Summer Vegetable Quiche

The hubs and I have been doing our very best to try and not go out to eat in the month of July. It both budget and wait friendly. So we have been getting creative in the kitchen, mixing up our favorites with new recipes, and perfecting our homemade pasta and pizza skills. This weekend was another episode of breakfast for dinner, in the form of this vegetable quiche. It made the perfect light dinner, paired with a glass of dry white wine, and then delicious leftovers the next morning topped with avocado and hot sauce. So grab every veggie in your fridge and get to cooking. Also, my brain is fried right now, so insert quiche pun here. 

Summer Vegetable Quiche

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 tbsp. chilled bacon grease (can use butter instead)
• 1 tbsp. cold water
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 cup 1-inch chopped green beans
• 1 small red potato, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme (pulled from stem)
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a food processor, or with a pastry blender, combine the flour, salt, butter, and bacon grease (if using) together until a coarse meal forms. Add in the water and pulse to combine. If the mixture is still too dry, add in a bit more water as needed.

Press the crust mixture into a tart pan or pie dish, coming up around the sides. Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes, just until set, but not quite browned yet.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp. of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute the zucchini and green beans together until slightly softened. Seta side in a bowl. Add in the other tbsp. of oil and cook the potatoes and onion together until softened. Add to the bowl with the zucchini. Add in the fresh thyme leaves and mix well. 

Add the vegetables to the prepared crust and smooth out into an even layer. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Whisk together the eggs, almond milk, salt, and pepper, and pour over the vegetables. Bake in the oven until the eggs are set, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. Also makes for excellent leftovers!

Paleo Sweet Potato Waffles

Is t weird that I have breakfast for dinner like once a week? And by breakfast, I mean I make a savory dish and throw an egg on top of it and call it a day. A little look into my life, as a creature of habit, I have the same thing for breakfast every single day. A hard-boiled eg and coffee. But I have been trying to mix it up as of late, and even had oatmeal with blueberries and cinnamon this week (I basically don't recognize myself). But I have to have at least an egg a day. So if it isn't what starts my day, it's what I end my day with. Eggs for dinner. That's my new habit. And coming from a girl who refused to eat eggs in any way, shape, or form as a kid, that's saying a lot. 

These sweet potato waffles are delicious on their own, but adding a sunny-side up egg (or a fried would be just as yummy!), you add some creaminess and added protein to the dish. Plus you can never go wrong with guac and hot sauce. Because guac is life, obvi. Feel free to make the paleo version, or use whatever flour and/or seasonings you prefer if you are not following the paleo lifestyle. 

Paleo Sweet Potato Waffles

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups shredded sweet potato
• 2 tbsp. coconut flour (can use all-purpose of whole wheat for non-paleo)
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/8 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 batch homemade guacamole
• 4 eggs
• hot sauce (optional)

Preheat a waffle maker while you prepare the "batter".

In a medium bowl, mix together the sweet potato, almond flour, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. 

Fill the waffle maker with the mixture and press down firmly, and cook until crispy and browned. Repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 waffles. Place in the oven to keep warm.

Fry up your eggs any way you like them, I prefer sunny side up, and serve atop hot waffles and a side of guacamole and hot sauce. 

Paleo Eggs Benedict

Paleo week continues with a breakfast dish sure to please everyone! Coming up with new and fresh ideas for meals is a bit challenging at times, especially when you finally come up with one and the lighting is poor, limiting your photo capabilities. But nonetheless, I just HAD to share this recipe with you. It's my paleo take on my favorite breakfast meal; Eggs Benedict. Take a crispy latke made up of sweet potato as your bread, then replace the standard ham slice with some sugar-free bacon, and top with creamy avocado instead of hollandaise, and the best part, a runny poached egg. Oh and hot sauce! If you've got a stubborn bread-eater in your house, simply place an english muffin or slice of toast on the bottom to satisfy their needs. See, pleasing everyone! 

