Food: The Best Egg Sandwich Ever

Hi you guys! Lauren here, with the BEST egg sandwich you'll ever eat (seriously). I'll pre-apologize to any vegetarians out there, because the key ingredient here is bacon. Specifically, bacon jam... We recently came across this magical substance when eating lunch at one of our favorite neighborhood cafes, and my husband didn't waste any time trying to make it himself at home. 

It's nothing short of delicious and a serious upgrade to the regular old egg sandwich. I mean, what's not to love about bacon--in jam form--on an egg sandwich after all? It's surprisingly simple to make (promise!), so keep reading for the recipe... 

First things first, you chop up the bacon and cook it. Then you're going to cook it down with onions, garlic, brown sugar, maple syrup, balsamic and grainy mustard. It's eventually going to turn into a jam as it slowly cooks...  

Bacon Jam Ingredients

1 12-ounce package of center-cut bacon, diced

1 cup sliced onions, half red and half white

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon bacon grease from cooking (discard the rest)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1/4 cup chicken stock, plus 1 tablespoon

Bacon Jam Instructions

1. Cook bacon over medium-low heat, until cooked but not crispy. Discard the bacon grease, but reserve 1 tablespoon of it.

2. Back in the pan, cook onion and garlic in the reserved bacon grease until softened. Add brown sugar and coat the onions.

3. Add maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, mustard and chicken broth. Fold in the bacon and simmer until reduced, about 5 minutes. After thickened and jammy, add the extra tablespoon of chicken stock to thin it back out just a bit.

4. Transfer the bacon jam mixture to a food processor and pulse, just until your desired jam consistency. Store in an airtight jar or container, in the refrigerator, until ready to use.

Egg Sandwich Ingredients

Bacon jam

1 slice of miche (large round loaf of French sourdough bread), toasted

2 slices of gruyere 

1 kale leaf, torn and sauteed until crispy

1 fried egg

Egg Sandwich Instructions

1. Spread bacon jam on toast.

2. Top with gruyere slices, kale and fried egg.

3. Close your eyes and take a big, delicious bite! 

-post & photos by lauren craig

Read More

Food: Spring Tarts

I love the official start of Spring was a couple days ago, but I'm usually ready much earlier, like around March 1st--how about you? Lauren here, and today I'm back with a recipe that looks and tastes like spring. Light and flaky pastry dough, lemon- and thyme-flavored ricotta, asparagus, peas, and mint all come together (quite quickly) to make pretty tarts.

 I know this recipe has me eager to plan a girls' brunch or lunch soon, and I hope you'll be adding it to your to-make list too. Keep reading for the details! 

These asparagus and pea tarts are made easy with store-bought puff pastry (from the frozen section) and made delicious with creamy ricotta, fresh herbs, and generous amounts of lemon zest. I love the flavor of lemon paired with spring vegetables, but you can always scale back on the zest a bit if you prefer.

There's really not much to it...just a bit of layering of this and that, and baking in between. I love a recipe that yields impressive-looking results but isn't complicated to whip up, and this one falls right into that bucket. 

Ingredients

1 sheet of store-bought puff pastry, thawed

A handful of thin asparagus, chopped into 2-3-inch long pieces with stems

3/4 cup ricotta

4 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed from stems

Juice of half a lemon

Zest of one lemon

Salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Olive oil and white balsamic vinegar

About 10 mint leaves

Fresh parmesan, grated

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray. Place the pastry sheet onto the parchment and cut into 4 squares. Score a 1-inch border around the edge of each square and prick once in the middle with a fork.

3. Mix the ricotta with lemon juice, half the zest, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly inside the border of each square. Note that you may not use it all. Top each square with a few pieces of asparagus on the diagonal. Sprinkle with remaining lemon zest and season with freshly ground pepper. 

4. Brush the borders of each tart with the beaten egg, then bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

5. Place peas in a small bowl and drizzle with olive oil and white balsamic; toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Top the cooked tarts with the peas, then finish with mint leaves, a bit of grated Parmesan, and additional lemon zest if desired. 

-Recipe & images by Lauren Craig

Read More

FOOD: Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Lauren here today, with a crowd-pleasing appetizer for your next get together. Think of this as the healthier sister to the P.F. Chang's version that everyone loves. 

Yes, there are a gazillion copycat recipes of this app floating around, but my take is a little different and still full of plenty of flavor. The best part is how easy it is--the perfect kind of dish to serve up at a party and let your guests help themselves. Keep reading for the recipe!
 

Let's start with the ingredients. Most recipes call for ground chicken, which happens to include dark meat. Instead, cook a few chicken breasts to shred so you get the lean, white meat only.

