Smoked Salmon and Egg Breakfast Sandwich

Smoked Salmon and Egg Breakfast Sandwich from A Thought For Food - www.athoughtforfood.net

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.

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!