From the category archives:

Breakfast and Brunch

A Must Have Recipe for Three Cheese Omelets

by Joi on August 23, 2010

Every cook must have a great omelet recipe. There’s just no getting around it. Before you approach the recipe, however, you need to make sure you have a perfect pan. My favorite pan for omelets is the Giada De Laurentiis for Target 12″ Stainless Steel Nonstick Sauté Pan. You can find Giada’s outstanding line of pans, dishes, and more at Target or Target.com. I’ve used countless pans over the years for omelets and omelet recipes – this pan is, simply put, the best.

Go to Target. Buy the pan. Be an Omelet rock star.

Three Cheese Omelets Recipe

I recently bought a bag of Kraft 3 Cheese Crumbles for poking cheese into burgers before my husband grilled them (along with garlic, but that’s another post!). I had some cheese crumbles left over the next morning, which was surprising given the way I was noshing on them straight from the bag.

I decided to use them in a couple of omelets and the results were cheesy and spectacular. I strongly recommend using this 3 cheese blend in your next omelet recipe. Below is my favorite.

2 teaspoons butter (it’s better than margarine for egg recipes)
2 large eggs, beaten (cage-free eggs – and be sure they’re safe)

Heat butter in a great omelet pan or skillet on medium-high heat. You want the butter to melt but you don’t want it brown. As the butter melts, tilt the pan to coat the bottom.

Quickly pour the beaten eggs into the pan. As you slide the pan rapidly back and forth over the heat, stir the eggs with a fork to ensure that they spread across the bottom of the pan and begin to thicken.

Let stand over heat a few seconds to lightly brown the bottom of the omelet. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Remember, eggs continue to cook after they’re removed from the heat and an omelet will continue to cook after it’s folded.

Sprinkle some of the cheese crumbles (about 1/4 cup) onto one side of the omelet’s surface.

Tilt the pan and run a fork or narrow spatula under edge of omelet and move the pan in a jerking motion to loosen the eggs from the bottom of the pan. Fold the omelet over the melting cheese… what a beautiful sight… and remove to a warm plate.

Needless to say, you can also experiment with a variety of other omelet fillings:

chopped ham
chopped onions
chopped green pepper
chopped jalapeno
chopped red pepper
mushrooms
leftover steamed asparagus, chopped (delicious)

There are endless options and combinations – but every now and then a gloriously plain and simple cheese omelet is where it’s at. Especially if you get jazzy with the cheese. Give Kraft’s 3 Cheese Blend Crumbles a shot – you’ll love them.

Top Photo Credit: nkzs

Breakfast Casserole Recipe

by Joi on July 12, 2010

2 9″ pie shells
1 lb ground sausage, browned & drained
1/4 cup green pepper
2 Tbs onion, chopped
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup light cream
1-1/2 cups cheddar cheese

salt & pepper to taste

After browning and draining the ground sausage, divide the crumbles into the unbaked pie shells. Top with cheese.

Mix the other ingredients together (including a little salt and pepper) and pour over the sausage and cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Makes 2 breakfast casseroles.

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter – No, Really – And an Orange Pound Cake Recipe

by Joi on May 1, 2010

One of the biggest perks of publishing a food blog is the opportunity and privilege to try new products or take a new look at old products. I was recently contacted by the very friendly people with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. They wanted to send me information and a coupon to try their I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spread. My first thought was, “Do these people (friendly as they are) realize who they’ve just contacted? I’m the self-appointed butter queen!” Seriously, it doesn’t take too long to realize my stand on butter – how many of the recipes on Get Cooking beseech you not to use anything but butter. I’m pretty sure I’ve even threatened (a time or two to hunt you down and swat your hand) if you used a substitution.

Geez, in fact, in a recent e-mail I told someone that one of the cornerstones of my cooking (in addition to a great set of knives, buttermilk, olive oil, real peppercorns….) was butter.

Then I had to go and try I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. Honesty? I expected to laugh in the face of the bright, enthusiastic yellow tub. Heck, even it’s friendly.

I whipped out my spreader and put some on a fresh biscuit. I thought, No way… this can’t be! So I tried again. My cat and I exchanged looks as I headed to the refrigerator to take out a stick of the real thing (always on hand, you know). I put some of it on a piece of biscuit and the taste was just like the one I’d just tried. Twice.

I called in my youngest daughter (the Princess of Butter). She flipped for it and said she had a new favorite “butter.”

