Egg salad with Greek yogurt

As I know I've mentioned more than once, I cannot eat mayonnaise.  I've often substituted plain yogurt in dishes like Egg Salad, but it's never been particularly satisfying.  Until Greek yogurt became so prevalent.  I used Chobani plain yogurt, but it's up to you what brand you like best.

Egg Salad

Hard boiled eggs
Plain Greek yogurt
Coarse brown mustard
Capers
Salt and pepper

I served it over dark greens with slices of avocado and quartered artichoke hearts.

Frittata with salmon two ways

Fresh magazine from Hannaford came up with another spring or summer winner...a fabulous frittata that uses both fresh and smoked salmon.  The flavor is amazing, and it's super simple to make!

Springtime vegetable tart

Another winner from Hannaford's Fresh magazine.  I made several changes, including using a large tortilla for the shell instead of pie crust.  I've been doing that more and more lately, trying to avoid the heaviness of pastry for dinner!  If I made it for company, I'd probably make my regular pie crust instead of using the tortilla.  Either way, I wouldn't be using a store-bought pastry like the one they suggest, sorry.

Happy Pi Day: Broccoli quiche

Here's a really simple, basic, but delicious recipe for broccoli quiche.  Yeah, I know...Martha Stewart and Paula Dean make it better, and with way more calories.  But sometimes you just want a nice simple, basic meal.  Sometimes.

No Extra Fuss Broccoli Quiche

Dough for a single pie crust (leave out the sugar)

1-1/2 to 2 c chopped fresh broccoli
1/2 onion, chopped
Olive oil
4 eggs
2 c milk
Salt and pepper
1 t dried mustard
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c grated Swiss cheese

Make the pie crust and roll it out to fit a deep pie pan.

Microwave or steam the broccoli until just tender.  In a skillet, saute the onion and broccoli.  In a large glass measuring cup, mix the eggs, milk, and spices.  Arrange the vegetable mix and the cheese in the pie pan and pour in the egg mixture.  Bake for 15 minutes at 450.  Lower oven temperature to 350 and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes more, until a knife comes out clean. 

Spinach salad

No recipe really needed!  Fresh baby spinach, tomatoes, basil, hard cooked eggs, creamy dressing...dinner!

Potato and feta frittata

Here is a slight variation on our usual frittata.  Instead of using ricotta cheese along with the eggs, I used half-&-half to give it a lighter texture since the potatoes are going to beef it up a bit.  The stars of the show are thinly sliced potatoes and feta cheese.

Potato and Feta Frittata

Olive oil
2 - 3 extra small Yukon Gold potatoes
8 - 10 eggs
1/2 c half-&-half
8 scallions, 6 chopped, plus 2 more set aside for garnish
2 t fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper
1/2 c (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese



Set the oven to 375. Heat a large cast iron skillet and saute the potato slices in olive oil. Mix the eggs and the rest of the ingredients except for the cheese in a mixing bowl. When the potatoes are browned, spread them out well in the bottom of the skillet.  Pour the egg mix in to cook for about a minute. Place it in the over for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the center is set.  Sprinkle of the feta and and melt under the broiler.  Top with reserved scallions.

Mushroom strata

I posted a recipe for my favorite Spinach Strata quite awhile ago, but I recently ran across a new blend that I think I might like even more.  This one is lighter on the cheese and heavier on the eggs, so it really depends upon your taste.  Maybe, like me, you'll love them both :-)

Check out the Country Breakfast Strata on the Hannaford website.  I made a half-sized version of it, and it came out just fine...when everyone's at home next time, I'll make this honking big version for them!  make sure you cook the mushrooms long enough for them to give up most of their liquid, otherwise it takes extra time for the strata to firm up properly.  

Frittata with fresh baby spinach

We had a Frittata for dinner last week, using my tried and true recipe.  But...as I was sauteing the leeks, I decided to throw in several handsful of fresh baby spinach.  I let it just barely wilt before adding the egg mixture to the cast iron pan.

I like my cast iron best for this dish, since I don't have to worry at all about it being oven-safe :-)

Matzo brei for Hanukkah or for Christmas eve!

Oh how I love a heaping plateful of this savory goodness! This is one of my ultimate comfort foods, because I love the saltiness (helped by additional salt added at the table), the warmth, and the creamy deliciousness. Please, do not substitute olive or vegetable oil for the cooking butter!

