Post by Alison Hein.
If you read my post last week, you know I recently returned fromTexaswhere I visited my sister-in-law Suzanne and her husband, Randy. What you don’t know is, besides my unfortunate cooking mishap, something really awesome occurred– Suzanne and Randy presented me with a cookbook written by Randy’s grandmother!
Elsie Druckhammer Patranella Sauer was born in 1905 in Washington-on-the-Brazos, otherwise known as “the heart ofTexas.” Randy describes her this way: “Elsie was a true Southern belle and genteel hostess who loved to cook and entertain. Then, an hour after everyone left her sophisticated cocktail party, she would put on her hunting boots and head off alone in search of wild game… and never return empty-handed.”
A true daughter of the Lone Star State, Elsie reinvented herself several times throughout her life. Her parents were German immigrants, and although Elsie had only a sixth-grade education, she later went on to secretarial school and a successful career atTexasA&MUniversity. She married twice, was widowed early, and raised a child mostly on her own. Throughout, she never lost her love of cooking.
“Cook, Eat, and be Merry with Elsie” is peppered with the German recipes of Elsie’s youth, Italian dishes from her first husband’s family, and many other ethnic specialties she learned from friends and neighbors in the melting pot of College Station, Texas.
You can be sure I will revisit Elsie’s book in the future, especially to try some of Randy’s favorites – Czech Kolaches and Texas Sheet Cake. In the meantime, here’s one of Elsie’s spicier choices, Eggs Creole. Elsie says you should serve Eggs Creole with hard rolls and fruit, which I found surprising, yet perfectly complemented this distinctive, lively dish.
Hope you enjoy Elsie’s spunky, Texas-style breakfast in bed!
Ingredients
6 eggs
Cooking spray
Red Sauce
1 small onion
1 green pepper
1 stalk celery
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
½ teaspoon Creole seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
White Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
Topping
1 tablespoon butter, melted
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Place eggs in small heavy saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil on high heat and continue to cook eggs for 10 minutes, until hard-boiled. Cool, peel and slice. Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Place sliced eggs in dish and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To make red sauce, finely chop onion, pepper, celery and garlic. Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped vegetables. Sauté about 8 to 10 minutes until soft but not browned, stirring occasionally. Add tomato sauce, Creole seasoning, salt and pepper. Simmer sauce until slightly thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Make white sauce while red sauce simmers.
To make white sauce, melt butter in small heavy saucepan. Whisk in flour until smooth, thick paste forms. Whisk in milk and cook until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour sauce evenly over sliced eggs. Let set for a few minutes, then pour red sauce evenly over white sauce. The white sauce becomes firm quickly, so it is easy to spread the red sauce without mixing the sauces.
To make topping, melt butter in small saucepan and remove from heat. Stir in breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese until thoroughly mixed. Spread evenly over red sauce. Place in oven and cool 20 minutes, until bread crumb topping is golden brown. Serve immediately with hard rolls and fruit on the side.
Makes 12 – 14 servings.
Tags: Breakfast, Breakfast in Bed, Breakfast Recipe, Charles P. Rogers Beds, family
