Baked Eggs in Ham Crisps

Baked Eggs in Ham Crisps

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day - along with lunch and dinner.

An ideal morning meal for me is two eggs over easy with toast, orange juice and coffee. It is simple to make and filling enough so I am not hungry within an hour. Even though I love this breakfast, the inquisitive cook in me is always on the lookout for a new preparation for an old favorite.

I have come across many recipes for baked eggs, and a recent lazy Sunday morning was the perfect time to try my hand at this easy recipe for Baked Eggs in Ham Crisps. With only 2 ingredients, a muffin tin, and a can of cooking spray, my breakfast was in the oven in less than a minute. A cooking time of about 13 - 14 minutes gave me enough time to brew a pot of coffee, pour a glass of juice and toast 2 slices of bread.

Sliding the just cooked eggs which were cradled in ham out of the muffin tin, I decided that I may have a new go-to breakfast. The slightly browned ham is perhaps the perfect accompaniment to the slightly runny egg. Toast completes the meal.

I'll be having Baked Eggs in Ham Crisps at least once or twice in the next week. That is until I find a new recipe to replace it.



Baked Eggs in Ham Crisps
serves 1

2 thin slices of honey ham
2 large eggs
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 muffin cups with cooking spray and line with one ham slice each. Crack an egg into each ham cup. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven and slide the egg filled ham crisps out of the pan and on to a plate. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Coconut Crusted Flounder with Chili Orange Dipping Sauce

The sign of a great recipe is one that you want to make over and over again, and you never tire of eating it. Coconut Crusted Flounder with Chili Orange Dipping Sauce is one such recipe.

I prepared this recipe no less than three times yesterday - twice for clients and once at home. My personal cheffing clients can chose their weekly menu items from a list I provide them or they can suggest new items they want to try. My Tuesday client recently had dinner at a local restaurant and loved the lightly breaded coconut fish she had on a recent visit. She requested it for her next cookday and proclaimed the coconut crusted flounder I prepared was even better than the restaurant version. The addition of the sweet yet spicy dipping sauce put it over the top she said.

Coconut Crusted Flounder with Chili Orange Dipping Sauce is super easy to prepare and comes together quickly. This recipe will keep coming to the top of your recipe pile because you will want to make it often.

Coconut Crusted Flounder
adapted from a recipe on the Food Network

serves 5

canola oil
5 fish flounder filets, about 5 - 6 oz each
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
2 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Chili Orange Dipping Sauce, recipe follows

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat.

In pie plate, combine the panko and coconut. In another pie plate, beat eggs and dash of salt and pepper. In a third pie plate, mix flour, onion and garlic powder together.

Dredge fish in flour, then eggs, then the panko/coconut.

Saute in batches, until crisp and golden brown; 3 - 4 minutes per side watching carefully so the coconut does nut burn. Drain on a paper towel-lined sheet tray. Serve hot with Chili Orange Dipping Sauce on the side.

Chili Orange Dipping Sauce:

1 (6-ounce) jar orange marmalade
1/4 cup Asian garlic chili sauce
1/2 lime, juiced

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

Note - when making this recipe ahead of time, reheat the fish on a baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. This will insure the filets are crispy.

Grilled Chicken Caprese

With the warm weather trying to break through the chilly Spring days, grilling is moving to the front and center as a primary method of cooking in our house. When grilling an entree, dinner gets to the table quickly and there is little to no clean up. A win-win.

Our family has a self-inflicted busy schedule. Whether watching a softball game, dropping off a kid or two at lacrosse practice, prepping for a personal chef client, or trying to figure out 7th grade math, our lives are full of mainly activities we enjoy. That is except for the 7th grade math. Easy recipes fit well with my dinner prep because after a day of cooking and the eventually taxi service around town, easy, tasty, and relatively healthy meals are key to a happy mom/chef and therefore family.

Grilled Chicken Caprese can be adapted to your family's taste preferences. No Thank You Boy likes the chicken. My daughters are fans of cheese and can't get enough of the melted goodness on the grilled chicken. The Husband and I enjoy the complete entree - balsamic marinated chicken that is grilled and topped with fresh mozzarella, charred tomatoes and chopped basil. This recipe is ideal for a family with many taste preferences.

Fire up the grill. Not only will your dinner be delicious, but you will be happy when dinner is over and there are no pots and pan to wash.

Grilled Chicken Caprese
serves 5

3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon each basil and oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 pounds chicken tenderloins
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes
fresh basil, chopped

In a small bowl, whisk the first 7 ingredients. Set aside.

Place the chicken in a resealable bag and add about 3/4 of the marinade. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting the chicken while it grills. Marinate the chicken for at least an hour and up to 6 hours.

Heat a grill to medium high. Grill the chicken for about 3 - 5 minutes per side basting with the reserved marinade. During the last minute or 2 of grilling, top the chicken with the mozzarella to just melt. Remove to a serving platter. Meanwhile, quickly grill the tomatoes until slightly charred about 3 - 4 minutes. Remove to the platter with the chicken. Sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Roasted Salt and Pepper Garbanzo Beans

I like to snack.

Throughout the day, I try to eat healthy snacks so I can have a big bowl of ice cream or a few cookies with a glass of milk before heading off to bed. I don't like to go to bed on an empty stomach. Homemade trail mix with pecans, walnuts, dried cherries and semi sweet chocolate chips, granola bars, and cut up apples are just a few snacks I munch on during the day.

I am always on the lookout for a crunchy alternative to nuts. I stumbled upon a few articles and recipes that mentioned roasting garbanzo beans so I gave it a try. Garbanzo beans are also known as chickpeas and are commonly used in making hummus which is one of my favorite happy hour dips.

Roasted Salt and Pepper Garbanzo Beans are a crispy-crunchy snack that is delicious and nutritious. Nibble on a snack that is good for you while enjoying with a glass of wine.

Happy hour never had it so good.

Roasted Salt and Pepper Garbanzo Beans

2 (15-ounce) cans garbanzo beans or chickpeas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Drain garbanzo beans and rinse with cold water. Let sit in the stainer for 5 to 10 minutes so must of the water can drain off.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out the garbanzo beans. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 35 - 45 minutes until crunchy and browned. Toss the garbanzo beans a couple times so they roast evenly. Taste the garbanzo beans half way through the roasting time and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Remove from the oven and let cool. Serve.

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