SCRAMBLED EGG SANDWICH WITH AVOCADO AND GRUYERE

I am not an egg lover! There--I said it. To eat eggs, they have to be disguised so as not to taste like--well, eggs! I've been trying all summer to eat better and especially eat a better breakfast. We have an upcoming wedding and we don't want to be the "chubby parents" in the photos.  This has become one of my favorites. I absolutely LOVE Gruyere cheese and I could bathe in cilantro (well, maybe not really).  You can make all sorts of substitutions for this sandwich--this recipe is definitely not rocket science!! I usually can't eat both of these--I give one to my husband! He LOVES eggs!!

Cooking spray

4 eggs
1 tbsp milk
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
2 pieces of bread, toasted & buttered (I prefer 9 grain or or honey wheat)

2 slices Gruyere cheese (or other cheese of your choice)
Avocado, sliced

Cilantro

Heat the cooking spray in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk the eggs together with the milk, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Pour in the egg mixture. Constantly fold the egg mixture from the bottom of the pan to the top. This will keep it from overcooking and the middle section will stay soft and fluffy. Do this constantly for 1 or 2 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

Meanwhile, place your bread into the toaster and toast; butter the toast when finished. Immediately lay the slices of Gruyere cheese on the hot buttered bread slices. Slice the avocado into slices.

Layer the scrambled egg on top of the buttered  toast and cheese followed by slices of avocado.  Sprinkle with cilantro if you love it.  Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Greek Guac

As much as I love guacamole, I hardly ever make it.

Probably because I am the only one in our house that will eat it and once I start, I can't stop.

But what is a girl to do when avocados are on sale for dirt cheap?  No choice but to make some guac.

I usually add some sour cream, tomatoes or salsa, cilantro, and maybe a few seasonings.  I've tried a few different recipes and they have all been good ones.

This time I decided to try adding some plain, Greek yogurt and I am not kidding, this was the best batch yet.  Even my husband and his sister, who don't like guacamole, liked it and came back for more.  Beyond easy and beyond creamy.  Yum!

3-4 large avocados, mashed
1/2 cup plain, Greek yogurt (I like FAGE total 0%)
1/2 cup salsa (I like Kirkland organic medium salsa from Costco)
salt/pepper if you want (I didn't)

*Mix well and eat!  I didn't actually measure the yogurt or salsa but I am guessing this is close.  I started out eating it with chips but then switched to carrots when I started feeling guilty.  It was delicious with both.

Creamy Spinach Enchiladas

I am such a slacker.  Not only have I neglected this blog, but I have pretty much avoided cooking as much as possible this summer.  But then my friend, Jill, told me about this recipe and I couldn't stop thinking about it so I cranked up the oven and actually made a real dinner last night.  She found this recipe on Pinterest and it is originally from Real Simple.  And it seriously was real simple and real delicious.  Thanks, Jill!

1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (Jill used fresh and said it worked great)
1 cup frozen corn, thawed (I used white corn)
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese (I used mozzarella)
2 (4.5 oz.) cans diced green chilies
1 cup heavy cream (I used 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup Greek yogurt)
salt/pepper
8-10 corn tortillas, warmed

*In a bowl, mix spinach, corn, 1 cup of the cheese and 1 can of chilies.  Stir together well.  In another bowl, mix cream, the other can of chilies and a little salt and pepper.  Place a couple spoonfuls of the spinach mixture in each tortilla and roll up.  Place seam-side down in a baking dish.  Top with the cream sauce and remaining cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes until bubbly and heated through.

*Jill is an amazing photographer.  Check out her mad skills here.

WORLD FAMOUS CHOCOLATE WAFER DESSERT

I just finished cooking for 4 days at a girls camp for our Stake (church congregation). Three friends and I cooked 3 meals a day as well as snacks and treats for 150.  We also provided a "treat" each night for the staff of 30. To say this is exhausting doesn't even begin to describe the experience. However, I love these three ladies as if they were my sisters and not only are they fabulous cooks, but are the most fun you can imagine.  

Our "head cook" Brooke, suggested we do this dessert one evening for our after dinner dessert. She says she has been making it for her family for years. I had never heard of the cookie wafers, much less the dessert. She always sprinkles the top with chopped maraschino cherries and pecans. I am not a huge maraschino cherry fan--so I would opt those out. But pecans--oh yes!!

That being said--make it! Its' easy and it is so good  you will "want to put your face in it"!!  Let me know what you think.  Sometimes the wafers are difficult to find. If you live in AZ, A.J's carries them and sometimes Safeway. If not--ask your grocer. Usually he will be happy to order them for you.

Ingredients:

2 cups whipping cream

1

1 tsp. vanilla

1 pkg. (9 oz.) FAMOUS Chocolate Wafers

Preparation:

0

BEAT cream with mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently stir in vanilla.

On a platter, mound a small amount of the whipped cream about 12-14 inches long and about 1/2 inch thick. This will be the "base" of the dessert

1

SPREAD 1-1/2 tsp. whipped cream onto each wafer; stack, then stand end to end on edge on platter in the row of whipped cream you created.Frost with remaining whipped cream.

**Optional:

Sprinkle with chopped maraschino cherries and pecans.

2

REFRIGERATE at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. The cookies will absorb moisture from the cream and become like chocolate cake. Cut into diagonal slices to serve.

Greek Salad

I got this yummy recipe from my sister-in-law while we were up in Utah. We had it with our 4th of July BBQ and it was perfect!  Its easy, healthy, and perfect for summer. 

Chop up the following veggies:

1-2 cucumbers

2 handfuls grape tomatoes

1 red pepper

1 small red onion

Add some feta cheese

Dressing:

1/2 Cup olive oil

1/8 Cup Lemon Juice

1/8 Cup Red wine vinegar

2 tsp. oregano

2 cloves garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all the veggies, feta cheese, and dressing together!

*I didn't use all of the dressing. About 1/2 or 3/4 is enough. Also, I just noticed that I actually used apple cider vinegar on accident. It tasted just fine! Blame it on my pregnancy brain.

Beach Break Cafe

We just got back last night from a fabulous vacation in Oceanside, CA.  My family has been going there, every summer, since I was really young.  It's one of my favorite places in the world, although, let's face it, I haven't been very many places.

But give me the beach and the cool breeze and the smell of the ocean and the view of all the sailboats in the harbor...I'm pretty sure I could move there and never look back.

Not to mention the food!  Always fun to eat out on vacation.  We are not big out-to-breakfast people.  We are more out-to-dinner folks in my family.  But then some of our good friends told us about this cafe and suddenly we wanted to go there every morning.  The best food.

The banana crunch french toast is one of their most popular dishes.  And it is amazing.

But let's talk about their omelets, their shredded hash browns, their freshly squeezed oj and their coffee cake.  The coffee cake!

Please go eat there if you are ever anywhere near Oceanside.

Here's the link to the menu.