Tasty Tuesday: Baked Ranchero Eggs

I can be a bit of a procrastinator. Okay - a lot of a procrastinator. Take beauty samples from Sephora: I don't want to use them all up at once. I'd rather wait until I need a little extra pampering and treat myself. The same principle holds for coupons to Einstein Brother Bagels, the odd can of Red Bull, and fresh fruit. The problem with that is coupons and beauty samples expire. Not to mention fruit. I don't know how many times I've had to scarf down three nectarines in one sitting because I saved them too long. Worse, sometimes I have to throw them away.

Thank goodness that cookbooks don't expire. I've had the smitten kitchen cookbook since Christmas, but I'd yet to use it as anything other than a coffee table book. It's lovely that way (Deb is a wonderful photographer), but I think if she came over she'd scold me. After all, she wrote the book so I (and others, I guess) would have good things to eat. And here I am, munching on Cliff Bars instead. 

If I'm honest with myself, I know I'd been putting it off because I was afraid of ruining the dishes. When the Queen of Home Cooking metaphorically hands you a tome of hallowed instructions, you really don't want to eff them up. 

Luckily, I have a Very Excellent Boyfriend who can take charge of a sorry situation. He finally used the smitten kitchen cookbook for its intended purpose.

We couldn't decide what to have for dinner, so he thumbed through the pages and settled on the Baked Ranchero Eggs with Blistered Jack Cheese and Lime Crema.

We eliminated a couple ingredients, which was a huge disservice to the dish. If you make this yourself, please include the jalapeños and use only fire-roasted tomatoes. Also, use corn tortillas to make the strips; we didn't, and we should have. While the dish we made was fine, I think the omitted ingredients would make it excellent, and that's really how you deserve to eat it.

So, I've been inspired. The results weren't perfect, but the world didn't end. Maybe there's no "right time" to enjoy something. I'm making a pledge to enjoy my little luxuries, rather than saving them endlessly. I have a gift card to Massage Envy that I've been hoarding for over a year - I think this week I'll dust it off.