Make-Ahead Breakfast Bowls

Adapted from Make-Ahead Breakfast Bowls (Freezer-Friendly)

Ingredients
2 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, chopped into 1/2" cubes
2 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, seeded, 1/2" dice
1 sweet onion, slivered and chopped in half
4 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 T. salt
1 t. paprika, to taste
1/2 t. chipotle powder, to taste
cracked black pepper
6 eggs
12 egg whites
3 oz. vintage extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3 green onions, chopped
Toppings: avocado, tortilla chips, salsa

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add potatoes, peppers, and onions to a large sheet pan then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, homemade seasoned salt, and pepper and then toss until evenly coated. Transfer half the vegetables to a second sheet pan then roast both pans for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown and tender, stirring and rotating pans halfway through.
Meanwhile, crack eggs into a large bowl then season with salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Heat a large skillet over medium heat then spray with nonstick spray and add eggs. Scramble until the eggs are just barely cooked through and still slightly glossy then scoop onto a plate and set aside.
Divide the potatoes and eggs evenly between the containers then set aside to cool. Once cool, sprinkle with cheese and green onions then cover and refrigerate. Freeze any portions that aren’t eaten within three days.

To reheat from frozen: microwave at 50% power for 1-1/2 minutes then stir and continue microwaving until food is reheated, stirring between intervals. Top with optional toppings then serve.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 343
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14 g	21 %
Saturated Fat 5 g	26 %
Monounsaturated Fat 3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 200 mg	67 %
Sodium 749 mg	31 %
Potassium 1016 mg	29 %
Total Carbohydrate 36 g	12 %
Dietary Fiber 4 g	16 %
Sugars 9 g
Protein 20 g	39 %
Vitamin A	49 %
Vitamin C	124 %
Calcium	17 %
Iron	8 %

Spicy-Sweet Roasted Squash Seeds

 
Adapted from How to Roast Squash and Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients
Seeds from a squash -- I used four Delicata, and had about two cups of seeds
Honey, to taste -- I used about 2 t. local wild honey
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. paprika
1/16 t. Saigon cinnamon
1/16 t. chipotle powder

Directions
Rinse and clean seeds of any remaining pulp.  The method in the link looks easier and faster -- I'll try that next time.

Spread the seeds on a baking pan or parchment-lined pan.  The parchment will help absorb some water without the seeds sticking to it later.  (Some recipes suggest drying the seeds on paper towel, but I think they stick more.  Stir a few times, every few hours, and you can leave them overnight, or put them in a warm (100˚F) oven for an hour or two, stirring occasionally until dry.

Once dry, put the seeds in a small mixing bowl and drizzle on the honey.  Using a metal spoon, stir the seeds until they're evenly coated.  Sprinkle with seasonings and stir again until evenly coated.  (The link offers more flavor combinations.)

Nutrition Facts

Servings 8.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 77
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 3 g	5 %
Saturated Fat 1 g	3 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0 %
Sodium 74 mg	3 %
Potassium 3 mg	0 %
Total Carbohydrate 10 g	3 %
Dietary Fiber 3 g	12 %
Sugars 1 g
Protein 3 g	6 %
Vitamin A	1 %
Vitamin C	0 %
Calcium	1 %
Iron	3 %

Ham, Sweet Potato, Cheddar, and Egg Casserole

Adapted from theKitchn's Brunch Recipe: Bacon, Potato, and Egg Breakfast Casserole

I think I might have an allergy to squash, so I used sweet potatoes instead.

Earlier I made some squash on a whim, but accidentally made four pounds of it....  I know, "How can you accidentally make four pounds of vegetables?" you ask.  Normally I adore vegetables, but squash is an exception.  While the result is quite tasty, I wasn't sure it was reasonable to expect two people to consume a gallon of this squash in a few days, and we can't waste food.  I knew I wanted to make some ham and cheddar egg casserole, and when I saw a recipe that included potatoes, I thought "Well it has a potato-like texture, why not try it?"

I couldn't find decent lean, meaty bacon in the store for a reasonable price, so I used ham.  I didn't have sun-dried tomatoes but I did have some tomatoes past their prime.  "Perfect!" I thought.  I had used up the last of the bell peppers, so I increased the tomato volume.  I reduced the cheese, because the stronger the cheese flavor, the less cheese volume you need, and this saves money and Calories.

I know I have a knack for kitchen experimentation, and probably not everyone is comfortable with such things, but I thought I'd take a moment to annotate this recipe and explain my process. I look for a recipe that has the ingredients that are calling to me, and that sounds good overall.  Rarely do I find exactly what I want, so sometimes I'll use two or three recipes and combine them here.  Hence this lab-notebook format where I publish recipes even if I don't like the result, for someday I may desire to return and improve on my first attempt.  I rarely follow a recipe exactly, and I've found that when I do, those are the few times I'm disappointed, ironically.

The other complication is that we're both students, so all of this is done on a budget.  I get creative so we can use what we have and we don't waste any of it.  Some of the more expensive meats and ingredients are gifted to us at Christmas.  Others we're lucky enough to find at the food pantry.  Other things we find in bulk and portion out for storage.  I can't eat most prepared/pre-packaged foods due to food intolerances, and I also have a mild issue with legumes, so I'm 'forced' to be an omnivore.  At least it's a tasty life!

Thankfully my "guinea pig" is game and claims he "likes [my] kitchen experiments over many other's routine cooking!"

