Smoked Salmon and Egg Breakfast Sandwich

Our weekend was full of some much needed distractions, starting with a dinner to celebrate the 7th anniversary of our first date.  I had thought about canceling our reservation, but when it came down to it, it felt like the wrong response to this tragedy.  Instead of shutting down, I believe that the least we can do is fill our time with as many happy moments as possible and to never forget how quickly it can all be taken away.

The night was marvelous.  We drank glasses (ok, it was a bottle) of champagne, ate a ton, and then ended the evening sipping on bourbon in front of the restaurant's fireplace.  Following our dinner on Friday, we spent the rest of the weekend with family.  First, with Eric's mom, who had just finished renovations on her house.  It's exciting to see it all done and to see her and Ron, her partner, start this new stage of their lives together.

The weekend wrapped up with a party for my niece, Jordan, who turned three.  Being surrounded by family, especially the little ones, was a joy.  There were platters of bagels and gravlax to consume, bountiful piles of presents to open, and lots of games to play.

Once the guests had left, Eric and I stayed for a bit, mainly to get some snuggle time with our two month old nephew.  Looking down at him, I wondered just what the future had in store for him and his sister. What kind of world will they grow up in?  Will things change and, if they do, will they be for the better?  I certainly hope so.

Smoked Salmon and Egg Breakfast Sandwich

makes 1 breakfast sandwich

Ingredients

1 bagel, sliced in half horizontally

Smoked salmon or gravlax

1 egg

1/4 yellow or red pepper, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 small red onion, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

Salt

Cayenne pepper

Cream cheese

Directions

1. In a bowl, whisk together the egg with 1 tablespoon of cold tap water and a sprinkle of salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

2. In a small skillet, heat the butter over medium heat.  Once it has melted, add the chopped pepper and red onion and season with salt.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.

3. Pour the egg mixture over the pepper and onions and sprinkle the rosemary sprigs on top.  Cook until it is no longer runny.  Fold one end of the omelet over to make a half moon shape. Turn off the burner and remove the pan from heat.

4. Spread a generous amount of cream cheese on both halves of the bagel.  Place the omelet on top of the bottom section and then top the egg with smoked salmon. Place the top half of the bagel over the salmon to make a sandwich.

Quinoa with Acorn Squash and Pomegranate

Quinoa with Acorn Squash and Pomegranate from A Thought For Food

Quinoa with Acorn Squash and Pomegranate from A Thought For Food

I'd call this dish a happy accident.  Here's the short version of a long story.  There were plans to roast a whole eight pound fish at our Friendsgiving dinner a few weeks ago.  Why?  Well, I don't know.  I wanted to... it sounded like fun.  Do I need a reason?  I'm crazy!  We were very close to actually doing it and then someone (cough, cough --- Eric --- cough) decided they'd be practical and bring up that maybe we didn't have enough space in our oven to roast a whole fish.  Now, I was under a lot of stress at the time and I COULD have freaked out (I've been known to throw tantrums in the midst of party planning).  But I didn't.  I kept my cool and said, "Ok, darling husband, now I need to think of something to make for those that don't eat meat."  I took a deep breath, looked at the ingredients on hand, and came up with this quinoa dish.

So, I guess I have Eric to thank for this creation.... thanks for poopooing on on my dreams of roasting a whole fish.  Without you, I wouldn't have created this fabulous recipe.

Quinoa with Acorn Squash and Pomegranate from A Thought For Food

Quinoa with Acorn Squash and Pomegranate from A Thought For Food

Quinoa with Acorn Squash and Pomegranate

Serves 4 as an entree, 6 as a side

Ingredients

3/4 cup of quinoa, cooked

1 acorn or kabocha squash

3/4 cup pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup raisins

2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

2 scallions, green parts only, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for roasting squash

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Zest of half a lemon

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. With a sharp knife, cut the top and bottom off the squash.  Cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise and, using a spoon, scoop out the seeds.  Cut each piece in half again lengthwise.  Then slice each quarter lengthwise, creating 1/2 inch slices.  Place squash slices into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.  Spread across the pan and arrange so each piece sits flat. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking together the 1/4 cup of olive oil, the lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, and scallions.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Once the acorn squash is finished, remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.

5. Mix together the cooked quinoa, pomegranate seeds, raisins, and dressing in a big serving bowl.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

6. Top with roasted squash pieces and enjoy!

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts

BrusselsSproutsATFF

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving has arrived.  This last weekend, Eric and I hosted our annual Friendsgiving feast.  It's a tradition that I cherish... to have some of our closest friends gather around the table, eating, drinking, laughing... it warms my heart.

Every year, as we sit down to eat, I ask everyone to say what they are thankful for (something my parents have us do each year at our family dinner).  However, this year we completely forgot to do this.  If I had remembered, this is what I would have said:

I'm so happy to have all of you around our table tonight.  This has been a year of transitions... not just for me, but for all of us.  Some have transitioned to new jobs.  Some have moved apartments.  Some have started new relationships.  These changes are not always easy... and they can often be frightening.  But I'm so thankful for our friendship and the love and support we all have for one another.  We may not always be able to see each other as much as we'd like... but we are still a unit.  Even if it's just the idea of knowing that you're in my life.  That is all I need to keep going.

Thank you, dear readers, for continuing on this journey with me.  Know that your presence keeps me going.  I hope all of you have a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts from A Thought For Food #Thanksgiving #recipe

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts from A Thought For Food #Thanksgiving #recipe

 Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts

(adapted from

Saveur

, serves 4 as a side)

Ingredients

1 lb. Brussels sprouts

2 tbsp. whole-grain mustard

4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper

1/2 cup shelled walnuts, chopped

Directions

1. Trim the woody ends off the Brussels sprouts. In a food processor fitted with the shredding disc, process sprouts until uniformly shredded. (If you don't have a food processor, you can slice the sprouts using a mandoline, or very finely by hand.)

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add the shredded Brussels sprouts and toss to coat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with walnuts.