Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs may seem like a lot of work, and they can be, but only if you have to fight to get the shells off of the eggs once boiled. The rest is a snap and makes for a quick side dish to bring to a summer picnic or add some protein to a vegetable plate.

If you don't have a deviled-egg tray or carrier, just cut your eggs horizontally and use your egg carton as the carrier. For that reason, this recipe makes 12, but you'll want to multiply it if serving a group. No one can eat just one deviled egg!

6 eggs

1 T. baking soda

2 T. mayonnaise

1 t. yellow mustard

1 t. white vinegar

1 T. sweet pickle relish

1/4 t. salt

Hard boil your eggs using these tips will not only help ensure a perfectly-cooked yolk, but will also make them easy to peel. Otherwise you could end up with eggs that look like they were peeled by Edward Scissorhands.

• Place eggs in saucepan before adding water to reduce the chance of them cracking. 
• Fill cool or lukewarm water 2 inches above eggs and add baking soda to the water. The baking soda will help the shell separate from the membrane more easily.
• Bring water to a boil over high heat. As soon as water boils, place a lid on the pot and let sit off the heat for 13 minutes.
• Pour water off eggs and transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. it doesn't matter if the eggs get cracked at this point.
• Once eggs are cool, remove from water and begin cracking and peeling them at the wide end. This is most likely where the air pocket is, which will decrease your chances of marring the egg white.
• Use the fleshy part of your thumb (not your fingernail) to gently peel sections of the shell back from the cooked egg. Be careful when you get to the pointed end of the egg. It's easy to inadvertently remove the whole top of the egg when that's the last section you get to.
• After removing all the shell, rinse the egg under cool water to remove any remaining flecks of shell or membrane.

Slice eggs in half and gently pop the yolks out into a bowl, or use a small spoon or spatula if you prefer. 

Mix mayo, mustard, vinegar, relish and salt into egg yolks and stir until creamy. Taste and adjust if needed.

Spoon 1 T. of yolk filling back into egg whites. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Vegetable Lasagna Rolls

Let's be honest... Making homemade lasagna isn't something you just whip up. I have found this recipe slightly easier to assemble than the traditional layer version, but it takes half the time to bake. I also like that it is how much easier to serve because you have preset servings before the lasagna even bakes. The sauteed squash is so meaty that you won't miss the ground beef or sausage, but you could easily substitute slices of Italian sausage for the squash, or alternate between the two.

4 medium zucchini or yellow squash

cooking spray

salt to taste
1 30 oz. carton ricotta cheese

1 egg

2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (separated)

1/2 t. salt
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Homemade pasta noodles or 1 lb. box of lasagna noodles
4 cups Roasted Tomato Sauce or other homemade or store-bought marinara

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, coated in cooking spray or a light layer of oil. Add enough squash to cover the bottom of the pan and season it with a few pinches of salt.You may have to cook a few batches depending on how big your saute pan is. Toss to cook squash on both sides just until tender and lightly browned. You don't want it to be translucent or it will be mushy and not hold up in the lasagna.

Mix ricotta with egg, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, salt and basil. Set aside.

Heat a large pot of salted water of high heat to cook lasagna noodles. I recommend cooking your noodles even if you make fresh pasta.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat tomato sauce over medium heat just to warm through. If your sauce is runny, bring it to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook it down until it thickens. Spread a thin layer of sauce in a 9" x 13" baking dish.

Make your rolls by laying your cooked lasagna noodles flat. Spread about 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture on the noodle, leaving an inch of space on each end and a 1/2 inch on each side. Top the ricotta with your cooked squash and roll the noodle. Place the roll seam-side down in your baking dish. Repeat until you're out of noodles, cheese and squash. You may need to use a second baking dish.

Top your rolls with the tomato sauce, being sure no noodle surface goes uncovered. Top with remaining cup of mozzarella cheese.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Homemade Pasta

Two simple ingredients elevate a bowl of pasta from great to gourmet: eggs and flour. It's definitely not as easy as opening a box, but if you have the time (and lots of eggs, like I do), you'll experience pasta in a whole new way.

There are a few things that will make the process easier and the end-result better.

Kitchen scale

Stand mixer with pasta-making attachment OR

Manual pasta roller

9 oz. flour (abut 1 1/2 cups), plus more for kneading

6 oz. eggs (about 3)

Place mixing bowl on a kitchen scale and measure eggs. In a separate bowl, measure flour. 

