Mr. Prof designer home

I had my eye on these Prosciutto Egg Cups from the moment I opened Nichole's email submission for the recent Breakfast Swap. The name alone grabbed me but then I read her post and saw how easy they were to make and I was sold.

I've actually been making these for a few weeks now but I didn't want to post about them until after the swap reveal. Since I don't keep prosciutto on hand I subbed regular deli ham. It worked just fine. I've experimented with various cheese as well, based on what we have easily accessible in the fridge. I always have American cheese for Baby Girl so I used that once. In this version I used a fun cheddar-like cheese we got after sampling it at the supermarket. Use whatever you like and have on hand.

What makes these stand out for me is the Italian seasoning. The first time I made these and took my first bite I was floored by the flavor. Silly me had forgotten about the Italian seasoning I'd just sprinkled on a mere 17 minutes earlier. That surprise flavor elevates these to another level.

I've yet to make these in advance and reheat them, but I'm sure they would do so beautifully. Thanks for submitting this awesome recipe, Nichole!

Ham, Egg and Cheese Cups
Adapted from Arepas to Zwetschgen via The Cookaholic Wife

Non-stick cooking spray
6 slices prosciutto or ham
Shredded cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, American, Swiss, etc.)
Dried Italian seasoning
6 large eggs
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375. Liberally spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

Arrange each slice of prosciutto (or ham) in the muffin tin, covering the bottom and coming up the sides. Add a pinch of so of the cheese and a dash of the Italian seasoning. Crack one egg into each muffin cup and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15-18 minutes. 15 minutes will result in a semi-runny egg and 18 minutes will result in a fully cooked egg. Allow to cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edge of each cup and gently remove the eggs from the muffin pan.

The theme for the latest recipe swap was breakfast, which happens to be one of my favorite meals to prepare. I generally prefer savory over sweet breakfast foods and I lucked out when I was assigned Panera Bread's Spinach Artichoke Baked Egg Souffle from Joanna. I love spinach and artichoke together, but add in eggs and a flaky crust and I'm in heaven.

I stuck pretty close to the original recipe, only subbing American for the Monterery Jack cheese and using Pecorino instead of Asiago since I had both on hand. I didn't realize how long these would take to prepare so instead of eating one hot out of the oven I allowed them all to cool, froze three and ate one for breakfast the next day. It was very easy to reheat (microwaved for a few minutes, then crisped up in the toaster oven).

Next time I'll leave out the red pepper because I felt it overwhelmed the other flavors. I'm hit or miss with peppers in general, though. I think leaving them out will allow the spinach and artichoke flavors to shine, which is what I wanted. These were still very tasty and I'll definitely make them again, being sure to plan ahead so I can enjoy one fresh from the oven.


Panera Bread's Spinach Artichoke Baked Egg Souffle
From Newlywed and Newly Cooking (as published by Good Morning America, 2008)

3 tablespoons frozen spinach, thawed
3 tablespoons minced artichoke hearts
2 teaspoons minced onion
1 teaspoon minced red bell pepper
5 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 8-ounce tube Pillsbury Crescent butter flake dough
Cooking spray
1/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine spinach, artichoke hearts, onion, and red bell pepper in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover bowl with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the plastic. Microwave on high for 3 minutes.

Beat 4 eggs. Mix in milk, cream, cheddar cheese, Jack cheese, Parmesan, and salt. Stir in spinach, artichoke, onion, and bell pepper. Microwave egg mixture for 30 seconds on high, and then stir it. Do this 4 to 5 more times or until you have a very runny scrambled egg mixture. This process will tighten up the eggs enough so that the dough won't sink into the eggs when it's folded over.

Unroll and separate the crescent dough into four rectangles. Don't tear the dough along the perforations that make triangles. Instead, pinch the dough together along those diagonal perforations so that you have four rectangles. Use some flour on the dough and roll across the width of the rectangle with a rolling pin so that each piece of dough stretches out into a square that is approximately 6 inches by 6 inches.

