The Rusty Spoon - Orlando

After spending nearly a week in Florida sampling everything from lobster to sweet plantains, it wasn't until I discovered an innovative restaurant in Orlando that Florida finally earned a place on my culinary map.

My meal at the Rusty Spoon in Orlando was by far the best meal I had in my 3 week trip.  I started with a cucumber martini (best I've ever had) and a spin on deviled eggs with olives and sundried tomatoes.  Rich, creamy, deliciousness.  I followed up with braised lamb and cheesy polenta.  The photo, sadly, does not do the meal justice, but it was the bomb-digg.  I also dabbled with my friend's roasted cornnish hen, sweet potato mash, and roasted brussel sprouts.

All perfect. Lovely company. Worth a trip back :)

Stuffed Eggs - Lake Meadow Eggs Stuffed With tapenade, herbs & Oven Dried Tomatoes 

Braised Lamb and Polenta special

Lake Meadow Cornish Hen - 1/2 a Hen with Smashed Sweet Potatpes, Herbed Brussel Sprouts & Natural Jus

Just another Sunday in Buenos Aires

My friend Hallie brought back some 100%, impossible to find in BA, sugary, delightful maple syrup from Ohio.  It was a HUGE container and I'll be honest, I pilfered it from her and she was kind enough to let me get away with it.  I have slowly but surely made my way through the ENTIRE container and decided to go all out for one last brunch.  I made some french toast and it was amazing.  It's super easy to make french toast, the key is a sturdy, thicker cut bread, and some good soaking time in the egg/milk batter.  For those of you that don't have maple syrup, honey is a pretty delicious substitute.

Soaking the bread in the batter

Good amount of butter in the pan

Get cooking

A couple sunny side up eggs to go along side

The spread

My first plate

And the second....

Ingredients: serves 2-4
Sliced bread (I used challah)
1/2 Cup whole milk
4 Eggs
1 Tsp maple syrup or honey
1/2 tsp of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond and/or vanilla extract
Sliced Fruit

Directions:
Mix together milk, 2 eggs, maple syrup, spices and extracts into a deep dish.  Place the sliced bread in the batter and let sit for 10-15 minutes, turning over half way through.  Make sure it's soaked all the way through. 

Melt butter on a pan over med/high heat.  Place bread in pan and reduce heat to med/low.  Put a lid (another pan) over the bread so that it cooks the inside more quickly and doesn't burn the bread.  Flip once it's nice and toasty.  Cook the other side with the lid on.

Put another pan on high with a bit of oil or butter.  Once it's HOT, crack the other two eggs.  Let it cook on high for about 20-30 seconds and then reduce heat to VERY low.  Cover the eggs with a lid as well so that they cook without having to flip them (if you don't like runny, then flip them).  Turn heat off right before they are cooked through and keep the lid on.  The residual heat will cook them to sunnyside up perfection. 

Serve with sliced fruit.

Simple lunch: Polenta, egg, and salad

Breakfast Tacos

Sausage, egg, potato, onion, and cheese tacos

These are the best!  Put them on the list for your next breakfast ASAP.  Soft fluffy eggs, potatoes, sausage, onion, cheese, and hot sauce in a warm tortilla.  Brunch at it's best!

Ingredients: (4-6 tacos)
1 large potato diced largely
8 Eggs beaten
1 onion
2 Sausage links (I cheated with my last remaining chicken apple sausage from the states, but chorizo or ham would be awesome too).
Cheese grated
1/2-1 tsp cumin
1/2-1tsp garlic salt
Ground pepper
Tortillas

Directions: Add a generous amount of oil to a large skillet.  Add the diced potatoes and cook with cumin and garlic salt for about 20 min on a low-med heat.  About 1/2 through add the onions.  When the potatoes are done cooking add the eggs and sausage (only if the meat is already cooked).  Turn the flame on low and slowly scramble the eggs.  Add pepper, more salt, and hot sauce to taste.  Serve on warmed tortillas and sprinkle with cheese.  THE BOMB!

Easter Brunch

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Closeup of French Toast and Eggs

My friends think I'm just organized and into event planning, some even call me "la patrona", but what they all don't realize is that I only organize events involving large quantities of food.  Easter serves that purpose extremely well.  We decided to hold the annual Easter Potluck Brunch this year at Rich's house and everything came out great.  It's been about 8 hours and we're still in a food coma.  Enjoy the photos and menu with links to the recipes that inspired me!!

Menu:
Baked French Toast
Frittata (corn, cheese, carrots, onions, zucchini, milk, salt, pepper, eggs - put in oven)
Banana Bread
Bacon
Fruit Salad
Fajita de pollo al verdeo (Colombian treat from Joanna's friend)
Potatoes (potatoes, batatas, butter, salt, garlic, cumin, rosemary and chile powder and....butter again)
Medialunas de Jamon y queso

Banana bread, medialunas, fajitas, fruit salad

Full spread with eggs and french toast

Hallie Bartending Mimosas

Breakfast for Dinner

This week my ganas struck for buttermilk pancakes.  Perhaps the most defining American classic second to the hamburger, pancakes are an important part of of the yanqui diet.  On my last trip back from the states I picked up some Whole Foods buttermilk powder which has revolutionized my life.  You might think that buttermilk doesn't exist in BA, but it can be made with just milk and the juice of 1 lemon mixed together and let sit for 15 min!  With the idea of breakfast for dinner stuck in my head, I began my recipe search, invited the girls over, and got ready for a chill friday night of mimosas, biscuits, banana pacakes, a chorizo-squash frittata, and fresh fruit.  Check out my recipe inspirations:

Banana Buttermilk Pancakes
Buttermilk biscuits
Chorizo, Squash, Red Pepper Frittata - no online recipe for this one because it's super easy

Ingredients:
6 Eggs - lightly whipped with 1/4 cup of milk
1 Package of chopped butternut squash
1-2 Chorizo (I tried the light version from Disco to be more healthy.  Super good move)!
1 Red bell pepper - chopped
1/2 Onion - chopped
Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions: Lay squash on a pan, sprinkle with honey, salt, and pepper and roast in oven on HIGH for 10-15 min while preparing the rest of the ingredients.  Chop onions and peppers and saute in a pan with oil over medium heat.  While they are cooking for about 5-10 min, take chorizo out of casing and crumble into onions/peppers.  Cook the chorizo until almost done and add squash after a couple of min.  Turn heat off.  Lightly beat eggs and milk and combine with saute mixture in a bowl.  Prepare a circular baking dish with a bit of oil and pour mixture into pan.  Bake in oven for about 10-15 min or until cooked through.  I like to sprinkle some cheese on top for a little extra flavor!