Eating In: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

It is no secret that eating out is, more often than not, more expensive than eating in.  And when freshness, quality, and healthiness are on the line, how do you really know what went in to making a meal if you did not make it yourself?  How do you know if it is worth the price paid?

Now don't get me wrong.  I have had many sensational meals--extraordinary ones even--while eating out that I am sure rank very highly on the freshness, quality, and healthiness scales.  However, I would venture to guess that the majority of the amazing meals I am thinking of also came with a hefty price tag.  

I think it is safe to say that most of you (myself included) do not have the luxury of enjoying these gourmet, five star delights for each meal of the day, every day of the week.  So what is it exactly that you are eating  when you are out?  

If you are like a lot of people, you have, on more than one occasion, indulged in a weekend brunch out, a lunchtime sandwich deal that comes with chips and a drink, and a pizza delivered right to your door.  So take a second and think about the last time you had any, or all, of these things. 

Didn't that amazing brunch absolutely make your Saturday?  

Wasn't that sandwich awesome right down to the last, lovingly prepared bite?  

Wouldn't you give anything for one more slice of that delicious pizza with all of its fresh toppings? 

Wasn't it *totally* worth the $40 you spent on those three meals?

I would say: "Nope!".

So why do so many of us throw away our hard-earned money eating out when rarely is the reasonably priced meal either memorable or worth repeating?

I think it is a combination of reasons, some of which I completely understand, such as getting out and being seen, and socializing.  The ones I hear a lot but do not typically hold up in my "court of kitchen" are time, and the inability to reproduce the things we crave and seek out when we eat out (like pizza).

On that note, I challenge both the time and inability arguments with three delicious, eating out favorites.   I challenge YOU to try 'em out, perfect them, make them your own.  When you do, then you can invite people over for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner and defeat all four of  these arguments for eating out in the comfort of your own home (and wallet).

BREAKFAST:  French Toast with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
-french baguette (4 1.5-inch slices per person)
-3 eggs (1 whole egg, 2 egg whites [to lighten up on the fat and cholesterol])
-1/4 cup milk
-1/4 Tsp cinnamon
-1/4 Tsp vanilla extract
-3 dashes of nutmeg
-butter

Whipped Cream:
-1/2 cup cold heavy cream
-1/2 Tsp honey
-1/4 Tsp vanilla extract
-1/8 Tsp cinnamon

1) Whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract into a shallow, wide bowl/dish.

2) In a heavy bowl, add the heavy cream, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.  Beat with an electric hand mixer until the whipped cream forms stiff peaks that stand up easily (or you can beat by hand with a whisk until the same thing happens).  Place back into the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

3) Heat a small pad of butter in a frying pan over medium heat

4) Dip each side of the french baguette slices into the egg-milk mixture and coat well

5) Place several slices in the pan at once, but not over-crowding them (3-4 slices in a 9-inch pan), cooking on each side until they are golden brown

6) If you are serving many people, warm a tray in the oven at 200'F, and place the finished french toast slices in the oven until you are ready to serve all.

7) Artfully plate four slices of french toast, and top with a swirl of honey and a dollop of whipped cream.

*I recommend serving french toast with french press coffee (it's the best!) and fresh fruit.

The complete breakfast package

LUNCH:  Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Sandwich with Baked "Fries"
(makes 2 sandwiches)
-Ciabatta bread
-goat cheese
-pesto (fresh is ideal, so look for it in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, or blend oil, basil, pine nuts, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese together in the food processor to make your own)
-baby arugula
-1 red bell pepper (1/2 per sandwich)*
-1 medium eggplant**
-olive oil
-salt and pepper
-1 medium baking potato per person
-potato seasoning***

*As a money saving tip when picking out peppers, look for peppers that are the size you want, but seem lighter than others.  Many peppers have heavy inner cores (lots of seeds and ribbing), as well as "mini peppers" inside where one of the seeds has become fertilized and started to grow.  The difference in price can be substantial, so why pay for something you do not want and will not use?

