Making OAMC Easier

Preparing the egg pans

I make my husband breakfast sandwiches in bulk, and I think I’ve tried just about every way to make the eggs. Sometimes with great results, but time consuming. And other times it’s just been a mess (egg rings – what a waste of money).  Since I generally make between 12 and 36 sandwiches at a time, I was hoping for something that could be quick and easy but also produce a great egg.

Recently I came across the Nordic Ware Microwave Eggs ‘n Muffin Breakfast Pan and realized it may be exactly what I’m looking for! My goal is to keep the eggs thick enough so that they don’t turn rubbery, and so that they’re sized appropriately for the bread that I’m using (usually a bagel or English Muffin).

Testing

Fried Eggs

I tried making “fried eggs” first as they’re my husband’s preference. I first swiped the molds with melted butter with my silicone brush.  Mostly for taste because the molds released easily without it.  Next I cracked an egg into the molds and pierced the yolks.  I added salt, pepper, and a little Italian seasoning for taste.  Since I was using 3 molds in the microwave at once (I purchased two and my mother happened to purchase a third as a surprise before she knew I even had these – too funny!), I knew I’d have to extend the cooking time.  The pan calls for 1 minute and no more than three-quarters full.  I tried 1 minute and the eggs were completely runny in the center but the outsides were turning to rubber.  I cooked them at 30-second increments for another minute and a half.  In the end they were fine, but not fabulous so I switched to scrambled eggs.

Scrambled Eggs

The scrambled eggs turned out fabulously! Very fluffy and light and as long as I didn’t overcook them, they stayed that way.  They shrink quite a bit, so if you want the pan to be filled out, you’ll need 1/2 cup of egg mixture per pan.

The Nordic Ware Microwave Eggs ‘n Muffin Breakfast Pan recipe calls for one to two eggs and and 1 tbls milk. If I was only cooking one or two, this would be fine.  Cook for one minute (if using one pan) and enjoy.   You can also add chopped vegetables or meat!

Can you burn eggs in a Nordic Ware Microwave Eggs ‘n Muffin Breakfast Pan?

Burnt scrambled eggs

Yep!  I tried 50% power for 1 minute longer and the egg burned to a crisp!  I also tried scrambled eggs the first time and set it for 2 minutes, obviously too long, as it resembled a rice cake when it came out.

Details

The Nordic Ware Microwave Eggs ‘n Muffin Breakfast Pan is small, just  6.75″ x 4.75″ x 2.37″ and weighs just a few ounces.   The Nordic Ware Microwave Eggs ‘n Muffin Breakfast Pan is made from two pieces of plastic, and I’m usually anti-plastic, but I decided since my husband doesn’t care I’d go for it.  It’d be great if the plastic was BPA-free, but it doesn’t state whether it is or not.  It does however say it’s food-safe.  The two pieces come apart if need be and it comes clean in the dishwasher. I also love that it’s made in the USA!

Using the Nordic Ware Microwave Eggs ‘n Muffin Breakfast Pan for OAMC

To make these in bulk, use my recipes for How to Make the Perfect Scrambled Eggs for Freezer Breakfast Burritos and use 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of egg mixture in each mold. If using 1 mold, cook approximately 1 minute (microwaves vary).  For 3 molds at one time, cook approximately 1-1/2 minutes.  The amount mixture and the number of Nordic Ware Microwave Eggs ‘n Muffin Breakfast Pan you have in the microwave will determine the final timing.

OAMC Bagel Breakfast Sandwiches Ready for the Freezer

Final Thoughts

For less than $8 a piece, I’m going to love using the Nordic Ware Microwave Eggs ‘n Muffin Breakfast Pan. Whether it be for a single egg for myself, or a OAMC spree for the hubs, this is definitely the easiest way I’ve found to cook eggs in bulk for breakfast sandwiches.

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Yes, I read the news and I know about the the recent Russian spy ring  here in the US. And I’ve read the Washington Posts’ stories about the complex network of private contractors allegedly involved in gathering intelligence.  And just today, Wikileak put out thousands of pages of documents about Afghanistan, but silly me, I like to believe that most people, including government employees, are about doing what’s right and good.  I do, however, enjoy a good conspiracy theory when it comes to entertainment and I love covert, spy, and espionage-type shows.

I LOVED “FlashForward” and the concept that a secret agency could affect time throughout the world. I also love “Person’s Unknown”  for the intrigue and suspense.  But my new favorite is the newest original drama on AMC (check your local cable listings for this channel),  “Rubicon“.  “Rubicon” is the new lead-in to another one of my favorite shows, “Mad Men“.  Rubicon has previewed the first episode online, as well as last night after the season opener of Mad Men.  I’ve watched it twice now and am intrigued.  I love the lead character and the promise of romance and suspense to come.

