Cuisine Diva

Weight Control Oatmeal

I'm wondering if instant oatmeal has an expiration date? I made a bowl of Quaker Weight Control instant oatmeal for breakfast this morning. It tastes a bit like stale cardboard. I added extra cinnamon and a bit of ground flax seeds, so now it tastes like really spicy, stale cardboard - not too appealing.

Weight Control Oatmeal

Quaker weight control oatmeal can be purchased in single flavor boxes, or in a variety box of 3 flavors. The variety box contains 4 packets of maple & brown sugar flavor, 2 packets of cinnamon flavor and 2 packets of banana bread flavor.

Each packet, which is made with whole grain Quaker oats, contains 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. Quaker makes a variety of instant oatmeal products including:

1. Quaker instant oatmeal
2. Quaker lower sugar instant oatmeal
3. Quaker high fiber instant oatmeal
4. Quaker organic instant oatmeal
5. Quaker take heart instant oatmeal
6. Quaker weight control instant oatmeal

Bacon Sandwiches

I'm not sure how long the box of weight control oatmeal has been in the pantry, but it is now decorating the bottom of the garbage can. Now I have a craving for a bacon sandwich, to get rid of the nasty stale cardboard aftertaste from the oatmeal. It's a good thing we don't have any bacon in the house, I would so eat an entire package right about now.

Well, it's time to go tackle the laundry room and see if there's any coffee leftover from last night. I seriously start jonsing and become a bit cranky if I don't get my daily coffee fix.

I've got ground turkey and thin, boneless, skinless chicken breast in the refrigerator, trying to think of something interesting to make for lunch or dinner later today.

Take care and enjoy your day,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Egg in the Basket Recipe

Eggs in a basket, ready to eat

An egg in a basket is simply an egg, that has been pan fried in a piece of bread, which has had it's center removed.

Alternative Names

• Egg-in-a-frame
• Egg-in-a-window
• Egg-in-the-hole
• Egg in toast
• Hen-in-a-nest
• Moon egg
• One-eyed Jack

Butter both sides of the bread

Ingredients for Making Egg in the Basket

I made eggs-in-the-basket on Friday morning for breakfast. I used rye bread, Land O'Lakes Buttery Spread, and cooked the eggs over easy.

• 2 slices bread
• 2 eggs
• Butter or margarine
• Salt and pepper

Hole cut out of center of bread slices

Directions for Making Egg in the Basket

You can either butter the bread first, then cut out the center, or cut out the center and then butter the bread. If you butter the bread first, you could also cook the center circle you cut out, to serve along with the eggs in a basket.

Eggs cooking in the bread basket

1. Place a medium frying pan over medium heat on the stove.
2. Cut out the middle of each slice of bread, using a cookie cutter or small knife.
3. Spread both sides of each slice of bread with a bit of butter.
4. Place the buttered bread into the frying pan.
5. Crack open the eggs, and place one in the center of each slice of bread.
6. Cook until the bread is light brown.
7. Flip the egg in a basket over, and continue cooking until the other side is light brown, and the egg is cooked the way you like it.
8. Garnish with salt and pepper and EAT immediately.
9. Total cooking time is approximately 2 minutes per side for an over easy egg, cook a bit longer if you want to thoroughly cook the egg yolk.

Egg in the basket flipped over and continuing to cook

Creative Flair
You could use just about any interesting cookie cutter, to cut out the center of the bread. How about using a heart shape cookie cutter when making breakfast on Valentine's Day. Or a clover shape for St. Patrick's Day, a star shape for Independence Day, etc... I have TONS of cookie cutters, I could find an interesting shape for all the major holidays.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Lots of Muffin and Biscuit Recipes

 

ABOVE: tray of rolled biscuits waiting to go in oven

I love a good muffin, or freshly baked biscuit, with all my meals. My waistline could do without so many bakery products, but a homemade muffin is a weakness of mine.

Here are links to some of my muffin and biscuit recipes on the Suite101 website.

Zucchini Nut Muffins

 

ABOVE: zucchini nut muffins

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

 

ABOVE: pumpkin spice muffins

Savory Corn Muffins

Lemon Poppy Seed Teacakes

Banana Bread & Banana Bread French Toast

Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping

Quick Bread Recipes. Includes recipes for chili cheese cornbread, garlic bread and Parmesan chive biscuits.

Recipe for Four Varieties of Rolled Biscuits. One basic biscuit recipe can be turned into plain biscuits, poppy seed biscuits, sesame seed biscuits or cinnamon sugar biscuits.

 

ABOVE: sesame, poppy and cinnamon rolled biscuits

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits

My husband is the king of breakfast in our house. Although I do most of the cooking in our household, my husband makes a mean breakfast. He can be counted on to make anytime we have the time to do breakfast at home. The kids and I also call on him to make breakfast-for-dinner on occasion.

Instant Bacon Omelets
My husband has been going on quite a few business trips to Texas during the past few months. He is usually home for the weekends. On Saturday, July 4th we raced in the Independence Day Duathlon at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, Florida. I got 4th place Women 45-49 and he got 8th place Clydesdale (big men).

We were pretty hungry when we arrived home. After we took our showers and got cleaned up, my husband, Rob, made us both bacon omelets with an everything bagel on the side. We had a couple of packages of Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits in the pantry. So instead of having to take the time to cook raw bacon, Rob simply added a bit of the real bacon bits to the omelets.

We live in south Florida, so the thought of cooking bacon in the dead of summer isn't too appealing. It makes a big mess, and overheats an already overly hot house. We also use the Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits on chili cheese hot dogs to add an extra bit of flavor.

Other Quick & Easy Recipe Ideas
Jazz Up Knorr Tomato Parmesan Pasta
Instant Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva