Monday, December 6, 2010

Cocotte Eggs with mushrooms served with spiced cheese breadsticks

Who would have thought that volunteering in schools would be so exhausting. Well I am not the one exhausted this article in the NY times says there are moms who have burnt themselves out volunteering at their kids' schools. I have mixed feelings (guilt) about not being to volunteer for the field trips, holiday celebrations and what not that requires parents volunteer. I am eternally grateful to parents who infact do it.



Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against volunteering. In fact I appreciate everybody who takes the time to volunteer at their place of choice. I do like to volunteer but I do not bend over backwards to volunteer at my kids schools. I go every now and then maybe to put to rest my guilty conscience?



I console myself thinking how I would have felt having my mom turn up at school to help my teacher. Ugh! I would have hated it. One of the kids in DD's class whose mom seems to live in the school begs her mom not to be there on every field trip.

I have heard parents say how they rearrange their jobs to make it to their children's field trips and every other occasion that the school hosts. Laudable but one I would never attempt or even aspire to.




Do your regularly volunteer at your kids school? Do you like it?

Last weekend our usual weekend breakfasts - idli, dosai, upma did not sound all that exciting. I had bookmarked just the recipe for my egg loving family from Jacques Pepin, my favoritest TV chef.



If you are looking for a fancy holiday breakfast or brunch recipe you just have to give this a second look. The ramekins I had bought for making a recipe that still has not materialized proved to be very useful. If you watch the show Pepin uses a dish similar to a small cream jug but any small dish should work.

While you are getting the eggs ready hand over the making of the cheese bread sticks to the kids.

You will need a wide mouthed pan with lid large enough to place the ramekins to cook.

Based on the recipe by Jacques Pepin on the TV show More fast food my way.



Cocotte Eggs with Mushrooms
Ingredients
1. 1 1/2 cups of finely chopped mushrooms (I used cremini)
2. 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or white onions
3. 1/2 tbsp pepper (or to taste)
4. salt to taste
5. 2 - 3 tbsp of milk
6. 4 Eggs
7. 1 tsp of butter

Method
1. Heat a pan with the butte and add the chopped onions and let them saute till they are brown.
2. Add in the chopped mushrooms and let it cook for 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the salt and pepper and let the mushroom cook completely
4. Add in the milk and turn off the heat.
5. Spoon in 2-3 tbsp of mushroom mixture (3-4 tbsp depending on the size of the dish)into the ramekins
6. Crack an egg on top of the mushrooms
7. Fill the pan with water just enough to submerge half the ramekin and let it come to a boil. Place the ramekins inside cover with a lid and let cook for 6-8 minutes or till the egg is cooked as much as you like.


Spiced Cheese breadsticks
Ingredients
1. 8-10 Slices of Whole Wheat Bread cut into sticks
2. 2 tbsp of parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper and cumin. Mix all three together
3. 1/2 tbsp of olive oil

Method
1. Sprinkle some olive oil on a cookie sheet or toaster pan
2. Place the bread on it and sprinkle the cheese mixture
3. Set to toast for 4-5 minutes

Spiced Breadsticks with the eggs and mushrooms is ready for savoring.


10 comments:

  1. the cocotte look awesome...but instead of mushrooms what else could be used?...love the idea of breadsticks made with regular bread!...
    coming to volunteering @ school...I go now n then...just to get away with the guilty-conscience like u said!:))

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  2. Did my occasional volunteering in school not a lot.Its enough worked as a PTA treasurer deposting 100s of 5$ checks in the bank.
    Kids will like mom coming to school only in elementary school anyway.
    No guilts no regrets for not doing more.
    your egg dish looks yummy

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  3. I love doing this and as S don't like mushroom i do for her with spinach.
    Well i am gald we didn't had all these voulunteering in school here we don't have that, the school does it all. I think only whe she was in the basic school and that id till 4th std we had to do some volunteering and that too once in a year, maybe.

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  4. This one looks beautiful with the sunny color but I will need to find a substitute for egg

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  5. I have not done any volunteering yet and mighty guilty about that. For BS's school, at the beginning of the school year we have to put in our names to volunteer and then we might be called to help out at any random event. Unfortunately that doesn't work for me. I need to know beforehand what I am putting myself into.

    But I do admire the parents who give their time helping the school and I sincerely hope to do my part in the coming years.

    Cocotte Eggs -- the name itself promises great things. The process looks a lot like Kalyn's egg muffins which we love, but those are baked

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  6. Am ready to start my day with this cocotte eggs, sooo tempting..

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  7. Such a lovely easy recipe for week end brunch! I love the idea of relaxing easy brunch dish and not having to worry about food until evening!
    Unfortunately I am one of those moms you have mentioned who reschedules work to be there at the sports or summer and christmas play! I thoroughly enjoy being there and not missing anything and until now my son has not complained (he's 8 and a half)..but if he starts then probably I'll not be this enthusiastic I suppose.

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  8. Oh my, what is not to like about this elegant dish. I adore mushrooms and eggs and they go so well together. Just yum.

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  9. Elegant for sure. And quite simple to make too. Gotta love that!

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  10. I am so bookmarking this!

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