Disclaimer: I know, know, know I am high risk of becoming a cat lady one day.
I volunteer once a week with some kitties who are up for adoption at a nearby Petsmart, which is how sweet, sweet Frank came to become a Loudermilk. I seriously think he's the sweetest cat on the planet who also never stops eating. But alas, the real reason for this post: munchkin cats!!! For. Real. The second strangest cat I've ever seen was at Petsmart on Sunday. His legs were about 2 inches long and because of this, he sort of looked like a ferret or a dachshund in a cat's body. I texted the lady in charge to find out what in the world he was and she introduced me to my newest obsession. Meet munchkin cats:
These hilarious things are SUPER rare; there are 2 available for adoption Texas (the one in FW was already swooped up) and only about 5 breeders with online websites. Told you: obsessed. I'd never buy from a breeder, but it just shows how rare these guys are. If you see one on the streets, call me! But not really...there's no more room in this house for any more 4-legged family members. Call my mom, she thinks they are awesome. ;) One day...
While my plate wasn't quite that pretty, it did taste as good as it looks. I'm back on an egg kick in a big way...breakfast, dinner, both meals. I figured this was a good recipe to try while my guy was out of town, and it didn't disappoint. It caught my eye because it's super healthy and has four (count 'em, four!) of my most favorite ingredients of all time: thyme, eggs, Gruyere cheese and shallots. I did my own thing with acorn squash, but I'm sure the accompanying recipe is great.
Poached Eggs with Spinach & Walnuts (serves 4...or less if you know eating only one egg for dinner will make your stomach rumble right before you go to bed)
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 (10-ounce) bag baby spinach, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced 3 sliced shallots 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 3/4 teaspoon chopped thyme, divided (I put it all in at once) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, quartered (I bought already sliced) 3/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped and divided (I put it all in at once) 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese 8 cups water (I cut this in half for 2 eggs) 2 tablespoons white vinegar (did you know this keeps the eggs from separating?) 4 large eggs (I did 2 eggs since it was just me...1 egg wouldn't have been enough for dinner)
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1
teaspoon oil. Add spinach; sauté 2 minutes. Remove spinach from pan; drain,
cool slightly, and squeeze out excess moisture. Add remaining oil to pan. Add
garlic and shallots; sauté 3 minutes. Add sage, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/4
teaspoon pepper, salt, and mushrooms; sauté 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, 1/2 cup
walnuts, red wine vinegar, and cheese; cook 30 seconds.
Combine water and white vinegar in a large saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Break each
egg gently into pan. Cook 3 minutes. Remove eggs using a slotted spoon. Spoon
mushroom mixture onto
plate(s). Top each serving with 1 egg.
(Sprinkle evenly with remaining thyme, pepper, and walnuts. Unless you didn't follow the directions and put everything in the pot at once to save time/steps).
