Breakfast Muffins

I have brunch on the brain! Chock-a-block with nutrients, these easy muffins are a great way to start the New Year!

Breakfast Muffins:

1-1/2 c. (375 mL) fresh or frozen mixed vegetables

2 tbsp. (30 mL) water, for steaming

6 large eggs

2 tbsp. (30 mL) whole milk

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salt, to taste

1/4 tsp. (1.25 mL) dry mustard powder

1/2 c. (125 mL) grated cheddar cheese

2 tbsp. (30 mL) grated Parmesan cheese

Hot sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Spray-grease 6 muffin papers for standard-sized muffin pan. Set aside.

Add vegetables to medium skillet over medium heat. Cover and steam 2-to-3 min., or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Drain excess liquid. Cool vegetables in small bowl over ice cubes.

Whisk eggs, milk, seasonings, and mustard powder in medium mixing bowl. Stir in vegetables and cheeses. Pour egg mixture evenly into each muffin cup, allowing about 1/2 c. per muffin well. 

Bake 23-to-24 min., or util set. Let muffin pan stand 2-to-3 min. on wire rack to cool slightly. Remove paper cups from pan. Serve warm, with hot sauce on the side if desired. Serves 6.

Note: I used two types of mixed, frozen veggies in this dish - what I call the “standard” variety, and what I call the “deluxe” variety. The standard frozen mixed veggies offer the usual peas, corn, cubed carrots, and a few beans. The deluxe type offer those plus cauliflower and broccoli. Don’t waste your money, honey. 

By the time you’ve chopped the frozen, deluxe veggies into the size suitable to fit a muffin cup, everything looks the same. Stick with the standard stuff and you’ll be very happy with the result.

Saucy Appetizer Meatballs

It’s almost New Year’s Eve and you’re wondering what to serve as a quick and easy appetizer. This is perfect! It’s also addictive.

Saucy Appetizer Meatballs:

To Prepare the Meatballs:

Fuggedaboudit! Costco and Walmart sell perfectly good frozen meatballs at bargain prices. I’ve stopped making them from scratch. As you prepare the sauce below, bake still-frozen meatballs in preheated oven at 375 deg. F. for 14-to-16 min. Drain fat on paper toweling. 

To Prepare the Sauce:  

1/2 c. (125 mL) ketchup

1/2 c. (125 mL) packed dark brown sugar

2 tbsp. (30 mL) water

1-1/2 tbsp. (30 mL) cider vinegar

2 tsp. (10 mL) Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. (1.25 mL) garlic powder

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In small-to-medium pot, blend ketchup, sugar, water, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 min., stirring frequently until sauce thickens slightly. Add meatballs. Simmer the sauce for about ten minutes, until slightly thickened. Roll baked  meatballs in sauce until well glazed. Serve immediately with cocktail  toothpicks or forks. 

Note: This amount of sauce is sufficient to glaze 18 meatballs. Allow three meatballs per person. 

How Much and How Many? How many appetizers should you typically serve per-person? If you’re having an early meal, expect guests to eat four or five. If the meal’s going to be late, count on six or seven. If you’re not serving a meal, your guests will consume eight or nine appys, on average. 

Scrambled Eggs with Soft Goat Cheese

Who needs a recipe to make scrambled eggs? I did, as I watched daughter Erin prepare this delicious brunch yesterday  

These rich and creamy eggs are delicious!

morning. This dish is a great way to bid goodbye to 2018 and say hello to 2019!

Scrambled Eggs with 
Soft Goat Cheese:

8 large eggs

1/3 c. (80 mL) whole milk (see Note)

Dash fine sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tbsp. (15 mL) butter

3 c. (700 mL) baby spinach, packed and roughly chopped

1 c. (250 mL) soft goat cheese (chèvre), crumbled 

1/2 c. (125 mL) chopped green onions

Parsley, as garnish (optional)

This recipe moves fast! Read it over carefully before starting and have ingredients and skillet (Make it two skillets! I like bacon!) prepped and ready to go. 

To medium bowl, add eggs, milk, and seasonings, to taste. Whisk until well combined. Set aside. In medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add spinach, stirring until wilted, 1-to-2 min. Pour eggs into skillet, reducing heat to medium-low. Using broad silicone spatula,  gently stir and lift eggs until cooked soft but not firm, about 5 min.

Remove skillet from heat. Add goat cheese and green onions, stirring gently to combine. Transfer to serving platter or bowl. Serve with toast and bacon and don’t dilly-dally! This dish doesn’t keep. Serves 4.

Note: I normally use skim milk in my kitchen. Because this recipe needs the richness of whole milk, I combined a little skim milk with light cream to offer the same effect. 

Add butter to pan; melt.

Use eight large eggs.

Whisk together eggs, milk, and seasonings.

Add baby spinach to skillet.

(Remember the bacon!)

Wilt spinach in skillet over medium heat. 

Pour eggs over spinach. Adjust heat
to medium-low.

Drain fat from bacon. Pat dry
with paper towel.

Toast!  Must ... have ... toast!

Stir gently with silicone spatula, cooking
over medium-low heat 3-to-5 min.

Happy Holidays, 2018

Happy Holidays 

From Our House to Yours!

Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

I recently found myself with extra ham on my hands - a good thing, because we were about to have a dinner guest who couldn’t eat spicy food. This very easy recipe is ideal for holiday leftovers. I served it with the ultra-easy Cranberry-Orange Tea Bread.

Scalloped Potatoes with Ham:

3 lb. (1.36 kg) potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4 in. (0.6 cm) widths

2 c. (500 mL) sharp shredded cheddar cheese

1 c. (250 mL) chopped onion

3 c. (875 mL) chopped cooked ham

Two 10-oz. (284 mL each) condensed cream of mushroom soup

2 c. (250 mL) water

1 tsp. (5 mL) garlic powder

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) salt

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) freshly ground black pepper 

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Spray-grease 9 x11 in. (23 cm x 28 cm) casserole dish. Add sliced potatoes. In medium bowl, mix together cheese, onion, and ham. Stir into potatoes. In same bowl, combine soup, water, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour evenly over potato mixture. Cover, cooking 1 hr. Remove cover, baking an addition 45-60 min., until potato slices are soft and casserole is browned on top and soup mixture bubbles. Serves 4-to-6.