The first recipe is for eggs Benedict. I don't make this very much because of the sauce and it is sometimes harder to find Canadian bacon in our local stores.
Eggs Benedict with
Hollandaise Sauce
Yield: 4 servings
4 eggs
2 English muffins
4 slices Canadian bacon
Split and toast two English muffins. Warm the Canadian bacon. Poach the eggs in an egg poacher, until whites are cooked, and yolks begin to harden.
Place toasted muffin halves on a plate. Put a slice of Canadian bacon on each half. Place a poached egg on the Canadian bacon
Top with 1-2 Tablespoons of Hollandaise sauce, recipe to follow:
Hollandaise Sauce
Yield: 1 cup
4 egg yolks
1/2 Cup butter
2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Place some water in the bottom of a double boiler. Put egg yolks and 1/3 of the butter in the top of a double boiler.
Cook over boiling water until the butter melts, while stirring rapidly. Add 1/3 of butter and continue to cook and stir until the butter melts. Add last 1/3 of butter. Cook and stir until it thickens. Stir in lemon juice. Cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Tip: You might prefer to cook eggs over light or scrambled, especially if you are like me and don't like anything that isn't cook so nothing is running.
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To celebrate garlic day, I really had to dig deep into recipes, because I don't like garlic, so I don't use it much or should I saw, at all! This recipe is good all year round, but grilling season is coming so you might want to try it later in the year when it warms up, maybe in July.
Grilled Garlic
Like roasted garlic, grilled garlic takes on a mellow flavor. Grilling it, adds a smoky flavor. Spread it on crackers, Italian bread, baguettes, etc. Spread some on your grilled meats and veggies, too.
Garlic heads (bulbs)
1-2 teaspoons Olive Oil per head.
Parmesan cheese (Optional)
Remove outer skin of garlic head. Cut across the top of the head, exposing the insides of the individual cloves. Place garlic heads on a sheet of aluminum foil. (one garlic head per sheet of foil) Drizzle one to two teaspoons of olive oil on the head. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. (Optional). Wrap the head in the aluminum foil.
Place on the grill to cook over medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes. Open foil, exposing the head to the smoke in the grill. Cook another 15-20 minutes, until garlic is soft. You can test with a toothpick, or a fork.
Allow to cool, just enough so you can touch the cloves with your fingers.
Squeeze the garlic out of a clove and spread it onto crackers or breads.
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Zucchini recipes are usually used in the fall at harvest time, but since we are celebrating Zucchini Day, i dug up one of my favorite recipes. This is good with plain butter, or you could flavor your butter; or whipped cream. I know it isn't healthy, but it is sooo good and makes a wonderful and quick dessert, especially if you make several loaves of bread and freeze some for an unexpected visitor.
Zucchini Nut Bread
Yield: Two loaves of
Zucchini Bread.
2 eggs slightly beaten
2 Cups sugar
1 Cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 Cups grated or shredded
zucchini
3 Cups flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Cup chopped walnuts
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bread loaf pan. Mix eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla in a bowl. Mix flour, baking soda, and spices in a separate bowl.
Mix together dry ingredients into the first bowl containing the egg mixture. Stir in the shredded zucchini. Stir in chopped walnuts.
Divide the batter into the two bread loaf pans. Bake in the pre-heated oven for one hour.
Use a toothpick to see if the bread is done. Bake for additional 5 minute intervals, if needed. Remove the bread from the oven and let set for ten minutes. Remove the bread from the pan, and place on a wire rack to cool.
** You can omit the walnuts, if someone is allergic to nuts.
Next week we celebrate National Pigs in the Blanket Day and Preztel Day. My mom made killer "Polish piggies". I will share her recipe. Up this way it could mean using hot dogs. Wait and see! And look for both main dishes and desserts using pretzels.