Food Friday - Fettuccine with Fresh Tomatoes and Brie

Since most people have fresh tomatoes now (don't even ask me about our tomato plant - the saddest thing ever!), I thought I'd share this really delicious recipe.

2 T Olive Oil
4 Large Tomatoes - peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 Clove Garlic - pressed
6 oz. Brie - cubed
5 T Fresh Basil - finely chopped (I do have a beautiful Basil plant!)
1/4 t Salt
1/2 t Pepper
1 lb. Fresh Fettuccine (if you don't feel like making your own - just buy a box of dried - it won't hurt!)

Saute tomatoes and garlic in olive oil 6-9 minutes. Lower the heat to medium - add the Brie. Continue cooking until the mixture is creamy. Stir in basil. Pour over cooked pasta and serve immediately.

This is seriously good stuff (and it only takes about 15 minutes prep and 15 minutes of cooking).

Enjoy!

Food Friday - Egg Gravy

Ok, some of you are totally repulsed just by the name of this post. Others may be intrigued. Those of you who have tasted it are saying "Right on! I need this recipe!"

This is a Beck family favorite (especially my dad) but tends to be somewhat polarizing among newcomers to the family. Phil thinks it is pretty good and it has become the standard first breakfast after each chemo treatment. (Eden really likes it too - but not the egg whites, just the yolks for her!)

And without further delay, here is the recipe:

Hard boil three eggs (five minutes in rolling/boiling water)
In a medium sauce pan, melt 2 T butter then add 1/3 C flour and mix until you have a paste. Add 2-3 C milk (depending on how thick you like your gravy). Simmer/cook until thick (usually about 3-5 minutes). You've just made a white sauce! (wonderful for so many things)

Cut the eggs into bite-sized pieces and put them in the gravy. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over toast or biscuits.

Food Friday - Caramel Popcorn

This is the yummiest, softest caramel popcorn EVER! I'd been craving it but didn't have the recipe. My SIL who had it was in the middle of moving her family from MI to VA and having a baby! Needless to say, she couldn't find it. Finally the craving sent me to google and I found the very recipe!

• 6 quarts of popped corn (Beardens, this is where you have to stop)

• Combine in a medium saucepan:
• 1 1/4 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C light corn syrup
• 1/2 C margarine or butter
• dash of salt (what does a "dash" really mean anyway?)
• bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and add:
• 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk (half a can).
• cook, stirring constantly until it reaches a soft ball stage (240 degrees)*.
• Remove from heat and stir in
  
• 1/2 t vanilla.
• Pour slowly over popcorn, stirring until caramel is evenly distributed throughout.
• Store caramel popcorn in a covered container (it last really well).

*if you don't have a candy thermometer, you can take a small bowl, put cold water in it, then drop a small amount (about 1 t) of the mixture into the water. When it forms a soft ball, you are at soft ball stage.