Thursday, May 17, 2012

Breakfast Pocket Recipe

Yes, it is camping season! May long weekend here we come!

Okay, while there is a lot of excitement around here as camping season approaches there is also a great deal of anxiety. I often question my sanity in the things that I do, but sharing a tent with a rambunctious toddler, 8 month old baby, and snoring husband is by far the biggest sanity-buster yet. So I'm always game for prepping things before hand to increase the likelihood of a smooth camping trip.

I came across a recipe for Breakfast Pockets from Budget Gourmet Mom. She makes these pockets to keep in the freezer for quick grab and go breakfasts during the week, but when I saw them I immediately thought "camping sanity saver!"

We're cereal eaters around here. Yes, even on the weekends. Don't get me wrong I love a good bacon and egg breakfast, but it takes time, the dishes pile up and we like to get our days started quickly so we can have some fun. Camping is generally the exception. There's nothing like a warm breakfast on a cool morning in the campground. So, these breakfast pockets will be my saving grace.




Breakfast Pocket Recipe - this has been adapted from Budget Gourmet Mom



Ingredients:


Dough
1 1/2 tbsp yeast
1/2 cup warm water
3/4 cup warm evaporated milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup bread flour (if needed)


Filling
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 1/2 cups frozen hashbrowns
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 orange, yellow or red bell pepper, diced
3 cups cooked ham, cubed
4 green onions, chopped
4 eggs
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated


Instructions:


Dough
1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees Fahrenheit and then turn it off
2. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water
3. Add milk, oil, sugar, egg, salt and 2 cups of the flour, beat until smooth
4. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour and mix until a soft dough forms. 
5. If your dough is still a bit sticky add the additional 1/4 cup of flour or as much as needed. Cover the bowl with a damp towel, place in the warm oven and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.






Filling
1. Heat oil in a large skillet and saute hashbrowns over medium heat until thawed.
2. Add the garlic and bell pepper, cook about 5 minutes. Add the ham and green onions, cook another 5 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl mix eggs with milk, salt and pepper. Pour mixture over the cooked ham and vegetables. Stir until eggs are set.



4. Remove the pan from heat, add the cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and all the ingredients are combined.





Assemble the pockets:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with foil.
2. Punch down the dough and divide it into 16 equal balls.



3. Roll each ball into a 7 inch circle. Top with 1/3 cup of the filling, fold and pinch shut.



4. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the pockets are slightly golden.




 Pack them up for camping:
1. Wrap each pocket in parchment paper and then in foil.
2. Warm up over the fire or BBQ. I enjoy these cold too!


This is a very versatile recipe. Change up the filling to whatever you desire. I think I'll be trying a pulled pork version of these. Once I do I'll post it here.


Happy Camping!







Monday, May 14, 2012

Make It Monday: Formula Can Upcycle




Yes, well, this is how it goes. As a mom of little ones I ultimately end up with a ridiculous amount of baby product containers that I just can't bring myself to recycle or throw away. You may recall the DIY Craft Storage Containers which were made from baby wipes containers.

So here it is. More craft storage made from empty baby formula cans.


What you'll need:


Empty formula can
Scrapbook or construction paper
Ruler
Mod podge
Scissors or rotary cutter
Printed labels - plain printer paper & ink
Craft punches (optional)


Directions:


Measure the height and circumference of the formula can to determine how much paper you need. Standard size scrapbook paper does not wrap all the way around the can so you'll end up piecing it together at the back.






Glue the paper to the can by spreading a thin layer of mod podge all over the can and wrapping the paper around it. Seal the edges of the paper with mod podge.






Embellish to your hearts content. I added a coordinating strip of scrapbook paper to the top and bottom of the can. I cut luggage tag shapes out of another coordinating strip of paper and affixed the craft labels to them with mod podge. I also punched out some flower shapes and glued them to the can. 





Voila!





Bonus: Chalkboard Formula Can

If you're looking for another formula container upcycle idea, here's a quickie. Simply remove the paper from the can, layer on three coats of Chalkboard Paint, condition as directed and there you have it the perfect storage container for sidewalk chalk.




 Happy Monday!