We’ve since used it on garlic bread, pancakes, oatmeal, pasta, potatoes, and steamed vegetables. Not once have we wished for real butter because not once did we remember that we weren’t eating real butter.

So. If they taste the same, why should you be tempted to try I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter instead of butter? Glad you asked. Here’s one simple fact: Soft spreads contain 70 percent less saturated fats than butter and no cholesterol. For more interesting facts and nutritional information, please visit The Big Fat Truth!

Orange Pound Cake Recipe

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt
1 Tbsp. orange juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. grated orange peel
3/4 cup I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® soft spread
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pan; set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; set aside. Combine yogurt, orange juice and vanilla in small bowl; set aside. Combine sugar with orange peel in large bowl.

Beat I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® soft spread into sugar and orange peel mixture with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately beat in flour mixture and yogurt mixture on low speed just until blended. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake 55 minutes or until lightly browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Frost, if desired (you’ll most definitely want to do this), with Orange Glaze (See Below).
Orange Glaze: Combine 1 cup confectioners’ sugar with 1 Tbsp. orange juice. Add more orange juice if needed

Find lots of outstanding recipes using I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter on their website. I’ll add a few more of my favorites to the site over the next few days. Don’t forget to visit The Big Fat Truth and grab a tub or two or twenty of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter the next time you’re in the store.

This from the queen of butter.

Easy Blueberry Muffins Recipe

by Joi on April 21, 2010

Freshness Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com

Easy Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1-3/4 cups sifted, all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3/4 cup buttermilk (the secret behind these sensational muffins)
3/4 cup blueberries (washed and well-drained)

Cream together the butter and sugar until light. Add eggs – one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. Add to creamed mixture alternatively with the buttermilk. Beat well after each addition.

Fold in blueberries. Fill paper-lined muffin pans 2/3 full and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Yield: 14 – 16 muffins

Note: Experiment with different berries – blackberries and strawberries make excellent muffins as well. I’ve never tried raspberries, oddly enough – but I think I’ll do that one morning this week! My problem is that I’m SUCH a blueberry fan that pulling me away from them isn’t easy.

**** Interested in cutting back your daily salt intake? Read about a troubling new study on my Self Help Blog: How to Cut Back on Salt and Why You Should Do So!

Vegetarian Recipe: Raw Hummus Romaine Roll-Ups!

by Joi on March 1, 2010

The vegetarian recipe below is from the wonderful cookbook you see pictured above – The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Being Vegetarian. I’ve already reviewed this book on Get Cooking, so I’ll spare you the details about how much you need your own copy (which you do!). You can find my review linked below the recipe. I’m even more impressed with this cookbook now that I’ve re-read it and tried out more of the recipes. There are more than just recipes, of course, there is a wealth of information for everyone – whether you are…

A vegetarian who hasn’t touched meat in years.
A new vegetarian.
A semi-vegetarian.
A fish, and chicken-lover who is trying to eat more vegetables and more vegetarian meals.
Eating a burger right this minute and wish I’d shut-up about veggies.

No matter what category you’re in, you’ll love this book. Personally, I’m a 4… a very happy 4 who is about to eat a fish sandwich for lunch.

Vegetarian Recipe: Raw Hummus Romaine Roll-Ups

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Serving Size: 1 Roll-up
1 cup sprouted garbanzo beans (or steamed)
1/2 cup tahini
1 cup olive oil
2 TBS fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 TBS tamari
Salt
Pinch cayenne
Water
Large romaine lettuce leaves (washed, patted dry)
Feta cheese, crumbled
1 tomato, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped

Place the garbanzo beans in a blender or a food processor. Add tahini, olive oil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, tamari, salt, and cayenne, and blend until creamy.

Spread several tablespoons hummus onto 1 romaine leaf, and top with crumbled feta cheese, chopped tomato, and chopped cucumber. Roll and eat.

This makes an outstanding hummus – whether you bring the romaine lettuce to the party or not. I love this hummus served with raw vegetables and/or crackers.

From my own experience (this isn’t from the book), you can substitute creamy peanut butter for tahini and soy sauce for the tamari. Tahini can be pretty costly. It depends on the mood I’m in at the grocery store whether I buy it or just use peanut butter. I’m familiar with both and, honestly, can’t tell a discernible enough difference to recommend one over the other.

The wonderful recipe above is from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Being Vegetarian by Frankie Avalon Wolfe, M.H., Ph.D. You can read my review of the cookbook and see if you’d be interested in a copy of your own. Whether you are a vegetarian or not, this really is an outstanding book.

