Scrambled Eggs Casserole

The following is a recipe I came up with to take a different spin on the usual scrambled eggs routine.It includes: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, spinach, and feta cheese. I originally came up with this to stuff into the calzones I like to make, but I have since found a variety of ways in which to use it. 
For example, you can:

• Just eat it from your dish
• Use it as a casserole (brunch idea)
• Use it as a stuffing in burrito shells (brunch idea)
• Use it as a pizza topping (my kid's favorite)

• Make calzones (use your favorite pizza dough or make your own. Here's a link to my Pizza Dough Recipe)
• Try it as a sandwich
• Use up pie crust by making it into a pie (I did this as well. I just topped it with mashed potatoes, cheese, and baked)

As you see, there are several things you can do with this recipe. Since this recipe makes so much, you can experiment with several ideas from just a single batch. Also, once made, this recipe keeps well for several days in the refrigerator. Just remove the portion you want and microwave to heat. Now, onto the recipe...

What you need:

• 12 Eggs
• 1 Cup buttermilk (adds a great tang flavor to the eggs)
• Sausage...use your favorite
• 6 Slices bacon (or more if you want)
• 2 Handfuls of fresh baby spinach...(see photo below). You can also just use frozen spinach that has been thawed and drained. It will work just as well and you won't have to cook it :)
• Feta Cheese...again, a few good handfuls (adjust to suit your taste)
• Salt...to taste
• Pepper...to taste
• Rice wine vinegar...for spinach (Optional, but adds a great taste)
• Minced garlic...for spinach (optional)
• 6 Tbsp. Ranch Dressing (optional, but really adds a unique flavor).

Now that we have our ingredients, let's begin. What we will do is cook everything separately and then, once the eggs are cooked, we will combine all the elements together.

Bacon: 

• Pre-heat oven to 400°
• Place your bacon on a baking sheet (I line mine with foil, but parchment paper will work as well)
• Bake your bacon for 10 minutes, turn and then bake an additional 10 minutes (this will give you fairly crispy bacon. If you like yours less crispy, just reduce the bake time
• Remove and drain on paper towels, crumble, and set aside

Spinach: 

• Place two generous handfuls of spinach in the frying pan and season with salt and pepper

• Saute the spinach until cooked and then add some minced garlic (about a teaspoon) and rice wine vinegar

• Drain and set aside

Sausage:

•  Place sausage in pan and cook until done
• Drain and set aside

Eggs:

• Place the eggs in a bowl and, using a whisk or fork, break the yolks and beat until smooth

• Add the buttermilk (1 cup) and mix well
• Add salt and pepper and mix well

• Add the eggs to frying pan and cook until scrambled to your preferred level of doneness (some people like their scrambled eggs well done and dry, while others prefer them more moist).
• Drain any extra liquid if needed

Putting it together:

• With the eggs still in the frying pan, add the spinach and combine well
• Add the sausage, bacon, and mix well
• Add the Feta cheese mix well and heat until cheese begins to soften
• Lastly, add the Ranch dressing, if desired, and mix

You now have a very versatile dish that can be enjoyed in a variety of different ways. Have fun and try and invent new ways of serving this. If you do, please leave me a comment and I will add your ideas to this article, along with a nice link to your site. :)

How to Boil an Egg

While watching television last night, I saw a commercial for a hard boiled egg cooker. I couldn't believe that someone would actually need to but something like that. Yes, you can use it to steam veggies, but can't you just use a strainer and a pot of water to accomplish the same thing? Anyway, in my constant pursuit to find just about anything to write about and to save you $19.95, I have decided to share the procedure I use to hard boil eggs. I realize that this may seem like a very basic skill, but I also know that there are many out there that may not know how to do this. So, without further delay, here it is...

I am using large grade AA eggs. If you use smaller eggs, your time may vary.

What to do...

1. Get a pin and pierce the eggshell at the flat-end. There is a small air sack located here and by making a small pinhole here, you will help minimize the possibility of your egg cracking during the boiling (this is an optional step)
2. Place your eggs in the bottom of a pan
3. Add enough cold water to cover the eggs
4. Add a pinch of salt
5. Place lid on the pan, but allow the steam to escape
6. Place pan on the stove and turn to high
7. When the water starts to boil, set your timer for eight minutes
8. Let boil
• For a soft-boiled egg it was suggested by one of my commentors to just leave them for three to four minutes
9. After ten minutes, remove from heat and pour-out the water
10. Add cold water to the eggs and then pour out
11. Repeat three to four times
• This procedure stops the cooking process
12. Add cold water or ice and allow to set until the eggs are cool
13. You should end up with a hard boiled egg with a nice orange yolk. Now, if you like to have a yellow yolk with that wonderful green ring around it, increase the time by two to three minutes

Peeling the little guys...

1. Crack your egg from top to bottom
2. Under cold water, rub the egg between your hands. This will help loosen the membrane that is between the shell and the egg and make the shell come off much easier
3. Peel your egg