Serial Snoozer

Oh, that extra 9 minutes. There is very little that can get me out of bed without hitting the snooze. Except for waking up late when I’m supposed to be at the airport or waking up at 2:00 AM to a fire alarm going off in our building, I always hit the snooze button. And I don’t mean I hit it once or twice. Three – four times per week, I am consistently guilty of hitting the snooze for at least an hour. Grant does the same – I’m confident our neighbor want to punch us both (fortunately he plays the guitar LOUDLY until 2:00 AM [until the fire alarm goes off] so we consider it even).

It is difficult to find reliable research about the ol’ snooze button (but there are a lot of blogs out there with strong opinions). I did find a NY Times article by Martica Heaner about snoozing which shares that, “Although scientists have not specifically tackled the question, sleep researchers agree that short bouts of sleep are far from ideal. The restorative value of rest is diminished, especially when the increments are short, said Dr. Edward Stepanski, who has studied sleep fragmentation at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. And a teeter-totter effect of dozing and waking causes shifts in the brain-wave patterns.” Additionally, “sleep-deprived snooze-button addicts are likely to cut short their quota of REM sleep, impairing their mental functioning during the day.” Yowza. I’d like to keep my mental functioning at a high, please.

So, I’m adding this to my list. When I go to bed, I have the BEST of intentions – “At 5:30 AM I’m going to leap out of bed, go to the gym, and really take advantage of the morning hours!” Reality - “BEEP! BEEP! Snooze Snooze Snooze BEEP! BEEP! Snooze Snooze Snooze BEEP! BEEP! Snooze Snooze Snooze. You get the idea. My goal is to be snooze-button-free, by the end of 2011. If I’m going to sleep in, set my alarm according to that time (or not set it at all!). If I’m going to get up early, I’ll set the alarm and GET UP. This is an epic challenge for me. Let the games begin…

Eggcellent!

This month I set out to take on the incredible, edible, egg. I am an undeniable fan of all things brunch - fluffy waffles, crisp mimosas, scrumptious coffee cakes - I love it all. However, few things can trump a well-prepared eggs benedict - particularly if there is a crabcake snuggled between the english muffin and the egg. Because of my love of brunch and my longing to be able to make this delicious dish at home, I added the poached egg to my list.

Over the course of the past several months I've gotten lots of advice; use a ladle, use vinegar, stir the water, use some newfangled thing they sell at Sur La Table - the list could go on. I watched several videos and finally decided to take the plunge. Here's the real revelation - it's just not that hard! Even the first try went spectacularly well. Here is my unsolicited advice...

1. Fill a medium to large size pot with warm water. Put on the burner and turn to medium. It shouldn't boil, but should just perhaps release little tiny bubbles along the bottom.

2. Add some white vinegar to the pot. No specifi

c measurement here. Just eyeball it and pour a little in.

3. Take a slotted spoon and start sternly stirring the water in one direction. You want to make a mini cyclone.

4. Once the water is moving, crack your egg and drop it right in the center of the cyclone. It should grab the egg and hold it together, perhaps spinning it a few times.

5. Let that bad boy cook for a few minutes before pulling it out with your slotted spoon. You can jiggle it a little which should give you an idea of how runny/hard your yolk is.

6. Make sure you drain it well with your slotted spoon and then drop it onto your prepared english muffin with whatever other yummy accompaniments you choose.

7. Voila! Dig in. :)

Learn how to make a poached egg - CHECK!