In case you missed it when I posted them the first time, those are my Strawberry Brownie Bonbons. They are awesome. In fact, my fab friend Lisa asked me to make some for her birthday. I was happy to oblige. I decided, since she is a fab friend, that I would even go the extra mile of making the cream cheese frosting instead of using the stuff from a can. As with most things, the homemade version tastes way better than the store bought. (If you use this frosting recipe in your bonbons, please remember that a can of frosting contains only 16 oz of frosting. I didn't remember this and had to throw a whole batch of bonbons in the trash and start over.)
Cream Cheese Frosting from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup stick butter, softened
2 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, margarine, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl with electric mixer on low speed until smooth.
2. Slowly add powdered sugar while beating with mixer on low speed. Continue to beat until smooth.
3. Refrigerate unused portions.
4. 5 points per serving
I cannot think of a witty way to introduce my menu. If you have a suggestion, please offer it (extra points for puns and sarcasm).
Sunday
guest chicken
bok choy
Monday
beefalo burgers
Tuesday
maple glazed salmon
Wednesday
pasta with scallops, zucchini, and tomatoes
Thursday
nkhwani relish
scrambled eggs
Friday
taco soup
Saturday
speedy spicy skillet supper
Now I am off to view your lovely blogs. If I leave a comment that sounds a bit odd, it is because I have been on the treadmill for so long today that my brain has turned to mush.
This recipe - slightly adapted from Fix it and Forget it for Entertaining - is not one that I thought I would be sharing on my blog. I made it for two reasons - I needed to use a head of cabbage and I wanted to use my crock pot. I didn't have high expectations. Well - slap my face and call me Sally - this stuff is delicious. It is so delicious that I just got off the treadmill because I decided it was worth jogging to get to have a second helping. That's right. This is so good I will jog for it. Nuff said.
Beef and Cabbage Casserole
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tbsp butter or margarine
1 lb ground beef
1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 small head cabbage, shredded
1 can condensed tomato soup
1. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in butter.
2. Add ground beef to onions and cook, stirring frequently, until beef is browned. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Layer half of cabbage in slow cooker, followed by half of meat mixture. Repeat layers.
4. Pour soup over top of cabbage and beef. Cover and cook on low for 4 - 6 hours.
5. Yields 8, 5 point servings
It seems forever ago that I picked a random song for you on a Friday night. Since I have been sharing the soundtrack of my life with you this week, it may seem superfluous to have my DJ pick a random song from my Zen for you tonight. Yet, I love the idea of just finding something at random - just getting a bit of unexpected, unpredictable musical inspiration. Tonight I got a great song for you. I love the artist Beck - one of his songs was playing in the background the first time I danced with my husband. Here is "Bottle of Blues".
Thank you all so much for your sweet comments on yesterday's post. I was really humbled and overwhelmed by your support and am grateful to be part of this lovely, affirming blogging community. It was not easy for me to post something so emotional, which is part of why it took me so far into the month to participate in the challenge. You made me feel very comfortable sharing my feelings. Much love to you all.
Here is a fantastic pork recipe that I hope you will love. It takes planning, time, and a bit of work but it is worth it. The combination of boiling and stir frying yields moist, tender pork that soaks up the sweet and spice of the sauce.
This recipe is adapted from the fabulous book Yan-Kit's Classic Chinese Cook Book.
Twice Cooked Pork
32 oz lean pork loin
2 medium onions, cut in strips
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 tsp chili oil
2 tsp hot sauce
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp honey
2 tbsp white wine
1 cube chicken bouillon
1. Place the pork on a large saucepan; add boiling water to cover. Simmer over medium heat for 20-25 minutes.
2. Place pork on the fridge for at least 2 hours to firm (can be left overnight, covered). Slice into 1/2" strips.
3. In a small bowl, mix together hot sauce, salt, honey, wine, and chicken bouillon.
4. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add chili oil and spread to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onions; stir fry until translucent. Remove the onions from the pan and set them aside.
5. Add garlic to skillet and stir fry for 1 minute. Add pork; stir fry until any fat on the pork is translucent and pork ins lightly browned.
