Tara’s Brunch Enchiladas
These are not traditional enchiladas, and I am OK with that. Made with a ham and cheese filling, then topped with an egg-based custard, they are a wonderful addition to any brunch menu. They would be fine served for breakfast or lunch, too. The prep in all done the day before, so you just have to pop them in the oven when ready to bake and serve.
The recipe can be easily tweaked, to work with other ingredients. Maybe a corned beef and Swiss cheese version or chicken with broccoli. You could also go vegetarian with a combination of beans and veggies. You can cut the recipe in half, or freeze leftovers. I love a versatile recipe.
I started calling them Tara’s Enchiladas for my friend Tara, who needed a recipe for a Mother’s day brunch last year.
We made these in class the other night. It was a class on Sunday Brunch. Everyone enjoyed them.
So here is the recipe. Hope you give it a try.
Brunch Enchiladas
12 oz. fully cooked ham, chopped fine or ground
½ c. sliced green onions
½ c. chopped sweet pepper
2½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
4 beaten eggs
2 c. half and half or milk
1 T. flour
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste- ham is salty- so go light on salt
In bowl, combine ham with vegetables. Place 1/3 c. of ham mixture and 3 tablespoons of cheese in each tortilla and roll up. Place tortillas, seam side down, in greased 9×13-inch pan. Combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour over tortillas. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Uncover and bake in a 350-degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until set. To check for doneness, insert a knife off center. Knife should come out clean. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and return to oven for 3-5 minutes to melt cheese. Serves 8.
Note: Let enchiladas sit a few minutes before serving to make cutting easier. I cut them down the middle, then into squares to serve.
Zucchini Quesadilla
Zucchini Quesadilla
If you are looking for a fast and easy new way to prepare zucchini this dish really works well. Somewhere between a quesadilla and a frittata it can be a main dish, side dish, brunch dish or even a great breakfast. The hardest part is getting it turned over once it starts to set.
Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. Once you sandwich it between two tortillas any mistakes are covered up. All cheesy and gooey in the middle, with crisp tortillas on the top and bottom, it might even get your kids to eat their veggies. You just cut it in wedges to serve.
Zucchini Quesadilla
2-3 c. shredded zucchini
2 eggs
1 medium onion, minced or grated
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 c. flour
2 t. dried basil or 2 T. fresh
2 t. dried parsley
1/2 t. salt, or to taste
1/2 t. chili powder
Oil
2 (10- inch) tortillas – I used whole wheat
1 c. shredded cheese, cheddar or Monterey Jack work well, but use what you like or have on hand.
Pepper confetti (finely minced sweet peppers, mixed colors if you can)
Salsa, optional
Combine first nine ingredients in bowl and set aside. Heat 10-inch skillet and add a small amount of oil. Pour in zucchini mixture and spread out evenly. Turn down heat to medium-low and cook until edges start to firm up and brown. With spatula turn over zucchini pancake and cook 3 minutes longer. It should be set. Place 1 tortilla on top of “pancake” and turn over again, so tortilla is in bottom of pan. Place cheese on top of pancake and place second tortilla on top of the cheese. Press down lightly. Cook a couple of minutes before turning again. Tortilla should be lightly browned. Cook long enough for the second tortilla to also brown. You can flip them back if to want to make them crispier. Remove to serving dish and sprinkle with the peppers. Cut into wedges and serve. Serve with salsa, if desired. You can also add a dollop or sour cream or some sliced ripe olives if you like.
Makes 2 luncheon servings or 4 appetizers. You can also make them ahead of time and keep them warm or reheat them in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes.
Variations: You can use 1-2 cups cooked mashed beans (kidney, black, chickpeas etc. in place of the zucchini, or even use cooked lentils.
Zucchini Pancakes
You can never have too many zucchini recipes. Especially this time of year. This simple recipe uses zucchini to make tender and flavorful pancakes.
They aren’t the type of pancake you would pour maple syrup over. They are wonderful topped with some fresh salsa, though. I would- and have- eaten them for breakfast. These pancakes make a nice lunch or main dish meal. They can also be served as a side dish. Similar to potato pancakes.
I think they taste best when golden on the outside, a little crisp. They will still be tender inside.
So if you have more zucchini than you know what to do with, and you don’t want to bake zucchini bread, here is a recipe you might want to try.
Zucchini Pancakes
2 c. shredded zucchini
1 medium onion, diced
2 eggs
1/2 c. flour- you made need a little more or less depending on how moist your zucchini is
2 t. hot pepper sauce, or to taste
1 t. baking soda
salt to taste
oil for cooking
Combine all ingredients, except the oil, in a medium bowl. Heat oil in skillet and spoon batter in. I used a little over 1/4 cup for each. Cook over medium heat until lightly browned around the edges. Flip and cook until golden on both sides and pancake springs back when touched lightly. Remove to platter and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with salsa or sour cream. Makes 8.
Scotch Eggs
Scotch Eggs
Scotch eggs are a fun dish to make for breakfast, brunch or dinner. If you never had one before, a Scotch egg is a hard cooked egg, encased in sausage, then breaded and fried. They are really good.
We made them in a British cooking class last night and everyone loved them.
The first time I had Scotch eggs was when my friend, Dale, made them and brought them to a party. I have loved them ever since.
This is also a fun dish to make after Easter, when you might have hard-cooked eggs you are wanting to use.
Scotch eggs can be served plain, or with a dipping sauce. I used a pork breakfast sausage, but you could use a different sausage, if you like. Hot sausage would be good. You can make them the day before, then just warm up before serving.
Scotch Eggs
6 hard-cooked eggs, well chilled
1 pound breakfast sausage
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup fine bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying
Peel eggs and set aside. Divide sausage into 6 portions. Roll each egg in flour and with hands press a portion of the sausage around each egg. If the sausage sticks to your hands, dip your hands in a little water to make pressing the sausage easier. Dip sausage-wrapped eggs into beaten eggs and roll in bread crumbs. Heat vegetable oil to 350 degrees. Cook each egg in oil about 4-5 minutes or until sausage is cooked and browned. Drain on paper toweling. Serve warm. Makes 6.
Scotch eggs, ready to serve
Bacon Waffles
Bacon Waffles
For me, breakfast doesn’t get much better than waffles. Well, unless maybe you add bacon to the waffle batter. Truth is, I don’t treat myself to waffles all that often, but if I am going to eat waffles I go all out. These are truly wonderful waffles. Light, crispy on the outside and studded with bacon. A drizzle of warm maple syrup and you are good to go. So, if you are looking for a special treat for breakfast, or lunch, or dinner or a snack… try these bacon waffles. You can thank me later.
Bacon Waffles
1 pound sliced bacon
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated
1½ cups milk
¼ cup butter, melted
In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain; crumble and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat egg yolks, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients until smooth. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Add bacon. Before making each waffle, stir batter. Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions until golden brown.
Goldenrod
Goldenrod
If you have hard-cooked eggs and want a tasty way to serve them you might like Goldenrod. It’s a recipe my grandmother and mother used to make every year after Easter when we had a lot of of hard cooked eggs around. You make a white sauce and add the chopped up egg whites. Season with salt and pepper. When ready to serve pour the hot egg white mixture over toast and then put the egg yolks in a small strainer and press them through the strainer over the egg whites. The yolks turn into a powder and the end result looks quite pretty. I like it served over English muffins but you can serve it over toast, biscuits or bagels.
Goldenrod
4-6 hard cooked eggs
2 T. flour
2 T. butter
1-1 1/2 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste
2-4 slices bread, toasted
Peel eggs and separate whites from yolks. Chop egg whites and set aside. In saucepan cook flour and butter together until smooth. Stir in milk and cook until thickened and bubbly. Be careful not to burn the sauce. Season to taste and add reserved egg whites, heating through. Arrange toast on serving dishes and cover with the sauce. Place reserves egg yolks in a fine sieve and press through over sauce, dusting as evenly as possible. Serves 2-4.
Chocolate Waffles
Chocolate Waffles
These are fun because they can be for breakfast, brunch or even dessert. I like to make a batch and keep them in the freezer. That way I can pop them in the toaster when I need dessert in a pinch. Topped with a scoop of ice cream and fresh strawberries they make a great dessert for a last minute dinner with friends.
Chocolate Waffles
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 stick butter, melted and cooled
1 t. vanilla
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 each baking powder and baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
Beat first three ingredients until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. Stir in milk. Beat in dry ingredients just until blended. Bake until waffles are cooked through. Makes 4 cups batter. Serve with whipped butter or sour cream and fresh fruit. I like them just dusted with powdered sugar, too.
