Enchilada Eggs

Pretty quick and easy combination that occurred when I took last Friday off and made D breakfast. We had had enchiladas the night before and had leftover sauce so I decided - since D loves them so much - that I would combine them with eggs for homemade breakfast tacos (I of course had a smoothie given my egg allergy). He liked them=)

• 2 eggs, cracked and beaten
• Pinch Cayenne
• Salt and Pepper
• Monterrey Jack or Cheddar Cheese
• Dash of milk or cream
• 1/2 cup of Black Bean Corn Salsa
• 1/2 cup Green Chile Pork Enchilada Sauce
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Small handful of torn rotisserie chicken
• Salsa of choice

Combine Eggs, milk, Cayenne, and Sat and Pepper in a small bowl and beat well.

In a pan, saute the shallot and garlic in a dab of butter until glassy. Add black bean corn salsa and heat for about a minute. Add eggs and scramble. Once almost cooked, add enchilada sauce to the pan, along with cheese and chicken pieces.Serve with warmed tortilla, avocado slices (if desired), and salsa of choice.

Eggs Benedict with Chipotle Hollandaise

I somehow got suckered into making this breakfast for my Dad after I had eaten most of the ingredients that he needed to make his daily English Breakfast (tomatoes and mushrooms were happily hanging out in my belly). Because I cannot eat eggs and my mom felt like a sandwich it was yet another day of two different dishes, but hey I like to cook.

One poached egg  (use your favorite poaching method)
One thick slice of country ham
One half English Muffin, rubbed with a bit of truffle oil and garlic and toasted
2-3 tablespoons of homemade chipotle hollandaise (see below)
1/2 cup of sauteed spinach *optional

HOLLANDAISE

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• half a lemon, juiced
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and cut into one inch pieces
• Pinch sugar *optional

Pour and simmer 1-inch of water into a large saucepan; reduce to low heat after achieving simmer.
Place egg yolks and 1 teaspoon water in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until mixture lightens in color, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Add sugar if using and whisk for another 30 seconds. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly for 3 to 5 minutes, or until there is a clear line that is drawn in the mixture when you pull your whisk through, or the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove the bowl from over the pan and gradually add the butter, 1 piece at a time, and whisk until all of the butter is incorporated. Place the bowl back over the simmering water occasionally so that it will be warm enough the melt the butter. Add the salt, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. Serve immediately or hold in a thermos to keep warm.

BUILDING THE BENEDICT
Rub English Muffin Half with Truffle (or basil or olive oil) and one garlic clove. Toast until desired doneness.
ON a small griddle, grill the piece of county ham to warm, place on top of the toasted muffin. If using spinach apply on top of the ham. In a small amount of water, with a dash of white wine vinegar poach one egg. Remove carefully and place on the ham. Slat and pepper the egg according to personal taste. Top with hollandaise and serve.

Sausage and Egg Scramble

I have been telling D for some time now that I will make him eggs for breakfast. Finally, I came through. I had eggs that I need to use up, along with some sausage leftover from stuffed tomatoes so Sunday morning I set out to make him breakfast (somewhat grudgingly as I did not feel well, but I promised...).

Serves two (small portions)

• 3 Eggs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Onion or Shallot sliced
• Dash of milk
• Shredded Monterrey Jack
• Half link of Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage
• Dash of Tabasco
• Spoonful of Pesto (optional - add if you have)
• Grilled Tomatoes (optional - I would have liked to do these but we did not have tomatoes)
• Yeast Rolls or Toast

Saute onions until glassy. Add sausage to pan (mine was previously cooked as it was leftover). Combine eggs, salt, pepper, and milk in a small bowl and mix until blended. Once onions are cooked, pour eggs into pan and scramble. Add cheese and a dash of Tabasco, fluff eggs and remove to a plate. If using pesto, mix it in and season as desired. Serve with buttered toast or garlic toast.

If cooking tomatoes, brush with olive oil, salt and pepper then grill for a few minutes on each side. As an option you can rub with garlic.

Momma Joy's Quiche

So I have never made a quiche, but my Auntie Joy - who is an amazing cook - made quiches over Christmas that D loved. She was nice enough to share it with me and this morning I thought I would try my hand at it because I wanted to feed six people and it seemed like an easy, satisfying, and cost effective solution. Everyone seemed pleased with it=) I cannot eat eggs so of course could not participate. I made a couple of changes  - I used mozzarella cheese because I did not have gruyere. I also considered adding bacon, but ultimately did not feel like frying it. Additionally, I omitted the butter and used 1/3 whole milk and 3/4 cream because I had some whole milk that I needed to use up.

Makes 2 quiches

• Tbs. butter 
• 2 Tbs. olive oil 
• 5 large mushrooms - sliced
• 4-5 large sliced shallots 
• 1 bag baby spinach 
• 2 Tbs. sherry
• Sliced mozzarella, jack, gruyere, brie, fontina or cheddar 
• 10 large eggs 
• 1 cup whipping cream 
• 1 pkg. Pillsbury ready made pie crusts 

Pre-bake pie crusts per package instructions (you will need to bring them to room temperature, pre-bake, then cool before using).

Heat oil and butter (if using) on medium heat. Saute properly seasoned shallots in a large saute pan (or  your favourite cast iron skillet) until glassy, add mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms, but do not overcook them. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Drain excess moisture. Add sherry to the pan and heat to just cook off alcohol.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs and cream (or milk is using). Add salt and pepper.

Once pie crust has cooled, layer slices of cheese in the bottom of the pastry, overlapping. Divide spinach mixture between the two and our the egg mixture over the tops.

Bake uncovered at 375 for about 35-40 minutes. Use a toothpick to check the center for doneness. 

Let cool before serving. Can easily be served with a nice green salad for brunch.