6. Return onions to the skillet along with sauce. Stir until the onions and sauce have heated.
Eier Kuchen (from the Loaves and Fishes book Dom at Belleau Kitchen inspired me to pull off the shelf) are a lovely, thin German pancake. They have the pliability and light texture of a crepe. They are versatile - equally good topped with cottage cheese and chives or smothered in cinnamon cream syrup (as below). They have the added bonus of being kind to one's diet - three pancakes for only five points.
Eier-Kuchen
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
pinch of salt
1. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add flour, milk, and salt; beat until smooth.
2. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour out pancakes by 1/4 cup. Flip when bubbles form and the edges are dry.
3. Yields 4, 5 point servings (approximately 3 pancakes per serving)
If you would like the recipe for the taste bud tempting cinnamon cream syrup, it is posted directly below this recipe. Yes, two posts in one day - I know, I know. Too much. I am just trying to catch up a bit, and I am anxious to post on the cookie I made tonight for the Random Recipe challenge!
I put this in the crock pot for Stone the day I had my root canal done. He insisted on saving some for me to try because it was, "One of the best things you've ever made!" I don't know how I feel about one of the best things I have ever made being three ingredients and ridiculously easy. Oh, well! It is a deeply satisfying dish.
1. Place lean steak in crock pot. In a bowl, mix beer and soup mix. Pour beer mixture over steak.
2. Cook on low for 6 hrs.
3. Break up with spoon before serving over rice or pasta.
4. Yields 8, 5 point servings
I thought that I asked Stone - through my Vicodin haze - to take a picture of this dish. He didn't. So, here is a picture of the empty bottle of the beer I used.
I am looking for new books for my students. The girls have requested romance, so I have been looking through my collection for quality books involving love. I just read Those Summer Girls I Never Met by Richard Peck. Reading it was quite nostalgic; it is set in the 1980's, during the time of stone washed jeans and the USSR. It didn't make the cut for my class because there is not enough real romance, but it was fun to read it and remember all the fun I had taking "The Geography of the Soviet Union" in middle school!
I am linking this recipe to a great collection of dishes at Full Plate Thursday.
I made this cake to take to a celebration for Stone's mother. It is one of my favorite cakes - a lucky find that came off the back of a can of sweetened condensed milk. What I love about it is the surprise. You see a piece of cake, and you automatically assume frosting. But, when you take a bite, you find instead that this cake is topped with a sinfully creamy custard.
Apple Spice Custard Cake
1 spice cake mix (I use the ingredients from simple spice cake)
2 apples, cored, peeled, and chopped
1 can fat free sweetened condensed milk
8 oz low fat sour cream
1/4 cup lemon juice
cinnamon
1. Prepare the spice cake according to directions; stir in apples. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13" pan.
2. Bake 30 minutes at 350F.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, and lemon juice.
4. Remove cake from oven. Spoon sour cream mixture over cake. Return to oven; bake ten minutes longer until set. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. Yields 24, 5 point servings - refrigerate leftovers
Please excuse the rather pitiful nature of this picture. As is my habit, I was running late for the party and was unable to get a good shot. Someday I will learn to get up early enough that I don't have to rush!
My parents and grandmother are here visiting:) Yay! I go the sweetest picture of my mother reading to Simon from a book she wrote for him. She is so talented and kind and wonderful. I am a blissful woman to have my family with me for Ash Wednesday services this week.
Last weekend, a need arose for me to use some of my sourdough starter or risk my kitchen being overrun by yeasty liquid. I found this recipe through Allrecipes.com. It is full of nuts and fruit and cinnamon and pudding - four things which I believe make a very good cake. I was not disappointed with the dense, dark cake that emerged from my oven. In order to keep myself from eating it all, I sent some to school with Simon and took some to work. Everyone who tasted it gave it high praise - even the toddlers.
Amish Cinnamon Bread
1 cup Amish friendship starter
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
8 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1 (3 oz) pkt instant vanilla pudding
2 cups flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup peeled, cored, apples chopped
1 cup raisins
1. Mix starter with oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the starter and mix by hand. Add the pecans, raisins, and apples. Mix well.
