Scrambled Eggs with Soy Sauce & Burst Tomatoes

It can be so easy to get caught up in what people want/don’t want to see when they go to a food blog. There have been a number of social media posts that have basically attacked the way food blogs got their start: the author writes a story, often a meaningful story connected to the recipe, and then they share said recipe. As time has passed, apparently the desire to read anything at all outside of the recipe itself has become less appealing to some. Well, I don’t want to be rude, but I guess my blog just isn’t for those people. And that’s OK.

I’m stubborn and I haven’t been able to move away from the way I’ve always done this blogging thing. I write stories or essays or whatever you’d like to call them and often times tie them to food. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

So…STORY TIME.

I went to the farmer’s market the other day. I go every week, save maybe two or three, throughout the summer and fall and just this year I have really started to feel connected to a few of the farmers. We chat and talk about the weather and the need for rain and the start of the school year…if the kids are with me, sometimes they are gifted little treats, like tiny pumpkins or a couple cucumbers. It has become a ritual I miss deeply when the market closes for the season.

One of my favorite farmers to talk to is a woman who has clearly been doing this for a very long time. She and her daughter in law always have the most beautiful selection of peppers that I buy in bulk and freeze for use throughout the fall and winter. Often times, I’ll have my youngest with his red hair and summer freckles standing beside me and he always gets the majority of the attention. It is always so sweet.

The last two weeks, this particular farmer has not been there. And I’ve missed her. I actually don’t know her first name (I need to work on that) but I feel like not having her there makes my visit feel incomplete. Her daughter in law was running the stand alone and we laughed at how stubborn her mother in law is and how I hope she is back soon. While we were talking, I spied some beautiful sun gold tomatoes. I handed over a five dollar bill, put the deep orange-yellow tomatoes in my bag, and walked home.

Another favorite way to use farmers market tomatoes: baked goat cheese (like the TikTok version of the feta pasta thing. It with goat cheese). So good!

On my walk, I thought about how, when we bring home these things that are grown by local farmers, we are bringing home their work. If you’ve ever tried to grow, well, anything at all, you know that it is no easy feat. There is so much to consider- sun, water, soil… And when I bring home something like a small basket of sun gold tomatoes, I want to do them justice.

That’s where this recipe came from. It came from a desire to honor the work and care put into growing the tomatoes. And a desire to showcase the candy like, but earthy, sweetness. A splash of soy sauce, a sprinkle of furikake and fresh chives, and my breakfast became something deeply important and worth savoring.

I guess that some of us, food bloggers and otherwise, just need to feel a connection to our food and to the recipes we share. In the end, maybe we all just need a deeper connection to our food, the earth, and people who make it possible to bring it all into our homes.

And now, the recipe:

Scrambled Eggs with Soy Sauce & Burst Tomatoes

Makes 1 serving but is easily doubled

*this recipe was inspired by a similar one found in Egg: Recipes.

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• generous handful of sun gold tomatoes (or regular cherry tomatoes), stems removed but tomatoes left whole

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce (coconut aminos also work well)

• handful of fresh chives, chopped

• Furikake to taste (store-bought is what I use, but you can also get crazy and make your own furikake)

1. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium heat.

2. Add the tomatoes to the skillet and allow them to begin to brown and burst.

3. Turn the heat to low and add the eggs. Gently push them around the pan as they cook for about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, remove the skillet from the heat, and continue pushing the eggs around in the pan until they are cooked to your liking.

4. Transfer the eggs and tomatoes to a plate and sprinkle with the chives and furikake.

Roasted Tomato Salsa

This has been a crazy week. Is it really only Wednesday? I need a siesta. Or a fiesta. No, you're right. Both is probably the answer.

Today, I'm bringing you salsa. I know. It's October and not at all an appropriate time to post a salsa recipe. Most gardens are spent and the weather is getting cooler every day. I guess I am throwing caution to the wind today! This salsa recipe came from the last remnants of my garden that needed to be used up; green tomatoes, red tomatoes and chili peppers that made it this long in the season deserved to be showcased in a delicious way.

The process was simple. I roughly chopped the tomatoes, peppers, and onions and dry roasted them under the broiled for about 10 minutes until everything had nicely charred edges and deep color. Then, everything went in the food processor with some lime juice and salt. A few pulses and seasoning adjustments and it was ready for all manner of tortilla chips and margaritas.