Spray four 4-inch baking dishes or ramekins with cooking spray. Line each ramekin with the dough, then spoon equal amounts of egg mixture into each ramekin. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Asiago cheese on top of the egg mixture in each ramekin, and then gently fold the dough over the mixture. Beat the last egg in a small bowl, then brush beaten egg over the top of the dough in each ramekin.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until dough is brown. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the soufflés from each ramekin and serve hot.

I had some leftover corn on the cob and about half a 5-lb bag of Yukon gold potatoes from vacation that weren't getting any younger. Not wanting to waste food I was thinking about making some sort of hash with the potatoes when I remembered this post from Smitten Kitchen for Bacon Corn Hash with Fried Eggs. Sold!

I made a few changes to her recipe, the main one being adding some onion in addition to the scallions. I love onions and potatoes together and knew this would be a great addition. I also used the Yukon golds since that's what I needed to use up. This was delicious, especially with the fried eggs on top. The bacon and eggs made it hearty enough to enjoy for dinner. I had the leftovers for brunch the next day and added some salsa and a dollop of sour cream, which made this even better, so much better that I'm modifying the directions below to include them as optional (but I highly recommend it).



Bacon Corn Hash
Modified from Smitten Kitchen

1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into small dice
1 pound potatoes, peeled, scrubbed and diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, diced
4 medium-large ears corn, kernels cut from the cob (2 1/2 to 3 cups)
1 bundle scallions, thinly sliced
4 eggs
Sour cream (optional)
Salsa (optional)

Add bacon to a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until they brown evenly, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon bits with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pan, and transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.

Heat the pan to medium/medium-high, making sure the bacon fat is sizzling, then add the potatoes in a single layer. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Let them cook for a few minutes in one place and get a bit golden underneath before turning them over and moving them around. Cook, stirring every so often, until the potatoes are browned and cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the corn to the skillet. Saute the potatoes and corn together until the corn gets a bit brown but stays fairly crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the drained bacon, and stir the mixture together until it’s evenly warm, about 1 more minute. Remove the skillet from the burner and sprinkle the scallions (reserving a couple spoonfuls if you’d like to use them as fried egg garnish) over the hash. Season with more salt or pepper to taste, if needed.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and melt about 1 tablespoon butter. Crack the eggs into the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Cook to desired doneness. Season with salt and pepper, serve on top of a pile of bacon corn hash. Add a dollop of sour cream and a spoonful of salsa to the plate for dipping.

These Breakfast Tacos were supposed to be dinner last Friday, but by the time Thursday rolled around I only had 3 eggs in the fridge and a jam-packed day on Friday that involved 2 hours in the car. I'm not sure why I meal plan for Fridays anymore. More often than not we end up going out or making something simple. Fridays are fun days, a day to celebrate the end of another work week. So what did I do? I made these for breakfast. Score another one for working from home.


My tortillas were a bit too large for tacos, so I modified these into breakfast burritos. Since I was making just one burrito for myself I scrambled up two eggs (which ended up being too much for my tortilla to hold, but I don't mind an overstuffed burrito), nuked one of the cooked breakfast sausage links we keep in the freezer and heated up a handful of tater tots in my toaster oven. As an aside, I don't know what I'd do without my toaster oven. I love having a mini oven to do everything from toasting bread to pine nuts to roasting garlic. Not having to turn on the big oven all the time is awesome.

Anyway, back to the burritos. This was excellent. I love hand-held breakfasts and this was fast and easy to make. I kept the filling simple with just the salsa Cassie mentions and I dipped the burrito in some sour cream as I ate, but the filling possibilities are endless. The addition of the tater tots really made it for me. I love potatoes with my breakfast and these little bite-size nuggets of crispy potato goodness really hit the spot.

Thanks for another winner, Cassie!

Breakfast Tacos
As Seen on Cassie Craves

1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
6 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
Tater tots, prepared according to package directions
Taco-size flour tortillas
Salsa and sour cream for serving

Cook the sausage in a large skillet, using a wooden spoon to break it up into chunks, until sausage is browned and cook through. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Meanwhile, scramble the eggs and season them with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat in a large skillet until they’re softly scrambled. Stir in cheese and remove from heat.

Assemble the tacos by topping each flour tortilla with some of the eggs and sausage, a few tater tots, and salsa and sour cream.

I've seen these Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins on various food blogs recently and kept thinking that I needed to make them ASAP. Then the stars aligned and I had leftover cream cheese from Mother's Day and strawberries in the fridge.


I feel like a broken record but I love, love, love working from home. It's rainy and cold this morning and baking seemed like a great idea, so I made these before work. After they cooled I was able to enjoy two of them for breakfast. I cut the recipe in half because I barely had 4oz of cream cheese and definitely didn't have a full cup of strawberries. I figured 12 muffins was better than 24 because I don't trust myself with these in the house. They're so good. Like Melissa said, they aren't overly sweet, which I like. I think they're closer to a cupcake than a muffin, but the strawberries mixed in make me feel slightly less guilty eating them.


Try these now that strawberries are in season. They take hardly any time to put together and the flavor is outstanding. You won't be disappointed!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins
From So Tasty, So Yummy via I Was Born to Cook

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together cream cheese, butter and sugar (I used my hand mixer and it worked fine). Add eggs, milk and vanilla and mix until just combined.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Fold in strawberries.

Spoon batter into paper lined muffin pans. Fill each cup about 3/4 high. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until tops are golden. Cool on rack for at least 15 minutes.

Makes 24 muffins.

When I saw that I'd been accepted for the FoodBuzz Activia Brunch I knew I needed to finally try these Make Ahead Scrambled Eggs I'd seen on Melissa's blog a few months ago. Not only did they look delicious, but how awesome is it to be able to make scrambled eggs ahead of time?


These exceeded my expectations. They were absolutely fantastic. I cut the recipe by 1/3 (using a dozen eggs and cutting the rest of the ingredients according) and only had one serving left, which I enjoyed for breakfast the next day. SP thought the eggs were a little runny from the sour cream and half & half, but I like my eggs that way so I wasn't bothered. The tang from the sour cream was a great touch and the fresh tomato on top was excellent.

Make these for your next brunch (or lunch, dinner, whatever) and you won't be disappointed!

Make-Ahead Scrambled Eggs
I Was Born to Cook

18 eggs
3/4 cup half & half
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups light sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
sliced tomato

Beat eggs and half & half together in a large bowl. Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add eggs and cook, stirring frequently but gently, until set but not completely cooked.

Remove pan from heat and add sour cream. Spread eggs into a greased 9x13 pan, then add cheese (leaving about 1/2 cup), salt and pepper. Stir, then spread evenly. Top with remaining cheese. Cover tightly and refrigerate.

When ready to bake, heat oven to 350. Uncover and add tomato slices on top. Warm through for about 25-30 minutes. You could also set the temp lower and bake them longer.

Recently I was chosen by FoodBuzz to host a brunch featuring Activia's new Harvest Picks Yogurt. I received coupons for free yogurt and was tasked with hosting a brunch to complement the yogurt. I was very excited for this promotion because I absolutely love brunch and it's been awhile since I cooked a big meal for company.


My supermarket carries three flavors of the Harvest Picks - strawberry, peach and cherry. I bought each flavor so my guests and I could try the different varieties. I also got fresh fruit (strawberries, bananas and blueberries), as well as granola, to mix in.


We all decided the yogurt would work well as a sweet treat at the end of the meal, which also featured Make Ahead Scrambled Eggs (recipe coming soon), hash browns, bagels with cream cheese and lox, and bacon. I figured the healthy properties of the yogurt and fruit counteract the bacon and I only had one piece.




I opted to try the strawberry yogurt mixed with granola and additional strawberries and blueberries:


I'd never had Activia before and I enjoyed the Harvest Picks. We have quite a few leftover so we'll be eating more throughout the coming weeks. I looked around the Activia website and saw that Activia contains the live probiotic culture Bifidus Regularis® (Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010) to help naturally regulate your digestive system when consumed daily for two weeks as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. I'm sure many of you have seen the commercials featuring Jamie Lee Curtis. Check out the website for more information about Activia.

Disclosure: I have partnered with Dannon to help promote Activia Harvest Picks Yogurt. I have been compensated for my time commitment to review Activia Harvest Picks Yogurt. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

Now that I'm working from home I'm on the lookout for healthy snacks. I'd seen this recipe for a Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie on Carrie's blog and figured I've give it a whirl since we always have all the ingredients on hand.