3. Pour into a bunt pan or two bread pans (greased if not stone wear).
4. Bake for 1 hr at 325.
5. Yields 32, 5 point servings
You can see that my cake ripped a bit when coming out of the pan. I am still working on getting my stone wear bunt pan completely seasoned. It is important to cook lots of greasy food in your stone wear, or to oil it frequently.
Simon has been hearing a lot about dating since Stone and I became involved. Tonight, he felt that he needed to go on a date with Aunt Angela. He wore his church shoes, put on cologne, and sang a song called, "We're Going on a Date" (the lyrics, like many popular songs, are simply a repetition of the title). He took me to The Bangkok and didn't seem to mind that a couple of friends joined us at the table.
I thought the soup was quite nice, and even chewed up some salad on the non-crowned side of my mouth. Simon wanted nothing to do with either dish.
He did enjoy the tempura shrimp and vegetables. He even ate a shrimp tail before I realized what was in his mouth. (Dear sister Alanna, I am joking, of course. I would never allow him to eat a shrimp tail. How silly. PS As an unrelated aside, I volunteer to change all of his diapers for the next couple of days).
Next, I wish everyone a happyPink Saturday. I've already found a post I love for this Pink Saturday - check out this adorable Barney cake! My pink item for this week comes from a scrapbook I created when I was eight. My family took a drive through Southern Africa (South Africa to Botswana to Zimbabwe to Zambia to Malawi). It turns out that my parents were on a business trip, but I thought we were having a vacation and thoroughly enjoyed myself. This is a brochure from one of my favorite stops, the Stellenbosch Museum.
I got a lovely little doll at this stop. She is now resting happily in my attic. If ever I have a larger house, she will come downstairs and find a cozy bed upon which to recline.
Finally, it is music Friday. I do love music, and I love sharing it with you. This week my Zen DJ has chosen for you, "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright" by Simon and Garfunkel. I have fond childhood memories of my mother singing Simon and Garfunkel to me to the accompaniment of an eight track tape. I also love Frank Lloyd Wright dearly. My mother has a friend who lives in a FLW house. If she ever gives me permission, I shall show you dozens of pictures of her amazing home.
I decided that a nice food to have in the freezer would be some individual pizza crusts. I love making pizza from pitas or wraps, but I thought that a nice sourdough crust would be a interesting change. I found a great recipe at Sourdough Home (which is chock full of great recipes). You can find the recipe by clicking this link. I followed the directions with the following exceptions.
1. I used my Amish sourdough starter instead of a traditional sourdough.
2. Instead of one large crust, I rolled my dough out to make 8 mini crusts.
Here are the crusts before being placed in the freezer:
I made these when I had family over for dinner. I topped each crust with 1/4 cup of artichoke and garlic salsa and 1/8 cup fat free mozzarella - which kept each at 5 points, since the toppings were nothing. They were delicious! The crust is, of course sweet because of the sugar in the starter. Everyone agreed that the sweetness went nicely with the spice from the salsa. Since Simon likes his pizza with a bit more cheese, his was topped with 1/4 cup 2% Colby Jack cheese. Here it is just before he scarfed it down.
Because of the sweetness, this crust would make an excellent dessert pizza as well! I think if you shaped it like a heart, it would also be quite lovely for Valentine's day.
During my gap year, I had to spend some time in Johannesburg getting medical treatment. My parents were unable to travel with me for one of my many trips there, so a nurse generously let me stay in her house for a couple of weeks. I had a lovely time getting to know her, playing with her dog when she was away during the day, and eating her delicious cooking in the evenings.
Before moving to Jo’burg, the nurse had worked at a clinic in Namibia. The Namibian nurses had taught her many delicious vegetarian dishes, including a fabulous way to prepare beans. These Namibian beans became an instant favorite of mine. They are fabulous straight out of the pot – and possibly even better the next day, spread on a low carb tortilla with a little fat free sour cream. Mmmmm….
Namibian Beans
2 lb dried pinto beans
1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 ½ cups chopped onion
salt to taste
Follow package directions for soaking beans.
In a large pot, combine onions, tomatoes and beans. Pour in enough water to cover plus one inch.
Bring beans to a boil, remove any foam from the top of the water. Reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 hours.