Paleo Eggs Benedict

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and shredded
• 3 green onions, green part only, sliced
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 3 tbsp. high-heat oil (such as avocado oil)
• 2 small avocado, pitted
• 4-6 slices, nitrate free bacon, baked or fried
• 4 eggs, poached
• salt and pepper to taste
• hot sauce for garnish

In a medium mixing bowl, add the shredded potato, green onions (save some for garnish if you would like), garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix together with your hands and form into patties.

Heat 1 1/2 tbsp. of the oil in a large pan and cook the patties, 4 in each bach as not to crowd the pan. Cook until dark brown on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side, remove from skillet and keep warm while you cook the next batch. Repeat.

Meanwhile, mash the avocado in a small bowl seasoned with salt and pepper and poach the eggs.

To assemble, place 1 to 2 sweet potato patties on the plate. Top with bacon, then a dollop of the avocado smash and lastly, an poached egg. garnish with more green onions and hot sauce.

Classic Breakfast Sandwiches

Let's take a minute to talk about breakfast. My love for it is undeniable. You can drink mimosas and bloody mary's with it. You get to have coffee. And you can load up on bacon, eggs, and bread. What's not to love? I recently make these classic breakfast sandwiches later in the morning to keep us full until dinner, and that they did. With hand pressed sausage patties and runny egg yolks, these are the perfect way to start your day!

Classic Breakfast Sandwiches
Makes 4

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 4 english muffins
• 1/2 lb. turkey breakfast sausage
• 4 slices tomato
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 4 slices pepper jack or cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• sriracha ketchup

Form 4 patties from the breakfast sausage and set aside on a plate. Heat a large pan over medium high heat. Cook the sausages until no more pink remains. Remove the sausage form the pan and set on a paper towel to drain any excess grease. 

Lower heat to medium-low and cook the eggs in the turkey grease, until the whites are set and the yolks are still a little runny. 

Meanwhile, toast the english muffins until golden brown.

To build the sandwiches, place a sausage patty on the bottom half of an english muffins. Then top with a slice of cheese, then an egg, then tomato, and avocado. Slather some cream cheese on the top half of the muffin then top sandwich.

Serve with sriracha ketchup on the side. I love Traina Foods' version.

This recipe was not paid for by Traina Foods, but product was provided for me. All opinions are my own. 

Thanksgiving Leftover Breakfast Burritos

We all know that secondary to giving thanks, Thanksgiving is all about them leftovers. Last year I made these EPIC cheddar mashed potato waffles leftover sandwiches, and this year? Well, this year I stuffed them into a breakfast burrito and called it a day. Serve it with a side of gravy and cranberry sauce to complete the dish. Hearty, warm, and full of everything we love. These burritos are sure to be a hit!

 Thanksgiving Leftover Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 cup leftover turkey, chopped
• 1 cup leftover stuffing, chopped
• 1/2 cup leftover vegetables (like green beens or brussels sprouts)
• 4 large eggs
• 4 spoonfuls of leftover mashed potatoes
• 4 large tortillas 
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• leftover gravy and/or cranberry sauce for dipping

In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium-heat. Add in the chopped turkey, stuffing, and vegetables. Cook until heated through. 

Crack the eggs into the pan and stir into the filling. Continue to cook until the eggs are cooked through. 

Meanwhile, heat up the mashed potatoes and tortillas. Spread a spoonful of mashed potato down the center of each tortilla, then top with the leftover/egg filling. Sprinkle with the fresh parsley and fold up like a burrito. I found it easier to eat by wrapping it with a piece of tin foil to keep the filling from falling out. 

Serve warm with leftover gravy and/or cranberry sauce.

My taste tester couldn't wait to get his hands on these. 

Mixed Beet Breakfast Hash

Umm, how cute is that plate? Crate & Barrel really knows the way to a food bloggers heart. I may or may not have 5 other ones stacked up in my props cabinet just waiting for their debut! Today I bring to you a farmer's market breakfast dream. Locally grown beets are cooked to a crisp and farm fresh eggs are just set with slightly runny yolks. What really brings out the flavor in this dish is the bacon fat (yes, I am that person that has a mason jar full of bacon fat in my fridge), and I use it pretty much any time I roast something in place of half of the oil. If bacon fat is not your thing, just use all oil, no biggie! 