Next Sunday, August 1, is the 2-hour season premier of “Rubicon” from 8pm-10pm. If you want to see the first episode before then, you can watch it online.  Then check out the 2nd episode at 9pm.  I’d be curious if the show changes how you feel about the possibilities of conspiracies, or if you’re like me, and hope the stories recently in the news are the exception and good spy stories are make-believe.

SP

Bathroom Counter before painting

When we purchased this house in 1988, we hated the already out-of-style master bathroom. Of course, like most first-time home owners, we ticked off a list of things we were going to change to make it “ours”.  Then reality set it.  New house, two kids, and full-time daycare costs meant there was very little leftover for extras.

Now the kids are grown and it’s time to do something for ourselves. Granted, in the next 5-10 years we’ll be selling the house, so what we do now needs to be cosmetic only.  So today I bought a can of RustOlem Countertop Cover and went to town on that bathroom counter.  Yes, the blue color above is the countertop we’ve lived with for 22 years.

It took under an hour, stunk to high heaven, and probably killed a few lung cells, but it’s done and looks pretty great, especially for the $14.99 investment. It’ll take 3-days to dry and hopefully it’ll take us through until we replace the countertop before selling.

Prep was easy. Just wash the counter and allow it to dry.  No etching or other chemicals.  I taped off the chrome trim and started with a brush on the vertical areas.  I finished with a roller.   My painting job was not perfect.  Partially from the shaky hand from my neurological disorder and partially from wearing bi-focals for the first time to paint.

Bathroom Counter after painting

When the countertop is dry, I’m removing the handles and painting the cabinets black. I’ll be replacing the knobs, probably with brushed stainless steel, and may be repainting the walls with Martha Stewart yellow paint that I picked up today as well for my craftroom.  We’ll see, I also have to talk the hub’s into letting me put down a peel-n-stick floor to cover than horrendous blue and beige floor.

So much to do, so little money :)

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION – I have not received any compensation for writing this content and I have no material connection to the brands, topics and/or products that are mentioned herein.

Whether you call them chicken fingers, tenders, or nuggets, you know they’re probably a toddler’s number one favorite food. Unfortunately, most of the nuggets fed to our kids are made from pressed meat that’s been loaded with salt and other additives.  This is a healthier alternative because it’s made with real chicken and baked instead of fried.  It’s what I like to call a middle-of-the road recipe. Not too healthy that kids who’ve been eating McDonald’s Happy Meal chicken nuggets will turn their noses up at.

Of course, if your child is allergic to nuts leave them out and put an additional 1/2 cup of corn flakes. Nuts have a lot of healthy oils so if your child can tolerate them, leave them in.  Also, opt for Organic Corn Flakes to make them even better.

To freeze these, freeze in a single layer (called flash freezing) for approximately 1 hour,instead of baking Once frozen, place them in gallon or quart size freezer bags and store for up to 3 months.  To serve, bake from frozen state at 350 for 20 minutes.  If thawed, bake as noted below.  You can also freeze them after baking and reheat in the oven to crisp of microwave if you prefer a softer coating.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1”x3” strips
• 1/3 cup cornflakes, crushed
• ½ cup of pecan nuts, finely chopped
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp milk
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.

Combine cornflakes, pecans, garlic powder and salt (I place all of it in a food processor and blend until crushed) into a gallon size Ziploc bag.   Dip the chicken strips into the milk, then into the cornflake mixture, using your hands on the outside of the bag to press the coating into the chicken.

Spray a cookie sheet with Pam or use Silicon pads.  Arrange the breaded strips in a single layer and bake in the oven for about 6 minutes, turn and bake 5-6 minutes longer or until the chicken is no longer pink inside and the breading is nicely browned.

Serve with rice, potatoes, or carrot sticks.

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We are not seasoned gardeners. We’ve planted a few things over the years, some successful, some not.  But this year we tried some new things.  One being Broccoli.  The husband LOVES the stuff so we figured why not grow our own organic version.  We bought organic starts and have been watering them religiously.  They’re about 2 ft tall now and just starting to flower in the center.  But unfortunately, something is snacking on the leaves.  To combat the destruction, we bought some organic safer soap and some organic slug bait.  They don’t seem to be helping or we’re not treating them often enough.

Whatever is causing the trouble is not a large animal (deer or rabbit), it’s definitely some type of insect.  Although we’ve tried to find the culprit, we’ve never been able to, until yesterday. The hubby snapped two photos – perhaps someone can help us identify these creepy crawlies so we can fight them!  I’ve done some Googling but not found these or anything that’s expected in our region (Pacific Northwest, near Seattle).

