How about a 1:1:1 Egg? (That's a 1 minute-1 egg for 1 person!)

Sometimes I wonder if my brain lives under a rock?  Or perhaps it dwells inside a bubble?  That's how I often feel when I come across a story, an idea or in this case a recipe that I honestly didn't know about before.  And everyone else has heard of it and has neglected to tell me.  Or perhaps the truth is that I neglected to listen!  That's what happened this past week when I stumbled upon a recipe to microwave an egg in a bowl!!

You can microwave eggs???!!!  WHAT???!   I didn't know that.  No really, I didn't.  If I had I would have been doing it all the time, every week, a hella of a lot sooner.  Nope, instead I've been pulling out that frying pan, using cooking spray and spending unnecessary time making myself an egg during a busy morning.

Well that ends now!  Thank you Nutritious Eats for your post and for letting me know that there is a simpler, faster way to begin my day!  I'll never forget you!  Bless you!  Below is the recipe I used so that each of you can live a simpler life too!  Enjoy!





My microwaved egg was so adorable.  Here is Eggsy pictured on top of half a whole grain pancake!  They were the best of buds, until I ate them!  :-)



1:1:1 Egg -  (That stands for 1-minute, just one egg, for one person!)
Adapted from Nutritious Eats

1 egg
1 tsp of milk (or water)
1 tsp combination of your favorite seasonings (I used a garlic-salt-parmesan blend b/c I like to start my day by keeping the evil vampires away!)

Note: You need a microwave for this!

Grab a small microwavable dish.  Generously grease it with cooking spray.  You don't want your egg sticking to it.  Crack your egg into the greased dish and begin beating it with a fork. 




Add in your tsp of milk or water.  Now add in whatever seasonings you prefer best on eggs!  Then just cook in your microwave for one minute on medium high or high.  (Mine was ready in 45 seconds!)  Remove from heat. 

Check it out!  Isn't it cute!?  And it tasted just like you cooked it in the frying pan.   I promise!  Eat it and love it. 




Have you ever eaten eggs this way?  If not, would you be willing to try it?

Have an Eggs-cellent day and weekend my friends! 

Cheezy Grits and Eggs Casserole

Yesterday's funny food poem was inspired by the recipe in this post.  Actually it started even before that....  I attended a brunch a few months ago where a friend made a dish with eggs, grits and cheese.  It was so simple yet so amazingly scrumptious.  I wanted to recreate that meal but lighten it up where I could. 


So here is my version of Cheezy Grits and Eggs Casserole.  My husband and I loved this one.  I wish my daughter Vivian would have liked it too but she wasn't real impressed.  However, she did eat the turkey-bacon "chips" that I made to accompany it (which was just cooked, crispy bacon broken into bits - hahaha!).  Oh well, maybe when she becomes older, she'll gain better taste buds and be more appreciative of mommy's cooking..... Here's hoping!  :-)









Cheezy Grits and Eggs Casserole
(Serves 6)

3 cups of water
3/4 cup of quick cooking grits
4 tbsp light butter (half a stick)
2 cups of reduced fat shredded cheese, any variety
2 extra large eggs
1/4 cup of milk
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp green onions
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
dash of Cajun seasoning
dash of Paprika


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease a 2 Qt (about 8 x 12 inch) baking pan with cooking spray.  In a medium sauce pan, cook your grits according to the package directions - It should be three cups of water to 3/4 cup of grits.  Boil and stir until creamy, about seven minutes.  Reduce to low heat.  Add in the light butter and 1 cup of the reduced fat cheese. Stir and mix well. 



In a small, separate bowl combine the two extra large eggs with 1/4 cup of the milk.  Stir well.  Then pour into the sauce pan with the cooked grits.  Add in the seasonings - garlic and onion powders, green onions, salt, pepper, cajun spices and paprika.  Stir several times.  Then pour entire mixture into the greased baking pan.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.  Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes at 400 degrees.  If you're lucky, your cheese will harden and form a nice crust on top, just like mine did! 







Ooooh, this is good stuff folks!   When the edges are slightly browned, the casserole is done.  Remove from the oven.  Let it cool for about ten minutes before cutting and serving.  Enjoy! 


(Variations: I've also added 1/3 cup of bacon bits to this and it tasted even better!  Experiment with your own favorite veggies and meats in this breakfast recipe.)


Have you ever been to a brunch?  What food(s) stood out during your brunch experience?

Funny Food Poetry: Eggs

Food is funny.  Cooking is funny.  I just don't see how others can't see it that way.  The craziest things happen to me while I'm in the kitchen.  So I like to write about my quirky thoughts on this culinary journey of mine.  Here's a poem I came up with a few days ago.... my ode to eggs.... Enjoy!

