Not only is my BFF Anna is a great cook but she is the hostess with the mostest!

We invade her lovely home for long weekends and she manages to entertain us like royalty!

One of her specialties is this casserole, of sorts, or breakfast scramble.

She par cooks potatoes in the microwave

Chops and sautes any vegetables on hand, usually: red peppers, asparagus, leeks, and mushrooms and sets those aside

Then dice the potatoes and combine in a large skillet the cooked veggies, potatoes, some cheese then crack a few eggs on top

Turn the heat down to low and cover to allow the eggs to cook.

You’re finished!

You can also do this in the oven in a lovely casserole dish for a more elegant presentation.

Or cook the eggs seperatly and serve on top.

Either way it’s delicious!

My little one loves pancakes. She is not a vegan and regularly extols the virtues and pleasures of butter, whipped cream and cheese.

I will let the photos speak for themselves.

Although I did not eat this meal the smells were intoxicating; partly due to my obsession with quality, fancy, organic, exotic vanillas.

Fresh quality ingredients are the key to the best dishes and I just try to bring out the best in creative combinations.

Hashbrowns

3-5 medium sized yellow organic potatoes

Peel and place in the food processor and shred, or grate on a hand held grater.

The most important thing is to make sure that the potatoes are thoroughly dried before you cook them.

I patted mine with a few rounds of paper towels then placed them into a hot skillet with about 2-4 tablespoons of butter.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon sugar (I used organic cane sugar)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Teaspoons of vanilla extract

Method

Place a pan to medium heat.

Combine the 4 dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt) in a bowl.

Add the buttermilk and vegetable oil and vanilla to your mixture.

Mix until smooth.

Now the pan should be ready for your batter, so spoon one pancakes’ worth of the mixture into the pan.

Flip [carefully] when you see bubbles in the middle of the pancake, or if the edges are looking stiffened.
Repeat until the batter is gone, and try not to eat them all while you’re cooking them.

These pancakes were so light and fluffy and they had a crispy “edginess”.

New York Times writer Martha Rose Shulman has offered up a fantastic recipe for the cold winter months.

Where comfort food meets healthy salad, this potato and green bean salad will surely fit the bill.

Feta cheese and Dijon mustard add a kick to this yummy, nutritious dish.

Recipe Courtesy of Martha Rose Shulman

Ingredients

1 pound waxy potatoes, cut in 1-inch dice

2 tablespoons finely minced red onion, soaked for five minutes in cold water, then drained, rinsed, and drained on paper towels

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt to taste

1 small garlic clove, green shoot removed, minced or pureed

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, chives, chervil or dill

6 ounces green beans, trimmed and broken in half

2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1 6-ounce bag baby spinach

Method

1. Steam the potatoes above 1 inch boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, salt, garlic, Dijon mustard, olive oil and yogurt.

2. When the potatoes are tender, remove from the heat and toss at once with 1/4 cup of the dressing, the onion, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add the green beans to the steamer pot, and steam for five minutes. Remove from the heat, refresh briefly with cold water, drain well and toss with the potatoes, 2 more tablespoons of the dressing and the feta. In a separate bowl, toss the spinach with the remaining dressing. Top with the potatoes and beans, and serve.

Yield: Serves four as a main dish or six as a side dish.

Advance preparation: You can prepare everything several hours ahead. Reverse the order of preparation if you want the potatoes to be warm, steaming them at the last minute.