Egg Cups with Heavy Cream and Shredded Cheese

I originally found this recipe on the Somersize boards at SuzanneSomers.com but the board is no longer used (although it is archived) and not the easiest to search through.

I believe this is a Level One recipe and it is so good you'll definitely want to make it as often as possible.

One thing I will say is that you probably shouldn't cook these in a toaster oven. The top browns too fast and the egg yolk doesn't have enough time to fully cook. I'm saying this because the photo below is of an egg cup that was cooked in a toaster oven (my sister's doing) and I ended up peeling off the browned part - although Basha, the resident husky, was ecstatic about them.

I actually like to make these the night before, sans the heavy cream, cover them and place in the fridge overnight. The next morning, I take them out, pour on the cream, and bake.

Egg Cups with Heavy Cream and Shredded Cheese - Pro/Fat, Level One

Ingredients (per cup):

1 egg
2 tbl grated cheese (approximate)
1-2 tbl heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter, enough to cover sides and bottom of ramkin
(optional) Few pieces of cooked chicken, turkey, ham, or sausage

You'll also need:

Small ramkin for each egg cup
Cookie sheet
Aluminum foil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 degF.

Place aluminum foil on a baking sheet as it is very likely that the goodness will overflow.

Cover sides and bottom of a small ramkin with the butter.

Crack an egg into the ramkin, poke yolk with a fork and slightly swirl it. Don't mix it into the whites too much as you still want a definite cooked yolk for this.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

(Optional) Sprinkle a few pieces of your favorite meat on top of the egg making sure there will be enough to have a small piece in each bite.

Cover egg/meat with grated cheese almost to top of ramkin.

Slowly pour heavy cream over cheese until the nooks and crannies are filled. Don't let the cream go all the way to the top of the ramkin.

Place ramkin on tinfoil covered cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes. If you only cook it for 15-20 minutes, they yolk may not be completely cooked through.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Ramkins and contents will be extremely hot.

Serve with your favorite breakfast or brunch sides.

P.S. One time when I couldn't locate my ramkins (we were in the process of moving), I used a small glass baking dish and about seven eggs to make a type of casserole.

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili and Greek Yogurt Sauce and Somewhat Salsa

So, I'd promised my sister Jenny that I would make some Chicken Enchiladas. I had a few recipes pinned on my food board on Pinterest but didn't really have exactly the ingredients I needed for any of them so I decided to improvise. I took two of the recipes that had some of the basic ingredients I had and then I went at it. Next time I make this, I'll add more chicken broth and yogurt but only so the enchiladas are more fully covered (recipe below adds more to take care of this) but the tortilla ends that got a bit crispy where really good too. We didn't have any hot peppers so my sister took a dried hot Asian pepper we had for making Spicy Chicken with Cashews (see link below), removed the seeds, placed it in a saucepan with about 3 tbl water and boiled it. Once it was boiled down to about 2 tbl, she strained out the pepper. I used about 3 tsp in the sauce instead of the fresh hot pepper. My brother-in-law also dribbled a little of it on top of his enchiladas and ended up with what he called a "nice burn in the mouth and my forehead is breaking out in a sweat, which is good." To finish it off, we made some homemade salsa to put on top of the enchiladas before eating.

Spicy Chicken with Cashews on Pinterest - I make this about 3 times a month with the modifications notesd in the pin

My Pinterest Food Board

Somewhat Salsa

A light salsa-like topping for the enchiladas.

Ingredients:
3 roma tomatoes, chopped with seeds removed
3 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or jarred equivalent
1 tbl dried cilantro (or some fresh if you have it)
1 small lemon or lime
2 tbl onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
(optional) a diced jalepeno or serrano pepper

Preparation:

Mix together all ingredients except lemon/lime. Cut lemon/lime in half and squeeze over mixture making sure to remove any seeds that fall in. Mix well, cover, and place in fridge. Makes about 1 cup and a bit.

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili and Greek Yogurt Sauce

Chicken, onions, and cheese wrapped in wheat tortillas and covered in a green chili and yogurt sauce, then topped with more cheese and baked to a bubbly perfection. My brother-in-law said it tasted like something you'd get at Z'Tejas here in Austin. He ate three of them.

Makes 14-16 enchiladas

Ingredients:

Sauce:
1 tbl unsalted butter
1 Serrano pepper or other hot pepper, minced (remove seeds for a milder sauce)
2 garlic cloves, minced or jarred equivalent
1 tbl flour
1 1/4 cup low sodium or salt-free chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chipolte chili powder (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 4-oz can chopped green chilis
1 tbl dried cilantro
3/4 cup Chiabani low-fat Greek yogurt, plain (can use sour cream instead)

Enchiladas:
3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breasts (about 4 large breasts)
8 oz shredded cheese, your choice (Monterrey Jack, Mexican mix, Colby Jack, etc.)
1 small onion, chopped fine
14-16 small wheat tortillas

You'll also need a large baking dish or two smaller ones, enough to hold at least 14 enchiladas, 16 if you use less meat in each one.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat, add garlic and pepper. Saute for 1 minute. Add flour and whisk quickly, cook for 2 minutes then add in chicken broth, cumin, salt, and pepper, continuing to whisk sauce as each is added. Bring to a boil then whisk in the yogurt, green chilies, and cilantro. Remove from heat.

