Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes

Are you guilty of buying cooking magazines in the check out line? It's hard to resist, isn't it? There you are standing in line and the magazines are glaring at you, tempting you with their pretty cover dishes. I'm convinced it's a form of torture. I used to be really bad about buying cooking magazines, collecting so many that I couldn't even go through them all. I seem to have a little more control lately, except when it comes those huge Taste of Home Editions. You know the ones I'm talking about? The magazine that is more like a book than a magazine. It's like a mega magazine with 240 recipes. Packed with mostly family style dishes, sweet treats, and breads, they are almost always worth buying.

Armed with my new mega magazine, I can hardly wait to get home and flip through it. This is serious business for me! A new cookbook or magazine is such a delight. An adventure that you can immerse yourself in for a short time. Settled on the couch with a notebook and pen, I'm in pig heaven (literally)!

I have a special weakness for breakfast/brunch recipes and these Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes were seriously calling my name! Even better, I had half a tub of mascarpone and some strawberries to use up. It was like it was meant to be.

Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes
Adapted from Best of Taste of Home 2010
Serves 8, can be halved
Batter:
3 eggs
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
5 teaspoons butter, melted (I think I used 5 tablespoons, oops!)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling:
1 cup (8 ounces) Mascarpone Cheese
2 tablespoons Confectioner's Sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries (sliced into bite-sized pieces)
Strawberry Topping:
2 cups slices fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice (I used lemon juice)
1 teaspoon strawberry or vanilla extract (I used vanilla extract)
Dash of Salt
To make crepes:
4 teaspoons butter, divided (I found I really didn't need any butter when using a nonstick skillet)

For the batter: In a blender, combine the batter ingredients, cover and process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Meanwhile, for filling: In a small bowl, combine the cheese, confectioner's sugar, basil and lemon juice. Gently fold in the strawberries. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the topping: In a small bowl, combine strawberries, sugar, orange juice, extract and salt. Let stand on counter for 30 minutes.

To make the Crepes: Melt 1 teaspoon butter in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat; pour about 1/4 cup batter into the center of the skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between (I used paper towels with good results)

Spoon filling over crepes; roll up. Serve with strawberry topping.

Notes/Results: These crepes were heavenly! Delicate, light, creamy and fruity. I really loved them and will most definitely be making them again. I really wish that I had been able to add the minced fresh basil to the filling, but I didn't have any basil on hand. I'm sure the basil is a wonderful addition. I had to laugh when I typed this recipe out. I realized that when making the batter for the crepes I had added 5 Tablespoons of melted butter instead of 5 teaspoons. No wonder the crepes were so good! The crepes are gorgeous when plated and would make a wonderful addition to any Spring Brunch Menu, perfect for Easter or Mother's Day.

Crepes Suzette with Kumquat-Butter Sauce and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream *Recipe #19 Page 208*

Friday night we went to a movie in Lexington and passed by Whole Foods on the way home. We ran in and I found all kinds of goodies, including the kumquats for this recipe. I have seen a kumquat before but have never ate one and was curious about them.
I decided to cook this recipe for breakfast today. Crepes are a breakfast food, right?

I started by making the crepe batter:

2 cups whole milk

2 eggs

1.5 cups all-purpose flour

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

pinch kosher salt

Place milk and eggs in a blender and blend. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, blending after each addition to ensure a smooth consistency. Add melted butter and salt; blend for 30 seconds until batter is smooth. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For Kumquat-Butter sauce: (I think Tyler collaberated with Paula Deen on this recipe) In a small saucepan, combine 2 sticks of unsalted butter, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice, 1/2 lemon-juice only, 1 cup sliced kumquats, 1 vanilla bean-split. Cook about 10 minutes, until it begins to carmelize. Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier. Place pan over heat and cook about 10 minutes more until sauce is reduced and syrupy. Set aside and keep warm.

Preheat oven to 350F. To cook crepes, dip a piece of paper towel in veg. oil and grease a small crepe pan or nonstick skillet. Ladle a small spoonful of batter into the pan. Move pan from side to side, so batter evenly cover the entire bottom. A good crepe should be paper thin. Cook over high heat; flip crepe when you see the edge turning golden brown. Remove crepe from pan and fold in half and then in half again, to form a triangle shape. Repeat with remaining batter. Line up crepes in a baking dish and spoon sauce over to just cover crepes. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until crepes are slightly crispy and brown around the edges and sauce is thick and syrupy. Serve with vanilla bean ice cream.