 Shredded carrots and radicchio are an easy way to sneak in some extra nutrients and balance each other out (sweet and bitter). The dressing is where it's all at, though. Dijon mustard and minced ginger pack a lot of flavor, and using light soy sauce cuts out some of the extra salt.

To serve, Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves work best as they're naturally curled into the perfect-sized cups. Set out fresh bean sprouts for a low-cal crunchy topping, as well as chopped chives and toasted sesame seeds. 

For the dressing:

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

For the filling:

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 small radicchio, shredded 

2 carrots, shredded with a box grater

For serving:

Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves

Fresh bean sprouts, toasted sesame seeds, and chopped chives for garnish

Sriracha for added heat

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine first five ingredients. Whisk in the vegetable and sesame oil.

2. In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken, radicchio and carrot. Add the dressing slowly, tossing to combine. You may not need all of it. 

3. To serve, spoon chicken mixture into the lettuce leaves. Top with bean sprouts, chives and toasted sesame seeds. 

-Recipes & images by Lauren Craig

Read More

Food: Baked With Love

Happy Valentine's Day! Lauren here, and I love this month since it's all about sweet treats & little love notes, celebrating our significant others and also our girlfriends. I usually package up these heart cookies around Valentine's Day, but this year I was inspired to use my mom's sugar cookie recipe to create something new. 

Inspired by Jen's LOVE prints and colorful paintings, these painted LOVE cookies send a sweet message to their lucky recipients. I am not a gifted baker, so I promise they're incredibly easy too...they'd even be fun to make with kids! Keep reading for the rundown...

Whoops: I had a little kitchen accident and dropped one of my Anthropologie bowls, filled with flour, all over the floor. So I made the most of my mess and just photographed my ingredients right where it landed! My favorite part of these sugar cookies is the lemon...the lemon rind and juice add a subtle citrus flavor that really kicks them up a notch. 
 

I ordered this set of alphabet cookie cutters to create my L-O-V-E. Another fun option would be to use X-O-X-O.
 

For the dough:
 

1 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

As you can see, things may get a little bit messy, but that's okay! It's time to let your inner artist come through and not worry about making these perfect. Experiment with layering different colors on the paintbrush and trying different.

brush strokes. I used the edge of a sponge paintbrush we had on hand, but I'd actually recommend using a smaller art paintbrush. Just make sure it's brand new and hasn't been previously used with real paint. 

For the icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

Food coloring

Paintbrush

The final touch: See-through boxes that ensure your painted cookies are perfectly packed for gifting to loved ones at Valentine's Day. 

Makes about 3 dozen.

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, lemon rind, then lemon juice. Add flour, soda and salt; mix until blended.

2. Divide dough; wrap each half in plastic wrap and pat into a disc. Refrigerate several hours until firm.

3. On a floured surface, roll one disc about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with letter-shaped cutters (ex. LOVE or XOXO).

4. Transfer to a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until barely browned. Cool on wire racks and repeat with remaining dough. 

5. To decorate, stir 1 tablespoon of cream into 1 cup of powdered sugar. Divide among small bowls and use food coloring to make intense shades.

6. Use a paint brush to paint the cookies with the icing, adding a little extra cream into the icing if needed to make it thinner. Wipe the paintbrush off in between, or even let a little color remain on the brush to overlap shades. Go back over each cookie with extra brush strokes.

7. Make sure you let the icing fully dry on each cookie, then stack into boxes.

-Recipe & images by Lauren Craig

Read More

Food: Winter Citrus Salad

With gray skies and snow on the ground, I start to find myself in a slump this time of year…anyone else? Lauren here, and today I’m excited to share a recipe to cure your winter blues. 

This salad is pretty much like sunshine on a plate: refreshingly bright and colorful, and packed with good-for-you citrus that's plentiful at the market right now. Serve it alongside grilled fish and veggies for dinner or as part of your next brunch spread—it really works any time of day! Keep reading for the super simple recipe…

For the salad:

1 ruby red grapefruit

1 blood orange

1 cara cara orange (or navel orange)

1 clementine

1 meyer lemon

Handful of unsalted, shelled pistachios, finely chopped

Handful of dried currants

A couple leaves of fresh mint, cut into very thin strips 

Lime zest

 

For the dressing:

1 teaspoon good maple syrup

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Juice from half a Meyer lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Cut off the ends, then remove the peels and as much membrane as possible from all the citrus. Cut each into thin rounds and layer on a plate. 

2. Sprinkle pistachios, currants, mint and lime zest on top. 

3. Combine maple syrup, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and Meyer lemon juice. Slowly whisk in olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Drizzle a small amount of the dressing over the salad.

-Recipe and images by Lauren Craig

Read More

Food: Christmas Morning Casserole

What are your Christmas morning traditions? Lauren here, and one of our traditions is this brunch casserole that my mom makes every year. In addition to being downright delicious, it's also perfectly festive thanks to spinach and roasted red peppers. 

