What to do with separated eggs?

Recently I have been using an egg white wash with each loaf of bread but I have not been able to just throw out the yolk.  After separating the yolk I mixed in about 1/2 Tbsp of sugar and freezing the mixture in a ziptop bag.  With each loaf of bread I would add one yolk to the freezer bag until I had enough to make a batch of creme brulee.  Not only was I able to use all parts of the egg but it was delicious. 

Here's the take:

1 pint heavy cream

1/4 cup white sugar (minus the amount added to each egg yolk before freezing)

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 egg yolks (frozen mixed with white sugar works well)

1.5 ounces chopped semi-sweet bakers chocolate

white sugar to top each dish before broiling

Mix cream, remaining sugar, vanilla extract in a double boiler for about 10 minutes or so.  Then slowly add and mix in the chocolate to the cream while still over heat.  Once the chocolate is fully incorporated slowly add the chocolate cream to the slightly beaten egg yolks (thawed if using frozen) while continuously stirring.  Now the mixture is ready to be poured into 4 ramekins that are inside a baking pan.  Preheat oven to 325 and allow filled ramekins to set while oven is heating.  Then put the baking pan on the middle oven rack and carefully add enough water to the baking pan until the water is halfway up the ramekins for even heat distribution.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the center of each dish is just set.  Remove from water bath and allow to cool for 45 minutes before refrigerating for 6 (or so) hours.  Once chilled and you are ready to serve, cover each dish with white sugar and broil in your oven for 3-5 minutes (watch carefully as this step burns quickly, also my butane torch ran out of gas and this was my substitute and I thought it was actually better than the torch method).  Serve and enjoy (tried to get a picture before we ate them but they didn't last on the table long enough)!

         

Taco soup

This is a great dish that I have come to love the last few winters. It is basically just two of the following.
Onion
Pound of ground beef
Can of diced tomatoes
Can of corn
Can of beans (you pick, I like butter beans)
Packet of ranch seasoning
Packet of taco seasoning

Brown the beef and cook onions. Drain. Add the rest.
It is great served with cheese and/or sour cream and maybe tortilla chips.

French Bread (forgot to take a picture)

French Bread (makes 1 loaf)

2 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup warm water (120 F)

1) mix the dry ingredients (hold back 1/4 cup of the flour) - flour, yeast, and salt
2) slowly add the water in 3 parts in the mixing bowl (hold back a little at the end too)
3) I use the dough hook to mix it together but you will have to use a spatula to make sure it all gets incorporated
4) the dough should be pretty smooth at this point and not too sticky (add more flour if needed) - let the mixer knead the dough for a few minutes
5) form the dough into a ball and place it in a mixing bowl with 1/2 Tbsp oil (or enough to just coat the dough ball)
6) cover the bowl and let the dough rise 1 hour in a warm place or a few hours in the fridge
7) after the dough rises turn the dough out onto a flat surface and roll it flat into a 15x10 inch rectangle then roll the dough and let it rest for 10 min
 - Preheat oven to 375 F
8) use a egg white wash of 1 egg white mixed with 1 Tbsp water and brush it over the bread
9) before it goes into the oven make minor cuts on the top to release steam
10) bake in oven (375 F) for 35 - 40 minutes (recipe says to repeat egg wash after 20 minutes but I forgot to) or until the internal temperature reads 190 F
11) cut, serve, and enjoy!

site change and blog launch

okay..... i think we have a pretty good start to our little food blog here.   We need a name, though.    In the comment section lets talk about what we can use for a name.   So far we have an east coaster,  a west coaster, and a couple midwesterners contributing.   It looks like mostly everyone is getting the hang of it, which is good.   We need a name that we can post at the top and start to share this baby a little bit.   

I am sure you are noticing some cosmetic changes around here.... those will be happening for a bit, but i hope you like the direction we are heaed.

Hope all is well.

tt

The Corndogger!

Shrimp corndogs!  Baked in my corndogger machine.  Pretty good.