Tomato and Ham Egg Casserole - Weekend Recipe

 Quick easy and totally freezable.

Tomato and Ham Egg Casserole 

• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 8 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated (about 2 cups)
• 1 loaf country bread, torn into 1-inch pieces (8 cups)
• 1 pound sliced deli ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (4 cups)
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Heat oven to 375° F. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add the Cheddar, bread, and ham and toss to combine. Pour the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; top with the tomatoes. Cover with foil and bake until warmed through, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook until the top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes more. Sprinkle with the parsley.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  

To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, Recipe2019, or Recipe2020.

 
You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD for each month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2021 so you can find them all.

The themes are:
Jan 2021 – Baked Items
Feb 2021 – Breakfast Dishes
March 2021 – Italian Dishes
April 2021 - Chicken Recipes
May 2021 - Appetizers
June 2021 – Mediterranean Dishes
July 2021 – Pork Recipes
August 2021 - Seafood
September 2021 - Pizzas
October 2021 – Mexican Dishes
November 2021 - Cookies
December 2021 – Gift Recipes

Mardi Gras Deviled Eggs - Recipe Theme

Today is Fat Tuesday - It snuck up on me when I was not paying attention, but I did make these great Deviled Eggs to celebrate. And it kinda keeps with the breakfast theme with an interesting twist.  Deviled eggs are a perfect southern food, a wonderful addition to a Mardi Gras Brunch and if you make them, a great way to celebrate Fat Tuesday from home since a trip to New Orleans is not recommended this year.

This recipe was inspired by a post by Deep South Dish where they admitted that a basic deviled egg recipe is preferred in many southern homes but dressing it up is also fun!

Each variation below is calculated for use with a dozen hard boiled eggs.

Deviled Eggs for Mardi Gras Brunch

12 large eggs

1 tablespoon salt (for the boiling water only)

 

For the Deviled Eggs:

1/4 cup regular mayonnaise, more or less to taste

1 tablespoon Creole, Dijon or yellow mustard

1 tablespoon sweet or dill pickle relish

Pinch kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (we recommend BYP N’Orleans Spirit Herb Mix)

Paprika, for garnish, optional

Directions:

Place eggs in a sauce pan so that they are crowded with little room to move around. Cover with water and add the 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a full, rolling boil (about 10 minutes on high), then immediately cover the pot and turn off heat, but leave the pot on the stove. Allow to sit covered for 15 minutes. Carefully drain the pot and place under the faucet, fill the pot with a steady stream of water, emptying and refilling the pot with cool water until the water is no longer hot. Let the eggs rest for 10 minutes in the cool water.

Peel the eggs and split in half lengthwise, removing the yolks and setting aside the whites. Using a fork or pastry blender, mash the yolks well. To the yolks, add mustard, pickle relish, a pinch of salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning and stir together, adding only enough of the mayonnaise for desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Pipe the yolk mixture into the egg whites using either a pastry bag and tips or place in a plastic storage bag and snip off the corner. Serve immediately or refrigerate filled eggs in a covered bowl that leaves room so the stuffing is not disturbed.

Instant Pot Boiled Eggs: For 6 to 12 large eggs, pour 1-1/2 cups water in bottom of pot and use a rack or basket to place eggs. Cook eggs on high for 6 minutes, quick release and use tongs to immediately transfer eggs into a bowl of iced water.

Variations:

This perfect southern specialty – Pimento: Substitute 1/4 to 1/2 cup of homemade or commercial pimento cheese for the mayonnaise; adding additional mayonnaise only as needed.

Dilly Deviled Eggs: Add 1 to 2 Tbls Marcy’s Dill Dip Mix into the mayonnaise and mix as usual. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh dill.

Jalapeno and Bacon Deviled Eggs: Combine 1/8 cup mayonnaise with 2 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature. Add remaining ingredients, along with 1/4 cup of finely chopped bacon, 1 tablespoon chopped, pickled jalapeno and 2 tablespoons finely shredded Cheddar cheese. Garnish each egg with a slice of jalapeno and scatter more minced bacon on top.

BBQ Ranch: Mix in 1 Tablespoon BYP Ranch Dressing Mix and an optional dash of Liquid Smoke. Stuff eggs. Just before serving, drizzle each stuffed egg with barbecue sauce (you can make that with BYP BarBeQue Seasoning) and garnish with chives.

Avocado Deviled Eggs: Combine 1/2 cup finely mashed avocado with juice of one lime and mix well. Add egg yolks and continue to mash, adding enough mayonnaise to make smooth. Omit mustard and pickles.

