EASIEST PIP̀̀̀ERADE

 Photo by Carol Guilford

From the Basque country, in Spain, a scramble of tomato, pepper and egg.  Frothy and creamy.  One of my favorite “single chef” treats and lovely for 2, too, augmented with a piece of brie cheese with small crisp crackers. In my photo above I have used seedless grapes. However, they may look like olives which would work too. 

3-6 eggs*

olive oil

2-3 tablespoons peeled, chopped sweet onion

½ -1 can (5-10 ounces) original RO*TEL DICED TOMATOES & GREEN CHILIES  (gives a nice kick)

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

salt, to taste

1.      Use enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped onions and sauté them, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until they wilt over medium heat.

 

2.      Add the diced tomatoes and chilies and garlic powder. Cover the skillet and cook on the lowest heat (I use my “simmer ring”, too) for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or so.

  3.  Beat the eggs lightly, as for scrambling; add to the pan and cook over the lowest heat, until they are just set... about 10 minutes.  Serve as soon as possible.     

* Let me explain. When I make it for just myself, I use 3 eggs and my 8-inch skillet.  When I make it for 2, I use 4 eggs and my 10-inch skillet.  For 3 or 4, the 10-incher also works with the extra eggs.

EASIEST CRISP FRIED PORK CHOPS

Photo by Carol Guilford

From  Carol Guilford’s Main Course Cookbook. The chops should be thin. About 4 chops in ¾ pound. Will fit and fry in a 12-inch skillet.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

4 thin (1/4-inch thick) loin pork chops

1 egg

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder

1 cup bread crumbs *

½ cup olive oil

1. Beat the egg with salt, garlic and onion powder.  Spread out bread crumbs on a plate.

2. Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel, then dip both sides into the beaten egg. Coat thickly and well with bread crumbs. Allow to set 15 minutes before frying. (If prepared in advance, the chops can be refrigerated until 30 minutes before cooking time.)

3. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. When a drop of water sizzles in the pan, fry the chops for 2-3 minutes on each side, turning carefully with a fork, tongs or spatula. Drain on paper towels. Serve as recipes are fond of instructing, immediately.  Have salt and pepper available on the table.

In summer, sliced tomatoes are perfect with  corn (recipe in Easiest Bar-B-Q beef)

In winter, I open a can of mandarin oranges or cranberry sauce.

*I’m through with making fresh breadcrumbs.  PITA—pain in the you know what. I buy them now at Whole Foods, 365 Panko.

EASIEST HOLIDAY STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Great for the holidays.  They go fast... as in gobbled up.  A variety of mushrooms are now available in the markets--gone are the days when the only mushroom choice was white and tasteless.

Preparation time: about 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Best Utensil: 9x13 shallow baking dish

12-16 mushrooms

  I favor crimini mushrooms

½ cup bread crumbs

  Whole Foods 365 brand panko

2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons fresh Italian flat parsley

  Parsley must be washed, dried and chopped. I learned somewhere, sometime ago to use

   kitchen scissors to perform this chore

olive oil

1. Rinse the mushrooms quickly in cold water.  Pat dry with paper towels.  Remove (pull out) the stems, carefully.  With a basting brush, brush the bottoms of the mushrooms with olive oil, (keeps them from sticking) then  place the mushrooms, hollow-side up in the baking dish.

2. Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and parsley together.   

3. Moisten with olive oil—2 tablespoons should do it. Should be moist, not wet.    

4. Stuff the mushrooms—with a little mound on the top.

5. Bake in a 375 degree, preheated oven for 20 minutes.