Veggie Omelettes and Potatoes

Omelettes are a pretty self explanatory food; but we had a yummy result this morning and I thought we would share.

Potatoes

You’ll want to start with the potatoes since they are simple to throw together and will be ready to eat after you dice everything and cook your omelettes. Then you can plate everything all at once and feel like a champ in the kitchen.

4 medium red potatoes thinly sliced into rounds

1 TBS Olive Oil

1 TBS Italian Seasoning

Salt to taste

A bit of Freshly Grated  Parmesan (About 1 TBS)

Heat oven to 45o degrees

In a medium sized bowl toss potato rounds and olive oil until evenly coated.  Then toss together with Italian seasoning and salt. Place rounds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake in oven for 10-15 minutes. When Potatoes have reached the last 5 minutes of cooking sprinkle with Parmesan.

Omelette

Ingredients

(Made 2 Large Omelettes)

5 Large Eggs plus 1/2 cup Egg Whites

2 Bell Peppers Diced and divided

1/4 Medium Onion Diced

2 Green Onions Chopped

1/3 C Spinach (Cut into thin ribbons)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Slice Lite Muenster Cheese (Cut into thin ribbons)

1 Medium Tomato Diced

2 TBS Freshly Grated, Parmesan Cheese

Lightly cook onions in a frying pan until they just begin to soften.

In a medium sized bowl add eggs and whites, about half the bell pepper, about half the green onion, all of the cooked onion, spinach, and salt and pepper.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and spray with olive oil.

Pour half of the egg mixture into the frying pan and cook until it is just set and flip like a pancake. You will only want to let the omelette cook for a few seconds after flipping. Otherwise, you will end up with a dry omelette and you will be sad…

While the omelette is cooking lightly saute remaining bell pepper in a pan. You want the bell pepper to still be very crisp when it is done.

As soon as the omelette is cooked transfer to a plate and throw in half the muenster (1/2 goes in each omelette) and 1/2 the tomato and fold. The heat of the omelette will melt the cheese.

Top each omlette with sauteed bell pepper, Parmesan, and remaining green onion. EAT!

Tags: Eggs

Falafel For ME!

This recipe was delicious.

Dressing

1 c plain yogurt

1/2 cup cilantro

1/4 cup onion

1 garlic clove

1 TBS lemon juice

 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Whisk together in medium bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Falafel

Blend

2, 15oz drained rinsed garbanzo beans

3 TBS flour

2 tsp cumin

 1/2 cup cilantro

4 garlic cloves

 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Blend in processor until almost smooth

Add 1 egg

 3/4 cup onion

 blend, using on/off turns, until onion is finely chopped

Transfer mixture to bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shape mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Turn patties in 1/2 cup flour to coat on both sides.

Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to coat bottom; heat over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook until crisp and golden, about 8 minutes per side. Open pita breads; slide 1 patty, sliced tomato and lettuce into each. Spoon in some yogurt mixture.

Update!

So, it has been quite awhile since I have made a post to our little blog here. We have been chugging away at our schoolwork and keeping ourselves very busy (hence the lack of posts).

Since we last made an update we found out we are getting two new additions to our family. Ben’s brother and his beautiful wife are expecting a baby boy this August so we will have a new nephew to spoil; and my brother (finally) proposed to his beautiful girlfriend and will be getting married this summer. So a new nephew and a new sister in-law will be coming our way! We couldn’t be happier.

In other new news I have taken up distance running. I completed my first have marathon in April (2hrs 7min…I’m hoping to improve that) and plan on completing my second in August. Running has been a wonderful challenge for me

Shamrock 15K

Eugene 1/2

In addition to running we have gotten in quite a few hikes this year. Here are some favorite pictures.

Unfortunately, in addition to all of this wonderful news we have some very sad news to report. Our sweet 5 year old cat Spike died suddenly this March of what the vet suspects was a stroke. We miss him terribly. Our house really hasn’t been the same without his sweet kitty chatter and endless affection.

We do have some comfort in the fact that we were both home with sweet Spike the day he died. He played, ran around the apartment, ate a big meal, and napped on my lap with his best buddy Carl (our other cat) on the first sunny day of spring. He died while getting up from his nap. We are so thankful we got to soak up every last second with our little buddy.

Fall is Here!

Fall is my favorite season. Here are some pictures of Fall ’11.

Pumpkin Pancakes

I found this recipe online. All I have to say is YUM!

1  1/2 C Milk
1 C Pumpkin Puree
1 Egg
2 TBS Vegetable Oil
2 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
2 C Flour
3 TBS Brown Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Ground Allspice
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Salt

Combine wet ingredients in one bowl. Combine dry ingredients in another bowl. Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed.

Pour about 1/3 C pancake mixture onto a 350 degree lightly oiled skillet. Cook the pancakes and enjoy.

Topping suggestions: Powdered sugar, thawed heated raspberries, whipped cream. Also, try adding walnuts to the batter.

Food Inspiration

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread

I haven’t made this yet but it looks amazing.

My Grandmother and Her Coffee

A little over two weeks ago I lost my grandmother. My mom lost her mother. My grandfather lost his wife of almost 60 years.

My grandmother was an amazing woman. She survived The Depression, survived the loss of her mother when she was only a teenager, and raised 3 children. She would drop anything at a moment’s notice to help out her family.

My grandmother loved The Sound of Music.

My grandmother was comfort food, and belly laughs, and spoiled rotten grandchildren.

I can hear her voice telling me the story of  how when I was a toddler my Great Uncle Archie had gotten “such a kick ” out of me kicking off my shoes before a meal. She told me that story every time she saw me.

She bought me my first jewelry box from J.C. Penny. I remember how decadent it felt to buy a non-clothing item from a department store. The childhood equivalent of a shiny new Mercedes.

I keep thinking about the way a smile looked on her face…she was always smiling.

I remember my grandmother the way she was when I was 9…when my grandparents lived on a boat. They docked in a marina in Portland so they could be close by to help my family as my mom went through devastating chemotherapy treatments. Instead of just remembering how awful that time was and how my mom only had two sips of 7-Up for Thanksgiving dinner I also remember my grandmother bringing grocery bags full of forbidden foods (my first Hostess cupcake).

My grandmother loved coffee. My grandparents drank coffee by the pot.

My grandmother smiled, and had pedicured toenails. My grandmother made German Chocolate cake that was brought up in at least 3 separate instances at her memorial.

I bake potatoes like my grandmother slathered in Crisco and baked in foil. Before I became vegetarian I cooked roasts like my grandmother topped in Lipton’s Onion Soup mix.

The last time I saw my grandmother we made her special meatloaf for my grandpa.

I didn’t realize how difficult loosing my grandmother would be. Her health had been declining for years. My grandparents live in a different state and I hardly saw them the years I was in college. I thought that because I knew these things that a part of me was ready to say good-bye; but the truth is it has been heartbreaking.

From my grandmother I have learned a kind of warmth and love I could only hope to scratch the surface of. I watched a marriage so strong that my grandpa drove to see her in the nursing home at least 3 times a day.

My grandmother was love and while I miss her I know it’s because of what she was.