If you have a party to attend (and forgot that you were supposed to bring something) this is a great solution. Fast, easy, homemade, and a crowd favorite.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:14]

Tomato Scallion Shortcakes + Whipped Goat Cheese

My days are typically spent, as one might imagine, doing all sorts of mommy things. Stopping toddler from pulling place mats with stuff on them off the table. Stopping toddler from poking the dog in the eye. Stopping toddler from drinking dog water. Stopping toddler from reaching for my morning coffee. Having a dance party with said toddler to the tune of The Most Wonderful Thing About Tiggers. Singing You Are My Sunshine before nap time as toddler sings along with the sweetest sounding “doo” as he snuggles his blankie. Somewhere in there do laundry, cook, clean, photograph, write, and maintain some level of sanity.

Despite the overwhelming nature of parenting a tiny human, I adore all of these busy moments because they are fleeting. Riley goes through stages so quickly and I just know...I know...that one day I’ll be wishing I could experience all of these things again. Even the dog water part. Probably.

Tomato & Whipped Goat Cheese Shortcake

Even though I love these moments, it is the most fantastic feeling to sit down to a simple, adult meal. Sometimes this means sitting down with some of my favorite cookbooks in search of a meal that is easy, satisfying, and out of the ordinary. These tomato scallion shortcakes from Smitten Kitchen fit these requirements perfectly and are now a favorite in our house. Brad, who isn’t actually much of a tomato person, loved them. Riley, lucky boy that he is, got to taste the biscuits fresh out of the oven. They were “ho-T” in his words.

Tomato Shortcakes Smitten Kitchen

Let's just talk about the biscuits for a second: they were SO light and flaky I almost didn't know what to do with myself. As they baked, the tops became a lovely golden brown and they puffed up like a dream. I'm not sure that anything could be better and more comforting than a buttery, warm, flaky biscuit just out of the oven. And these were no exception.

Cherry and Pear Tomatoes

The tomatoes are dressed lightly with olive oil, vinegar (the recipe called for red wine vinegar, but I used Champagne vinegar because it's what I had), salt and pepper. Then, they are scooped onto half of a biscuit. Immediately the bread begins to absorb the lovely vinaigrette and tomato juices. Then, the tomatoes are topped with a light, creamy whipped goat cheese before being capped with the top half of the biscuit. Beautiful.

We enjoyed our shortcakes on the patio as the sun slowly sank, leaving the air crisp and cool. The sweet, juicy tomatoes with the creamy, tangy goat cheese and flaky biscuits created the perfect balance of textures and flavors. Add white wine and a nice salad and you’ve got a fantastic meal. It was the perfect way for us to end a very busy day/week.

I know I'll be making various versions of this recipe throughout the summer- adding basil to the tomatoes, using bunches of chives in the biscuits, or maybe even dill, and perhaps sprinkling a little crispy prosciutto over the top (Brad's current wish). I've been thinking about what a great first course this would be for a spring or summer dinner party, too. It's so easy,  wonderfully colorful and elegant.

Here's the deal: if you haven't already purchased Deb's cookbook, get on it! It is full of beautiful recipes like this one and will no doubt become a family favorite.

Have you tried any cookbook recipes lately that you can't wait to make again and again? I'd love to hear about them in the comments below! I'm always looking for new books to add to my collection, much to my husband's dismay...

Tomato Scallion Shortcakes with Whipped Goat Cheese

Recipe very slightly adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Scallion Biscuits

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon table salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen for about 30 minutes (I'll explain later...don't worry)

2 scallions, thinly sliced (I added more because, well, I love scallions)

1 cup whole milk

Tomato Salad

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

1/8 teaspoon course salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound cherry tomatoes in assorted colors (I used cherry and pear tomatoes)

Toppings

3 tablespoons whipping cream

4 ounces goat cheese, softened

Preheat the oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for your biscuits. Now, take your frozen butter and use a cheese grater to grate it into your dry ingredients. Use your fingers to evenly distribute the butter so the mixtures forms course crumbs. Stir in the sliced scallion(s), then add the milk and stir until the mixture is just evenly wet. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat to 3/4 to 1 inch thickness. Use a round cutter, about 3" in diameter, and cut 6-8 biscuits. Place each biscuit on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the biscuits have turned goden brown on top.

While the biscuits are baking, combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Cut the tomatoes into halves or quarters, depending on their size, and add them to the bowl tossing lightly to coat. Set aside.

In another bowl, whip the cream using an electric hand mixer until soft peaks form. Add the softened goat cheese and continue to beat the mixture until it is fluffy. Set aside.

When the biscuits are done, allow them to cool on the pan for 2 or 3 minutes until they are still warm but comfortable to handle. Cut each biscuit in half and put on a plate. Top the bottom half with a scoop of the tomatoes, then a dollop of the goat cheese and cover with the top half of the biscuit. Garnish with additional scallions if desired. Serve immediately!