Breakfast for Dinner. Why Not?

Busy? Who am I kidding? Who isn’t busy, busy, busy? And now that summer vacation is here, it’s even more difficult to get everyone to the table. Right?

My solution? Breakfast for dinner. It’s easy, it’s quick and everyone likes it.

These breakfast bruschetta are a little fancier than some breakfast dishes, but they are still simple as can be. And if you don’t feel like serving them for dinner, try breakfast!

 

BLT Bruschetta

Here are all my breakfast favorites are piled on top of crusty sourdough toast: eggs, bacon, and tomatoes crowned with dressed arugula. Sophisticated enough for dinner and easy enough to make on the fly, you will want to make these open sandwiches often. Scramble or poach the eggs instead of frying them, and if you’re not in the mood for eggs, substitute avocado. Outstanding!

 

Serves 4

 

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 slices bacon

4 Roma tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices

4 slices sourdough bread, each about 1/2 inch thick  

2 ounces baby arugula (about 4 handfuls)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 large eggs

 

In a small dish, whisk together the mayonnaise and mustard and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan, cook the bacon over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until crispy. Drain on paper towels and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. 

Drain the excess bacon fat from the pan and then put the tomato slices in it. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook for about 1 minute on each side or just until softened.

Toast the sourdough bread slices and spread each with about 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture. Top each with the bacon and tomato slices.

Meanwhile, toss the arugula with the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spray a nonstick frying pan with flavorless vegetable spray and heat the pan over medium heat. When hot, crack the eggs into the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the whites are opaque and the yolks are  warm but still runny. 

Put a fried egg on top of each bruschetta. Top each egg with a small handful of arugula and serve immediately.

Easy, No-Cook, Cold Tomato Soup

At least where I live in New England, tomatoes are not yet ripe  (we’re still hoping it stops raining!), but it’s not too soon for much of the country to post this super easy, super delish, cold tomato soup. Yup. Cold as in chilled. And no cooking whatsoever.

Ahhhhhh! Summer.

Chilled Tomato Soup

You may be familiar with hot tomato soup, specifically the famous soup sold in red and white cans from coast to coast, but if you haven’t tried the real thing, refreshingly cold, here’s your opportunity. Make this when the tomatoes are at their best in the markets or on the vine. The soup requires zero cooking and so could not be easier. Just let the ingredients mellow in the refrigerator for a number of hours so that the juices exude from the tomatoes, and then zap everything in a blender. Done! If you have access to heirloom tomatoes, all the better. It’s one of my all-time summer favorites.

Serves 4 to 6

 

3 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into large dice

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

14 to 16 fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup crème frâiche (optional)

 

Put the tomatoes, oil, vinegar, about 10 basil leaves, 2 teaspoons of salt, and garlic in a large glass, ceramic, or other nonreactive bowl. Stir gently, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 10 hours or overnight.

Process the soup in a blender in batches. Taste and adjust the seasoning with basil, salt, and pepper.

Garnish each serving with a swirl of crème frâiche, if desired, and the remaining fresh basil leaves.

Rib Eye Steak at Its Best!

Looking for that perfect sizzling steak right off the grill? Look no further. This is easy, fast, and hits the spot everytime!

Grilled Rib Eye Steaks with Rosemary Chimichurri

This is grilling at its most elementary and, some would argue, its best. Slap a few big, juicy steaks on the grill and anticipate an awesome meal to come. A lot of people serve bottled steak sauce with grilled steak but I prefer a heady, herbaceous South American concoction. The Argentines love their meat, particularly beef, and most often grill it over hot fires. These people know a thing or two about what best complements perfectly cooked steak: an intense, garlicky herb sauce called chimichurri, always made with lots of parsley. I have added some pungent rosemary to the mix for an especially aromatic garnish.

Serves 4

4 (16-ounce) bone-in rib eye steaks, about 11/4 inches thick

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rosemary Chimichurri (recipe follows)

Spray the grilling grate of a gas or charcoal grill with vegetable oil spray. Preheat the grill to medium hot.

Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper. Grill for about 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare meat. Increase the cooking time for better done steak.

Let the steak rest for about 5 minutes before serving with the chimichurri.

Rosemary Chimichurri

Makes about 11/2 cups

2 cups chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves

5 whole garlic cloves

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

In the bowl of a food processor, blend the parsley, rosemary, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and red pepper flakes until smooth. Use right away or cover and refrigerate for up to a week.

Chicken on the Grill. You Bet!

 

Buttermilk Grilled Chicken

When I was asked for an easy summer grilling recipe for an appearances on the Today Show, I decided to make this. The buttermilk and spices are wonderful with the chicken, which can soak in the marinade for hours before grilling. The buttermilk activates the enzymes in the meat that break down the proteins and contribute to its tenderness. Tastier than traditional buttermilk fried chicken, if you ask me!

Serves 6 to 8

 

3 cups buttermilk

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika

31/2 to 4 pounds assorted chicken pieces, such as halved breasts, legs, thighs

Freshly ground black pepper

 

Mix together the buttermilk, garlic, cumin, chili powder, 2 teaspoons of salt, coriander, and paprika. Lay the chicken pieces in a single layer in a glass, ceramic, or other nonreactive baking dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken, making sure every piece is covered. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 12 hours or overnight.

Spray the grilling grate of a gas or charcoal grill with vegetable oil spray. Preheat the grill to medium hot.

Drain the marinade from the chicken and pat the chicken pieces with paper towels to dry them. Season them with salt and pepper and grill for 12 to 15 minutes until cooked through, turning the chicken pieces once or twice during grilling. The time will vary depending on the size of the piece. Serve right away or at warm room temperature.