Sunday Night Omelets

Sunday nights around here are generally a no-cooking night for me.  We are usually ready to settle in and let the remainder of our weekend slip away while we watch a movie and eat something out of a paper bag or if I’m lucky, a paper box filled with noodles.  After another activity filled weekend, and some outdoor time, we just didn't feel like going anywhere, and everyone had leftovers from our previous excursions, everyone, that is, except me.  I get some enjoyment out of the times when I’m going to cook just for me, and when those times come, eggs are usually on the menu.  I deeply love eggs, they might even be my deserted island food, you know, if the deserted island had a refrigerator. I sway between two favorites when it comes to eggs for dinner, a fried egg sandwich and omelets, and since we are still staying away from gluten, an omelet is what I settled on.

A couple years ago, I wouldn't have made this choice.  I couldn't make an omelet to save my life, my veggies were never cooked, the insides were runny, or the outside was burnt, it just never turned out the way I imagined it.  Then I stumbled upon Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated cooking magazines and that is when my cooking game went to a different level, and my days of avoiding omelets were over.  The key here is, wait for it. . . CHOPSTICKS.  You heard me right, chopsticks, if you want an omelet that is perfect inside and out, get yourself some chopsticks, and let’s make an omelet.

Use whatever you want for veggies, meats, and cheese, and of course use the quantities that you wish.  I typically try not to use too many fillings to avoid the omelet breaking apart as I fold it and try to get it out of the pan.

• 3 eggs
• 1 green onion sliced, white and green
• 3 mushrooms sliced
• ¼  cup shredded cheese
• 1tbsp butter
• Chopsticks
• Small non-stick frying pan

1.  Spray your pan, turn on your stove to med. heat, and plop the butter into the pan.  When it has melted, throw in the onion and mushrooms and cook them for about 3 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, whisk together your eggs until there are no whites left in sight, salt and pepper, and pour the eggs, right into the pan on top of the cooking vegetables.  Give it a quick stir to evenly distribute the vegetables throughout the eggs.  Get your Chopsticks.

3.  Using one or two chopsticks, gently scramble/stir the eggs, as the eggs get closer to being cooked, don’t so much scramble them, but rather, use the chopsticks to poke holes in the cooked bottom layer of the omelet to let the runny egg on top reach the pan.  Once or twice, slightly shimmy the pan back and forth to make sure that the omelet isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan.  

4.  When your eggs are almost set, but still just a slight bit wet on top, sprinkle on your cheese and then, using a heat proof spatula fold the omelet in half.  If you are still worried about the insides being cooked enough, you can cover the pan with a lid to help move the cooking along.  Give it a minute or two more and then take the pan and slide the omelet out of the pan onto your plate.  Garnish with salsa, hot sauce, avacado, or just eat it in its perfect plain omelet state.  

BBQish Pork Chops

This past weekend was filled with a lot of activities that did not involve cooking.  However, no matter what is going on during the weekend, we still need lunches during the week, and so it needed to be something quick and easy.  That is where these pork chops come in.  I’d love to tell you what cut they were, but I bought them in bulk when our local grocery store had a sale, so alas, I cannot.  I can tell you they were not boneless, and they were not terribly thick or thin, they were just your common, run of the mill pork chop that you see at the grocery store.  You can marinade these at your leisure, they are good after two hours, and they are also good after two days.

I have a four burner gas grill, I know it is not the purist way to go, but at this time in my life, when it comes to grilling, I value speed and ease.  Someday I will master the charcoal grill, someday.  The marinade is pretty drippy (is that a word?), and there could be flare-ups so keep your eyes on them so you don’t end up with a crispy critter.  Just so we’re clear, I fail at this every time! 

• 1 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
• ½ cup BBQ Sauce
• 3 Cloves Garlic Chopped (I cheated and just used the jarred minced garlic)
• 8 Bone In Pork Chops
• BBQ or Steak Seasoning Spice Blend

1. Combine the first three ingredients in a bowl or just throw them in a freezer bag and squish them together.
   
2. Add the Pork Chops to the bag, seal it up, and put them in the refrigerator.  Marinade for 2 hours or up to 2 days.
3. Pre heat grill, mine has a temperature gauge and I usually wait for it to read 500°, I leave two burners on med.-high heat, and turn the other two down. 
4. Remove the chops from the marinade, letting as much marinade drip off as you can or want, and then discard the marinade.  Sprinkle with your seasoning blend. 
5. I split up the chops between the top rack and the side of the grill that I have turned down.  
6. Put the chops on the grill, lower the lid and leave them alone for about 5 minutes, but a watchful five minutes.   Flip chops and continue grilling until they reach a temperature of 160°, or just give a little to the touch.  I like to take the temperature of my pork; it just makes me feel safer. 
7. When cooked, remove to a plate, cover with foil and let them rest for about 5 minutes.  Serve and Enjoy!