Just a word of warning - freezing bananas will cause the peel to turn black so don't be alarmed. I stuck a banana in the freezer about 2 hours before I wanted to use it and it was just starting to discolor. It's also harder to peel when frozen.

I ended up needing some more milk because the smoothie was too thick (I cut the recipe below in half). Adjust to your desired consistency. This is a delicious, thick and rich smoothie that tastes like a milkshake with a fraction of the calories. Yum!

UPDATE: I've been making these smoothies regularly, although I've also left out the peanut butter and added ice instead of freezing the bananas. Delicious.

Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie
Slightly Modified from Carrie's Sweet Life
Makes 2 smoothies

2 whole frozen bananas, peeled and sliced
1 (6-oz.) carton non-fat vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
2/3 cup non-fat milk

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Add more milk or ice cubes if the smoothie is too thick. Serve immediately.

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program I recently received two coupons for free Simply Potatoes products. Our supermarket doesn't seem to carry many varieties of Simply Potatoes so I stuck with something simple and picked up a bag of shredded hash browns.


On a recent Sunday morning I thought I'd doctor these up for breakfast. I cooked the potatoes in a non-stick skillet with some oil and butter until they turned golden brown, then added some fresh chopped scallion and shredded cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. I served the hash browns alongside scrambled eggs and bacon for a delicious and hearty Sunday breakfast.


I certainly liked the convenience of Simply Potatoes, but like many people these days I'm wary of overly processed products. It doesn't take that much effort to peel and shred my own potatoes, but every once in awhile it's nice to just open a bag and start cooking.

In an effort to eat a healthier breakfast during the work week I've rediscovered English muffins. There are so many healthy varieties these days, most with high dietary fiber and protein as well as whole grains. I've been alternating between toasting them and adding peanut butter and sliced banana, and wanting something more savory like a breakfast sandwich. I love a good egg sandwich but I didn't know how to make one at work since we don't have a stove. Enter the microwaved egg.


I admit I was a bit skeptical, but the ladies on my cooking board assured me this was totally doable. And now that I've done it I realize this is how most delis make eggs for their breakfast sandwiches. Not only is it easy, the lack of butter in the cooking makes it a healthier option.

Now that I know how easy this is to do I'm thinking of adding cooked veggies to the egg before microwaving to make a mini omelet. The possibilities are endless - veggies, meat or cheese would all work well.

How to Microwave an Egg

1 egg
Cooking spray
Salt and pepper
Optional - cooked veggies, shredded cheese, cooked breakfast meat

Spray a ramekin with cooking spray. You want to chose a ramekin that's roughly the same size as the bread/English muffin/bagel you will be using to make the sandwich.

Crack the egg into the ramekin. Gently scramble with a fork. Add salt and pepper to taste and any of the optional add-ins.

Cover the ramekin with a paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on the power of your microwave. My work microwave takes 30 seconds, while the one at home takes 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and flip the egg over. It will NOT be fully cooked at this point. Cover with the paper towel and return to the microwave for 20 seconds to 35 seconds more, again depending on the power of your microwave.

Remove the ramekin from the microwave (careful, it will be hot) and run a knife around the edge of the egg to loosen. Add to your breakfast sandwich and enjoy.

We had some potatoes that needed to be used up, as well as half a tomato, so I thought I'd make a quick hash for breakfast.


This is more of a method since the possibilities are endless when it comes to hash. If I'd had some kind of breakfast meat readily available (particularly sausage) I would have added that in as well. You can sub scallions for the onion, sprinkle with herbs, add green or red pepper chunks, whatever works.

Potato and Onion Hash
Serves 2

Butter
1 large or 2 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut into large chunks
1/2 an onion, cut into large chunks
salt and pepper
1/2 a tomato, cut into large chunks
2 or 4 eggs, depending on how many each person wants

Melt butter in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and onions. Season with salt and pepper and cover. Allow to cook, stirring ever few minutes, until the potatoes are soft.

Once the potatoes are cooked through, heat more butter in a small skillet and cook the eggs to your desired doneness.

