Category: MISC

BAKED EGGS

This is a great brunch recipe.

BAKED EGGS
2 slices sourdough bread torn into pieces
4 green onions
3/4 cup diced ham pieces (optional)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheese

  • Preheat oven to 350˚.
  • Spray a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with PURE.
  • Line the bottom evenly with torn bread pieces.
  • Sprinkle green onions and ham pieces (if using)  over torn bread.
  • Sprinkle half of cheese over onions.
  • With a spoon create 4 indentations into the bread.
  • Carefully break eggs into wells.
  • Bake casserole 20-25 minutes until whites are set.
  • Serve with fresh fruit.

I just love these lesson emails…

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.

He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. “The young executives were Shocked, but the boss continued. “I am going to give each one of you a SEED today – one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you.
I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one
I choose will be the next CEO.”

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still
nothing.

By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by — still nothing in Jim’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn’t say anything to his colleagues, however, he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil – He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.

Jim told his wife that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at
the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful — in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.

Jim just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown,” said the CEO. “Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!”

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!”

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed – Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, “Behold your next Chief Executive Officer!

His name is Jim!” Jim couldn’t believe it. Jim couldn’t even grow his seed.

“How could he be the new CEO?” the others said.

Then the CEO said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead – it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new
Chief Executive Officer!”

* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.
 Think about this for a minute….

DEVIL’S FOOD ORANGE CAKE with ORANGE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING


OOPS NO PICTURE OF IT FROSTED – IT WENT TOO FAST!
CAKE

4 medium navel oranges, room temperature
3 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 Jumbo eggs
1 cup whole milk
2 cups flour

  • Heat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Generously grease a Bundt pan (I like a decorative Nordicware or Wilton pan)
  • Squeeze oranges, saving pulp
  • Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Then add 1/2 cup of the sugar, the cinnamon and 1/2 cup of the orange juice, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Cool.
  • Mix the baking soda into 2 teaspoons of orange juice.
  • In a large mixing bowl cream the shortening with 1 cup sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
  • Alternate the milk and flour, sifting the flour into the cream mixture and blend until smooth.
  • Add the baking soda mixture and blend well.
  • Add the cooled chocolate mixture and blend well.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  • Level pan by dropping on counter top to remove air bubbles.
  • Bake until springy 55-60 minutes.
  • Cool 10 minutes and then invert onto platter.
  • Cool before frosting.
FROSTING

1/2 cup butter, softened
5 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, pulp and all
2 teaspoon orange zest

  • Beat butter until fluffy.
  • Beat in 1/2 of the powdered sugar until smooth.
  • Add orange juice, vanilla and orange peel. Blend until smooth.
  • Slowly add the remaining sugar and blend until silky.
  • Adjust sugar and orange juice until desired consistency and flavor is reached.
If you don’t have this mess in the end, you did it wrong!

WEEKLY MENUS

Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

 DATE BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
Monday 2/20 Cereal Sandwiches Lemon Chicken Frittata
Tuesday 2/21

 Toast C.O.R.N. Italian Lemon Butter Chicken
Wednesday 2/22

 Yogurt Soup Chicken Vesuvio
Thursday
2/23

Fruit Cheese & Fruit Buttermilk Ranch Chicken
Friday
2/24

Oatmeal Sandwiches C.OR.N.
Saturday 2/25

 Hash Brown Ham and Cheese Quiche Out Roast Chicken with Panzanella
Sunday
2/26

Baked Eggs C.OR.N. Tropical Lime Chicken

THE LAW OF THE GARBAGE TRUCK

This is an email that came across my desk again today and I know I’ve shared it before, 
but I thought the analogy was so well spelled out that I’d like to pass it on again.

One day I hopped into a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. I mean he was really friendly. So I asked, “Why did you just do that? That guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!”
This is when my taxi driver taught me what I call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck.” He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they’ll dump it on you.
Don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don’t take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so….. “Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don’t.”

Remember – Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!

Turkey Spaghetti Pie

Turkey Spaghetti Pie adapted from Everyday Light Meals
6oz uncooked spaghetti
5 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup egg substitute
3/4lb lean ground turkey breast
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 medium green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups meatless spaghetti sauce
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:  Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Drain well and cool to room temperature.  In a bowl, combine the spaghetti, Parmesan cheese and egg substitute.  Transfer to a 9 inch pie plate coated with nonstick cooking spray and form into a crust; set aside. 

In nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook turkey, onion and green pepper until turkey is no longer pink; drain.  Add spaghetti sauce; heat through.  Spread cottage cheese over crust; top with turkey mixture.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.  Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition Facts
One serving (1 wedge) equals
Cal 274
Fat 11g (4g sat fat)
Cholesterol 57mg
Sodium 710mg
Carb 19g
Fiber 2g
Protein 25g

Diabetic Exchanges:  3 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable

Modifications:
-I just used 3 whole eggs instead of egg substitute (not calculated in the above nutrition facts)
-I did not use a green pepper.
-I did not use the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Here’s what you’ll need:
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Chop an onion.
  • Brown the ground turkey.
  • Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions.
  • Add the onions to the ground turkey
  • Add the spaghetti sauce to the turkey to warm. 
  • In a separate bowl, pour the Parmesan cheese. 
  • Add the eggs or egg substitute.
  • Drain the spaghetti, add to the egg/cheese, and mix.
  • Pour into a coated 9 inch pan.
  • Spread the cottage over the spaghetti.
  • Add the meat mixture on top.
  • Pop in the oven for about 20 minutes.
  • Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
Here’s what you’ll end up with:
The cottage cheese really added an extra gooeyness to the dish but you could also substitute ricotta.  The 2 things I would do different is that I would add more sauce and I would mix everything together and then pour it into the baking dish.  Other than that, I wouldn’t change a thing.

BAKED EGGS

This is a great brunch recipe.

BAKED EGGS
2 slices sourdough bread torn into pieces
4 green onions
3/4 cup diced ham pieces (optional)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheese

  • Preheat oven to 350˚.
  • Spray a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with PURE.
  • Line the bottom evenly with torn bread pieces.
  • Sprinkle green onions and ham pieces (if using)  over torn bread.
  • Sprinkle half of cheese over onions.
  • With a spoon create 4 indentations into the bread.
  • Carefully break eggs into wells.
  • Bake casserole 20-25 minutes until whites are set.
  • Serve with fresh fruit.

BAKED EGGS

This is a great brunch recipe.

BAKED EGGS
2 slices sourdough bread torn into pieces
4 green onions
3/4 cup diced ham pieces (optional)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheese

  • Preheat oven to 350˚.
  • Spray a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with PURE.
  • Line the bottom evenly with torn bread pieces.
  • Sprinkle green onions and ham pieces (if using)  over torn bread.
  • Sprinkle half of cheese over onions.
  • With a spoon create 4 indentations into the bread.
  • Carefully break eggs into wells.
  • Bake casserole 20-25 minutes until whites are set.
  • Serve with fresh fruit.

Island Peas & Rice – Fire Day Friday

I am trying to kick winter on it’s way by cooking summery dishes like Bahamian Grilled Chicken and the Caribbean classic side dish, peas and rice. 

Island Peas and Rice
adapted from Steven Raichlen’s The Barbecue Bible

  • 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4″ slices
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
  • 1 tsp Gourmet Garden Basil Blend* or 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper, fresh cracked
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 3 cups uncooked long grain rice (not instant)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 15.8 oz can crowder peas, drained

Instructions

  1. Crisp the bacon in a large 3 quart pot over medium high heat.  Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel covered plate.  Remove all but 2 Tbsp of the grease.
  2. Saute the onion, bell pepper, garlic, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper for 5 minutes.  Stir in the tomato paste and sugar, cook another 2 minutes.
  3. Add 5 and a half cups of water and 1 Tbsp of lime juice and bring to a boil.  Add the rice, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
  4. Stir in the crowder peas and cook covered another 3-5 minutes. 
  5. Remove from heat and let stand covered 5 minutes.  Then fluff with a fork and serve.

*I have NO affiliation with these people.  But I LOVE fresh basil in the summer when we grow it in our yard.  Dried basil just depresses me.  I tried this stuff for the first time this week and it’s the best “winter” basil option I have stumbled across.

SPRING CLEANING TIME

Are you ready for spring?  We’re starting a little spring cleaning around here for my mom.  That duster started out white! These ledges and ceiling fan are a pain in the butt.  Hubby even helped put it all back together.