I don’t care which holiday you’re celebrating or getting ready to celebrate: this is a great main dish to serve on a night when you’ve had no time for preparation. Everyone has just walked in the door and everyone is starving! Set the kids up making toast for everyone and getting out the jams and jellies, and you can have this on the table in under thirty minutes, easy!

Matzo Brei

Butter
1 onion, chopped

3 c crumbled matzos, or matzo farfelle
Boiling water to cover

6 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt
1/2 c buttermilk or plain milk with a t of white vinegar

In a large heavy skillet, saute the onions in butter until tender. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, cover the matzo with just enough boiling water to barely cover. In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly with the salt and buttermilk. Add the onions as soon as they’re ready. Mix in the softened matzo.

Add more butter to the skillet and cook the matzo brei until it is no longer runny. Don’t brown the mixture.

Some comfort food classics...no recipes needed!

Corned Beef Hash with Eggs

Open-Faced Melted Cheese Sandwich

Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Tomato Soup

Spinach strata (OAMC)

One of my very favorite egg and cheese dishes is any type of Strata. This one is delicious, with the addition of (preferably fresh) spinach. Using ricotta cheese instead of milk makes a heavier dish, but it also cooks up a lot faster and doesn’t have to be refrigerated overnight before baking like some recipes call for.

This strata can be made ahead of time and re-heated, or served fresh. It makes a terrific OAMC recipe and freezes well. It takes about an hour to make.



Spinach Strata

1/2 lb chopped spinach
Small onion, chopped
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
1/2 t basil

1 lb ricotta cheese
1 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3 eggs
3 T flour
Nutmeg

Slices of bread, preferably whole wheat herb bread, enough to cover the bottom of a pie pan or small baking pan.

Sour cream, optional

Saute the spinach and onion in olive oil, seasoning with salt, pepper, and basil to taste. Mix it together with the cheeses through the nutmeg, and spread it over top of the bread slices in the baking pan. For an extra special strata, spread sour cream on top of the strata. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

To serve after freezing, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, and heat for 10 - 15 minutes at 375.

Spinach loaf

This fabulous concoction can be a main dish for a meatless meal (just add some toast), or it can be a side dish for a time when you want something pretty to serve. It takes 35 to 40 minutes to cook, not counting prep time, so plan to have it when you've got enough time for a 60 minute meal. It's worth it!

Spinach Loaf

Enough fresh spinach to fill a 2 quart pot or 2 c frozen chopped spinach

2 T butter
3 T flour
1 c milk

2 eggs
Salt
1 c cheddar cheese, grated

Lightly steam the spinach or microwave it if it's fresh, just long enough to wilt. Make a white sauce with the butter, flour, and milk. Let cool slightly and beat in 2 eggs and some salt. Place the spinach in an uncovered greased casserole dish and sprinkle on the grated cheese. Pour the white sauce overtop. Bake 35 to 40 minutes at 375 until knife comes out clean.

Salmon and hard-boiled egg panini

We’ve talked about panini before…those wonderful grilled sandwiches that are all over the place in Italy. These can be made ahead and heated up later, and are a great way to use up leftovers. Here’s a combination that I really enjoy!

Salmon and Hard-Boiled Egg Panini

Good sandwich bread, like long baguettes or round Italian rolls, cut in half
Melted butter with smashed garlic and salt
Fresh dill
Capers
Hard-boiled eggs, one per sandwich
Thin slices of leftover cooked salmon

Brush each half of the roll with melted garlic butter. Layer on the dill, capers, eggs, and salmon, and close up the sandwich. Press down hard and wrap in foil. Place either on the grill or in a 350 oven, and heat for about 10 to 12 minutes.

Image: Stock.xchng

Savory frittata

I just love frittatas! So much less fussy than souffles and better able to fill you up! If you simply add decent quality toast (for breakfast) or side salad (for dinner), you’ve got a really great meal in under thirty minutes!


Savory Frittata

Olive oil
Leek, sliced thin

8 eggs
1-1/4 c ricotta cheese
1/3 c green olives with pimento, chopped
1/4 c pine nuts
1 t salt
1 t thyme
1 t rosemary

Set the oven to 400. Heat a large cast iron skillet and saute the leek slices in olive oil. Mix the eggs and the rest of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. When the leeks are soft, add them to the mixing bowl, stirring all together. Add a bit more oil to the still hot skillet if needed, and pour the mix in to cook for about a minute. Place it in the over for about 20 minutes, until the center is set. Turn on the broiler, and brown the top for 2 to 3 minutes.