Cooking recipes

This Green Pea Carbonara is a version of bacon and eggs, that traditional breakfast combination but combined with pureed peas and pasta makes it into a quick and delicous dinner and that is the aim of Breakfast for Dinner, by Lindsay Landis and Taylor Hackbarth.

Breakfast for Dinner contains more than 100 classic breakfast recipes made with a twist.  I love the look of those Sunny Side Up burgers featured on the cover,  and they are definitely on my list.

There are only three chapters in this book, you go straight into the Main Dishes after a page of introduction and a double page about ingredients called Getting Started. Many of the recipes also have variations listed as More to try.

Main Dishes includes: Steak Eggs Benedict, Italian Style Stuffed French Toast, Egg & Chorizo Burritos, Cornflake-Crusted Tenders, Huevos Rancheros Tacos, Green Pea Carbonara, Savoury Lentil and Carrot Stuffed Crepes, Polenta Cakes with Shitake Mushrooms, Pizza Over Easy and those gorgeous Sunny-Side-Up Burgers.

Sides and Starters includes: Maple-Glazed Pork Meatballs, Root Vegetable Latkes, Bacon Jam (I am definitely going to make this), Habanero-Cheddar Bread Pudding, Espresso Baked Beans, Mini Zucchini and Pesto Quiches and Bloody Mary Tomato Soup.

Drinks and Desserts includes: Maple Bacon Cupcakes, Mocha Ice Cream Pie with Biscotti Crust, Blood Orange Mimosa Sorbet, Frozen Sunrise Margaritas, Granola Cookies, Chocolate Brownie Waffles with Blackberry Sauce, Earl Grey Panna Cotta, Doughnut Fudge Sundaes and Mint Choc Chip Pancakes.

This is not an exhaustive list of the recipes just the ones that jumped out at me.

Who is it for? Most people would find something in this book that they enjoy, on the whole if you like cooking and eating comfort food, youll enjoy the recipes in Breakfast for Dinner.

Pros

• The book is clearly laid out with excellent photographs and there is almost every recipe. 
• There are some step-by-step photo tutorials e.g.  Perfectly Poached Eggs, How to Make Ravioli.
• Bacon does seem to feature quite prominently in this book but there are a number of excellent non-meat recipes too.
•  Although this book is originally published in the USA, there is an excellent Metric Conversion Chart at the back.
• Lindsay Landis and Taylor Hackbarth also have their own website/blog Love and Olive Oil

Cons

• There are some healthy recipes but on the whole, breakfasting like a King at dinner time is for treats rather than every day!
• Most of the main dishes and desserts appealed to me but not so sure about some of the sides and drinks, okay for entertaining but not something I would make regularly.

Green Pea Carbonara

Makes 4 servings
Time 40 minutes

1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 large egg*
2 large egg yolks
1 oz (1/4 cup) Parmesan cheese, grated plus more for serving
1/4 cup heavy (double) cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 oz pancetta or bacon, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound rigatoni (I used half this amount of pasta as I would normally allow 2oz per person)

1. In a blender or food processor, blend peas, egg, egg yolks, cheese and cream on high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds.  Add salt and pepper.




2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook pancetta until browned, 6 to 8 minutes (if using bacon, cook for slightly longer or until beginning to crisp then drain excess fat from pan). Add onions and cook until softened, another 5 minutes.
3. Cook pasta according to package direction until just tender and still firm to the bite.  Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.  Add pasta to skillet and toss with onions and pancetta for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, stir in pea mixture, working swiftly and vigorously so egg does not scramble.  If sauce is too thick, mix in reserved pasta water, a little at a time. Transfer to serving bowls and top with more Parmesan Cheese. Serve.



*Do note that the eggs in this recipe are not fully cooked; we recommend using farm-fresh eggs from a trusted source.  Or buy parteurised eggs if you are worried about bacteria.

I made this recipe on my return from the Marmalade Awards, it was quick and easy to make, tasted delicious and my mother-in-law commented that it was different!  She will generally eat whatever I put in front of her, I think it was a compliment, perhaps the colour was not what she was expecting.


Breakfast for Dinner
Lindsay Landis and Taylor Hackbarth
Published by Quirk Books, distributed in UK by PGUK
RRP: £12.99
Online bookstore: £8.96
Previously reviewed books by this author: The Cookie Dough Lovers Cookbook by Lindsay Landis

Jan at A Glug of Oil is running a giveaway, so if you fancy your chances of winning a copy of Breakfast for Dinner, hop over to her site and enter.

I received a copy of Breakfast for Dinner to review, I was not paid for this review and all opinions are my own.

A very delectable and classic no-fail roasted ham  with Smashed Potatoes N Carrots...

Servings: (12)
Prep: 10 Mins.
Roast Ham: 2 Hrs.
Let Ham Stand: 20 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

---Roasting Ham:
· 6 to 8 pounds fully-cooked boneless ham
· ¼ cup honey
· ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
· ½ teaspoon ground mustard

---Smashed Potatoes N Carrots
2 pounds peeled potatoes, cut into 1-1/2” cubes
2 pounds carrots, cut into 1" pieces
1-1/2 to 2 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter, at room temp
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste




METHOD

--Roasting Ham:
Place ham fat side up on rack in a shallow roasting pan. Score top and sides in a diagonal fashion to make diamond shapes on outer skin.  Roast, covered, for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix honey, mustard and ground cloves.  Remove ham from oven and brush with glaze, and continue roasting ‘uncovered’ 20 minutes longer.

Remove from oven, re-cover, and let stand about 10 minutes for juices to redistribute.

--Smashed Potatoes N Carrots:
[Begin making 40 minutes before Ham is scheduled to be served.]

Meanwhile, in a large pot, add potatoes and carrots with ½ teaspoon salt.  Cover vegetables about an inch over the top with water. Place a lid on pot and heat just to boiling, and then reduce to gently boil. Continue cooking 20 to 25 minutes until tender; drain thoroughly. Return drained potatoes and carrots to pot. Mash potatoes together with carrots until no lumps remain (or do so in separate bowls to fashion swirls, see above photo, splitting milk,butter, and salt and freshly ground pepper in each respective bowl). Blend in milk in small amounts to desired consistency. Add 3 tablespoons butter, and salt and ground pepper to taste. Mash a bit more until potatoes and carrots are light and fluffy (please don’t over do it or they will have a slimy in texture). - Serve with sliced ham and your other chosen side dishes. ~ Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember I kept back half the ham from my overspilling casserole?  Well, I made it into a pie.




I served it with  roast potatoes, carrots dressed with butter and honey.  I probably should have used either the parsley or the mustard rather than both as the flavours were fighting each other.  Otherwise, it was very delicious.