Two Cheese Sausage Baby Broccolini Frittata

I found this recipe in a magazine when I was looking for something healthy and easy for breakfast. It was my first time using baby broccolini and was very happy with the results. It's very similar to broccoli but actually easier to eat because it isn't as dense. Definitely try it if you haven't! My husband who found my leftovers in the fridge wasn't quite as happy, but he has some personal issues of mixing veggies with eggs that he needs to work on. So you'll have to trust me on this one. If you like omelets and frittatas with veggies - you'll love this... if you don't leave out the vegetable. But you know veggies make all that cheese and sausage okay, right?

Two Cheese Sausage Baby Broccolini Frittata

serves 4

prep time + cooking time: 20 minutes

adapted from Rachael Ray recipe, click here for original 

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
5 Sausage links, chopped into chunks
1 cup grated/shredded cheddar cheese
1oz Parmesan cheese sliced/shaved thin
1/2 lb baby broccolini
1 shallot, diced
1 Tb olive oil
optional: fresh basil, sliced & sprinkled over cheese after finished baking

Directions: 5 Steps

1. Cut the sausage into pieces and cook them for approx 5 minutes in a oven safe skillet. 

2. Add in the veggies. Sauté the baby broccolini and shallot in the olive oil for approx. 5 minutes over medium heat

3. Mix/whisk the eggs and milk together in a bowl or cup. Pour the mixture over the veggies and meat. Let it cook for 5 minutes over low heat to let it "set". 

4. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake in the oven at 350 for 5 minutes.  Should be golden colored and eggs no longer jiggle or shake when moved. 

5. Let cool briefly (will be easier for slicing) and dig in to your healthy & filling breakfast! 

From my kitchen to yours 

Egg Tomato Breakfast Sandwich Melts

This fun breakfast idea is quick enough for early work or school mornings and will put the standard scrambled egg mundane breakfast into a brilliant new light. Most ingredients you probably already have and you can easily adapt to fit each kiddo or adults taste buds. Highlight those last few summer fresh tomatoes from your local grocery store or farmers market with this easy simple breakfast recipe. This original recipe is adapted from skinnytaste.com. Head on over there to check out other healthy options as I rather unhealthified her version hahaha. What can I say, egg whites first thing in the morning isn't going to cut it in my household.

Crunch into something yummy. Perfect Breakfast for my kiddo while recovering on the couch. 

Similar to my banana breakfast this is plate, fork, spoon, & bowl free. So go ahead and make it, hand out paper towels, and eliminate those pesky breakfast dishes with these cute muffin open faced sandwich melts. Yeah, I am looking out for you :)

So I made this two ways. One with fresh spinach and the other without. Both were delish! Makes enough for 2-4 people. My three yr old ate one and was full so it depends on whom you are feeding. I ate two and felt full with some berries.




Next time I am going to do it with bacon. Bacon and tomatoes just taste so good together. I suspect you could try a good number of different veggies to hide under the cheese and it would taste good similar to veggies tasting inside omelets.

Ingredients:
2 whole English Muffins, split in half (she originally used whole grains - I definitely recommend that. I caved and got sourdough)
3 whole eggs
2 scallions/green onions chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup or so of shredded cheese, I used a Mexican combo already shredded for easy breakfast
1 roma tomato, sliced into 4 beautiful rounds
1 tsp olive oil

Directions:
1.Preheat your broiler
2. Put the muffins on a cookie/baking sheet cut side up
3. Toast them for 2 minutes until they start taking on color, then pull them out and set aside
4. In a small-medium sized skillet saute the green onion with the olive oil for 2-3 minutes
5. While onions are softening, scramble your eggs in a small bowl
6. Add the scrambled eggs to the onions. Add salt & pepper to the onions and eggs.
7. Stir and cook the eggs until set, fluffy, and done. Low-Medium heat probably 3-5 minutes.

8. Divide the eggs among the English muffins and top with the tomato and the cheese.
9. Put the muffins back into the oven to broil for another 1-2 minutes or until the tops are melted and golden.

