It just seems like the nicer the weather gets, the busier we get. Especially here in Montana where the nice season is short. You want to take advantage of every nice day you possibly can. For example today McGyver cleaned out the garage, Ryan mowed the lawn and I cleaned house. Well, that’s not exactly how one pictures spending a beautiful spring day, but we have Scouts tonight and we have our daughter’s wedding in Las Vegas next weekend, so we needed to get the dirty (now clean) deeds done.
With not much time, it’s so great to have something that can be whipped up easily. Nothing like having something to nibble on while you are dashing about like crazy people. Hummus has become so popular that you can get it at any grocery store, even out here in the wild west. Problem is, it costs up to $5.00 for a small tub. In less time then it takes to go to the grocery store and for a whole heck of a lot cheaper, you can easily make your own. Once you get the basic recipe down you can start adding a variety of ingredients to change it up once and awhile. Plus this dip is great for entertaining.
What a day Saturday was, actually what a weekend. Seriously felt like I didn’t have a moment (I did, but I didn’t , you know what I’m talking about). First off I stayed up waaaay to late Friday night, just had to watch the end of My Friends Wedding, because I’ve never seen it before, ever. Okay maybe once or twice, but for some reason when McGyver is gone I just don’t seem to toddle off to bed when I should.
You would think that I would look forward to having a bed all to myself, ha, and no snoring. And yet….
So Saturday started off with me hitting the snooze button just a couple of more times then I should have. Then Summer puppy and I went off to participate in the MS Walk, about 150 people turned out to walk and help raise funds and awareness about Multiple Sclerosis. If you’d like to learn more about it please visit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society site. Besides raising money (our group raised $100) and supporting MS, frankly it was a beautiful day for a walk in the park.
We met at Gibson Park, one of the most, if not the most beautiful park in Great Falls.
Isn’t this glass loverly?
Of course we were here for the walk.
Festivities abounded.
Like entertainment in the band shell.
And these, my people,friends and co-workers (and boss), here to support a good cause on their precious time off!
Summer dog is happy to find someone her own size!
Watch out for this volunteer!
She’ll rip the eyebrow hairs right outta ya face, I’m not kidding!
But only if you make an appointment, she’s my facial gal.
Hi Bobbi!
I can’t help myself, I have to do it every time.
Take dog pictures, if only I were that photogenic.
We’re walking yes indeed we’re walking…..
Here’s the whole group of us, bless our little souls.
Aren’t we good people (and dogs)?
Mostly good, I think, well there is hope for us anyways!
I stayed for a bit longer to give my new lens a bit of a workout, so please humor me while I shower you with just a few photos.
You can thank me now for trimming it down to just a dozen or so….I had/have zillions of them.
Thank heavens for digital!
The beautiful archway and flower gardens of the park.
Let’s take a closer look.
Awww, don’t cha just wish you had a private gardner that would come and make your place as pretty?
I just love the color on the Mallard, and the reflection in the pond.
Hehe, I think these geese are Lulu and I.
Got our heads buried looking for food no doubt and the big butts in the air.
That’s right we are really geese.
See it wasn’t dozens, I just said that so you wouldn’t think the eight pictures were too much.
That’s a psycology trick I learned by being a Mom.
After obligatory picture taking time, I headed to the British Tea Shop to get some loose tea.
I had to use the new fangled tea brewer the Baby boy got me for Mother’s Day.
Oh, and I had to stop by the costume shop.
Let’s go back…..
A call, 10:00 pm the night before:
“Mom?”
“Yes, baby, are you having a good time at the camporee?”
“Ummm, Mom….”
“Yes….”
“Ummmm, Mom…”
This is how our conversations usually go when he wants something but just can’t seem to spit it out.
Turns out he needed an Indian costume for his camporee, and could I pull one out of my ass and magically get it to him?
Moms are magic and I found one (rented), then trekked out to the Scout Camporee.
I’m such a sucker.
The Troop 7 camp area (could you have guessed on your own?).
Complete with Troop Flag,
and troop dog!
