Fast & Easy Eggs (in the Microwave!)

These are the easiest, fastest, fluffiest eggs you will ever make. Clean-up is even easy, because you can eat them in the same bowl that you prepare them in. Bonus!

Recipe: 2 eggs + 2 Tablespoons of milk + salt/pepper to taste in a microwave-safe bowl. Mix well with a fork. Microwave for 2 minutes. Voila! Breakfast/lunch/snack/dinner is served!

Step 1: 2 Eggs + 2 Tablespoons Milk + Salt & Pepper

Step 1 {Variation}: 2 Eggs + 2 Tablespoons Milk + Salt/Pepper + Garlic Powder + Mozzarella Cheese (Can also add cut bell peppers, mushrooms, ham, etc.)

Step 2: Mix Well

Step 3: Microwave for 2 minutes. {If adding cheese/veggies/ham, etc., add an additional 30 seconds or so}

It takes 1 Tablespoon of milk and 1 minute of microwaving for every egg. You can add cut-up bell peppers, ham, mushrooms, shredded cheese, etc. for a yummy, quick omelette. Just add whatever ingredients you want and mix it all up before microwaving. I have found that I need to add a bit more microwave time when I add veggies or cheese or anything besides seasoning. I like to sprinkle a bit of garlic powder in, too.

Makes a quick, yummy breakfast or meal! When my kids were younger, I would often make them these eggs for dinner if I was making something that was too spicy for them to enjoy.

My hubby and I have had many a date night where I made the kids these eggs for dinner and then tucked them in for the night. After they were in bed, we would order Curbside-to-Go from 54th Street or Applebee's and have a nice late dinner and a movie at home.

If making these for the kids as a meal, I usually serve them with a side of fresh veggies with ranch. They like dipping the eggs in the ranch, also.

This also makes a great, quick, protein-filled breakfast without the mess of making a traditional omelette. And if you are really pressed for time, you can even take these eggs with you on-the-go, straight from the microwave! {Although keep in mind that the bowl will be extremely hot at first!}

{Note: In case there is any question about this, the eggs should be cracked into the bowl. This recipe is for scrambled/omelette eggs and not hard-boiled. Microwaving an egg in its shell will cause it to explode!}

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The Easiest Meal Ever - Tortilla Crusted Tilapia with Quinoa and Brown Rice

A Fast & Easy (& Free!) Way to Store All Those Christmas Ornaments

Putting away Christmas decorations is not my favorite thing to do. Individually wrapping each ornament in its own tissue paper or bubble wrap, carefully fitting it into a box or tote and situating it all just right to avoid any damage, attempting to keep the original packaging only to have it crush or otherwise fall apart... These are just some of the reasons why it is a task that I just do not enjoy. But this year, I have found a better (aka faster!) way, and it involves repurposing, which I love.

My new way involves reusing those plastic cases that apples come in from Costco. These cases work PERFECTLY for storing and protecting ornaments. No wrapping is involved at all. One bulb goes into each empty apple slot and VIOLA! Ornaments are put away! Fast, easy, and free. Three of my favorite things! :)

                                                                                                                              

Most of the apple cases (if not all), have a spot where 2 spaces have no divider between them, and these work great for taller ornaments, as you can see in the photo at left where I put the bear ornament in the center.

                                                                                                        

I also repurposed one of Costco's plastic egg cases, which worked great for the smaller balls and ornaments. 

After filling my apple/egg cases, I had 3 ornaments left over that didn't quite work with the plastic case. The top one was just too large, the Santa one too oval, and the photo ornament would have fit, but it's my favorite and has a great original styrofoam case. 

(Isn't that photo ornament adorable? I got it for free. Well, I may have paid shipping--I can't remember. But otherwise free. I will post more about that someday, eventually, in a post titled, "How to Get Stuff for Free.")

The photo ornament went into its original case, while I just wrapped the other 2 the old fashioned way in tissue paper/bubble wrap.

In addition to the normal breakable ornaments, we also have quite a few handmade, crafty ornaments my kids have made out of cardstock. I put these into a padded, manila envelope so they wouldn't get torn or damaged in the off season. (The manila envelope is also repurposed. I receive and reuse lots of manila envelopes when I get free books from PaperBackSwap.com. More on that in a future post called "How to Get Books for Cheap or Even for Free.)