If you don't have a favorite breakfast for Christmas morning, I hope you'll give our casserole a try this year. Of course, it's a good dish to serve guests on non-holiday days, too. Keep reading for the recipe, and happy holidays!

I used pre-sliced mushrooms (just chop them a bit smaller) and pre-shredded Parmesan and Provolone cheeses to save time, but you can slice mushrooms and grate your own cheese from a block if you prefer. 

I love the flavor the basil and roasted red pepper add to this dish. If you don't have a gas stovetop, you can just roast your pepper in the oven.

It's all about the layers: sausage, onion, peppers, spinach...then egg and cheese!

Ingredients:

-1 lb. hot bulk sausage

-1 cup sliced mushrooms

-1 cup chopped onion

-1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and chopped

-1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

-1 cup flour

-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

-1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

-1 tsp. basil leaves

-8 eggs

-2 cups milk

-2 cups grated Provolone cheese, divided

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish.

2) Brown, crumble and drain sausage in large skillet. Add onions and mushrooms and cook until onions become semi-soft.

3) Arrange sausage mixture in greased baking dish. Sprinkle half of the chopped pepper over sausage; top with all the spinach. Sprinkle one cup of Provolone cheese on top.

4) In a large bowl, combine flour, Parmesan cheese, salt and basil. In another bowl, combine eggs and milk; beat until smooth. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, beat until well blended. Pour over spinach.

5) Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until knife inserted into the casserole center comes out clean. Sprinkle with remaining red pepper and Provolone cheese. Return to the oven for two additional minutes just to melt the cheese.

6) Let stand five minutes. Cut into squares--serves 8-10.

-post & images by Lauren Craig

Read More

Food: Holiday Milk Punch

Are you hosting a holiday party or dinner this winter? Lauren here, and today I'm sharing a special family recipe for your guests to sip on. This festive drink couldn't be more simple to prepare--read on for a little history and the perfect milk punch recipe!

Growing up, my mom's side of the family always came together in Texas at the holidays. Our family is large and our gatherings were always filled with lots of love, tons of laughter, and of course, an abundance of food. 

Like every family, we had our traditional dishes that were made every year, but when I got older, my Aunt Kristina's milk punch became a favorite treat after dinner. 

Milk punch is an old drink that's common in New Orleans and also a holiday tradition throughout the Deep South. Other recipes I've run across include powdered sugar or vanilla extract, but let's be honest, I haven't tried them because I think my Aunt's recipe is simply the best. 

And sorry, no skim milk or soy milk substitutions--it just wouldn't be the same! 

Ingredients

-4 cups vanilla bean ice cream 

-1 cup whole milk

-1/2 cup bourbon

-1/4 cup white rum

-1/4 cup dry brandy

-nutmeg

Instructions

Blend first five ingredients for 5-10 seconds. Pour into stainless steel pitcher or chilled bowl to keep cold. Serve in chilled glasses and top each with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

*Note: Recipe yields 6 punch cups. Make 2-3 batches for a party and reserve extra in the freezer. 

-post & images by Lauren Craig

Read More

Food: Pizza Soup

Hi MBG readers! Lauren from Perpetually Chic dropping in today. With fall in full force and temperatures starting to drop as we head into the next season, there's nothing more comforting than a warm bowl of hearty soup.

This recipe is hard not to like, easy as can be and healthier than calling for pizza in a pinch. Have you made pizza soup before? I'd love to hear, and keep reading for my version! 

Ingredients: 

• 2 links Italian sausage
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 28 ounces of peeled, diced tomatoes
• 1.5 cups marinara sauce
• 28 ounces chicken broth
• 2 cups zucchini, sliced
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 30 slices of turkey pepperoni (the turkey kind has 70% less fat)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives

Instructions:

1. Remove sausage from casing and crumble. Discard casing. 
2. Place sausage in large pot over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown. Remove sausage from pot and set aside. 
3. Add mushrooms and onions, saute until onions are tender. 
4. Add cooked sausage, tomatoes, marinara sauce, chicken broth, zucchini and bell pepper. Stir and return mixture to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 6-8 minutes or until veggies are crisp but tender.
6. Add pepperoni and simmer one minute more. 
7. Pour into bowls, sprinkle with mozzarella and garnish with black olives if desired. 

-post & images by Lauren Craig

Read More

Food: Thanksgiving Ravioli Bolognese

Happy Thanksgiving, MBG readers! Lauren here, and today I have an alternative holiday meal idea for you. Maybe you can't make it home to be with your family, or maybe your family just wants to mix things up from the traditional standbys. 

Either way, I think you're going to love this little Thanksgiving-inspired creation, which combines all those traditional flavors we love into one truly yummy dish... 
 

