Omelet in a Bag

I love omelets...but I just can't get them right at home. So, when I saw this concept from Paula Deen/Food Network, I was so intrigued...and, admittedly, a little skeptical. Boiling omelets in baggies? Hmmm...but with Paula's stamp of approval?

Even though it was just the two of us, these would be absolutely perfect for a crowd...everyone picks their own combination and it's all ready at the same time, keeping you from being a short-order omelet cook.

There's no real "recipe," which is the beauty of it. Totally customizable to individual tastes.

Just break two or three eggs per person in separate bowls and beat with fork. Season with salt and pepper. Add in ingredients of your choice to each bowl and stir to combine. I put diced ham, chopped mushrooms, and shredded Cheddar cheese in mine. My BF added a few other things to his, like onions and peppers.

Pour each bowl into separate baggies. I initialed them with a Sharpie. Drop into a pot of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes (the original recipe said 5-8 minutes, but I wanted eggs to be thoroughly cooked and firm.) Remove with tongs and let rest for a few minutes on a paper towel-lined plate. Then, just open and slide out onto plate. That's it! Perfection!

Let me show you...

Cheesy Chicken, Rice and Corn Casserole

So, this is how the conversation went. Me: "What do you want for dinner?" Him: "Something kind of Mexican...with corn in it."

I wanted to cook out of my pantry, so I plugged in a couple of ingredients and came up with this, from what happens to be one of my favorite blogs: Christy Jordan's Southern Plate.

I had seen several variations on this, most without chicken, but I wanted it to be a main dish. I also used Mexicorn...you know, for that specified Mexican component (plus, it added some color).

My oven happened to go out last night, so I cooked the rice in the microwave, assembled the casserole, and headed next door to my sweet neighbor's house to bake in the oven...and I made him a healthy serving as a thank-you.

This had just the right amount of kick...and comfort food to the hilt. It was a huge hit!

Printable recipe

1 bag Mahatma spicy saffron yellow rice mix
1 stick butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Mexicorn, drained
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese


Cook rice according to package directions and transfer to casserole dish. Add butter in pieces and stir until melted. Add remaining ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.