Keep It Simple Foods » Eggs

Jalapeno Deviled Eggs

Jennifer — Sat, 29 May 2010 22:54:11 +0000

I brought these eggs to a friend’s party several weeks ago. She’s a sucker for deviled eggs and I thought they would make a nice surprise. I opted for this somewhat spicey recipe over more traditional (and somewhat bland) recipes. I think they turned out nicely.

Ingredients:
one dozen eggs (I used local Maryland farm eggs found at the nearest Whole Foods)
1/4 cup good mayo
2 tblsps dijon mustard
diced pickled jalapenos
splash jalapeno juice (from the jar)
salt and pepper (to taste)
paprika (optional)

Directions: Hard boil eggs. Once cooled- shell, chop in half, and empty yellow cooked yolks into a mixing bowl. Add mayo and dijon mustard and combine. Chop pickled jalapenos (substitute for relish or pickles) and add. Use as many as you are comfortable with. Add enough jalapeno juice to make the mixture creamy, but not too hot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once all the ingredients are combined, pipe the mixture into the egg halves. Sprinkle with paprika to finish. Chill before serving.

Real Eggs

Jennifer — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:52:23 +0000

Sadly, few of us know what real farm fresh eggs actually look and taste like. We typically see perfectly uniform white or brown eggs in grocery stores. So, I thought I’d share a picture of farm fresh eggs from my boyfriend’s family farm. As you can see, the eggs vary in size, shape and color. What they don’t vary in is taste. These eggs crush the flavor competition. They cook up creamier and lighter than anything I’ve found in the grocery store. These are truly free range, cage free, naturally fed, healthy chicks and it shows. The proof is in the yolk. Check your local farmer’s market to find comparable eggs.

Simple Sustenance- Frittata sandwiches

Jessica — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:57:49 +0000

If you’ve been following our blog, you will see that I love making omelettes, frittatas, and basically anything with eggs! They are cheap, versatile, and protein-packed!

When I was traveling in Italy, my favorite thing to grab and eat on the go were grilled panini sandwiches with fresh mozzerella and soft eggs. I wanted to try to recreate this sandwich with a grilled baguette and a veggie filled frittata. It’s easy to make and perfect for our weekly Simple Sustenance (simple meals, less than $5 per serving). You can see the calculations below, and you can also eliminate or add other veggies or cheeses as you wish (manchego, a sheeps milk cheese, is more expensive than a regular cheddar or mozzerella). This makes 4 large sandwiches and is about $3 per each large sandwich (my fiance and I both had leftovers for lunch the next day). Bellissimo!

Frittata Sandwiches
7 eggs, whisked with 2 tablespoons of light cream and a little salt
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/4 teaspoon of herbs de provence
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cups of swiss chard, rinsed or blanched (5 minutes in soft boiling water)
2 small tomatoes, sliced
7 baby potatoes or 1 large potato, sliced in small wedges
1/3 cup of shredded Manchego cheese
1/2 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of canola oil
1 baguette, cut lengthwise (cut into as many sandwiches as you like)

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk eggs with seasonings and cream, set aside. Set butter and oil over medium heat and saute onion over medium heat until translucent. Add potatoes (I boiled mine for a few minutes to get ALMOST fork tender) and saute until potato is cooked through and slightly crispy. Add swiss chard and saute over medium low heat until reduced. Add eggs and arrange sliced tomatoes on top. Sprinkle cheese over top. Put in oven until cooked through- about 7 minutes or pop in broiler for a few minutes until cheese is melty and egg is cooked through.

Slice the frittata and arrange on baguette sandwiches. Enjoy!

Math: Baguette- $3.00
Swiss Chard (bag= $5; used half)- $2.50
Tomatoes – $1.12
Potatoes- $3.50 for bag; about $1.50
Manchego cheese (1/3 cup) (About $7.34 for block; 4 servings per block)- About $2.00
1 onion- $1.49 per bag (7 onions per bag)- $0.21
7 eggs- $3.49 per dozen (organic)- 2.03
seasonings, cream, oil- discretionary

Total = $12.36
Makes 4 servings
$3.09 per each LARGE sandwich!

**Simple Sustenance tip: If you want to reduce the price even more- substitute zucchini, spinach, or broccoli (lower priced veggies) for the swiss chard. It will still be delish!

Egg and Olive

Jennifer — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:29:43 +0000

Egg and olive sandwiches remind me of my childhood. My sister and I ate a lot of them growing up. My father also ate them as a kid and so this particular sandwich is very nostalgic for me-aside from being really tasty.

It’s basically an easy egg salad recipe with olives added to the mix. It may sound like an odd recipe, but trust me, it’s really good. The olives give the salad that briney, vinegary kick, plus tons of flavor from the salt and olive juice. You really don’t need to add much else in terms of seasoning.

Egg and olive salad for 2:
3 hard boiled eggs (chopped)
a handful of olives (finely chopped)
fresh chives (finely chopped)
black pepper
mayonaise or veganaise (1 tblsp or as much as you like)

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and serve with lettuce on toasted wheat bread. Or, use as a dip for crackers and veggies.

Breakfast for Dinner

Jessica — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 01:27:44 +0000

Breakfast is my favorite meal and I love having breakfast for lunch and dinner! I was working late last week and needed a quick and simple dinner. I had some simply potatoes hashbrowns in the fridge- something I rarely get, but it was on sale and I decided to make a frittata!

This makes a LOT of food- its probably best when you have company over. I had a lot left over and used it for lunch over the next few days. Feel free to add some diced tomatoes and other veggies to this recipe- I think spinach would be very good!

1 medium onion, diced
small handful of chives, diced
shredded cheddar cheese, amount a handful
1 package of simply potatoes hashbrowns or 3 potatoes shredded
9 eggs (I know, a LOT)
1 teaspoon of thyme
2 tablespoons of low-fat milk
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Saute bell pepper and onion with a few teaspoons of canola oil over medium heat for a few minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Then add 1 tablespoon of butter and the potatoes and cook according to directions.

As potatoes are cooking, whisk together the eggs, thyme, and milk in a large bowl.

Once potatoes are almost done, add the eggs. Then sprinkle the cheese on top. Put the pan in the oven and cook until eggs are set- about 10 minutes. then enjoy with sprinkled chives on top.

Filling and delicious!

Baked Eggs

Jessica — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:25:41 +0000

When I saw this recipe in one of my newest issues of Cooking Light I knew I had to try it! Although this is not a simple recipe that can be cooked quickly, its great for a special weekend breakfast.

I only made some simple changes to the original recipe. The recipe calls for toasted bread on the bottom of each ramekin. I used some sunflower flax whole wheat bread that I found at my local farmer’s market. I toasted up the bread in a 350 degree oven cut up as croutons and placed them in each ramekin. I used about a tablespoon of shredded parmesan cheese on top of the croutons in each ramekin. Then I sauteed a small onion with some thyme seasoning. I cracked an egg over each ramekin and put 2 teaspoons of half n half over the egg and then baked in a 350 degree oven and cooked for about 15 minutes.

The result was perfection! The egg whites were set and the egg yolk was creamy and rich. I love this recipe because the only oil used is lightly sprayed canola oil on the bottom of the ramekins and a few teaspoons to cook the onion, but it tastes decadent.

Mushroom Onion Quiche

Jessica — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:14:09 +0000

Quiche is an indulgent meal that I rarely have. But, I had the most intense craving for it the other day, and I knew I had to find a way to make it a bit healthier. I found Ellie Krieger’s recipe and it had exactly what I wanted- an oat crust! Although the oat crust is not nearly as buttery and flaky as the real thing, I still enjoyed it and it has a crispness and good flavor to it as well.

The filling was just as good and very simple- feel free to add your own favorite veggies in, but I would focus on just a few otherwise the quiche would not be a quiche anymore! Also, I only used cheddar because that’s what I had on hand, I’m sure it would be delicious with gruyere, parmesan, etc! Further, this is not as “solid” as the real thing. Quiche typically uses a LOT of cream to get that solid, compact egg filling. I tried to go more on the egg side rather than the cream side!

Mushroom Onion Quiche, inspired by Ellie Krieger
6/7 mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 small onion, sliced
1 teaspoon of herbs de provence
1 large handful of cheddar cheese
salt
pepper
5 eggs, beaten lightly
1/2 cup of half n half OR evaporated milk
Oat Crust

Prepare oat crust according to instructions (as per the link). Then, saute onions in about 2 teaspoons of oil over low heat until carmelized or almost (I was too impatient!). Then remove onions and set aside.
Then add mushrooms to the pan and turn the heat up. Saute mushrooms in 1/2 tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of oil, and herbs de provence. Once mushrooms are browned, mix with the onions. Then, in a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly with the half n half.

Then, sprinkle the cheese on the bottom of the oat crust. Then layer with the onions and mushrooms. Then add the eggs and milk.

Put in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until a knife slides through. Enjoy!

