"Just Do It, sb"

Dear Family and Friends,

Well.  You have to start somewhere.  And you have to start sometime.  

"Oh, I'll do it when I have more time."  My mentality in beginning this blog... but I am reminded of the quote by Charles Buxton, "You will never find time for anything.  If you want, you must make time."  Whilst I am in the midst of "Accounting Busy Season," I shall allocate the time, albeit in five minute increments, in order to share my passion with the world.

That being said, after having been classically trained in Paris at Le Cordon Bleu, my passion is in cooking… healthy cooking at that.  You are what you eat.  You feel how you eat.  You look what you eat.  What individuals consume determine their level of energy, concentration and focus for the day.  It determines their health for a lifetime.  Food is fuel.  We are surrounded by it every single day.  But food is also art.

My goal is to share the techniques and recipes that I have learned in Paris, and have continued to hone as a chef since graduating from culinary school.  My favorite aspect of cooking is the final plating presentation.  Edible art.  Of course it takes time to develop… nothing can be learned and applied overnight.  Time is necessary when developing skills in the kitchen.  But I encourage each of you to experiment and to allow your creativity to shine!

I procrastinated in writing this blog until I was able to find the ever illusive block of "free time."  But the truth is, when you work hard, “extra” time is a rare commodity.  Ergo, my blog will be short and simple… beginning small with random recipes/photos and, in time, will include youtube instructional videos. 

What are you waiting for, sb?

I was told to “just do it.”

Well… don’t mind if I do.

"Accounting Busy Season" has certainly been living up to its name!  But I adore my job and love my co-workers.  I am so thankful to be working as an auditor in Dallas!!  This dazzling city feels very much “home” to me.  This morning, Charis, my 6-month old Pomeranian puppy, woke me up to a rainy morning.  I love rain.  Whilst I prefer sunshine, it is nice to have overcast days every once and awhile…the sound of the patter of gently falling raindrops, perhaps reminiscent of my life in Paris, as well as a young girl in Columbus. Regardless, I hopped out of bed and decided to plate my breakfast today – why not?

Egg-whites are my "go-to" in the morning… however, I adore spice, so I always add extra cayenne pepper to my eggs.  To begin, I cracked four egg whites and kept the yolks as reserve in a Tupperware container (apparently yolks make great hair masks?  I know… I am a bit skeptical, but I will let you know)  To the egg whites, I added about 1 tsp of garlic salt, 1 tsp of minced garlic and ½ Tbsp of cayenne pepper.  I told you, I like it hot.  Warning to those who have never used cayenne or who are weary of spicy foods – cayenne is a ground red hot chili pepper – named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana.  A small amount will trigger tears if one is sensitive to spice.  I am a huge proponent of Cayenne pepper… not only does it increase the metabolism by raising the body’s temperature (as much 300% - wow!), but it also tastes delicious and enables the body to produce the “feel-good endorphins.”  Love it.

Eggs are one of the most challenging foods to cook, as they coagulate quickly and transform from inedible to edible in a matter of seconds.  I generally spray my sauté pan with a quick olive oil or butter spray, bring the heat to medium, then add the eggy-goop.  Delicate stirs whilst whisking in a figure-eight pattern allow an even cook for the whites.  Moments before the eggs are finished cooking, I quickly remove the pan from the heat and transfer the now cooked eggs to a separate, cool plate.  I remove the eggs just before fully cooked, as they will continue to cook from the heat that they generated from the stove-top.

Easy enough.  I also cut fresh Roma tomatoes and diced beets (I needed more color for the plate!)  I reduced Balsamic Vinegar on my stove top (simply pour the vinegar into a small sauce pan, turn the heat on high and allow the liquid to evaporate into a thicker substance – similar in viscosity to molasses).  Two pieces of whole wheat toast and I was set.  The presentation was simple (although I was craving a basil leaf or two!): Drizzled the reduced Balsamic Vinegar on the bottom of a white plate in a modern, sleek line.  Atop of the Balsamic, I layered a slice of Roma tomato with the cooked egg whites.  Sprinkled the top with diced beets and a few peppers.  And voila… breakfast of champions in order to fuel my audit brain.

How about that.

More to come, though during busy season, installments will be short and sweet.

Hey, you have to start somewhere!

All my love from DALLAS,

sb