Healthy Breakfast Bake

I’ve made this breakfast casserole the past two weekends. I love having a hot breakfast when the mornings are chilly and I’m getting tired of washing all the dishes day in and day out. Preparing this casserole ahead of time is really easy and then we can just slice it, reheat it, and we are ready to go. If you want something more substantial a slice of this would taste amazing in between two slices of toast. When we are running around with a a zillion kid activities it helps to have a good breakfast to keep us going until we can squeeze in lunch. This uses precooked chicken sausage to save time, some spinach that wilts quickly for health purposes, and fontina cheese for its creamy buttery flavor.

What you need:

2.5 oz fresh spinach (half of a typical bag of fresh spinach leaves)

1 medium sized shallot, peeled and finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb precooked chicken sausage links (I used Amylu but there are many good options) chopped into bite sized pieces.

1 cup of half and half

12 large eggs

1 cup of shredded fontina cheese

Salt and pepper

A stick of butter to grease the baking dish

Begin by preheating the oven to 375°. Warm a skillet to medium heat and add the olive oil and shallots. Give them a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Once the pan is sizzling and the shallots are fragrant add the spinach. It should only take about 2 minutes of occasional stirring for the spinach to be wilted. Turn off the heat and set aside.

I use a 9x12 baking dish for this casserole. Take a stick of butter and turn it on its end rubbing it around your entire baking dish and up the sides to give it a nice coating of butter. This will help the eggs not to stick and will also add some flavor to the dish. I think this is much tastier and just as easy as using a non stick spray. Take the cooled spinach and dump it onto a cutting board and give it a good rough chop. I don’t like the stems to be very large in the casserole, thats not a nice bite. This also allows it to spread out more evenly in the casserole. I find its easier to chop it up after cooking than before.

Now add the 12 eggs to a large mixing bowl with the half and half and whisk thoroughly to combine. Stir in a sprinkle of salt (about 1/2 tsp) and some pepper if you like it. Now add the sausage and spinach mixture to the baking dish. Pour in the eggs and add the cheese. Give it a stir to have everything spread evenly. Bake for about 30 minutes. It will puff up evenly and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean when its finished.

Chicken Pot Pie

My love affair with chicken pot pie began decades ago when my childhood riding coach would take me out to dinner at KFC at the end of a freezing cold day at the barn or we would stop there on the way home from a numbingly cold indoor horse show. Flaky crust, creamy potatoes, it would warm my bones.

I haven't had one from KFC in a really long time and I am not sure it would be as good as my memory is telling me it was. I don't want to spoil it so now I make my own. I have been evolving this recipe over the years and tonight I added a bit of dijon mustard and it was a game changer. The dijon added the tang to balance out the richness and it's just perfect.

What you need:

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1/2 of a rotisserie chicken, chopped and deboned

1 large russet potato

1 small yellow onion

1 large carrot

1 stalk of celery

1/4 tsp each dried rosemary, parsley, thyme

3 tbsp flour

1/4 cup wine

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup milk or 1/2 and 1/2

2 tsp dijon

1 cup frozen peas

puff pastry or pie crust

First look at the package of crust if using a store bought one, bring it out to thaw if need be. (For this recipe I used Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry which needs to thaw for 30 minutes, if I'm being honest I much prefer Dufour but this is what I could find). Preheat the oven to the temperature for the crust. 400 is a safe bet.

Next prep your chicken and chop your vegetables. Chop the potato into small pieces and place in a pot with the chicken broth. Parboil the potatoes in the broth so they will finish cooking later in the pie. Meanwhile, add onion, carrot, and celery to a separate pan with olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add in the dried herbs and another pinch of salt and pepper and cook for another two minutes. Add 3 tbsp flour and stir to coat all the vegetables and soak up the butter and olive oil. Stir frequently for about 5 minutes. It's important to cook off the raw flour. Allowing it to brown will deepen the flavors.

Next pour in the chicken broth, potatoes, and wine and stir quickly into a smooth sauce. Allow to simmer and cook off the alcohol. Turn the heat down to low and stir in the milk and dijon, you don’t want it boiling or the milk could curdle. Wait a minute if you need to. Then you can gently increase the heat after the milk has been added and allow the sauce to bubble gently for a few minutes. The sauce should thicken up nicely. Now stir in the chicken and peas. Transfer the mixture to a casserole or pie dish and cover with the puff pastry or crust. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes until the crust is nicely browned and cooked through. Enjoy!

Mushroom and Havarti Turkey Burgers

I love cheeseburgers for a busy weeknight dinner. They are quick to make and its a guarantee everyone in the family will eat them. In an effort to eat less red meat I’ve started rotating turkey burgers into the meal plan. Soy sauce gives these a savory rich flavor that makes them just as enjoyable as a beef cheeseburger. I mix up a quick Dijonaise to spread on the bun. You won’t even need ketchup.

What you need:

1 lb dark ground turkey

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

2 tbsp soy sauce

8 oz chopped portobello or button mushrooms

1 small yellow onion

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp soy sauce

Toppings: sliced havarti cheese, pickles, dijonaise (mix equal parts mayo and Dijon mustard), lettuce

Combine the turkey, garlic powder, onion powder, and 2 tbsp soy sauce and mix well. Using wet hands (the meat sticks to dry hands) form 4 equal sized patties. Spread out the patties so that are just shy of one inch in thickness. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the mushrooms, onions, butter, and olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally to brown evenly for around 10 minutes. Now add a separate skillet to the stove top and place on medium heat. Once its hot, add the burgers so they can cook while you finish the mushrooms and onions. Cook the burgers for 5 minutes and then flip them. Once flipped add a small splash of water to the pan to create some steam (2-3 tbsp water) and place a lid on top. Cook for another 5 minutes. Be sure to keep stirring the mushrooms and onions occasionally. The burgers should be just about fully cooked at this point. Turn off the heat and add cheese. Cover with the lid to melt the cheese. Now add one tbsp soy sauce to the mushrooms and onions and stir coating them evenly. Check to see if they need any additional salt and pepper.

At this point the cheese should be well melted and you can serve the burgers. I like to do a little dijonaise on the top and bottom bun, followed by some dill pickles and crunchy lettuce. Enjoy!