Mandy's Ode to Eggs

I crack you up
For breakfast, dinner and lunch

I start to panic

If I don't have a bunch

Mixed in for cakes
Or scrambled with bacon and cheese

I'll take two dozen

And jumbo-size please

I wonder...do you come first

Or last after the chicken?

You are loved and adored by many

Just like a classic by Charles Dickens.

Although you do smell bad

If you've been out or in heat for awhile

And you're very nasty in an upchuck

Which I've experienced all over the tile.

Still I love your variety

And how you lend yourself to all

Just be careful the next time

You go to sit on a wall.

Please know that I will always need you

And want to keep you around

So that I can boil you and beat you

Before you can ever utter a sound. 

------------------------------------------------------

Here are several recipes with eggs that I hope to make in the coming months:

Simple Overnight Egg Casserole

Egg Drop Soup

Spinach Quiche

Healthier Creme Brulee

Low fat Pumpkin Flan

Do you have an egg recipe that I can add to my list above? Do you have a favorite egg dish?  Tomorrow I will share with you the egg (and grits) casserole that inspired this poem for me. 


How often do you cook or bake with eggs?  I like to keep two dozen on hand in my house at all times because of how often I use them!  

Skinny Crab Quiche

On New Year's Day, I opted to make the Skinny Crab Quiche from my meal plan that I hadn't gotten around to preparing in the days prior.  We love seafood and this looked like a simple dish that anyone could throw together.   It came out great!  My husband and I loved it.  This would be great for brunch or any gathering among friends.  Enjoy!






Skinny Crab Quiche
(Makes 8 pie slices)
Adapted from Taste of Home

1 can (6 oz) lump crabmeat, drained
2 cups of reduced fat shredded cheese
1/2 cup of pureed or finely chopped spinach
1/2 cup of green onions
1 and 1/2 egg substitute (egg whites or other)
1 can (12 oz) fat-free evaporated milk
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, divided in half
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic and parmesan seasoning blend
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
dash of Cajun seasoning


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Generously grease a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, combine the drained lump crab meat, 1 and 1/2 cups of the cheese, spinach, green onions and half of the Parmesan cheese together.  Blend well.  Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the greased pie plate, making it like a crust. 




Sprinkle with salt and onion powder.  Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.  In a separate bowl, mix the egg substitute, milk, remaining Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, garlic and parmesan seasoning blend and Cajun seasoning.  Gently pour the seasoned egg mixture over the crab meat crust in the pie plate. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.  Test to see if quiche is done by inserting a knife to see if it comes out clean.  Even though your top may be brown, you don't want any liquid underneath.  Let the quiche stand for ten to fifteen minutes before cutting.  I cut mine into eight slices. 






Note: You could also bake this in an 8x8 inch square baking pan and cut it into squares to feed more people. 
Do you like quiche?  What are some of your favorite brunch foods?

Easy Breakfast Sausage and Biscuit Casserole

Did I catch your attention with the word"easy?"  Those four letters always captivate me when I'm looking for recipes.  Plus, I needed something simple after yesterday's cooking disaster.  Thank goodness this turned out so manageable and delicious.  I mean, it would be ridiculous if I managed to screw up a can of biscuits, pre-cooked turkey sausage, eggs and cheese!  Am I right?

So here it is, my quick and easy breakfast sausage and biscuit casserole.  Think of it like a breakfast pizza.  It can be thrown together right before you bake it or you can let it sit overnight in the fridge.  It's your choice.

This would be a great recipe to use with leftover holiday ham or any other meat you have after Christmas.  Mix it up!  You could even throw in some veggies too, such as chopped spinach or broccoli.  Even though I call this "Breakfast" casserole, we ate ours for lunch and dinner!  It can be enjoyed any time of the day!






Easy Breakfast Sausage and Biscuit Casserole

(Serves 6 to 8)

2 cans of  8 grand biscuits (I used the reduced fat, whole wheat kind)
1 package (14 oz) or two links of pre-cooked turkey sausage, cut up into small pieces
4  large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup of reduced fat milk
1/8 cup of parmesan cheese (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp gr. pepper
dash of Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup or more of reduced fat shredded cheese, any variety you like (cheddar, monterey, etc.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Generously grease a 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Open your can of biscuits.  Divide or cut them in half.  Layer them at the bottom of the greased baking dish, just like this:





Then dice your pre-cooked turkey sausage (or ham, bacon or other meats you have) and toss them over the biscuits.  In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and seasonings.  Pour eggs evenly over the sausage and biscuits.   Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. 

The uncooked casserole will look like this:




Place it in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.  Let cool for about five minutes before cutting.   I cut mine into eight rectangles. 






Yummy and super duper easy!   Enjoy!

This would be fantastic if you served it with my shrimp and grits recipe too.  Just sayin'.  Hint, hint.