GOODBYE

Saying Goodbye sounds so final but I guess that's what this is.  I've been contemplating not blogging for quite some time already.  It's a huge time commitment and I think it was something I needed while I lived in Germany.  It helped me stay connected with friends and family and committed to my weight loss and even ultimately learning a great deal about myself.  But I feel like it's time for this chapter in my life to close.  I owe a lot to blogging especially the AMAZING people both fellow bloggers and readers alike that I've been able to develop friendships and bonds with and I hope that we'll continue to stay in contact through Instagram! Which I am now btw completely obsessed with.  I guess I realized a few years late that I was always better suited for instagram lols.  One picture at a time and not a lot of words haha!

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In The Kitchen: SEAFOOD OMELETTE W/ OVEN BAKED HOME STYLE POTATOES

Furiously trying to use up all the ingredients in the freezer/fridge in Germany! 

This recipe is low fat, relatively low in calories (can be made even lower if you leave out the egg yolks & use low fat cheese!)  

It's high in protein and if you're watching your carbs just omit the oven baked home style potatoes!

This recipe made 2 portions. 

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup pre-cooked Baby Shrimp

1/4 Cup Surimi/Crab Stick

1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese

4-6 Eggs (Depends on how big you want your portion size. I eat 2 but The Hubs needs 3 eggs.)

1/2 Tbsp Spinach Dip

1 Tbsp Light Sour Cream 

Non-Stick Cooking Spray

2-4 Med Potatoes

Salt & Pepper to taste

Optional for Garnish:

Parmesan

Green Onion

Wash your potatoes and wrap in a wet paper towel.

Microwave for 5 mins.

Pre-Heat Oven to 450 Degree's F.

Unwrap and slice into thin slices.

Take your no calorie non-stick spray and spray a sheet of aluminum foil on a baking tray.

Side note - You're saving loads of calories by not frying or baking w/ oil but by using Zero calorie spray! 

After you spray a layer of the No calorie spray lay out your potatoes

Side note - If you want to skip the microwave you can just slice your potatoes and put them on the baking tray but it can take about an hour to bake properly!  I find that microwaving it for 5 min ahead of time cuts your baking time down 1/4 of the time.  So both your potatoes and omelette are done at the same time :)

Now spray ANOTHER layer of No calorie baking spray ON top of your potatoes.  This way both the bottom and top crisp up nicely.

Take your salt and freshly ground black pepper and season to taste.

Hubs and I like it reallly really peppery! lol.

If you like spice you can also add a sprinkling of Paprika :)

Put in your oven and bake for 15 to 20 mins.

Crack your eggs and season with a bit of salt.  

I like to add a little water in with my eggs I feel like it makes it fluffier.

Mix until smooth.

Add your spinach dip & sour cream.

Side note - I just used spinach dip because I'm just trying to use whatevers in the fridge.  You can skip this if you don't have it and just add a little extra sour cream.  Also I usually make this with fresh spinach because I'm trying to not grocery shop at all lol..

Combine the spinach dip, sour cream, shrimp & surimi and mix together.

Take your non-stick spray and spray your pan.

Allow your pan to get really hot and then pour HALF of your eggs.

Once it firms up add in HALF of your mozzarella cheese on one side of the omelette.

Add HALF of your crab, shrimp mixture to the other side of the omelette.

After everything firms up you can flip the cheese side over on top of the crab side.

Repeat the process again w/ the remaining half of the eggs, cheese and crab, shrimp mixture for your 2nd omelette.

And your oven baked home style potatoes should be done!

Garnish w/ a sprinkling of Parmesan & Green Onion.

Rich, creamy AND calorie friendly weekend brunch at home in under 20 mins!

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In The Kitchen: SAVORY BRUNCH PIE

Are you guys sick of Puff Pastry yet? HAHA.  I swear this is the last of it.. maybe.  As our time in Germany winds down I'm trying to use up everything in the fridge/freezer/pantry.  And seeing as I always have Puff Pastry in the freezer... lol.

