Quick Egg, Tomato, Bacon, and Cheese Mug

Another case of monkey see, monkey do. While I was enjoying a cup of coffee and reading through some new posts from blogs I follow I came to Dara's blog, Cookin' Canuck, and saw a recipe for something I've seen before but was never brave enough to try.

"Egg mug" recipes. The thought of cooking anything in the microwave was kind of a turn off. Another reason I was hesitant on trying a recipe like this is because eggs and I aren't the best of friends. I can only tolerate the texture for so long and have a preference for how I like my eggs cooked with each method.

What gave this time? I had all of the ingredients on hand and if it's good enough for Dara's two boys then it's good enough for me.

Dara's version had mushrooms and ham. I didn't have those items on hand but she stated how versatile the recipe is. You can change the veggies, meats, and cheeses so the possibilities are endless.

Now that I am toying with the idea of going back to work and having Itty Bitty in "school" means that my mornings are about to become pressed for time. It'll be important for me to have breakfast ready to go and us to be out the door on time. Quick and simple breakfast options will be needed.

This "egg mug" recipe is quick and easy to put together. You whisk your eggs and add the other ingredients of choice with some spices. Cook it in the microwave and top it with cheese. Breakfast took all of 5 minutes to make.

It was surprisingly tasty. I was a little put off by the amount of water that was settled at the bottom of my mug though. After draining the water off and transferring it to a plate I was back to enjoying my breakfast. I would make this again. Thank you Dara for sharing your recipe!

Quick Egg, Tomato, Bacon, And Cheese Mug

Adapted from Dara at Cookin' Canuck

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp water - I'm not sure if this amount was too much but next time I might not add any and see if that helps.
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 beefsteak tomato, no seeds or juice, diced
• basil - I just eyeballed the amount.
• oregano - I just eyeballed the amount.
• 1 slice pan fried bacon, crumbled

And Action:

Spray a 12 oz mug with cooking spray. Crack the eggs into the mug and whisk with the water. Stir in the tomato, bacon, black pepper, basil, and oregano. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir the mixture. Microwave for another 60 to 90 seconds. Mine took 2 minutes to get it to the doneness I prefer. Sprinkle with cheese. 

Chicken Parmesan

Sometimes a quick dinner is what I'm after. With only 5 ingredients and 20 minutes you too can have dinner on the table in the blink of an eye thanks to frozen breaded chicken breast tenderloins. What's great about this meal is the clean up. Quick and simple.

I served the Chicken Parmesan over simple olive oil noodles but a side salad with a vinaigrette would be nice as well. I think it would make a fantastic sandwich too. Everyone in my household loved this meal and went back for seconds.

Chicken Parmesan

MyRecipes.com and Real Simple, February 2005

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 2 (12 oz) packages low-fat baked breaded chicken-breast tenderloins or cutlets
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 cups jarred marinara sauce
• 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper

And Action:

Preheat oven to 425° F. Place the chicken in a shallow roasting pan or a 9-by-13-inch cake pan. Sprinkle with the oregano, then pour on the sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is hot and the cheese is melted. Season with pepper to taste.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calcium: 87mg

Calories: 345
Calories from fat: 25%
Carbohydrate: 33g
Cholesterol: 84mg
Fat: 10g
Fiber: 1g
Iron: 1mg
Protein: 32mg
Saturated fat: 3g
Sodium: 1840mg

Un-Fairy Tale Ending

Little Mermaid

(Image is from a forwarded email.)

Blueberry Spice Muffins

Checking the mail is a household "to do" I enjoy doing. It's like opening a present every time I walk out to the mailbox. "What's going to be in there today?" I'll ask myself.
It's normally the usual... a bill or two, junk mail, the grocery ads, magazines, and the unexpected Penzeys Spices catalog. Whenever this arrives in the mail I race home to flip through and begin wish listing for spices I'd love to have and marking recipes I want to try.

Needing a breakfast idea I found a recipe for Blueberry Spice Muffins. I knew I needed to make these right then. These muffins are so delicious and packed with blueberries. I used whole wheat flour and decided that next time I needed to double the amount of cinnamon. As usual I messed up and forgot to add the nutmeg. It wasn't missed but I'd like to give them a try with the nutmeg and more cinnamon next time. The tops of these muffins have a cinnamon sugar coating. They are repeat worthy muffins. Possibly the best muffin recipe I've tried. It's a recipe worth keeping.

Blueberry Spice Muffins

Penzeys Spices, Back To School Catalog 2011

Makes 12 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1 3/4 cup flour - I used whole wheat flour.
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup milk - I used skim milk.
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 tbsp sugar, for the topping
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, for the topping

And Action:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. For the muffins combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the egg and milk and then add to the dry ingredients along with the melted butter. Stir just until moistened and then fold in the blueberries. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the batter. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until browned and a toothpick that doesn't hit a blueberry comes out clean. Cool a few minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calories: 150

Calories from fat: 45

Total fat: 5g

Cholesterol: 25mg

Sodium: 200mg

Carbohydrates: 23g

Dietary Fiber: <1g

Protein: 3g

I will be adding this recipe to my "Stir The Pot" page to join my Blueberry Muffins. 4 down, 21 to go.





Coca Cola and Coleslaw

(Images from a forwarded email.)

3D Chalk Art

(All images are from a forwarded email.)

Hamburger Steak with Onions and Egg

I came across this recipe for Hamburger Steak with Onions and Egg while reading through this Secret Recipe Club entries. This recipe came from the blog, Stuff I Make My Husband. I had all of the ingredients on hand and was beyond giddy to give this "recipe" a try.

This is great for breakfast or dinner. I guess I should throw lunch into the mix since that is when I had this. While Itty Bitty napped I made a single serving and enjoyed a quiet sit down lunch.

A seasoned hamburger patty is topped with caramelized onion and an over easy egg. I choose to add some heat with a couple splashes of hot sauce. Yummy!

Hamburger Steak with Onions and Egg

Stuff I Make My Husband

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 4 oz lean ground beef hamburger patty seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 egg
• onion - I used red onion since that is what I had on hand. Thinly slice the amount you prefer.

And Action:

Cook the hamburger patties to desired level of doneness in a skillet. Set aside and cover with foil to keep warm.

Cook the onions in the remaining juices. Add a little butter or oil if necessary. Set aside.

Cook the egg in the same pan until cooked but yolk is still runny.

Top each hamburger steak with onions and the egg. Serve with hot sauce if desired.

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