Egg Bowls

Ready to eatThis weekend we tried something new for breakfast. I made egg bowls for us. Egg bowls are bread bowls filled with yummy ingredients and topped with an egg. First, I made some bacon, and chopped onions, peppers, tomatoes and an apple. Next, I cut the tops off of some small bowl shaped rolls. I used rolls that were about the size of a fried egg. Then I squished the bread in the bowl down so that I could fit my ingredients into them. I put bacon and shredded cheddar cheese into the bottoms of all six bowls to start. Then I filled 2 bowls with peppers, onions and mozzarella cheese, 2 bowls with tomatoes and taco cheese, and 2 bowls with apples and cheddar cheese. The possibilities are endless. Other ideas I have are to use sausage, spinach, potatoes, ham, and pineapple in various combinations. Once the bowls were filled, I then topped each one with an egg and cooked them in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. They came out really good, but the bread was a bit too crispy and the eggs could have been a little more done for my taste. Next time, I will wrap the bowls in foil and add a couple of minutes to the cooking time. I look forward to many mornings of yummy egg bowls.

Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix

I love Trader Joe’s. It is one of my favorite grocery stores. Unfortunately, I no longer live anywhere near one. It was such a treat to stop by Trader Joe’s on my way home from a trip to visit my friend. I went into the store feeling giddy in anticipation of getting my favorite items and came out with something new to try- Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix. Yesterday I decided to make this yummy Fall breakfast and chose to try the pancakes. The directions called for milk, melted butter and a beaten egg to be added to the mix and then I was ready to cook up some pumpkin goodness. The pancakes cooked perfectly on my electric griddle and were delicious. We had them with real maple syrup, but I think some vanilla yogurt and sliced pears would go nicely with their authentic pumpkin flavor. Trader Joe’s pumpkin pancakes are a definite win in my book.

Homemade Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

After going strawberry picking a couple of weeks ago, I went in search of a muffin recipe. I found the perfect one here: Real Mom Kitchen. I made these strawberry muffins and they were scrumptious. Even my son, who is not a fan of strawberries, enjoyed them. A couple of days later, I wanted to make more muffins, but my strawberry stock was depleted. So I improvised. I replaced the 1 1/2 cups of chopped strawberries with bananas and chocolate chips. I mashed 2 ripe bananas in a measuring cup, added a teaspoon of lemon juice to preserve color, and then added mini chocolate chips to it until I had 1 1/2 cups. BEST DECISION EVER. I suspect this muffin recipe will work with any fruit. I am thinking blueberries, peaches, and pineapple will all be just as moist and delicious. This recipe is now my go to muffin recipe and I highly recommend it.