Omelets

eggs (1-3, depending on preference)
pancake batter, 1 tsp. per egg
a dash of water
toppings of choice (we like shredded cheese and cooked ground sausage)

Mix water, eggs and pancake batter. Coat non-stick pan with Pam (or equivalent). Heat to just above medium, but not quite medium high. Pour egg mixture into pan and swirl so that egg mixture is spread over the bottom of the pan evenly and in a circle (so much easier if the pan is circular). Place toppings of choice on one half of the circle. When egg is dry on edges and puffed up, fold in half. Let sit for a few minutes, but watch closely so it doesn’t burn. Then flip over. Once egg is completely cooked, remove from pan and serve (we like them with grits).

WHAT I LEARNED
I had always had a hard time with omelets. But I have finally gotten it down. First, we got me a pan that is specifically for omelets. It is non-stick and the round bottom is perfect for a 2-3 egg omelet. Then I got a spatula that is flexible and very thin, making it easier to slide up under the omelet without tearing the egg. With these, my omelets were getting better, but never right. One day we were at the local IHOP and I was perusing the menu when something caught my eye. They said that they put pancake batter in their omelets! So I tried it the very next day, and after some experimenting have found that it seems to work best to mix in one teaspoon of pancake batter per egg. It makes the omelets puff up so nicely, and they’re LOADS easier to flip now.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

So, my husband, daughter and I LOVE cordon bleu. But buying the premade frozen ones is expensive. And making them from scratch is a pain. Also, I've had a hard time find a recipe that tastes like the store bought ones. Most recipes make heavy use of Swiss cheese, the store bought ones are mozzarella. We have found that we don't like the Swiss cheese because it is so strong tasting, but straight mozzarella is too runny. I found this recipe a while back, and after some tweaking, I think I've found a winner. As the casserole is a bit runny, we serve this in a bowl over mashed potatoes. Yummy and easy!

RECIPE
2 lbs skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
dry breadcrumbs
1 1/2 cup milk, divided
1 egg
1 cup Swiss cheese, cubed
2 cups mozzarella, cubed
1 cup ham, cubed
1 (10 3/4 ounces) can cream of chicken soup

Mix 1/2 cup of milk with egg. Dredge chicken pieces in egg and milk mixture, then toss with bread crumbs, coating well. Fry chicken lightly (light golden brown). Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish. Spread ham and cheese over top. Mix soup with remaining milk and pour over casserole. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes, until tender and bubbly.

INVOLVING KIDS IN THE COOKING
This is a fairly easy recipe to let the kids help on. My ten year old cubed the cheeses and ham while I prepared the chicken, cutting the prep time in half.