Spicy Dijon Hollandaise Sauce

Brunch is my favorite meal of the day, and what makes it my favorite is one specific dish, eggs benedict. Traditional eggs benedict consists of four key ingredients: an english muffin, poached egg, Canadian bacon, and hollandaise sauce. The star of this dish is also the most daunting. If heated too much your sauce can quickly go from nice and smooth to scrambled eggs. 

I am here to teach you an easy no fail Hollandaise recipe to impress your family, friends, or significant other. This recipe serves two. 

What you will need: 

four egg yolks

four ounces melted butter

one tablespoon lemon juice 

one teaspoon Teaspoon Siracha

one teaspoon Tabasco

one Tablespoon Dijon

salt and pepper to taste

Boil your water in a small pot. In a metal bowl (over the small pot of boiling water, creating a double broiler) add the butter and leave on heat until melted. Set butter aside. Add the four egg yolks to the bowl (reserve the whites for another recipe), then add lemon juice. Whisk the two together over heat in ten second increments - ten seconds over the heat and ten seconds off until the yolks develop a creamy consistency. 

Once the yolks are thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the melted butter. Whisk vigorously until the butter and yolk mixture is completely combined.

Then add your siracha, tabasco, dijon, and salt & pepper to taste. 

This is where you can totally customize your Hollandaise to fit whatever your preference. You can add herbs, orange juice, etc. to make it completely your own. 

Top your beautifully poached eggs with the Hollandaise and enjoy. My boyfriend has been making this dish for breakfast every Sunday for the past couple of weeks - he truly makes the most perfect poached eggs. I am one lucky girl. 

xo. Casey

Ricotta Toast

Sunday mornings are my favorite. Monday feels so far away - no responsibilities, just peaceful relaxation. Usually we like to go to a coffee shop or popular breakfast spot for breakfast on Sunday's, and one of the most popular items on every cafe menu right now is toast. Whether it is topped with mashed avocado, chickpea, ricotta, or jam - they are super super popular. And most of the time they can run up to six dollars for a piece of toast. Oof. 

It is one of the simplest breakfasts, usually low in fat and high in flavor which is why it is so popular. Being so simple there is no reason why I can not make this breakfast in my home with ingredients I already have on hand. 

All you need is some good bread and whatever topping you prefer. I topped my toast with some non fat ricotta cheese and honey. Simple and delicious! Paired with a cup of coffee and a breezy morning, it just doesn't get any better than this. 

I hope you have a relaxing Sunday as well!

xo. Casey

Ellie's Bakery

If you asked me what my least favorite meal was a couple years ago I would say breakfast. I absolutely hated breakfast foods (except bacon of course).After I started dating James things changed. This boy is in love with breakfast, and after many many brunch trips I am now too in love with breakfast. 

I recently stopped into Ellie's bakery on Washington Street for a quick breakfast before work. Ellie's, owned by Gracies, is a parisian style bakery. They are open from 7am until 4pm on the weekdays and open at 9 on saturdays. They have a simple mission- "All of our products are prepared with the season in mind. We source our ingredients responsibly from local farms and producers. Our team is passionate and filled with pride. Each product is made with integrity and attention to the tiniest detail. We strive each day to stand out in the community as a loyal, soulful, nourishing neighborhood bakery".

They offer a variety of pastries, scones, and cakes as well as a daily frittata special. The thing that caught my eye was their signature sandwich - an egg and cheese sandwich with a tomato jam and your choice of bacon or breakfast sausage. Breakfast sandwiches are my favorite thing so I knew right away that is what I would choose, and for a little over five dollars it's unbeatable. They also have a wonderful selection of coffees and espresso drinks. 

They also serve lunch showcasing five different seasonal sandwiches and a soup du jour that changes constantly. But my favorite thing at Ellie's is not a sandwich or a drink. It is their absolutely delicious french macarons. These too have seasonal falvors that change constantly. No matter what the flavor they are absolutely perfect.

From the cute plates to the mason jars all the little touches make Ellie's unique. They have limited bar seating inside and a few outdoor tables. They have a serious eye for detail which gives Ellie's a warm and inviting atmosphere. 

If you have not stopped in to Ellie's Bakery yet you need to make time to visit soon. Everything is fresh and delicious, and will give you that feel good feeling the minute you walk in. And really, that makes all the difference. 

xo. Casey 

Simple Pasta Frittata

In our house we usually strive to cook a different meal everyday- we don't like to be bored with our meals- which tends to leave a lot of leftovers. The other morning I decided I was going to utilize the leftovers from three different meals to create one super easy and delicious breakfast. What I came up with was a frittata. But not just any frittata- a pasta frittata. 

Ingredients list:

1. leftover angel hair pasta 

2.sugar snap peas              

3. six eggs                            

4. mozzarella cheese           

5. brie cheese                      

6. milk                                   

7. salt & pepper                   

Take whatever veg you have, give it a chop and sautee in a well oiled pan. Add your pasta and mix well. 

Whisk the eggs, milk, salt & pepper in a bowl. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta and veg and top with your choice of cheese. Now I didn't time it, but let your fittata mixture cook on the stove top until it is just about cooked through. 

Put your oven on broil and place the frittata in the oven. I transferred mine (very carefully) onto a sheet tray because I did not have an oven safe sautee pan. However, if you have a great cast iron pan, even better. Let it bake until the cheese on top is melted and is crispy on the edges. The pasta creates this awesome crust and gives the egg dish a whole different texture

 Confession - I am not an egg fan. I am very picky about how my eggs are cooked (I am a big poached egg fan-love that runny yolk!). Honestly, I just didn't want it to taste too eggy..if that makes sense. The pasta balances the flavors very nicely. I have a strange feeling this is going to be my new go to when I have a ton of leftover pasta. 

Try it out, I think you will be surprised by how awesome - and easy this is to make. 

xo. Casey