.

 

Info-mercial overload

Atkins anyone? Alright, I know it is totally passe, not mention it gives you killer breath, so as not to entice anyone to ask you to dinner, but, this is a fantastic protein packed salad. Not, to mention, you can use that George Foreman grill that you bought back in the 90's in hopes of having Forman eggs and bacon with zero cleanup, yeah right. Whoever doesn't bother cleaning that thing thoroughly deserves the salmonella/ebolla virus that they get. But, for me the bigger problem is ....how did they do the eggs on that infomercial, and what the hell am I going to do with this bonus quick chopper. I know, I know, I will chop up some of my chia herb garden, dehydrate it with the RonCo, then shove it between two slices of bread with some of that roasted leg of lamb from my roaster, and have a party with little to no cleanup. Speaking of stuff, have you seen the herb garden that grows under artificial light right in your kitchen? You start it with chemicals and water I think...and a butchered chicken for spiritual purposes. Wait three days, do a rain dance under the hood of your stove and POOF, fresh herbs for anytime of day. I love cable.

Here is a recipe for Italian Herb Dressing. To really make your salads work well try using the same herbs in your dressings that you use on your meat. Also one really good way of changing this up a bit is to do the chicken BBQ style and add 2 Tablespoons of the same BBQ to your vinaigrette. VERY TASTY!

Scroungin

So there I was, it was 11:30 at night and I was going through holiday withdrawal.  The shakes, sweats, you name it, I had it.   I wanted something to eat.  Old Ham?  No.   Taboolie?  No.  Egg Nog?...is that still good?  Sniff sniff...NO!  Something sweet....yes, something sweet will do.  Stupid new years resolutions.... where is all of the junk food? Smores, THAT was what I wanted. 
Graham crackers...check. Marshmallows.....ummm...Marshmallow cream from the holiday fudge?......check Chocolate...errrrr....off brand chocolate flavored syrup?  Check! Don't judge me.  It was good, really good, and I would do it again if I had to.  Now, for those of you who choose to eat something sweet, however a little bit healthier, here is a really great Brown Sugar Tropical Fruit Salad.