Next, I put all the now-filled plastic cases into a storage tote (4 apple cases high, and 1 egg case on its side). I also slipped in the manila envelope beside the egg case. On the empty end, I put all the ornaments that are not fragile (wooden, stuffed, etc.).


(Don't have a storage tote? Scroll down to see a "Use What You Have" section.)

On top of the non-breakable ornaments, I put the 3 ornaments I had wrapped/put in original packaging, followed by some air-filled pockets (reused from Christmas packages, of course. :)

After I finished packing away all our ornaments, I had to take care of the "kids' ornaments." (We have a small tree the kids put up in their room that they get to decorate with their own ornaments.) For the most part, these are not breakable. I took the few small breakable ones and put them in a bubble wrap envelope and put that, along with all their other ornaments, into a small box.

 The "Kids' Ornaments" box went sideways into the tote. Everything fit perfectly. I love perfect. :)





The last thing to do was label it with my label maker. I like to label my totes on one long and one short side so I can see it no matter how I had to stack it. Ahhh, sweet organization!





Don't Have Something I Suggested? Use What You Have

Don't have a tote? Use a box instead. No boxes? No problem. I'm guessing what you do have is a shoe store in your area. Believe it or not, shoe stores have GREAT boxes. (These also make great FREE moving boxes. When we were moving, I called the one in my area and they saved boxes for me. They also let me take boxes out of their cardboard recycle bin at the back of the store.) BONUS: While you are there getting a box for your ornaments, pick up a few of their tall, skinny boxes. These make excellent recycle bins. Just line a few up on the wall of your garage and WAMMO!  Free organization. (More on this in my someday/eventual post titled "Use What You Have Organizing.")

No air-filled pockets or cushioning? Empty water bottles can give you some of that airy protection you're looking for.

Need a bubble wrap mailer/manila envelope? Make one using a manila file folder. Open the folder and staple bubble wrap/tissue paper/padding to the inside (even leftover fabric or a cut up old blanket/shirt would work). Then close the folder and staple on three sides. Instant padded manila envelope.

Don't have a Costco membership or don't buy apples at Coscto? Maybe you have a friend who does! Ask said friend if (s)he would be willing to save some apple/egg cases for you.

No label maker? Use masking tape instead. Or write it on a sheet of paper and tape it to the tote.

If you used something unusual for your ornament storage or have a different "Use What You Have," I would love to hear about it!

{Disclaimer: The apple case to ornament storage idea is not originally mine. However, I cannot for the life of me remember where I first saw it! It was before pinterest, and I don't think it came from a blog. I'm pretty sure I maybe saw it from a magazine a long while ago? I wish I could give credit where credit is due, but in this case I just can't! Sorry! I did expand the idea to include the egg cases, but otherwise the idea is not mine.}

This post has been featured on The Better Mom Monday's Link Up:

The Easiest Meal Ever - Tortilla Crusted Tilapia with Quinoa & Brown Rice

{Edited to add 4/8/2013 - For those of you who got to this post by searching: Can I microwave High Liner Tortilla Crusted Tilapia?: The box says that microwave cooking is not recommended.}

Like seafood? Want an easy meal but still want to eat healthy? This is me in a nutshell! Cooking is not something that I do for fun. I do not sit around and watch the Food Network during my free time or spend hours sifting through cookbooks as a hobby. Some women do love to cook. They do watch the Food Network on purpose. And that's ok. That's just not me. 

This meal is not the cheapest meal to make, but it is cheaper than eating out or even fast food, which is probably what we would do if I didn't have this easy, healthy meal to fall back on. I personally make this meal about once a week!

I get everything I need for this meal at Costco, but the products may be available other places also.

First, start with a box of High Liner tilapia. My personal favorite is Tortilla Crusted Tilapia, but Roasted Lemon Pepper is very good, too. One box from Costco will last us several dinners.

Next, follow the cooking directions on the box for whatever style tilapia you chose. (For Tortilla Crusted Tilapia, it's 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes; for the Roasted Lemon Pepper Tilapia, it's 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.)

Next, when the fish is almost done, take a package of Seeds of Change certified organic Quinoa & Brown Rice with garlic. 

Use your hands to massage the package a bit to separate the rice before opening. Then, tear off the top section and put in the microwave (standing up), for 90 seconds. Yup, that's it. Rice is done. (One package feeds my family of 4.)

Serve with a salad or other vegetable. This meal is sooooo good, and extremely healthy. The rice has zero added ingredients or preservatives, which is great. 

Voila! Dinner is served.