The recipe suggests that this dish takes only 50 minutes to make. I think it took a lot longer than that. I thought slicing the kumquats would be quick and easy, but they are little, hard to hold onto, and they also have seeds. I think this dish is worth making, but not really for entertaining or as dessert after dinner. There are a lot of steps and it takes quite awhile. You would not want to start this with guests over.

Overall, this dish was good, but almost too sweet. The crepes were swimming in the kumquat-butter sauce when they came out of the oven. I think that the dish would be better if you cut the recipe for the sauce in half and just drizzled it on top of the crepe before serving. This method would cut out most of the sweetness. I saved some crepe batter and sauce to try this method later. The crepe batter was a dream to work with. As far as I'm concerned, this is the ultimate batter for crepes!

Jacques Pépin's Crepes {Lovingly Known As Rolled Pancakes}

Crepes always bring a smile to my face.  They remind me of one of my favorite memories. Memories of sleepovers with my very best childhood friends. Unforgettable memories. Those late nights full of silliness and endless laughter and those lazy mornings spent sitting at the kitchen table.

In our pajamas with our hair a mess we hadn't a care in the world, well except for one thing. We cared about our "rolled pancakes."  My best friend Joy's mom and dad were famous for their rolled pancakes, otherwise known as crepes. They would stand over the stove flipping the pancakes. As soon as one would come off the pan someone would be holding their plate out to receive it. Butter, jam, syrup, and our very favorite, the cinnamon sugar, would line the table as fillings. Rolled pancakes would be devoured by the dozen. Smiles would be had by all. 

I would give anything to sit at that table again with all my best friends. Pj's, wild hair, messy faces and our biggest worry being whether or not we would get the next rolled pancake. Since the miles separate me from my sweet friends I go ahead and do the next best thing. I make an indulgent version of our old school rolled pancakes. I fill them with fresh strawberries and top them with a dollop of whipped cream, powdered sugar, and grated chocolate.  I take a bite and smile. In a few weeks I will be 40, but when I eat these crepes I feel like a kid again.

Crepes 

Adapted from Essential Pepin

by Jacques Pepin

Serves 4

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1-1/2 teaspoons canola oil

Fillings: Any jam or preserves, sugar, cinnamon/sugar, or chocolate. I made a strawberry filling using one pound of sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon of sugar. I allowed the mixture to sit for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the strawberries develop a little syrup of their own. Then I filled the crepes with the strawberries and garnished them with a dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of powdered sugar and grated chocolate.

Combine the flour, eggs, sugar, and 1/4 cup of the milk in a bowl and mix with a whisk until smooth.  (The mixture will be fairly thick.) Add the remaining 1/2 cup milk and the butter and mix until smooth.

Lightly grease the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch nonstick skillet with the canola oil and heat the pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add about 1/4 cup of the crepe batter and quickly tilt and move the skillet so the batter coats the entire bottom of the pan. (Work fast, or the batter will set before the bottom of the skillet is coated, and the crepe will be thicker than desired.) Cook for about 1 minute on the first side, then flip the crepe over using a fork, your fingers, or a spatula, and cook for about 30 seconds on the other side. Transfer the crepe to a plate,with the side that browned first down,so that when the crepes are filled and folded, this nicer side will be visible. Repeat with the remaining batter (there is no need to grease the skillet again), stacking the crepes.

To fill, spread each crepe with about 2 teaspoons jam or sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar or 2 teaspoons grated chocolate. Fold in half, enclosing the filling, then in half again. Eat immediately, while still warm. You can also roll them as I have.

Theme: "Reveille-toi" (Get Out Of Bed)

All of My Jacques Pépin Favorites!

In April I started on one of my favorite culinary adventures so far, cooking with the infamous Jacques Pépin! Prior to April, I was in a major cooking rut. I wanted to eat good food, but I hardly ever felt like cooking and nothing appealed to me. Taking pictures of food became my nemesis and worse yet, when I would sit down to write about food, no words would come.  