Easy fun breakfast. Any morning in which I don't have to remind my son 

to stop playing with his fork or spoon (as they like to turn into rocket ships at the table) 

is a good morning for me! Lol

The first way I followed the directions above exactly. The second way I added fresh baby spinach 1/4-1/2 cup roughly chopped. I placed the spinach on top of the eggs and pinned it down under the tomato and yummy cheese. The spinach was slightly heated in the broiler but not overheated and wilting.

Enjoy. Happy mornings to ya 

(after you drink some coffee maybe)! 

From my kitchen to yours!

Broccoli Chipotle Cheddar Omelet

Happy Saturday after the 4th of July. What a crazy week it has been! Hopefully if you were one of the unfortunate ones that had to work all week, today is your time to blow some stuff up, as my husband would say. We had a good 4th of July. Food. Fireworks. Family. Talked to extended family on the phone. Made a fruity sangria for the first time - had a good time with that. Watched a favorite movie... 1776. What did you do for the 4th of July?

 Now that the holiday is over for us... it is back to the busy weekend of life. Don't get me wrong, I heart  weekends. But, Saturdays and Sundays though are my busiest days by far. The swamped schedule, I must admit, is self induced. BUT my justification, what I tell myself at the end of the day, is that this furious Saturday schedule helps me to stay on track health wise and save time/money/gas. Let me explain.... my favorite gym is near the community center where my son's activity class (this quarter it's a fundamental soccer class with drills every week), which only 2 miles away from my favorite grocery store. Three necessary activities all within a 5 mile radius! All of this is at best 35-40 minutes each way from my house. So if I separated these events across my week that would be A LOT of time driving. Yes I live out in the middle of nowhere. I know.

So to combat my long driving, activity laden day I like to start off with a solid veggie/protein filled breakfast like this.... Broccoli Chipotle Cheddar Omelet. By the way this is the first time I have actually made a omelet that didn't turn into scrambled eggs because it fell apart. Yay! I am super happy and proud of myself for FINALLY conquering this. This has been a 5 year battle.... I probably should explain this. My hubby loves breakfast foods. 95% of the time where we go out to eat is solely based on who has good omelets - seriously. I know all the restaurants in the area that serve breakfast after 11am too so we can have breakfast for lunch or dinner. Breakfast food is almost as serious as football in our house.

Now that I have probably bored you to death with too many details of my life.... here's how I made this delish slightly spicy, cheesy, omelet filled with tender crisp veg.  By all means I am not an expert on omelets this is the first one I have done really well.... pancakes/waffles are a different story (wink). So if you have a better way to do omelets please do that, and use this as a flavor idea... Make broccoli fun with yummy cheese. Enjoy! P.S. One of my facebook friends said I should add bacon. Hahah yes of course bacon makes everything better. Will do that next time.

Broccoli Chipotle Cheddar Omelet 

Makes 1 Omelet

ingredients

3 eggs whisked together with 1/4 cup of milk ( I used 1% organic)

nonstick - cooking spray 

(I don't like using but really didn't want it to stick - it worked)

6 slices/2oz of shredded of chipotle white cheddar cheese 

(Don't need much.. has huge flavor. Used store brand Vermont) 

1 cup of fresh broccoli 

s & p to taste (start with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper)

1/4 tsp of herbes de provence (my favorite herb mixture)

directions

1. Spray a small/medium size non stick skillet 

2. Pour in the mixed milk egg mixture into the small skillet. Salt and pepper it. 

3. Stand by the stove the entire time and watch it cook, stirring just slightly in the middle for a couple minutes over medium heat. Pick up the skillet and turn the pan around to make sure that its coating evenly. You want the center to start clumping like scrambled eggs.... move the eggs around so the liquid egg mixture on top cooks too. This took approx 3-4 minutes. Only move around the center... don't disturb the outside... let it form that solid shell. 

