Recipes From Your Heart with Eggland's Best

Did you know February is American Heart Month? Well, it is, and I think it's a great opportunity to learn more about heart healthy living, including in the kitchen. And since February is also the "month of love", it's also a great time to serve your family a great tasting meal made with love, using Eggland's Best Eggs.

By using Eggland's Best eggs in your next recipe (Maybe even this one!), you are getting a high quality egg that has better taste, less saturated fat, and more nutrition. Have you tried EB's eggs before? If so, you know exactly what I'm talking about!  And if you haven't let me give you a few more reasons why they are a great addition to your everyday cooking and eating. Compared to other eggs, Eggland's Best eggs contain:

10 times more Vitamin E

Double the amount of Omega-3's

Twice the amount of Vitamin D

3 times more Vitamin B12

25% less Saturated Fat

38% more Lutein

I don't know about you, but when I read things like that, it makes me happy to know I can feel good about giving my family something they love so much, like eggs, and still feel really good about what we are putting into our bodies. 

If you are always on the hunt for new breakfast or brunch ideas, than you will love this one. Or, if like us, one of your favorite things is breakfast for supper, this can easily be a simple weeknight meal; and one I think even the little ones will love. It has some very familiar flavors (think pizza) I suspect they will really enjoy, and be surprised you can get in a breakfast food! 

Oh, and my good friends at Eggland's Best has a pretty cool giveaway for one lucky EMM reader too! Just scroll down after the recipe for all the details!

This month, let's all try a little harder to remember our hearts, how hard they work for us, and do anything we can to make their job a little easier by living a more heart friendly life. 

Be sure to check out Eggland's Best on Facebook,Twitter, and Pinterest too!

Baked Italian Omelet

9 Eggland's Best extra large eggs

1 c. milk

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

2 TBS butter

1 bunch green onions, white and light green only, finely chopped

1 (2.25 oz) can sliced black olives, well drained

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

2 tsp. Italian Seasoning

3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dried Parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 8 x 11 baking dish. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Saute mushrooms, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add green onions and black olives. Continuing sauteing for another 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Stir to warm through. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to allow to slightly cool. In a large bowl whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Add cheese and mushroom mixture. Stir well. Transfer to baking dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes until set, or toothpick comes out clean. Sprinkle with parsley. Allow to stand 5 minutes before serving.

Shared on The Country Cook Feb. 7, 2014

***GIVEAWAY***

NOW CLOSED

ONE Winner Will Receive An Eggland's Best Gift Pack Including:

(1) $25 Visa Gift Card

(1) Plush EB Egg 

(2) Coupons for 1 FREE dozen eggs

*To Enter: Simply leaving me a comment telling me the FIRST thing you would make with your FREE eggs!

*Winner will be chosen randomly and notified via email. He/she will have 24 hours to claim prize or another winner will be chosen. 

*This is open to US Residents (NO PO Boxes) 18 years or older ONLY. 

*Contest Ends: Friday Feb. 7, 2014

Disclaimer: The Eggland’s Best coupon, information, and two gift packs have been provided by Eggland’s Best.

Soul Food Saturday #41

What about cinnamon rolls for breakfast? Ones that remind you of that fast food place where you can grab them and hit the road, and quick enough that you can make on a weekday if you wanted? That's right, quick and healthier than fast food. Also can be made gluten free with just a little adjustment. Bringing back the use of crescent roll dough. Sugar and spice makes these very nice! Grab your little ones for this because Cinnamon Roll minis are what's for breakfast!

Cinnamon Roll Minis
1 can Grands big buttery crescents
4 tsp. cinnamon
3 tbs, sugar

Glaze
3 tbs. powdered sugar
1 tbs. Maple syrup
1tsp. Half and half


For the glaze:
In a small bowl add powdered sugar and whisk lightly to break up any lumps. Add maple syrup and whisk to combine. Then add half and half, and whisk until completely smooth. Set aside

For cinnamon roll minis

In a small bowl add sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Set aside. Remove crescent dough from the can gently. Only separate at large perforations. (There will be 2 triangles together) Pinch perforated lines together, and  press lightly down to seal. Repeat on other side. With a small rolling pin or round glass; roll dough to be sure its sealed. Repeat on second side. Dough will stretch about 2 inches in length, and will be a more uniform thickness. Sprinkle 1 tbs. cinnamon sugar on dough and spread gently to cover it entirely. Roll up as snugly as possible being careful to keep edges in line. Pinch edge gently to seal roll. Cut into 6 pieces, with a  serrated knife using a sawing motion so as not to squish the dough. Please in an un-greased pie pan touching each other slightly. Repeat with remaining dough. 1 can will fill 2 pie pans.
Follow crescent dough instructions for baking time and temp. Typical time is 12-14 minutes at 400*
Remove from oven and add glaze. Serve hot! Whether you love to glaze them right after or dip each bite, your family will fall in love one more time with a fast treat that just got a bit healthier! Enjoy!

Note: For gluten free option, just use Pillsbury's gluten free pastry/pie dough. Found with other Pillsbury's products in most grocery stores.

**When using this dough, remove from fridge 5 minutes before opening to take the chill off. Then take the dough ball and cut into 2 pieces. Cover second piece and set aside. Roll dough out to approx 4 1/2 inches wide by  8 1/2 inches long rectangle. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar and spread to cover completely. Roll up as snugly as possible, keeping sides as straight as you can. Pinch edges gently to seal. Cut into 12 pieces. with a serrated knife, using a sawing motion so as not to squish dough. Repeat with remaining dough.  Follow baking instructions for time and temp.

Meal Plan Feb. 2-7

*New Recipe
Links to Recipes on Blog


Sunday
SUPER BOWL
We'll be partying at the in-laws.
I'm taking:
Easy Guacamole
Glazed Kielbasa

Monday
Lasagna Casserole*
Garlic Bread

Tuesday
Ham and Beans
Corn Bread

Wednesday
Pork chops
Stuffing
Applesauce
Candied Carrots

Thursday
Leftovers

Friday
Muffin Tin Pizzas*
Easy Caesar Salad
Jello Parfait Salad

Fan Request #2

So, back at the beginning of the month I asked all of you what you wanted to see me blog the most of this year. Wednesday I revealed the #1 answer to be casseroles. And coming in a very close second was without a doubt, Crock Pot meals. Great choices!!

I'm telling you what, I have the smartest fans in the world, because no joke, when I posed that question, a little voice inside my head said "I hope they pick either casseroles or slow cooker stuff." Why? Simple. It's what I like to cook. And I find my most popular recipes are the ones I truly look forward to cooking because I know if they are enjoyed in my kitchen, and are a hit with me and my family, then they are sure to please the rest of you! So, you kind of read my mind!!

This recipe is actually something I "learned" to make back during my waitressing days. One of the most popular dishes we served was Sirloin Tips and Gravy. Everyone went crazy for it, but especially the over 55 crowd. I'm sure it reminded them of Sunday suppers gone by. Well, of course we didn't have a slow cooker in the restaurant, and I can't even tell you for sure how they were made (After all, I was busy serving the food. It was someone else's job to cook it.) But I knew what was in the dish, for the most part, and I knew how my grandma used to prepare her slow cooked beef dishes, so I just combined parts of both, and this is what I came up with.

Now, I know many of you are going to say you like the Crock Pot meals that require no prep work. The ones that can be thrown together in the morning and by supper time, you're work is done. Me too. But I'm going to be honest with you. I've learned through trial and error, most beef dishes are going to turn out better if you take the time to brown them on the stove top first. This goes for slow cooking in the oven too. Any time I make a beef roast, it doesn't go in the oven without sitting in the skillet first. It totally changes the texture, tenderness and flavor of the meat. It locks in all the juices and results in fork tender beef. So, take the extra time and the extra 15 minutes in the morning, and I promise you won't be sorry!

I'm so happy to have a foodie goal in 2014 that is not only going to be fun for me to achieve, but is something my readers have flat out asked for. Your wish is my command, and you'll be seeing many more of what you requested in the coming weeks and months. I promise!

Crock Pot Steak Tips n Gravy

2 lb. beef sirloin, cut into 1 inch cubes, and patted dry

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

3 TBS vegetable oil

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (15 oz.) can beef broth

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 c. water

1 beef bouillon cube

1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dried Parsley for garnish

In a large bowl combine flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dredge sirloin pieces lightly in flour mixture. In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, until browned on all sides. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. When all beef is browned, add to Crock Pot. In a small bowl combine soup, onion soup mix, beef broth and Worcestershire. Mix well. Pour over beef. Add water, bouillon cube, salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours until gravy has thickened a bit and beef is cooked through. Serve over cooked egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Shared on The Country Cook Jan. 31, 2014

Beef at Very Good Recipes

Fan Request #1

Back at the beginning of the year, I posed a question on my Facebook page. I simply asked what kind of recipes ya'll want to see more of on EMM in 2014. Hands down, the most popular answer was casseroles. (Be sure to come back on Wednesday to see what the #2 response was.) So many of you said you wanted me to come up with even more family friendly, budget friendly, and time friendly casseroles to put on your table.

I can't blame you. I have said it a hundred times, but it is worth repeating. Casseroles are a busy mom's (and dad's) best friend. A one dish meal that feeds everyone, on a budget, and is simple to prepare after a long day. And I have to admit, when I first started blogging (Can you believe it's been almost 4 years ago now?) whenever I would mention casseroles they really wouldn't get much love. But I have noticed over the past couple years they really have been making a comeback if you will. I remember growing up, casseroles were the go-to for every mom I knew, but somewhere along the way, people started to shy away from them. So, I'm happy to see them being brought back into the kitchen, and updated for today's family

If you love chicken enchiladas, you're going to be so excited for this recipe. Especially if you've made my green chile version before. I basically took 90% of the ingredients and turned them into a layered casserole. All the great flavors of the original dish, without the time consuming filling and rolling. In fact, if you make the chicken ahead of time, you can have this on the table in about 30 minutes. But I guarantee your family will think you slaved away all day with the depth of flavor this has, and how absolutely delicious it is.

Besides my family, my fans are the #1 reason I do what I do. So, if you want to see more casseroles blogged this year, I'm happy to oblige. And coming up next I have a recipe for the other category you asked for more of. Believe me, you don't want to miss that one either!

Chicken and Green Chile Enchilada Casserole

1 (1.5 lb) package chicken tenders

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

8 large flour tortillas 

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

2 (4 oz.) cans green chilies, drained

1 (7 oz.) can green enchilada sauce

8 oz. fiesta blend cheese

2 green onions, chopped on a bias, for garnish

Sour cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 400. Place chicken tenders on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast 25-30 minutes until juices run clear and cooked through. Allow to cool 5 minutes and shred. Reduce heat to 375. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Lay 2 tortillas in bottom, overlapping. In a large bowl combine chicken, cream cheese, chilies, and 3 TBS enchilada sauce. Mix well to combine. Spoon some of the chicken mixture over tortillas. Sprinkle with a little cheese. Drizzle with a little enchilada sauce. Repeat layers, ending with topping with rest of cheese. Bake for 30-45 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted. Cut into individual portions and garnish with green onions and sour cream.

Shared on The Country Cook