Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Nutella & Strawberry French Toast

I really wanted to buy a donut. It took all my will not to stop at the donut and coffee shop. 

I was hungry but kept thinking I can make French toast. I was really feeling lazy but thinking about the Nutella & strawberries made me hungrier and I know it's a quick meal to prepare since I'm only making 1 :) and I just LOVE Nutella...



INGREDIENTS:

2 Slices of bread
Fresh strawberries (I used 3)
Nutella hazelnut spread 
1 egg
Splash of milk 
Splash of vanilla
Dash of cinnamon powder
Pinch of salt
Powdered sugar for dusting 
Butter for pan

Sorry about not having measurements. Did I mention I was really hungry?! Hehe

DIRECTIONS:

Combine egg, milk, vanilla, salt, & cinnamon in a bowl. Whisk together & set aside. 


Spread Nutella on bread and place sliced strawberries on top. 


Dip sandwich in egg mixture:


Add butter to pan on medium heat and place sandwich in pan:


Cook on both sides until nicely browned. I lowered the heat and covered it. Being pregnant, I can't risk eggs being uncooked. 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy with a cup of coffee. Much better than a donut!



Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Spam Musubi


SPAM! I love Spam. Most people will not even eat it. I watch Bizarre Foods and although Andrew Zimmern eats everything, he doesn't like Spam...really? He'll eat random gross things! haha

Anyway my dear, dear friend taught me how to make this. She is from Hawaii and if you've ever been there, there's Spam Musubi everywhere! I honestly don't remember exactly the way she made it but this is the way I've been making it. You can adjust the sauce to your taste.

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 Can of SPAM
  • 4 Nori Sheets
  • Cooked Japanese (short grain) Rice (I used 4 uncooked cups, cooked of course)
  • Spam Musubi mold
SAUCE:  
  • 4 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 2 Teaspoon Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Sugar
Update 9/25/14: I don't know when SPAM starting making the Teriyaki version of SPAM but I just saw these at Costco and bought a pack & they were yummy! It's not as salty as I make it with the sauce but it's still good and it's one less thing to do! I was super excited!

If you use this, skip the sauce!



DIRECTIONS:

Cook rice. Mix ingredients for sauce in a bowl. Cut Nori sheets in half (length wise). Cut Spam into 8 slices (length wise) & brown in a pan on both sides. Add sauce coating Spam as much as you can and simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Turn off heat. 

Place mold in the middle of the Nori sheet and add rice about 1/3 full. Add 1 piece of Spam. Top with another layer of rice. Using the other piece of mold, press down and pull the larger piece up. Place mold pieces in a bowl of hot water to prevent rice from sticking. Pull Nori sheet up to wrap it and place seam side down.

Repeat for the other 7 pieces. 

PHOTOS:

Cut the Spam into 8 pieces length wise:


Cut Nori Sheets in half length wise. I often forget and would place the mold on the sheets to remind me!



Brown in pan:


Add sauce & simmer for 3-4 minutes: 9/25/14 If you use the Teriyaki SPAM, you won't need sauce!


Place mold in middle. Add rice, add Spam, & top with rice. 





Using other piece, press down and slide big piece up & place mold in hot water bowl:



Wrap it up and place aside, seam side down:




Serve in one piece or cut into smaller pieces using a serrated knife (wetting knife between slicing helps prevent rice from sticking).





Monday, April 21, 2014

Spinach & Sausage Breakfast Casserole

For some reason I've been craving a lot of different breakfast yummies... I'm pretty sure it has to do with the little baby baking in my oven. I really wanted to make a breakfast casserole for Easter morning but I didn't have the ingredients so I made French Toast roll ups! I went shopping and bought what I needed to make the breakfast casserole. It's nothing special. Eggs, Cheese, Spinach (this qualifies it as "healthy" haha), Sausage....


INGREDIENTS:

1 lb Sausage

1 5-10oz bag baby spinach (I actual bought regular but it doesn't matter)

7 Eggs

1 Cup Cheese (I used what I had - Mexican blend)

3 Stalks green onions, chopped

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup milk (optional)

Salt & Pepper to taste





DIRECTIONS:




Preheat oven at 375°

Sautee Spinach until wilted





Brown Sausage  & drain






Beat eggs with 1/4 cup milk. If you choose not to use milk, you might need more eggs. Season with salt and pepper


Grease (I used Pam Spray) a 7x11 baking pan
Place Spinach on bottom





Add Sausage





Then all the other goodness.... Cheese, Green Onions & Tomatoes





Pour Egg on top (as evenly as possible)
Gently mix with fork to coat everything with the eggs.





Bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting. 







Serve with Sour Cream and Salsa.














Sunday, April 20, 2014

French toast roll up (Nutella & Strawberry jam)

I love French toast! It's so unhealthy but when I'm pregnant, I don't really care ;)

I've pinned a few of these French Toast roll ups on my board and decided to give it a try. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 8 slices of bread 
  • Filling (Nutella, peanut butter, jam, strawberries... Whatever!)
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon 
  • Butter for greasing pan


DIRECTIONS:

Mix eggs & milk in bowl & set aside. 

In another bowl, mix sugar & cinnamon & set aside. 

Cut edges off bread (I saved mine!)


Flatten bread using a roller (or whatever works)


Add filling and roll it up (seam side down will help hold it together). 

(Did you count my rolls?! Okay, you caught me. There's only 7. I have this thing... I don't like even numbers :P)

Grease pan with butter. 

Dip rolls in egg mixture and place in pan (seam side down)


Cook about 2 minutes each side (optional- and cook on other 2 sides just to get it browned)



Immediately roll it in sugar and cinnamon mix. 


Ohhhh so yummy!




Remember the edges?!?! I also dipped these in the egg mixture & gave it a toss in the sugar & cinnamon. There were plenty left! Yum!