It’s like a magic trick! Friends of mine go camping several times a year and they talk about these omelettes they make in a bag. In a bag? Surely not a paper bag….I know Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts do it, I think even firemen do it, but I have never done it! Until now…..and it was so cool! I know, what stock pot have I been under, right?
I don’t know exactly why but the anticipation of making these omelettes in a bag, on our upcoming camping trip to Twin Lakes, really had me going! Guess I have been outdoor cooking deprived for too many years. When we were kids, my family used to go camping a lot and I loved to cook over the camp stove with my Mom. Somehow this never made it to our menu. And I was a Girl Scout too! What happened?
When we rolled into our camping site I realized how hungry I was. As luck would have it, part of our group had been there for a day already and breakfast was well under way. I do have great timing! And it was the long anticipated Omelettes in a Bag! Woo Hoo!
Simple really, but still very slick in the whole concept. You can add anything you want to them which is part of the fun. Unleashing your creativity through cooking is why I find cooking so satisfying. If you add high water content items like zucchini, onions, tomatoes, spinach or mushrooms, saute them first to release the water and add a bit of caramelization to them for extra flavor. Place all your toppings in dishes and then everyone can customize their own omelettes. No complaints to the chef here!
The occasions are limitless and so are the flavor profiles! It’s not just for camping. Christmas morning breakfast, a family reunion and kid’s sleepover parties are just a few ideas for having fun in a group. As far as flavors go, you are only limited by your imagination. Pizza! – Mozzarella, tomato and pepperoni or salami. Veggie Lover – Spinach, mushroom, broccoli and smoked Gouda. Le Cordon Bleu – Ham, Swiss cheese and sliced chicken. Tex-Mex – Spicy pulled pork, jack cheese and cilantro. Are your creative juices flowing yet?
Leslie, our expert bag omelette person, jumped in to show me how it was done. We start off with a round of “Name Your Bag”. You want to be able to reclaim your perfect creation!
Next you get your friend to hold your bag while you crack your eggs, add your milk and ingredients of your choice. We kept it simple with cheese, ham and bacon. Pork fat rules!
Now it’s time to give them a good smooshing. Gently squeeze and squish the eggs to mash and mix completely. These are going to be very happy eggs after this nice massage.
Everybody into the hot tub for a good soak! DON’T crowd the pot! Happy eggs like the luxury of room to wiggle around. 6-8 bags maximum in the pot at one time, depending on the size of your pot, of course. I’ll have to check with a fireman for the local fire code on maximum room capacity…..
Once you are an expert, you can judge if they are done pretty easily. But for me, I wanted to give them a little squeeze to check for firmness, just to be sure. And they liked it! There is something kind of “mad scientist” like about stirring the boiling pot!
Slide your beautiful omelette onto your plate and gaze at the utter perfection of your creation!
Omelette in a bag is now omelette out of a bag! Once a sloppy mess in a bag, it is now transformed into a yummy work of art. I must be delirious from hunger…but it sure looks good and I had a blast making it! Life’s simple pleasures are the best!
Top with some of your favorite things like more cheese, oh yeah, and salsa! Add a side of Mama’s banana bread and wash it down with a fruity adult morning beverage and you have a gourmet meal in the great outdoors! Did I mention clean-up is a breeze?
Caution!! Operator Error can occur! In your haste to get the eggs in the pot, don’t forget to make sure your bag is totally sealed! A little leakage and it will all work out, but massive leakage is a serious hazard and requires a do over! Thankfully no redo was necessary! Let’s eat!
- 2 large eggs
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 3-4 tablespoons shredded cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top of cooked omelette
- 1/4 cup cooked Ham and Bacon
- Zucchini, spinach, tomato, mushrooms, green onions – anything your heart desires just don’t overfill the bag!
- Salsa
- Bring a very large pot of water to a boil.
- Write your name on the outside of a heavy-duty quart-size freezer bag with a permanent marker. You want to be able to reclaim your perfect creation!
- Have a friend hold your bag, crack the eggs into the bag and add a splash of milk. Doing this together is part of the fun! Press out all of the air and seal the bag firmly. Squeeze and squish the eggs to mash and mix completely. It should look like whisked eggs.
- Open the bag, add the ham, bacon and cheese and whatever other goodies you choose for your signature omelette. Squeeze out as much of the air as you possibly can and reseal the bag.
- Place up to 8 bags, zipper side up, at a time into the boiling water. DON’T crowd the pot or you will have plastic bags stuck to the pot and that’s not part of the fun!
- Cook for about 12-15 minutes depending on the amount of eggs (2-3 egg omelette) and the altitude. (add 1-2 minutes per additional egg if people want larger omelettes). The best gauge to tell if the omelette is done is to pull the bag out and give it a light squeeze to see if it is firm enough. Be careful, it is HOT!
- Open the bag and let the omelet roll out onto a plate. The omelet should roll out easily.
- Caution!! Operator Error can occur! In your haste to get the eggs in the pot, don't forget to make sure your bag is totally sealed! A little leakage and it will all work out, but massive leakage is a serious hazard and requires a do over!
Oooh La La, we are going camping this weekend (All 8 of us, that includes Aldo). I am going to try this, for sure! The idea of not having to clean a pan with egg in it is sooooo intriguing 🙂
Donna – The kids will get a kick out of it, even the big kids! It’s fun, tastes great and no real clean up 🙂 Let me know how it goes. Have fun!