If you grow vegetables, chances are you’re looking for new dishes to use them in – and these egg recipes fill the bill! Eggs (especially eggs from local farms) are a great ingredient for cooking with your kitchen garden harvest!
Warm and delicious, quiche is excellent for brunch – or even dinner!
Photo Credit: Mary Moore
Fill your quiche with ingredients that are locally grown. In addition to vegetables from your garden, look for eggs and milk (even bacon or ham) from local farmers.
Photo Credit: Mary Moore
Baking your pie shell ahead of time keeps it crisp. (Follow package directions.)
Photo Credit: Mary Moore
When the omelet is almost cooked, add sliced cheese to the top.
Photo Credit: Mary Moore
Gently fold the omelet in half…then serve and enjoy!
Photo Credit: Mary Moore
The following quiche recipe is a great brunch idea for your next gathering or bakes up to be a quick and delicious dinner. And by using ricotta cheese instead of traditional heavy cream, you get the same quiche taste without the heavy quiche fats. (This quiche needs to cook a little longer than other egg recipes, but it’s worth the wait!) Another flavorful dish that brings out your harvested goodness is the omelet – whether filled with peppers or tomatoes from your summer garden or arugula, spinach, onions and chives from the fall harvest. I’ve listed a wide range of vegetables to choose from for both recipes. Select those you like best. Just remember: The freshest ingredients are often the tastiest. So go with what’s in season and experiment!
Oh-So-Yummy Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerator piecrust
- 1½-2 cups (total) of one or more of the following vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces: mushrooms, red or green peppers, onions, artichokes, tomatoes, spinach, arugula or black olives
- ½ cup of one or more of the following meats (optional): bacon, sausage, Canadian bacon or country ham
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½-¾ cup Swiss cheese
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Allow the refrigerator piecrust to come to room temperature, and roll or unfold until it’s flat. Place in pie pan, and press gently against the sides to remove any air pockets. (If the raw crust breaks, just press the edges together until they seal.)
Taking a fork, gently poke holes in the crust. Bake the crust according to package directions. Don’t overcook. Set aside.
Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, scramble the eggs with a whisk (or fork). Gradually add the milk, then ricotta cheese and blend well with the whisk. Add vegetables and meat ingredients. Add Swiss cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir only slightly, and pour the mix into the piecrust.
Bake your quiche for about 60 minutes, or until you can stick a knife in the center and it comes out clean. Set aside to cool slightly, then slice and serve.
Easy Omelet for One
Ingredients
- 1 cup (total) of one or more of the following vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces: mushrooms, red or green peppers, onions, artichokes, tomatoes, spinach, arugula or black olives
- ½ cup of one or more of the following meats (optional): bacon, sausage, Canadian bacon or country ham
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon butter, plus 1 teaspoon oil
- ¼ cup Swiss or cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper to (taste)
In a large bowl, scramble the eggs with a whisk (or fork), and add the milk. Milk adds a creamy taste – you can add a little more if you like creamier scrambled eggs, but be careful not to add so much that the eggs don’t cook well.
If you’re using bacon or other meats that need to be cooked, fry them in a skillet on the stovetop over low to medium heat until crisp, but not overdone. Set aside and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Using a smaller skillet or sauté pan, melt butter over low heat and add oil. (The butter is added for the taste, but the oil helps keep the butter from burning.) Add your vegetables and sauté in the skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. (Add extra oil if needed, but not too much.) Add the cooked meats and stir.
Pour the egg-and-milk mixture on top of the vegetable-meat mixture in the pan. Lightly stir occasionally, allowing the eggs to nearly finish cooking. Place the cheese in the center of the omelet, then, using a spatula, fold your cooked eggs in half. Cook for about 30 seconds more, then slide onto a plate. Serve immediately.
Yes, the humble egg can transform your homegrown vegetables into handsome meals, fit for easy-to-make dinners or brunch guests! These recipes work especially well if you’ve only got a little bit of one vegetable left and a dash of another and you’re not sure quite what to do with them. So go ahead – get a little eggs-travagant…and enjoy!