If you're like me and don't like loose skin on your tomatoes, wait until the hash is done before adding the tomatoes. To serve, pile the potatoes and onions on a plate and top with one or two eggs.

I used to make a hearty breakfast at least once on the weekend. Then Baby Girl was born and that went out the window. These days I'm lucky if I make breakfast once a month. But as soon as I saw these Sausage Biscuit Sandwiches over at Cassie Craves I knew I had to make them ASAP.





I have to admit, I was a little wary of the cream cheese and raspberry sauce on the sausage and egg sandwiches, but after the first bite I was hooked. I only wish I'd thought to cut the sausage patty in half so it was flatter and took up more of the biscuit surface area. I made breakfast potatoes to go alongside, but kept the portions small since we had a baby shower later that day. I could easily have eaten two sandwiches.



I knew SP wouldn't go for the jam and cream cheese so I made his with sausage, egg and cheese. Since the package of biscuits makes 8, I served us two sandwiches and froze the rest (all sausage, egg and cheese) with plans to defrost them for SP's breakfast during the week. I will absolutely be making these again and may even try to convince SP to try them with the jam and cream cheese.



Sausage Biscuit Sandwiches

Cassie Craves



1 package refrigerated buttery biscuits

1 package fresh breakfast sausage patties

Butter

8 eggs

Spreadable cream cheese

Raspberry jam or jelly



Bake biscuits as directed on package.



Meanwhile, fry sausage in a large skillet until cooked through. Remove to a paper towel to get rid of the excess grease. If your biscuits are large, slice the sausage patties in half lengthwise.



Wipe out the skillet you used to cook the sausage with a wad of paper towels. Add butter and cook eggs to desired doneness. Season with salt and pepper to taste.



To assemble sandwiches, spread 1 tablespoon of cream cheese on top and bottom slice of each biscuit. Spread top slice of each biscuit with about a tablespoon of raspberry jam or jelly. Add egg and sausage patty to the bottom slice of each biscuit, then cover with the top slice of each biscuit.

The theme for this week's recipe swap was breakfast. I love breakfast, but like most people I rarely get a chance to enjoy it except on weekends. There were a lot of great recipes submitted this week (mainly pancakes, but a few savory dishes as well) so hopefully if you're a breakfast lover you'll find something new to try.

Jillian had my recipe for Canadian Benny's, which was fitting since she's Canadian:


Melissa, a true pancake lover, enjoyed the Banana Nut Pancakes with Sweet Cream Topping:


The Cookaholic Wife had another savory recipe, Breakfast Crostata:


There were quite a few pancake submissions, like the one Melissa made for Sour Cream Blueberry Pancakes:


Jaida tried her hand at making homemade Cinnamon Rolls:


Cathy recipe for Breakfast Muesli with Raisins and Flaxseed was a hit with her and her husband:


Brianna was pleased with how easy these Currant Scones were to make:


Lauren went out of her comfort zone to make a Sausage Breakfast Sandwich:


My recipe was a delicious Vegetable and Cheese Frittata:


Heather enjoyed her knockoff Almost Cinnabons:


Carrie's husband and daughter loved the Banana Oatmeal Pancakes:


Jey had another pancake recipe, this one for Strawberry Pancakes:


Christine had yet another recipe for pancakes - Banana Sour Cream Pancakes:


Unfortunately Valerie, a recipe swap newcomer, doesn't have a photo of her Cake Batter Pancakes, but you can read her review on her blog.

Lisa doesn't have a blog, but she really enjoyed her recipe for The Buttermilk Pancakes of my Childhood, submitted by Brianna. She says, "These were super easy, very flavorful pancakes. Only needed to buy one ingredient, the buttermilk. Will absolutely use this recipe for my future pancake making needs."

Want to see what other Breakfast recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the Breakfast Recipe Swap Roundup

This week's recipe swap theme was breakfast. When I was a kid I didn't like breakfast foods. I don't know what was I thinking. All those years I missed out on delicious eggs, pancakes, waffles, etc...such a shame. These days I love breakfast and I couldn't wait to see what the wonderful ladies on the cooking board came up with. I was very excited when I got this recipe for Vegetable and Cheese Frittata from Melissa at Lemons and Love. I love all things eggs and just reading the ingredients made my mouth water.


