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Silly Supper Ideas - Eggs

Welcome to the latest installment in our Silly Suppers Series. What’s a silly supper?

Silly Supper = What to make for dinner when you don’t have any food in the house!

Today we’re going to get silly with eggs.

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Eggs had a bad rap for a while there, but these days most nutritionists agree that eggs are a healthy source of protein. That means they’ll fill bellies up nicely. And they are relatively cheap, when compared to other animal protein sources. And we usually have at least a few of them hanging around the house.

I must admit, I got this silly supper idea from my childhood. My father used to make what he called “kitchen sink omelets.” But mine are much tastier.

So, did you know you can mix just about anything with eggs? Don’t tell your significant other that you just plan to throw a bunch of random stuff in the pan, but do just that.

Basically, you’re going to make scrambled eggs and throw other stuff in for fun.

Here are some combinations that have made me famous around my house:

  • Eggs, frozen spinach, and bacon bits.  
  • Eggs, leftover French fries, and cheddar cheese.
  • Eggs, canned salmon, and swiss cheese.
  • Eggs and salsa. (I topped with sour cream.)
  • Eggs, corned beef, onions, and cheese.
  • Eggs, minced garlic, pine nuts, and basil.
  • Eggs, potato puffs, mushrooms, and cream cheese.

As you can see, the possibilities are pretty close to endless. I find that certain spices work really well with eggs. My favorites include rosemary, garlic, basil, cumin, and red pepper flakes (not all at the same time though).

So remember, this is a silly supper, but you don’t have to tell them that. To them this is a well-planned gourmet adventure. 

For more ideas for egg recipes, you can always check Say Mmm.

Posted by Robin

Android Recipes App

We recently created an Android Recipe Clipper app that makes saving recipes right from your phone super simple, and you can now you can see all your recipes within the app.

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The new recipe list feature will sync all your Say Mmm recipes to your Android phone, so you can view and manage your recipes even faster.  It’s also great for any times your mobile Internet connection is slow.

The recipe list area of the app lets you scroll through all your recipes in alphabetical order and includes thumbnails of images you have in the recipes. You can easily search for a specific recipe or sort them by any categories you have in your Say Mmm account.

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If you want to edit a recipe there is a link to the Say Mmm site for editing, and you can sync  any updates you make to the app. Whenever you add, remove, or update recipes on the Say Mmm site you can also update these to your phone.

For iPhone users, check out our iPhone recipe clipper and iPad recipe clipper bookmarklets for saving recipes.  We don’t have an app yet for iOS.

Happy New Year! 2014 Cook’s New Year’s Resolutions

When I look back at last year’s resolutions, I realize that I only accomplished two of them. (You guess which two.)

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So this year, I’m going to make my resolutions a little more realistic:

  1. I will spend less time pinning recipes and more time actually using them.
  2. I will include a vegetable with every single meal. Potatoes don’t count. Neither does ketchup, even when we use it on the potatoes.
  3. I will use fewer box mixes.
  4. I will stop lying to people. Yes, it’s from a box.
  5. I will clean the juicer. Well, first, I will figure out how to clean the juicer. Then I will clean it. Then maybe next year, I’ll figure out how to put it back together.
  6. I will figure out how to consume chia seeds.
  7. I will find the missing ½ cup measuring cup and stop using the ¼ cup twice every time.
  8. I will take a cooking class. (Or at least watch a cooking show.)
  9. I will try a new recipe at least once a month. (A different one each month.)
  10. I will shop at the farmer’s market as much as possible. And I won’t complain about the prices.

Posted by Robin

Share recipes the easy way

Tis the season to be jolly…and to eat a lot of great food. 

In time for the holidays, we have updated some of the Say Mmm sharing features to make it even easier to share recipes with family and friends.

One of the biggest improvements is that your Say Mmm profile page is now optimized to look good on a computer, iPad, Android tablet, or mobile phone.  The page will automatically adjust to best fit the size of the screen. People that are friends with you on Say Mmm can share recipes from the Friends area, and you can make it simple for anyone to view your recipes (even if they are not a Say Mmm user) by setting your profile to “Public” and sending them the URL to your profile. Your profile URL will look like: www.saymmm.com/mmm/yourusername

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In addition to being able to search for recipes and sort them by course and cuisine, there is a new feature that will show a visual view of your recipes. When you click on the camera icon, you will see photos of any recipe that has an image attached (recipes without images will only show on the text view).

Share and be merry! Happy Holidays!

Holiday Entertaining (without Losing Your Mind)

I’m an introvert. But I’m also a wife, mother, and a generally nice person, so I’m expected to open my home to people. Especially in December. By March, I can get away with hibernating in solitude, but for now, I am expected to entertain. So over the years, I’ve figured out a few simple ways to make it a little less taxing.