Then I ordered two Jacques Pépin cookbooks and when they arrived I found myself very intrigued with who Jacques really was and why he was so well-known and well-loved. I looked over the cookbooks several times and then started watching his Youtube videos. I became taken with his gentle ways and kind face. I also found myself rather addicted to those Youtube videos, watching one right after another. His passion and love for cooking was evident and I loved that about him. His passion relit the spark in me. I realized I had never really cooked French food and a whole new cuisine opened up before me. While Jacques' recipes cover a multitude of cuisines, I vowed then and there to cook as much French food as possible. 

I compiled a list of French recipes and set a goal to make as many of them as possible. Along the way there were times I wanted to take the easy route and make an easier, usually American, sort of dish. Sometimes I did, but more often than not, I would remember the delicious payoff in challenging myself with another one of Jacques classical French recipes. This reminder was usually all the encouragement I needed to stay on track.  

It was a wonderful six months cooking the recipes of Jacques Pépin. I've cooked with lots of chefs and made almost 1,000 recipes since I started food blogging six years ago, but these past few months cooking  Jacques Pépin's recipes have been some of my favorites. Jacques Pépin is a class act, the real deal, and a legend in his own time. His recipes are to be treasured. Much thanks to him for reigniting my passion and love of cooking.

MY TOP FAVORITE JACQUES PEPIN DISHES

 

My top favorite, number one, Jacques Pépin dish is this very delicious Egg and Onion Gratin. In fact, this is one of my favorite dishes I've ever made. It's a unique and fun option for breakfast lovers. Hard-boiled eggs baked in a cheesy, creamy, oniony sauce that gets all bubbly and browned under the broiler. Serve this over toast for an incredible breakfast!

Next in line, and only beating out Jacques Coquilles St. Jacques for it's family-pleasing qualities, is Pepin's Gratin Parmentier. As far as my family is concerned, this Gratin Parmentier is the most glorious way to put meat and potatoes on a plate. Beautifully seasoned roast beef and gravy topped fluffy and cheesy mashed potatoes. The ultimate comfort food!

Pepin's Coquilles St. Jacques is every bit as pleasing and delicious as his Gratin Parmentier. This is a beautiful dish of perfectly poached sea scallops served atop a rich and flavorful mushroom duxelle then topped with a heavenly and velvety Gruyere sauce. It is swoon-worthy and begs to be made often in my kitchen. A beautiful and romantic dish to entertain with or make for that special someone.

My mom and I are HUGE fans of crab cakes and these Crab Cakes In Red Sauce rate right up there at the very top of our list! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, perfectly seasoned with full on crab flavor and incredible with the tangy sauce. If you're going to splurge on top shelf crab meat this is the recipe for you!

For years I have tried to recreate the crepes I had as a child. None of the recipes held a candle to the ones I had as a girl with my friends, until I tried Jacques Pepin's Crepes. The batter is perfectly easy, doesn't require a blender or any chilling time, and produces the most beautifully light and perfectly golden crepes I've ever made (and I've tried a lot)! These crepes always make everyone feel special. Fill them with whatever you chose. Enjoy them for breakfast or dessert. Having them on hand always equals happiness.

I'm convinced Jacques Pepin's Chocolate Mousse is THE ULTIMATE DESSERT. Seriously, if you are a chocolate lover...it really doesn't get any better than this! While not easy, this is a dessert worth mastering. A luxurious dessert with a velvety mouth feel and rich chocolate flavor. It is divine in every sense of the word. We actually fought over it in my house. It was known as the Battle For Chocolate Mousse. I won.

These pretty little Shrimp Casseroles are dainty and feminine and perfect for a girls lunch. Buttery and garlicky with a crispy breadcrumb topping they really hit the spot. If you're like me, you will have a hard time remaining dainty and feminine while eating them. They almost beg to be inhaled!

Loved equally for their comforting and family-pleasing qualities are Pepin's Pasta and Ham Gratin, shown above and also Pepin's Penne Au Gratin, shown below. Pepin's Pasta and Ham Gratin is an easy one pot weeknight meal. Pasta, ham, peas, and a cheesy Gruyere cheese sauce come together in one very satisfying dish. If you find yourself without leftover ham go ahead and use bacon with similar results.

Pepin's Penne Au Gratin is a delicious and summery version of classic mac and cheese. I fed this to my inconsolable teenage daughter and it was like magic. By the time she was done eating a bowl her ranting and raving and fussing were over. Top secret...penne noodles in a smooth cheesy sauce with pretty chunks of summer ripe tomatoes topped with a crunchy topping of Parmesan cheese and paprika calm teenage frustrations. Score!

Jacques Pepin's Wonton Cannelloni is a purely fun fusion dish. Chinese wonton skins are filled with tradition Italian cheeses and baked in a seasoned tomato sauce with a bubbly cheese topping! An easy and unique weeknight dinner that is fun to make! 

I absolutely adored Pepin's Butter-Glazed Carrots. No one else in my household likes cooked carrots but I love them with a passion. Pepin's Butter-Glazed Carrots were easy, perfectly glazed, and perfectly seasoned. I made a big batch and snacked on them for days.

While I love carrots, the rest of my family loves peas and Pepin's Braised Peas with Egg Yolks was a major hit! Tender peas in a thick egg yolk and cream sauce is a hearty and satisfying side dish to nearly any meal.

Pepin's Eggs Jeanette had been on my to-make list for years and is just a fun and unique way to serve eggs. Eggs are hard boiled; yolks removed, seasoned, and returned; then put face down in an oiled pan to and cooked to create a crispy coating on the yolk. The eggs are then served on a bed of spinach and drizzled with a creamy egg yolk vinaigrette that is zesty and tangy and perfect in every way.

These Croutons with Creamy Red Pepper Dip are a true testament to Jacques Pepin's recipes. I chose this recipe out of necessity to participate in the Mystery Box Madness challenge. I needed a recipe with at least 3 of our 10 mystery ingredients and this was the only one I could find. Red pepper, cottage cheese, cream cheese, dill, and lemon juice sounded a little strange together at first. But, I'd learn to put my trust in Jacques' recipes and decided to go with it. In the process I discovered a gem of a recipe. A pretty and creamy dip that highlights the wonderful flavor of red pepper without being very cheesy at all. This is a light dip that would be great to serve at a party and I can guarantee it would please even the pickiest eater. Serve it with croutons, veggies, or crackers.  Watch your guests eat it with gusto.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't share an ode to Gruyere cheese. Thank you to Jacques Pepin for introducing me to the most wonderful cheese on the planet. Gruyere cheese is simply the stuff of dreams. I love it's robust flavor and melting ability. It's my favorite cheese by far! I've used it in nearly every recipe in this roundup and buy it weekly. It's worth the splurge, even at $24.99/lb!

Au Revoir Chef Pepin {Until We Meet Again - Much Love}

Top Ten Most Viewed Recipes at Stirring the Pot!

In January of 2025, my blog turned 16 years old! Over the years I've written 1,214 posts and made at least 1220 or so recipes. Recently, I've been looking at my stats to see what recipes have been viewed the most and thought it would be fun to do a roundup of the TOP TEN MOST VIEWED RECIPES ON MY SITE. 

Once I compiled the list I studied the results and came up with some observations. One, all these recipes use normal, everyday ingredients. Two, there were also somewhat budget-friendly. Three, they all make the most of simple ingredients. Each one of these recipes can be made by anyone. Some may take a little time, but all are very approachable.

So here we are...16 years, 1214 posts, and 1225 recipes later. THE TOP TEN MOST VIEWED RECIPES of all time here at Stirring the Pot. Please click on the recipe title to be directed back to the original post.

Ina Garten's Roasted Sausages, Peppers, & Onions

The NUMBER ONE MOST VIEWED recipe of all time, here at Stirring the Pot is Ina Garten's Roasted Sausages, Peppers, & Onions. Funny enough, sausage with peppers and onions has always been one of my favorite dishes to eat. It seems like it's also a big favorite with others. Ina's version is the best around and perfect for weeknights as everything roasts right on two sheet pans in the oven. Easy to put together and easy clean up makes this dish a winner. Full of flavor and oh so delicious. 

Yotam Ottolenghi's Falafel with Spiced Chickpeas and Fresh Vegetable Salad

This recipe for Ottolenghi's Falafel comes in at the NUMBER TWO MOST VIEWED recipe here on Stirring the Pot and although it is time consuming to make, it is quite delicious! Ottolenghi has a knack for creating dishes with the most wonderful flavors and textures. This dish is no exception: crispy falafel with fluffy pita break and crunchy fresh vegetables...it's hard to go wrong here.

Jamie Oliver's Nasi Goreng

 

I remember making this dish one day back in 2016. I didn't have much to eat, but I just happened to have the ingredients for Jamie Oliver's Nasi Goreng and I threw this together on a whim. Who knew it would be the THIRD MOST VIEWED recipe on my blog? This is a delicious combination of basmati rice with onions, garlic, ginger, chiles, snap peas, hot sauce, and soy sauce all topped with a crispy bubbly frie degg, drizzled with more hot sauce and garnished with quick pickles. If that doesn't wake you up first thing in the morning then I don't know what will! 

Meeting Giada De Laurentiis and her Chocolate Rice Pudding

 

Way back in 2010, I had the opportunity to meet Giada De Laurentiis, watch her do a live cooking demo, and have her sign my copy of Giada's Family Dinners. I shared my experience, as well as the photos, and since Giada loves chocolate, I made her Chocolate Rice Pudding. The Chocolate Rice Pudding is a good dessert, but I think the views are there to see the pictures and stories Giada shared. This was certainly a big highlight in my life with food. Such fun!

 

Jamie Oliver's Ground Beef Wellington

 

At first I was surprised to see Jamie Oliver make the top ten list twice, but the more I looked at the list of most viewed dishes, the more I noticed the recipes were all economical, ingredients that people were likely to have on hand. If you notice, many of these recipes are extremely affordable and downright budget-friendly. But we've arrived at the NUMBER FIVE MOST VIEWED recipe and we have Ground Beef Wellington! This recipe is so simple and delicious, ground beef with veggies and seasonings placed into two sheets of puff pastry, rolled, and baked. Its so easy that almost anyone can do it and the presentation is great! It elevates ground beef in a way that makes it feel so special and yet it's easy enough to do on a weeknight!  

Jacques Pepin's Crepes filled with Strawberries and Topped with Cream

 

When I was a kid, my friend's parents would make all us girls crepes for breakfast after every sleepover. It is such a core memory and I'm so happy that Pepin's crepes are the SIXTH MOST VIEWED recipe on my site! It just makes my heart happy. These crepes are delicious and you can fill them with sweet or savory fillings. This is definitely a recipe that everyone should try!

Ina Garten's Kielbasa with Mustard Dip

In the heart of the pandemic, Ina Garten released her cookbook, Modern Comfort Food, and it was certainly a bright spot during a difficult time. One of the first recipes I made from the book were her Kielbasa Bites with Mustard Dip and it was a big hit! I am so glad this recipe is the SEVENTH MOST VIEWED recipe on my site. It is so quick and delicious! Simply cut up some kielbasa, fry it until crisp and then dunk it in a mustard dip made with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, and horseradish. So many times people go out of the way to make really expensive appetizers and this one is so economical and people can't get enough of it!

Madhur Jaffrey's Butter Chicken

I think everyone loves a saucy chicken over rice dish, and it turns out Madhur Jaffrey's Butter Chicken is my EIGHTH MOST VIEWED recipe of all time. Chunks of chicken breast in a creamy sauce made with tomato puree, garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili, cayenne, coriander, lemon juice, and cumin make for one comforting and quite beautiful meal.  

Ina Garten's Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp

 

Fitting my theory, Ina Garten's Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp uses ingredients that most people have on hand. Ingredients that don't break the bank: apples, citrus zest, sugar, cinnamon, flour, oatmeal, and butter. Put those simple ingredients together and you have the old-fashioned quintessential American dessert, or the NINTH MOST VIEWED recipe on my site, apple crisp. This one is delicious with loads of buttery crispy topping. Perfect on it's own, but also great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or even yogurt.  

Ina Garten's Engagement Roast Chicken

The TENTH MOST VIEWED recipe on my site belongs to Ina Garten with her Engagement Roast Chicken and truly, this is THE BEST ROAST CHICKEN! The skin turns out perfectly golden brown, the chicken is moist and it is sitting on the most flavorful and delicious bed of roasted and buttery onions that become all caramelized. If you wanna make a killer roast chicken, try this recipe!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February IHCC Potluck!

photo credit

Honey Lavender Gelato

This time next week I will be in my hometown getting ready to attend my 15 year high school reunion. My friends and I have been to the 5 and 10 year reunion and had a blast. But this time is different. Now we all have been married for years, have several children and signs of aging are starting to show. We aren't in our twenties anymore! We grew up a little bit. In the past five years I have changed alot. I had back surgery and a second child, both contributing to my 25 pound weight gain, over half of my hair turned gray, and now I've started noticing laugh lines. I noticed that I started to feel silly walking into youthful trendy shops in the mall. Maybe it was because my two kids were acting up or screaming and drawing attention.

