Old Fashioned Oatmeal

As I've mentioned before, my usual breakfast consists of two muffins. Occasionally, especially on the weekends, I like to mix it up and have something different. If my husband has anything to do with it, those weekend breakfasts are very traditional and involve eggs, sausage and toast. Unfortunately, he's not a big fan of baked goods. I have a slew of carbohydrate-rich breakfasts that would make my day, but I try not to overwhelm him with pancakes, waffles, scones, and cinnamon rolls too often.

Interestingly enough, serving oatmeal had never crossed my mind... until the other day when he was nice enough to indulge my soft-serve craving at McDonald's. He noticed that they are now serving oatmeal. The end result of that conversation was that I maybe had another option for our weekend breakfasts. Today was the day to give it a try!

I made an old fashioned oatmeal, meaning I used old fashioned oats. I like my oatmeal to have a little substance to it and not be like glue. Making oatmeal yourself at home is so easy, I'm not really sure why you would ever need those little packets of "instant" oatmeal. Plus, your options for toppings are so much more varied and naturally delicious if you make it yourself.

I topped ours with my maple blueberry topping and some toasted almonds. The combination of flavors and textures was phenomenal!

Old Fashioned Oatmeal
Yield: 2 servings

3/4 cup water
3/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup old fashioned oats

Mix the water and milk in a sauce pan over medium to medium high heat. When the mixture starts to steam, add the oats and salt. Stir periodically until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the oats are softened but not mushy, about 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately (lest it become pasty) and top with your favorite accompaniments.

Ham and Cheese Filled Crepes

My big indulgence each week is my Thursday "card" playing day with the gals. We play Mah Jongg. Not the computer version, but the old fashioned tile version. To be honest, I didn't even know such a thing existed until I started playing with this group. While the game is a little more involved than most card games, once you get the hang of it, it's great fun!

One of the best things about this group, however, is that each week someone new is responsible for bring lunch. I served my recently posted Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Bars when it was my turn about a month ago. Being military wives, we all come from such diverse backgrounds that each week's lunch is a pleasant surprise.

Take lunch from a couple weeks ago, for instance. We were served a delicious lunch of ham and cheese wrapped in crepes. Now, if you've been with me long enough, you might remember that I have a thing for crepes. In fact, usually, when I make them, it's all I can do to not eat every single crepe the second it comes out of the pan... makes it kind of hard to collect enough to make anything! Well, this lunch reminded me with a vengence just how much I love crepes, so I had to make them myself for dinner.

These little rolls are so easy and delicious! In fact, my husband, who kind of rolled his eyes when I told him what I was making for dinner, took one bite, gave me a wink and a little Cheshire grin and said, "I guess these are OK." Okay, indeed! Silly husband for doubting me!

All you need to make these are a few simple ingredients. To make the crepes, you just need some eggs, milk, flour, and butter. I've included a crepe recipe below so that you have enough batter for this recipe, but if you need a refresher on making crepes, just go take a look at my crepes post. I make my crepes for this recipe a little thicker than I normally do. In addition to crepes ingredients, you will need 9 ounces of thinly sliced ham (I used a container of Oscar Meyer Deli Fresh Honey Ham) and 6 ounces of cheese (I used Muenster).

For each roll, place a small amount of shredded cheese on the inside of the crepe. Place four slices of ham on top and then sprinkle a little more cheese. Note that you don't need a lot of cheese on each roll. A little goes a long way.

Then just loosely roll up the crepe and place in a greased 13x9 pan. Bake at 375° F for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.

As soon as they'rer heated through, they're ready to serve. I'd start with two. These things are deceptively satisfying and filling!


Crepe Recipe
Yield: 8 thick crepes (1/4 cup batter each)

3 eggs
1 1/2 TBS butter, melted
3/8 tsp salt
2/3 cup flour
1 cup milk

Mix and then run through a sieve to make sure you don't end up with lumpy crepes. Cook over medium heat in a ten-inch non-stick skillet. A ten-inch skillet will typically result in eight-inch crepes.

Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Bars

A couple of weeks ago, I was responsible for bringing lunch to a function I was attending. While I was smart as a whip for the main part of the meal, preparing items that we're tried and true winners I had already prepared before, I was not so smart when it came to preparing a dessert.

I had been wanting to try making Parisian macaroons for some time and I figured this lunch provided the perfect opportunity. Therein, I broke Rule 1 of cooking for others on a time line: don't try something new when you don't have time for a re-do if it flops. Needless to say, as you might guess, I had some issues with my macaroons. Apparently where my recipe said almond meal, what they really meant to say was almond flour. Big difference when you are making such light and delicate treats! They turned out horrible! Unservable! And it was after 9 pm when I realized that they were hopeless.

I had to teach in the morning, so if I was going to serve a dessert at that lunch, I had to come up with something quick... and easy. I was getting tired! Cookies would've been fairly easy, but I didn't feel like standing over the oven in 8 to 10 minute batches. So, I turned to the Internet to find a suitable last minute rescue!

I found this little gem on The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen site. They are so easy to make and quite tasty (ha ha). They are not overly sweet as so many cookie bars can be. I mixed and baked and was in bed in less than 40 minutes! The following morning, I cut up the bars and was on my way. They were a great hit with the ladies. Disaster averted!

Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Bars
Yield: 24 to 40 bars, depending on how you cut them
Adapted from Melissa McCauley's Recipe on Tasty Kitchen

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup quick oats
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 TBS butter, melted
3 TBS hot water
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cream together the shortening, sugars, and peanut butter. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, oats, salt, and soda. Add all at once to the creamed mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed. Smooth mixture into a 9x13 inch, parchment lined pan. I leave the edges of the parchment long in one direction so that I can use them as handles when I'm ready to lift the bars out of the pan for cutting. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool thoroughly.

Beat together the powdered sugar, cocoa, butter, water, and vanilla until smooth. Spread evenly over the cooled bars. Place, covered, in the refrigerator overnight to firm up.

After they have chilled overnight (or at least four hours), use the parchment to lift the mass out of the pan onto a cutting board. Use a large pizza cutter to cut uniform pieces. Let the bars come to room temperature before serving for best flavor.

Bran Muffins

Do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man?

Well... apparently, you do. Except that she's not a man and she certainly doesn't deliver muffins to others because she is too busy eating them herself.

I admit it. I eat a lot of muffins. More, in fact, that I ever realized. Almost a year ago, I was in Tampa for spring break and - since they have a GFS store there and I don't here - I stocked up on muffin papers. I purchased a box of 500 muffin wrappers. They are almost gone. Hmmm... so, let's see. That's over 40 dozen muffins.

So sue me! They're my go-to breakfast. I usually eat two (regular sized muffins) each morning. My favorite muffins are chocolate chip and banana nut, but occasionally I like to branch out and get crazy. I have been searching for a bran muffin recipe that matches the perfect bran muffin taste memory that I have in my brain. I've tried a number of recipes, and finally I have found it!

These are good tasting bran muffins, not to be confused with "health" muffins. These suckers have plenty of fiber in them, but they also have a decent bit of sugar and oil. That's what makes them so tasty! Oh, and as far as I'm concerned, the dates are mandatory... even if you don't like dates (which I don't).

Bran Muffins
Yield: approx. 12 regular sized or 6 large muffins
Adapted from Advanced Bread and Pastry

1/3 cup oil
1 TBS honey
3 TBS molasses (unsulphured)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 cup plus 1 TBS flour (preferably bread flour)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp table salt
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup wheat bran

1 1/2 cup chopped dates (rolled in sugar to prevent sticking if you cut them yourself)

Mix the dry ingredients together and set aside. Stir the wet ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet along with the chopped dates and stir thoroughly. At this point, the batter will be much thinner than a typical muffin batter. Set the mixture aside to for 20 minutes. This step in important because the bran needs to hydrate a bit before the batter has a decent consistency.

