Easy Breakfast Egg Cups

This is a great all in one breakfast recipe. You could easily make this for a crowd. I made 5 individual "cups" for myself and the husband. You can certainly change the ingredients to your liking. And they are very filling. Added bonus: I got to use my new muffin tin!

Easy Breakfast Egg Cups

1/3 green bell pepper, small dice
1/3 red pepper, small dice
4 eggs (use about 1 egg for each cup)
splash of milk, about 2 tablespoons
shredded cheese (about 1/2 cup?)
salt and pepper
diced ham (about 1/3 cup?)

I didn't measure any of the ingredients and I apologize for that, but it really is quite simple. If you want to make more than 5, estimate about 1 egg per cup. Spray your muffin tin with a nonstick spray and start assembling. I put the green pepper on bottom, then ham, then red pepper and topped this with cheese. (Husband doused one of them in Tabasco.)

Next, crack the eggs into a separate bowl, add the milk, salt and pepper and then whisk them together like you're making scrambled eggs. Pour the eggs into each muffin "cup" just below the rim.

They will rise up in the oven, so you don't want to overfill them too much. Preheat the oven to 350 and bake for about 20 minutes. You can easily scoop them out of the pan with a spoon or fork. Enjoy!!

Notes: This was so simple and delicious!!! We both ate one each and will save the others for tomorrow's breakfast. You can easily change any of the ingredients. It's like an adorable baby omelet in a muffin "cup." Love these! Great breakfast!

Spinach Salad with Warm Dijon Dressing

I'm not joking, your taste buds are about to love this recipe. If you don't like bacon, just turn away. Also, if you don't like bacon...I don't know what to say. I'm mostly kidding, but bacon and I have a secret love affair.

Spinach Salad:

1 bag of baby spinach, washed
1/2 red onion, sliced
~8 oz. sliced mushrooms
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 eggs, boiled and sliced
3 tbls. red wine vinegar
3 tbls. bacon grease
1 & 1/2 tsp. whole grain dijon mustard
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tbls. unsalted butter
pepper to taste

Really it's simple and easy. Boil the eggs and set aside to cool. While the eggs are boiling, slice the mushrooms and onion. Next, cook the bacon and place on a paper towel to drain excess grease. Reserve the grease in the pan for the dressing.

Saute the sliced mushrooms in the butter with a dash of pepper. While those saute, add the warm bacon grease to a small bowl with the red wine vinegar, mustard and sugar. Whisk this together and keep warm.

Assemble the salad with the spinach, then red onions, sauteed mushrooms and bacon crumbles. Place the sliced eggs on the side and drizzle the warm dressing over everything. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Just look at all those delicious toppings!

Servings: 2 Large plates
Time: 35 minutes

Notes: Husband did not add Tabasco!!! He loved it! We ate it as a complete dinner. It's great. This salad has it all! I made this for 2 (large helpings), but obviously you can make it for the whole family or a larger crowd. If you don't want to use the bacon grease for the dressing, I'm sure you could substitute olive oil or vegetable oil. My Tabasco loving husband just ate this salad for dinner and loved it. I'm sure the bacon helped.

Chipotle Chicken and Corn Chowder

Warm and hearty with a little chipotle kick!

Chipotle Chicken and Corn Chowder:

1 red pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
5 cloves of garlic, diced
chipotle chile in adobo sauce (I used 2 chiles plus sauce, add less if you don't like heat)
2 cups cooked, diced chicken (I didn't measure this, just used 2 large chicken breasts)
2 cans corn, drained (no salt added variety)
1 can cream style corn
2 tbls. flour
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. cumin
2 tbls. unsalted butter
1 lime
2 + 1/3 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
2 cups milk (I used 2%)
4 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz. monterey jack cheese, grated
3 large red potatoes, diced into small cubes

Toppings:
cilantro
sour cream
crushed tortilla chips

I made this hearty chowder in my dutch oven on the stove, but you could probably do so with a crockpot. First, melt your butter over medium low heat and add the peppers, spices and 2 chipotle chiles (rough chop). Let the vegetables soften while stirring for about 7 minutes or so. Add the garlic in and continue to stir for another 2 minutes.

Next add the flour into the pot, stirring to coat until white flour is no longer visible. Slowly stir in the chicken broth and then the milk. Bring this to a low boil/simmer. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently.

Slowly stir in the cheeses and then add the cooked chicken, potatoes, corn and creamed corn and lime juice. Let this bubble on medium-low heat for an additional 20 minutes, or until potatoes can be pierced with a fork and are slightly tender. Add about 1-2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce in for a little extra flava.

Serve warm with some delicious toppings (recommended above).

Notes: As Kramer says in Seinfeld, "welcome to flavor country."  It was my first attempt and it was really great. A word to the wise, you should be vigilant about stirring and watch the heat as this may burn a little on the bottom if you're not careful. wink. wink. (Sometimes I get carried away with the heat. Let's be honest, I get hungry when I'm cooking!!)

Servings: about 10
Time: about 1 hour

Recipe inspiration: BrowneyedBaker