Scrambled Eggs Florentine

This is a fridge clean out type of breakfast. I had spinach left from my chicken the other night (another post about that later), and always have cheese and bacon bits. I’m trying to be purposeful in using the leftover produce from other things I’ve cooked. Now to come up with something for the ⅔ full bag of shredded cabbage…

Scrambled Eggs Florentine

1 T butter

½ t minced garlic (from a jar)

4 handfuls baby spinach

2 T bacon bits (from a pouch)

2 eggs

Salt and pepper

⅓ c shredded mozzarella cheese

1 T grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter over medium heat in a skillet with a lid. Add garlic and cook until it starts to sizzle. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Sprinkle bacon bits around and stir in, and spread spinach out in skillet.

Turn heat to low. Crack eggs on spinach and season with salt and pepper (go easy on the salt as the bacon and Parmesan are salty). Quickly scramble eggs into spinach. Turn heat up to medium and cook until eggs are almost done. Sprinkle mozzarella and parm on top, put lid on skillet, and turn heat to very low. Let sit 5 min for cheese to melt, turn off heat, remove lid, and mix cheese into scramble. Serve.

Chicken with Brie and baby spinach salad

I found this recipe on Food Network after seeing it on Robin Miller's show a long time ago. I don't often follow the recipe exactly anymore, and just dump things in the pan. I usually forget the shallots, as it is a last minute decision to make it (like today as there was a brie sampling at the grocery store which reminded me if the recipe, but I forgot to get a shallot). But it is good anyway.

Here is my adaptation of the recipe for one:

1 chicken breast, cut horizontally into two cutlets (it will cook faster that way)
Salt, pepper, and garlic herb Mrs. Dash
1/4 lb double cream brie (approx), sliced
A bowl of baby spinach from the salad bar
1/2 c bacon crumbles from the salad bar
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar

Heat a couple tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash. Cook on medium heat until done. Remove and set aside.

In same skillet, add 1/4 cup vinegar and bacon crumbles. Reduce vinegar slightly, then add enough olive oil to make a salad dressing (about equal parts). Place reserved chicken on top of bacon, and top with cheese. Cover skillet and let cheese melt on low heat.

Place spinach in a shallow bowl or plate. Place chicken on top. Add a couple tablespoons vinegar to skillet and swirl to combine. Pour over chicken and spinach and serve.

The cheese and the vinegar compliment each other nicely. Try it!

Original recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/grilled-chicken-with-brie-and-baby-spinach-salad-recipe.html

Spaghetti carbonara

Being the end of the month, the food budget is running low. So, when looking to see what I had on hand, I decided to make spaghetti carbonara. All I needed to go to the store for was Parmesan cheese and cream (not used in this particular recipe, but I have used it in others and like the addition of several tablespoons to the egg mixture). I used a recipe from Tyler Florence on Food Network (link below). It was nice and creamy and bacony. And all I needed was spaghetti, bacon (I used double the amount called for, partly because we like bacon, and partly because that was what I had left), eggs and Parmesan cheese. Yum :)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/spaghetti-alla-carbonara-recipe/index.html