My big point is that somewhere in my early thirties I felt a little bit of my youth slipping away. I think this is what my friends are feeling and it makes them nervous about going to the reunion. However, the same thing is happening to everyone our age. Everyone attending that reunion is going to be nervous about something. No one is going to look like they did 15 years ago.


As I was making this ice cream I was thinking to myself, "do I really need to be eating this now". My answer is.....yes, I do!! This ice cream is in celebration of the reunion next weekend. Sometimes we have to own up to who we are and celebrate it. Maybe you've gained weight, gone gray, lost your hair, and have laugh lines. It happens to all of us at one point or another....so celebrate it and enjoy!!


I chose this gelato recipe because it is different and unique. I also love honey! It is surprisingly rich and decadent. In fact, it is so rich and decadent that you can only eat a small amount. The gelato turns out a beautiful honey color and has a definite honey flavor to it. You must love honey to eat this ice cream. I think it would be great with crepes, waffles, french toast, pancakes....you get the idea, right : )

HONEY LAVENDAR GELATO

• 2 cups of heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon of lavender (wrapped in cheesecloth or a tea ball)
• 1 cup of local honey
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 12 egg yolks
• 2 cups of cold heavy cream

Add first 2 cups of heavy cream and lavender (wrapped in cheesecloth or tea ball) to a medium sized saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for just a minute and remove from heat. Whisk the honey, sugar and egg yolks together until they are pale yellow. Do not let the honey, sugar, and egg yolks mixture set for too long. The sugar will start to cook the egg yolks. Add the warm cream to the egg yolk misture and whisk. Place back over low heat and stir until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the cold cream. Chill this mixture until completely cool. Place in your ice cream maker aand spin until it's smooth and set. In my machine it took about 30 minutes.

This recipe makes a ton of gelato. I cut the recipe in half and still had more than enough.

Enjoy!!

Eggs in Baked Potatoes

This week's popsicle didn't quite work out, so I am bringing you Eggs in Baked Potatoes! They were delicious and fun and can be easily customized to suit your taste. The recipe comes from a book I bought a couple years ago, The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt.

If you are a big time breakfast or brunch person, then you will love this book. It is packed with over 300 pages of breakfast ideas with chapters on Breakfast Beverages; Egg Cookery; Omelets; Frittatas; Quiches; Stratas; Breakfast Casseroles; Breakfast Sandwiches; Skillet Entrees; French Toast; Pancakes; Crepes and Blintzes; Waffles; Meats; Potatoes; Grains and Cereals; Breakfast Breads and Cakes; and Breakfast Fruits. The book does not have any pictures and does have some basic recipes, but it also has some terrific ideas such as these Eggs in Baked Potatoes. As I mentioned, I bought the book from Williams Sonoma a couple of years ago and they no longer carry it. It is available on Amazon, ranging from $4 for a used copy, up to $13 for a brand new copy. I do recommend it for anyone who enjoys breakfast recipes.

Eggs in Baked Potatoes
Adapted from The Big Book of Breakfast
Serves 4
4 extra large russet potatoes (about 4 pounds), scrubbed and pierced in several places with the tip of a sharp knife
4 teaspoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 large eggs
Preheat oven to 375F. Bake potatoes until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. Slash potatoes lengthwise and press the edges to open. (Don't split the potatoes in half). To each potato, add 1 teaspoon butter, 1 tablespoon sour cream, 1 tablespoon cheese, and salt and pepper to taste, and mix with a fork. Make an indentation in the center of each potato and break an egg into each one. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Place in a lightly sprayed or oiled baking dish, return to oven, and bake until egg is set, 15 - 18 minutes.

Notes/Results: I absolutely love how customizable this recipe is! The Stirring the Pot kitchen is on a diet and we really lightened these up. I didn't want the calories from the butter and sour cream so I lightened up the recipe using a medium salsa in their place. Neither me or my husband care for a runny egg yolk, so I baked them almost 30 minutes and then garnished them with a little cheese, more salsa, chives, and some diced jalapeno. A perfectly healthy, yet absolutely delicious and filling breakfast. We will definitely be making these again and trying all kinds of versions. NOTE: If you happen to make these, be sure to either oil your baking sheet very well OR lay down some aluminum foil. A little bit of the egg runs down onto the baking sheet and can be very hard to get clean.