We’ve treated them several times but the leaves continue to disappear, piece by piece. Sometimes starting as a hole in the middle of the leaf which leads me to think it’s the bug above, and other times it’s obvious they’re snacking on the outer-side of the leaf like a caterpillar, so maybe the work of whatever is growing below.

Any ideas on their identity?

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION – I have not received any compensation for writing this content and I have no material connection to the brands, topics and/or products that are mentioned herein.

When you’ve lived in a house for 22 years, you realize that changing up the decor only lasts for so long. The green sponge painted laundry room that I was so proud of just a few years ago is now dated and depressing.  So is the bathroom with the striped wallpaper and duck border done when the kids were small.  In fact, I’ve painted the same hallway and living-room walls at least five times and in other rooms I’ve added and torn down wallpaper several times.

I’ve finally come to the realization that either spend very little money to be trendy so it doesn’t kill you to change it in 3-5 years, or purchase quality pieces in traditional styling so they never go out of style. Where am I right now?  A mix of both and lots of Craigslist finds, but I love to surf the web and dream about making changes.  Heck, we’re at the spot in our life when we have to start thinking about selling and moving to retire elsewhere, so we can no longer decorate just for ourselves, we have to think about resale.

Lately I’ve been looking at our main bathroom. The only update we’ve done in there is the floor (twice in 22 years and in desperate need again) and the bathroom sink fixtures.  That’s it.  It has same Formica countertop from the 70′s is there (yes, the photo above is my bathroom, I can’t believe I’m posting it here).  At some point we need to pull out the builder-grade cabinet and mirror and replace it with something else.  We’ll also have to decide what type of bathroom sink to go with.  Vessel sinks are so popular now, but after using one a few times, they seem like more form than function.  I’m more of a practical person so I’m leaning towards an undercounter mounted sink.  And because we have to appeal to a broad set of buyers, we’re going to have to go with neutrals instead of the brighter colors we have now in the rest of the house.

Whatever we end up doing, it won’t be for awhile.  We have a master bedroom to redo (last done in 1989) and a sewing room to create out of our older son’s bedroom.  I love that the house had changed and adapted to our family – we moved here when the boys were 2 and 2 months and now I’m staring 50 in the face and the boys have moved out and we’re looking at the house as a retirement investment now.  Our house though out of date is truly a home.

UPDATE: Talk about serendipity!  One of my favorite blogs, Thrifty Decor Chick, just wrote a blog post about browsing for design in catalogs (I prefer online :).  You’ll find it here http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2010/07/catalog-living.html.  I feel we’re kindred spirits in the decorating game, only she does more than dream, she actually does some amazing redecorating as well. Enjoy!

Disclosure:  I received a small stipend for including a link to CSN Stores in my post.  The content is my own.

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Did you know that Dermatologists and other experts recommend putting sunscreen on your children at least 15 to 30 minutes before they go outside and then every 2 hours thereafter? And, you need to do it each and every time before they go outside. Overkill?  No.  It’s a fact is that if your child gets seriously sunburned even once, it could increase their chance of developing skin cancer in the future.

My own family struggles with skin cancer. Both my mother and my sister have had multiple lesions removed from their faces.  While theirs is not the life-threatening form, it does cause distress when your doctor tells you that he’ll have to remove the tip of your nose and rebuild it with skin harvested from another area.  Or in the case of my mother, the entire lower eyelid removed and rebuilt with skin from a donor site.  She will never have eyelashes again unless they move eyebrow hairs there.  Her newest lesion is the size of a quarter right between her eyes.  She’s had the crook of her nose carved out and her upper lip re-sectioned.  She’s in her 70s now, but the first time was when I was in my teens so about 30 years ago.  My sister is in her mid-40′s.

Here are some links to help you choose the right sunscreen for your family. I HIGHLY recommend a organic or natural sunscreen, especially for babies and kids:

• Hall of Shame: What’s wrong with the sunscreen protection business? | EWG’s 2010 Sunscreen Guide
• Best Beach & Sport Sunscreens | EWG’s 2010 Sunscreen Guide (highest rated for kids Alba Botanica Sun Mineral Sunscreen, Aloe Vanilla, SPF 30 , 4-Ounces (Pack of 3))
• The Bottom Line on Sunscreens | EWG’s 2010 Sunscreen Guide
• Sunscreens Exposed: 9 surprising truths | EWG’s 2010 Sunscreen Guide

You want your children to enjoy their summer but you also want to keep them safe and avoid the distress of skin cancer later on in life. Summer sun safety for children is simple. Use sunscreen every time they go outdoors, reapply it every two hours or more often, dress them in lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and keep them hydrated. Your children will be able to have fun in the sun and you can relax because you know they’re protected.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION – I have not received any compensation for writing this content and I have no material connection to the brands, topics and/or products that are mentioned herein.