4. When it looks like almost all of the liquid is cooked or looks like wet scrambled eggs. Add the broccoli and cheese to one side. Let it continue cooking turn it down to low if its going too fast. You want the cheese to be almost melted. I let this cook like this for approx 3 minutes

4. Fold the empty side of the eggs over the top of the other with a wide spatula and a fork to help. Once I folded it. I held it down with my fork for just a minute and happy it stayed put. The veggies were slightly falling out but that's okay... just means I am eating good healthy stuff. 

5. Put a couple more slices of cheese over the top and cook it on low until that cheese melts - 

this took another approx 5 minutes. 

Serve it up... eat it warm... don't be like me and burn your tongue on hot yummy melted cheese (wink). Serve it with toast and/or some extra broccoli or fruit. I did the extra broccoli since I am hitting the gym. Need the fiber to keep me full for awhile. 

perfect along side a large glass of water or coffee

Enjoy breakfast any time of the day. It is the weekend, right? 

From my kitchen to yours! 

Turkey Cran Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Hey all. Hope your week is coming along. Have you ever had breakfast for dinner? My husband used to make a sport of this... requesting pancakes and waffles for dinner on a regular basis. He works nights now so that's not really an issue anymore. But if you are craving a dinner/breakfast - try this!! This heated savory/sweet sandwich is AWESOME. The crunchy bread with the spices remind you of breakfast, and then you are hit with the creamy cheese and the semi tart/semi sweet cranberries.... a party of flavors. 

Just incase I am not being convincing enough... this sandwich is a great way to use up leftover thanksgiving turkey or in my case Easter turkey, and it is a lighter dinner choice too - which is perfect for spring. I saw this on pintrest and tracked it down to its original, a Paula Deen recipe. She makes awesome food. Click here to see her recipe. This is not an exception even with the changes I made to fit my family. If the promise of a amazing sandwich doesn't thrill you.... how about a 10 minute dinner from fridge to table meal? Not exaggerating... ten minutes tops.   

Makes 2 Sandwiches - Easily doubled or Halved

Ingredients

1 Tbs butter, unsalted, organic if you have it

4 pieces of bread (thicker works better) 

1 egg

1/4 cup milk (I used 2% - use whatever you have)

1 dash of nutmeg

1 dash of cinnamon

1 dash of salt

1 dash of black pepper

4 oz of creamy Havarti cheese thinly sliced or shredded

1/2 cup of fresh baby spinach (about 20 pieces)

4 Tb cranberry sauce ( 2 per sandwich)

6 oz of turkey from the deli or leftover from Turkey Dinner (ie... Thanksgiving or Easter)

Warning... This was the messiest thing I have made in the kitchen in a long time. I had scrambled egg everywhere LOL. I was like how on earth you do coat these very full sandwiches... I had cheese falling out, cranberries falling out, and turkey falling.... So I wish you the luck. It is worth the extra effort. I promise. 

Mix the milk, spices and egg together in a flat dish. 

Heat the butter in a large skillet.

While the butter is melting put some cranberry sauce on each side of the bread for the first sandwich.

Then put the cheese on both sides of the sandwich. 

Then put the meat on one side of the sandwich and the spinach on the other side. 

Carefully shut the sandwich and dip it into the egg mixture. 

Coat both sides with the egg mixture. 

Then put it in the pan and cook over medium for 3-4 minutes. 

Repeat with the second sandwich. Flip the sandwiches when they become golden and the cheese is melted. Don't be too concerned if stuff falls out... stuff it back in :) 

Serve with fresh fruit or veg! Perfect warm weather Brunch, Lunch or Dinner.

There easy. Messy. Simple. Fun. Tasty. Perfect for weekend brunch or dinner. I know my hubby has this weird thing about cranberries so I will definitely make this again just avoiding cranberries for him. Yes absolutely. It was so delicious. Too bad the sandwich thing kinda prevents eating seconds ;) See perfect for spring and getting back into shape. There are no seconds.... This could be a problem! Hahaha. 

