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Sunday Scramble

Lazy Sunday Eggs and Potatoes

This Sunday I was really craving scrambled eggs and something hearty to go along with them.  However, just never have gotten the finesse of hash browns down. Nor their cravings.  So I decided to tweak the standard breakfast fare with my super easy, hands down delicious tater fries and scrambled eggs. It was a simple and sumptuous substitute and I highly recommend it. Why hadn’t I introduced these two before? I have no idea. But it’s a great match, especially piping hot! You can even see the steam, and the warm fries made it a perfect one dish day. The only thing missing, a perfect Latte.

Depending on how many you are serving, choose about 2 Potatoes per person and 2-3 Eggs per person. Modify for more.

Potatoes
Eggs
Olive Oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
Onion -diced 1/3 cup per person
Red Bell Pepper slices 1/3 cup per person
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400˚.  Slice potatoes into 1/4” slices and place in bowl with olive oil and salt and toss until all of the potatoes are covered. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Melt butter and saute onions until translucent. Add bell pepper and saute for a minute or so. Pour in scrambled eggs and cook until your desired texture. Dress accordingly! ;-)

What to wear…….your half apron of course! I wear my Paris Mini. All you need for brunch.

Cinnamon Rolls

One fine morning while visiting the dog park, I found a new and very special friend. I have just moved to a new city and don’t know very many folks. If it’s been awhile since you have moved, things do get lost and somehow never seem to be found. (Still looking for my remote!) That wasn’t exactly the case with my car keys, as they eventually did manage to be found, but not without meeting a most unique and kind friend.

After a morning of frolicking with the boys, I had headed back to my car to get my day into high gear. But I had no keys to be found, in any pocket. After retracing my steps for about 20 minutes, it was clear I  was not going to be getting home soon. At that time this wonderful pack of humans and dogs were also coming in from their rompings and noticed my search. As I explained my dilemma, there was a silence that fell over the entire crowd. Hmmmm…………. Awkward!! Then this tiny little voice chimed in “Hey I have a free morning I can help you!” I hadn’t figured what I was going to do yet, but had a new partner in crime to solve the key scenario. 

Debbie took her dogs home and then was so kind to drive me home to find my back up set up of keys (slight miracle due to the new move I had a spare house key in my pocket-go figure). We both agreed, things always happen for a reason. I found a  great new girlfriend who I, of course, was not only going to pay it forward, but respond directly with a big plate of warm Cinnamon rolls!

I got this recipe from www.tastespotting.com  and did some tweaking that I wanted to share. It has some unique steps which are worth it. I found the butter quantities over the top. By the time you put it in the oven, it melts to the bottom of the pan taking a lot of the cinnamon with it. Upon taking it out of the pan, only the baker gets the ooey-gooey candy bottom. But you might find it different, so I left for your discretion. Oh, and made one batch with pecans. YEssssssssss!

What to wear…….your crocheted mini apron of course! This was a gift from a friend, the flour just shakes right off!

For the rolls:
1 quart whole milk
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 packages dry active yeast
8 cups, plus 1 cup extra (separated) flour
1 heaping tsp. baking powder
1 scant tsp. baking soda
1 heaping T. salt
3 – 4 cups melted butter
2 cups sugar
Generous sprinkling of cinnamon

For the frosting:

1 bag powdered sugar
2 tsp. maple flavoring
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brewed coffee
1/8 tsp. salt

Mix
the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. “Scald” the mixture (heat
just before boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool for 45
minutes to 1 hour. When mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot,
sprinkle in both packages of yeast. Let sit for a minute, then add 8
cups of flour, stir mixture together, cover and let rise for at least
an hour.

After rising, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and
salt. Stir mixture together. At this point you could cover the dough
and refrigerate until you need it, overnight or even a day or two, if
necessary. Just keep your eye one it and if it starts to overflow out
of the pan, just punch it down. When ready to prepare the rolls,
sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and
form into a rectangle. Roll the dough thin, maintaining a general
rectangular shape. Drizzle 1 1/2 to 2 cups of melted butter over the
dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup sugar over the butter followed by a generous
sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line
toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go, next pinch the
seam of the roll to seal it. Spread 1 T. melted butter in a seven
inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls about 3/4
to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans. Repeat with the
other half of the dough, let rolls rise for 20 – 30 minutes, then bake
at 375 F until light golden brown, about 15 – 18 minutes.

For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until
smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed.
Generously drizzle over the warm rolls, don’t skimp on the frosting!

SEE Photos:http://www.chanteusedesigns.com/ChanteuseDesigns/Kathleens_Blog/Entries/2010/1/17_Dog_Park_Friends.html

Chile Hot Chocolate

You must try this one, though I only used the whole milk. Enjoy this with a great movie or a good book.

Happy Polka Dots

Why are polka dots so darn happy??? While working on the Valentine collection for 2010 I remembered one of the original fabrics that got me started with my first handbags. I, being an itty bitty petite thingy, generally steer away from prints of any kind and anything even remotely large. BUT, designing hand bags and market bags have a no holds barred like lottery effect for my fabric choices!

Once the bags got into production, I realized how happy the dots not only turned out, but the effect on those customers who gravitated towards them. They were bubbly gals and guys and definitely children! Hmmm, kinda saying a lot, with a dot!

Why is a circle so happy? Does it remind us of something……solar, jewelry, or maybe even halo-ish? Hmmm, who cares when it puts a smile on faces!  And it is sooo guaranteed.

Hence, I can’t make them fast enough. Oh and hey,  last year, one of my aprons became the treasure hunt hiding places for a wedding proposal. You bet. Some lovely young man gave his girlfriend who loved to cook one of my aprons, and hid the ring in the apron pocket!! Loved the very unsuspecting and safe hiding place!!

So, not only are they happy, those little dots, but they can also be very romantic!!!

See more photos at www.chanteusedesigns.com

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