Remove 1 cup of beans from the pot. In a medium bowl, mash beans into a paste. Return the paste to the pot and stir (this will thicken the beans). Salt to taste.
Yields 16, 5 point servings
These can also be made in the crock-pot. Just leave the beans, tomatoes, water, and onions over high heat for 7-8 hours.
What a terrible lot of titles I have tonight. To start, I have had a lovely week with my parents and grandmother visiting. I was so sad to say goodbye to them this morning, as I always hope that they will decide to move in with me. But they promised to come back soon. I have a lot of blogs to catch up on now that they have returned to their home far away.
I mentioned that I wanted to try a cake using orange soda, since I apparently have an obsession with using fizzy drinks in my cooking (Diet Cola Brownies, Lemon Pecan Butter Cake). Last night I looked through the kitchen to see what breakfast food I could bake. I sponsor a health and fitness club at school, and we were having a meeting this morning to discuss how to deal with stress during the cold months. That sounded, to me, like a discussion that would require chocolate.
Here is the recipe:
Diet Soda Muffins
1 box double chocolate muffin mix
1 can diet orange soda
1. In a medium bowl, stir muffin mix and diet orange soda until blended.
2. Pour batter into muffin stone or greased muffin cups.
3. Bake according to package directions.
4. Yields 12, 5 point servings
They were very good and had a hint of orange that really complimented the chocolate. The kids ate them all up!
Now for the challenge bit. I have noticed a lot of great challenges out there in the blogosphere. Here is my intention with this challenge - to offer an opportunity for those who love to cook to share their skills with others.
I pointed out that my posts for Cream Cheese Corn and Turkey Stuffing Casserole were a little high in points and presented in aluminium pans. Here was the rest of that meal:
Obviously this, along with a double batch of corn and four times the recipe for stuffing casserole, is meant to feed a large crowd. Many homeless shelters serve large groups of people and have their own kitchens, staffed by volunteers. There are, however, some smaller shelters that depend on individuals and religious groups to provide food for their lodgers. We have a small shelter like that in town. After being inspired by a fabulous book, I called and offered to bring a meal.
It was so much fun cooking large amounts of food - I almost never get to do that - and providing a meal for people who were truly thankful. So, my challenge to you is to share your cooking skills with someone in need. It may be a shelter, a sick friend who could use a nice pot of soup, your neighbor who enjoys baked goods, or a co-worker who has had a hard time lately. Whomever you chose, I would love to hear your story!
Finally, it is, of course, almost time to wish you a Happy Pink SaturdayI thought that I would share one of my favorite pink items with you. This is a shirt bearing the initials of my alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University. Stone bought it for me a year ago. He bought me a large...a junior's size large! It was SO tight. I could only wear it in the privacy of my own home, and I felt like I was stuffed in a sausage casing. Fifty pounds later, it is too big. I have to wear another shirt under it to keep from being indecent. I love this shirt!
Last Friday I left you with the song that was playing on my Creative Zen. Here is this Friday's musical contribution - what the Zen ""DJ" has me listening to at the moment. "See The Sun Again", by Dido.
This recipe is not exactly a low point side dish. I will explain more about that later....
Cream Cheese Corn
3 lbs fresh or frozen corn kernels
8 oz light cream cheese
1/2 cup light butter
1. Place all ingredients in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until cream cheese has melted and corn is tender (about 30 minutes, if starting from frozen).
2. Yields 12, 5 point servings
Tonight I am back to one of my first Weight Watcher's approved loves: shrimp. I love that the meat itself is low in points, so I feel like I have a little more freedom with the other ingredients. This is another recipe from Lean and Luscious that I modified to fit my points. I left the tails on the shrimp on purpose because I knew that it would slow down my eating and - thus- help me eat less.
Shrimp Scampi
1/3 cup white wine
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb shrimp
Combine all ingredients but shrimp in a shallow dish. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and allow to marinate in the fridge overnight.
Remove shrimp from marinade and place in a shallow pan or oven safe skillet. Make sure the pan is large enough for the shrimp to be in a single layer.
Broil shrimp for 6 minutes, turning after 3.
Meanwhile, place the marinade in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Pour through a strainer if a smooth sauce is desired.