They built this contraption that flings tennis balls,
it’s some kind of deadly boy scout weapon.
And I thought they were such nice boys….
They also built the flag pole, maybe they are nice boys.
Definitly Patriotic too.
McGyver, Scout Master and Baby boy, Life Scout.
I must bid you farewell for my day is not over yet!
On the road,
the gravel road,
the road that I thought that led me to the camporee,
but somehow did not lead me back to town.
Folks, I ended up in Ulm, I don’t know how.
By the time I got there, let’s just say, I was glad to recognize it.
And see civilization.
Oh, Lulu, you have waited so patiently for me.
See Lulu and I are making my daughter’s guest book for her wedding in 2 weeks.
I don’t want to reveal too much, but here’s a couple of glimpses.
We stated off with more space, really we did.
I know someone who is enamored with Ladybugs.
We may or may not have had a beer or two.
The pages are coming together.
We worked 7 hours that night and I finally had to go let poor Summer dog out.
If you read my post on Scones you would have known that what I didn’t want for Mother’s Day was “I didn’t want to have to do anything”. I was hoping McGyver would read the post and he and the Baby boy would clean the house and do the laundry on Saturday so Mother’s Day would be nice and relaxing. The only thing they would need to do is fix me breakfast and dinner while I lounged around in luxury, okay more likely just praddle around, but that is luxury for me.
Somehow McGyver didn’t get the memo. I even had the Baby boy read the blog, hoping he’d nudge Mcgyver a bit. Saturday came and went and no evidence of house cleaning or laundry, hrmph! So on Sunday, I made my breakfast, I cleaned the house, I did some laundry, I pouted and I may have been a bit grouchy to McGyver. I was doing exactly what I didn’t want to do.
Somehow a little birdie (read Leah) told McGyver that mama wasn’t too happy so later that evening he finished the laundry, made a really great dinner, and burnt dessert. Baby boy and McGyver had cards on hand with receipts of what they ordered me but hadn’t come in time. The Baby boy was especially upset because he paid extra for 2 day shipping and it didn’t make it in two days.
My lovely daughter Leah was on the ball and sent me a gift on time, but I had to wait for the rest which is why this post is 5 days post Mother’s Day.
Here’s my array of cards and gifts and love.
Although you can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you just might find, you get what you need!
How right the Rolling Stones were!
Yes, baby, I got just what I needed!
Check her out….a new lens for my camera. An 18-200mm lens.
What does this mean? I can zoom near and far without having to change my lens.
I’m getting advanced baby, now if I just knew how to work the camera…
Naturally I had to put it to immediate use.
After attempting at least 10 times to get the lens on I took my first picture.
The Baby boy went to great lengths to find something thoughtful and cool.
He went to his favorite site for shopping Think Geek.
And yes the Baby boy is a geek.
He found an innovative loose tea brewer, just put the tea in, add hot water, put it on top of your mug and press.
The brewed tea drips into your mug, good bye tea bags.
I wanted to check out the zoom, so I took a shot out the window.
Far away…from inside my house…
and near…
Isn’t Becca dog sweet!
This next shot comes with a warning.
Do not continue if you have a weak stomach.
Don’t ask me why I took this picture.
It’s too gross for words.
I’m just warning you.
Really I am.
I told you it is horrific!
Someone call the doctor, please.
We have an infected in-grown toe nail.
Worse yet, we have a teenager who hasn’t cut his toe nails.
Look at the gurdue…I don’t think that’s a word…but there aren’t anyother words to describe this.
As usual, I avoid this page like the plague (didn’t even touch it in April). Somehow it’s a brutal reminder of how I don’t follow up on anything. I try, well not so much as try, but desire. I desire to be a good girl and exercise and eat right and be a healthy person.
Given the choice of taking a walk or catching up on my Google reader, you’ll find me plugged into the computer every time. Still I have lost 5 lbs…woo hooo…that is 5 lbs from the 12 lbs that I gained since I started my blog. But let’s not think about that; let’s just celebrate the small successes that come our way.
