Basic Oven Omelet

via Pinterest from thekitchn.com

This oven omelet was delicious. It reminded me of a breakfast casserole without the hash browns or toast.  The original version called for diced ham and did not have veggies. You could also add green peppers and some salsa for a Mexican version.  Lots of room to play here!

10 large eggs 
2 cups milk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 slices bacon
4 oz fresh mushrooms
dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.

2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl and whisk in the milk. Stir in the cheese, diced ham, and parsley. Season with the salt and pepper and pour into the prepared pan. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)

3. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is slightly golden and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve hot.

Menu Plan 1-30-12

Saturday - Polla Rosa Maria, garlic mashed potatoes, fresh sauteed green beans
Sunday - Cobb Salad
Monday - Cheeseburgers, canned corn
Tuesday - (out) Class Night
Wednesday - Broiled parmesan tilapia with roasted asparagus and lemon
Thursday - Tacos
Friday - Pizza

Menu Plan Monday 1-23-12

For this week, we will try a few new things, while my husband is still sticking to his low carb diet.

Sunday - Pork Chops, Roasted garlic mac & cheese, sauteed asparagus
Monday - Cheeseburgers, leftover mac & cheese, veggies
Tuesday - Class - on our own
Wednesday - Baked deli sammies, salad
Thursday - Fajitas, no tortilla
Friday - Pizza night!

Lasagna Soup

I made this lasagna soup courtesy of Baked Bree a few weeks ago.  Didn't get a single picture, apologies for that.  It was delicious! I took a few shortcuts based on what I had in the pantry, so please go to Baked Bree's site and get the original version as well.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
3 cups chopped onion
garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes
6 cups chicken stock (I made mine with chicken boullion cubes)
1/2 pound cooked fusilli noodles
dried basil
salt and pepper


Cheese topping:
Parmesan & mozzarella cheese to taste
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and brown for 5 minutes.

Add the onions and cook until soft.
Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
Add the tomato paste.
Let the tomato paste cook for a few minutes.
Add the tomatoes, chicken stock (or water and boullion cubes).
Bring the soup to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes. At the end, season with salt and pepper and add the basil.
When you are ready to serve your soup, add a good handful of pasta to the bottom of the bowl.
Add the soup to the bowl. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.

Meal Plan Monday 1-2-12

It has been a long time since I did one of these!  I had a very busy fall. On top of being a mom to a 2-year old and wife to a great guy, I work full time (45 minute commute) and was taking 2 classes towards my master's.  Wow. Makes me tired just typing all of that out. 

I have been enjoying my break from classes this holiday season, and we have had plenty of holiday parties to attend to make up for it!  We also got to watch my son's eyes light up as he met Santa, played with friends and family, and opened presents.

My New Year's resolutions this year are pretty typical. Get finances under control. Lose 20 pounds.  Make time to appreciate friends and family.  It's nothing different than the rest of the year but New Year's gives me a chance to bring these goals to the forefront again.

On that front, finances and weight loss go hand-in-hand with meal planning, so I am back at it again!  My plan is to eat around 1500 calories a day. My husband is again on his diet where he lost 80 pounds last year. He fell off the wagon a bit lately and gained some of it back again, so he started fresh two weeks ago. This time around, he is down 16 pounds in the past two weeks.

My menu plan is going to accomodate me making my husband his meat and veggies, and then I will make a large pot or skillet of something that I can take as leftovers the next few days.  I like to try new recipes to make it fun. So here we go!

Sunday - Lasagna Soup, pork chops & asparagus
Monday - Cheeseburgers, sauteed mushrooms, green beans
Tuesday - leftovers
Wednesday - ??
Thursday - ??
Friday - ??

To be continued...