2006: An easy way to please a crowd: Ziplock Omelets, Arsene Burton

Egg photo by Mike McDade, Mary Lou Montgomery's cousin-in-law

Hannibal Courier-Post, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2006

Author: Mary Lou Montgomery , Of the Courier-Post

Arsene Burton is one of Hannibal's ultimate hostesses. When she invited me to breakfast on Monday, I knew I was in for a treat. By the time I arrived at her house to meet with the F.A.C.T. advisory board and its new coordinator - Sherry Lunneborg - Arsene had preparations well under way for a unique meal. The island in her kitchen was laden with ingredients to make individual omelets - chopped ham, bacon, tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms and more. She had a basket of fresh eggs - both brown and white - plus cream and margarine. Each person - as they arrived at her home - received instructions for making their own omelet in a Ziplock bag. I was clumsy when cracking my eggs into the plastic bag, and I was a little messy when squishing the ingredients together. But ultimately, my inexperience at omelet making didn't matter, because even I couldn't mess up this meal. It was delicious! Arsene shared the omelet recipe, plus the recipe for the coffee cake she served. Add coffee and juice, and you have a breakfast suitable for any gathering. Ziplock Omelet Arsene Burton This works great. It is good for when all your family is together. The best part is that no one has to wait for their special omelet. Have guests write their name with a permanent marker on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag. Crack 2 eggs (large or extra large) into the bag (not more than 2.) Shake to combine them. Put out a variety of ingredients such as: Cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc. Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up. Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes. You can usually cook 6 to 8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water. Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed. These are nice to serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake; everyone gets involved in the process and it is a great conversation piece.

David Hill, left, and Arsene Burton prepare omlets in this 2006 Hannibal Courier-Post photo by Amanda Stratford.