I was never really a big fan of “big drinking holidays” to begin with. As a bartender for most of my earlier years, these were always spent sober waiting on sloppy drunks we referred to as “amateur outings.” So when these holidays come around as a mom, I don’t particularly get sad that I can no longer run out and grab an extra-strong margarita with the girlfriends. We can do that any day.
Instead, I use these holidays to teach Max about all the cultures around us. Living in NYC, we’re luckily surrounded by different ethnicities everyday, so it’s important to me to make sure he grows up embracing this opportunity. Just a peek into our everyday life – today he got to play in Central Park while I ran to have a quick coffee with the editor’s of Women’s Day magazine to learn how to perfect my cupcake art (see more coming up soon or following along at #WDCraftCorner). Then, we stopped for a quick blueberry chocolate chip scone at Alice’s Tea Cup (the BEST) before heading home to make our Cinco de Mayo brunch together.
Homemade Huevos Rancheros
We all know I love to create things in the kitchen, so I decided to use some of my IMUSA tools to really dig in an make a fun and tasty Mexican meal in a way that my son would actually like it. Today he wanted scrambled eggs. Hmmmm. Being the quick thinker I am, I thought – okay, we’re going to make toddler-friendly huevos rancheros today. They aren’t exactly “authentic” but isn’t that the fun in cooking? Taking a recipe and making it your own? Here’s how we got started:
Making the Flour Tortillas:
First, making homemade tortillas is the EASIEST thing in the world. The next time you think, oh F I need to run to the store – no you don’t – just try this recipe: (Think about all those times you make pancakes in the morning – just as simple).
– 3 cups flour
– 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
– 3/4 teaspoon salt
– 1 cup hot water
– 4 tablespoons olive oil.
1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until sticky. Knead with your hands separating the dough into little balls (depending how big you want them to be).
2. Set the balls on a plate and cover with plastic wrap for about 30 minutes to let the dough set.
3. Use a rolling pin or this IMUSA tortilla press to roll out the dough. Using the press, you will want to press it two or three times to really get it thin enough.
4. Heat a pan on the stovetop (I use a little cooking spray to keep them from sticking). Place on the hot pan for about 1 minute on each side, or until little the dough bubbles and starts to turn brown in spots. Don’t overcook!
Ingredients:
– 3 eggs, scrambled (with milk)
– 1 cup red lentils, cooked
– fresh cilantro, chopped
– cherry tomatoes, chopped
– avocado, optional
– 1 lime, optional
– salt and pepper to taste
Since Maximo isn’t a fan of beans, I substituted in lentils. You should always keep a bag of these in your pantry – they store easily, are quick to cook, and are delicious not to mention – a great healthy addition to any meal.
1. Cook the lentils. Place 2 cups of water and 1 cup of red lentils in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and occasionally stir for about 20 minutes (or until soft). Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Scramble your eggs. I do mine country-style with milk. I continuously chop and fluff until they’re just cooked (a little runny with milk still, you can drain off) and not overly scrambled.
3. Chop your tomatoes and cilantro while the eggs and lentils are cooking.
4. Layer! Place your lentils on a freshly puffed tortilla, add the eggs, tomatoes and cilantro.
5. Get creative! Maximo loves avocado and lime, so I added some on top at the end, and let him squeeze the lime using this IMUSA lime squeezer. You can other fun toppings like onion, shredded cheese or salsa/hot sauce.
Viola! You’ve made your own “authentic” homemade huevos rancheros.