Anyways this all-in-one baked dish is ideal for brunch w/ friends & family!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1/4 Cup Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce
3/4 Cup Milk
1 Tbsp. Paprika
Salt & Pepper (To Taste)
3 Sheets of Puff Pastry
8 Eggs
10 Slices of Cooked Bacon
1 Large Onion
3 Small Potatoes
1 Container of Cherry Tomatoes

Allow your 3 Sheets of Puff Pastry to defrost about 30 to 45 mins.

Pre-Heat oven to 400 Degrees F.

Individually wrap your 3 potatoes in a wet paper towel and microwave for 5 mins.

Take out of the microwave and TURN each potato so the underside is on top and microwave for another 5 mins.

While your potatoes are in the microwave dice your onion into small pieces.

Add your oil to a hot pan.

Add your sugar and allow it to dissolve.

Add your diced onions and saute.

While your onions are sauteing you can slice your Cherry Tomatoes in half.

Take ONE of your puff pastry sheets and using a fork poke lots of small holes in it.  This sheet you will use as the top of your puff pastry pie.  

By now your onions should have turned into caramelized onions and you can take them off the heat.

Now spread your Sun Dried Tomato Pesto sauce.  I like to do 1 to 1.5 heaping Tbsp per puff pastry sheet.. so roughly 5 Tbsp. or 1/4 cup.

If your Sun Dried Tomato Pesto sauce is too thick  and difficult to spread just add some olive oil into your jar and mix with a spoon.

Spread all over so that it's evenly distributed all over your puff pastry.

Take one of your puff pastry sheets and attach extra depending on the side of your baking dish.  Each sheet is 3 panels and as you can see I had to attach a 4th panel to my puff pastry sheet.

Take a cookie sheet and place your puff pastry on top and fit it on the bottom and sides of your baking pan.

(I know it looks scary but I promise it won't look like this at the end lol!)

Now that your potatoes have cooled a bit you can slice them into slices and just use a paper towel and crumple up your bacon.

(I pre-baked my bacon in the oven because I don't like to mess with bacon on a frying pan.) 

Now add a layer of sliced potatoes to the bottom of the puff pastry.

Oh I should also mention this is where you should season with some salt as potatoes are a bit bland.

Now add half of your caramelized onions and distribute evenly over the potatoes.

Add half or your bacon and distribute evenly over the caramelized onions.

Repeat the same process again.

Potatoes, Salt, Caramelized Onions & Bacon.

After you've completed the 2nd layer of your Potato, Salt, Caramelized Onion & Bacon your final top layer will be your Cherry Tomatoes.

Now it's time to make the custard part of the dish.

Combine 6 eggs & milk.

Add your cracked pepper

Add your Paprika

Stir together until smooth.

Now pour all over your dish.

This is what it should look like.  You should leave a bit of room for the pie crust edge to seal your pie later.

Also don't use ALL of your egg/milk custard.  Reserve a little bit at the end to brush the TOP of your pie.

Now you can just take your last puff pastry sheet and add it to the top of the pie seal it and call it a day.

But I did a lattice weave top so I like to crack 2 eggs on top.  

Once it bakes the whole egg yolk looks really pretty on top peeking through the lattice weave. 

So if you want to continue and do the lattice weave top you'll take your last and final puff pastry sheet and cut it into equal sized strips.

Then you'll turn them over so the Sun Dried Tomato side is on the underside and make sure there's equal spacing on your pie.  I like to space it around the whole egg yolks.

Then I fold it over. 

And then add strips the opposite direction going horizontally.

If you've ever made plastic friendship bracelets at summer camp or one of those paper weaved Turkey's at Thanksgiving in Elementary school.  It's the same exact concept. You're just doing a weave pattern with your pastry strips.

Repeat until you've "weaved" your whole pie. 

Then with a knife cut off the strips that dangle on the ends of the pie.

Tuck all of the edges together so everything is sealed properly.

Use the remaining egg/milk wash from earlier and brush it on top of your pastry.

Into the oven covered with a aluminum foil top for 1 hour.

And then 15 min WITHOUT the foil top.

So many many layers of yumminess!

You can see that egg yolk peeking out between the pastry :p

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