**Good eggplants are firm, deep purple, and evenly colored

***You can choose whatever combination of seasonings that you like for the potatoes.  I like salt, garlic powder, white pepper, paprika, and chili powder

1)  Turn the broiler on.  While the broiler is heating, cut the red bell pepper in half lengthwise and take out the stem and seeds.  Skin the eggplant (or leave it on if you like it; I did this time around, but do not always) and slice it into 1/4-inch round slices, discarding the parts of the eggplant without seeds (this part often has no taste whatsoever and is comparable to cutting away the end of a cucumber that does not have seeds)

2)  For easy clean up, place a layer of aluminum foil on a baking tray.  Then lay out the pepper halves and the eggplant rounds on the baking tray.  Lightly coat each side of the eggplant with olive oil (either rub it on with your fingers or brush it on with a kitchen brush) and salt and pepper both sides.

3)  Broil the vegetables for 4 minutes.  Then turn the eggplant over and return the vegetables to the broiler for another 4 minutes.  Remove the eggplant and allow them to cool, but place the pepper halves back under the broiler for approximately 7 more minutes, or until the skin becomes charred (blackened).  

4)  When the peppers are charred, remove them and place them in a sealed bag (Ziplock, for example) and allow them to self-steam for 15 minutes.  This allows for easy removal of the skin.

5)  Turn the oven to bake and 425'F.  

6)  Wash and scrub the potatoes well; dry them; and then cut them lengthwise into wedges.  Toss them in a bowl with olive oil, and then coat them with your seasoning mixture.  Place them in a single layer on the baking tray and bake for approximately 25 minutes until they are golden brown and fork tender (meaning you can test one by poking it with a fork and seeing if the fork can enter the entire wedge easily).

7)  While your potatoes are baking, rinse and dry the arugula (in a salad spinner, of course!) (see how often it gets used?) and in a bowl, coat it lightly with olive oil (2 Tsp), salt, and pepper.  Also, slice the ciabatta bread into 1-inch thick slices.

The ultimate sandwich experience

8)  When your potatoes are done, set them aside while you finish the sandwich.  Turn the oven to broil and toast each side of the ciabatta slices until golden brown.  

9)  On one half of the bread, coat the slice with pesto.  On the other half, coat the slice with a nice layer of goat cheese.

10) Layer the ingredients, dividing the vegetables between the two sandwiches, and topping with the arugula.

11) Secure the sandwiches with toothpicks, plate them, serve with baked "fries", and side salad made of whatever arugula is left over.

DINNER:  Margarita Pizza
(serves 3)
-1 pound of pizza dough (our Italian market sells fresh dough, as do most major supermarkets; they are typically made daily, so should not have preservatives or other unwanted chemicals)
-pizza sauce (our Italian market also makes their own fresh daily)
-fresh basil leaves (~20)
-2 fresh mozzarella balls
-2 medium tomatoes
-3/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated
-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
-salt
-dried oregano

1)  Bring the dough to room temperature for 1-2 hours to make shaping the dough easier.

The completed pie, pre-baking.

2)  Heat the oven to 500'F.  I use a pizza stone when making pies, which should be heated in the oven as well before putting the dough on the stone.  You can also used a holed pizza pan for baking or even a regular baking tray.  Be aware that depending on how thick your dough is and what kind of baking tool you are using, you may need to pre-bake the crust some before putting on the toppings or the middle with never cook.  Making homemade pizza takes a bit of "trial and error".

3)  Form the pizza dough: coat your hands with a little flour and start working the dough by stretching it out little by little, turning the dough in the circle.  Once it starts to form a circle, place the dough over your hands, with your hands spread apart, and turn the dough in a circle, allowing gravity to use the downward force from the dough's weight to continue stretching the dough evenly.  Allow the dough to rest every so often if you find that it is stretching back to its original shape easily. 



Beautiful fresh mozzarella,
tomato, and basil



4)  Once the dough is formed, place it on your baking tool.  Top with a little sauce, the fresh garlic, then Pecorino cheese.  Follow these toppings with evenly distributed slices of tomato.  Next, place the fresh mozzarella slices in between the tomato slices, and top the pizza with the fresh basil (either as whole leaves, or torn into pieces).  Sprinkle salt and dried oregano across the entire pie.

Voila!: the perfect pizza

5)  Bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden, and the cheese is melted and bubbling.

6)  Cut the pizza into wedges or square slices with a large knife or pizza cutter.