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#1. Delegate. Most of us have people we can ask for help. Children. Partners. Siblings. Parents. For some of us, the hard part is the asking. For others, the hard part is the letting go of control. But the thing is, if you ask someone for help, usually that someone is flattered. And if you let that person help, even if he or she does not do the bang-up job that you yourself would do, he or she will still probably do okay. It’s not like someone is going to complain that you allowed someone else to make the punch.

#2. Clean the day before. It took me far too long to learn this simple stress-reducing trick. No matter how much I clean, I still find myself cleaning some more five minutes before guests are expected to show up at my door. But I can at least get the big tasks done in advance, like 24 hours in advance. Then I tell the kids. Do. Not. Touch. Anything.

#3. Potluck. I know that potluck isn’t exactly high society, but most people love it. It’s a win-win. You are assured that you don’t have to provide all the food. Your guests are assured that there will be at least one thing at the party that they can eat. Even if your gathering isn’t for a complete meal, you can still ask people to bring snacks and beverages.

#4. Encourage finger foods. Whether your guests or you are doing the cooking, encourage finger foods. These use fewer dishes and are easier for the guests!

#5. Cook in advance. Break out the slow cooker if you have to. Choose foods that you can make in advance so you don’t have to worry about food burning in those final moments when you suddenly remember you need to wash the shower curtain. Say Mmm has a lot of recipe ideas if you need inspiration.

#6. Create a kid-zone. Then put the kids in it! Have a designated area that is unbreakable, or at least, less breakable than the rest of your house. Then you won’t be stressed out when someone else’s child is pouring juice on your carpet or chewing on your string of lights. I’ve also taken to hiring one older child to be in charge of the children for the course of the event. Saves me a lot of anxiety.

#7. Try to have fun. It’s hard to have fun at our own events, especially us introverts. But try anyway. Take a deep breath and try to enjoy the season!

Posted by Robin

Clever Candy Cane Uses

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I don’t know about your house, but every year at this time, our house fills up with candy canes. People buy them for us by the box and everyone seems to be handing them out whenever my kids leave the house.

Now, it’s not that I’m not a fan of candy canes, but I don’t necessarily want my kids winding them right into their mouths for the entire month of December. So, we’ve found a few uses for them.

Cupcake Toppers

My holiday cupcake of choice is a chocolate cupcake with a buttercream frosting. I add a splash of peppermint flavor to my frosting and then stick a small candy cane into the top of the frosting. Then, I work hard to give these cupcakes away!

Hot Candy Cane Cocoa

I drop a candy cane into each steaming mug of cocoa. Not only does it give the cocoa a peppermint twist, but my kids like to stir the cocoa and lick the chocolate off the candy cane. (Okay, so I admit it—I kind of enjoy this part too.)

A friend of mine gets even fancier by making candy cane whipped cream. She crushes up candy canes in her blender and then adds the powdered candy cane to the heavy cream in her stand mixer. Then she tops her hot chocolate with a delicious dollop of whipped peppermint cream!

Candy Cane Brownies

I can’t be alone in thinking that chocolate and peppermint make a great couple, can I? I crush up two candy canes and add them to my chocolate brownie mix for a delicious (and a little sticky) holiday brownie. Add some white and red frosting stripes for extra holiday flair.

Candy Cane Oreos

I’ve seen this done a couple of different ways, but I’m usually in a hurry. So, I melt some chocolate chips in the microwave. As they’re melting, I crush up a few candy canes. Then, I dip the Oreos in the chocolate, and then in the candy cane pieces. Simple, but these little fellas get me lots of compliments!

For more ideas, check out candy cane recipes on Say Mmm.

Posted by Robin

Don’t care for Turkey? Try these Thanksgiving sides

I have a Thanksgiving Day confession: I don’t really care for turkey. Therefore, I have perfected the Thanksgiving side dish. (You’re welcome.)

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And because I’m kind of a lazy cook—okay, we’ll call it harried—these recipes are quick and easy. (You’re welcome again.)

Pineapple Salad (Don’t worry—it’s nowhere near as healthy as it sounds.)

This one is handy for Thanksgiving, as it’s supposed to be served cold, so you can make it the night before, not during crunch time.

  • 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 4 eggs
  • 5 slices of breadBeat eggs.

Add softened butter and beat some more. Add pineapple—juice and all. Mix together. Tear up five pieces of bread and add. (You may want to remove crusts to make dish more consistent, but I don’t.) Pour into greased 9 x 9 dish and bake at 350 for 1 hour. It’s meant to be served cold, but I’ve served it hot and no one complained. 

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

I also make this one the night before.

  • 1 12 oz. bag cranberries
  • 1 cup cranberry juice
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 cup real maple syrup (Use more for a sweeter sauce, less for tarter sauce [not tartar sauce hee-hee].)

Place all ingredients in saucepan and bring to boil. Then turn heat down and simmer and stir occasionally for about 10 minutes. Serve cold.

