24 Weeks & Counting: Nesting & Baby Prep (Recipe: Freezer Egg FeauxMuffins

So we're in Month 5 at the FeauxHousehold.  I've been blessed with a pretty easy pregnancy so far, but I also know I'm only going to get bigger, more tired, and as the summer creeps closer, less wanton to do absolutely anything.  So I've been trying to kick the whole "nesting" thing into overdrive while the weather is still reasonable and I don't have a B.O.B. (big ol' belly) in the way.

Last weekend, we rearranged rooms in our house--previously, we had an office, and a guest room, in addition to our master bedroom.  Now, the office & guest room are combined into the larger of the two rooms and the baby stuff has been somewhat unceremoniously tossed into the now-nursery.

Guest room before, with too big king size bed, and guest room/office after, with air mattress to be blown up for guests as needed--we also have a queen airbed for multiple guests/grandparents.

Former Office before, and Now-Nursery catchall, to be organized soon (hopefully).

More on the nursery later, as it starts to come together.

I also was feeling a little crafty, so I busted out the sewing machine and made these little cuties from some patterns I found on Pinterest (links below):

Seahorse Pattern

Starfish Pattern

Dino Pattern

There's also a whale coming soon, as soon as I can figure out how to piece him together.

And then, to round things out, I spent some time putting together some more freezer meals to fill our chest freezer.  This time, I made a shepherd's pie casserole, a Crockpot "throw & go" beef stroganoff (FYI, the recipe seemed like it might be a little bland, so I added about a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and a couple cloves of garlic)...and some homemade Egg "FeauxMuffins" (lest I get sued by McD's).

INGREDIENTS: (makes 6)

6 (1 package) whole wheat English muffins (purchased at our local Sara Lee Discount Outlet store for $1)

6 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

3 pieces bacon, cooked & chopped

1 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 Tbsp dried or fresh chives

6 thick slices of lean ham (or 1 large ham steak)

6 slices 2% American cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Have your husband start toasting the English muffins & cook the bacon slices (if he feels so inclined).

Spray a 7"x11" baking dish with olive oil, and then crack 6 eggs into the dish.  Add the milk, seasoning, chives, and chopped bacon, and then whisk with a fork until well combined.  Place the baking dish in the oven and let cook until eggs are firm (it was about 15 minutes for us).

While that's baking, finish toasting your muffins and start cutting out your ham.  We had round ham slices, but they were a bit too big for the muffin, so I found a cup that was about the size of the muffin & used that to trim the ham down.  (Save extra ham bits for a nice egg scramble later in the week.)  When your eggs are fully cooked, remove, let cool, and then cut into 6 relatively equal pieces.

To assemble, place ham down first, then egg, then cheese, then top with the other half of the muffin.  Wrap each individually with plastic wrap, and then re-use the bag the muffins came in for storage.

When it's time to eat, zap in the microwave (or toaster oven if you prefer) until warmed through.  I find doing about 1 minute to help thaw, and then going in 30 second intervals until fully done seems to work well.

Cost per breakfast sandwich: About 85 cents

Nutritionally, this sandwich has about 25 more calories than the *cough* other ham & egg breakfast sandwich, but it also has 7 grams more protein, slightly fewer carbs and less cholesterol, and a LOT more flavor.

NUTRIFACTS:

Calories		326.0
Total Fat		13.0 g
	Saturated Fat	5.1 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.5 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	3.0 g
Cholesterol		217.9 mg
Sodium		1,342.2 mg
Potassium		348.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate		28.7 g
	Dietary Fiber	4.4 g
	Sugars	6.3 g
Protein		24.1 g

The Grilled Club (An Inside Scoop recipe)

This was probably the most popular sandwich we had on our menu--which is understandable since it was super-tasty. I still make them at home on occasion.  We initially introduced it as a "Special of the Month" early in Year Two, and it sold so well that we made it a permanent addition.

This is easiest to make if you have a George Foreman grill, panini press, or similar.  If you don't, you can still make it in a skillet or on a flat top like a traditional grilled cheese, but with all the fillings it can be tough to flip.  It will also cook faster in a grill/press, which is nice if you're in a rush or have several to make.

