Eggs Benedict, part deux

This recipe is straight out of the Lady's Home Journal magazine. YES, you heard me. Come on, I'm sure your mom or tia or grandma probably has one or two in their possession. And I know you've peeked at one at the check out counter at the Safeway. Anyhoo, this is probably the closest "original" eggs Benedict recipe out there. This one is a bit more labor intensive than my original eggs benedict post, but it is an awesome recipe to learn by heart because you never know when you'll have unexpected guests arrive at your house on a Sunday morning. PS: try "pompagne" instead of mimosas if you serve this for brunch. Pompagne is basically 2/3 champagne and 1/3 pomegranate juice. YUMMY!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

Poached eggs

• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 large eggs

Hollandaise sauce

• 3/4 cup butter (no substitutions), cut up
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch ground red pepper

Other ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, divided (no substitutions)
• 8 slices Canadian bacon
• 4 English muffins, split and toasted
• 1 tablespoon water
• Chopped fresh chives, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Make poached eggs: Fill a large, deep skillet with water. Add vinegar and salt; cover and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.

Break one egg into a small cup. Carefully slip egg into gently boiling water. Repeat with remaining eggs, working in a clockwise direction. Reduce heat; simmer eggs 2 to 3 minutes, until whites are firm near the yolk. Remove with slotted spoon in same order and place in a pan of ice water. Set aside.

Make hollandaise sauce: Place butter in a 2-cup glass measure. Cover with plastic wrap, turning back one section to vent. Microwave on High 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, until melted. In top of double boiler set above, not in, simmering water, whisk egg yolks and lemon juice until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove top only of double boiler from water. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle a few tablespoons melted butter into yolks in a thin, steady stream. Return top of double boiler to simmering water; continue to slowly add butter, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens. Whisk in salt and red pepper. Cover and remove pan from heat. (Can be made ahead. Let stand up to 1 hour over hot water.)

Heat oven to 200 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet. Add bacon and cook 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned.

Divide and spread toasted English muffin halves with remaining butter. Place halves on a cookie sheet and keep warm in oven. Return double boiler to stovetop. Whisk 1 tablespoon water into hollandaise sauce. Cover and keep sauce warm over low heat.

To reheat poached eggs, bring same skillet filled with fresh water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add eggs with slotted spoon and simmer until heated through, about 1 minute.

Arrange 2 muffin halves on each of four serving plates. Top each half with a slice of bacon. Remove eggs from simmering water with a slotted spoon, gently shaking off excess water. Place one egg over bacon; divide and spoon hollandaise sauce over each serving. Sprinkle with chives. Don't forget the pompagne!!!

Cocktails: Black Velvet

If there is a cocktail that best describes me and my boo, I think this is the one! This cocktail contains Guinness, for the Irishness of Matt, and champagne, for the fabulousness in me. How perfect is that? Cheers!

INGREDIENTS

• Champagne
• Guinness

DIRECTIONS

Half fill a champagne flute with Guinness and gently pour the champagne over the back of a spoon so the liquid runs down the sides, this avoids mixing the two liquids.

VARIATION

Is champagne too spendy for you, or not your thing? Then make a Poor Man's Black Velvet by replacing the champagne with hard apple cider. In a pint glass, add the cider halfway up as the bottom layer and then slowly add the Guinness over the back of a spoon, to make the top layer.

Thai Basil Mimosa

It is a lovely Sunday afternoon. The temperature in San Diego is in the mid 70s with a slight breeze...so what is a girl to do? Well, of course, sit out by the beach and have herself a mimosa, you silly goose! But not just any mimosa, my friend, this refreshing basil mimosa came about after I found some lovely Thai basil for 69 cents at the North Park Market. I had tons of limes, and as always I keep sugar cubes in stock in case I get a mojito craving. I have to say, this was quite a refreshing drink. I'm pretty sure you can try it with seltzer water instead of champagne and make it non-alcoholic...but what fun is that?

INGREDIENTS (makes 2 mimosas)

• 8 Thai Basil leaves
• 3 sugar cubes
• Juice of 1 lime
• Handful of crushed ice
• Simple syrup
• Sparkling wine or champagne, preferably Brut

DIRECTIONS

In a martini shaker, add the Thai basil, sugar cubes, the lime juice and a small amount of crushed ice. Muddle the heck out of it. Add 1 tablespoon of simple syrup (or more, if you prefer), the rest of the crushed ice and cover tightly. Shake. Shake. Shake. Strain the green goodness and pour into two champagne glasses, then slowly top each glass with champagne or sparkling wine.

Blood Orange Mimosa

To me, Sunday's are bittersweet. They are great because it's usually on a Sunday that you get to eat a big breakfast, or even have crepes for brunch, and/or you're nursing a hangover from the awesome night before. Yet, it's also bitter because you know that Monday is coming and you have to start the daily grind again. But, in order to ease you into your Monday humdrum, having a mimosa on Sunday will do you wonders. Now this particular mimosa is not just your typical OJ and champagne. No, no, darling, this is freshly squeeze blood-orange (or sangüina in Spanish) and slightly more expensive champagne. So buy yourself a bottle or Korbel or Mumm, and serve up the blood-orange mimosas, or Bomosa, as I like to call them.

INGREDIENTS (serves 8 people--or 4, if I'm there)

• 1 bottle Korbel champagne
• 2 cups blood-orange juice, freshly squeezed
• 8 blood-orange slices

DIRECTIONS

Mix the champagne with the blood-orange juice in a large jug. Garnish each glass with a slice of orange. Serve, enjoy and eat your crepes!