Serve shrimp with sauce in a small bowl for dipping.
Yields 4, 5 point servings
I needed some white wine for the marinade and all I had in the house was a bottle I bought at my favorite local wine shop before Christmas. I was planning to have a small get together and wanted something different in addition to my normal blush and red, so I chose a honey and passionfruit wine from the special wines section. The party was cancelled, so I was left with my bottle of Mad Housewife, Shiraz, and this passionfruit wine. As you have read, the Mad Housewife and the Shiraz have since been used (click the wine to see the recipes).
I wasn't sure about using this wine in the scampi, since I have never tasted it before, so I took a sip before adding it to the marinade. As soon as the glass touched my lips, I heard the music of the angels wafting through the air. This is The Best Wine in the World. It is amazing. It is sweet and a light and crisp and it smells like a warm, lazy summer day. In other words, I recommend it. Oliver Winery Passionfruit and Honey wine:
There is even this pretty little flower detail in the glass:
Now, on to my third topic. A huge thank you to everyone who has followed this link to view the post about my friend Deborah and her efforts to raise money for the adoption of her beautiful little boy from China. As soon as my coffee comes in, I will post a review. I ordered a medium roast Ethiopian coffee.
Finally, it is 10:30 on Friday night. I have a tummy full of delicious food and good wine, Zero 7 is crooning "In the Waiting Line" through my Zen, and I am about to go tell my boyfriend to stop studying and dance with me before he goes home. Have a lovely evening and a
I used to love left over night as a kid! Actually, we called it "left open" night because someone had once misspoken it that way and we thought it was funny. If you have had something amazing to eat, and really enjoyed it, what's better than another go around? Since starting this blog, I usually take "left opens" for lunch now. Every once in awhile I like to repurpose them in a new, tasty form. This was my lunch today, made with a leftover bobotee muffin pulled from the fridge. It was yummy!
Toasted Bobotee Sandwich
1/2 large tomato, sliced
1 piece high fiber bread like WhiteWheat
1 serving bobotee, sliced
1 tbsp reduced fat feta
1. Place tomato slices in an oven proof skillet (spray skillet with non-stick cooking spray unless using cast iron). Place skillet under broiler on full broil until the tomatoes being to brown, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove tomatoes from skillet. Place bread in skillet; top with a layer of roasted tomatoes. Cover with bobotee slices and top with cheese.
3. Place under broiler again until cheese begins to brown.
4. Yields 1, 5 point serving
Years ago I purchased a fabulous cookbook called Step by Step Lebanese Cooking. It has very few recipes in it, but every single one that I have tried is outstanding. Probably my favorite is the beef and okra stew. Unfortunately, it is so full of meat and potatoes that it was going to break my Weight Watcher's points bank. So, I made some modifications. Now, do I miss the vast quantities of meat? Yes, because most days I could eat a small cow. However, this is still a very good stew that gives me a rich flavor without costing a fortune in points.
Beef and Okra Stew - 5 points
1 lb round steak, cubed
2 medium onions, chopped
1/3 cup red wine
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 small head cauliflower, chopped
2 cubes beef bouillon
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 cups frozen okra
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups water
1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat; spray with non-stick cooking spray. Saute onion until well browned.
2. Add meat, browning on all sides. Add wine, tomatoes, and cilantro. Cover and simmer 35 minutes.
3. Add cauliflower, bouillon cubes, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
4. Add parsely and okra; simmer 10 minutes, covered.
5. Yields 6, 5 point servings
Hummus and Tomato Pizza
1 low carb pita
1 tbsp roasted red pepper hummus
1/2 tomato, sliced
2 tbsp onion, chopped
1/8 cup reduced fat feta
1. Spread pita with hummus. Layer on tomatoes; sprinkle with onions. Top with feta cheese.
2. Place on a stone or baking sheet.
3. Bake at 350 for ten minutes. Turn heat to broil and cook an additional 2 minutes to brown cheese.
4. Yields 1, 5 point serving
Finished a great book last night - Italian Shoes, by Henning Mankel. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opened my eyes to the world of Swedish literature. It is very intriguing to me to read about a culture that is so familiar and yet so foreign from my own. Italian Shoes was an interesting book about family and forgiveness. After I turned the last page, I set my alarm with the knowledge that I would have to wake up and go to work - but also that I would have a warm breakfast waiting for me in the crock pot.