Enjoy

From my kitchen to yours

Related Recipes:

Grilled Cheese Corned Beef Ciabatta Sandwich

Cucumber Cream Turkey Wraps 

Cafe Brunch: Whole Grain Berry French Toast

My husband's favorite place to eat is a chain breakfast restaurant. He is addicted to their pancakes and omelets. I should just face it and admit that he would rather have breakfast food three times a day than anything else I could whip up. This is obvious if you were to look in my freezer. It is full of "make ahead" breakfast foods such as waffles, breakfast burritos, and sausage egg cheese drive thru fake out sandwiches. I actually had my first date with my husband at this "said" breakfast chain restaurant.  Since that memorable first date, over 8 years later of marriage and friendship, we have often returned to this reliable place for lazy Saturday breakfasts (pre-kiddo), and on, during, or after many trips all over the place throughout the United States. Thankfully a couple of those were extremely handy 24 hr ones. 

But you asked ME what I preferred.... welll

While I do like someone else bringing me unlimited amounts of coffee, and putting up with my somewhat loud and playful son at a decent but chain like restaurant, I would rather eat at a cafe. This bread I made for valentines day made AMAZING french toast. It was just like something I had dreamed up in a cafe. The bread itself was amazing fresh out of the oven with some butter. It was not too sweet, but so flavorful. I love the fact that I could use the leftovers in a new way. I suspect it would be excellent as a dessert as well in a bread pudding. If you missed the whole grain berry bread recipe, shame on you, no just kidding. Please click here for the link. If you are concerned about time, no stress... the bread dough can made in advance and kept covered in the fridge. 

Making Berry French Toast

Serves 3 (2 pieces each)

Easy Five Step Recipe

Ingredient list: 

1/2 loaf of whole grain berry bread

1/4 cup milk

2 eggs

2-3 Tbs powdered sugar (optional)

butter 

syrup

1/4 tsp cinnamon, each piece

1/4 tsp vanilla extract 

1. Cut the bread into thick pieces. 

2. Mix up the egg, milk in a flat dish and dip each piece of bread in it. Each piece should be dripping with egg. 

3. Fry up these delicous bread pieces in a flat skillet with a tiny bit of cooking spray or oil or melted butter 3-5 minutes each side - until browned and delicous

4. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top of each one while they are cooking. Dump any remaining egg mixture around the bread to create a bit of eggy texture. 

5. After cooking serve hot with french bread favorites such as butter, syrup, fresh berry topping, powdered sugar

Eat & enjoy. 

The cafe yummy brunch can be in your kitchen this week. 

I can hear your taste buds rejoicing. 

From my kitchen to yours

Cheesy Chorizo Breakfast Quesadilla Topped with Egg

The title may throw you off, if it does please keep reading. Usually quesadillas are lunch, brunch, dinner or appetizer food - not breakfast food. If you fill it with the right ingredients and top it with a perfect egg, it magically transforms into the breakfast of your dreams.  It's visually attractive and delightful flavorful breakfast or brunch fare for birthday breakfasts, lazy weekends, and even company. This would be awesome for the upcoming cinqo de mayo holiday.  Okay May is a bit aways off still. You gotta try this. Call it a practice run (wink, wink). I won't tell. You don't want to wait until May to try this... the heat is perfect on a colder morning like February. 

Disclaimer: It is not healthy. It is a special treat and tastes like one. The ingredient list says it all: melted cheddar cheese and Monterrey jack cheese throughout, topped with full fat sour cream, and cubed avocado, ground pork and beef chirozo, with a freshly over medium egg over everything. Upon it being served, prick the yolk with your fork and let golden sauce drip over the edge of the quesdilla onto the plate. Wow. The yolk seems to tie the dish together and elevate it to the next level. 

Please note: I did modify the recipe, heat wise, to adapt it for my three year old but feel free to double or triple amount of jalapenos to the recipe. I suspect it would be great just not kiddo-friendly. I made this with flour tortillas but I think it would taste great with whole wheat or corn. Experiment with the flavors. 

Recipe serves 4. Serving size 1 quesadilla. 

Recipe is from Kevin at Closet Cooking.