Adapted from the perfect southern source: http://deepsouthdish.com

Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs - Recipe Theme for August

Today I have a unique pickled recipe to try. In this recipe you pickle eggs in beet brine and then make deviled eggs from the pickled eggs.  It is a different recipe and fun to make for a labor day picnic.

Pickled Beets are my husbands favorite pickled item and later this month I will share a wonderful spiced beet pickling recipe for you to try.

Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs

6 large eggs
1 16-ounce can or jar pickled beets
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh rosemary for garnish

Directions:

Hard boil your eggs and remove the shells. Set the eggs aside.

To prepare the brine, pour the liquid from a can of pickled beets into a large mason jar or bowl. Add cider vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, and salt. Stir mixture. Carefully (that beet juice will stain!) lower the peeled eggs into the brine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 3 days. The longer you leave them in the brine, the more sour and pink they'll end up. I like just the rim of pink and slight pickled flavor, so I let mine sit about 16 hours.

When brining time is finished, cut each egg in half and scoop out yolks. Place yolks in a medium-sized bowl, along with the mustard, mayonnaise, curry, vinegar, and olive oil. Mix and mash until smooth. Add a little bit of water to the mixture if too stiff. Salt and pepper to taste.

Using a pastry bag or a plastic bag with the corner cut off, pipe the yolk mixture back into the pink eggs. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and season with salt and pepper.

If you want to pickle beets or other vegetables in your own refrigerator, try our DIY Refrigerator Pickle Kits.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr) more in 2021 also

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - Stir Fry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Salad Burnet Egg Salad - Weekend Recipe

I am on the quest for the best egg salad sandwich.  I will try one at a deli or lunch counter if given the option every time.  This amuses my friends because I cannot eat fried or scrambled eggs at a restaurant under any circumstances.  Every time I try it I regret it.  The only person who can cook me eggs for breakfast is my husband.  I blame it on my years working morning shift at a truck stop in high school, but whatever the cause I focus my attention on egg salad.  

I collect recipes for egg salad and deviled eggs which you can turn into egg salad too.  I recommend Alton Brown's 4 pepper deviled eggs if you want to try it.  As for egg salad recipes, this is my current favorite. I shared it a few years ago on my website as the recipe of the month.  It features salad burnet which is an evergreen herb that I grow from seed.  It likes shade and dry conditions so I have placed it in the side yard as an edge plant.  The tender leaves taste like cucumber and are perfect in egg salad.

Egg Salad with Salad Burnet

To make a hearty sandwich serve this egg salad on fresh slices of whole wheat herb bread.

12 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 Tbls fresh salad burnet, chopped fine

1 Tbls fresh thyme or lemon thyme, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place the eggs in a large pan, fill the pan with water and place it on the stove on high heat. When the water comes to a boil turn the heat down to medium and cook the eggs for an additional 12 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the stove, drain the water and run cold water over the eggs until they have cooled down. Remove the shells from the eggs and chop them up.  Then place them in a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve this salad with assorted breads and crackers if desired.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr) more in 2021 also

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - Stir Fry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Egg Decorating with Herbs - Natural Egg Dyes How Tuesday (early)

Many herbs and spices also contain fun colors, so you can create lovely shades with items you probably already have on hand. Below is a list of possibilities. Feel free to branch out, and try any other herbs you have in your pantry.

·         Turmeric (brownish orange)

·         Coffee

·         Nettle or mints (tan green)

·         Calendula (tan yellow)

·         Hibiscus (makes blue gray dye)

·         Onion skins (purple)

·         Black tea

·         Elderberries (purple)

Try a tablespoon of herb/spice material, a teaspoon of vinegar (which works as a fixative to help the eggshells take color) and enough hot water to fill a pint jar. I heat the water in a tea kettle and pour it into the jars. Use caution when pouring hot water if children are nearby, and allow it to cool slightly before allowing children to work with the dyes.

I put it all in wide mouth canning jars which gave room for the egg scooper to be used to life the eggs out of the dye.

Let eggs soak in the dye mixture for 10 minutes or longer, even several hours, depending on desired shade (and patience). Natural dyes often give softer, earthier hues than conventional dyes.

Hibiscus creating blue gray dye on three different eggs three different ways

Do not leave them in overnight or the vinegar will soften the egg shell - yes I did do that!

There are a variety of ways you can decorate your eggs beyond simply dyeing them solid colors. Try these ideas for adding more variation and creativity to the eggs!

1. Wrap eggs in rubber bands - everywhere the band hugs the egg, there will be no dye, giving cool patterns.

2. Use a white crayon or a corner of a slab of paraffin wax to make a design.  Where the is wax there is no dye. (You can see my "L" in the large picture above.)