Using dough hook of an electric mixer, mix eggs on low until yolks break. Gradually add flour, scraping the sides of the bowl to push flour into egg mixture. Add more flour if needed to get the dough to begin to form a ball (some will still stick to the sides of the bowl).

If you don't have a mixer, or prefer to do it old school, measure your flour into the mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and crack eggs in one at a time, incorporating egg into the flour in between each addition.

Turn out your dough onto a floured dough mat or clean counter top. Knead the dough, adding more flour until the dough no longer sticks to your hands. Knead until dough ball is firm and smooth (about 8 to 10 minutes). Cover completely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes up to 12 hours. 

Prepare your mixer with the pasta roller attachment or set up your manual pasta roller. Also prepare a baking sheet with two sheets of wax or parchment paper cut to the same size as the baking sheet.

Alternately, you can roll sheets of pasta out with a rolling pin. 

Divide dough into 8 sections, working with one section at a time and keeping the others covered in the plastic wrap.

With each section, stretch the dough into a small rectangular shape (about 1/4 inch thick) and run it through the pasta roller at the thickest setting two times. Adjust to the next thinnest setting, running it through at least twice. Dust the dough with extra flour. At this point the dough should be long enough for you to overlap the ends and use the roller to connect them into a continuous loop. This will make it quicker to continue rolling the dough out thinner.

Continue running dough through the roller a few rotations each time you go to a thinner setting until you've decreased about 5 settings and your loop hangs at least a foot from the roller.

Cut pasta loop and run remaining dough through the roller. Place back on your dough mat and cut it in half, giving you two sheets of raw pasta that are approximately 12 inches long.

Dust both sides of the pasta with flour and place on your parchment-lined baking sheet, overlapping the noodles. Cover with the other piece of parchment paper while you roll out your next section of dough.

Once you have your pasta sheets, you can use them as lasagna noodles or cut them into other shapes. If you have a stand mixer with multiple pasta attachments, you can run them through a spaghetti or linguine attachment. Or, you can use a biscuit cutter or knife to cut pasta into circles or squares for ravioli.

To cook, heat a large pot of salted water. Boil noodles for 3 minutes. Drain and use in your favorite pasta dish.

Spinach Soufflé

What comes to mind when I think of soufflés are times I've been to a French restaurant and they tell you if you want the souffle for dessert, you'll have to allow 30 minutes for it to be prepared. So I've always been a little intimidated to make them. But after I made Light Strawberry Soufflés a few weeks ago and saw how easy they were, I decided to try to tackle a savory variation. Believe it or not, it's so easy that this is going to be my substitute for quiche when I don't have the luxury of time to whip up a crust.

2 cups chopped spinach or Swiss chard

3 T. butter

3 T. flour

1 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 T. minced onion

1 t. salt

4 eggs, separated

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Sauté spinach in a lightly-greased non-stick pan over medium heat until wilted, seasoning it with a few pinches of salt. If there's any liquid left in the pan or the spinach, press it out through a mesh strainer. Set aside.

Heat milk in a small saucepan over low heat to warm it through but not bring it to a boil. 

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When melted, whisk in flour, removing any lumps, until it forms a paste. Gradually add warm milk, stirring constantly, until it forms a smooth, thick roux. 

Reduce heat to low and stir in cheese, onion, spinach and salt to the roux. Allow cheese to melt while you prepare your eggs.

Whisk egg yolks by hand in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites just until stiff peaks form.

Slowly mix your roux to the beaten egg yolks. Once incorporated, gently fold in whipped egg whites. 

Pour mixture into a greased 1.5 - 1.75 quart casserole dish with straight sides. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until the top is browned and it doesn't jiggle like Jello when you shake it.

Serve immediately. Soufflé will deflate the longer it's out of the oven. 

BEVERAGE NOTE: Whether it's breakfast or dinner, you can't go wrong with a Mimosa!

Aunt Susie's Egg and Brie Toast

When I went to visit my Aunt Susie over Easter, she made this for breakfast and I fell in love with it. It's so easy that you could whip it up on a weekday morning and start your work day like it's a day off!

This recipe is for one, but just double, tripple, etc., depending on how many you're serving. Use a double-burner griddle and cook them all at once.

1 slice of bread

1 T. butter

1 egg

1-2 slices of brie cheese

1/2 t. fresh thyme, chopped

Heat a griddle pan over medium-low heat. 