While the batter sits, preheat the oven to 375° F and line your muffin pan with papers. When the 20 minutes are up, fill the muffin cups almost full, maybe four-fifths full. Sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar and rolled oats, if desired. Bake for 18-25 minutes, or until done. Test with a cake tester as the muffins can look done before they are fully baked in the center. Remove from the pans to cool fully on a rack.

Bruschetta

This little dish is a favorite of mine. It's also one of those ones where it's different every time I make it. Bruschetta is an Italian appetizer that involves toasted bread and a topping, often of tomatoes and garlic. This iteration was a little more traditional, but I've also made toppings with sauteed mushrooms and tomatoes, which is just jim dandy, too.

This version here was basically a raw salsa of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs. It came about because I started to make guacamole and then realized my avocado had passed its prime. It was a sad day until I realized that I could give that salsa mixture new life.

Cut a baguette on a diagonal so that you have slightly larger slices. In my experience, if your slices are too thin, the stuff just keeps falling off. I cut mine about one centimeter thick. Brush with olive oil and then broil in the oven, flipping halfway through, until both sides are gently golden.

Chop up a few seeded Roma tomatoes, purple onion, and garlic. The ratios are up to you depending on your fondness for each ingredient. Don't forget a little kosher or sea salt to bring out the flavors. A little pepper wouldn't be a mistake either. Throw in some dry or fresh oregano and basil. Stir the mixture and spoon onto the tops of the toasted bread. You can serve them like this, but I like to add a little Parmigiano Reggiano to the top. I then put them under the broiler for just a few moments to melt the cheese. You don't want to broil them too long or your tomatoes will turn mushy and the juices will start oozing all over your nice crisp toast.

Serve at room temperature. They can be served right away or can sit tight for an hour or so, if necessary.

Oh, and in case you've been wondering where I've been... well, perhaps you will forgive me if I've been loath to spend more time in front of my computer lately than is absolutely necessary. It's just been gorgeous here lately. I've got to enjoy it while I can before the gates of hell open up! I hope the weather hasn't been too miserable in your neck of the woods.

Home Fried Chicken

This is one of those down-home comfort meals that really pleases. However, you have to be aware that home fried chicken does not taste the same as store bought fried chicken. That's the point, right?

Home fried chicken has a classic flavor and texture all its own. It's skin is not break your teeth crunchy but is instead delicately crisp and flavorful. The flesh is so luxuriously moist - and not because it's squirting grease everywhere either. It's so moist, you'll wonder what they're doing wrong at those chain chicken places. If you like super greasy, super crunchy fried chicken, then do yourself a favor and just go order take out. If you want a less boisterous but more flavorful fried chicken, then give this a try.

I like to use all legs when making fried chicken. There are a few reasons for this, not the least of which is that legs are my favorite. However, I also really like cooking pieces that are all the same size and structure. It makes cooking them evenly soooooo much easier. I also like legs because they are smaller and, therefore, cook faster. Mine spend less than thirty minutes cooking. You can use other pieces, but you'll have to adjust the time they spend cooking. I would still recommend at least using all the same type of parts for the best results.

The trickiest part about making this chicken is you have to have patience. You start out cooking the chicken over decently high heat just to set the crust, but then you have to turn it way down. I used to have the hardest time doing that when I was younger. Every time I was at the stove it was all about high heat all the time. Trust me, that just doesn't work at all when making fried chicken. I can't tell you how often I ended up with raw chicken with a burnt crust. Yuck! If you want the chicken cooked all the way through before the crust browns too much, you have to go low and slow for the majority of the time.

Home Fried Chicken
Yield: 8- 10 legs

8-10 chicken legs, skin on or off
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
vegetable oil, for frying

Mix the flour and spices together in shallow bowl or plastic container. In a separate container, lightly beat the eggs and milk together. Dip each chicken leg in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip the leg into the egg mixture, being sure to coat all sides. Finally, dip the leg back into the flour mixture, rolling to coat thoroughly. Set the leg on a sheet tray while coating the remaining legs.

