Hearty Breakfast Skillet

Oh man, this was the best breakfast EVER. Says the husband as I type this, "This was the best skillet I've ever had." I mean, you can't beat that kind of feedback, right? It was a blast, because we made it together - Joef taking charge of the bacon and veggie-chopping, me watching the potatoes, eggs, and putting it all together.

We both agreed that, considering all the different elements involved, it wasn't too much mess, either; and certainly, not difficult, especially with a cup of coffee in hand. I almost always order a skillet if it's on the menu - so why not make 'em at home?

Here's all you need (this would serve four if you added two more eggs - we had copious leftovers):

1 lb (or so) potatoes, cubed - we used these tiny little round guys, about the size of a bird egg, that came in a mix of purple, Yukon gold, and red! 

Butter

1/2 white onion

4-5 Thai green chiles

2-3 smallish bell peppers - we had purple, green, and yellow heirlooms, which were awesome - but you could substitute bells 

Rosemary, pepper, and salt for seasoning

1/2 lb bacon

1/2 large (green heirloom) tomato

Sharp cheddar cheese (Wisconsin, of course), shredded

2 eggs, over easy

Start by boiling the potatoes until they've softened, but still retain some firmness. In the meantime, you can chop the veggies and cook the bacon (here's where it's nice to have a helper!). When your ingredients are prepped, generously grease a large pan with some butter, and add the onions and chiles. Cook them on medium-high heat until the onions start to soften, adding a couple spoonfuls of bacon grease (oh yeah) from the bacon that's cooking. Add your peppers and let them saute and soften a bit as well. Add a few torn rosemary leaves, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir from time to time. Stir in the potatoes. A couple more spoonfuls of bacon grease sure doesn't hurt.

Cook until the potatoes and onions start to brown a little. Add in the bacon. Add the tomato at the very end. Remove from heat, then top with cheddar and a fried egg over-easy. Enjoy the glory of a full-on food coma!

Pappardelle with Veal Ragu

(adapted from the Chicago Tribune)

I was home a few weekends back for my best friend's wedding (hooray, Ali and Patrick!!), and Joef and I were lucky enough to enjoy a homemade meal with my parents while we were at it. My dad made something new for us - a recipe out of the Chicago Tribune newspaper. An unlikely source, admittedly - and it just goes to show that you shouldn't rule anything out, because this is fantastic. It's perfect for fall weekend evenings, when you have a little time and feel like filling your home with delicious aromas. And when it's time to eat, that's even better.

So this does have a slightly longer cooking time than most of my recipes. It's worth it, though. Joef scarfed it down both at my parents' house, and when we made it at home a week later. (So did I.) The veal makes it a little more delicate than beef (which you could use, if you wanted...ohhhh, or lamb...), but it's still very hearty. And even though it has a longer cooking time, it's mostly a prep-and-wait kind of thing - not too much to do once you've put it on the stove.

For six servings:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 carrots, finely sliced (or equivalent in baby carrots - 10 or so)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, halved and finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound pancetta, thickly sliced, and then diced
1 lb veal shoulder, cut into bite-size pieces (I actually could only find pre-chopped veal stew, which worked fine. I still cut the cubes into even smaller pieces - halved them, in most cases.)
1 cup dry red wine
1 28 oz can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 sprig rosemary (or equivalent dried)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I added another 1/2 tsp or so habanero flakes)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 lb pappardelle
Freshly grated parmesan

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic, along with salt and pepper, and cook until softened. Set aside (you could also just leave it all in the pot and be fine). Add 2 more tbsp of the olive oil and add the pancetta, and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown. Add the veal and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the wine and cook, stirring, for about a minute before adding the reserved onions/carrots/celery/garlic, then the tomatoes, broth, rosemary, and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil, crushing the whole tomatoes with a wooden spoon against the sides of the pot. Reduce the heat to low.

Simmer, stirring every now and then, for about 1 1/4 hours. Add the balsamic and taste for seasoning.

Cook your pasta and drain. When it's done, combine with the sauce and toss to coat. Serve with grated parmesan and enjoy!