Not your usual boring Eggs

I've been trying to eat healthier lately...  I jump on the eat healthy & excersise bandwagon about every April.  The thought of bathing suite season puts a lump in my throat, like most other women I know.  I swear, flourescent lighting in dressing rooms should be against the law.  Anyway, eggs get boring, right?  My kid's pancakes with Nutella always look and smell so much better than the thought of cooking eggs (again).  So, this morning, I added a few simple additions to my eggs in the hopes of making them at least a little less boring.  I think it worked!  Oh, and that whole grain toast has a smearing of Coconut Oil on it instead of butter.  Have you tried coconut oil?  That post is coming up next!

What you Need
Eggs
Red Bell Pepper
Fresh Herbs (whatever you have, I used oregano and basil)
Cheese of your choice (I used Swiss this morning because my Goat cheese smelled funky)

What You Do
Scramble up your eggs in a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.  Add the fresh herbs.
Put a little coconut oil (or butter if you don't mind the extra blubber on your thighs) in a sautee pan and add the bell peppers. 
Once the peppers are soft, pour in the eggs with herbs and stir around with a rubber spatula.  Once they begin to set a little, add in the cheese. 
When your eggs are set and the cheese has melted, you are good to go! 

Breakfast Casserole

Sorry, no picture yet! I'll post one the next time I make it. This is a really quick and easy breakfast casserole to throw together and I love that you can make it ahead of time and that it freezes well. I served it with fresh fruit and muffins. (One note...I think 45 minutes is a little long for this. Mine was just a tad bit over done. Next time, I will start checking it after 35 minutes.)

What You'll Need:

2 C. Milk
8 Eggs
6 Slices Bread (torn into small pieces)
1 lb. Sausage
1 c. Cheddar Cheese
1 tsp. Salt
Pepper to taste

What You'll Do:

Brown sausage and drain well. Lightly beat eggs and add sausage, cheese, bread, milk, salt and pepper. Place in casserole dish and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes (see note above).

If you make this ahead of time, you should freeze it as soon as you make it. Then, the night before you need it, place in refrigerator to thaw. Then, cook as directed.

Pumkin Spice Muffins w/Cream Cheese Frosting

One of my very favorite things about the arrival of Fall is cooking with Pumpkin. I lurve me some punkin' flavored desserts!!! Pie, cake, pancakes, muffins...bring it on! I got this recipe from Ree Drummond who writes my favorite food blog, The Pioneer Woman Cooks at http://thepioneerwoman.com/ You have GOT to check out her blog. It is incredible! Everything I've made of hers is fab so I was not suprised when these muffins came out great too. Of course, the cream cheese frosting takes them over the top and makes them out of this world good, but the muffins would be great for breakfast/brunch if you leave it off. Now all I need to go with them is a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. Yum!

What You'll Need:

(For the muffins)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1 heaping cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup golden raisins (optional!...I omitted these)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

(For the Frosting)

1/4 cup softened butter

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 pound powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

What You'll Do:

(For the Muffins)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.

Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until all incorporated.

In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla.

Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins. Fold gently until mixture is just combined.

Pour into greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full.

Sprinkle generous amounts of cinnamon-sugar over the top of each unbaked muffin.

Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

(Frosting)

Mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy!
Store in fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

Omelet...My Way

When I'm really hungry in the morning, nothing satisfies me like an omelet. Also perfect for weekend mornings when you get to sleep in and be lazy after breakfast! Of course, you can put anything you like in your omelet, but this is how I like mine. I think the only difficult part to making an omelet is learning how to manuever the pan so that all the egg cooks, yet stays together. I think the only way to get this down pat is to practice it alot. I was so excited when I learned to flip the omelet over in the pan just by using a swift flip of the wrist! But, even if it doesn't look perfect when it's done (and you can see from the picture that mine tore a little too) it's okay....it'll still taste great!

What You'll Need:

2 Eggs
1 Tbsp. Butter
Salt & Pepper

Shredded Cheddar

Roasted Red Peppers
Bacon, crumbled (or bacon bits)

Capers

(Mushrooms are also great, but I didn't have any)

What You'll Do:

In a bowl, wisk the eggs with some salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in an omelet pan.
Pour the eggs into the pan and let set on the bottom for several seconds. I like to use a rubber spatula to lift and push the eggs around a bit, allowing the uncooked egg on the top to run to the sides and bottom.

Once all the eggs look cooked, put the cheese, bacon, peppers, and capers in a small pile on one side of the omelet.

Fold over the other side on top of the ingredients.

Let cook for a few seconds while the cheese begins to melt and everything gets warm.

Using a quick, swift flip of your wrist, flip the omelet over so that the other side can cook for a few more seconds (or just turn it over with your spatula!)