Caprese Egg Sandwich.

While studying in Italy, my friends and I noticed that eggs were rarely on the menu. Other than spaghetti carbonara, which I can't exactly condone as breakfast food in the interest of health, we rarely encountered egg dishes. This, of course, was a big problem for our American hungover selves, who all should have been gifted one of these Kate Spade bags as we walked around Bologna on weekend mornings:

We finally found an adorable restaurant, Ca'Pelletti, that served eggs in all their glorious forms, from omlettes to hard-boiled to poached and beyond. Annoyingly, we didn't realize there was an English menu until the fourth month of our stay, so many a headache was worsened by our desperate attempts to translate words on our phones as we sat in front of an impatient waitress who was probably confused as to why we didn't just order pasta and get on with our days.

Since being back in America, I have whined and griped about missing all things Italian except the lack of breakfast eggs. Even in that department, though, I have missed Italian flavors. Thus, I decided to experiment with the classic BEC (bacon egg and cheese) that Americans are so obsessed with, and even add some healthy twists. Say buongiorno to the Caprese Egg Sandwich!

This bad boy is easy and delicious, and a welcome break from the boring BEC's so common in college life. The spicy red pepper jam adds a depth of flavor, while the cool tomatoes and salty pesto get nice and cozy with a blankie of melted provolone. As chewy and delicious as everything bagels are, the bread can drown out the other flavors and make the sandwich bland. A toasted, whole wheat English muffin has the perfect amount of crunch without making you too full or taking away from the taste-bud extravaganza taking place between the muff. Additionally, swapping a half of a grapefruit in as a side instead of fries or chips lightens the calorie load and leaves you feeling refreshed instead of entering into a sodium-and-grease coma which becomes a food hangover in its own right.
Ingredients
-1 Egg, over easy (a little runny yolk never hurt nobody)
-1 Whole Wheat English Muffin, toasted and halved.
-1 Slice Provolone Cheese
-1/2 Grapefruit
-1 tbsp. Red Pepper Jelly (I used this)
-1 tbsp. Pesto
-2 Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
Instructions
-Fry an egg over easy on a small frying pan.
-While the egg fries, halve your cherry tomatoes and the grapefruit, and toast the English Muffin.
-Once the egg looks about ready, place the cheese on top for a little under a minute.
-While the cheese melts, spread the red pepper jelly on the bottom half of the English Muffin.
-Remove the egg and cheese from the pan carefully with a spatula, and place on the bottom half of the English Muffin.
-Place the pesto in the middle of the egg, and arrange your tomatoes around it.
-Add some salt and pepper to taste!

What other non-traditional egg sandwiches have you come across??

Tuesday Half Dozen: Wishlist

Happy Tuesday! I'm currently agonizing over the bizarre Indian Summer that is occurring in Central Pennsylvania this September. It's literally freezing when I wake up, forcing me to wear long sleeves/pants. BUT THEN, as soon as lunchtime rolls around, I'm so hot that I get wistful for those sad, weird cargo pants you could zip off in middle school. This weird weather requires me to change outfits once every hour SO, I'm going through my clothes pretty quickly. Thus, my inevitable online shopping wish list begins. As a college student, I can almost never actually click purchase on the items in my online shopping cart unless they're on 70% sale. It's depressing, but they can definitely be used as inspiration in more realistic shopping! Also, there's always Christmas and birthdays, and perhaps employment someday. Til then, a roundup of some things I'd buy if I didn't have to spend my money on frivolous random items and wine food.

1. J.Crew Jeweled Baseball Cap

I don't know why but I'm obsessed with this. I barely ever wear  anything sparkly/bejeweled unless it's jewelry, but ever since I saw this on the website, I've been imagining myself as one of those stylish girls who wears this to a fall tailgate. Unfortunately, since I definitely DON'T have $125 to throw around, I will prob stick to my $2 bright green dirty Kappa hat. 

2. Kate Spade watches

I love a good watch and ever since I lost my Michael Kors tortoise shell one sophomore year of college (still mourning the loss/kicking myself for that one) I have been looking for a new one. The new Kate Spade watches come in a plethora of colors/designs, some with those fun little quotes too. LOVE those. 

3. Pomandere Button Placket Dress-Steven Alan

I have a mustard yellow fall dress that I got a few years ago from Anthropologie that I love. It's lightweight, flowy, and the color is always perfect for the first few weeks of fall, either with sandals by itself or, as it gets a bit colder, with a lightweight jacket. Unfortunately, fast forward a few years from getting this dress and it has begun to show some signs of old age. A few too many train rides/being thrown into cramped suitcases/being washed in stone age machines during my time abroad/in college have led to its demise. I wish I could snag this dress instead, with its great pattern and cinched waistline, but for now I will do my best to jazz up my yellow dress, which is a potato sack in comparison, with some high class Target belts.  

4. DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom

When our flight home from Italy was canceled (LoL) we had aLOT of time to peruse the duty free section. Perfumes, like purses, give me anxiety because I always feel ill equipped to choose the right everyday item. For some reason though, on our seventh or eighth stroll through the perfume department, I kept coming back to this perfume. It's fresh, clean, and sweet smelling a bit less intense than its green counterpart. However, I still might just be attracted to it because I hadn't bathed in 48 hours and it smelled like something other than sweaty travelers. Ya never know!

5. Free People New Romantics Yellow Tie Dye Maxi

As a 5'8 girl, a Maxi dress can go one of two ways: extremely flattering, or giving me the silhouette of Yao Ming. I have yet to find one that is just right, but this chick seems to be pulling this one off pretty well. The lower neckline and cinched waist seem like a good bet, and the pattern and lacy details soften the intensity of the color and length. This is the type of item I will keep my eye out for a sale on even if it is winter and I would look like a sad yellow clown walking around campus in.

6. Maya Brenner Sharktooth Necklace

The perfect everyday necklace with my first initial that I wear every day is from this website and I'm obsessed with it. I check out the website, Maya Brenner, every now and then and I always find something new that I love. Even though sharks are my biggest and most fearful fear, I LOVE the look of this necklace and I want it now.

aaaaand that's the half dozen wishlist roundup for today! While you will probably not see me sporting any of these items unless it is immediately after Christmas or my birthday, the wishlist is the perfect way to inspire a less expensive purchase. If you spot anything that looks similar but with a slightly less aggressive pricetag...send a link my way!!