Ingredient List:
1 jalapeno pepper, grilled or charred using the oven (broiler) or a grill pan on the stove
1/2 package (approx 4 oz) beef chorizo 
1/2 package (approx 4.5 oz) ground pork sausage with sage
4 burrito size (10 inch) tortillas
2 cups jack, shredded
1 cup cheddar, shredded
1 green onion (will double this next time)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped or torn
4 eggs
1 avocado
4 Tbs sour cream (optional)

1. Grill or broil the pepper if not yet done, chop up finely when  it is cool to the touch. Remove seeds and membranes if desired. 

2. Cook the beef and pork sausages in a large skillet over medium heat, approx 5 minutes. No oil needed the fat from the pork should render out enough. Drain the fat off when done. Add the pepper to the mix mixture.

3. In additional skillet or 2 burner flat grill pan lay flat as many tortilla as will fit. Over one side put 1/4 cup of each shredded cheeses, 1 tsp green onion, 1 tsp cilantro, and 1/4th of the meat mixture. Fold over the tortillas and let the cheese melt and the outside crispy. 

4. Top each folded tortilla with an additional 1/4 cup of shredded cheese just to make it a tiny bit cheesier, a tiny bit more decadent.  

5. While the cheese is melting fry up some eggs, gently. Don't break the yolks like I did this morning on half of my eggs - opps.  If you use the same pan as the meat was cooked in, you don't need any oil and may pick up some additional flavor, which is a plus. 


6. Serve the quesadillas on a large plates, Top them with the freshly cooked eggs, sour cream, and remaining cilantro for color and garnish. 

Eat and Enjoy! 

We did have to use steak/table knives while eating, which was messy for my 3 yr old, but it had such great flavor. I hope you enjoy it, and your next morning in or brunch with friends. You don't need reservations to have a great Mexican inspired breakfast. 

From my kitchen to yours 

Bacon-y Cheese-y Brunch

Pull Apart Brunch. 

Confession: I had no idea what pull apart bread a year ago. Thanks Pintrest. You have flipped my world upside down and backwards. This super yummy, super easy brunch meal made my Thanksgiving morning. 

Make this! You have to make this. I usually don't order people around but seriously. I couldn't believe how good it tasted. I will be playing with this idea for sure in the future with different ingredients :) My three year old gobbled 1/4th of this recipe down no questions asked. 

Incase you need another reason to make this, it is ideal food for families and company because it requires no utensils. No silverware means more fun for kids, and less work and dishes for the host and/or parents. It also bakes up quickly and easily. You get it all ready, throw it in the oven, and then finish your coffee or conversations with your family. There isn't any standing at the stove, and you could have brunch on the table in 40 minutes or less. This warm, gooey, cheesy, bacon-y brunch or breakfast will have anyone still sleeping, awake by the time it is out of the oven :) Its filling enough to satisfy warm tummies before they have to wait in the cold at the bus stop, or before heading out to play in the snow. If its a weekday or weekend, holiday or school day - try this! 

Ingredients:

2 eggs

3 Tbsp milk

16 oz of dough ( I used pre-made biscuit dough)

1/2 package of bacon

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 or 2 green onions finely chopped (optional)

Directions:
1. Cook your bacon the day of or night before. 
2. (Day of) separate your dough into 8 individual little pieces
3.  Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Use nonstick spray or butter to ready a large baking dish (mine was 8 x 8 and crowded - 11"x 7" might be better)
4. Whisk the eggs and milk together 
5. Roll each dough piece into the milk mixture, each piece should be fully coated. Place each coated piece in the baking dish side by side, single layered. 
6. Crumble or cut the bacon into pieces and toss it randomly over the baking dish
7. Cheese goes over the top of everything. Stir things around once gently... this is uncooked dough. 
8. Bake for approx 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. 
9. Cut into pieces and serve with green onion sprinkled on top

