Breakfast Casserole

Casserole Comfort
I consider all breakfast foods comfort foods. It’s all of the carbs and fatty meats. Whipping up a plate of scrambled eggs after a difficult day can sometimes make all the difference. (Bonus points if you wrap said eggs in a tortilla because…carbs.) And while perfectly scrambled eggs can be a warm blanket for your soul, they can be made transcendent by the addition of so many wonderful things. (Also, a great way to use up what’s in your produce drawer.)

If I had to pick my favorite bite of egg it would include eggs, potatoes, green onions, and cheese (glorious cheese!) I am also open to the addition of sausage or bacon as well as chilies or bell peppers. But, the foundation will always be eggs, potato, green onions, and cheese hereto after known as EPGC bite.

The potatoes can be home fries, hash browns, or tots. Though, I think tots work best. (I have a serious weakness for tots.) The ideal cheese is generally cheddar, but I won’t turn away some gruyere or a lovely pepper jack. Nine times out of ten, if I were eating scrambled eggs straight up, I would go with a sausage chaser. But, when everything is all mixed together, I like the flavor of bacon. There’s something about the smokiness of the bacon with the cheese and potato that hits just right.

Below is a recipe for a breakfast casserole. This is what I think of when I am craving that EPGC combo.

Breakfast Casserole
Yields 8 servings

This casserole can be assembled the night before. Just slide it in the oven in the morning. Read more…

Baked Western Omelet

Viva Los Huevos
I spent the President’s Day weekend in Las Vegas. Was I there for the shows, food, and a rollicking good time? Yes and no. I was there for a volleyball tournament which fulfills the good time in part because I love watching my daughter play. The food experience wasn’t all bad. I mean we did eat at a Wolfgang Puck establishment…at 9:30 PM…because tournament play had just ended and that was the quickest and easiest option. (The food was excellent by the way, even though we were exhausted). I admit to thinking we would have free time to go and do some fun stuff in between matches. And, I was looking forward to maybe seeing a show or a concert and eating some fabulous food.

Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

My dreams of finding a great breakfast somewhere to fuel up (Mon Ami Gabi, anyone?) were replaced by the complimentary breakfast provided by our hotel. Don’t get me wrong, I am always down for a free waffle. The smell of cooking waffles at any Hampton Inn will forever remind me of baseball tournaments gone by. And, occasionally, you find a hotel whose breakfast offering is actually quite good. This was one of those times.

I admit I was pretty grumpy that first morning. I had all the plans for the three of us in my head. They were now dashed. And, I was pouting and just going through the motions. This is probably why, instead of my aforementioned free waffle, I chose the omelet. I tend to avoid eggs at hotel buffets because nine times out of ten, they are rubbery and flavorless. Imagine my surprise when I took a bite of omelet and it was really good. Even more surprising because the omelets had been made ahead which can be problematic. My made-ahead-of-time Denver omelet had great flavor and wasn’t dried out or rubbery.

The thought of that omelet stuck with me. Not because it was worthy of a Michelin star, but because it was a fairly simple dish that could have been awful. It really wasn’t. At any rate, it knocked me out of my pity party and got me ready for a long day of cheering. It also led me to look for a similar Baked Western Omelet to make at home when we want an easy breakfast for a volleyball-free weekend…(Does that even exist???)

Baked Western Omelet Recipe
Yields 4 to 6 servings Read more…

Sheet Pan Veggies

Veggie Blues
Winter cooking can get a little boring. As much as I love potatoes, I do actually get tired of them. Cabbage, squashes, carrots, and fennel are great, but it is only January, and I am already longing for spring’s seasonal offerings. Something a little bit more exciting…

Sure, I could buy the stuff that comes from the Southern hemisphere where different veggies are in season but it’s not the same. I bought a tomato the other night to have as a garnish for the gyros I made for dinner. And, my husband commented that I hadn’t eaten any. After twenty-plus years you would think that he would pick up on my quirks…and refusing to eat out-of-season tomatoes is definitely one of my quirks. That being said, I find myself craving all things green, leafy, and rooty lately—which is somewhat out of character. I also want comfort. In essence, I am rather high-maintenance culinarily right now.

So, what does one do when one desires some tasty veggies that are interesting yet also comforting? Throw everything on a sheet pan, toss with your favorite herb blend and some olive oil, and see what happens…

You can get creative with the flavor profiles. It’s as easy as switching up the spice blend.

Sheet Pan Veggies
Yields 2-3 servings Read more…

Sheet Pan Sausage with Arugula and Bread Salad

Winner, Winner Sausage Dinner
When I sit down and think about what to eat each day, my process always starts out with what protein is going to be the basis of the meal. ‘Cause once you know that everything else sort of falls into place. After sitting down once again to figure it out, I came to the realization that of all the possible options, the one that I choose least often is sausage.

This is noteworthy because I love sausage. I will choose sausage over bacon at breakfast almost every time and my pizzas will always have sausage on them. But, while I will occasionally throw some sausage on the grill, or whip up some Sausage and Apples or Sausages and Peppers, overall, we don’t have a lot of sausage dinners.

It’s a tragedy, really. Well-made and well-cooked sausage is incredibly satisfying and wholly comforting. I mean, Bangers and Mash? You could never go wrong with buttery carbs and fatty flavor. But see that’s the issue. Eating sausage frequently is frowned upon by nutritionists and cardiologists alike. Having said that, the occasional sausage meal can be a nice change from the day-to-day on the chicken, pork, beef, or fish carousel.

Everything in moderation.

The best thing about a sausage dinner is that no matter what you do with them, the recipes aren’t generally complicated. And, for the most part, you can do it all in one pot. Or, in this case, a sheet pan.

If you have ever had the Roast Chicken with Bread Salad at Zuni Café in San Francisco, you may find this recipe for Sheet Pan Sausage with Arugula and Bread Salad has a familiar feel. The original recipe comes from New York Times Cooking but I have changed it a bit because I felt it needed more drippings and just a punch more flavor from some onions.

Sheet Pan Sausage with Arugula and Bread Salad Recipe
Yields 4 servings
Adapted from The New York Times Cooking