it is no secret on this here blog or in my real life that my husband and i have every intention of opening a restaurant. it started out as a pipe dream, but six years into our relationship, the vision is really starting to take shape. don't get too exited, we still have some work to do. BUT with out a doubt it will be breakfast heavy. we love breakfast and brunch and pretty much anything with an egg on it. we've spent years in the kitchen working on (and sometimes fighting about) our eggs. but there is no argument about how to cook the perfect sunny side up egg. follow these tips and you will get a great egg every time. 

start by getting yourself a good nonstick pan. if you have one, make sure there aren't any scratches on the pan. if there are, it may be time to get a new one. THIS is the one that wes and i have and it is common in many professional kitchens.
the perfect sunny egg serves: 1 egg prep time: 5 minutes active time: 5-7 minutes total time: 10-12 minutes ingredients: 1 egg. 2 pinches of kosher salt. 1 pinch of fresh pepper. 1 tsp unsalted butter. 1 small bowl. 1 nonstick pan. 

start by setting your pan on a burner turning the heat onto a medium low setting. you want to warm your pan slowly so that it heats evenly. let it warm for 5 minutes. 

while the pan is warming, crack your egg into the bowl, careful to remove any shell pieces. 

season the egg with salt and pepper. 

when the pan is hot, add the butter. the butter should sizzle, but not brown. 

when the butter has melted, gently add in your egg. 

now step back. cook for 5-7 minutes until the white is fully set (no clear left anywhere) but the yolk is still soft. 

remove from the heat and serve. 

xo, a

the perfect sunny egg
serves: 1 egg
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 5-7 minutes
total time: 10-12 minutes
ingredients: 1 egg. 2 pinches of kosher salt. 1 pinch of fresh pepper. 1 tsp unsalted butter. 1 small bowl. 1 nonstick pan.
start by setting your pan on a burner turning the heat onto a medium low setting. you want to warm your pan slowly so that it heats evenly. let it warm for 5 minutes. while the pan is warming, crack your egg into the bowl, careful to remove any shell pieces. season the egg with salt and pepper. when the pan is hot, add the butter. the butter should sizzle, but not brown. when the butter has melted, gently add in your egg. now step back. cook for 5-7 minutes until the white is fully set (no clear left anywhere) but the yolk is still soft. remove from the heat and serve. 

while i like to think of myself as cautiously optimistic, i most definitely have a sunny disposition when it comes to life. so i'm sure it won't come to a shock to you that i LOVE valentine's day.

yeah yeah, it's hallmark manufactured holiday designed to sell candy and flowers, blah blah. you could look at it that way. or, you could look at it as a special day to be a little extra grateful for the love in your life. your parents, your kids, your besties, your pets. they all love you. celebrate it!

this morning i celebrated with my sixteen students, zee, the front desk girl who works with me in the mornings on tuesdays and thursdays, and this amazing sponge cake. 

vanilla + citrus sponge cake
serves: 8
prep time: 25 minutes
bake time: 40 minutes
cool time: 10 minutes
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted. .5 cup all purpose flour. .25 cup cake flour. .75 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp fine salt. 1 tbs honey. 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or you can sub .5 tsp vanilla extract). 3 large egg yolks. 7 egg whites. 1 cup granulated sugar. 1 blood orange zested and sliced thin. 1 small grapefruit zested and sliced thin. 1 9x4 loaf pan. rubber spatula. mixer or hand blender. bakings pray. 

start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. sift together the flours, baking powder and salt and set it aside. if you like, you can take the extra time to cut hearts or other fun shapes with your grapefruit and blood orange slices. it's your loaf. go wild. 

in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand blender, combine the egg yolks and half the sugar. 

blend on high until pale yellow and thick. about 5 minutes.

pour the egg and sugar mixture into medium bowl land set it aside. clean the bowl and whisk. 

add in the egg whites and whip on high until soft peaks form. about 2-4 minutes.

with the mixer on high, pour in the remaining sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. about 3-5 minutes more. you will know they are ready when you can flip your bowl upside down and nothing moves. 

while your eggs are whipping, combine your butter, honey, zest and vanilla beans in a small bowl. mix well. 

then, using your rubber spatula, fold a large scoop of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture so it becomes light. 

then add the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites and fold it all together. just till it is no longer streaky.

fold in your flour mixture. 

fold in your butter, honey mixture. spray your loaf pan with baking spray.

pour your batter into the loaf pan and bake for 15 minutes, until the to begins to set. 

pull the loaf out, place your grapefruit and blood oranges slices as you like and pop it back in the oven for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

the top should be golden brown. 

remove the loaf pan onto a raised cooling rack (you don't want the bottom to steam) and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. remove the sponge from the pan, slice and serve. you can store it in an airtight container for a few days. 

xo, a

vanilla + citrus sponge cake serves: 8 prep time: 25 minutes bake time: 40 minutes
cool time: 10 minutes
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted. .5 cup all purpose flour. .25 cup cake flour. .75 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp fine salt. 1 tbs honey. 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or you can sub .5 tsp vanilla extract). 3 large egg yolks. 7 egg whites. 1 cup granulated sugar. 1 blood orange zested and sliced thin. 1 small grapefruit zested and sliced thin. 1 9x4 loaf pan. rubber spatula. mixer or hand blender. baking spray.
start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. sift together the flours, baking powder and salt and set it aside. if you like, you can take the extra time to cut hearts or other fun shapes with your grapefruit and blood orange slices. it's your loaf. go wild.
in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand blender, combine the egg yolks and half the sugar.
blend on high until pale yellow and thick. about 5 minutes. pour the egg and sugar mixture into medium bowl land set it aside.
clean the bowl and whisk.
add in the egg whites and whip on high until soft peaks form. about 2-4 minutes.
with the mixer on high, pour in the remaining sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. about 3-5 minutes more. you will know they are ready when you can flip your bowl upside down and nothing moves.
while your eggs are whipping, combine your butter, honey, zest and vanilla beans in a small bowl. mix well.
then, using your rubber spatula, fold a large scoop of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture so it becomes light.
then add the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites and fold it all together. just till it is no longer streaky. fold in your flour mixture. fold in your butter, honey mixture. spray your loaf pan with baking spray.
pour your batter into the loaf pan and bake for 15 minutes, until the to begins to set. pull the loaf out, place your grapefruit and blood oranges slices as you like and pop it back in the oven for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. the top should be golden brown.
remove the loaf pan onto a raised cooling rack (you don't want the bottom to steam) and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. remove the sponge from the pan, slice and serve. you can store it in an airtight container for a few days.