Butter both slides of the bread and toast on the warmed griddle. 

Spray the griddle on the other side with non-stick spray and fry your egg, sprinkling it with a pinch of salt. 

Flip bread once toasted and top the toasted side with brie. Flip egg once white has solidified. Once egg is cooked to your desired firmness, place it on top of cheese while bread continues to toast on the second side.

Sprinkle tyhme on top and season with salt or pepper as desired. Serve with fresh fruit or a light salad to make it brunch or dinner appropriate.

Light Strawberry Souffles

This souffle is "light" because it is egg white only, but still melts in your mouth with a burst of fresh flavor. If you need a use for the leftover egg yolks and you have an abundance of fresh strawberries, make strawberry ice cream! The souffles will be ready to eat long before the ice cream freezes!

1 1/2 cups quartered strawberries

2 t. lemon juice

4 egg whites

1/4 cup sugar, plus more for lining the souffle cups

pinch of salt

2 T. butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Puree strawberries and lemon juice. 

Line 6 ramekins or 8 oz. oven-safe baking dishes with butter and sugar.

Whip egg whites, gradually adding 1/4 cup sugar and  pinch of salt, until stiff peaks form. Whip in half of strawberry puree. Fold in remaining strawberry puree.

Pour mixture into ramekins, filling them to the top. Level with a knife to ensure an evenly-browned top, or allow mixture to have a dollop top, but watch that they don't burn.

Bake for 14-17 minutes or until tops are lightly brown. Serve immediately. If you have leftovers, put them in the fridge and have them the next day, topped with slices of fresh strawberry. It will have compacted and be more the consistency of a light strawberry gelato. 

Fiesta Omelette

It's like a cheese enchilada for breakfast! This is also the easiest way I've found to make an omelette -- by putting all the fillings on the outside. It tastes just as good!

3 eggs

3 T. milk

1/4 t. salt

1/4 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

1/4 cup salsa

1/2 avocado

dollop of sour cream, yogurt or creme fraiche

Heat an 8" non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Hit it with some non-stick cooking spray. 

Whisk eggs, milk and salt. Pour into pan once warm. Allow to cook until you can see that it has gotten firm on the bottom, but is still slightly liquid on top.

Sprinkle cheese evenly on top of egg mixture and allow to melt for 1 minute. 

Gently fold each side of the egg mixture into the center, like folding a burrito. Cook for one minute more, then gently flip upside down. Cook for 2-3 minutes more, until eggs are cooked through.  

Slide from pan to plate and top with salsa, avocado and sour cream. Serve with a side of tortilla chips.

Sausage Gravy with Biscuits and Poached Eggs

Biscuits and Gravy is my favorite item on the breakfast menu!

When I moved South, my husband's Aunt Frances showed me how to make sausage gravy, and this is her recipe. She was born in Appalachian East Tennessee during the Great Depression.They lived off the land, raising hogs and slaughtering them each fall. To preserve the meat through the winter, they would smoke some and turn some into sausage that they packed into jars and kept in the outdoor cold cellar.

As I watched her make sausage gravy, she told me that back then, their sausage had more fat in it. What you buy in the grocery store today is quite lean in comparison. She's had to modify her recipe over the years to include bacon grease as a replacement. (You do save your bacon drippings, right?)

Frances makes a brown gravy, which means she lets the flour in (what I would call) her roux brown before adding the milk. This will give it more flavor. I make mine a little less brown because I get impatient and I like my gravy and biscuits to be done at the same time. You can adjust to fit your taste.

Serve your gravy any way you like, but I take mine with a biscuit and a poached egg. If you want to serve bacon or sausage patties as well, cook those first and reserve the grease. Start your gravy in the same skillet.

Serves 4-6

First I make up my biscuits using White Lily self-rising flour and the recipe on the back of the bag. I cook mine in a 10-inch cast iron skillet with 4 T. of butter melted in the bottom and brushed on top. Once I put them in the oven to cook (for 25-30 minutes), I start the gravy.

1/2 lb. ground breakfast sausage

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. sugar

1/4 t. ground black pepper

1-2 T. bacon grease

1/2 cup flour

3 cups milk

In a large, cast-iron or deep non-stick skillet, brown your sausage over medium heat. Add salt, sugar and pepper and stir in. Add flour and stir to coat the sausage. If there's not enough grease in the pan to absorb all the flour, add 1/2 T. of bacon grease at a time until you see no more raw white flour. 