INGREDIENTS: (per sandwich)

• 2 slices good bread (we like Orowheat 12-Grain, but anything more substantial than typical thin sandwich bread will work)
• 1 Tbsp Herb Mayo
• 2 slices provolone cheese
• 4 slices Black Forest ham
• 2-3 slices tomato
• small handful fresh baby spinach
• 2 small slices bacon, or crumbled bacon 

DIRECTIONS:

Heat up your grill/press/skillet/flat top; then spread half the herb mayo on the OUTSIDE of the first piece of bread.  Yes, you read that right.  You're using it to "butter" your bread.  Just trust me. (Sciency bit--the smoke point of mayo is higher than butter, so it's less likely to burn the bread before the guts of the sandwich get melty & hot.  And the oil & egg in mayo make for crispier, more evenly grilled bread.  And the fact that we're using the herb mayo gives a HUGE wallop of flavor.)

Lay that piece down, then begin assembly: 1 piece of cheese, ham, spinach, tomato, bacon, other piece of cheese, and then the last piece of bread, with the rest of the herb mayo facing OUT.

Grill until golden and the cheese is melty.  Serve warm with chips.

NutriFacts:

Calories		423.7
Total Fat		17.5 g
	Saturated Fat	7.5 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.0 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	2.0 g
Cholesterol		70.0 mg
Sodium		1,230.9 mg
Potassium		41.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate		38.3 g
	Dietary Fiber	6.2 g
	Sugars	7.0 g
Protein		28.2 g

The Home Stretch

This concoction is 100% from The Hubs.  He made the chili that goes on it, and he’s the one who was inspired to replicate “The Stretch”, an infamous dish from the Broadway Diner in Colombia, MO.  And the name…well, that just seemed appropriate, since we quite literally MADE it at home, but it feels somewhat connotative as well, since we’re in the “home stretch” of getting out of crummy, cold, wet, yucky weather, and since we’re only about a week away from one of my favorite times of the year—baseball season!!!!

So what is a Stretch?  Well, it’s sorta what you’d expect from an infamous diner dish.  You start with crispy hash browns, topped with an over-easy fried egg, topped with chili, topped with cheese, and then finished off with a smattering of onion & green pepper (and perhaps served with a side of Tums).  I can only imagine the bell pepper is there to add some color and make you feel like at least one of the ingredients was healthy.  It’s a perfect combination of textures: crispiness from the hash browns and fresh onion/pepper, gooeyness from the egg yolk & cheese, and heartiness from the chili.
There’s also a wide variety of additional toppings you could go for—jalapeno slices, bacon, try some different cheeses (I’m thinking smoked gouda would be killer here).  From what I hear, some diners order their Stretch topped with sausage sawmill gravy.  THHAAAAAT’S a bit much for me.

This is the initial batch—photo sent to me by The Hubs while I was out of town:

(Such a tease…)

Now, it would feel like a bit of a cop-out to just feature the Stretch as my entire blog post, since I essentially just gave the “recipe” for it in the preceding paragraphs, so instead, I’ll share the recipe for my husband’s chili, since it was one of the best batches he’s made to date (which likely means it will be tough for us to ever replicate again, but we’ll try!)

INGREDIENTS: (makes about 8 servings)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 tsp each of black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder
• 2 cans pre-seasoned mild chili beans, undrained
• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 4oz can tomato sauce
• 1 Williams Original Chili seasoning packet (1oz)
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/8 cup of our home-blend chili seasoning (I use this recipe to make my blend)
• cayenne pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot over Medium heat, combine the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chili seasonings and stir well.  When it starts to bubble, reduce to a simmer.
Meanwhile, on another burner, brown your ground beef and season it with the black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.  Once fully cooked, drain off the fat and add the meat to the pot.
Once combined, simmer for 15-30 minutes, or longer if you like (the flavors will only improve with time), stirring periodically. 

NutriFacts: (chili only, about 1.5 cups per serving)
Calories 361.3
  Total Fat 14.0 g
  Saturated Fat 5.3 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 5.2 g
  Cholesterol 42.5 mg
  Sodium 929.9 mg
  Potassium 512.5 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 38.7 g
  Dietary Fiber 10.8 g
  Sugars 2.0 g
  Protein 21.2 g
NOTE: To make The Stretch, you’ll only use about half a serving of chili.  Calories for The Stretch will vary depending on how many hash browns/cheese you use & if you add additional toppings, but my best guesstimate is about 500 calories, 35g of fat, 26g of carbs, 659mg of sodium, and 20g of protein.