Heat 1/4 to 1/2 an inch of oil in a large skillet over medium to medium high heat. I use a small piece of the flour/egg mixture that invariably ends up stuck to my finger to check the heat of the oil. You are looking for that piece of dough to instantly start fizzing vigorously. Once the oil is hot, add the legs and cook, turning occasionally to brown all sides for about five minutes. You may want a spatter shield during this time period.

After the initial browning, turn the heat down to medium low and cover. For normal sized legs, cook about 15-20 minutes, checking periodically with a meat thermometer. When the internal temperature is around 145° F, remove the cover and turn the heat back up to re-crisp the crust, about five minutes. Cook until the crust is nicely golden and crispy. Remove chicken and place on a cooling rack lined with paper towels to drain and cool slightly.

Moroccan Style Chick Pea Soup

Everyone seems to assume that because I currently live in Florida that it's all sunshine and warm weather for us all winter. While I can't say we never experience that combination, in the panhandle, there's plenty of cold and dreary to go around. It seems we go through little phases of the not so nice weather. The difference between here and real winter up north is that we get a lot more breaks of beautiful weather through the winter.

It seems like we've been going through one of those not so nice phases. While two days ago was a stunningly beautiful day, today and many of the other days in the last two weeks have been cold and/or dreary. And you know what cold and dreary means? Soup! Lots and lot of soup!

This soup is wonderful for a couple of reasons. The first is that it can easily be made in less than half an hour. Another reason I like it is since there is no meat in it, I can make it spur of the moment on those evenings when I've forgotten to thaw out something for dinner. The last really great thing about it is the taste. Those Moroccan spices with the cinnamon and cumin really make this a warming soup. Yum!

Moroccan Style Chick Pea Soup
Yield: 4 servings

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp cumin powder
1/8 tsp cayenne powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
4 cups vegetable broth (I like Knorr vegetable broth cubes)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
2 15-oz cans chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp sugar
2 cups fresh spinach

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat in a 6 quart or larger pot. Cook until onions are soft and slightly browned. Add the spices and stir to mix. Add the broth, stirring to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes, chick peas, and sugar. Let cook 15-20 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and add the spinach, stirring to wilt it. Serve immediately.

Palmiers

I've been disappointed lately. It just doesn't seem like my photos have been coming out very well in the last month or so. I wish I knew if it was operator error or if - somehow - my digital camera has decided to do its own thing. Either way, the end result is a bunch of photos that I just haven't been very excited to share with you. However, my mom convinced me that you might rather deal with less than perfect photos than no photos at all.

My husband is currently a squadron commander and, as you might imagine, there are some "wifely" responsibilities that often go along with that. Recently, I hosted a luncheon at my home as part of the social club. It was a fairly casual affair, and - since I've been busy - I didn't feel the need to go all out and prepare a multi-step dessert like profiteroles or something. Nope, just something nice and easy... provided you "cheat" and use store-bought puff pastry, that is.

I love these little pastries so much! I'd be completely content if palmiers were considered their own food group. In fact, after everyone left, I had absolutely no problem eating every single remaining pastry in less than an hour (and, please, don't ask me to admit how many there were!). These things are flaky and crunchy, sweet and oh so cute.

The first step is the thaw the frozen, store-bought, puff pastry on the counter for forty minutes or as instructed on the package. Then, sprinkle the counter liberally with granulated sugar. Lay out the pastry sheet on top of the sugar. Sprinkle the top with more sugar and then gently roll across the dough to imprint the sugar slightly. There is no need to roll too much or too hard. Gently brush off the excess sugar. If you have too much sugar clinging to your palmiers when they bake, not all of the sugar will be able to melt, leaving you with grainy palmiers... which is not the intent at all!