I love a good conspiracy theory story and AMC doesn’t disappoint with their new 13-week series entitled, “Rubicon”.

This series stars, among others,  James Badge Dale (The Pacific), Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket) and Oscar-nominee Miranda Richardson (Damage). While I’ve never watched any of these, it was obvious from the first moment that this is a first-rate cast and the writing is superb.  Within the first few minutes I was intrigued and I sat back ready to be entertained.

Will Travers - Rubicon

The story centers around Will Travers, an intelligence analyst who cracks codes for a living, who’s pulled in to the conspiracy behind the murder of someone he cares deeply for. But once he crosses the “Rubicon”, he can’t go back.  The character is likable and I was immediately was on his journey.  This particular episode also introduced superstition and how some people are overwhelmed by them.  The murder victim’s superstitions we so ingrained that he performed rituals to counter them without thinking.  It’s these same superstition that clue Will that something is amiss.

I don’t think much about superstitions. I know of some, but there was one in the show I’d never seen before.  Probably my strongest memory is as of child and the “Step on a crack and you’ll break your mother’s back.”  At various times in my life I’ve either jumped on or avoided those cracks, depending on how I felt about my mom that day (my teen years I admit to a  lot of crack stomping) – of course, I’ve never believed it to be true.

Do you have superstitions? Are people you know aware of them? Would they notice if you did something out of character?

Here’s the first episode of “Rubicon”. I loved it and can’t wait for the 2-hr premier on Sunday, August 1 at 8pm/7pm central.  Not sure where AMC is on your dial?  It’s the same channel that puts out the amazing “Mad Men” series.  Click here to find your AMC station.

AMC’s newest original drama series “Rubicon” debuts on Sunday, August 1 with a special two-hour premiere from 8–10pm ET.

Disclosure:  SP – I received a small stipend for my HONEST review.

I’m a vegetarian and have been for years.

I decided this week it was time to get over my fear, so I pulled out some vegetarian cookbooks and started experimenting. My first is pressing Tofu.  Before I talk about that, I’m going to tell you a little more about Tofu.

What is Tofu?

Teriyaki Tofu and Vegetable Stir-fry

It’s simply coagulated soy milk that has been pressed into blocks. It has very little flavor or smell of its own, and that’s what’s so great about it.  It takes on the characteristics of the ingredients it’s paired with.  It can be made savory or sweet, in main dishes to desserts.

It’s generally considered a healthy alternative to higher calorie foods and it’s widely used by vegetarians and vegans as a protein source. Not only is it low in calories, it contains very little fat.  It’s also high in iron and depending on the manufacturing process, it can also be high in calcium and/or magnesium.

Types of Tofu

Extra-firm Tofu

There are generally three types of fresh tofu, with a few variations among them as well as many commercially prepared ready-to-eat varieties:

Firm or Extra Firm - My favorite to be sure.  Both are dense and are best when cubed and stir-fried.  They can also be grilled, smoked, baked, barbecued, pickled, or added to soup.  They make a great meat-replacements in recipes and have a consistency between scrambled eggs and shredded chicken.  Firm tofu also packs extra protein, fat, and calcium.

Soft – This is the type you’ll use when you want the tofu to blend into your dish.  It makes great faux-egg salad, can be used as a scrambled egg substitute, used in place of ricotta cheese in recipes, or pureed and used as a soup base.  It’s probably the most versatile of the three types.

Silken - This can be used to make a smoothie, soup base, dips, or sauce.  Its creamy texture lends itself well to anything blended like pie filling, pudding, etc.

Preparation

Prepping to press the Tofu

Most recipes call for a little prep of the tofu before incorporating it. Most common are pressing and freezing.  Pressing is simply draining the liquid from the packaging and then placing the tofu between two plates and then weighting the top plate.  The top weight should put enough force on the tofu to make it bow out slightly, but not crack or break.  Press for 45 minutes to 1 hour, drain, wrap and refrigerate or use immediately.

I learned the hard way, that only one can can be used on the top plate. I used two, not thinking twice about it, until I heard one go crashing to the ground about 20 minutes into the pressing.  Before pressing the tofu was firm to the touch, after it was noticeably firmer and very easy to cut horizontally and then cube for my recipe.

Tomorrow I’ll share a pressed tofu recipe for Teriyaki Tofu and Vegetable Stir-fry.

Cubed tofu, ready for marinating

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION – I have not received any compensation for writing this content and I have no material connection to the brands, topics and/or products that are mentioned herein.

We have a winner!

Regular contest rules apply.

The winner for the Nutella giveaway is….