Ingredients
4 oz. lean, uncured Black Forest ham slices, cut into 3/8" squares
1 large sweet onion, peeled and finely diced
1 c. finely chopped tomatoes

2 t. salt, divided
8 large eggs
1 c. milk, fat content between 1% and 4% (whole)
1 t. fresh-cracked black pepper
1/4 t. chipotle powder
1/4 t. paprika
1 c. shredded vintage extra-sharp cheddar cheese
3 c. leftover cooked sweet potatoes, finely diced, or steamed or frozen diced potatoes

Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13x9" baking dish with butter.

Put the ham in a large skillet and turn the heat on to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to crisp. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon of salt, and cook over medium heat until all fragrant and soft — about 5 more minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. Turn off the heat and let cool slightly.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly and whisk in the milk. Whisk in the remaining teaspoon of salt, and the spices. Stir in the cheese, squash or potatoes, and the ham and vegetables from the skillet. (Don't worry; the frozen potatoes cook just fine!) Pour the whole mixture into the prepared baking dish. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)

When you are ready to bake the casserole, bake for 40 minutes, or until the eggs are firm and the top is slightly golden. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 8.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 220
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10 g	16 %
Saturated Fat 5 g	25 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 210 mg	70 %
Sodium 872 mg	36 %
Potassium 356 mg	10 %
Total Carbohydrate 16 g	5 %
Dietary Fiber 2 g	8 %
Sugars 6 g
Protein 15 g	30 %
Vitamin A	153 %
Vitamin C	8 %
Calcium	19 %
Iron	9 %

Cheesey Maple-Roasted Squash

Adapted from Trader Joe's sample kiosk and the stickers on the squash.


I admit I don't like squash, but when I sampled this at Trader Joe's I had to have it.  It's absolutely delicious, but unfortunately it didn't amaze me enough that I want to devour four pounds of it, so on to the next experiment, I mean recipe!
Ingredients
2 Delicata squash, ~2 lbs., sliced lengthwise, cored, and cut in 1/4" slices
1 T. sunflower seed oil

1/4 t. chipotle powder
1/4 t. paprika
salt and pepper
2 T. real maple syrup, grade B
3 oz. gouda cheese, shredded
1 oz. Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese, shredded

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 400˚F.  Toss squash with oil and seasonings to coat in a 9x13" glass baking pan.  Roast 20 minutes; toss halfway through.  With 5 minutes remaining, drizzle on syrup and toss.  Remove from oven and toss with cheese until incorporated.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 8.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 88
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5 g	7 %
Saturated Fat 2 g	10 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 12 mg	4 %
Sodium 124 mg	5 %
Potassium 99 mg	3 %
Total Carbohydrate 6 g	2 %
Dietary Fiber 0 g	1 %
Sugars 4 g
Protein 3 g	6 %
Vitamin A	19 %
Vitamin C	4 %
Calcium	8 %
Iron	2 %

Apple-Pecan Crisp

Adapted from Betty Crocker's Apple Crisp

Ingredients
4 medium tart cooking apples (Gravenstein or King, if possible), sliced (4 cups)
1/2 c. loosely packed brown sugar
1/2 c. unbleached heritage grain AP flour (Substitute with whey powder?)
1/2 c. whole rolled oats
1/2 c. butter, softened (Reduce?)
3/4 t. ground cinnamon
3/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Directions
Heat oven to 375ºF. Grease bottom and sides of 9-inch square glass pan with butter.

Spread apples in pan. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients until well mixed; sprinkle over apples.

Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 8.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 269
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 16 g	25 %
Saturated Fat 8 g	38 %
Monounsaturated Fat 3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 30 mg	10 %
Sodium 93 mg	4 %
Potassium 62 mg	2 %
Total Carbohydrate 29 g	10 %
Dietary Fiber 3 g	12 %
Sugars 16 g
Protein 3 g	5 %
Vitamin A	8 %
Vitamin C	5 %
Calcium	2 %

Stuffed Bell Peppers

 
Adapted from Chatelaine's Adventures in Cooking's Stuffed Green Peppers and thekitchn's How To Make Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients
6 medium red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
1 t. kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 T. sunflower seed oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced, ~1 c.
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 bird's eye chilies, minced, or ghost chili pepper flakes, to taste
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 t. chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 t. fresh cracked pepper
1 1/2 c. cooked brown and wild rice blend
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 T. minced fresh basil
1 t. dried oregano, crumbled between palms
2 T. Litehouse Instantly Fresh Salad Herb Blend
2-4 T. balsamic vinegar
2-4 T. dry red wine
3 oz. grated Parmesan, Asiago, or Romano cheese

Directions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375°F. Pour just enough water (about 1 cup) to cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish; set aside.

Cut off the tops of the peppers. Remove and discard any seeds and membranes from both the cap and interior. Remove the stems from the tops and chop the pepper caps. Sprinkle the inside of the peppers with the 1 teaspoon salt.

Place the peppers in the prepared baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and let cool while you prepare the filling.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and chopped pepper tops, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Add the ground beef, black pepper, and rosemary, and cook, breaking the meat up with a spatula as it cooks, until cooked through, about 8 minutes.  Add the basil, oregano, Salad Herbs, vinegar, and wine to the tomatoes and blend with an immersion blender.  Remove from the meat mixture from heat and stir in the rice and the tomato mixture.

Evenly divide the mixture among the peppers (use a canning funnel if you have one). Divide the cheese over each pepper.

Bake uncovered until the peppers are softened, the filling is hot, and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 334
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 12 g	19 %
Saturated Fat 3 g	16 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 47 mg	16 %
Sodium 325 mg	14 %
Potassium 699 mg	20 %
Total Carbohydrate 28 g	9 %
Dietary Fiber 5 g	18 %
Sugars 8 g
Protein 19 g	38 %
Vitamin A	29 %
Vitamin C	156 %
Calcium	4 %
Iron	18