It did not disappoint. I made a few minor substitutions based on what I had on hand (blue cheese for feta, Mexican shredded for cheddar, frozen spinach for fresh, fresh basil for dried) and, honestly, the vegetable and cheese possibilities are endless. I ate two slices for breakfast and could have kept eating. Thanks for a fantastic recipe, Melissa!



Vegetable and Cheese Frittata
Adapted from Lemons and Love

8 eggs, slightly beaten
4 basil leaves, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried basil
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup whole kernel corn
1 cup chopped spinach, fresh or frozen
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup blue or feta cheese, crumbled
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

If you have a broiler, preheat it. If not, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine eggs, blue or feta cheese, basil, salt and pepper; set aside.

Heat oil in a large broiler-proof skillet; add corn, spinach, tomatoes, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Pour egg mixture over vegetables in skillet. Cook over medium heat. As mixture sets, run a spatula around edge of skillet, lifting egg mixture so uncooked portion flows underneath. Continue cooking and lifting edges until egg mixture is almost set (surface will be moist).

Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Place the skillet under broiler 4 to 5 inches from heat. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until the top is just set and cheese is melted. If you don't have a broiler, bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted.

This past weekend I had a craving for a gooey, cheesy grilled cheese sandwich. I sliced some tomato to add color and freshness to the sandwich:


The next morning I used the rest of the tomato to make myself a tomato and cheese omelet with breakfast potatoes:

During the week when my grandmother was in the hospital and my whole menu plan had gone out the window, I found myself putting Baby Girl to sleep before I had dinner. As she was drifting off to sleep I was doing my own dreaming - of an omelet with gooey American cheese, sliced tomato and avocado seasoned with salt and pepper. As soon as she was asleep I rushed downstairs to make my dream a reality.


I was pretty proud of this omelet, mainly because I managed to fold it over perfectly. And the best part was that it tasted exactly as I imagined it would. If you're anything like me, sometimes the anticipation of the meal is better than the meal itself. That wasn't the case this time. Every bite was deliciously perfect.

My friend Melissa over at I Was Born to Cook recently posted about the infamous Pork Roll, Egg and Cheese Sandwich. Those of you from the NJ area are probably quite familiar with this NJ diner classic.


Reading her blog post sent my stomach into craving overdrive. And my shameful secret is that I was never a big fan of pork roll, despite growing up in NJ. I know, I know, how is that possible?

SP picked up some Taylor Ham (aka pork roll) for me at the supermarket and I made us both pork roll, egg and cheese sandwiches. I opted for two eggs, one slice of pork roll and a slice of American cheese with salt and pepper on a toasted, buttered roll. It was heavenly. I can't wait to make another.

Every Christmas we have my mother-in-law over for breakfast. I love cooking and eating a hearty breakfast before we open presents. This year I made breakfast burritos:


They were delicious with a little taco sauce. I just scrambled eggs with cooked onion and green pepper. I also made breakfast potatoes with onion and red potatoes with the skins on.

I've been horrible about updating this blog lately. Ever since having Baby Girl I've lost my groove in the kitchen. Being a working mom with a child who goes to bed at 7pm every night, I don't have much time for cooking. Or desire, to be honest. Over the past few months I've been very sporadic about even photographing meals, let alone blogging. I've decided to try to get back into it, though, so here's a look at what we've eaten recently.

A cheesesteak hoagie:


Breaded chicken, rice pilaf, green beans and sliced fresh tomato with basil:


Takeout shrimp scampi over spaghetti (insanely delicious):


Panfried chicken with boxed scalloped potatoes and tomato and avocado salad:


Steak dinner with corn fritters, loaded baked potato salad and sliced tomatoes:


These corn fritters are SO amazing:

I made up my own recipe for loaded baked potato salad, which included bacon, scallions and cheddar cheese:

The next night I used leftover corn fritters as a bed for ham and fried eggs:

This recipe for cheesy chicken with mushrooms was simple and delicious:

The cheese-stuffed tomatoes were good, but not cheesy enough: