Weekend Round Up

Two Ever Ready Specials to Start Your Week

Taco Scramble

Jazz up your morning with an egg dish packed with protein using  turkey sausage and low carb corn tortillas (1-6 inch=62 calories). Crisp potatoes in oven while making the filling. Recipe makes 6 small corn tortillas. 

Ingredients:

• 6-6 inch corn tortillas (warmed in microwave)  
• 2 cups cubed frozen  Potatoes O'Brien 
• 1 TB. Olive Oil 
• 1 tsp. Garlic Herb Seasoning Mix ( it's a spice) 
• 3/4 lb. ground turkey sausage 
• 1/2 cup each onions, tomatoes and red/yellow sweet mini peppers, diced
• 1 TB. butter
• 1 TB. taco seasoning mix 
• 1 tsp. parsley flakes
• 3 TB. salsa  
• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk (I used 2%) 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup reduced fat Mexican blend shredded cheese

Directions:

• In a blender add taco seasoning mix, parsley flakes, salsa, milk and eggs. Mix well and set aside,
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Spread potatoes out in a single layer. Sprinkle with Garlic Herb Seasoning Spice Mix. 
• Cook potatoes about 20 minutes moving them around every 6 minutes or so to prevent sticking. Cook until desired crispness. Set aside.
• In a fry pan with deep sides melt butter brown sausage with onions, tomatoes and peppers. Add in egg mixture and scramble eggs until almost set. Add in crisp potatoes, and cheese. Stir until cheese melted. 
• Divide egg mixture among 6 warmed corn tortillas.

Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

Cook's notes: One taste of these light fluffy delicious pancakes and you'll never go back to premade pancake mix again. Buttermilk makes for a moist pancake and with pops of juicy blueberries it's one incredible taste for your morning breakfast or brunch. 

Recipe makes about 16 pancakes.
Cooking Tips: Do not over mix the batter. Doing so activates the flour's gluten and too much gluten development leads to tough pancakes. Also let batter rest after mixing it for 10 minutes. This gives the gluten time to relax , which in turn helps keeps the pancakes tender.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 2 TB. sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp.salt
• 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 TB. lemon zest
• 1/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1-1/2 cups blueberries
• butter for greasing griddle or cooking spray

Directions:

• Stir together first four ingredients and set aside
• In another bowl whisk buttermilk, egg yolks and zest. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture. Gently stir in ricotta cheese. 
• Beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter. Stir in blueberries.
• Set batter aside to rest for 10 minutes.
• Grease and heat a non-stick griddle at 375 degrees. Splash a drop of water on griddle. When griddle sizzles ready to cook batter. 
• Use 1/3 cup for each pancake. Keep warm in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven for up to 15 minutes. 

Looking Ahead to a November 13th publication date  

"Becoming Michelle Obama"

In Michelle's Obama's own words...
"Writing BECOMING has been a deeply personal experience. I talk about my roots and how a girl from the South Side found her voice. I hope my journey inspires readers to find the courage to become whoever they aspire to be. I can't wait to share my story."