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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Egyptain One-Eyes

Weird name?  Yes. 
Really yummy?  Yes. 
Fun to eat?  Yes. 

...Three requirements for getting my kids excited about eating.


(You may know these as Sunshine Toast, or Eggs in a Basket, etc.  We call 'em Egyptian One-Eyes.)


First, choose a cookie cutter.  In honor of the fall season we used a pumpkin. 
Cut the center out of the slice of bread. 
(Make sure your cookies cutter itsn't so big that it cuts the crust of the bread.)

Then butter each cut out center, this will be the 'toast.'
 Also, butter around the edges of the bread with the hole in it. 

Heat a skillet or griddle to about 300 or 325 degrees. 
Spray with a non-stick coating, and put the bread on it. 
Crack an egg in each hole, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. 
Cook for about a minute. 
However long you would normally cook a fried egg, depending on how well you like your yolk cooked.  Then turn them over. 

  The toasts will cook really fast, so don't add those to the griddle until the eggs are almost done. 


These are fine just by themselves, but a slice of bacon goes great with about any breakfast.  :)
And the little peice of toast is perfect for soaking up any yolk that runs out when you cut into the egg. 

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Crepes

Crepes

My sister, Kayla, and I used to make these a lot during high school. 
It was fun coming up with different combinations for the fillings. 

Now, my kids LOVE crepes. 
We like to eat these on Sunday nights. 
(If we have a big lunch, this can double as dinner and dessert!)

Some of our favorite fillings are:
(and almost any combination of these works)
sliced strawberries
sliced bananas
nutella
peanut butter
butter
cinnamon and sugar
powder sugar
Fried apples (my mom gave us some from the Cracker Barrel)
and some homemade creamy crepes sauce

To make the crepes:
Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend till fully combined. 
You may need to scrape down the sides of the blender and blend one more time. 
Just a few seconds is all it takes. 

Heat a small skillet, coat with a non-stick spray.
Pour about 2 Tbs of batter into the pan. 

Roll the pan around until the batter covers the bottom of the pan.


Let it cook for about 20 seconds, it really doesn't take long. 
Then flip the crepe over with a spatula. 
They will be very thin and can tear easily, so use caution. 
Give it about 20 seconds on this side then remove to plate. 

Add your favorite toppings and roll it up. 
Dust with powder sugar. 
Eat while still warm. 


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs butter, melted

Blend all ingredients in a blender. 
Cook on med heat.  About 20 seconds per side, adjust time as needed. 

This makes enough for my family of 6, with a few left over. 
(And my 6 year old eats about 9!!)

Creamy Crepes Sauce

Probably one of the easiest things you will ever make.

(Sorry no picture, but it will be white, like frosting, but not the exact same consistency.)

Equal parts sour cream and cream cheese.  Beat the cream cheese til smooth, add the sour cream.  Beat together.  Sprinkle in a small amount of powder sugar, start with about tsp.  (Depending on how much sour cream and cream cheese you used.)  Beat again.  Done!

Serve on these crepes.

This is not supposed to be real sweet like a frosting.  Add a small amount of the powder sugar, mix, then taste it and see if you want more.  I'm telling ya though, overly sweet and it will be too much when you add your fruit.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Banana Cream Pie



On my gosh, this pie was divine. 

I used to think a good banana cream pie was made with a box of pudding mix and heavy whipped cream instead of cool whip. 
I've learned my lesson...



This pie is made from scratch, including the cream part. 

The cream is made like a custard with tempered egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk. 
(And a few other ingredients.)

My husband and I have differing opinions on which type of crust a banana cream pie should be made with. 
He likes pie crust, I like graham cracker crust.
Both of us are products of our childhood, in that respect. 

For this crust I used Nilla Wafers. 
And we both loved it!

I found this recipe here. 
Altered it slightly to fit american ingredients. 

Crust
I started by curshing up enough Nilla Wafers to make about 2 cups of crumbs. 
(Very scientific, I know)
Add to that 1/4 cup melted butter and mix with a fork, til fully combined.
Press into bottom of pan. 

For the cream
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup corn starch
4 egg yolks
3 bananas

(You will need 2 more bananas and more heavy whipping cream for the top, later.)

Heat the milk, heavy whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla.  Bring to a boil.

While that is heating, whisk the egg yolks and corn starch til smooth. 

Gradually spoon some of the hot mixture into the egg yolk mixture.  Whisk them together, slowing adding a little more.  Once the egg yolks are hot, after you have added roughly 1/2- 1 cup of the milk and cream mixture, whisk the egg yolks into the pot with the remaing cream mixture.  Stir constantly.

Cook until very thick.  Keep stirring!

Once cooked, pour through a sieve to keep any lumps out of the pie. 

Chop 3 bananas and stir into the 'custard.'  Pour over the crust and top with some plastic wrap.  Place the wrap directly on the custard, so no film forms.

Let the pie set in the fridge for at least 3 hours. 

Top with 2 sliced bananas. Sweeten and whip some heavy whipping cream, then pipe around the edges.  Any star tip will work to make the swirl. 
 Grate chocolate on top. 



You should definitely make this, and soon. 

UPDATE:  I made this for Christmas with an oreo crust, and it was fantastic!!  :)