Crock Pot Rice Pudding - 5 points
2 cups cooked white rice
1 cup vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup Splenda or other no calorie sweetener
1/4 cup grated coconut
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1. Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cook over low heat for 5-7 hours.
2. Makes 4, 5 point servings
This turned out to be yummy, and I wasn't hungry an hour later like I am when I eat cold cereal.
This morning, before I started feeling a nasty winter cold coming on, my nephew joined me for breakfast Auntie Antics. He likes French toast, so I tried this recipe from my Lean and Luscious cookbook (with a few tweaks, of course). It turned out very well and tasted quite decadent for five points.
Cream Cheese and Fruit French Toast
4 slices of high fiber bread such as WhiteWheat
2 tbsp nuefchatel cheese
2 tbsp all fruit spread
1 egg white
1/4 cup vanilla almond mild
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1. Create two sandwhich using 2 pieces of bread, 1 tbsp cream cheese, and 1 tbsp fruit spread for each.
2. In a shallow bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Place sandwiches in the bowl. Let sit for five minutes. Turn, and leave for another five minutes.
3. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat; spray with kitchen spritzer or non stick cooking spray such as Pam. Fry sandwiches one at a time, turning when browned.
4. Yields 2, 5 point sandwiches
Below are our two sandwiches. I made Simon's with whole wheat bread, which he prefers, so it is slightly higher in points than if using a high fiber white bread as called for in the recipe. Simon also wanted syrup, which would add an additional point. I sprinkled mine with a dusting of powdered sugar and served each with a side of sliced bananas.
I also make my own syrup. I was out of maple syrup one day and didn't feel like going to the store. Now, my family just likes it better (and it is much cheaper to make your own).
"Maple" Syrup
4 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp maple flavoring
1. In a medium saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil; stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.
2. Cover; cook over medium low heat for 10 minutes.
3. Remove from stove and allow 10 minutes of cooling time before gently stirring in vanilla and maple.
4. 1 point per tbsp
By mid afternoon, my throat hurt and my nose was running and I was very whiny. So, no cooking supper. Stone, the best friend, came over and cooked for me while I lay on the couch watching Cinderella. He even cleaned up the kitchen when we were done with dinner. What a guy.
I am so far behind on my recipe blogging; going back to work has really put a kink in my schedule! So, you may see several recipes in a row with little or no explanation. I feel compelled to explain this one, because it is so simple and unglamorous that I don't want it it go unnoticed.
Egg in a hat is one of my favorite childhood breakfasts. My mother used to make this on the very rare occasion that we did not have pancakes and scrambled eggs. It was a huge treat to get my egg, with a deliciously runny yolk, all wrapped up in buttery bread and smothered in a delicious Gouda cheese.
As an adult, I rarely have the chance to make a real breakfast before work, so egg in a hat has become a comfort food supper. My nephew has also become fan, so it is a great meal to make when he is over. I was afraid that I would have to give this one up on Weight Watchers, and was very excited to find that - with the right ingredients - it can still be part of my diet.
Egg in a Hat
1 egg
1 slice high fiber white bread
1 slice low fat cheese (I used American, but mozzarella is also delicious - if you have the points, use Gouda)
salt and pepper to taste
1. Spray a small skillet with olive oil from a spritzer or a cooking spray like Pam.
2. While the skillet is heating over medium heat, use a biscuit cutter to cut a hole in the middle of the bread.
3. Place the bread on the pan - separating the circle from the remainder of the bread. Crack the egg into the cut out circle in the center of your piece of bread.
4. When the bread has browned on the bottom, turn both pieces of bread - careful not to break the yolk of the egg if you like your eggs over easy.
5. Salt and pepper the egg, top with cheese.
6. When the bread has once again browned, removed both pieces from the skillet to a plate. Top the egg with the toasted round of bread. If additional pepper is desired, sprinkle over egg in a hat.
7. Yields 1, 5 point serving
Click Click Culinary did a beautiful, heart shaped version of this sandwich that you can see here.
