Baked Omelet Squares

I may try selling Chris and the kids on breakfast for dinner.  We all like breakfast...I've just never served it for dinner for them before.  This would be easy enough to serve with some bacon and English muffins.

1/4 C. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1 12oz. can sliced mushrooms
1 6oz. can sliced black olives (Might have to omit these, not too many fans in the family!)
Chopped cooked ham, optional
sliced jalepeno peppers, optional
12 eggs, scrambled
1/2 C. milk
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, can cook the onion until tender.

Spread cheddar cheese in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  Layer with mushrooms, olives, sauteed onion, ham, and jalepeno peppers.  In a bowl, scramble eggs together with milk, and season with salt and pepper.  Pour egg mixture over ingredients but do not stir.

Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until no longer runny in the center and slightly brown on top.  Allow to cool slightly, then cut into squares and serve.

Balsamic Strawberries over Angel Food Cake

For years we have had strawberries with angel food cake for many a spring dessert.  We've never put balsamic on the strawberries though.  Going to have to try it.

1/4 C. packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 C. halved strawberries
Angel food cake

Combine sugar and vinegar in a bowl; stir until sugar dissolves.  Add berries; toss gently to coat.  Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Spoon berries over cake slices.

Portobello Saute

I made this tonight for dinner with NY strip steaks.  Chris is not a big mushroom fan so I diced two giant portobello caps and sauteed them in a pan with a diced onion in garlic infused olive oil.  I cooked them over medium heat until the mushrooms and the onions were almost the same color, about 10 minutes.  I added some additional oil during cooking and salted and peppered them when I took them off the heat.

This might be the shortest recipe on the blog.

PS--the beagle does NOT like portobellos!

Easy Corn Chowder

I am getting the feeling that it's going to be cold forever.  Now I realize that we really didn't get any winter weather until February this year but I am tired of the cold and snow.  Time to move on and honestly spring and summer are so much nicer.  It's a good thing I can eat soup year round!

2 medium unpeeled red potatoes
1 C. cubed cooked ham
1/2 C. diced red bell pepper
1/2 C. coarsely chopped celery
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
14oz. chicken broth
1 12oz. can fat free evaporated milk
1 15oz. can creamed corn
2 tbsp. sliced chives
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Cooked crumbled bacon (optional)

Cut potatoes and ham into 1/2 inch cubes; set aside.  Dice bell pepper.  Coarsely chop celery.  Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add bell pepper and celery; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender.  Stir in flour; heat until bubbly.  Gradually add broth, evaporated milk and corn, whisking as you go.

Add potatoes; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Stir in ham; heat through.  Remove from heat, stir chives into soup and season with salt and pepper.  Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cooked bacon, if desired.

6 servings (6 1/2 cups)

210 calories, 4g. fat, 34g. carbs, 11g. protein, 880mg. sodium, 1 g. fiber.

Chicken and Orzo Soup

This is a Pampered Chef recipe.  I have most of the stuff that Pampered Chef sells so making this soup shouldn't be difficult.  I haven't added a ton of new soup recipes recently.  I have been relying on a few old favorites...I currently have Italian Sausage Soup thawing for future lunches.

1/2 C. shopped onion
1 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
32oz. chicken broth
1 C. water
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1/3 C. uncooked orzo
1 1/2 C. diced cooked chicken (I will probably season the chicken with my Greek seasoning)
1 C. chopped zucchini
1/3 C. chopped roasted red pepper
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Feta cheese and snipped parsley (optional)

Chop onion.  Heat oil in saucepan over medium high heat until hot.  Add onion, garlic, and oregano; cook and stir 3 minutes.  Add broth, water and black pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in orzo; cook stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until orzo is tender.

Meanwhile, dice chicken.  Chop zucchini and red pepper.  Add chicken, zucchini and red pepper to broth.  Return to boil; cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.  Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with feta and parsley if desired.

Yields 4 servings (6 Cupsx)

Per serving: 190 calories, 5g. fat, 18g. carbs, 17g. protein, 980mg. sodium, 1g. fiber

Sunburst Fruit Salad

This recipe is in the new Kraft Food and Family that arrived yesterday and I think I am going to make it for Easter.  With a few little people who are a little picky in their eating habits, sometimes chunks of fruit are an easy sell.  The photo in Food and Family shows the fruit arranged on a platter, I may try it in a glass salad bowl.  It should be very colorful.

1/2 C. sour cream
2 tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. zest and 1 tbsp. juice from 1 lime
1 C. seedless red grapes
4 kiwis, peeled and sliced
1 C. fresh blueberries
1 1/2 C. fresh pineapple chunks
3 navel oranges, peeled, quartered and sliced
3 C. halved fresh strawberries

Mix sour cream, honey, zest and juice.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Arrange fruit as desired.

Serve fruit with dressing.

Lemon Bundt Cake

Who saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding??  Who knew that "bundt" had so many syllables??  This is from allrecipes.com, one of the several sites that send me recipes on a regular basis.  Does that make me a food dork?

1 pkg. lemon cake mix
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
3/4 C. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 C. lemon lime flavored carbonated beverage

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix, then stir in the oil.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the lemon lime soda.

Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Allow to cool.