Beet Breakfast Hash

Ingredients:

• 1 red beet, ends trimmed and peeled
• 1 golden beet, ends trimmed and peeled
• 1 russet potato, peeled
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp. bacon fat
• 1/2 tsp. olive oil
• 5 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste

Chop the beets and the potato into 1/2-inch chunks. Bring 3 inches of water to a boil in a large pot. Boil the beets and potato for 7 minutes until softened slightly. 

Meanwhile, heat the bacon fat and olive oil over medium-high heat in a cast-iron skillet. Once the beets and potato have softened, drain and add to the hot skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. 

Add the onion and garlic, and cook for another 4-5 minutes, tossing until crispy. Make 5 wells in the skillet and crack an egg into each one. Season eggs with salt and pepper and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook until the eggs are set.

Serve hot. 

Blueberry Mint Mojito Ice Cream

I'm kind of at a loss for words today. I know, my fiance is appalled right now. But I have started, deleted, and re-started today's post 3 times now. I just don't know what to say. Like I said, speechless. But what I do know is how absolutely crave-able this ice cream is. Creamy. Sweet. Minty. All the perfect descriptions of a delicious mojito on a warm summer day. But in ice cream form. Can we all just go to the beach together? But like, skip the bikinis and sunscreen and just sit under a tiki hut eating this all day? All aboard!

Blueberry Mint Mojito Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp. rum or vodka (optional)

In a medium saucepan, heat the blueberries, sugar, and salt over medium heat, mashing with a fork or potato masher once the blueberries begin to soften and burst. Bring to a low boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove form the heat and allow the mixture to cool for at least 30 minutes. 

Once the blueberries have cooled, add them to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl, stirring to get all of the liquid through the mesh, and discarding the leftover skins and seeds (I used the skin and seeds on toast; makes an amazingly thick jam!). Stir in the lime juice and set the bowl aside.

While the strained blueberries continue to cool, heat 1 cup of the heavy cream, the milk, and the mint leaves over medium heat in a medium saucepan (I rinsed and used the same one that I previously used for my blueberries). Once the mixture begins to come to a simmer, stir the mixture, remove from the heat, cover, and allow the mint leaves to steep for 1 hour. 

While the mint cream is steeping, add the remaining 1 cup of cream to the cooling blueberries. Mix well to combine. Once the mint has steeped for 1 hour, pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve (again I washed and used the same one from earlier) into a medium bowl, allowing the cream to pass through and catching the mint in the sieve. Press firmly down on the mint leaves to allow them to extract all of the mint flavor into the cream mixture. Discard the mint leaves. 

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. 

Return the cream to the medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Once the cream mixture has heated up again, slowly whisk 1/2 cup of the warm cream into the egg yolks, This allows the egg yolks to "temper", which prevents them from curdling or turning into scrambled eggs in your ice cream base. Return the tempered egg yolks into the saucepan with the rest of the cream. Stir constantly until the cream/egg mixture thickens and coats the back of your spoon or spatula. 

Place the fine mesh sieve (cleaned after discarding the mint leaves) over the blueberry mixture bowl, and pour the cream/egg mixture through the mesh and into the blueberry bowl. Clean the fine mesh sieve once more. Stir the cream and blueberries well until combined. Pour the mixture through the sieve once more into a clean bowl and discard any blueberry/milk solids. Now stir in the rum or vodka if using (this will make for a softer/creamier final ice cream product). 

Cover the bowl with non-stick cling wrap and place the bowl of the ice cream base into the fridge for 8 hours until cooled completely.

Recipe slightly adapted from Treats + Eats

Bahn Mi Ramen

Hi, my name is Rhea and I am a bahn mi addict {everybody in unison: Hi Rhea}. It's true. Don't believe me, check out my recent posts about bahn mi sandwiches and bahn mi hot dogs. There's just something about those pickled carrots and crunchy cucumbers that suck me in every time. Now, I've gone on to create bahn mi ramen bowls, complete with crispy shredded pork and topped with all of the toppings. So many that you can't even see the noodles nestled underneath of them. Not sorry about it one bit. 

