Tag: Cooking

Cooking

The Versatile Egg

Lora Knows...

A couple of agents in my office, Larry & Cassie, have chickens and are nice enough to share their abundance of eggs. Eggs are an amazing source of protein and are versatile in their uses. They can be used any meal of the day and even make a great snack. Here are a few ways I use eggs in my home.

Shakshouka

Loosely translated to “all mixed up” in Arabic, shakshouka features poached eggs in a spicy tomato and bell pepper sauce seasoned with cumin, paprika, and cayenne.

Tortilla Española

You’d be hard-pressed to find many traditional restaurants or cafés in Spain without this frittata-like dish on the tapas It comes together in a skillet by cooking eggs mixed with potatoes (and sometimes onions) fried in olive oil and seasoned with salt. It’s often served in a wedge with a side of salad greens.

Scotch Egg

A staple in England, this egg consists of sausage meat wrapped around a peeled boiled egg, which is then coated in breadcrumbs and fried.

Tamagoyaki

Translating literally to “grilled egg,” this custard-like omelet popular in Japan is made by repeatedly pouring thin layers of egg mixture in a square pan and rolling them over each other into a log shape. It is then sliced into pieces, and either served for breakfast, incorporated in a bento box, or used as a sushi filling. Unlike traditional omelets, tamagoyaki is sweetened with a couple tablespoons of sugar and seasoned with soy sauce.

Cooking

Crunchy Sheet Pan Lasagna

Lora Knows...

I have been a fan of Giada for years, and I have made dozens of her recipes. When I came across this recipe I knew it would be amazing. If you think the best part of lasagna is the crunchy bit on top, then this is a recipe for you.

The first time I make a recipe I follow it completely, this version is what I’ve done over time to make it more to our liking.

16 ounces lasagna noodles broken into 3 pieces
1 pound Italian sausage
2 large shallots diced
2 cloves garlic minced
32 ounces Rao’s Tomato Basil sauce
1 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Salt to taste
1 cups ricotta cheese
5 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pasta water
Olive Oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt to taste like the sea. Add the broken lasagna noodles and cook for 8 minutes. They will finish cooking in the oven.

In a small bowl mix together the ricotta, drained spinach and salt to taste. Set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, use a large skillet and add a tablespoon of good olive oil. Heat over medium heat and crumble the sausage as you add it to the pan. Let it cook for 3 minutes without stirring so it can get a layer of flavor. Add the shallots and garlic and stir well, breaking up the sausage into smaller pieces, then let it cook another 5 minutes or until the sausage is done. Turn off the heat and add the entire jar of Rao’s (my favorite brand) sauce and the Italian seasoning. Stir well.

Set aside 1/2 cup of the pasta water and then strain the pasta and put back into the pot it cooked in. Pour the sauce mixture over the noodles, add a handful of parmesan and mozzarella cheese, add the 1/2 cup of pasta water and mix well.

Take a 12 x 17 sheet pan and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray, or grease it with a thin layer of olive oil. Pour the entire mixture onto the sheet pan and spread evenly. Dollop the ricotta mixture onto the top in 6 to 9 places, then sprinkle the rest of the parmesan and mozzarella on top.

Place sheet pan in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.

You can store your leftovers, if there are any, in a lidded container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze individual portions in the freezer up to 3 months.

NOTE: For the sausage you can use turkey, chicken or pork – mild, sweet, hot or a mix.

Real Estate

Top 5 Needs Buyers Have

Lora Knows...

In today’s real estate market homes come up for sale, and receive multiple offers within a day. This is because of historically low interest rates, and demand is high and inventory is low. I think quarantine made people realize they just don’t like their home space anymore, and want something new. Me included!

COVID changed how people work, and many moved from their brick and mortar offices to their home dining rooms. Not only did the pandemic affect the home owners, but also school age kids. Bedrooms became virtual classrooms, and anywhere others weren’t became a sanctuary of quiet.

Other home needs have also changed. Instead of eating out, folks are cooking at home. Along with that came working out at home, swimming at home, entertaining at home and more. So, what are the top five things buyers are looking for?

  1. Outdoor spaces – including pools, gardens, kitchens, firepits, and game areas (think horseshoes, bocce ball, dance offs).
  2. Home offices – a place to work behind doors. No one wants to hear your Zoom meeting or conference calls, and you don’t want to your boss to hear someone in your house shouting out for toilet paper.
  3. Home gyms – a place to workout without having to worry about social distancing or wearing a mask.
  4. Bonus Rooms or Basements – finished spaces that add square foot for reading, crafting, watching a movie and more.
  5. Storage – being home a lot makes it necessary to have storage for craft items, games, books and more.