Corn Pudding

  • 5 eggs
  • 1 stick butter
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup milk
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 can of corn
  • 2 cans of creamed corn

Beat eggs. Add softened butter and beat some more. Stir in cornstarch, sugar, and milk. Add corn. Pour into greased casserole dish. Bake at 400 for 1 hour. Serve hot and delicious!

Posted by Robin

Happy Halloween! A Great Excuse to Save Recipes with the New Say Mmm App!

My favorite part of Halloween is certainly the cool foods. Wait … I’m pretty sure I can say that about all the holidays … but it’s especially true about Halloween: pumpkin pies, apple ciders, gobs and gobs of candy, and of course, the zombie cupcakes. What could be more fun?

And it always seems like the season is too short to bake/cook all the ideas I have.

This is why I’ve been using the Say Mmm Recipe Clipper android app a lot lately. It’s completely free and is a small, quick download that doesn’t require any suspicious permissions. No matter what site your phone is on, you can easily save ideas to your own Say Mmm account.

It’s super fun. I promise.

For example? Those Walking Dead Zombie cupcakes from Sweetest Kitchen? Yeah, I clipped those to my Say Mmm recipe list! With a few simple clicks, her photo, ingredients list, and link are saved to my Say Mmm account. So, in a few days when I get all distracted by someone’s Haven cupcakes, I can remember that I already have a plan!

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And if you love the app, don’t forget there’s also a recipe clipper you can use on your computer.

Posted by Robin

Say Mmm Recipe Clipper App for Android

Ever search for or view online recipes from your phone? You are not alone. More and more time is being spent on mobile phones, and finding new recipes is one of the more popular activities people do from their phones.

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We recently added recipe clipper bookmarklets for iOS and Android phones and tablets, and we are happy to announce a new Recipe Clipper App for Android that you can download from the Google Play Store. The new app works similarly to the Android bookmarklet, and makes saving and organizing recipes even easier through deeper integration with built in Android features.

Here is how you can clip recipes you find on Google or any mobile website with a few easy steps:

1. Click on the settings icon in your mobile browser and select “Share”

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2. Select the Say Mmm “Add recipe” button

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3. Check and Save the Recipe that appears in the Say Mmm mobile site

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That’s all there is to it, and Say Mmm can usually automatically save the recipe name, image, and grocery list along with the link.

The Say Mmm Recipe Clipper App works with the Say Mmm mobile site (http://m.saymmm.com), where you can see all the recipes you save as well as plan meals, create grocery lists, and more. So sign up for a free Say Mmm account if you don’t have one already.

Posted by Brian

5 Ways to Make Popcorn More Exciting

When I was a youngster at the movie theaters (this was before it cost $9.50 to go to the movies), I used to buy both popcorn and Sno-Caps (this was before a box of Sno-Caps cost $12). Then I would proudly pour my Sno-Caps into my hot, buttery popcorn as if this were a gourmet undertaking. I did this on my first date with my husband. He was less than impressed. He still married me.

Anyway, as a wife and mom, I no longer have the time or funds to go to the movies, but the passion for popcorn never left me. And one night, sans Sno-Caps, I decided to see what happened when one dumped chocolate chips into hot, buttery popcorn. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has ever thought of this, but I doubt anyone has been more excited with their findings.

To complicate matters, my kids claim they don’t like popcorn. I refuse to accept this because 1) popcorn is awesome, 2) popcorn is moderately healthy, and most importantly 3) popcorn is cheap.

So I have been snazzing up the popcorn lately and forcing them to eat it. Here are some of my methods. Warning: some of these tricks make popcorn significantly less healthy.

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Chocolaty Buttery Popcorn: The aforementioned. Worth mentioning again. I pop the corn in oil in my Whirley-Pop. Then drench it in butter. Then dump semisweet chocolate chips in. Give her a shake or a stir and voila! I don’t recommend letting kids eat this in the dark. You’ll find chocolate everywhere in the morning.

Chocolate Cherry Popcorn: For those of us who like a little food stuck in our teeth. I discovered this twist on the above take while in Michigan, where the cherries are plentiful. Follow the directions above, only use less butter, and then add dried cherries. You’ll thank me later.

Healthy Popcorn: When I start to feel guilty about popcorn nutrition, I whip out the nutritional yeast. The cool thing is, my kids don’t even really notice that this is healthy. I pop the popcorn as usual, go light on the butter, and then dump a handful of nutritional yeast. Give it a shake or stir to evenly distribute.

Coconut Popcorn: Replace the oil you normally use with coconut oil (unless of course you normally pop with coconut oil, in which case, carry on). When popcorn is done, add sweetened coconut flakes.

Maple Popcorn: Pop as usual. Then top with butter. Then, top with real maple syrup. Go easy—you won’t need much. Shake or stir to evenly distribute. This is an unbelievably sweet and gooey delicious mess.

Happy popping and be sure to let us know your favorite way to snazz up the popcorn. 

Posted by Robin