eggs | killing time between meals

April 7, 2014
by Larissa 1 Comment

Breakfast Tacos Con Huevos

Spanglish is my second language.

No matter what your native tongue might be, these breakfast tacos are sure to perk you up. Plus they’re packed with protein, so you can go-go-go until lunch. I like using whatever I have around for toppings. It’s kinda like a savory breakfast sundae. Kinda. Sorta.

Breakfast Tacos
Makes 2 tacos

2 or 3 eggs
Splash of milk
½ tablespoon olive oil or butter
Salt & pepper
2 tablespoons black beans
2 or 4 corn tortillas
1 tablespoon shredded cheese
½ an avocado, sliced
1 green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons salsa

Whisk the eggs with the milk. Warm oil or butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour in eggs, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and scramble. For light, fluffy eggs, cook over medium heat until firm and puffed up but just shy of done. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan as you go.
Meanwhile, heat the black beans and tortillas in the microwave.
Build your tacos. On each tortilla layer half the eggs, beans, cheese, and avocado. Top with green onion and/or cilantro. Serve with salsa and/or sour cream.

March 25, 2014
by Larissa 2 Comments

Frittata: The Cure for Leftovers

Have you ever made a frittata? I have ordered frittata off many a brunch menu, but I’d never personally prepared the fluffy baked egg dish. This was my first attempt, but it won’t be my last. The best part is turning leftovers into something that feels fancy. Saturday night we had a fajita feast with all the fixings. When the guac was gone, I had the opportunity to turn leftover peppers, onions, and steak into breakfast fare. Confession: I am terrible with leftovers. Just terrible. I rarely enjoy eating the same thing twice much less three times. I’m over it, says my persnickety palate. But it feels good to use the leftovers. It feels a lot better than throwing them in the trash. And turns out the leftovers taste much better with eggs and cheese.

Sunday Morning Frittata
Serves 4

Leftover bell peppers & onions
Leftover thinly sliced fajita steak
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & pepper
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
6 eggs (I used 6 because that’s how many I had. In the future I would use 8 or 10 for a taller, fluffier frittata. You could go up to 12 depending on how many people you need to feed. The more eggs you use, the longer your frittata will need to bake.)
¼ cup milk
1 green onion, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Saute the peppers, onions, steak, and garlic in a cast iron skillet on medium heat until warmed through. Add a little salt & pepper.

Sprinkle with half the cheese.

Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour into skillet, covering ingredients completely. Toss in green onion.

Cook on stove top a couple minutes until the eggs begin to set around the edge of the pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake 10 minutes.
Remove pan, crank up the oven to broil, and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is golden, top is crispy, and eggs are puffed.

Let rest 5 minutes before slicing into wedges. Serve as is or with a simple green salad.

December 10, 2013
by Larissa 1 Comment

Fancy Beans & Greens

beans greens cook

Do you like beans and greens? Before you say bah-humbug, whip up a pot. Humble beans and lowly greens create the loveliest dish that can be enjoyed on its own, with a spicy sausage, or as a hearty side dish to accompany nearly any meat main. Last week I went a step further and put a fried egg on top. Some might say that adding a fried egg is a fleeting food fad, but I say it makes beans & greens swanky. The runny yolk adds a rich, creamy, golden layer of flavor.

Beans & Greens
Serves 2 to 3

Olive oil
1 bunch organic kale, destemmed and chopped
Salt & pepper
Fresh ground nutmeg (optional)
Red chili flakes (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chicken stock
1 can white beans (great northern, cannellini), rinsed & drained

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add kale, turning often until wilted. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, chili flakes, and garlic.
Deglaze the pan by adding some chicken stock. Pour in white beans. Add more chicken stock as desired. Simmer until warmed through.
Enjoy as is, with chicken sausage, or get fancy.

Get Fancy
Eggs
Salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese
Toast

While beans & greens simmer, fry some eggs to over easy or over medium—whatever you prefer as long as the yolk is still runny. Sprinkle with salt & pepper as they cook.
Serve on top of a pile of beans & greens with a side of toast. Or, if you happen to have thick, crusty bread, lying around, pile everything on top. Sprinkle with a generous amount of fresh grated Parmesan.