Delicious polenta pie

First, excuse the picture quality. My mom had my camera last night and Rob's camera isn't functioning so well ever since Codi gave it a bath in a cup of water. This means you get Iphone pics.
Last night Ginger was over and I was hemming and hawing over what on earth to make for dinner. I knew I had ground beef and that was it. In fact when Rob asked before his softball game what was for dinner I replied, "ground beef."
I recalled earlier in the week seeing Rachel Ray make this dish that looked sort of like a quiche but with polenta instead of pie crust. She filled it with leeks and panchetta. I had corn meal and thought, WHY NOT! I made a teeny portion but can I just tell you how CHEAP this meal is. Seriously I don't even think it cost $10.00, in fact $10.00 would have fed an army of people if I had used the full portion of ingredients instead of making a small batch.

1 Cup uncooked cornmeal
3 cups water
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 medium white onion diced
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 tomato diced
3 tbsp real bacon bits
3 tbsp green chille salsa
1 tbsp adobo powder, (you can omit if you don't have it)
2 eggs beaten
2 tbsp milk
1 cup shredded monteray jack cheese
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350. In medium size pot bring water and cornmeal to a boil witha pinch of salt. Stir often. Once it boils reduce heat to low and let it simmer, stirring often. In another pan brown meat, onions, garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper & adobo. Once meat is browned add salsa, combine and turn off heat. In small nonstick pan place 2/3 of your corn meal. With a plastic spatula push the cornmeal up the sides of the pan creating a pie crust out of polenta. Turn burner on low and allow polenta to brown. Layer half of your cheese on top of polenta. Add as much meat as will fit in the pan. Whisk eggs and milk and pour on top of meat. Add remaining cheese and place uncovered in the oven for 20-30 minutes until eggs are cooked.

My husband actually really like this. I sliced it up like pie and served it with a bit more green salsa on the side. Ginger kept taking tastes of the meat out of the pan. I love the meat on it's own and think it would be great wrapped in a burrito. Here is my cost breakdown estimate;
1/2 lb ground beef $2.50
Cornmeal $2.00 (for an entire bag)
Cheese $4.00 (for a one pound block I used maybe $1.00 worth)
tomato $.79
bacon bits $1.50 (entire bag)
Salsa $.89 (for small can)
Onion $.79 (entire onion)
garlic $.20
Eggs $1.00 (for a whole dozen, mine are pricier I buy organic but I'm basing this on average cost)

The coolest part of this meal is it was all stuff on hand. Plus I could have easily quadrupled this meal in a larger pan. In fact I could have used a few pans and made them different. A veggie version with bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, onions and garlic, a chicken version, etc. The great part is, it's family friendly kids would love it, guys love it, and you can make yours lower calorie by ommitting bacon or using only veggies.

Bacon and Spinach Frittata

INGREDIENTS
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 pounds bacon, sliced
1 1/4 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
3/4 pounds frozen spinach
cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook bacon in skillet on medium high heat until crispy. Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate.
3. Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain excess water.
4. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of cheese, bacon and spinach.
5. Spray 8 inch round baking dish with cooking spray. Pour in egg mixture and top with remaining ¼ cup of cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until eggs are fully cooked. Let stand 3 minutes and serve.

Mini Spanish Frittatas

Frittatas are a cheap and easy thing to throw together for breakfast. You can basically use whatever you have in your fridge to switch it up. The standard frittata is made in a large skillet. Making them in muffin tins makes this fun for the kids.

INGREDIENTS
5 eggs
1/3 cup milk
2 chorizo sausages
1 tablespoon butter
3 flour tortillas, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Remove chorizo from casing, form small balls and place in a small skillet. Cook on high heat about 5-8 minutes, or until no longer pink stirring regularly.
3. In another small skillet add butter and flour tortillas. Lightly brown the tortillas for about 5 minutes stirring regularly. Do not allow to burn.
4. Whisk the eggs, milk, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the chorizo, tortillas, and cheese.
5. Fill muffin cups almost to the top with the egg mixture. Bake until the egg mixture puffs and is set in the center, about 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Frittatas should come out of the muffins tin easily with a fork or rubber spatula. Serve immediately.

Extreme Breakfast Sandwich

INGREDIENTS
½ pound hot pork sausage
1 everything bagel
cream cheese
2 slices of sharp cheddar
2 eggs
hot sauce
salt
pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Split the sausage in half and make two patties. Place patties in a hot skillet and cook on each side for 5 minutes or until done.
2. Fry the eggs over easy, or cook longer for less yoke. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Spread cream cheese on both side of toasted bagel.
4. Build your breakfast bagel placing all of the ingredients together starting from the bottom up, bagel, sausage, cheese, egg, sausage, cheese, egg, hot sauce, then bagel.

Death on toast...errrm I mean Fried egg sammich

I had every intention of making a delicious Croque Madame for my husband this morning. However, I know he hates fork and knife sandwiches, and last time he said it was too messy for his taste. So I made the same thing only all inside the bread. This is a sandwich made with love. This isn't some wonder bread packaged ham sandwich, you have to plan to make this, and want to treat your taste buds!

2 slices fresh sour dough bread
3 slices mozzarella cheese (I had this fresh sliced at the deli)
4 slices Fresh shaved honey ham (you know off the ham that looks like ham, not off the ham that looks like a loaf of pink weirdness)
Mayo
Butter
2 eggs
Salt
Pepper
*Yields one sandwich, double this if you want to make two sammies!

Butter the outsides of your bread*. In non stick skillet on medium low, place ham in pan and brown it to develop sugar in it. While your ham is browning slather both inside slices of bread with mayo**. Place one slice of cheese on one piece of bread (I broke mine in half and did it sideways, that isn't two slices). When your ham is done place it on top of the cheese and cover with second layer of cheese. Fry your two eggs keeping yolks soft and gooey inside***. Place both eggs on top of your cheese and top with more cheese. Put your second slice of bread on top with mayo inside. Melt butter in your pan and place your sammich carefully inside to fry on low heat, just enough to melt the cheese and brown up your bread. Carefully flip and brown on the other side. Cut in half and enjoy the gooey goodness!

*Real butter not margarine
**They mayo will not melt inside or turn oily. Before you assume you hate this just try the damn mayo inside, I promise you will love it!
***unless you like em over cooked then whatever do it that way, but it takes the fun out of dunking your sandwich int he broken yolk

See it starting to brown. Notice that is real ham, like actual honey ham off a big ole hunk of ham (I went to the deli counter for this and asked for just enough ham for my sammich, to ensure fresh ham).

A perfectly over easy egg

Seriously aren't you starving now.

Definition of Croque Madam & Croque Monsieur