I'm Baaa-aaack

The title has nothing to do with the actual content of this post. Whatever. I feel better now after having a big 'ol tumor removed.

On to the meat (har har):

I made the discovery this week that leftover tater tots make DELICIOUS nachos. It was my first post-surgery excursion into the world of compulsive late night cooking. It was about 9:30, and the tater tots from dinner were still sitting on the counter. Gross, I know. Maybe it was inspiration, maybe it was the very tasty rum I enjoyed with my friend D that night. I don't know. For whatever reason, I felt compelled to get up mid-movie and put on some bacon (the foodie equivalent of "put on some tea") and smother the leftovers in colby-jack. Once the bacon was done I threw some onions in the grease and carmelized 'em. Twenty minutes or so in the oven for the tots, plus some sour cream, and my slightly tipsy heart was satisfied. I should have added jalepenos or salsa, but it just didn't occur to me at the time. YUM! Even though the cheese was a little old (What? Don't judge me! I haven't been to the store in forever...) it was tasty. Crumble up the bacon on the cheesy tots and cover them in sweet onion and sour cream goodness. It looks like a heart attack. I look forward to trying it again when I think it through a little more.

Quick aside: I have not been ignoring you, dear blog. I still love you. I just had to have a "sorta cancer but not really cancer" tumor removed from my abdomen, and the narcotics I was on really made it impossible to type whole words, much less form an entire blog post. I know that sounds like the excuse of someone trying to obtain fraudulent medical leave. It's not. I have a ten inch scar that looks JUST LIKE a rattlesnake that ate a deer. That proves it.

I Want a Big Bite!

I'm an unapologetic foodie.

I love grocery shopping. I love all the pretty colors of the produce bin, the briny smell of the seafood case, and the thrill of paying $.29 a pound for green cabbage.

I love the bright sweetness that a good balsamic vinegar gives to a pan of sauteed veggies. I love trying cheeses I've never had before. Prosciutto is more exciting than a box of puppies on a roller coaster (ok, maybe not that thrilling, but close).

Apparently I've passed the trait along. Hubby and I enjoyed omelets for breakfast today. We sauteed shitake mushrooms and yellow onion in bacon fat. Awesome. There's no smell in the world like that. We added those to whole-egg omelets, along with chevre and chopped bacon. It was great! The earthiness of the mushrooms balanced the tangy flavor of the cheese beautifully. But I digress...

My son, who is nearly three, sat on Hubby's and my laps asking over and over, "Can I have a big bite?" It cracks me up. As I type this, he's peeking over the top of the computer asking, "Just one more bite? Please?" I'm so very glad my little guy has a diverse palate, but chevre and mushrooms? I've never hear of a kid liking something like that. The point of this post is that you never know what kids are going to like. I see so many parents who alter their own diets to fit what they think the kids will eat. A diverse palate is something that is learned. Try something new! There's a whole world to explore in the local supermarket. Epicurious.com and Allrecipes.com are two of my favorite websites to look at for inspiration.

Here's the recipe for the omelets:

8 eggs, beaten

4 slices center cut bacon

1 package of fresh shitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1 onion, coarsely chopped

2 oz. chevre cheese, crumbled

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook bacon til slightly crisp. Remove from pan, reserving grease. Chop bacon coarsely. Set aside two tablespoons of the bacon grease.

2. Cook onions and mushrooms in the grease that's still in the first pan until they are tender, but not mushy.

3. Add a tablespoon of grease to a saute or omelet pan and let that pan heat up on med heat. Pour half of the eggs into the hot pan. Cook at medium heat without stirring. Lift edges occasionally to let some of the runny eggs flow underneath the cooked part.

4. When the eggs are almost done, add half of the chopped bacon, half of the mushrooms and onions, and half of the crumbled cheese on top of one side of the eggs. Fold the other side of the eggs over the fillings. Slide onto a plate and keep warm.

5. Repeat 3-4. Serve. Optional: Chopped fresh roma tomatoes are nice on top of this when they're in season.

Have a delicious day!