Spray the baking dish(es) with olive oil or vegetable oil spray. Spoon some of the sauce into the dish, enough to lightly cover the bottom. Place a tortilla on a plate, add chicken, onion, and shredded cheese into the center of the tortilla and roll the sides over. Pick up the roll and hold over the baking dish, quickly turning it so the seam is on the bottom and place in the dish. Repeat for remaining tortillas. We were able to get 14 enchiladas made before we ran out of room and we really stuffed the rolls too. If needed, push the rolls together to get more room. You may also be able to place some against the side. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, covering them as much as possible. Top with remaining cheese.

Place in oven (if dishes aren't deep ones, place on cookie sheets in the oven, just in case) and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is golden.

Serve immediately with some of the salsa sprinkled over each enchilada, and if wanted, add little more Greek yogurt on the side. A nice salad and some sweet corn would make great side dishes.

I'd love to hear what you think of this recipe and any modifications you make to it. I'm thinking a yogurt sauce (or sour cream sauce) mixed in with the chicken would be an awesome addition!

Italian Sausage with Green Peppers and Onions

One of my favorite dishes is Italian sausage with onions and green peppers. It's extremely easy to make and tasty to boot.

Italian Sausage with Green Peppers and Onions - Pro/Fat Vegies, Level One

Makes 4-6 servings
Somersize Level One



Ingredients:

• Italian sausage (4-6 links), mild or hot, pork or turkey
• Olive oil
• 2 Green peppers
• 1 large or 2 medium Yellow onions

Boil or grill the sausage. I don't recommend frying them as the outside will be cooked long before the inside is. When done, cut sausage into slices on a slight angle, set aside.

Cut up the peppers and onions into 1.5" to 2" squares. Add 1.5-2 TBL olive oil to a large frypan over medium heat. Add peppers and onions and cook until onions are semi-transparent but still crunchy. If you like your onions softer, cook until they are slightly carmelized. Add freshly ground salt and pepper then toss in sausage, stir. Cook just long enough to make sure the sausage is hot then remove from heat. Serve.

ETA (9/23/13): Somersize info, photos, and pin. Found out after I'd been making this that it was also one of the recipes in one of Susan Somers' books.

Shorah Y'all!

Noodle Bowl

When I worked for Boeing in Houston, the cafeteria in the building I worked in would have a special each week and my favorite was the noodle bowl. I love it so much that I started making it at home. It makes for a nice fresh meal with tender rice noodles and crunchy raw vegies. The hardest part is finding the noodles.

This dish is great for a buffet style lunch or light supper. Just place the bowls (you'll need some fairly large bowls as this will become a family favorite) at the top of the table, then the noodles and chicken, then the bowls of vegies/toppings, then the broth to pour a bit over the noodles and vegies, and finally the sauces to top it all off.

Ingredients:

• Rice noodles, cooked
  
• Chicken broth (can use broth after cooking chicken or purchase ready-made)
  
• Cooked chicken breast, cut or torn into bite sized pieces
• Soy sauce
• Fish sauce and/or Oyster sauce
  
• Variety of Asian sauces, mild or hot or both
• Salt and pepper
• Variety of vegies, chopped as needed into fairly small pieces
  
• Broccoli,
  
• Green peppers
• Green onions
• Bean sprouts
• Garlic (finely chopped or pressed)
• Tomatoes
• Jalepenos
• Cabbage
• Spinach
• Bamboo shoots
• Water chestnuts
• Mushrooms (fresh)
• Any other fresh vegies and herbs you can think of

I am so craving this right now .... guess I need to double my efforts at finding a job so I can afford the vegies, eh?

Shorah Y'all!

Vegie Pizza

It's been a while since I've posted but I've been trying to find a job - with no luck mind you. Anyway, I thought I'd post one of my favorite recipes. Hope you enjoy it!

Vegie Pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Shredded Pizza Cheese or other cheese, such as feta or blue depending on taste
  
• Fresh vegies (broccoli, onions, mushrooms, green peppers, black olives, tomatoes)
  

Take the can of crescent rolls from the fridge and allow to warm up a bit while preparing the vegies. Check the can of crescent rolls and preheat the oven as directed on the can. Wash and slice/chop the vegies. Open the can of crescent rolls and spread it out on a cookie sheet. Pinch the edges of the triangles together and gently push the dough to cover as much of the cookie sheet as possible, being careful not to tear the dough.

Use a small brush to spread a thin layer of olive oil over the dough then sprinkle salt and pepper over the olive oil. Cover the dough with the vegies and then sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake the pizza based on the directions on the can of crescent rolls.

The crescent rolls give a slightly sweet flavor to the pizza which goes well with the olive oil, cheese, and crunchy vegies. You can use any brand of crescent rolls but the Pillsbury ones are the best for this pizza.

Shorah Y'all!