Just for fun, because I have to make fun or I’ll cry, I’ve come up with a list of “You know you need to lose weight when….”
Some of you know that we have 40 acres of land in the Rocky Mountains and that we are building a small cabin. The plan, if it ever gets finished, is try and spend as many weekends up there as possible. This ain’t no fancy cabin, it’s not a ‘house’ in the woods. It’s going to be (at least for awhile) a ‘dry’ cabin, that means no running water! It will not have power either, however, we will have a small generator to use as needed. Basically it’s camping in a hardened facility.
Work in progress…
I’m okay with not having a shower for the weekend (some other people may not be okay with me) and I’m okay with using a composting toilet. But I’m not okay with hamburgers and hot dogs or cold sandwiches every time we go to the cabin. I’m not a bad camp cook, and I am fairly decent with the grill, but I’m fancying myself to a mountain woman when I’m up there, you know doing some cowboy/mountaineering type cooking. Not just moving my grill to the cabin. Can’t you just picture me in my plaid shirt, with a fire going and a nice dutch oven filled with something that’ll stick to your ribs? Me either.
I don’t think I could just serve cowboy beans, stew or chili every weekend either. But I do love the idea of cooking in a dutch oven, and I don’t mean my nice Le Creuset that goes from stove top to oven. I mean real no kidding, get the cast iron dutch oven out, and using coals or wood to cook.
Problem is, I never have had any real success at cooking camp style with a dutch oven. I’ve done okay with a few soups/stews, but then again, feeding hungry Boy Scouts isn’t much of a challenge. Boy Scouts will get anything after being outdoors and active all day!
McGyver had told me that he knew someone through Scouting that was an avid Dutch Oven cooker, Mr Robert (Bob) Dowdy. It just so happens that Mr. Dowdy was going to be doing some Dutch oven cooking at the Big Bear Sporting goods store this weekend. I can’t think of a better way to spend my time then hanging around someone cooking food! With Camera in hand, I eagerly headed to Big Bear to see what Mr. Dowdy could show me. Turns out Bob wasn’t the only one there, his partner in cooking Scott Woodland and his wife Lucinda and their son Perry were all in front of Big Bear with the most amazing set ups I’d ever seen.
You see Bob and Scott aren’t just a couple of men cooking with Dutch Oven’s, these men are serious about cooking with Dutch Ovens. Too say it is a passion, is putting it mildly. Both Bob and Scott are members of the Montana IDOS and the IDOS (International Dutch Oven Society). Shoot, I didn’t even know there was such a thing! What these men do with a dutch oven can put a home cook to shame!
How could you not love a store called Big Bear?
I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much cast iron ‘cept when I was at the Lodge store in Tennessee.
Bob’s menu for the day:
Jambalaya
Cheddar Biscuits
Black Forest Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Here’s some jambalaya shots for you:
Bob says the Arizona Gunslinger sauce is his secret ingredient, but use sparingly!
Cheddar biscuits, incredible!
Perfectly browned, light and fluffy with a little crispiness, amazing!
Bob’s Black Forest Cream Cheese Pound Cake was much anticipated with the crowd.
People stopped by and then came back later just to try.
Look at those little bits of cream cheese and the moist cherry filling all surrounded by chocolaty goodness
and topped with a white chocolate sauce, somebody pinch me please, this couldn’t have been made over coals!
While Bob was busy on his side using a combination of propane and coals to cook,
Scott and his family were going straight up coals, using a metal work table that Scott made himself.
Both bob and Scott says bending down to ground to cook is for the birds! I agree men!
Scott’s menu for the day:
Chili Cornbread
Rolls
Apple Crisp
Peach Cobbler
Scott with his table set up and his trailer that houses their cast iron and provides portable, potable water.
The Chili Cornbread is the western man’s Shepherd’s Pie.
Look at that, red, slightly spicey and perfectly done cornbread on top.
Perfect for a chilly day up on a mountain top!
Fruit desserts are one of my favorites, and crisps and cobblers top the list of favorite fruit desserts.
To cook them in a dutch oven, heaven on earth!