For a more brown (and flavorful) gravy, continue cooking sausage for 10 more minutes to brown the flour in the hot grease. Once it has reached your desired brownness, add milk 1/2 cup at a time and stir until a paste forms. Then add more milk until you've used all 3 cups. It may seem thin enough without all the milk, but trust me, it will continue to thicken!

While gravy is thickening, poach your eggs in boiling water (3 minutes for light, 4 for medium, and 5 for hard). Layer biscuit, egg, gravy, then enjoy.

Zucchini and Swiss Frittata

I love omelettes, but can never seem to make them successfully at home. Instead, I've started making frittatas! Same ingredients but no flipping required. Just cook your meat and/or veggies in a oven-safe skillet, add your eggs and cheese and pop it in the oven to cook. This recipe serves 2, but you can adjust the ingredients and cooking time to feed a bigger crowd. As always, use whatever veggies, herbs and cheese you have on hand. This is a guideline!

1 T. olive oil

1/2 medium onion, sliced

1/2 medium zucchini, sliced

1/2 medium yellow squash, sliced

1/2 t. thyme, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

4 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Heat oil in a large oven-safe non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, zucchini, squash and thyme. Sauté until tender but not mushy, about 10 minutes. 

Whisk eggs and milk and add salt. Once veggies are cooked, be sure they are spread evenly in the bottom of the skillet and pour egg mixture on top. Sprinkle cheese on top. Don't stir! Cook for a few minutes in the skillet to help the frittata solidify on the bottom. 

Pop the skillet in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown and the eggs feel firm. Remove from oven and let frittata set for about 5 minutes.

Cut frittata in half. Flip each half in half and serve.

Quiche du Jour

Quiche is one of those recipes, like pizza, that you can make different every time based on what you have on hand. And it's great for breakfast, lunch or dinner! The pie crust is the most time-intensive part, but if you make extras and put them in the freezer for later, it makes for light work next time, or a quick dessert.

Use any pie crust recipe you like, or make it gluten free with a shredded potato crust, which is also very good. Here's a basic pie crust recipe.

Pastry pie crust

(Makes two 10-inch crusts with room for crimping or three 8-inch crusts)

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 cup shortening, cut into cubes

1/2 cup cold water

Combine flour and salt. Add shortening and cut into flour with a pastry knife. Add water and mix until combined. Separate dough into two (or three) balls and roll each out on a flowered surface. Transfer to your pie plate and press to an even shape, crimping edges if desired. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork multiple times and put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to get cold. This will help your crust keep its shape while baking. 

For quiche, I parbake the crust before adding the filling. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake crust for 10 minutes or unitil no longer raw dough, but not so long that the edges begin to brown. Let crust cool slightly before adding fillings.

To freeze extra pie crusts, press them out in pie plates and cover tightly with plastic wrap. If you make multiple crusts, you can stack them. Place crust(s) in a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 6 months.

Quiche

(For one 10-inch quiche)

5 large eggs

3/4 cup milk (or mix of milk and cream)

1/2 tsp. salt

pinch of grated nutmeg

black pepper or red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like it

1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice, and more for topping (if desired)

1-1 1/2 cups cooked fillings of your choice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook any meet or saute any raw vegetables that you're planning on using in your filling. (See suggestions below.) Season with salt and pepper as desired and let cool slightly. Whisk eggs, milk, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Add cheese to egg mixture.

Spread cooked fillings (excluding any excess fat or liquid) on the bottom of parbaked pie crust. Pour egg and cheese mixture on top. Top with additional cheese, if desired. (I sometimes like to sprinkle Parmesan or place dolops of soft goat cheese on top.) Bake for 30 minutes or until eggs are cooked through. Use a pie shield if edges of pie crust brown too quickly. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Filling suggestions:

1 small onion, sliced

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1-2 cups fresh spinach or other greens

1/2 cup chopped sweet pepper

1-2 T. chopped hot pepper

1 medium zucchini, cubed

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

1 cup chopped broccoli

1/2 lb. ground sausage

3-4 slices of bacon

1/2 cup diced ham 

1/2 cup shredded chicken

1 tsp. dried herbs or 1-2 T. fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, oregano, basil, marjoram, chives, dill, etc.)