Meatless Monday: Eggs Baked in Tomato-Parmesan Sauce

I could eat eggs everyday of the week!

I like eggs for breakfast, or lunch or dinner.  Eggs baked in tomato sauce is perfect for any meal of the day.  

photo marthastewart.com

I based my preparation of eggs baked in tomato sauce on this Martha Stewart recipe.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan.  Add 4 cloves of garlic, sliced and 1 teaspoon of dried or fresh rosemary.  Cook and stir until golden, about 2 minutes.  Add 2, 15 oz cans of diced tomatoes with their juice, plus 1, 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens.  Season with salt and pepper.  At this point I chose to add two handfulls of fresh spinach and allowed it to wilt into the warm sauce. 

Divide all but 1 cup of the sauce among 4 shallow, baking bowls.  Crack two eggs into each bowl.  Top with remaining sauce and some grated Parmesan cheese.  Place bowls on cookie sheet and slide into a 350 degree F oven for about 20 minutes.  Check to see that the eggs are set enough but still have slightly soft yolks. (or bake longer if you wish)  At this point you may wish to broil the tops for just about 30 seconds. 

Voila!  A bubbly, savory egg dish, perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Maybe add a side salad and some crusty bread.  Fantastic.

Other suggestions:

• Keep the prepared sauce in the refrigerator and you can whip up this meal in no time at all.
• Roasted, fresh tomatoes would make this "egg-ceptional". (couldn't help myself)
• Leave out the spinach if you wish.  
• Change the herbs.  
• Eliminate the garlic.  
• More or less cheese or different cheese. 

Happy Weekend

Whatever your plans, make it a fun weekend...

Audrey Hepburn 

...and do it with style.

See you on Monday.

Recycle Ideas

Earth Day was Sunday, a good reminder to recycle whenever possible.  I found some clever ideas to share.  

                               Source: Uploaded by user via Raffaella on Pinterest

Recycle those light bulbs we aren't supposed to be using anymore.

                                          Source: img3.etsystatic.com via One on Pinterest

Chenille bedspreads made into sea creature shapes.

Egg carton sewing kit  Country Living

Mason jar soap dispenser  Country Living

Reuse shirts and buttons.  Country Living

Teacup candles  Martha Stewart

Recycled shutters headboard  

           Source: bit.ly via Katherine on Pinterest

Recycled ladder bookshelf.  "As is" or paint a bright color.

Salad Days

After a 2 1/2 week vacation and lots of delicious food in restaurants, it is time to show some restraint.  

                                                             Source: bonappetit.com via Deborah on Pinterest

Does anyone have any great salad recipes?  PLEASE!

Travel Pieces

I love this dress for travel.  

Traveling clothes by spiralstyle

The orange, rope belt comes with the dress and is a nice accent.  The cotton knit doesn't wrinkle.  I like it paired with orange ballet flats.

Embellished tunic

This embellished tunic from Banana Republic is flattering on everyone.  The embellishment eliminates the need for jewelry.  I found it to be a great travel piece as it works with jeans, over a bathing suit or with a skirt or pants with strappy sandals for evening.  The orange flats look great with this top as well.

makeup remover

I am a head over heels for these towelettes for removing makeup.  The cucumber fragrance is soothing as is the soft, moistened towel.  These are great for travel, gym bag or everyday use at home.

Parting Shots

It's my last day in Australia.  I spent the weekend in Melbourne visiting friends I rarely get to see.  I got to do some sightseeing and enjoyed beautiful autumn weather. 

photo

I had had guided tour of the Aboriginal art at the Ian Potter Centre.  I really like this art style, which is quite modern.  After viewing the cave painting at Uluru, I understand what some of the symbols mean.   (Photos are not allowed, I found these images online)

InterContinental Hotel, Melbourne

Roof top herb garden with citrus trees and bee hives.  

Unusual food from the Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne

I ate kangaroo while in Australia and it is very good, tastes like beef.  Also had wallaby and crocodile.  

Well, it will be plane food for me tomorrow as I head home to the US.  I'm quite certain "roo" will not be on the menu.  

Have a great week.  

Have a Wonderful Weekend

This sums up my week!