Start rolling the pastry up across the long side until you reach the middle and then do the same on the other side so that you end up with a double "scroll" roll of dough. Trim the ends so that they are even. Don't roll too loosely or you'll end up with gaping holes in your finished pastries.

With an oiled serrated blade, gently "saw" slits along the tri-fold seams of the puff pastry. This cut will help you evenly slice the rolls and insure you don't end up with weird un"seam"ly pastries. Ha, ha.

Sorry.

Once your initial divisions are made, slice the dough, using a sawing motion, into individual pieces. The recipe I have always followed specifies that they should be cut into half-inch sections. I always seem to end up with them thicker which isn't as good. The thicker ones don't seem to bake up as lightly. It may be worth the effor to get a ruler out to be sure they aren't too thick. Even erring on the side of a little thinner might be better. Depending on how you slice them, you'll get between twelve and twenty palmiers per sheet of dough.

Lay the palmiers out on a parchment lined baking sheet, cut edge up. You can adjust their shape if need be at this point.

Bake at 425° F for 12-15 minutes, until the tops are nicely golden and the pastry can be moved without falling apart. Remove the tray from the oven and flip the pastries using a pair of tongs. Return to the oven to continue baking to brown the reverse side, perhaps another 8-10 minutes.

Continue baking the other side until it is also golden, perhaps another 8-10 minutes. Place on a cooling rack as soon as they are removed from the oven. Cool completely before serving, at least one hour so that they are fully crisped. While you can store them in an air tight container for 2-3 days, I really think they are best enjoyed on that first day. That's why I ate all those left overs so quickly.

Really. You believe me... don't you?

Hazelnut Liqueur

This is one of those recipes that takes a long time from start to finish, but the work load is fairly low. In fact, the most frustrating thing may well be getting the skins off of the nuts. Needless to say, however, if you have any patience at all, you should try this recipe. Well, provided you like liqueurs. I'm not a huge fan, myself, of sipping liqueurs; to me they are too sweet to drink alone, so I enjoy mixing them and using them in cooking. There are a lot of folks out there though that really enjoy a good sipping liqueur, and this is one of them... another grand gift idea!

Of course, it starts with the nuts. I based this recipe from one I found in Linda Amendt's Blue Ribbon Preserves book. She was making an almond liqueur, but not once did she mention toasting the nuts. I think this is a crucial mistake.

You always want to toast the nuts, in my opinion. Toasting is what brings out their true nuttiness. For hazelnuts, toasting also allows you to remove most of their papery skin. Throw the nuts on a sheet pan and bake at 250 until the nuts are very fragrant, just slightly browning, and there are plenty of cracks in their skins. Remove from the oven and pour into a kitchen towel. Close the towel up and let the nuts steam themselves for a bit to loosen the skin. To remove the skin, simply rub the nuts together with the towel. You won't get all of the skin off, but you will remove a large portion of it.

Chop the nuts up and pour into a large glass jar. I used a half-gallon canning jar that can be found at Michael's or similar craft stores. Heat the vodka and sugar together, gently, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let the mixture cool slightly and add to the nuts. Throw in the chopped up vanilla bean. Cover the top with a double layer of plastic wrap and put the lid on. Gently swirl the jar to mix the ingredients. Place in a cool, dark place for a month.

After a month, the mixture will have taken on a lovely hue. It will also be full of a bunch of goopy stuff. Have no fear! It will all strain off, leaving you a gorgeous liqueur.

Use a fine mesh strainer to remove the nuts and vanilla bean. Then set up a filtration system with a coffee filter. The first filtration will be the slowest since the filter fills up with goop the fastest. I did find that keeping the filter full results in a faster filtration. Filter the liqueur four or five times. If there is any remaining cloudiness, let the liqueur sit undisturbed for a week and then carefully pour off the top of the liqueur, leaving any sediment behind. Bottle the result in pretty bottles and enjoy!