By this time I was stuffed from sampling so much, but there were still rolls to try and I couldn’t leave anything out.
Bob and Scott both have these gigormous Dutch Oven’s, 22 inchers in fact.
They use them truly as an oven. They tell me that they bake pizza, roast turkeys and cook prime rib even!
In order to make that work that place a small stand in the bottom and then put a grill part (from Weber) on top of it to act as an oven rack.
In this case, Scott is using a pie pan for Lucinda’s rolls.
Perfection!
I’m leaving you with Bob’s recipe for Black Forest Cream Cheese Pound Cake with a few liberties from me.
You don’t have to use a Dutch oven to cook it in, but it might take all the fun out of it, if you don’t.
Black Forest Cream Cheese Pound Cake
4 eggs
1/2 c milk
8 oz cream cheese, softend
1 box SuperMoist chocolate cake mix
1 tsp almond extract
3/4 c cherry pie filling
Mix eggs, milk and cream cheese until smooth. Add cake mix and almond extract, mix well. Pour half the batter into a well-greased and floured 10 inch bundt pan. Add a layer of pie filling then top with remaining batter. Place pan on a cooling rack in a 12 inch deep Dutch oven. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes then invert onto a serving dish. Let cool completely then top with the White Chocolate sauce if desired.
White Chocolate Sauce
1 12 oz bag white chocolate chips
Heavy whipping cream, up to 1/2 cup
Preheat a small cast iron pot over medium low heat, add the white chocolate chips and 1/4 c of the cream. Stir frequently, add more cream as needed. Once all the chocolate has melted and you have a good consitancy (the sauce should cling to the spoon), remove from heat and let cool slightly. Drizzle on top of cake.
Thanks Bob, I’ll be inviting you up to our cabin to learn me some more cooking in a Dutch oven!
Mcgyver and the Baby boy asked me what I wanted to do for Mother’s Day. Zillions of possibilities flowed through my mind, okay, maybe not zillions, I don’t think I have the capacity for zillions of thoughts. But I did have a few, like visit Giant Springs, have a picnic, or go for a motorcycle ride and then I look outside at the snow and realize that’s not going to happen anytime soon. Maybe an indoor activity, I have yet to go to the Paris Gibson Square, maybe a Sunday brunch and a movie would be nice, or I could drag them to the Mall and have them carry all my bags while I shop?
Then I thought about it again. What they should have asked me for Mother’s Day is what I don’t want to do. I don’t want to do the laundry…hmmm…McGyver usually does that anyways, never mind about that. I don’t want to clean the bathrooms, I don’t want to vacuum, or dust, make the bed or get up early, or cook or think. It’s not about what you get to do that makes it special, it’s about what you don’t have to do that makes it special. Better yet, if all the chores are done on Saturday then I can wake up when ever to a clean house and do nothing, except maybe read, watch a movie, make some jewelry, you know, fun stuff.
So that’s what I don’t want and do want, or is it don’t want, sheesh, I’m confusing myself.
If you want to give you Mom the Perfect Mother’s Day of not doing anything, start with a perfect breakfast. You could go to the local bakery or Starbucks to buy them but why, when they are a snap to make? Truth is, Mom’s are a sucker for homemade stuff, just check out our macaroni necklaces we still have.
Nothing like a holiday to put you in the mood for specific food. Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow and all I have to say is “Free-hole-lays!” Say it with me “Freeee-hole-laaays!” It even sounds festive. No one in my family is from Mexico, not even a remote strain, although I have family in Texas. Close enough for me, actually I don’t even need any reason to celebrate a holiday or event to celebrate the food associated with it. Really, here in the states, we don’t get “Mexican” food per se, but more of a TexMex, American version anyways.
Typical of most TexMex fare, Americans seem to think that every dish should come with a side of refried beans and spanish rice. I like to make my BF’s version of spanish rice but I love my frijoles refritos. I’ve been working on this recipe for awhile and have finally perfected it…at least for me. It makes a whole mess of beans, which is fine, I love leftovers. Sometimes I just serve it on the side, incorporate it into an enchilada casserole or better yet, make up some bean and cheese burritos and freeze them for later.