                                              Source: fieldnotes.iancoyle.com via Deborah on Pinterest

See you on Monday

Anzac Biscuits

I have become a fan of Anzac Biscuits

 ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corp) Biscuits/Cookies date back to World War I.  Wives and mothers would bake these biscuits and mail them to their soldiers in the trenches.  They do not contain eggs and therefore would keep fresh longer.  

photo

As you may imagine, these are not soft, chewy cookies.  They are crispy and rather hard.  I like crispy cookies and these appeal to me.  They have oats and a bit of coconut as well.  I've checked out lots of recipes on line and they are all the same.  I have included the recipe at the end of this post.

This is one ingredient that is a bit unusual to American bakers.  Lyle's Golden Syrup is called for in the biscuit recipe.  You may substitute Karo Syrup or light molasses but discussions on the internet say the taste will be compromised.  Lyle's Syrup is not difficult to find.  In may be in the international aisle of the grocery store in the British food section.

ANZAC Day, similar to Memorial Day in the US, is April 25.  ANZAC biscuits are a very popular treat on that day.

ANZAC BISCUIT RECIPE

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

4 oz butter

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F or 180 C.

Mix flour, sugar, oats and coconut together.  

Melt syrup and butter together.

Mix baking soda with water together and then add to butter/syrup.  Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix to blend.  

Roll by 1 tablespoon of dough to form balls and place on greased cookies sheet or parchment paper lined sheets, allowing space for spreading.

Bake 13 - 15 minutes.  Cool on sheet for 5 minutes then remove to rack and cool thoroughly.  

Avocado and Smoked Salmon Breakfast Idea

While in Sydney, I've been enjoying some wonderful, Australian grown avocados.  

Food always tastes better when it is harvested ripe.  In Michigan, I usually find that the avocados are as hard as a rock at the grocery store and I take a chance on whether it will ever ripen. 

I love smoked salmon for breakfast.  I usually do the lox and bagels with cream cheese thing at home, but my son taught me to substitute avocado for the cream cheese.  Calorie wise, they are about the same but avocado has more vitamins and fiber than cream cheese.  I like my avocado mashed on a toasted whole grain muffin with red onion.  
Bon Appetit!

Denim Jacket Trend

Do you have a denim jacket in your closet?
A denim jacket is a very versatile piece to have in your wardrobe.

Here is how a few celebs wear the jacket.

photo Reese Whitherspoon

photo Rachel Bilson

photo Jessica Alba

Denim Jackets by spiralstyle 

These are a few suggestions for wearing the jacket.

Things to wear with a denim jacket by spiralstyle 

A broken-in denim jacket is like a best friend, the first thing you reach for.  Do you have one?

Outback Weekend

Happy Monday

I had a most spectacular weekend, a once in a lifetime kind of experience.

Aerial shot I took from a helicopter tour

I spent the weekend in the middle of Australia, in the Northern Territory, visiting the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.  This park is a sacred site of the Anangu, indigenous people of Australia.  Uluru is the world's largest monolith and Australia's most famous landmark.  The red color of the rock is due to the high iron content in its sandstone composition.  You may know Uluru as Ayers Rock.  In 1872, the European explorer, Ernest Giles, who sighted the rock, named it after the South Australian premier at the time, Sir Henry Ayers.

I did a sunrise base trek around Uluru.

Those on the trek were provided a pouch containing these items for breakfast. 

We started our 12K trek in the dark and were treated to lovely color changes of the rock and sky with the sunrise.

Our guide provided us with lots of folk lore and we got to see these paintings in a cave.  The paintings do not tell a story but were more like a "blackboard" for teaching children.

A post trek view from a distance.

Aerial shot taken from a helicopter

Not far from Uluru is Kata Tjuta.  This area is comprised of 36 domes.  Much of this land is considered sacred and visitors are not allowed to explore.  I did take a sunset trek to the area, however.

Hubby and Me in the Valley of the Winds, Kata-Tjuta

Post trek, the tour group was treated to champagne, wine and snacks while viewing sunset.

Kata-Tjuta at the "golden hour".

I feel so fortunate to have been able to experience this magnificent natural landmark in such a grand manner.