Tantalizing Thursday-Texas-Style

Welcome to Tantalizing Thursday on Chief 187™Chatter.

After a long and refreshing off week from NASCAR, it feels wonderful to get back to normal and prepare a meal that complements the venue of the week.

This week the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will compete at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas for the Samsung Mobile 500 under the lights on Saturday night.

Texas does everything bigger and better and that includes breakfast! My good friend Chef Eddie delved deeply into his recipes to find this gem that was acquired years ago in a super-secret way. So secret even Chef Eddie cannot remember how he came by it!

Breakfasts/Brunches are a great way to start race day although a meal this hearty could also be served as a dinner with a fruit salad!

Texas Breakfast Frittata
Recipe obtained by Chef Eddie

Chef Eddie explains that this recipe, “feeds six people or one VERY hungry person!”

Ingredients:

10 to 12 inch oven proof skillet
1 dozen large eggs
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Tabasco Sauce
Nutmeg
Splash of milk
8 oz. package shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided use
½ pound Tennesssee Pride sausage (because I am a Tennessee boy)
3 scallions, sliced thin, with part of the green tops
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 medium tomatillos, diced
1 small can diced green chilies

Directions:

Set the top rack of the broiler about six inches from the heat source and turn on the heat. On the stove top, brown the chorizo over medium heat. If the sausage exudes more fat than you want, remove it from the pan, pour off the excess fat, and return the browned sausage to the skillet. Add the chopped vegetables and sauté until softened to taste.
Crack 10 eggs in a large bowl (a rule of thumb is one egg for each inch of the skillet’s diameter), and whisk to blend with splash of milk. Add salt and pepper to taste and add a few gratings of nutmeg and several dashes of Tabasco. Add ½ the shredded cheese and the can of diced green chilies and blend.
Pour egg mixture over the sautéed vegetables and browned sausage in the skillet and cook until the eggs are beginning to firm up but are still slightly liquid in the center. Occasionally run a heat-proof spatula around the edge of the skillet to prevent sticking. When the egg mixture jiggles only slightly when the skillet is shaken, take the skillet off the stove and sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese on the top. Add the chopped chipotles and place pan under the broiler. Be careful, it’s hot.
Broil until cheese melts and top begins to brown. Watch closely to prevent burning. Remove from oven and let rest for five minutes to finish setting up.

About plating Chef Eddie exclaims, “Eat that sucker like a pie!” He also reminds that with all of his recipes; alter the ingredients to your own taste. Another reason Chef Eddie and I get along famously, we both have the same philosophy about cooking!

And speaking of pie, it is now obligatory that I post a dessert to go along with the main course offering on Tantalizing Thursday.

My research showed plainly that Texas Sheet Cake is enormously popular. Here is a wonderful version I found online.

Texas Sheet Cake Recipe
Recipe found at http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Texas-Sheet-Cake

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1 cup butter, cubed
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream


• ICING:

• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions:

• In a large saucepan, bring the butter, water and cocoa to a boil. Remove from the heat. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; add to cocoa mixture. Stir in the sour cream until smooth.
• Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• In a small saucepan, melt butter; add milk and cocoa. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Whisk in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Pour over warm cake. Cool completely on a wire rack. Yield: 15 servings.

Editor's Note: This recipe does not use eggs.

Originally published as Texas Sheet Cake in Taste of Home February/March 2003, p35



This Texas-sized meal should satisfy appetites on race day and, with any luck, the day after as well!

Special thanks to Chef Eddie for lending me one of his fantastic recipes. It’s always a pleasure to work with him and feature his wonderful recipes on Tantalizing Thursday.

Please join me tomorrow for the week-ending and always popular Friday Music Blog on Chief 187™Chatter.