Welcome to flamingobear. We're the Martin family. Jenn cooks a lot. Tim eats it. And the trees are awesome.
Earlier this month in Nashville, the rains came down, the floods came up, and a building floated down the interstate. We were lucky and escaped with only a wet basement. However, many more were not so fortunate, including “our” farmers, the Delvins, who lost 70% of their crops, including about 90% of their strawberries.
Ok, I admit it. I made a mistake last week. I bought only 3 grapefruit for brunch, figuring one half for each of us and leaving one extra. Normally, this would have been plenty as the girls aren’t too fond of plain grapefruit. But this time Tim, always happy to have an excuse to use his propane torch in the kitchen, played with fire and gave the grapefruit halves crunchy, caramelized tops.
Oatmeal our way.
Easy enough that a 9 year old can make it, and does most mornings, all by herself.
Tasty enough that a 4 year old will eat it, without complaint.
Healthy enough that a 33 year old mom can feel good about it.
Much like Krispy Kreme and its famous “Hot Now!“ donuts sign, I think Southern cooks could benefit from a “Hot Now!” biscuits sign. Call this neon biscuit beacon an updated version of hollerin’ or triangle-ringing – the modern day equivalent of the traditional dinner bell. Or breakfast bell. Or supper bell. Or all three as scratch buttermilk biscuits are welcome at each, sometimes even in the same day!
Growing up I detested eggnog. I probably still would except that our local dairy was giving out samples at the farmers’ market a few weeks ago. Not one to pass up free food, I got a cup, took a sip, and lo and behold had a “Mikey moment”. I liked it.
Take classic Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce and put a summer twist on it. Add thick slices of heirloom tomatoes and swap bacon for the traditional ham to create Eggs Blackstone with “Holidays Sauce”. My girls call it “holidays sauce” but we don’t save it only for special occasions. We’ve been having it a lot lately to celebrate tomato season, which truly is “the most wonderful time of the year”. One bite and you’ll be inventing your own holidays on which to make this.
Make these. Quick! Strawberry season is almost over. Come winter when you open your pantry looking for inspiration for breakfast or “breakfast for dinner” (my fave!), you’ll be glad you did.
*Note: After attending a canning class last Saturday at our local Ag Expo where I missed the hallway for the classroom and ended up being mesmerized by a calf-roping competition in the arena before remembering why I was there in the first place (much like this post!), I’m sure I’ll go to hell for sharing this unapproved canning method. But, hey, it works for me – as does this non-traditional jam-making technique. By macerating strawberries in sugar overnight and then cooking the syrup, not the berries, for the bulk of the time you get soft-set preserves with big berry chunks and distinct fresh-strawberry flavor. Delicious on toast, biscuits, pancakes, PBJ’s, yogurt, ice cream, or just straight off the spoon! It’s like summer in a jar.
