Taco Egg Casserole

This was a discovery born of boredom and leftovers:
I wanted to make a protein-heavy, store-able, warm breakfast.  Elise likes carbs for breakfast.  I am trying to maintain her weight but keep her from being hungry...and so I abruptly decided to make "Church Eggs" as she calls egg/breakfast casserole...because the only time I make it or she eats it, is at Sunday School breakfast socials.

I decided to use deer meat instead of sausage, because of its significantly lower fat content.  (You can of course, use lean beef!)  I thought I had some in the fridge already browned up for quick meal use, and stumbled onto some meat leftover from taco night...and realized that would be REALLY good!!  And so:

Burger 1-2lbs
taco seasoning
6-10 eggs
sharp cheddar cheese
salt
bread 3-6 slices


Brown a pound or so of deer burger (or lean hamburger or turkey burger)

Mix in a liberal amount of taco seasoning.  I use McCormick's, although you can use any or make your own!

Tear up last week's dry bread (or whatever!) and put it at the bottom of a casserole dish.

Put taco burger heavily on top of the bread

Sprinkle with sharp cheddar cheese

Mix eggs with personal preference of salt

Pour eggs over everything

Bake in oven at 350* until eggs are firm.

Serve

Devour

Excellent for breakfast and supper.

Mmmm

Granola with extras

Okay...today NEEDED some granola...badly.  And so I succumbed.  And had to fight myself not to eat it hot off the cookie sheet.

(This is a half-batch...)

Um, I feel the need to 'fess up where I got it, ethics and all that...but it is still delicious for EVERYONE!  I found this recipe on diaperswappers.com, as a recipe for up-ing your milk production while nursing...BUT it doesn't have anything in it that isn't great for everyone's health, so please don't let that stop you!!

One of the things I loved about this recipe, is that it is easy to make in small amounts.  I had to change the sunflower kernals to bashed up/crushed cocktail peanuts, with Charlotte's new allergy...and sometimes I have been known to use agave syrup mixed with honey, half-and-half proportions when I was running low on honey...which seems to happen more and more...I need to get a scarey big jug of local raw honey...And as with many of my recipes, you can add what you like and leave out whatever you don't or are allergic to...and it's still delish!!  :)

4 cups regular or steel cut oats
1/2 cup flaked coconut (optional)
1/2 cup sunflower kernels
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
2 tbsp brewer's yeast
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, peanuts, almonds, or a mix)
1 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, dates, apricots, or a mix)

Combine everything except nuts and fruit in a large bowl. Spread onto a lightly greased cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Pull out of oven and stir in nuts and fruit. Cool and store in an airtight container.


Eat with milk, almond milk, on ice cream, on yogurt...throw it in a baggie and eat it as you drive, dry like a trail mix...  Top it on the Cinnamon Banana Apple Stew and pretend it's streusel!!  Your mouth would never know the difference!!!

Faster, Less Ingredients Pancakes

CHARLES' PANCAKES FROM SCRATCH
1 egg
1 c. low fat milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Beat egg, milk and vanilla together. Combine remaining ingredients and stir into the batter, just until somewhat smooth, but slightly lumpy. Don't over mix.
To make pancakes; pour a little batter onto a hot griddle. Leave at least 2" of space between pancakes. Allow them to cook until the tops of pancakes are bubbled, then turn with spatula. Cook just until the underside is lightly browned.

Makes 10 (4") pancakes. Recipe may be doubled. Unused batter may be stored in the refrigerator. Thin with a little cold water if batter becomes too thick.
Found this while Googling...I really just didn't have the energy to make the flax oatmeal pancakes, and these were very quick...I found them HERE.  I really love that they don't have any sugar, because, let's face it, most toppings we use, certainly have enough in their own right!  Plus, their flavor, I think, enhances the flavor of the toppings!

* If you decide that you NEED your pancakes sweeter, add a TBSP of brown sugar and/or a couple of good shakes of cinnamon!

Breakfast recipes

Oatmeal-Flax Pancakes courtesy of Livestrong
1 1/2 cups Quick Oats
1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (or whatever whole wheat or all purpose flour you've got)
2 tbsp Sugars, Brown
1 1/2 cups Skim Milk
2 egg
2 tbsp Butter
1/4 cup Flax, Ground
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt

Mix and cook in a pan or griddle...Serve with syrup or apple butter or fruit spread...Enjoy!!! (These are SO much more filling and nutritionally wise than Eggos or similar items!!)

Bob's Red Mill Steel Cut Oats
(Seriously the best change I've made!! And these are the best of the best!!)

Cook according to directions. Add honey, cinnamon, and bananas. Or brown sugar and cinnamon. Or honey and raisins. Or...the list is endless and it ALL good!!!