Loose Meat (Maid-Rite) Sandwiches

So, this is DEFINITELY not Cajun cooking.  Loose meat sandwiches, as made famous by the Maid-Rite chain and Roseanne,  are definitely a Midwest thing.  Pretty simple stuff:  seasoned ground beef, mustard, pickles, bun. Boom.  Tasty stuff.  Not a Sloppy Joe, since those have a tomato base sauce.
Earlier in the year we were considering making a loose meat sandwich as a monthly special at The Scoop.  We tested out a few different recipes but could never quite find one that wouldn’t reduce down too much over the course of the day & change the flavor or dry out.  However, we did REALLY like this recipe fresh from the pot.  The steak sauce and the brown sugar make a nice sauce that helps to bind the meat a little bit so it’s not super-loose, and there’s a good balance of spicy, sweet & acid.

INGREDIENTS: (Makes 4 servings)

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced (or 1 Tbsp dried onions)
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp steak sauce
• 1 Tbsp spicy mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• For Serving:  hamburger buns, mustard, dill pickles

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the meat and onion in the bottom of a large pot; cook over medium heat until browned.  Add the remaining ingredients & heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid has evaporated.  Typically takes about 30 minutes.
Warm the buns in the oven (or a toaster oven), then spoon on the meat, and add  the mustard & pickles.


NutriFacts (per sandwich):
Calories 463.9
  Total Fat 26.1 g
  Saturated Fat 9.9 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 10.3 g
  Cholesterol 85.1 mg
  Sodium 1,040 mg
  Potassium 424.7 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 29.8 g
  Dietary Fiber 0.4 g
  Sugars 7.6 g
  Protein 25.1 g

Zuppa Toscana!

So, where are all my Olive Garden Groupies out there in cyberspace?  Anyone else love the OG’s soup & salad lunch as much as me?  I hope so.  And now that Olive Garden has made their famous house salad dressing available in stores, you can almost replicate this meal at home. (I say almost because I haven’t mastered the breadsticks yet.) Assuming you also love the Zuppa Toscana more than the other soups, of course.  Which I do.

And I love this version of the soup because it has tons of flavor without tons of fat, plus the added bonus of TONS of kale, which is extremely good for you AND relatively cheap (typically about $1.20/bunch, non-organic).  It’s also easy to grow if you want to go organic.  It’s an excellent source of Vitamin A, C, and K, lutein (for eye health), carotenoids & flavonoids (which help prevent cancer), and tons of fiber.  And in this recipe, it’s added to the soup near the end of cooking, so those good-for-you benefits don’t dissipate during the cooking process.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb Italian sausage w/o casings
2 large russet potatoes, washed, quartered & then sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 large onion, diced
2 pieces bacon, cooked & diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups of kale, chopped (about 3-4 leaves—remove the thickest portions of the stems)
16 ounces of low-sodium chicken broth
1 quart water
1 cup half & half (the original recipe calls for heavy cream, but by using half & half we trim about 500 calories out of the whole pot without sacrificing the creaminess)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet, brown the sausage and caramelize the onions. 

In a large stockpot, boil the potatoes & garlic in the quart of water until tender.  Then add the sausage, onions, bacon, and chicken broth to the pot.  Simmer for 10 minutes, and then add the kale and half & half to the pot.  Simmer for another 10 minutes or until the kale is warmed through.

Serve with a copycat Olive Garden salad (iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, sliced pepperoncinis, croutons, parmesan, & OG salad dressing) and some toasted bread slathered with herb butter (mix 1 Tbsp of butter with a dash of garlic powder, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of crushed dried rosemary)

NUTRI-FACTS: (Makes 6 large servings)

Calories 283.7

  Total Fat 12.5 g

  Saturated Fat 5.0 g

  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g

  Monounsaturated Fat 1.7 g

  Cholesterol 59.9 mg

  Sodium 757.0 mg

  Potassium 824.9 mg

  Total Carbohydrate 26.4 g

  Dietary Fiber 4.3 g

  Sugars 2.0 g

  Protein 17.3 g