Shakshuka

Hello everyone!

It has been forever since I last wrote a post, but we have had a bit of a fiasco with moving and renovating our new apartment... Not to mention school starting up...

I don't think there will be much time for blogging this year, period, but I'm going to try to do my best to continue documenting our lives together  =)

For our first post from our new apartment, I have a Shakshuka recipe for you guys!  

I first encountered Shakshuka when David and I went to Stephanie's for brunch with Ted and Pamela. For someone who doesn't like eggs, brunch is never a fun experience, but this miraculous dish is what changed my opinion of eggs, so I knew we had to try to recreate it at home!

It was actually pretty easy to recreate at home as well  =)  

For this, you will need

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 green pepper, diced

28 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tbs tomato paste

half can vegetarian baked beans

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

4-5 eggs

In a cast iron skillet, sautee the onions until the onions are translucent. 

Then, add some garlic,

and finally, the green peppers.

Once the vegetables have cooked a little, pour in your tomatoes, tomato paste, and the beans and mix it about.  At this point, turn up the heat a little until the sauce starts boiling, then turn it down to  a simmer.

Add your spices (paprika, cumin, and cayenne), and wait until the sauce thickens.  Make sure to keep stirring!

Once the sauce is your desired thickness, crack in your eggs (you can do as many, or as little as you want. I only did 4 -- I'm now at the point of tolerance with eggs, but not quite to the liking point yet haha)

Put a lid on it, and let it simmer away for a few minutes while you prepare your bread!

Cut it up, throw it in an oiled/buttered pan, and toast away!

Once the whites of the eggs are about cooked, take it off the heat, crack some black pepper over it, and serve!

The eggs will continue cooking as you mix it about and begin to eat  =)

Perfect for a quick brunch for just you and your love, or for a few guests!  =)  This recipe makes more than enough for 2.  we definitely had enough leftovers for another meal  =)

Quick, easy, and filling.  Can't ask for much more on a lazy weekend morning, right?

I hope you enjoy the recipe, and please let me know if you like it!

Thanks for stopping by!

--Janny

Sunday Brunch and SOWA

Hello everyone,

I have never been a big fan of brunch because at some point in my childhood, I had a very bad experience with eggs, and I haven't been able to stand the taste of them since. And brunch? It's full of eggs!  However, there was an experience recently that has changed my opinion of eggs, and therefore, brunch!

We visited Stephanie's with Ted and Pamela on their last day, and here is where I found that eggs are not so bad after all!  

We began with a few different mimosas and a little bit of Bloody Mary (which kinda weirded me out ,not gonna lie).  Ok, celery and pickles in a drink?  weird, right?  Not my kinda drink, I must say..

These were much better  haha

cuties  =)

We began with a little bit of pull-apart monkey bread,

then this dish.  

This dish is what changed my opinion on eggs.

Shakshuka.

Gotta love that name, right? haha

Tomato-y, flavorful, a little bit spicy, but not too much, and just all around delicious!  AND it didn't have meat or dairy (minus eggs) so happier tummy for me!

and the eggs? I couldn't even taste the specific taste that makes my insides turn, but it added a nice texture to the whole dish!  and the bread for dipping was really good too!

Thanks Stephanie's for changing my opinion on eggs, it has made many of my friends very, very happy!  =)

Afterwards, we visited SOWA for the first time!

How did I not know about this for nearly a year that I've been in Boston?!

For someone who loves farmers markets and food trucks, this was basically heaven!

two large courtyards filled with hundreds of different vendors, people milling about, eating, chatting, laughing..  the energy is practically buzzing, and I love it!

my date for the day. and for all other days!  ;)

such colorful garlic mashers!  it had grooves in the bottom that mashed garlic!  

well, hello there handsome fella!

perfect dessert on a hot Sunday afternoon!

SOWA runs until October, so I'm really excited to return when the weather gets a little cooler! =)

Have you guys been to SOWA? I'd highly recommend visiting if you haven't!  

thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful rest of the week!

--Janny