How would you customize your egg in baked potato? Bacon? Cream? Sausage? Veggies? I'd love to hear your ideas!

Michael Symon's Spicy Stuffed Peppers and Tour of Lexington Farmer's Market

My first Michael Symon recipe is inspired from a recent trip to the Lexington Farmer's Market.

Homegrown local banana peppers. Kentucky Proud Vito's Sausage, Robust (spicy) version. A little of Mom's homemade Tomato sauce, made with tomatoes grown in the backyard and you're all set!! A perfectly tasty and local appetizer or lunch!

Spicy Stuffed Peppers
Adapted from Michael Symon's Live to Cook
Serves 4-8
8 Hungarian hot peppers
1-1/2 pounds Pork Sausage or Italian Sausage
2 cups Yia Yia's Sunday sauce or jarred tomato sauce
8 fresh basil leaves (I left these out as they were already in mom's tomato sauce)

Preheat the oven to 375F. Light coals in a charcoal grill for a medium-hot fire. Butter an 8x11 inch baking dish.

Cut the tops off of the peppers and spoon out any seeds. Divide the sausage into 8 equal portions and spoon it into the peppers to fill them. (I decided to cut my peppers in half horizontally for presentation).

Pour the sauce into the prepared baking dish.

Grill the peppers to char them on the outside, about 2 minutes per side. Remove them from the grill and lay the peppers on top of the sauce. Bake for 10 minutes or until the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 150F. Divide among plates, spoon some tomato sauce on top, and garnish each with a basil leaf.

Notes/Results: My husband and I had a version of these while on our trip up to Ohio and we wanted to recreate them at home. We had them as a light lunch after our trip to the Farmer's Market and we really loved them. I chose to grill the peppers inside on my grill pan and it worked well. I also chose to halve the peppers horizontally for presentation. This has been one of our favorite recipes in the past couple of weeks and we will be having them often, especially with the peppers and sausage from the Farmer's Market!

Here is a quick tour of the Lexington Farmer's Market(my favorite place to be on a Saturday morning)!

View from the parking garage.

New Pavillion that was built this past year, complete with ceiling fans. The shade from the pavillion and breeze from the fans is so wonderful on a hot morning.

This year at the Farmer's Market there are a lot of new food vendors and this vendor, Hard Wood Pizza Company, selling wood-fired pizzas is my absolute favorite! My Mom and I go absolutely ga-ga over their pizzas. They feature fresh ingredients sourced directly from the Farmer's Market and the menu changes weekly. We loved their Greek pizza with feta cheese, but we love their Vito's sausage pizza just a little bit more;-)

One of the best pizzas I've ever had. Crispy thin crust, perfectly flavored pizza sauce, lots of cheesy goodness and delicious homemade sausage. We can't get enough of it!

My mom likes this booth, the Cookin' Up Kentucky booth. They have some delicious breakfast and lunch dishes every week. Cookin' Up Kentucky's booth specializes in not only local food but also southern food. You'll find lots of fried green tomatoes at this booth! You can always count on that!

On this particular day, they were serving up burgers with fried green tomatoes and aged cheddar. Sounds like a great idea to me!!

Another new vendor is Le Petit Creperie. They make the crepes to order and the line becomes quite long, but it's worth it. They have both sweet and savory options.

My favorite filling is the Dad's Favorite Swiss Cheese Spread (much like pimento cheese) with tomato and spinach. Absolute cheesy heaven!

I buy a lot of my beef from Triple J, located right in my hometown city, Georgetown, KY. I like that I can talk to the owners and order specialty cuts like bone-in ribeye and tri tip. I like it even better to know where my beef is coming from.

See all those lovely boxes that say Georgia Peaches??? Gotta love those fresh, ripe and juicy peaches that they truck in from Georgia.

The intoxicating smell of peaches strikes you when you're walking through the market. I can never resist them!

San Marzano tomatoes in Kentucky? Can it be so?

I'm submitting this post to Two for Tuesday Blog Hop Carnival, hosted by one of my pals, girlichef.