Change is Good

"Change up...and I ain't talking baseball!"

First, let me start off by saying that if you're reading this, you're a beautiful person. I really appreciate the fact that you're taking five minutes out of your day to read about something that is important to me, and by default, important to you since this is a food blog and everyone eats. For those of you who aren't reading this, you're beautiful, too (however, since you are in fact not reading this post, you will not get to feel warm and fuzzy inside from the compliment I just gave). 

Second of all, did anyone notice that the name of my blog changed? Probably not a whole lot of you since my blog is still young and has only received about 2000 views to date. I added "& Other Foraging," and kept the original "Photogenic Foods" part, bringing you: "Photogenic Foods & Other Foraging." But what does foraging mean? Well according to dictionary.com...

Forage- to search widely for food

I like this definition because to retrieve food really should require a search. It should require effort. Food should not be 'fast' as in the expression, 'fast food.' Searching for food, in this day and age, usually means a trip to Shop Rite and the like. But who is down for a more adventurous search for our food, and some channeling of our inner caveman and cavewoman? I certainly am.

 To add, the act of eating should bring us closer to our outdoor environment. Walking to your backyard and being able to put together a freshly grown, colorful salad will give you an out-of-this-world, happy feeling in your soul (and in your tummy) that going out to a fancy restaurant never could (restaurants that use farm fresh ingredients are a different story). And I'm not saying that all food needs to come from our backyard. Times have changed, people are busier...my hippy self gets that. I love Oreos; I'm human, too. But everyone can do a little something to get to know fresh foods firsthand, and trust me, it's fun stuff.

 SO...long story short (now that I've already given you the long story), I feel like my blog title needed change because it had to better reflect my passions: food that is visually beautiful (like ya'll), food that respects both Mother Nature and animals, and food that you have to get a little dirty in your search for. Before today, I had a separate, private blog where I posted about my experience raising chickens. From today on, I think that this multi-faceted, revamped blog will be the perfect platform to share my chicken raising stories, pretty pictures of food that I eat in my own house or out at a restaurant, and last but not least, posts about outdoor, food-related endeavors I've recently undertook (like preserving pumpkin seeds, growing garlic, and tapping maple trees for syrup). Please come along with me on this ride!

Cheers!

In my belly today: spicy Bloody Marys with my best friend in the Bronx.

Marinara Baked Eggs

"Move Over Bacon, Egg, and Cheese"

Hey ya'll! Haven't been able to blog in quite some time...but that certainly doesn't mean I haven't been cooking. I probably wrote about it in a previous post, but I've been so busy because I recently started working more hours at my awesome foodie job! I work at The Valley Table--a quarterly magazine that connects people who live in the Hudson Valley to local farmers and restauranteurs, and organizes Hudson Valley Restaurant Week. Those of you who know me well can easily understand how this is like a dream job to me. Feeling super blessed. ANYWHO, some more awesome news..........drum roll please..........MY CHICKENS STARTED LAYING EGGS! The first egg was found in the coop mid-November, and we have been tracking every egg that has been laid in 2016. The count is currently at 43 eggs for January 2016, and the first pastel blue egg, laid by one of my araucauna hens (who have been a bit slower to mature), was laid two days ago! So exciting. By the way, please let me know, come springtime, if you'd like to buy some of my organic, backyard eggs.

After saying this, you are officially forewarned that a lot of my recipes are going to involve eggs. But not just any old egg recipes...recipes that will make a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich go hide in a corner, embarrassed. Please comment on my posts, via Facebook, or directly on my blog, with feedback, suggestions, and more! Marinara Baked Eggs
-2 eggs (mine were from the backyard!)
-1/2 cup marinara sauce (I love Rao's)
-2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese
-2 tbsp half & half
-1 small handful of shredded mozzarella (1/4 cup)
-one slice of darkly toasted Italian bread for dipping (optional)
-salt, pepper, and fresh basil to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 F and lightly grease a single serving casserole/over-sized ramekin (mine are Rachael Ray brand and I bought them on Amazon for dirt cheap).
2. Add marinara, eggs, half and half, and cheese to the ramekin, in that order.
3. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until you think the egg is cooked and the yolk is still runny (poke with a fork to test).
4. When done, remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt, pepper, fresh basil, and enjoy!