Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes

Doesn't that look delicious? These little bakes can fit right in your hand (careful, they'll be hot!) and take less time than you might think. Check out "Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes" below!

Cooking while traveling can be a tough endeavor. You lose most of the control you usually have at home: who knows how the oven will work, who knows where the local grocery store is... and on. And on. These egg bakes are a good solution to a healthy, delicious breakfast while traveling. The ingredients are basic and easy to track down, and they're infinitely adaptable so you can toss in a little of whatever vegetables or cheese you have on hand. 

One of the reasons I love this recipe is that it's essentially a cheater's soufflé. I don't often make real soufflés at home because they always feel a bit fussy to me. There's the proper beating technique and incorporating just the right amount of air — and then the risk of the whole thing falling in on itself. But with this cheater's recipe, the eggs puff up in the oven and become light and fluffy, giving them many of the characteristics I love about a soufflé without much work. 

When traveling, it's generally easy to come upon eggs, milk and some good melting cheese. For these egg bakes, I used a pretty standard recipe and a chopped ham steak from the store. The chives are in season now in Seattle, but obviously you could leave them out altogether if need be and use dried herbs instead. I've tried this recipe with leeks and corn instead of the ham and it's a wonderful vegetarian option. Obviously while on the road, ramekins aren't as easy to come by. But when staying with friends — as many of us are likely to do— this is a great go-to breakfast to make for hosts and visitors. They'll appreciate the gesture; you'll appreciate the simplicity. 

In short: this is a simple, delicious, and pretty breakfast that looks more time-consuming than it really is, and it's easy to bake up if you're at home — or visiting friends on the road.

Ham, Cheddar and Chive Egg Bakes

Serves 6

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup diced yellow onion (from 1/2 medium onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces cooked ham steak, coarsely diced into small cubes (about 1 cup)
1-2 tablespoons butter, to grease ramekins
6 large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil, optional
3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes, taking care not to let it brown or burn. Fold the chopped ham into the saucepan and stir to combine.

Thoroughly butter six 8-ounce ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet so they’ll be easier to move to and from the oven.

In a small mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, herbs and salt.  Fold the cooked onion mixture, chopped ham, and cheese into the mixture. Divide the mixture evenly into the ramekins. The cheese sometimes clumps up, so try to be sure it’s evenly distributed.

Place in the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tops are golden and have puffed slightly. Enjoy warm; cover and refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days. 

Recipe Notes

• The basil is optional here; we had some in the garden that I chopped and used but I'd hate for you to buy a whole package just for a tablespoon in this recipe. The chives are the important part; the basil's an added bonus. 
• If you don't have access to ramekins, feel free to make these in full-size muffin tins instead. Just be sure to grease the pan adequately so they don't stick. 

(Images: Megan Gordon)

Original Article Here: http://bit.ly/190b5Ig

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DIY Space Saver

Do you like to cook?  Storing all your ingredients can be a tough project in an apartment. However, here is a great way to save space and to store all your spices.  Check out this DIY Spice Rack!

If you have a tiny kitchen and you're into spicy-food you'll find that you'll need a LOT of space for the ingredients.
 
Here's an idea that will help you cover the coffee stains on the wall and keep your spices organized. 
You'll need: 

• Sheet of stainless steel
• Hot Glue Gun
• Tiny Jars with metal Lid
• Magnets (The one in the geomag are perfect)
• Spicies (duh...)

With the Hot Glue attach the magnet on the Lid: if you do that on the outside the jar will be easier to detach from the rack but it's easy to cover the magnet with the Hog Glue, decreasing the adhesion.

I found that if you manage to cover the magnet on the inside of the Jar with the hot Glue you'll save the spicies flavour and it's still easy to use the jars!

Original Article Here: http://diycollegeideas.blogspot.com/2012/06/space-saver-spice-rack.html

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Easy Dinner Recipe: Kale and Black Bean Tacos with Chimichurri

Forget the takeout and leave the leftovers for later, check out this dish that's both delicious and easy: "Easy Dinner Recipe: Kale and Black Bean Tacos with Chimichurri"!

Kale and Black Bean Tacos with Chimichurri

Makes 8 tacos

For the chimichurri (makes about 1 cup):3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 medium shallot, peeled
1 cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley, large stems removed
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves (can substitute 2 teaspoons dried)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste (I like using Aleppo pepper)

For the tacos:
8 cups kale, stems removed and chopped
2 tablespoons water
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 1/2 cups cooked)
8 corn tortillas
2 avocados, chopped just before serving
Pumpkin seeds for garnish

Using a food processor, roughly chop the garlic and shallot. Add the parsley and oregano, and pulse until finely chopped but not puréed. (Alternatively, you can finely chop the ingredients by hand.) Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and red pepper to taste. Let stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

Skim 2 tablespoons of oil off the top of the chimichurri and heat it in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kale and water, and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Uncover, add the drained beans, and cook for another minute or so until the kale is tender but still bright and the beans are heated through. Stir in 1/3 cup of chimichurri.

To assemble the tacos, warm the tortillas, fill them with kale and black beans, and top with avocado. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and additional chimichurri, if desired.

Recipe Notes

• Leftover chimichurri: This recipe makes more chimichurri than you will probably need for the tacos. For thoughts on how to use it, check out these 5 Ways to Use Chimichurri Sauce.

(Images: Emily Ho)

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-kale-and-black-bean-tacos-with-chimichurri-recipes-from-the-kitchn-194633

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A Creative Way to Remember Your Wifi Password

Is your wifi password complicated and difficult to remember? Check out this clever way to make sure that it's always on hand for you and your guests! You can learn more at apartment therapy.

Eve-Marie of Tixeretne came up with the brilliant idea of converting her wi-fi neywork password into a custom QR code, then framing it for display in a guest room. Guests can use a QR code reader on their smartphone or tablet to read the code and get the password in an easy copy-and-paste format.
Tongue planted firmly in cheek, Eve-Marie writes:

Now when we have people over, they don’t actually have to awkwardly talk to us to get the wi-fi password. They just scan it with their device and viola: internet access. You see, we have eliminated the last shred of one-on-one social interactions. Now we can all spend our time together ignoring each other and playing with out phones! Bliss.

Yes, in many cases it's easier to just quickly tell the guests your wi-fi password when they first ask, iPad-in-hand. But with a super-secure and hard-to-remember password, it's convenient to have the QR code displayed in the guests' room to call up at a moments notice, especially if the host is away.



Generate the Code: Creating a QR code is way easier than it looks, thanks to fool-proof QR Code generator websites. Check out The Super Simple Way to Make Your Own QR Code. Eve-Marie used a site called QRStuff.com, which lets you link your QR graphic to plain text instead of a link.

Print it Out: There's no wrong way to do this, really. Once you have a QR graphic, test it out to make sure it works, then drop it into a graphics editor like Photoshop or Paint (or even just a Word document) to size it up and print it out. Eve-Marie's made it foolproof, including a wi-fi graphic and detailed instructions on her site.

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