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with me and make yourself some “Free-hole-lays!”
Ingredients
1 lbs dried pinto beans
2 bay leaves
12 oz salt pork
1 large onion
4-6 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 tbs chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp oregano
Adobe seasoning or seasoning salt to taste
Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish
Directions
Carefully pick through beans to make sure there aren’t any stones hidden in there.
In a large bowl, cover the beans with water, by about 2 inches.
Soak over night.
Like Jack in the Bean Stalk, your beans will grow (swell), see the difference.
Drain the beans.
Place in a large heavy pot and cover with water by 1 to 2 inches.
Add the salt pork and bay leaves, bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer uncovered 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
You could cook them in a crockpot over low for 6 – 8 hours also.
Meanwhile dice the onions.
Mince the garlic.
Chop the cilantro.
Why do I love a big cutting board?
So I can prep everything on one board and have less dishes, of course!
When the beans done, well, they just don’t look to appetizing yet.
To tell if they are done, take a bean out or 5 out and bite it with your teeth. They should be very tender.
Remove the salt pork to a cutting board and let cool.
Remove the bay leaves and discard.
Drain the beans, but keep the liquid, you’ll need that later.
Back in the pot they go. If you are bothered by a crusty pot, by all means get a clean, it’s okay, I’m not doing your dishes.
With a potato masher, mash up the beans and keep warm over low heat.
Dice up your salt pork. I cut the rind off and small dice the rest.
In a frying pan cook the begeezies out of the salt pork so they render all their fat.
Can someone do that to me…I could really use it!
With a slotted utensil, remove the salt pork and drain.
We are done with the salt pork, you can save it for other uses like feeding it to your dogs treats.
My dogs insist upon it!
Over medium heat, cook the onions in the left over rendered salty good fat.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Let’s get spicey…
Add the chili and cumin.
Then the oregano and cayenne.
Isn’t it purdy?
Stir and cook for another 30 seconds to let the flavors bloom.
I love the sound of that bloom…it is spring time…okay it’s spring everywhere but here.
Still, I’m ready for some bloomin!
Add the onion mixture, fat and all, to the mashed beans and stir.
Right now your beans will be thick and chunky.
Time for the bean water, add as much as you need to in order to get the consistencdy that you like.
Not to runny, not to thick.
Taste it, add some seasoning salt if needed.
At this point, if you want a smoother bean mixture, use an emersion blender.
I like it chunky, I want something to sink my teeth into.
Plate it up and top with cilantro and serve with whatever else you like, a corona, margarita…hey, it’s Cinco de Mayo, Celebrate!
Almost 2 years ago when I found out I was moving to Great Falls, MT to follow the F-15 fighter-jets and McGyver’s paycheck (they went hand in hand). I was excited to move closer to home (Washington State) and live someplace a lot less populated then the St. Louis area. Montana has a population of less than 1 million people, matter fact there are 3 head of cattle to every person in Montana. St. Louis has a population of over 2 million, more than twice the population of our entire state!
With large populations comes many amenities (and some not good things like crime). My favorite amenity, of course, is food! Not just the eating out on The Hill (Italian district), going out for Dim Sum in the Asian district, but also having a variety of specialty items that could easily be picked up. A foodies dream. I knew moving to Montana would be a culture and lifestyle change. I wouldn’t be heading to Whole Foods on the weekends or going to Volpi to pick up some salami or guanciale. I wouldn’t be going out to eat for specialty foods either, at least I didn’t think so.
When we moved to Great Falls it was mostly studded with the typical fast food chains, a couple of Mexican resturaunts, typical diners, and some seriously good steakhouses! I expected great steak houses, what with all that cattle and all! What Great Falls didn’t have was a Sushi resturaunt. A resturaunt or two would sometimes run a special and have sushi available. They didn’t even sell it in the grocery stores. Occasionally I would make it myself (no raw ingredients), but nothing quite matches going out for it.
Truthfully I never expected Great Falls to open a Sushi restaurant, after all, we are a land locked state. Montana is beef and wild game country so I wasn’t sure if there would be a high enough demand for it. Fortunately for me someone thought to open the first ever Sushi/Thai restaurant. I was so excited, I waited and waited. They opened and I waited some more (I never like to go to a place right after they open…let them work out the ‘bugs’ before I judge…). Every time I drove by and I saw vehicles there I was ecstatic, my greatest fear was that the people of Great Falls would not embrace sushi.
Sorry to misjudge the people of Great Falls, it turns out that it is a very popular place to eat! Last night there were only a few tables open, I’m so happy! Last night was my third time eating there and I haven’t been disappointed yet. We were greeted immediately when we walked in and told to seat ourselves (which I prefer). The second we were settled, drink orders were taken and brought and then our food order was taken.
The decor is tastefully done, in warm colors and low lighting.
Modern, Asian and comfortable with plenty of room.
Not to disappoint, it had the proverbial lighted scenery pictures hanging around.
I don’t know why, but I just expect it. Somehow it makes me feel comfortable…or maybe it’s the sake?
The menu is a laminated and probably locally bound.
A little bit on the cheesy side, but practical.
There was only one problem with the menu,
can you figure it out?
McGyver is somewhat of a beer connoisseur and enjoys all, I mean, all varieties.
I opted for the white wine.
A pot of green tea.
McGyver started with the Miso soup.
I choose the salad, this one is pictured with the peanut dressing.
I’ve also had the ginger dressing and I love both!
Peek-a-boo, I’m making your dinner!
I love the fact that you can watch your food being prepared.
The Baby boy ordered the udon noodles with the tempura fried shrimp.
It only cost $6.95 and was a complete meal in itself.
McGyver just had to give it a try too.
Nom, nom, nom….
We ordered the combination Sushi and Sashimi double platter for $35.00.
The chef chooses a selection of sushi and sashimi for you, special requests are taken.
There was plenty enough food for the whole table.
Not pictured…we also ordered a Dim Sum appetizer, delish!
My only complaint, which really isn’t a complaint is that the Dim Sum didn’t come out as an appetizer, it came as part of the meal.
I love, love, love, the Suki Cafe…will you marry me? Wait never-mind, I’m already taken…how about an affair?
If you live in Great Falls and haven’t been to the Suki Cafe, go now! I mean it, get in your car and go, you won’t regret it!
Anyone who knows me well knows that I don’t like to get up early. I’m a proverbial snoozer,I lay in bed and go through what I could skip so I can stay in bed a little longer: drink coffee at work, take a frozen meal for lunch or go out to eat, put my make-up on at work (I keep a cosmetic bag in my desk drawer on stand-by), take the truck so McGyver will have to stop and put gas in my car on the way to work (I know, how evil). I would even skip breakfast for 5 more minutes of sleep.
I know, I know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I truly believe that, so I make a real effort not to skip breakfast. There in lies the conflict. Sleep or eat, eat or sleep? Sometimes I have to be to work by 5:30 am, there is only one place that is open that early in our town and it’s a fast food joint, not exactly the healthiest choice. Plus I never understood how someone would leave home earlier so they could stop and get breakfast. If you have to leave early in order to make it to work on time why not just take the same amount of time and make breakfast at home?
I personally would never be able to leave early enough to stop and pick-up breakfast, I’ve already established that I would still be hitting the snooze button.
Here’s my issues:
1. I like to snooze
2. I have to get up too early
3. I need to have breakfast
4. I like to snooze
5. I won’t wake up early then I have to—ever
6. I’m lazy
7. I need a healthy breakfast
8. I need a fast breakfast
9. I like to snooze
Dilemma solved! Make my own breakfast sandwiches and freeze them. Benefits: quick, easy, portable, healthy and I can snooze 5 more minutes (or 5 more, maybe even 5 more).
There are approximately 3oo calories in an Egg McMuffin, I knew I could do better then that.
My version: Light and Healthy whole wheat muffin, 100 calories, 1 slice 2 % Kraft American Deli Slices 50 calories, 1 slice Canadian Bacon 20 calories, Egg Beaters 30 calories and spray margarine 0 calories for a total 200 calories. That saves 100 calories!
And there are 430 calories in a McDonald’s Sausage Biscuit and 340 calories in a Jimmy Dean Biscuit Sausage.
My mini version: Biscuit 50 calories, Turkey Sausage 45 calories, 1/4 of Kraft 2% American Cheese approximately 12. 5 calories and Spray Margarine 0 calories for a total 107.5, even if you ate two of them (they are small) you would save 100 to 310 calories. WOW!
Besides saving the calories and fat, the time you save is invaluable. So go ahead take an hour every couple of weeks to make up some breakfast sandwiches and hit the snooze button, amybe hit it a few times!
Ingredients
For the muffin sandwiches:
6 reduced calorie English muffins, toasted
Spray Margarine
1 1/2 cups Egg Beaters (plus seasoning salt)
6 slices Canadian bacon
6 slices Kraft Deli Deluxe 2% American cheese slices
For the biscuit sandwiches:
1 can pillsbury (4 pack) biscuits, cooked according to package directions
Spray margarine
10 pre-cooked turkey sausage patties
4 1/2 slices Kraft Deli Deluxe 2% American cheese slices
Directions
For the muffin sandwiches:
Spray a small non-stick pan with a cooking spray (any type is fine) and heat over medium.
Add some Egg Beaters (1/2 to 3/4 cup).
After the egg cooks for about 30 seconds, with your spatula pull it away from the sides.
Then tilt the pan to allow uncooked Egg Beaters to run into the exposed pan.
Repeat until there isn’t any more liquid to pour.
You can season the Egg Beaters if you like…I like, so I did.
Put it onto a cutting board and cut into 4 pieces. Then repeat with another batch.
If you have a small single egg pan and want the perfectly round egg that fits your muffin, please do so.
Me, I like cooking up 4 portions at one time. I don’t really care early in the morning if my egg is shaped like my muffins!
Spray your toasted English muffins with the margarine.
I like to toast mine because they seem to taste better, freeze better, and prevent sogginess when I reheat them.
Now for the ham, I mean Canadian bacon….
Add your prepared Egg Beaters.
Then the cheese, mmmmm, cheese!
Pop the tops on.
There you have it, in no time at all your very own healthy muffin sandwich.
To store mine, I wrap each one in microwave safe plastic wrap.
Stack them right back in the muffin bag and freeze them.
To reheat, nuke for 1 minute, and you are set.
Trust me, nuke them at work and the coworkers start gathering…
“Mmmm, what smells so good?” “Where did you get that?”
“Why didn’t you bring enough for everybody?”
Ignore them and enjoy.
For the biscuits:
Cook them according to the package directions.
Sorry, no picture of them fresh out of the oven…
Split them open.
Spray the margarine.
I’m not really sure if this add flavor?
I think it’s just mental for me…..
Add a frozen turkey sausage.
Then the cheese 1/4 slices of cheese.
Put their little hats on…how cute are they?
So cute you just want to eat them up!
Side note here. I only had 6 turkey sausages left in my box.
I think I have a turkey sausage thief in my house.
Don’t worry I’ve set up a neighborhood watch to try and catch them.
So I used some egg beaters and cheese for the remaining guys.
Couldn’t leave them out, oh no, I couldn’t; can’t let cute little biscuits like these guys go to waste.
Same method as above, wrap ‘em up in microwave safe plastic wrap.
No biscuit packaging to put them back into, so I just used a gallon bag.
Toss them into the freezer and they’ll hang out until you are ready to devour them!
To heat these guys, you got two options. Let ‘em defrost and nuke for 30 seconds or for the impatient bunch:
Unwrap, remove the sausage patty, heat it for 30 seconds, reassemble and nuke for another 30 seconds.
Have you ever nuked a biscuit for too long, yep, gets hard as a rock fast!
So don’t be too impatient, follow the directions.
After all, you got a little extra sleep, surely you can wait a few more seconds for your breakfast!
