Friday, May 10, 2013

Egg with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Cheese Bites

Here's another quick "breakfast for the week" recipe.
 
I recently started grocery shopping at BJ's.
 
Two things I learned:
 
1. You definitely get your money's worth
 
2. Why have I not been doing this before?!
 
They seriously have everything and more there (except for the darn formula my son drinks...)
 
I got a TON of fruits and vegetables and plan on making some creative meals with them.
 
Here's another muffin tin recipe that I could make on the weekend and have my breakfast for the week already done.
 
Just defrost and heat.
 
You will need:
 
 
Olive Oil
1 (10oz) package fresh spinach
4 eggs
1 cup shredded cheese (any kind, I used mozzarella)
1 (8oz) package mushrooms, chopped
1-2 Tbs milk or heavy cream (you can use half-and-half or whatever you have on hand that you put in your morning coffee)
salt and pepper
olive oil spray
 
 
 
 
 
Preheat oven to 375.
 
Heat oil in a large skillet.
Sauté the mushrooms until they are soft, about 5-6 minutes.
 
 
Remove mushrooms from pan.
 
Place the spinach in the same skillet. (If you can't fit all the spinach at once you can add a little at a time as it cooks down).
 
 
Add about 1/4 cup of water.
Over medium heat, cook with spinach until wilted, about 3-4 minutes.
Drain the excess water from the pan.
 
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs.
 
 
Add the cheese, mushrooms, spinach, and milk to the eggs.
 


 
Mix well and season to taste.
Spray the muffin cups with the olive oil.
Divide the mixture evenly among the cups.
 
 
Bake for 20 minutes.
 
 
Then, let them cool and pop them out and enjoy your low-carb, healthy breakfast.
 
 

 

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Coffee Cake Cookies

Now, I'm normally a bake from scratch kinda girl, but I found this recipe on Pinterest and followed it how it was.
 
Needless to say, if I ever make it again (and it was good, don't get me wrong) the sugar cookie will be from scratch.
 
However, there's nothing wrong with the store-bought kind, I just like to know exactly what's going into my food and I can tweak the recipe, if needed.
 
Here's the recipe that I followed.
 
 
1 roll of Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough
 
Crumble:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
 
Glaze:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. water
 
In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter with a fork until it becomes a sand-like texture.
 

 
Bake cookies according to the package instructions, but take them out 5 minutes before completely done.
 
Press the back of a spoon onto the center of the cookie to create a small dent.
 
 
Top the cookies with the Crumble mixture and finish baking until they're golden.
 
 
While they're finishing in the oven, prepare the Glaze by mixing 1/2 cup brown sugar, the vanilla and the water.
 
Top the warm cookies with the Glaze.
 
 
That's it.
 
Another recipe with ingredients that most have in the fridge and pantry.
 
This cookie definitely lives up to it's name and should be eaten with your morning coffee (or after dinner coffee).
 
 

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Garlic Spaghetti Bread

This recipe is definitely a keeper.

I have made this twice now...and will probably be making it again this weekend.

Fast.
 
Easy.
 
Cheap.
 
That seems to be the theme of most of the recipes I make, but being a stay at home mom and a one income household it has to be right?
 
Ingredients:



1 loaf bread dough, thawed at room temperature
(I have to be honest and say that next time I will probably make my own dough, sometimes it's difficult to really roll out the frozen ones...)
6 oz spaghetti, cooked
1 cup spaghetti sauce
8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 egg white
parmesan cheese
parsley flakes
garlic powder
parchment paper
 
Preheat oven to 350.
 
Roll dough out on the parchment paper.
 
 
 
Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
 
 
 
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions.
 
 
Drain and cool slightly.
Add the sauce to coat the pasta.
 
 
 
Remove wrap from dough.
Place spaghetti lengthwise down the center.
 
 
 
Top with the cheese cubes (you can also add any meat at this point too).
 
 
 
Make cuts on the long sides of the dough for braiding.
 
 
Alternate sides until filling is covered.
Tuck the ends under the braid.

 
Lift parchment paper right onto a baking sheet.
 
Brush with the egg white and sprinkle with parmesan, parsley flakes, and garlic powder.


 
 
Bake for 30-35 minutes.



 
Serve with additional sauce, if desired.
 
And there you have it.
Spaghetti and Garlic Bread, all in one.

 

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Spinach and Three Cheese Stuffed Chicken

This chicken recipe is one of the best I've tried. I changed the recipe a little from what I found on pinterest and it turned out better.
 
Not only are you getting protein from the chicken, but if you don't feel like making a side vegetable...it's built in!

 
 
Here's what you will need.
 

4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 egg whites
5 oz frozen spinach (thawed)
3 Tbs ricotta cheese
4 slices mozzarella cheese plus 1/4 cup shredded
1 cup marinara sauce
Salt and pepper
Olive oil non-stick cooking spray


Preheat oven to 450.

Lightly spay a baking dish with the non-stick spray.

Wash and dry the chicken.
 
Season with salt and pepper and slice in the center for stuffing (don't cut all the way through)

 
Combine breadcrumbs and 2 Tbs Parmesan cheese in a bowl.
 
 
Combine 2 egg whites in another bowl.
 
 
In anther bowl, mix together the shredded mozzarella, the remaining Parmesan cheese, the spinach, an egg white, and the ricotta cheese.
 

 

Place chicken on a work surface and stuff with the spinach-cheese mixture.
 

 

Dip the chicken in the egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture.

Place into the baking dish and spay the chicken lightly with the olive oil spray.
 
 

Bake for 25 minutes.
 
 
Remove from the oven and top with sauce and cheese.
 
 

Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 minutes.
 
 

Serve with additional sauce and cheese, if desired.

Our chicken pieces were so big that we didn't need anything to eat along with it. Definitely a filling, satisfying meal.
 

 

Give it a try.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Egg in Deli Ham

Well, it's Monday again...
 
Being a stay-at-home mom, everyday is the same day to me, but Monday means back to getting up at 4:30am (if not before with the baby) to make sure Cam gets up for work and that he has a nice breakfast.
 
Now, Cam usually either has an everything bagel with cream cheese or a Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich, but I struggle every day with what to eat.
 
Trying to watch my calories and lose this stubborn baby weight makes meal time really difficult.
 
 Not only is it unpredictable when I'll get to eat, but I can never decide what to eat.
 
Some days, by the time I get to eat I'm starving and, surprise surprise, I end up over-eating or eating junk.
 
This week I'm starting to plan every meal in advance in hopes that it will help me.
 
I came across this on Pinterest and thought it looked really easy and really good.
 
I tweaked it a little more to my liking. Now I have breakfast for the week.
 
You will need:
 
 
 
A Muffin Pan
Cooking Spray
12 eggs (or as many as you want to make)
12 slices round deli ham
salt and pepper
Your favorite cheese to sprinkle on top
 
 
 
 
 
Preheat oven to 400.
 
 
Spray the muffin pan with the cooking spray so the eggs don't stick (I didn't do this and it was a real pain to clean up, so spray them well).
 
Place the ham in the muffin hole.
 
 
 
Crack the egg on top of the ham.
 
 
 
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
 
Bake for 12 minutes.
 
 
 
Sprinkle cheese on top and serve warm.
 
 
I paired mine with a slice of organic whole wheat bread and jelly.
 
A filling breakfast for around 200 calories.