There are a few pots and pans involved, but wonton wrappers make the ravioli a cinch to whip up and altogether it takes far less time than a turkey would. Keep reading for the recipe, and I hope you enjoy!
 

Sweet Potato & Sage Ravioli Ingredients

-1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

-5 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

-1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 rounds

-1/3 cup goat cheese (about 2-3 ounces)

-Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg

-Salt and freshly ground pepper

-About 40 wonton wrappers (makes 20 ravioli)

-2 egg whites, beaten

Turkey Cranberry Bolognese Ingredients

-1 pound lean ground turkey (I used 93%--99% gets too dry)

-1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

-2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

-2 cans diced tomatoes with their juice

-1/4 cup water

-Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg

-Salt and freshly ground pepper

-2 cups fresh cranberries

-1 cup of sugar

-2 tablespoons water

-Fresh parsley to serve

-Fresh parmesan, grated, to serve

Instructions

1) Puncture each sweet potato round with a fork, then place slices in a large ceramic bowl. Microwave 15-20 minutes until softened, turning once halfway through.

2) Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute chopped onion and sage until browned. Set aside. 

3) Remove the potatoes from the microwave (using a towel as the bowl will be very hot). Using a potato hand masher, mash the sweet potatoes. Season generously with salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Stir in the goat cheese until fully blended, then add the onion-sage mixture.

4) Lay 10 wonton wrappers on a clean countertop. Dollop a teaspoon of sweet potato filling onto the middle of each square. Using a pastry brush, brush egg white along tops, bottoms and sides of first wonton, working around the filling. Lay a new wonton sheet over the filled one, gently sealing the edges with your fingers and carefully pushing out the air bubbles. Repeat with each wonton until all are covered. Using a cookie cutter placed directly in the center of each wonton, cut into ravioli rounds, gently pulling away the excess dough. Press the edges of each ravioli again to ensure a solid seal. Repeat entire process with another set of 10 wontons (doing all 20 at once will cause the dough to dry out). Cover all raviolis with a very lightly damp kitchen towel until ready to cook.

5) In a pan over medium-high heat, place cranberries, sugar and water. Cook down for 10-15 minutes, so the sugar dissolves and cranberries soften. Allow to bubble during this process, stirring occasionally. Cranberries should become very, very soft but will remain whole and a sticky sauce will develop. Season cranberry sauce with salt and pepper. 

6) In another pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add ground turkey. Cook until turkey is fully browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Add a little more oil, the onion and garlic. Cook until softened and browned. Add the turkey back into the pan, along with the two cans of diced tomatoes and their juice, and just a little water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low heat, add the cranberry sauce and stir thoroughly to distribute. Cook, covered, about 10 minutes more.

7) In a small saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Working in batches, add 3-4 ravioli at a time, cook for 3 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a kitchen towel. Gently blot dry and transfer to a bowl. Cover with a pot lid to keep warm. Cook remaining ravioli. 

8) To serve, layer ravioli on the bottom of each pasta bowl and top with bolognese sauce. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and parmesan. 

-post & images by Lauren Craig

Read More

Food: Fall Harvest Salad

Hi everyone! Lauren from Perpetually Chic, back with my absolute favorite fall salad. I was inspired to create this last year, after selecting an unlikely pairing--Brussels sprouts and butternut squash--from a local pizza restaurant's salad bar (which boasts 24 mix-in options). After further perfecting the salad at home, I must have made it a dozen times last fall, so I'm excited to bring it back into heavy rotation now that Brussels and butternuts are once again in season. 

Paired with sweet dried cranberries, crunchy walnuts and creamy blue cheese, this salad is packed with flavor and filling enough to be a meal on its own. Read on for the recipe!

 Try to find a good quality, fresh blue cheese and crumble it yourself. You can certainly use the pre-crumbled kind, but I promise you won't regret spending a few extra dollars on this one ingredient.

Quick tip: Be careful not to overcook the Brussels sprouts, which become very bitter if cooked for too long. 

Ingredients: 
For the Dressing

• 3 tablespoons of good quality balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Salad

• Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• Butternut squash, peeled and cut into one-inch pieces
• Dried cranberries
• Walnuts, crumbled
• A nice blue cheese, crumbled
• Red romaine lettuce, chopped or torn

Instructions:

1. To make the dressing, whisk together the vinegar and dijon mustard. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk, until mixed well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. In a pan over medium-high heat, sauté the Brussels sprouts and squash with a very small piece of butter. Cook, turning occasionally and drizzling with a little olive oil, until browned and fork tender but still crisp. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a bowl, toss lettuce with balsamic dressing. Transfer lettuce onto plates, then top with the warm Brussels sprouts and squash, cranberries, walnuts and blue cheese. 

-post & images by Lauren Craig

Read More