A special post for World Egg Day

Friday Oct. 10 is World Egg Day, and to celebrate, Parent Bloggers Network asked me and eleven other bloggers to create meals featuring eggs with an international flair, that were kid-friendly and budget conscious as well. They gave us each $50.00 to buy ingredients, so I took full advantage. After about an hour of Googling international egg recipes, I found one called “Italian Scramble” on mrbreakfast.com. With eggs, potatoes, sausage, cheese, onions, tomatoes, and red and green peppers, I knew this would make a hearty dinner with something everyone in my family would like.

I assumed I was supposed to use the entire $50.00 on meal ingredients, so in addition to what I needed for the Scramble, I also bought Dole Hearty Italian Salad Mix (it comes with Chianti Vinaigrette, Parmesan and salami, plus an Italian herb seasoning packet) and a loaf of Italian bread.

While I heated olive oil in a large frying pan and peeled and cubed a potato, Ryan removed the sausage from the casings. The potato went in first, and I stirred it just a few times so the pieces wouldn’t fall apart. When the potato cubes were firming up, I broke the sausage into little pieces and added that to the pan. Ryan grated some parmesan cheese while I peeled and quartered the onion, and then I showed Ryan how to use the Cuisinart mini food processor to chop it into little pieces.

Meanwhile I cut half of each pepper into strips then chopped the strips into a fine dice. They look so pretty, and the red and green with the white of the potato make the colors of Italy, so there’s the international part of the recipe :)

I let the sausage, potato, onion, and peppers cook until the sausage was no longer pink and the onions and peppers were softening, while at the same time, the potato was getting a nice crusty brown on the outside. It smelled SO good.

The eggs needed to be well-beaten, so I got out the blender and had Ryan help Kaitlyn crack a dozen eggs into it, then added 3 tbsp. of milk and blended it for a few seconds until all the eggs were completely blended together.

The eggs and milk mixture went into the pan along with the drained tomatoes and the mozzarella cheese. I let that sit for a few minutes, then used a spatula to lift the eggs from the bottom of the pan and let the uncooked part run down, once the eggs started setting, I broke them up into pieces and started stirring everything together. Now, to be honest, it looked a lot less appetizing once everything was stirred together. Next time I make this, which I undoubtedly will, I’ll scramble the eggs separately, then serve them next to the sausage/potato mixture instead of combing it all together.

That isn’t to say that it wasn’t good, because it really, really was. I popped the Italian bread into the toaster for a minute to get golden brown, buttered the pieces, then served the kids scoops of the Italian Scramble which we sprinkled with the fresh parmesan, with the toast on the side. This was Kaitlyn eating it-”Mmmm. mmMMMM. MMMMM.” I tried to get it on video but of course my video camera was at the end of the tape and I couldn’t find a new one. Oh, and I also didn’t take a photo of the FINISHED DISH, duh. We were too busy shoveling it into our mouths! You can see it on our plates here:

To get more recipes that use eggs, visit the American Egg Board‘s Incredible Edible Egg website. To get the Italian Scramble Recipe including my revisions for doubling the recipe and step by step instructions, visit my blog MomCooks. And this Friday, celebrate World Egg Day by making something with eggs!

SmileBooks preserve your special memories

SmileBook PhotosWith SmileBooks, in three easy steps you can create a professionally bound photo book using your photos. All you do is download the SmileBook software right from their website, upload your photos, then use SmileBook tools to crop, frame, and arrange your photos, and add text to the pages. SmileBook sent me a sample book to look at, and it is amazing!

SmileBook Sample It’s totally up to you what photos you use in your SmileBook, but some of the ideas from the site include making a Sports book showing your kids doing all kinds of activities, from riding their bikes to playing soccer or little league. Did you take a special vacation this summer? Preserve the great memories with photos from the trip. Make a baby book, or what about a book for a graduating senior with all of their school photos? There are so many ways to make a photo book that you’ll want to make more than one!

SmileBooks SmileBooks come in four sizes-booklets, Mini, Classic, and Deluxe. There are several different covers to choose from depending on the type of book, including soft cover, hard cover, and linen cover. I think the prices are really reasonable based on the quality of the sample book I received, and your completed book ships in six to ten days. Take a look for yourself on the SmileBook website, I think you’ll want to start making your own photo book right away!

M&Ms Racing asks, which of these kids is the Most Colorful Fan of Nascar?

M&M’S® Racing and NASCAR® announced the re-launch of the popular “The Most Colorful Fan™ of NASCAR” contest, which encourages NASCAR fans nationwide to showcase their passionate love for the sport by uploading their most eye-catching photos to NASCAR.com for a chance to win big. Just like America ’s favorite candy known for colorful chocolate fun, the M&M’S contest brings the excitement and revelry of the weekly NASCAR circuit to fans.

“‘The Most Colorful Fan of NASCAR’ contest allows fans a one-of-a-kind interactive experience to show off the fun side that defines the excitement of the sport,” said William Clements, vice president of Mars Properties. “Whether you’re a die-hard fan or new to the sport, M&M’S Racing is giving you the opportunity to compete just like the drivers, but among fellow fans.”

Five finalists will also win trips to the Ford 400 in Homestead , Fla. , on November 16, 2008, for the ultimate NASCAR VIP experience courtesy of M&M’S, as well as $100 g if t cards from The Home Depot for colorful paints. Kyle Busch, driver of the M&M’S No. 18 Toyota Camry and one of the sports top stars is even getting in on the action, as he’ll help judge the final competition in Homestead along with other top drivers. “The Most Colorful Fan of NASCAR” will be awarded with an exclusive Tissot® wrist watch and a VIP trip for two to the Richard Petty Driving Experience with Kyle Busch.

“While all drivers are out to win week in and week out, we all have to remember that the sport is truly about the fans,” said Busch, winner of the recent Best Buy 400 Benefiting Student Clubs for Autism Speaks. “That’s why the M&M’S Racing ‘The Most Colorful Fan of NASCAR’ contest is so cool – because the fans get to compete weekly just like we do, as well as win some pretty amazing prizes.”

So, here are two photos, in your comment, tell me, which one is the Most Colorful Fan?

#1-

#2-