Huevos Rancheros

Hola, muchachos! Mexican food has a special place in 51 Porter's heart. Such great flavors! Huevos rancheros, which translates as "eggs country style," is a classic Mexican dish featuring fried or scrambled eggs accompanied with refried beans, avocado, fried potatoes...and whatever else you desire. One weekend Steph and I concocted our own huevos rancheros. We scrambled up some eggs, sprinkled in some soy chorizo, added in some cilantro and beans, and topped with some chunky salsa. While home in Oakdale I made some huevos rancheros with a few more additions, which drew compliments from my dad, the meat and potatoes man. Great success!

Brussels Challenge #4: Profiteroles

My first attempt at French pastry…the result…délicieux!  Profiteroles are a type of pate a choux (choux pastry), which is a light pastry used to make various types of pastries.  It is actually quite simple – no fancy equipment or ingredients necessary - and the result is absolutely stunning and delicious.  These warm, buttery puffs are often filled with ice cream or puddings and drizzled with chocolate sauce.  As an ode to my current home…I topped them with none other than a drizzle of Belgian chocolate! J

Towering Tomatoes with Bulgur & Mozzarella

Bulgur is a quick-cooking, deliciously nutty whole grain that is often used in European cooking such as tabbouleh (tomato and wheat salads) and is similar to couscous.  However, it actually has a higher nutritional value because it is a whole grain, while most couscous is a refined pasta.  Try these delicious tomato stacks with only a few simple ingredients: fresh tomatoes, nutty bulgur, creamy mozzarella, a simple dressing and bon appetite!

Blueberry Loaf

This light and fluffy "loaf", as I like to call it, is a little piece of heaven. Steph and I were marveling in a buy one get one free blueberry special, and I thought we could put these berries to good use. Not only does this sweet treat suffice for a snack, but it goes great with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or frozen yogurt for an evening dessert.

Brussels Challenge #3: Scones – The Classic vs. a French Twist avec Fromage Frais

The cheese in Europe…there are no words! Hard cheeses, soft cheeses, aged cheeses, fresh cheeses…you name it…it’s available and likely to be amazing! Fromage frais (Fresh Cheese) is a variety that I see everywhere. Curious as to the origins of such a cheese that carries such a descriptive name, I did a little research. Turns out, fromage frais in its pure form is virtually fat free, but often, cream is added to improve the flavor. It is similar to both sour cream and cream cheese but with less calories and a more subtle flavor. It is served as a dessert with honey or baked in a cheesecake as well as an addition to savory dishes.

Being a good Irish girl, I decided to give my favorite scone recipe a try with fromage frais instead of my normal secret ingredient, sour cream. It turned out delicious, but I would honestly stick with the sour cream, it gives a fluffier texture that would make my Irish grandma proud J. Here is the recipe for my classic scones – a warm fluffy, not too sweet, buttery pastry – but if you ever find yourself with some extra fromage frais…give it a try too!