Bell Pepper, Spinach & Ham Quiche

Found this one on the internet somewhere but I've tweaked it, so saving here to remember how I did it in the future.

Ingredients:
Pillsbury crust (the kind you unroll and put in a pie plate, or make your own)
4 Eggs
Diced ham (Eyeball the amount. I used what I had on hand, thin-sliced smoked lunch meat ham & diced it up)
3 oz Cream Cheese
1/3 C Half&Half
1/2 C grated Cheddar
1/4 C grated Parmesan
Handful of fresh spinach chopped up
Diced Bell Peppers & Onions (Shortcut: buy the premade version of this in the freezer section)
S &P, Garlic-salt, to taste

Directions:
1. Begin by either making a pie crust or placing the Pillsbury one in a pie plate.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3. In a large bowl beat the cream cheese until soft (may microwave for 20 seconds or so on 50% power to soften it up quickly). Add in the Half&Half and the Eggs--whisk it up. Salt & Pepper to taste.  Add grated cheeses and mix well.
4. In a small skillet sprayed with Pam, saute the diced ham and the bell pepper/onion mixture and toss in some cut-up fresh spinach. Saute just until soft (a minute or two) add s&p and garlic-salt to taste.
5. Stir the veggie mixture into your egg mixture and mix well to combine the two.
6. Pour into your pie crust and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. If the crust is cooking too quickly place a little foil around the rim of the crust and finish baking. Mixture should be "firm" when it's done baking, not jiggly at all.
7. After you take it out of the oven sprinkle it with a tiny bit more grated Parmesan.
8. Allow it to cool just a little--Enjoy!

The Big Frittata

I have recently discovered the joy of cooking a Frittata! It's easier than an omelette and it's great for breakfast or dinner.
Here is a generic recipe for it--it could be easily changed adding or omitting any ingredients that you prefer.

Ingredients:
2 TBS olive oil
Filling ingredients (I use mushrooms, onion, bell pepper or anything I have on hand)
Salt & Pepper
1 medium garlic clove, minced
8 large eggs*
grated cheese optional (Parmesan, or cheddar or whatever you prefer--eyeball it for the amt)

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
2. Saute your filling ingredients in an ovenproof nonstick skillet (i.e. cast iron). Saute over med-high heat, season them w/s&p, etc. add garlic and cook to blend flavors.
3. Meanwhile, in another bowl, lightly beat the eggs, optional cheese & herbs of your choice, etc.
4. Shake the skillet to evenly distribute the filling ingredients, then add the eggs. Without stirring, cook until they start to set around the edges, about 1 minute. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the eggs are puffed and set, 10-12 minutes. Slide or invert onto a large plate, cut into wedges and serve.

Enjoy!

* You could make an even bigger Frittata using 12 large eggs...(I don't add milk or anything else to my eggs--other than the cheese).

Baja Bites

Bonki had asked me for this breakfast casserole recipe. They are super easy and a little different. I made them for Whitney's shower back in March.

Baja Bites

5 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup grated colby cheese
4 oz can chopped green chilis
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese

In large bowl, beat eggs and add other ingredients. Pour into greased 8" square pan. Bake 30-40 minutes in 350 oven until firm in the center and slightly brown. Cool and cut into 1" squares for a bite-size (no fork needed) appetizer. This recipe easily doubles and then make it in a jelly roll pan.

Homemade Egg McMuffin?!

This is a fast, easy breakfast item that I make for Trent before he leaves for work sometimes.
I guess you could call it a homemade Egg McMuffin of sorts?? I can't remember where I learned this trick, but microwaving an egg in the bottom of a coffee mug makes it set where it is easy to put on toast or whatever. Anyway, it's so easy I've never had a recipe, so I hope my instructions make sense.

Ingredients:
1 egg
a little milk
salt/pepper
1 piece bread (or bagel or english muffin)
cheese-sliced or shredded
tabasco sauce or hot sauce--optional

Steps:
1. crack an egg open into a coffee mug--add in a splash of milk (not too much or the egg will be runny)
2. use a fork or a small whisk and stir it up
3. add a little salt/pepper
4. microwave the egg in the mug for approximately 2 min. (may vary)--I always microwave it on level 5--not on full power; this keeps the egg from splattering
5. while microwaving the egg, toast the bread, bagel or Eng. muffin
6. When it looks like the egg has been set, dump it out on top of the toast, add a little cheese or hot sauce, etc.