Omelet Casserole

Every St. Patrick's Day I like to throw a wildly fun and hugely green breakfast for all of my favorite friends. We serve everything from green pancakes with green butter and green syrup to green coffee cake and green grapes and green....you name it, we got it.

Today I tried a new dish with green---an omelet casserole. I only saw a picture of it in a magazine and decided to try making up a good enough recipe to serve to my friends. I think it was a hit! And since so many people asked what the recipe was (and I didn't HAVE a recipe), I thought I'd write what I did down (here) and hope that would suffice. So, here it is:

OMELET CASSEROLE

(9 x 13 dish)

About 10 russet potatoes baked

About 8 oz ham

About 1 block medium cheddar cheese

About 3 roma tomatoes

About 3 cups baby spinach leaves

About 18 whole eggs

About 1 whole yellow onion

1 cup milk

3 Tbsp parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

Slice the potatoes into 1/4 inch slices and place on bottom of pan

Layer with ham, onions, and tomatoes (all chopped into small cubes), chopped spinach, and shredded cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Layer this way twice more.

In a bowl set aside, combine eggs, milk, flour, and spices and beat until frothy. Pour whole bowl of egg mixture over the potato/onion/tomato/spinach/cheese layers and throw it in the oven.

Bake at 375 for an hour! Serve hot!

Super yummy!

www.chowmama.com/.../

Bacon Cheddar Muffins

8oz maple smoked backon, chopped & cooked
1 egg
2c Bisquick
3/4c shredded cheddar cheese (3oz)
3/4c milk
2TB butter, melted
1/4tsp chili powder

Heat oven 400'F.
Grease muffin tin or use muffin liners.
In medium bowl, beat egg slightly. 
Stir in remaining ingredients and bacon until just moistened.
Divide batter among cups.
Bake 16-19min or until golden brown.

Blueberry Scones

I made these a few days ago and they were DELICIOUS! I am already thinking of the variations I will try next... Ginger and Cranberries, Lemon and Raspberry.... oh the possibilities!

Blueberry Scones

1 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tea baking powder
1/2 tea salt
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup + 1 TB Buttermilk
1/2 tea vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup blueberries

1 beaten egg plus cinnamon sugar for topping.

Cut the butter into the dry stuff, until you have a grainy looking mixture, mix it well. Beat the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla together and pour into the dry stuff. Add the blueberries and mix until just combined (do not overmix). Turn the dough onto a floured surface and shape into a long rectangle, about 4 inches wide. Using a brush, lightly coat the top with the egg wash, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Using a sharp knife cut into triangles/quadrangles/trapezoids/whatever. (I think I made 8) Spread out on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

Fancy Lemon Pancakes

My mom has introduced me to a cooking catalogue called "King Arthur Flour" and in it I've bought all kinds of fun things to cook with. When my recent order came in there was this recipe included. Can't wait to try it but had to share it with everyone! Let me know what you think!

3 large eggs separated

2 cups buttermilk

3 Tbsp sugar

1 cup skim ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 Tbsp grated lemon rind or 1/2 tsp lemon oil

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

Beat together the egg yolks, buttermilk, sugar, and ricotta cheese. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, lemon, nutmeg, and salt, stirring gently.

In a separate bowl, bea tthe egg whites until stiff and then gently fold them into batter.

Drop batter onto skillet and cook on both sides until golden brown.

Serve with honey butter!!!

3/4 cup butter

1/4 cup honey

OR HAVE TAMARA TEACH YOU HOW TO MAKE HER SPECIAL HONEY BUTTER!!! :) MAYBE SHE WILL POST HER RECIPE HERE...

Buttermilk Syrup

Many of you have asked for my buttermilk syrup recipe---so here it is!

1/2 cup butter

1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tsp lemon juice)

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp baking soda

Melt all ingredients together in a medium sized saucepan. It will bubble up and over if you don't watch it carefully. Make sure to not overcook. Serve hot! Enjoy!

Fruit and Spinach smoothie

I crave this smoothie and the amazing thing is that Summer (my 2.5 year old) loves it to! Great way to get spinach in your diet.

1/2 c. crushed pineapple (make sure it is soaking in its own juice - not sweetened)

banana

pack in the spinach (I usually do 2 handfuls)

1/4 can of frozen concentrate orange juice

berries (whatever you prefer)

1 c. plain yogurt

soy milk (or whatever milk you prefer) - until the consistency you like.

Mix these all in a blender and vualah - a tasty spinach drink where you can't taste the spinach! Thanks Christine Gibb for sharing this with me!

The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg

Eggs need to be room temperature (or as close to it as possible)

1. Fill a sauce pan with water 3/4 full
2. Add a dash of salt to increase boil
3. When water is boiling and bubbling, add eggs one at a time carefully
(I use a wooden spoon to dip the eggs in with)
4. Let boil for exactly 10 minutes
5. Separate water from eggs and let eggs cool on their own in the room temperature air until they are fully cool. DO NOT run under cold water as shells may break and yolk will not set correctly.
6. Mark hard-boiled eggs so that they aren't mistaken for normal eggs

Quick Egg Fact:
The cholestrol in eggs is actually not that bad for you, but yolk is what carries most of the calories in an egg. The egg white is mostly all protein.
One egg white is only 17 calories where as a yolk alone is nearly 55 calories.

Dad's Homemade Waffles

These waffles are my dad's famous breakfast recipe. They're light and fluffy and delicious!

This one's for you, Tori!!! :)

3 Eggs separated
1 3/4 cup flour (I like to do 1 cup white flour, 3/4 cup wheat)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
3-4 Tbsp oil
1 1/2 cup milk

Separate the egg whites from the yolks and beat the whites until they are fluffy with firm peaks. In another bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar and mix until well blended. Add milk, oil and egg yolks into the flour mixture and stir until well blended. Fold in egg whites until all is smooth. DON'T OVER MIX.

Pour into waffle iron and cook until the lightness or darkness you like is achieved. Serve hot with syrup or powdered sugar or strawberries and cream or peanut butter or just plain butter. It's delicious any way you do it! Enjoy!

Breakfast Coffee Cake

http://www.rick.com/images/content/3B78E82C-DA6A-5ACB-674AA08BCB4CC883/crumb_cake3.jpg

Cake

1/4 cup softened butter

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

2/3 cup milk

1 1/2 cup flour (or 1 cup white flour, 1/2 cup wheat flour)

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

Topping:

2 Tbsp softened butter
4 Tbsp flour

5 Tbsp brown sugar

5 Tbsp white sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

In a mixing bowl combine all the cake ingredients and beat until smoothe. It will seem thick. Pour into a greased baking dish.

In another bowl mix together the topping ingredients until it has the consistency of wet sand. Sprinkle over uncooked cake in baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until fork comes out clean when pierced into middle of cake.

Serve hot with or without butter. Cold leftovers are delicious, too.

--Recipe submitted by Jessie Eyre

Spinach and Potato Fritata

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 small red potatoes, sliced
1 cup fresh chopped spinach
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)

Place potatoes in a skillet with olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes cooking them until tender (but still somewhat firm). Stir in spinach, green onions, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes, until spinach is wilted.
In a medium bowl, beat together eggs and milk. Pour into the skillet over the vegetables. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until eggs are firm.

*You can also add bacon, sausage, or any other kind of breakfast meat if you want.