Muffin Cup Omelettes

We love experimenting on Sundays with breakfast.

Typically, I am not a huge breakfast person, but on Sundays it's a family tradition.

My husband usually makes it, and I have to say my two favorites are his french toast or his omelettes!

I ALWAYS request omelettes on Mother's Day and my birthday, then he can't say "no...that's too messy" or "no....those take so long."

These little babies just made me get my omelettes more often!

Typically, we chop up a bunch of stuff and everyone gets to choose what they want in theirs.

This time, I was making them, and I they got what I like! 

I am fortunate though, because my kids eat everything.

Nope, not a picky one in the bunch!

So, feel free to add whatever you like, and make them the way you prefer your omelette.

Go crazy on Sunday... then take a nap.

It's the weekend ya know.

Because they're Easy Like a Sunday Morning.

Muffin Cup Omelettes

12 pieces of bacon, cooked until slightly done.

10 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup spinach, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced, or 1 - 4 ounce can

1 cup  shredded cheese of choice, we used colby jack

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a muffin tin (1 dozen size) with non-stick cooking spray.

Slightly cook your bacon so it just starts to get done.

Chop up ingredients.

Combine eggs and milk with a whisk, add in veggies, and salt and pepper.

Place a piece of bacon around the outside rim of the muffin cup.

Divide egg mixture between the muffin cups. I used a ladle to evenly distribute veggies.

Don't over fill, they will grow! I had a couple that overflowed. 

So maybe a little less than what's pictured here.

Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until eggs are set.

Remove by sliding a butter knife around the edge.

Enjoy!

** Notes: I failed to spray my pan REALLY good when I made these the first time.  It was stinker to get clean.  Make sure you spray it well, or line with foil cupcake liners.

The bacon around the edge got buried when I baked them, so if you would rather, just chop the bacon and incorporate it into the egg mixture.
These are a great make a ahead breakfast food, heat the during the week and skip the drive-thru!
Muffin Cup Omelettes are way better for the muffin top, too! ;)

Egg & Hash Brown Breakfast Pie

It varies whether we go to church on Saturday nights, or Sunday mornings in our house.

If we go on Sundays we always go to brunch afterward, but if we go on Saturdays, that means we have brunch at home, in our PJs,  because we slept in!

It varies what we make, sometimes it's just eggs and bacon, other times, I try something new.

This was one of those weekends.

My kids LOVE hash browns,

pair them with bacon and I have hit a home run!

I wanted to make some sort of a breakfast casserole, but so many of them I have made that are tried and true, are make ahead.

Well it was 10 AM and we wanted to eat it sooner than later, so  I experimented.

This is what came of it.  A pie with a hash brown crust, filled with bacon, eggs, bread crumbs, onion and Swiss cheese.

Egg & Hash Brown Breakfast Pie

4 cups hash brown potatoes, defrosted

1/2 cup green onion, sliced

2 Tablespoons butter

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

4 cups Italian or French bread, cubed without crust

1 1/4 cup cream (substitute milk if need be)

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4- 1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9" deep dish pie plate with non-stick cooking spray.

Cook and crumble bacon into fairly large pieces.

Melt butter in a skillet over high heat.  Add hash browns and onions and cook for about 5 minutes. 

Press into bottom and sides of pie pan.

Place bread crumbs in next and top with bacon.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, cream salt, pepper and Dijon mustard.

Pour over breadcrumbs and bacon.

Top with Cheese.

The next time I make this I am going to mix the cheese into the egg mixture.  

I felt it got a litter browner than I wanted, but still tasted fantastic!

Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top and egg is set.

Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting.

Shared at: Kitchen Dreaming: Weekend Social

Brunch Enchiladas with Ham

It's funny how many brunch recipes I have when I have never really been a "breakfast person."

I do however love to host brunches, because your options for food are just endless.

Well, and there are usually Mimosas involved. 

