February 10, 2007 - Photo #0004 - "The Art of Cooking"

The kitchen is my favorite room in the house.

If you must eat three times a day, it seems logical to develop the skills necessary to make those tri-daily sessions as enjoyable as possible. (I use the term tri-daily loosely, as too often breakfast, lunch and dinner are replaced with Starbucks, Nothing, and Tacos.)

Cooking is, however, an art through and through, and a unique one at that. Recipes quickly become guidelines, and slight modifications make them all your own. In cooking, you can take what you like, mix with things you enjoy and create something completely new.

Chaos combines with order, an unknown "pinch" of medium-ground pepper comes just after a specific method of stirring together egg yolks, defined down to the exact turn of the wrist. Methods for creation could have been handed down for hundreds of years, then improvised upon at a moment's notice.

What makes this art truly great is the ability to share so easily with those around you, those that may enjoy your cooking once it is done, and those that may take on your recipe and not only enjoy its replication, but modify it and create something new for themselves.

Today's Breakfast:

Trav's Bell Pepper Cheese Eggs

1/2 Red Bell Pepper 5 Eggs
1/2 Green Bell Pepper 1 tbsp Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic
1/2 cup Grated Pepper Jack 1 tbsp or so of Medium Ground Pepper
Pinches of Salt, Pepper and Paprika
A small bit of milk
Some cooking oil and a tiny pat of butter.

Combine the eggs, stirring with a fork, lifting as you stir. Add the pinches of Salt, Pepper and Paprika, and the small bit of milk, approximately 1/8 cup. Stir until almost completely yellow.

Heat skillet at medium-high until hot. Add small bit of oil. Dice bell peppers and add with tiny bit of butter. Make sure butter covers the bottom of the skillet lightly.

Add the egg mixture and stir. If the skillet is large, keep the eggs and peppers all to one side, so as not to reduce thickness. It is important not to chop the eggs as you cook. Cook it similar to an omelette, only breaking it up lightly if necessary.

Once one side of the eggs begin to harden slightly, begin to add the cheese. Add more or less to your liking. Then add 1/2 tbsp of pepper and poultry magic and stir everything. Cook until the eggs are firm and add the second 1/2 tbsps of seasoning. Continue to stir, not breaking the eggs up too much so they remain firm and fluffy.

Serve while still hot. Modify as you wish.