3. Wipe the color off the egg when it is wet and you get a painted farmhouse style egg (see hibiscus dye above)

light leaf pattern

4. My fave use a nylon to hold a plant leaf against the egg and when you remove the nylon the leaf pattern will be undyed.

The texture of the leaf is visible in the right egg, so cool! These were dyed with rose petals giving a pinkish brown.

Weekend Recipe Bruchetta Omelets with Fines Herbs

Bruchetta Omelets with Fines Herbes

(serves 4)

Bruchetta:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons finely diced shallots

2 tomatoes, seeded and finely diced, with juices

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

Omelets:

12 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons clarified butter, at room temperature 

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 

4 teaspoons Backyard Patch Fines Herbes

Fresh chervil and thyme sprigs (for garnish – optional)

Directions:

In a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the shallots and sauté until wilted, about 45 seconds. Add the tomatoes and juices, the salt and a pinch or two of pepper. Reduce the heat slightly and cook, stirring gently from time to time, until the tomato juices have evaporated, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs until blended. Season with the salt and a pinch or two of the pepper.

Place a 7- or 8-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon of the clarified butter, heat briefly and pour in one-fourth of the beaten eggs. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the butter pieces and 1 teaspoon of the Backyard Patch Fines Herbes over the surface. Allow the eggs to cook for 10 seconds, then, using a wooden spoon, begin to pull the eggs away from the edges of the pan toward the center so that some of the uncooked egg runs underneath. Cook until the eggs are still somewhat moist on the surface, but set and lightly browned on the bottom, 40-60 seconds. Using a small spatula, fold the omelet in half and gently slide it out of the pan onto a warmed individual plate. Repeat the process, wiping out the pan with a paper towel before cooking each omelet and cooking 4 omelets in all.

TO SERVE:  Spoon some of the warm tomato bruchetta over each omelet and garnish with chervil and thyme sprigs. Serve immediately.

World Egg Day - recipes for eggs with Herbs

Who knew there would be a World Egg Day?  I was astonished when an e-mail came to me announcing this wonderful fact.  Now I must admit my husband believes eggs are a super food.  He is not happy unless there are at least three dozen eggs in the refrigerator.  He does use them, as he bakes and he makes breakfast every morning, so I can see his point to some extent. 

I have always liked certain herbs with eggs. Some herbs just plain go well with eggs, including: anise, basil, chervil, chives, coriander, cumin, dill, lemon balm, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and thyme.  You can snip them fresh into scrambled eggs, bake dried into egg custard or frittata or simply serve them on top of eggs with an herbal butter.

I had my husband pull out a few of his easy favorites, so here are a couple to try at home.

Recipes to try on World Egg Day

          (or any other day you want a tasty egg meal!)

Baked eggs with herbs

The eggs are baked in custard cups with butter and herbs then topped with shredded cheese.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped chives
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• dash crumbled dried tarragon
•  dash dried leaf thyme
•  4 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preparation:

Heat oven to 325°.  Combine butter with dried herbs; divide among 4 6-ounce custard cups. Place custard cups in a large shallow baking pan. Place in oven until butter has melted. Break an egg into each cup. Sprinkle with pepper. Top each with 1 tablespoon cream and 1 tablespoon shredded cheese. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until eggs reach desired doneness.
Serves 4.

Egg Salad with Herbs

For a beautiful presentation, serve this on a plate lined with nasturtium leaves, garnished with whole flowers, fresh snipped chives and/or dill sprigs. A fresh loaf of crusty, country-style bread is the best accompaniment; however rye or pumpernickel bread, pitas or thinly sliced bagels are good, too. Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients

• 12 hard-cooked eggs
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
• 2 tablespoons chopped sweet pickles
• 2 tablespoons sweet pickle juice
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions or minced onion
• 1/3 cup finely diced celery
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives, divided
• 2 tablespoons snipped dill leaves, divided
• 1/2  teaspoon Hungarian paprika
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 10 to 12 nasturtiums, julienned
• 10 to 12 nasturtium leaves, julienned
• 12 large whole nasturtium leaves
• 6 to 12 whole nasturtiums

Preparation

1. Dice eggs and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, mustard, chopped pickles, pickle juice, onions, celery, 1 tablespoon chives, 1 tablespoon dill leaves, paprika, salt and pepper.

2. Toss well to blend. Stir in shredded nasturtium leaves and flowers. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.

3. To serve, let salad stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. Arrange nasturtium leaves on a platter and heap egg salad on top. Garnish with whole nasturtiums and remaining chives and dill, and serve immediately.

At the Backyard Patch we make hundred of blends using dried herbs.  One we especially recommend for serving with eggs is Fines Herbes.  If you are interested in learning more about our combinations, visit us at http://www.backyardpatch.com/