This Spring I hosted a brunch in honor of my oldest daughter's graduation from 8th grade and making her Confirmation.  I still have yet to blog all of the recipes!!

(Find the brunch by clicking HERE )

So, I figured since it was Friday, maybe someone needed a recipe for breakfast or brunch this weekend. 

This is an easy one, enjoy!

brunch enchiladas with ham

Brunch Enchiladas with Ham

3 cups fully cooked ham, cubed

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

• 8, flour tortillas, for enchiladas
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided (you can use cheddar to make them more mild)
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 
  
• Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. 
• 
  
• Combine your onions with your ham.  Put approximately 1/3 of a cup down the center of your tortilla, top with 2-3 Tablespoons of cheese. Roll "enchilada style" and place seam side down in pan.  Do this for all 8 tortillas.

In a mixing bowl combine the eggs with the flour, half and half, salt and pepper.   Beat until mixed thoroughly.  Pour over tortillas. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. 

Remove the enchiladas 30 minutes before you are ready to bake them.  Top with remaining cheese. 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake covered for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more. The cheese will be melted and bubbly.

Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, whatever your heart desires!

Don't forget your Mimosa!

Sourdough and Sausage Breakfast Casserole and a gift "from the heart"

Most of you have probably heard that my friend, Candi, from The Devilish Dish came to visit me this past week.  We try very hard to get together at least once a year, and this year we were fortunate to see each other twice..and hey...the year's only a little more than half over right?

Well this year, she was able to bring her daughter with her.  It was fun for our kids to get acquainted.  We were so busy this trip, that we ate out a lot while she was here, but I did manage to make brunch on Sunday!  This recipe is one of my favorites. My Mom and I made it for my cousin's bridal shower a year ago, and it's been one of my family's favorites since.

sourdough sausage breakfast casserole

The tang of the sourdough bread with the spiciness of the sausage with the richness of the fresh mushrooms sets this casserole apart from all of the others.

serve with a plate of fresh fruit and the meal is complete

Sourdough and Sausage Breakfast Casserole

4-6 slices sourdough bread

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

2 lb. bulk breakfast sausage

1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. dry mustard

8 eggs

2 ¼ cups milk

4 green onions, diced

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

¼ lb. fresh mushrooms ( I us a little more)

1/3 cup milk

Cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)

Grease bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with sourdough bread slices. Use just enough to cover the bottom. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the bread. Brown the sausage with the red pepper flakes, drain, and let cool slightly. Sausage should be well crumbled. Place on top of cheese. In a large bowl, mix eggs, dry mustard, 2 ¼ cups milk, and onions. Pour this over bread, cheese and sausage. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cream of mushroom soup with 1/3 cup milk and the mushrooms, and pour over casserole. Sprinkle with more cheese and bake uncovered for 1 hour. Let stand 5-10 minutes. Garnish with tomatoes. Cut into squares and serve.

shown here without the tomatoes

 

 

Candi and I have a lot of fun sending "fun mail" back and forth to each other. When I see her, she always brings me some special little treat.  This year was no exception. She had this beautifully decorated package, inside was a darling apron with cupcakes all over it!

 So cute and such a reflection of my current profile picture on my facebook page.

 

 

such cute wrapping

 

 

Then she did something that was so touching. Many of you who know me, know that not only do we have four children, but we have two "fur babies." We have a Westie named Gabby and a boxer named Sully.

 

 

 

gabby

 

sully

Our boxer, Sully, had two masses removed a couple of weeks ago. When they put Sully under he had a pretty bad seizure. After they got through that, the procedure seemed to go well, but he was not being very good about his suture.  He ripped out the first set of stitches, they replaced them with staples, he ripped some of those out, more staples.  After wearing "the cone of shame" for 10 days, they were finally removed.  We received the pathology reports, and they told us that our sweet little brown boy had cancer. I was beside myself.  I spent the better part of our trip last week wishing I was home with him.  When Candi came to visit, she brought me this candle, with the prayer to St. Rocco on it.

prayer candle to st. rocco

Candi is a big dog lover. Sully has always held a special place in her heart though, because she, too, has a dog that is a boxer mix.  Sully and her dog, Ruth, have so many similarities in there personalities. Candi has always affectionately called Sully her "brown boyfriend."

