YAS toast

It seems like over the last few years brunch isn't just an amalgamation of breakfast and lunch. It is an entirely new category of foods that are either sweet and savory and always enjoyed with friends.

At the center of this "movement" is the avocado. It's almost cult following has launched it from mere accoutrement to superstar of the plate. Known for it's mild flavor that pairs well with a variety of other flavors it's also super healthy! They actually contain more potassium than banana's and are packed with heart healthy monounsaturated fatty acids like the oleic acid that linked to reduced inflammation and been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer. Aside from the health benefits, it really just tastes great! 

My favorite brunch dish, either at a restaurant or at home is avocado toast, or as I like to call it, "YAS toast"  Yolk, Avocado, Spice toast. It pairs just as perfectly with a mimosa as it does with a cup of coffee. For my veggie friends, just take the egg off and it's just as delicious. I have it both ways depending on my *mood* that day! 

Here's what you need: 

• avocados
• cilantro 
• radishes 
• jalapeños 
• white onion
• lime
• one garlic clove
• red pepper flakes
• eggs
• bread (you can use whatever you have on hand, but I love using flat bread)

Dice the onion, chop the jalapeño, mince some cilantro and garlic and throw them into a bowl with salt and pepper to taste! Scoop out half of one avocado (reserving the other half for a rose) and add to the bowl! Mix with the juice of one lime and you're ready with the base of your YAS toast. (that's also my go-to guac recipe - your welcome). To really let the flavors come together, I let the guac sit for about 20 minutes at room temperature. 

While the guac is patiently waiting to be used, I start the avo-rose:

1. Cut avocado in half and peel off the skin. Lay one half of the avocado, cut side down, and slice the avocado thinly. You want the slices to be quite thin so that they’re easier to shape. If you want a smaller rose, you’ll only want to use 1/2 of the slices. Use all the slices if you want a large flower.
2. Fan out avocado slices so that they form a long line with the slices overlapping each other. I usually remove the small slices from the ends because they are difficult to shape. Starting from one end, curl avocado slices toward the center. Continue curling the avocado slices until you get a rose.

Once the rose is done, I toast my bread and start my eggs. You can definitely poach your eggs, but I love a good fried egg on toast. Something about the crispy ends of the egg whites and the yolk spilling everywhere make such a satisfying experience. For my veggie friends, leave out the egg! So easy! 

Next, top the toasted bread with the guac, placing the rose on one side and the egg on the other! For my veggie friends, leave off the egg! Sprinkle with feta, red pepper flakes, and thinly sliced radishes! For a finishing touch, arrange the cilantro leaves and enjoy! 

shakshuka

Literally one of the most fun words to say. Pronounced "shock-shooka", this dish is so easy to make and can be eaten for breakfast, brunch or dinner.

The origins of this dish are a little unclear, but it's consumed and loved from north Africa to the Middle East and even in Europe. Eggs poached in a spiced tomato sauce? Sign me up! Simple, easy and quick- perfect for a Sunday morning brunch and tastes like you've been working on it for hours. Here's what you need: 

• 1 large yellow onion
• 4 ripe plum tomatos
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 28oz can of stewed tomatos
• 1 6oz can of tomato paste
• 1/2 cup shredded kale
• 1/2 cup of feta 
• 3 tablespoons diced piquillo peppers
• 1 tablespoon of turmeric
• 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons of sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon of garlic salt
• 4 large eggs

It's definitely a longer list of ingredients, and I've modified them to my taste. Traditionally the dish is made with cumin and bell peppers but if you know me you know that I HATE cumin and bell peppers. Instead of cumin, I used turmeric and instead of bell peppers, I used piquillo peppers. Both mild in flavor yet add a really nice depth to the dish. 

Start by dicing the yellow onion and garlic cloves and letting them sweat with the cored tomatoes and piquillo peppers in a large skillet over medium high heat. While those are sweating away, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Then add the spices and continue to cook over medium heat until everything is coated and the spices are fragrant. 

After about 7 minutes, add the can of stewed tomatoes and tomato paste and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Once the sauce has reduced a bit, add a 1/2 cup of feta cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. It should be about the consistency of a rich marinara sauce, and in a lot of ways this is a very similar sauce! 

The next step is SO easy, and definitely the most fun part. Around the perimeter of the skillet, make little wells with a spoon and crack an egg into each crater. If you're feeding for a larger group, use more eggs! Then just pop the entire thing in the oven for about 5-7 minutes or until the eggs are set to your preference. For me, the perfect egg has a runny yolk and a completely cooked egg white. That takes about 6 minutes, depending on your oven.

Serve over breakfast potatoes and garnish with fresh cilantro and more feta cheese. 

This dish is so easy, so delicious and the presentation definitely makes it a crowd pleaser! It's at the top of my brunch go-to list! What are your favorite brunch foods? 

wings wings wings

About once a month I crave chicken wings and now that March Madness is upon us, that craving is alive and well. I mean honestly, is there anything better than biting into a spicy piece of fried chicken?

The crispy ends making a crunch between your teeth and the spice exploding on your tongue, it's the best part of any game-day, party, or just a Saturday. For some, wings have a sketchy reputation, seedy bars, womanizing restaurants, and daunting deep fryers horror stories, but for me, the first few wings always take me back to childhood. Weekends spent at family parties watching football or basketball games, summer picnics, and of course barbecuing by the pool - wings really bring me back! 

My family lives all across the country, so weekend parties are few and far between. Until we all live near each other again, I make wings whenever I'm feeling nostalgic! I use a counter-top deep fryer (because I'm extra) but these are great baked as well!

Here's what you need: 

• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 bunch of cilanto
• 10 chicken wings, tips removed

As you might've guessed from the ingredient list, these aren't traditional buffalo wings. These are ginger spiced wings! Feel free to adjust the spice mixture based on your preferences, but I like my wings spicy. 

For oven baked wings, preheat the over to 425 degrees. For deep fried wings, heat oil to 325 in a large skillet or deep fryer. 

Make sure your wings are prepped, cleaned, and dry. Fresh is always the best, but if you only have frozen that's totally fine! Either way make sure the wings are patted down and dry, and a little tacky so the flour and spices stick. We're not using a batter here, so no eggs are needed-- just a simple flour spice mix. 

In a clean bowl (or large zip-lock bag) mix the spices and flour, and add the wings! Mix together until the wings are completely coated in the flour mixture. Remove from the mixture and set aside either until the oven or oil comes up to temp. Arrange them on a baking sheet about 1.5 inches apart and bake for a half hour, flip them and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and season once more with salt and pepper to taste. If you like spicy, add a few more dashes of cayenne. 

For the deep fryer, same thing! Remove the wings from the flour mixture and ensure the excess is tapped off each wing. Then, deep fry for 10 minutes and again, season with salt and pepper (cayenne if you're brave) while they're warm to ensure the spices stick. 

These wings come out so crispy and the spices really dance around bringing a warm spiced flavor to the traditional chicken wings. Arrange on a plate and garnish with fresh cilantro! These wings are so juicy and flavorful they really don't need a sauce.