Food Interlude

For reasons I won't go into in this space, I've been unable to go home for the past month. There has, in short, been some bullshit, and to say any more would likely be a bad call.

I will say that I got to take my socialist health insurance for a spin, and was seen at the ER almost immediately without a co-pay, and was able to get prescription pain meds for three dollars a bottle.

Thanks, Mitt. Too bad for you the fact that I wasn't SOL may be the only thing keeping you from taking the nomination.

Anyway, I thought I'd do a recipe post, because they're always fun (for me at least) and it's been awhile.

Here's an idea I got from watching Iron Chef America. Things are served up in smaller portions than I'd normally concoct, because the judges need to eat their way through two five-course meals in the space of an hour.

Also contributing to this idea is the fact that I'm flat fucking broke.

For this, you need

1 clove garlic, minced, crushed, shredded, or whatever
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
salt (to taste)
1 egg
1 Russett potato
1/4-1/3 cup shredded cheese (I use cheddar, but take your pick)
butter to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

First, bake the potato.  I ought to be telling you to do this in an oven, but as part of the charm of this dish is that it can be had on the quick, so more often than not I wind up using the microwave. I cover the potato in a microwave-safe bowl and press the baked potato button, which winds up being between 5 and 10 minutes on full power depending on the size of the potato.

While it cooks, toss the olive oil in a frying pan, followed by the garlic, salt, red pepper, and rosemary. Throw some heat under it, and when it looks like the garlic is just on the edge of turning brown, crack the egg and fry it.  I usually go over easy, but it is, of course, your call.  When the egg is cooked to your liking, kill the heat, throw on the cheese, and cover. The potato should be done soon.

When the microwave goes ding, let stand for about a minute.  Then, put the potato on a plate or bowl, split it down the middle, put as much butter on top as won't make you feel guilty, then put the egg and cheese on the potato and enjoy.

What's great about this is that it costs somewhere around a dollar to make, the ingredients are all bulk-purchasable and produced locally, and if you add a glass of orange juice, you've hit all the food groups save for one. Fry up some onions, peppers, and mushrooms before cooking the egg and you've hit the last one, but that, while tasty, would significantly add to prep time.

Tune in next time for some hot, hot ukulele action