The day Candi left I got to meet with our vet about treatment for Sully.  She had just gone over the path results with the oncologist. The oncologist told her that she had removed all of both tumors and had gotten great margins.  The cancer was GONE!! No further treatment was needed, and he should be just fine.

Thank you to all of my friends and family for your prayers for our sweet little Sully!!

 

 

 



Ice Cream Sticky Cinnamon Rolls

ice cream sticky cinnamon rolls

I had never made these before, and had a couple of people talk about them when I was planning my brunch menu last weekend.  I couldn't decide on one recipe. I, most often, have a problem sticking to a recipe anyway, and end up making up my own. (what fun is coloring in between the lines all of the time?)  So, after combining a couple of ideas, this is what I came up with.

Ice Cream Sticky Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

1 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream

1 Stick of Butter

1 Cup of Brown Sugar

1 1/2 Cups White Sugar

Rhode's (tm) Self Rising Cinnamon Rolls (or other brand)

Chopped Pecans (optional)

Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Directions:

1.  Spray a 9x13 or a 10x15 pan with cooking spray. (I like to use the buttered flavor)and place the frozen cinnamon rolls in the pan.

2.  In a saucepan over low heat combine sugars, butter and ice cream until melted and sugars are dissolved. pour mixture evenly over the rolls. At this point if you would like to add the chopped pecans, do so. Cover tightly with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise in a warm place over night.

3.  In the morning, remove plastic wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. After they cool just a little while, invert the rolls into another pan the same size or on a platter, then the sticky part will be on the top.

Yummy and SO EASY!

Prep Time:10-15 minutes

Cook Time:20-25 minutes

Ready In:overnight

Servings:12

Yield 9x13 or 10x15 Pan

Bacon and Swiss Quiche

bacon and swiss quiche

This is one of my brunch favorites.  A long time ago, I had a friend who would have these big elaborate teas at her house.  She shared this recipe with me, it has become one of my family's favorites. 

Today, I am sharing that recipe with you. Enjoy!

Bacon and Swiss Quiche

Ingredients

12 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled

1 cup shredded swiss cheese

1/2 c onion minced

4 eggs

2 cups half & half

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp sugar

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2.Line a pie pan or quiche pan with your own or a store bought pie crust. Whisk eggs, half & half, salt and sugar together. Place bacon, onion and cheese into the crust. Pour egg mixture over the top.

3.Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn your oven down to 300 degrees and bake for 30 minutes longer.

Notes

I actually make everything the night before. I put the onions into the egg mixture, line the pans with the crusts, add the bacon and the cheese, then wrap the pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate over night. Then in the morning all you have to do is pour the egg mixture over the bacon and bake!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 8

Confirmation and Graduation Family Brunch

In celebration of our daughter's 8th grade graduation and her upcoming Confirmation, we hosted a brunch for all of our family this past weekend.

When I was planning the brunch, I couldn't decide what sort of "theme' to use.  I just did crosses for our twins' First Holy Communion, and wasn't crazy about using her school color, St. Patrick's green.  I decided to run with red, for the gowns they will wear on Confirmation.  (plus...my kitchen is painted "arresting red" so I LOVE decorating when I can match my back drop!)

We had seating for twenty-four people.  Three tables that each held eight.

the round black table

I used red, white and black on all of the tables, mixing the table cloth linens, napkins and centerpieces.

red oval table

The white table turned out a little wider than I wanted, but it worked out very well in the end.

the white table

I folded all of the napkins with the "Bishops Hat Fold," They were a hit with the kids, of course, having to try them on first!

