Jalisco-style eggs-Mexico

Many people don't know that the country of Mexico is divided into states, 31 total plus a Federal District (similar to the United States' District of Columbia). I've been lucky enough to have visited  four plus the Federal District (home to the capital of Mexico City) and for a red headed gringa at least I think that's pretty impressive since three of them (plus the Federal District) are located smack in the middle portion of the country, hundreds of miles from any coastline which is where most Americans tend to go when visiting Mexico (i.e. the Yucatan state which is home to Cancun or the Jalisco state which is home to Puerto Vallarta). While I can't say I want to see all of the Mexican states, there are still plenty others I would like to visit-Campeche, Oaxaca, Jalisco. Un día (one day).

I love eggs and anything that pairs eggs and tortillas is simply sublime in my opinion. Although I have no problem returning to beloved past recipes (i.e. huevos rancheros), I love even more trying out new ones so this past week I made an eggs dish for dinner that is from the Jalisco state of Mexico. It was really tasty (albeit a bit messy) and I even adhered to the recipe as I included avocado which for me is a big deal since I really don't like the taste of them. Served with lime rice, it was an authentic and delicious Friday night meal.

Jalisco-style eggs
recipe via Best Ever Mexican-A Collection of Over 100 Essential Recipes

4 soft corn tortillas

1 avocado

lime or lemon juice, for tossing

6 oz fresh chorizo sausage, sliced or diced

2 tbsp. butter or water, for cooking

4 eggs

4 tbsp. crumbled feta cheese

salsa of your choice

1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1 tbsp. finely chopped scallions



-Heat the tortillas in an unoiled nonstick skillet, sprinkling them with a few drops of water as they heat; wrap the tortillas in foil or a clean dish towel as you work to keep them warm. Alternatively, heat through in a stack in the skillet, moving the tortillas from the top to the bottom so that they warm evenly. Wrap to keep them warm.

-Cut the avocado in half around the pit. Twist apart, then remove the pit with a knife. Carefully peel off the skin, dice the flesh, and toss in lime juice to prevent discoloration.

-Heat a separate skillet, add the chorizo, and cook until browned, then arrange on each warmed tortilla. Keep warm.

-Meanwhile, heat the butter or water in the nonstick skillet, break in an egg, and cook until the white is set but the yolk is still soft. Remove from the skillet and place on top of one tortilla. Keep warm.

-Cook the remaining eggs in the same way, adding to the tortillas.

-Arrange the avocado, cheese, and a spoonful of salsa on each tortilla. Add the cilantro and scallions and serve.

Tips fpr Choosing the Right Cruise-sponsored post

Does the thought of planning a holiday give you a bit of a fright? Do you want to visit many locations in one trip? Are you overwhelmed by the huge number of possibilities? A cruise isn't the right holiday for everyone, but if you answered yes to those questions, it might well be for you. There are pros and cons to picking a cruise as your holiday. The pros include the following:

• You get to visit many locations in a single trip. Cruise destinations are really varied, you can pretty much get to any place that has a port. Most cruises will take you to a number of destinations in a single trip, some even do a destination each day.
• The administration of all of these destinations is taken care of for you. All you need is your passport.
• When you're on a cruise, you have access to a lot of information and resources you wouldn't have if you were on your own. The cruise staff should be able to answer any questions you have about the destinations you are visiting.
• Going on a cruise is a very safe way to travel.
• Budgeting for a cruise is easy, because you only have to pay once, when you pay upfront.

Unfortunately the cons of cruising include the price. Cruising can be expensive. You can alleviate the cost by buying a package or going through a discount company like Cruise Offers. Normally if you book very far in advance, or right at the last minute, the prices will be lower.

Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market

In grade school I had a wonderful teacher named Ms. Tuzman who was in the charge of the mentally gifted program. Her teaching went beyond what was offered in the traditional classroom. It was in her class where I first learned about the legal process, famous Supreme Court Cases and even participated in mock trials (all of this before I even became a teenager). She took our group of students all over Philadelphia, traveling via bus, trolley, the El and even the subway and visiting such sites as the Mutter Museum (creepy but fantastic!), the Wagner Free Institute of Science, the main branch of the Philadelphia Public Library, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. (She was the sole adult but thankfully our group of 10 or so kids was basically good.) My favorite part about outings around the city was that we often got to go to the Reading Terminal Market for lunch. Although this is a fantastic place for a person of any age, being able to walk about it as an 11 year old on your own with friends (sans adults) was incredible fun. Sadly, I don't see that kind of independence still taking place in today's much more frightening and less carefree world.

On my recent visit to Philadelphia earlier this month, we stopped at the Market which is located right in the heart of the city's downtown. Although I wrote about the market before in a post from a couple of years ago, I hadn't been there in years, so it was a real treat to visit again and just enjoy the experience.

The Market is old-121 years old to be exact. The Reading Railroad Company opened the 78,000 square-foot market  that held nearly 800 spaces for vendors below the tracks of their massive new train shed (back when trains in the United States were actually important). The market weathered some tough times over the years but things really started to go downhill in 1971 when the Reading Railroad went bankrupt. However, in 1980 new attention was focused upon the struggling market and a fresh turnaround ensued, including the recruitment of new merchants (at its worst time, only 23 vendors remained). Then in 1990 the building was sold with the new owners refurbishing the Market to strict historic preservation standards.

Visitors today will find the Market home to almost 80 independently-owned small businesses representing a diverse assortment of nationalities. While the Market is immensely popular with locals, many of whom do their weekly shopping there, it's also famous on a world scale. United States commerce is often thought of as having lost its individual,unique charm, as in the supermarket rules the world. However, once a visitor steps foot inside the Market they will see how far from the truth this actually is.

The Market sells everything...no joke. Bakery treats, beverages, dairy and cheese, flowers and plants, housewares, books, crafts, meats and poultry, seafood, produce, specialty foods and restaurants-it's all found inside the famous building at 12th and Arch Streets. And although these are foods you normally will want to avoid if you're on a diet, there are Pennsylvania Dutch vendors selling everything from home canned fruits and vegetables to pretzels to Amish-style sausage sandwiches and more (the Amish is a group of traditionalist Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches).

If you only have a day in Philadelphia, I highly encourage you to make time to visit the Market, and be sure to come on an empty stomach and pockets filled with cash for goodies to take away with you. If you have no plans to visit Philadelphia, I hope you remedy that for a trip to the Market alone is worth the trip to the City of Brotherly Love.

Hopefully these photos will help in convincing you to visit!