Hazelnut Liqueur
Yield: about 3 cups
Adapted from Linda J. Amendt's Blue Ribbon Preserves

4 cups hazelnuts
3 cups vodka
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 whole vanilla bean, cup into pieces

Toast the hazelnuts on a sheet pan in a 250° F until they are fragrant, slightly browned, and the skins are well split, maybe 15-25 minutes. Remove nuts from oven and immediately pour into a kitchen towel, wrapping it closed so that the nuts can steam. After 10-15 minutes, rub the nuts with the towel to remove most of the papery skin. You don't want to remove all of it, as I believe the skin is what helps give the liqueur its gorgeous color.

While the nuts are toasting, place the vodka and sugar into a sauce pan and heat gently just until the sugar is dissolved. Do not heat the liquid to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Chop the nuts coarsely and place in a large glass jar. Add the cut up vanilla bean and then pour the warm vodka/sugar mixture into the jar. Swirl to mix. Cover the top with some plastic wrap and then close with the lid. Place in a cool, dark place for a month.

After a month has passed, the liqueur should have a nice golden hue. Pour the mixture through a fine mess sieve to remove the nuts and vanilla bean. Filter the liqueur through paper coffee filters four or five times to remove all sediment. If the liqueur still has sediment after four or five filterings, let it sit in a cool place for a week to let the sediment fall to the bottom of the bottle and pour off the clear top liquid. Decant the final product into pretty glass bottles and enjoy!

NOTE: I have doubled the amount of nuts this recipe uses compared to how I first posted it (four cups instead of two). While the finished product was good with the two cups, I later decided it was not as nutty as I would like. If you're going to go to the trouble of making this, you want it to come out with a robust flavor! 

Shrimp Scampi

.:Phew:. I never know whether to be sad or relieved when the holidays are over. Perhaps I feel a little bit of both. I do know that driving fourteen hours in one day is a lot. I also know that suddenly being around little kids that are bathing in a pool of germs you're not used to swimming in can be rough on a gal's immune system. But I have persevered. .:Phew:.

Fortunately, I know some really easy dinners to get me through this recovery phase. This is what I made last night. Not only is it fairly healthy, provided you don't get carried away with the oil, but it is super-ooper-duper fast to make. Especially if you purchase your shrimp peeled and ready to go. I served it with garlic toast and green beans mixed with toasted almonds, a squirt of lemon juice, and a little butter. It was a great meal. Yummy and healthy!

Here are the main players for the shrimp. Of course, I realize now that I forgot to put the olive oil in the picture. I guess I had already drizzled it in the pan and put it away. Well, you get the general idea: a fairly simple cast of players. I used dry vermouth, but you could simply use any good white wine you have on hand.

I used Campari tomatoes. They're the only tomatoes I buy in the winter months of tasteless, crunchy store-bought tomatoes. They're a little more expensive and the small size is sometimes a hassle, but they actually taste like tomatoes. That makes it a no-brainer for me. Cut the tomatoes in half (across the tomatoes equator, separating top from bottom) and squeeze out the seeds. Then dice.

Once you have all the ingredients ready, turn the heat on and get going. Start with the garlic and then add the shrimp. I used a non-non-stick skillet for this. You can use a non-stick pan, but see all those dark bits stuck to the pan? There's flavor in them thar bits. You won't get as many of those bits if you use a non-stick pan. At the end of the process, you'll use the vermouth to loosen up those bits and deglaze the pan. Instant delicious sauce!


Shrimp Scampi
Yield: 2-3 servings

1-2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
1 TBS lemon juice
1/4 cup dry vermouth (or white wine)
1/2 cup seeded, diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil. When the pan and oil are hot, add the garlic and pepper flakes, stirring to keep from burning. When the garlic turns slightly golden, add the shrimp and lemon juice. Let the shrimp cook for 2-3 minutes per side without stirring very often. This will allow browned bits to stick to the pan which will provide extra flavor for the dish.

When the shrimp are completely pink, add the vermouth and stir to loosen the bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.