Thayer in the Kitchen

We had a southern style breakfast that doesn't really have much of a recipe but I'll share what I did because it was delicious! Ramps with Potatoes & Eggs Cook 4 slices of bacon, remove from pan but don't drain the bacon fat. (I never said this healthy) Fry about 1/2# of sliced unpeeled potatoes (or more if you like) and the sliced bulbs and stems from 1 bunch of ramps (8-10) until tender. I covered the pan so the potatoes cooked more quickly. Season with salt and pepper. When they are brown and tender, add the sliced ramp leaves and 4 beaten eggs. Cook the eggs until they reach the desired degree of doneness. Serve with hot buttered cornbread. I posted a great cornbread recipe in an earlier post which is the one I made on Sunday morning. Its called Dairy Hollow House Skillet Cornbread. The recipe is from the Cornbread Gospels by Crescent Dragonwagon. Feel free to make any cornbread recipe you'd like to try from the book to serve with your ramps, potatoes an

I borrowed this recipe from A Good Appetite blog and made a couple of modifications for items I had on hand. Creamy Sausage and Ramp Pasta 8 oz. Trader Joe's whole wheat fettuccine 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 precooked chicken Italian sausages 1 bunch ramps (8-10) 3/4 cup half & half (the fat free works fine in this dish) 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Salt & Pepper to taste Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain & set aside. Slice the ramps. Keep the leaves separate. Heat the olive oil, brown the sausage, bulbs and stems from the ramps until slightly softened. Add the half and half and cheese. Simmer until everything is warm. Add the cooked pasta and the ramp leaves. Stir until the leaves wilt slightly. Season with salt & pepper. This is a quick easy dish and very satisfying.

I'm posting another very good as well as easy recipe using ramps. Its really sad that their season is so short. Scalloped Potatoes With Ramps 6 cups sliced potatoes, peeled or unpeeled whichever you prefer 3 cups ramps, both bulbs and leaves, chopped (it was about 1 bunch which is what I had) salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup chicken broth 3/4 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese Place a layer of sliced potatoes in a buttered 1 1/2--2 quart casserole, (I used a 9" square baking pan) follow with the ramp and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Top with the remaining potatoes. Combine chicken broth and heavy cream; pour over potatoes and ramps. Bake covered at 375° for 45 minutes, then top with grated cheese. Return to the oven uncovered for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. From About.com Southern Food

It really doesn't get any better than this! A friend made me a present of some morel mushrooms. How lucky could I get. I had to make something wonderful with this offering. Braised Chicken Thighs with Morels & Ramps in a White Wine Cream Sauce 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter 8-10 morel mushrooms (or whatever you have) bunch ramps, about a dozen, trim off the end and chop roughly 1 cup dry white wine 1 teaspoon dried marjoram 1 teaspoon dried thyme (fresh is good if you have it available) 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 cup half and half or light cream Salt and pepper to taste Flour for dredging Directions Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Generously salt and pepper chicken thighs on both sides. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoons of butter to heated pan. When the oil begins to shimmer, add chicken to the pan. Do not overcrowd the pan. Allow chicken to