Spinach and Veggie Torte

Jessica — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:09:25 +0000

I was SO tired last night that I could barely get myself to even make dinner. But, considering my choices were extremely limited, I decided to muster up whatever energy I had left to make this dish!

Egg dishes are my go-to because they are simple and filling! I was really in the mood for a flaky buttery crust on this, but I decided to go for lightly sauteed potatoes. So, there is a potato “crust” on the bottom with an egg and spinach mixture to spread on top. The torte bakes in the oven for about 35 minutes and gets fluffy with a slightly brown crust on top! It is filling and very economical.

Spinach and Veggie Potato Torte

About 13 baby yukon potatoes sliced thinly (or about 3 potatoes sliced thin)
3 cups of spinach, slightly damp
6 eggs
3/4 cup of cottage cheese (I like Friendship’s Whipped 1%)
1/4 cup of sharp cheddar (cabot of course!)
1 red bell pepper diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup of low-fat milk
2 teaspoons of Adobo Goya seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/8 teaspoon of salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Brush about 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and set over medium high heat. Arrange potatoes on the pan and cook each side until golden brown. Remove the potatoes and arrange in a casserole dish, overlapping so there are no empty spaces.

In the pan, spray with cooking oil and lightly saute onion and bell pepper until tender. Place in a large bowl with eggs, cheese, milk, seasonings, bell pepper and spinach. Mix the ingredients and pour over the potato crust. Sprinkle some whole wheat breadcrumbs on top for an extra crunch!

Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until cooked thoroughly and slightly browned on top!

Hope everyone has a fab hump day!

Simple Frittata

Jessica — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 15:05:59 +0000

Whenever I need to make a filling meal fast- I like to make a frittata. This specific recipe is VERY easy but totally satisfying and a cheap one at that!

To make the dish even faster, cook the broccoli in the microwave with a couple of tablespoons of water, and depending on the amount of broccoli- microwave for 2 minutes or longer.

Veggie Frittata

2 medium potatoes, cut in half and then cut thinly
7 eggs, beaten
1 head of broccoli, chopped (and microwaved)
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 teaspoons of Adobo seasoning with black pepper (found in international foods usually)
1/2 cup mix of sharp cheddar cheese (cabot is my choice) and freshly grated parm
10 small mushrooms, sliced
1/2 medium onion, diced

First, put medium pot of salted water to boil. Add the sliced potatoes and boil only until slightly tender (difficult to put the fork through). Then, drain.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add onions and bell peppers and adobo and cook for several minutes. Then add mushrooms and cook until slightly browned. Then add potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender- about 7 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, preheat oven to about 375. Once potatoes are tender, add in the eggs. I used a lot of eggs b/c my boyfriend was eating with me and we had leftovers the next day.

Leave eggs cooking in pan for two minutes, then top with cheese, and put in the oven until the eggs are solid and cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Keep It Simple Quiche

Jennifer — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 00:41:00 +0000

First of all, let me say that I am soooo proud of myself for actually making quiche at home. I love quiche. I eat it regularly, but I have never actually made it myself. I heard it was easy, but just never got around to trying it. Thanks to inspiration from http://www.bellaeats.com/, a food blog that you should check out immediately, I am now a quiche expert…er…sort of.

I modified the recipe slightly to suit my taste and you should feel free to do the same. This is how I made it.

Ingredients:

frozen pie crust/shell (get whatever kind you like, whole wheat or super fatty, but deep dish is the best. if you can’t find deep dish i recommend using 2 pie crusts and making 2 quiches at once so that you can utilize all ingredients- just feeze the second quiche until you want it.)

6 eggs

splash of milk

tons of veggies (broccoli, roasted red peppers, onion, mushrooms, spinach, you get the idea)

1/3 cup extra sharp cheese (or mix it up and use a variety of cheese like feta, mozzerella, or whatever you like!)

salt/pepper

Directions:

heat oven to 400 degrees. bake pie crust until golden brown (approx 10 min). beat eggs milk, cheese, and salt/pepper in a bowl. after crust is baked, fill with veggies (about 2/3 of the way) and then pour egg mixture over top. if you are using 2 crusts, divide egg mixture and veggies between them. don’t fill crust too full or you will have overflow which equals a big, stinky mess in your oven. a good way to avoid issues with overflow is to bake the quiche on top of a cookie sheet so that any spillage goes onto the pan and not into the black hole of your oven. Bake for 60 minutes. Sprinkle with extra parmesean or hot red pepper flakes for a kick!