I have done so many fresh cut flower centerpieces lately that I wanted to do something different.  I decided to head to my local green house for inspiration.  I found porcelain pots in my three colors.  I then potted them monochromatically.  I think it's so cool that they have a breed of petunias this year called "black velvet." They are gorgeous!

white centerpiece

red centerpiece

black centerpiece

Of course, what would a brunch be without a little morning cheer? We had bloody marys and mimosas for all.  Even the kids had an option instead of regualr OJ.... virgin mimosas, made with sparking cider instead of champagne. Each mimosa glass was garnished with fresh raspberries.  The bloody marys had all of the fixin's available!

bloody marys

mimosas

The highlight of any good meal, of course, is the FOOD!! Here is what our menu included:

Coffee, Mimosas, Bloody Marys, Brunch Enchiladas, Bacon and Swiss Quiche, Cracker Barrel's own Hash Brown Casserole, Bayou Brunch Casserole, Fresh Fruit Kabobs, Baked Apple French Toast, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Lemon Blueberry Crunch Bars and Frosted Sugar Cookies.

at my daughter's request

dark chocolate with white chocolate drizzle strawberries

bacon and swiss quiche

Bacon and Swiss Quiche Recipe

ice cream sticky cinnamon rolls

Ice cream Sticky Roll Recipe

lemon blueberry crumb bars
RECIPE HERE

bayou brunch casserole with spicy italian sausage



Cracker Barrel's own hashbrown casserole

brunch enchiladas made with ham


RECIPE HERE



fresh fruit kabobs

Last, but most certainly, not least, each place had a cookie "favor" for dessert. These cookies were made by my friend, Tari, who runs Sunshine Cookies out of her home in Chandler, Arizona.  She made white doves, that had a glitter glaze to them.  If they weren't cute enough to begin with, she packaged them up so cute, tieing them with red and white ribbon and adhereing a silver cross to each bag.  As pretty as they were, they tasted even better!

sunshine cookies white confirmation dove

Find Sunshine Cookies on facebook

The celebration was fun for all.  God blessed us with beautiful weather that Sunday, and after brunch we all headed out to our patio to enjoy it!

Congratulations, Kenzie!!

God Bless You Always, Sweetheart



Homemade Blueberry Strata Recipe

This recipe has been requested by some of my friends that attended my Valentine Pajama Brunch

this year. 

So Here you go!! 

Blueberry Strata with Blueberry Syrup

Ingredients

Strata:

cooking spray

1 loaf French bread, cubed

1 1/2 cups blueberries (if you use frozen blueberries make sure to drain them)

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

12 eggs

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 cups milk

Blueberry Syrup:

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1.Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place 1/2 of the bread cubes in dish; top with 1 1/2 cups blueberries. Scatter cream cheese over berries. Cover with remaining bread cubes. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, and milk. Pour egg mixture over bread in pan. Cover, and chill overnight.

2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

3.Bake strata, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove cover, and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

4.While the strata is baking, prepare the blueberry syrup. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and water in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat; cook for 5 minutes. Pour in remaining 1 1/2 cups blueberries; continue cooking for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in butter. Serve warm over slices of the strata.

2011 Girlfriend Valentine Pajama Brunch

This was the invitation that went out to my girlfriends.  The inside read "Now that I have told you some of my simple loves, let’s have some fun and celebrate a few of them!"  So everyone invited got to wear their Pajamas, and enjoy a girly morning, of good food, coffee and mimosas.

chocolate bliss cake with raspberries

On the Menu:  Chocolate Bliss Cake with Homemade Raspberry Sauce and Devonshire Cream, Blueberry Strata with a homemade blueberry and cherry syrup, Bacon and Swiss Quiche, fresh fruit, cheese, coffee and mimosas.

The was how the dessert was served.  Also on the plate were hand dipped strawberries, and Chocolate Drops.

mimosas

homemade blueberry strata with homemade blueberry syrup

Each place setting had a Valentine bundle of chocolate treats with their name on it.

table dressed for my fabulous friends