Burger King to Serve Seattle’s Best Brand Coffee Starting This Summer

by Joi on February 18, 2010

Wow, I didn’t see this one coming. As you know, I am the epitome of a coffee expert. My husband and our oldest daughter (Emily) are the same way. What can I say, we know our java. We always have a fresh pot of coffee brewing in the kitchen and we certainly know the spots around town with the best coffee when we need a quick fix away from home.

Emily and I are completely wild about Burger King’s coffee. For some reason, it is just always tastes outstanding. Apparently it’s about to get even more outstanding, if that’s possible. Starting this summer, new coffee will be served at Burger King’s nationwide.

Burger King will roll-out Starbucks Corp.’s Seattle’s Best Coffee to more than 7,000 of its restaurants in the United States. Burger King’s brand, BK Joe will be forced into retirement. Emily and I will miss it something fierce.

John Schaufelberger, senior vice president of Burger King’s global product marketing and innovation, told The Associated Press that coffee switcheroo is part of a continued effort to improve its breakfast business. He called Burger King’s morning menu one of their “top strategic priorities.”

Seattle Best Brand, which I love by the way, is one of coffee giants Starbuck’s babies. Starbuck’s acquired the Seattle’s Best brand in 2003. Seattle’s Best Brand is already served at 9,000 Subway franchises.

Thomas Jefferson’s Beloved Monticello Muffins

by Joi on February 14, 2010

According to Monticello.org, this muffin recipe was often used, and loved, by Thomas Jefferson and his family. This would be a wonderful recipe to make tomorrow morning – very fitting for President’s Day, wouldn’t you say?

If you’re a history buff like me, you’ll definitely want to click the link above and visit this very informative and beautiful site.

Recipe for Monticello Muffins

4 cups of flour
1- 1/2 packets of yeast
1 -1/2 cups water
cast iron griddle

Silver flatware Jefferson brought from France; photograph by Edward Owen Mix flour, yeast, and water. Dough will be very sticky. Coat your hands in flour before kneading the dough. While kneading, continue to add small amounts of flour to the dough until the stickiness disappears and the dough becomes more solid. You may find you add as much as 1/2 cup more flour during this process.

Put the dough in a large bowl, cover with a towel, and leave in a warm place overnight. The dough should more than double by morning. The underside of the dough may be a bit sticky — if so, knead it a bit more. Using your hands, shape the muffins into small golf-ball sized balls. Set the muffins aside, cover with a towel, and let rise for an hour.

Preheat ungreased griddle over medium heat. Add shaped muffins to griddle and cook for about five minutes on each side.

The muffins will look like biscuits on the outside and English muffins on the inside. Serve immediately. Makes two dozen small muffins.

On Monticello.org, you can even find the Jefferson Family’s Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe!

Recipe for Carrot Cake Muffins

by Joi on February 5, 2010

The recipe below is from recipe from New York Times Bestselling novelist and avid baker Mary Burton.

Just over a year ago, author Mary Burton was quoted in the Richmond Times-Dispatch talking about how her passions—writing and baking—both contribute to her creativity. The article shared a recipe along with Mary’s view that, for her, they are intertwined, most probably because she experiences each as requiring creativity as well as expertise.

So, when the going gets tough, Mary heads to the kitchen where the stress level immediately ratchets down a few notches and she finds herself busy working out dialogue and untangling plot lines before the oven has even preheated. As she told the Times-Dispatch, “…you can tell how the writing’s going by the number of cupcakes on the counter.”

I love that! I find a similar solace in my kitchen as well. In fact, I’m pretty sure there’d be a lot more empty therapist couches is more people took up cooking. What a stress reliever!

For the recently published novel DYING SCREAM, Mary Burton shared her gift with protagonist Adrianna Barrington. Figuring that when Adrianna wasn’t helping track down a serial killer she would welcome a chance to chill, Mary gave her a great kitchen along with a penchant for pastry and other baked delicacies.

And, as long as it’s coming up on St. Valentine’s Day and Adrianna is carrying a torch for Homicide Detective Gage Hudson, Mary also decided it was time for her have her own recipe for readers to bake and enjoy ― Adrianna’s Carrot Cake Love Muffins.

The rest of us get to benefit from her creativity, how cool is that? What’s say, as a thank you (we cooks are nothing if not gracious) to Mary Burton, we all buy her newest novel, Dying Scream? After all, we bakers have to stick together!

For more about Mary Burton and her novels visit www.maryburton.com.

To see last year’s Valentine’s Day recipe for Mary Burton’s Buns— CLICK HERE.

Finally, to see the Richmond Times-Dispatch article— CLICK HERE.

Adrianna’s Carrot Cake Love Muffins Recipe

3 cups of shredded carrots
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

To the shredded carrots add eggs, sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla. Mix well. Shift flour, salt, cinnamon, baking power and baking soda into carrot mixture. Gently mix and scoop into muffin cups. Makes about 12. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

(If possible, hand shred the carrots. It takes a bit longer to shred by hand but the carrots hold more moisture and this really enhances the texture of the muffins.)

Muffins can be dusted with powdered sugar or topped with a cream cheese icing. Both are delicious.

Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 cup cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups of powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons of milk

Cream all together until fluffy. When the muffins have cooled ice with frosting.

New Wheaties Fuel Cereal For The Win

by Joi on January 16, 2010

Like I’ve said a couple of gazillion trillion times, I am slap addicted to having a bowl of cereal right before bedtime. Lately, I’ve been using vanilla rice milk or Vanilla Rice Dream in place of regular milk.

While I do buy my favorites again and again, I also like to mix things up by trying different cereals, especially brand new cereals – they really send me around the bend. While at the store recently, I threw a box into my cart so fast you’d think I was on Supermarket Sweeps. I was rounding the corner, pretty much minding my own business when I see the amazing Albert Pujols staring at me from a shelf. I noticed that he had buddies beside him but it wasn’t until Albert was in the cart (safely between 9 Lives Cat Food and a bag of baby spinach) that I bothered to see who his pals were: Kevin Garnett, Peyton Manning.

I wouldn’t expect Albert to run with anything except a classy crowd.

I am very pleased to announce that Wheaties Fuel is outstanding – absolutely delicious. The cereal is sweet enough for kids to love, but not too sweet. It’s very crunchy and crispy, with a wonderful nutty flavor. It’s the type of cereal that’s so fantastic, you could eat it right out of the box. Trust me, I have.

Try a box of Wheaties Fuel for yourself this week. We’re all trying to eat more foods that are good for us and less things that aren’t, and breakfast is an extremely important time to make healthy changes. Fast food breakfast sandwiches are known to be very unkind to your health and skipping breakfast is almost as bad. Make sure you and your family start the day off on a healthy (and delicious) foot. Wheaties Fuel tastes better than a cereal has a right to – and it’s healthy!

What’s more….. Albert Pujols is on the front of the box! Oh, sure you could buy one of the others. I mean, Peyton Manning and Kevin Garnett are pretty spectacular… but I’m pretty sure the boxes that feature #5 simply taste better. So there.

From Wheaties:

Just in time to jump start those fitness-related New Year’s resolutions, new Wheaties FUEL™ cereal – created with the help of Peyton Manning, triathlete Hunter Kemper, Kevin Garnett, gold medal-winning decathlete Bryan Clay, Albert Pujols and sports nutritionist Dr. John Ivy – is now available in retail stores across the country. Wheaties FUEL is a lightly sweetened, crunchy whole wheat flake with crispy rice and a touch of cinnamon and honey and it represents the evolution of the iconic 85-year-old Breakfast of Champions. Wheaties FUEL is the first-ever cereal designed to help meet the nutritional needs of today’s athletes. The ready to eat cereal provides long-lasting energy from whole grain to help keep you going and 100% of the Daily Value of five B-vitamins to help the body release energy from food.

Continuing the tradition of honoring champions on the front of the Wheaties box, Wheaties FUEL features individual box covers of Garnett, Manning and Pujols. In addition, all five athletes are pictured on the back of the boxes along with Dr. Ivy. All three 17.1 oz boxes are now available nationwide.

“Developing the new evolution of Wheaties has been more than two years in the making, and we’re excited to finally bring FUEL to retail and into the hands of consumers,” said Dan Stangler, marketing manager for Wheaties. “Today’s athletes need a finely tuned diet to allow their bodies to be efficient and competitive, and with the help of our team of champion athletes, a world-renowned sports nutritionist and everyday athletes, we’ve created the first-ever cereal designed to help fuel wins.”

“I grew up eating the original Wheaties, and it was an honor to be one of the athletes hand-picked to create an update of the classic cereal,” said football champion and 3-time MVP Peyton Manning. “I hope Wheaties FUEL inspires the next generation of athletes and competitors.”

“It’s always a tremendous honor to grace the cover of a Wheaties box,” said basketball champion and 12-time all-star Kevin Garnett. “What makes this really special is that our insight was an integral part in the development process of this cereal from start to finish.”

“Helping to create the new Breakfast of Champions was a great experience,” said first baseman Albert Pujols, an 8-time all-star and 3-time MVP. “I think we’ve come up with a unique product that will really benefit all types of athletes. And it tastes great!”

Wheaties FUEL is designed to help fuel athletic performance for active individuals who need a high amount of carbohydrates in their diet to meet their energy needs of activity. Each serving includes 210 calories to kick-start your morning; at least 16 grams whole grain (at least 48 grams recommended daily) for long-lasting energy; 100 percent of the Daily Value of five B-vitamins to help your body release energy from food; 5 grams of fiber to help curb hunger and keep you feeling full; as well as calcium and vitamin D to help promote bone health. Men often do not get the recommended amounts of vitamins A, C and E, and at least 10% of the Daily Value of these three antioxidant vitamins are provided in every serving of Wheaties FUEL*. The sugar level is 14g in order to provide immediate energy to get the day going and replenish the body’s energy stores after an overnight fast.

First announced last July, Wheaties FUEL has previously been available for purchase online only, where collector’s edition boxes of the cinnamon honey crunch-flavored cereal have been sold since last September. Wheaties FUEL will not replace the original Wheaties. Together, the two products will make up the evolved and expanded Breakfast of Champions product portfolio.

Clay, Kemper, Garnett, Manning and Pujols were hands-on in the creation of new Wheaties FUEL, and a six-part web series that chronicles the development process is available for viewing at www.wheaties.com. Both informative and humorous, the series shows the creation from Dr. Ivy’s first meeting with the participating athletes to discussions about what it takes to become a champion. The webisodes serve as a fun behind-the-scenes guide, culminating with a trip to General Mills in Minneapolis.

Born out of a fortunate mistake in 1924, original Wheaties was created when a health clinician accidentally spilled a wheat bran mixture onto a hot stove. The result was tasty, crispy wheat flakes that became known as Washburn’s Gold Medal Whole Wheat Flakes. A year later, the cumbersome name was shortened to Wheaties. Baseball legend Lou Gehrig was the first athlete featured on a Wheaties Box, when he appeared on the back cover in 1934. In 1958, American champion pole-vaulter Bob Richards was the first person to appear on the front of the package, jumpstarting the phenomenon of “being on the Wheaties box,” which has since been graced by some of the greatest athletes of all time, including Bruce Jenner, Walter Payton, Mary Lou Retton, and many others. To view a complete timeline of Wheaties Champions, visit www.wheaties.com.

Cooking 101: How to Make Perfect Boiled Eggs

by Joi on December 11, 2009

How to Boil an Egg

It’s surprising how easy it is to boil an egg, yet how many people get it so wrong. Below are quick and easy instructions on how to make the perfect boiled egg every time.

Tools and ingredients you’ll need to make the perfect boiled egg:

A small to medium sized saucepan
An egg timer or stopwatch
One or more eggs
Water

How to make the perfect boiled egg:

First, run enough cold water in the saucepan to cover your eggs by at least one centimeter, or about a half inch. If your eggs are not fully covered by water, they’ll crack because of the difference in temperature between the part of the shell exposed to the air.

Place your eggs in the water, make sure they’re covered, and turn the heat up to medium high. Once your water starts to boil, turn your timer on – 3 minutes for soft boiled eggs and 6-7 minutes for hard boiled eggs, then turn your heat down to medium. Stir the eggs at least once half way through the boiling process to make sure they cook evenly.

Don’t cook your eggs too long. Boiling your eggs too long will result in a green ring forming around the yolk which is unsightly and makes the egg taste bitter. Generally, 6 minutes at a rapid boil is the limit to how long you want to boil an egg.

When the eggs are finished cooking, there are a number of different ways to serve them. You can simply serve them as-is in an egg cup with toast, or you can cook them a little firmer and use them to make egg salad sandwiches. A lot of people like to dice boiled eggs and add them to a nice garden salad. A few of my daughters, and my husband, love to approach eggs with a bottle of hot sauce in hand. Personally, all I ask for is my pepper shaker and I’m good.

However you decide to cook them, eggs make for a quick, easy and inexpensive way to add extra protein, nutrients and Omega 3 to any diet! Boiled eggs are especially nice because you dodge the frying as well as the butter.

Here’s a short video of another person’s technique for making boiled eggs (This woman is in no way associated with Get Cooking or me, for that matter… but she serves as an excellent video instructor!)