Enjoy your amazing brunch!!
from my kitchen to yours

8 ways to use leftover pumpkin

I love fall. It's by far my favorite season. Social websites and recipe websites are exploding with fall foods. These delicious meals definitely include the ultimate eating/cooking/celebration day of thankfulness and food, a.k.a. Thanksgiving. While many bloggers are sharing thanksgiving tips I wanted to mention a weird problem that I had recently regarding fall food.... the leftover pumpkin puree. I am talking about that little bit of leftover pumpkin you didn't need for a recipe, that is staring at you from the can on your counter. You really don't want to throw it away, but what can you make with only a cup or less of pumpkin? The student in me wants to raise my hand and shout, "I know. I know. I know. Please call on me." I have complied a list to reference in the off chance you find some leftover pumpkin. It sounds odd, but just in case here is your plan b. 

leftover pumpkin recipes: 

1. 3 Grain Walnut Pumpkin Pancakes. This breakfast/brunch recipe calls for 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree

2. Pumpkin Bread - This recipe calls for 1 cup of pumpkin puree.

3. Autumn Chocolate Chip Cookies - This cookie recipe calls for  1/2 cup of pumpkin puree

4. Pumpkin pasta - this fun dinner recipe recipe calls for 8 oz of pumpkin puree

5. Pumpkin French Toast. This brunch recipe tastes like dessert and is super easy for everyday fall dining. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup pumpkin puree..

6. Veggie Soup. Click here for great recipe which also uses up leftover cut up veggies. Uses 2/3 cup pumpkin and can be made in less than 40 minutes. 

Other fun recipes I haven't personally tried (yet) but will soon are: 

1. Pumpkin Chocolate Pie from Krista's blog
calls for 1 cup pumpkin puree

2. Pumpkin (or squash) Shepherds Pie from a Sunset magazine article: 
calls for 2 1/2 pounds of pumpkin or squash

Please add to the list if you have ideas for a little bit leftover pumpkin puree. The more the merrier. 
From my kitchen to yours

Brunch: Turkey Veg Hash with Eggs

turkey vegetable hash topped with a sunny side egg for me

A breakfast or brunch hash is a great way to use leftover turkey. My three year old gobbled this down without us having to ask him twice to finish his breakfast. My hubby had seconds. Victory. Does it feel like "leftover turkey"? Nope. It really is transformed into a new meal. Easy brunch on a Saturday - check. Try it. You won't be disappointed. Any root vegetable would be good in this - possible modifications could be sweet potatoes, carrots, leeks, butternut squash, rutabagas, or parsnips. It's a great way to sneak or introduce a new veggie into your kid's diet. 

Serves 4. 

Recipe adapted from a Country Living magazine November 2011. 

Ingredients: 
1/2 lb red potatoes, quartered (2 medium sized)
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp salt (divided)
1 1/2 cups or 1/2 lb leftover cooked, shredded or chopped turkey white or dark meat
1/2 tsp pepper (divided)
1 heaping tsp Italian seasoning blend
4 eggs
1/3 cup water
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup or one handful of chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. In a medium pot bring the quartered red potatoes to a boil with 1 tsp salt

2. Boil for 3 minutes

3. While boiling potatoes, heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute the onion and garlic together until they are soft - approx 5 minutes

4. Drain the potatoes and dice them into bite size pieces - set aside

5. Add the yellow pepper, Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp pepper into the skillet and saute on medium low or low for another 3 minutes

6. Increase the heat to medium high and add the potatoes and turkey to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes - stirring only a few times. You want the some of the sides of the potatoes to get those crusty edges.

7. Cover, reduce heat to low - add in 1/3 cup water. Cook for 10 minutes more. Check the potatoes with a fork. When they are done - fork tender. Remove from the skillet from the heat. 

8. Fry the eggs in another skillet with the rest of the salt and pepper sprinkled on the tops of each one. Approx 3- 4 minutes. Use cooking spray or oil however you normally cook your eggs. I have a really good non stick skillet so i normally don't use anything.  Do take care not to break the yolks, and be careful to not over cook. The yolk breaking open over the potatoes is fun for kids and tastes delicious! 

turkey veggie hash topped with over easy eggs for the hubby

9. Garnish the skillet with potatoes with chopped fresh parsley - one good handful - approx 1/4 cup

10. Serve the food with the eggs topping the turkey hash. 

Have fun using up some of your leftovers in a new way.

From my kitchen to yours