Crock Pot Scrambled Eggs

Easter is coming which means company for the weekend. Some wake up early and are ready to eat. Others move more slowly and like to have their coffee before entertaining the thought of food. I like to make them all happy. With this recipe I can. It's easy to throw together and can be kept warm in your slow cooker for up to four hours.
I usually make a double recipe since I have some hearty eaters (read "men"). Leftovers can be turned into breakfast burritos for a quick on-the-run breakfast during the week.

Make – Ahead Scrambled Eggs

8 slices bacon (or 1 package of real bacon bits)

3 T. margarine or butter

16 eggs

1 C. half-and-half or milk

½ t. salt

¼ t. pepper

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup

2 T. chopped fresh chives (opt.)

4 Italian plum tomatoes, quartered, sliced (opt.)

1 (8 pkg.) pkg. (3 cups) sliced fresh mushrooms (opt.)
8 oz. (2 cups) shredded Cheddar cheese

·        Cook and crumble bacon

·        Cook mushrooms until tender (if using)

·        Melt margarine or butter in skillet

·        Beat eggs in large bowl

·        Add half-and-half and salt and pepper to eggs

·        Cook eggs in skillet until firm but still moist

·        Stir in soup and chives (if using)

·        Place half of egg mixture in 3 ½ or 4 quart slow cooker (crock pot)

·        Top with half each of the cooked mushrooms, tomatoes, cheese and crumbled bacon

·        Repeat layers

·        Serve immediately, or cover and keep warm on low setting for up to 4 hours

• Makes 12 3/4 cup servings.

Never be afraid to ask for help! My husband usually cracks all
the eggs for me. Sometimes we prepare the egg mixture the night
before so all we have to do is scramble the eggs in the morning.

While he is cracking the eggs, I assemble the rest of
the ingredients and measure out the milk.
NOTE: I buy shredded cheese and bacon bits.

Once you have scrambled the egg/milk mixture, stir in the
condensed soup. My kids don't like mushroom, so I've been
known to use cream of chicken, onion or cheddar cheese soup.

To make clean-up easy I use a slow-cooker liner.
Place your egg mixture in the bottom.

Top with bacon bits.

Top with shredded cheese. Repeat.
Cover and set cooker on warm.
Let the cheese melt before serving.

Because there are always a few selective eaters I make this recipe as plain as possible--no chives, mushrooms or tomatoes. For those of us who like a little kick in the morning, I serve salsa on the side. A little toast, fresh fruit and a hot beverage rounds out an easy brunch.
I tripled the recipe to serve at Mom's Bible Study yesterday. The young mom's loved having a little protein to start their morning. Enjoy and Happy Easter!

GRAHAM STREUSEL CAKE

My son is not one to eat many sweets. In fact, he asks for pie on his birthday, not cake. He loves this cake because it's nice and light.
This is my go-to recipe when I need a easy coffee cake for a ladies coffee or lunch. Great after a meal, it's even better as a pick-me-up with a cup of coffee in the middle of the afternoon.

Struesel Topping Ingredients (chopped nuts were omitted on this occasion)

Cake ingredients

Melt butter. Mix together with cinnamon, brown sugar, chopped pecans, and graham crackers crumbs for topping.

Mix until crumbly

Mix cake ingredients together as directed on back of the box.

Beat for three minutes on medium speed

Pour half of cake mixture into greased 9x13 pan.

Cover with half of crumb mixture

Continue with remaining cake mixture

Finish with remaining half of crumb mixture. BAKE at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

For glaze combine powdered sugar and water.

Stir until smooth

Remove baked cake from oven when toothpick inserted in the
middle covers out clean

While still warm, drizzle glaze over top.

Graham Streusel Cake

TOPPING:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

¾ cup chopped nuts

¾ cup brown sugar (packed)

1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon

¾ cup butter, melted

CAKE:

1 package white cake mix

1 cup water

¼ cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

VANILLA GLAZE:

Mix 2 cup powdered sugar 

1 to 2 tablespoons water until desired consistency.

Enjoy!

Roasted Chicken Soup

Texas has had a week of snow and ice. We don't handle this very well. Not well at all! The Metroplex shut down with an inch of ice and predicted snow.So what do we do? We build a fire in the fireplace, watch old movies and cook!
This is my favorite go-to comfort soup. I found it in an old issue of Cooking Light.
Several things make this soup different: the delicious creaminess comes from skim condensed milk, no added fat; a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store makes it quick and simple to prepare.
Here is the original recipe. It uses canned low-sodium chicken broth. I'll show you how easy it is to make your own broth by cleaning out the vegetable drawer.

Roasted-Chicken Noodle Soup

·         Yield: 2 1/2 quarts (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 6 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 4 cups diced peeled baking potato
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups diced leftover roasted chicken
• 1 cup evaporated skim milk
• 4 ounces (2 cups) uncooked wide egg noodles
• Fresh thyme (optional)

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery, and garlic clove; sauté 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour, oregano, thyme, and poultry seasoning over vegetables, and cook 1 minute. Stir in broth, potato, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, 25 minutes or until potato is tender. Add roasted chicken, milk, and noodles, and cook 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Nutritional Information--Amount per serving·         Calories: 215 per serving

You notice this recipe calls for potatoes and noodles. I don't need that many carbs. I use potatoes because they stay firm and don't absorb all the broth when leftover and rewarmed. The choice is yours.

HOMEMAKE CHICKEN STOCK:

Separate bones and skin from rotisserie chicken.
I make several meals out of one chicken. The dark meat is
served for dinner with Stove Top Stuffing and steamed broccoli.
The white meat is reserved for soup, casseroles or chicken salad.

Clean out the vegetable drawer of any onions, celery, carrots
or vegetable that needs to be used. Throw in the chicken
bones and skin. Cover with water. Add a couple of bay leaves
and a teaspoon of poultry seasoning.

Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer for at least
an hour or until any residual meat falls off the bone.

Put your feet up and eat a yummy salad while the stock simmers.

Cool and strain. I strain twice. The second time through
a fine strainer to remove bits of fat. If you have time to
refrigerate overnight you can remove additional fat. (To
store stock for later use pour into jars and place in refrigerator.
the layer of fat on top helps preserve stock, but ust be skimmed off before use in soups or sauces.) 

 ROASTED CHICKEN SOUP 

Set stock aside. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to stockpot.

Saute 1 cup each chopped onions, carrots and celery.

I like to use at least a teaspoon of Herbes de Provence
 in addition to the required poultry seasoning.

Add 1/4 cup of flour to veggie mix. Cook for one minute.

Stir in six cups of chicken broth

and diced potatoes

Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered,
25 minutes or until potato is tender.

  

Add milk 

and roasted chicken. Stir and taste. If it doesn't
have enough flavor, CHEAT! Add a tablespoon of
Better Than Bouillion!

Garnish with fresh thyme (which I never have on hand)!

 You are going to love this soup! It's easy, fast, light, and will warm the cockles of your heart. Serve with a salad and crusty bread. Yummy!