You know what else I'm not sorry about? My 3-day weekend hiatus that I am about to embark on. I'm leaving the Arizona sun for the California coast, for none other than my bachelorette weekend. Technically our wedding isn't for another 6 months, but finding a weekend for 11 girls to get away proved to be a difficult task, and this one just worked, so we're rolling with it. ut if you don't find yourself at a bachelorette party this weekend, the next best thing to do is to make this ramen. Trust me.

Bahn Mi Ramen

Ingredients:

• 4 packages ramen, flavor packets saved for another use
• 2 cups shredded pork (I used leftovers from this recipe)
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 2 tbsp. tamari (can substitute soy sauce)
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar

Pickled Carrots:

• 1 large carrot, peeled with vegetable peeler
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1 tbsp. sugar

Garnish:

• thinly sliced cucumber
• chopped green onions
• 1 small avocado, thinly sliced
• 4 soft-boiled eggs**
• fresh cilantro

Prepare the pickled carrots at least 4 hours before, or even the night before. Simply toss the peeled carrots with the sugar and vinegar, and place in the fridge for 4 hours or so.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen noodles for about 5 minutes until softened, but not mushy.

Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the shredded pork to the hot oil. Add in the tamari, rice vinegar, and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the pork is crispy and aromatic.

Once the ramen is cooked and the pork is crispy, fill 4 bowls with the ramen and top with the pork. garnish with the pickled carrots, cucumber, green onions, avocado, cilantro and a soft-boiled egg.

**To soft-boil the eggs, simply bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Reduce to a rolling simmer and add in the eggs. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the eggs from the heat and add to a bowl of ice water and allow to cool for 1 minute. Carefully place the eggs on a dish towel and crack the shell with the back of a spoon. Gently peel off the shell, and serve immediately.

Blood Orange Olive Oil Brownies

I have been up to something dangerously good here in the HDFB kitchen, and that something is partnering up with Queen Creek Olive Mill and my good friend Diana with AZFoodie to create these perfectly fudgy brownies, made with Blood Orange Olive Oil. Then I topped them with even more citrus, using a homemade orange zest flaky sea salt. To die. So just drop whatever it is that you are doing right now and get your oven ready because it. is. on.

Get the full recipe here.

Individual Baked Eggs in Purgatory

With the weekend just a few hours away, I wanted to give you all the perfect Saturday morning breakfast recipe to please the masses. Eggs and marinara might not be what you consider a perfect combination, but if you haven't tried it, boy oh boy are you missing out! These individual servings make it easier for serving, and clean up in a pinch. Plus, dipping your toast into the runny egg yolks are nothing short of perfection!  

Baked Eggs in Purgatory
Makes 4 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 4 large eggs
• 4 tbsp. fresh pesto
• 4 slices sourdough bread
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray each ramekin with a little non-stick cooking spray. Place 1/2 cup marinara sauce in to the bottom of each ramekin. Top with an egg.

Bake in the oven until the egg whites are set, about 15-20 minutes. Once the eggs are cooked to your liking, top with a spoonful of pesto. Serve with buttered toast.

Baked Vegetable Frittata

The local Farmer's Markets here in AZ are really creating a healthy habit here in my kitchen. I just can't seem to get enough veggies in my diet as of late. And surprisingly my fiance hasn't been asking for meat either. We are by NO means vegetarians. We are quite carnivorous, but with the fresh summertime produce, we are getting our fill of them since we are basically forced to go from our air conditioned house, to our air conditioned cars, to our air conditioned offices, and back again, so going outside to turn the grill on is a major task right now. I have a feeling that 4th of July will put us in the mood to grill, so for now we are just hiding out indoors. For this recipe I sautéed all of those yummy local veggies and baked them into a crustless frittata, perfect for that bikini bod that we are all striving for right now, am I right?

Baked Vegetable Frittata

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. avocado oil (or other high-heat oil)
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1 small yellow squash, sliced
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
•  1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 garlic clove, mined
• 1/4 cup fresh pesto
• 8 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste
• freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a pie or quiche dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet or cast-iron, preheat oil over medium-high heat. Add in the broccoli, squash, zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook, tossing until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the sauteed veggies to the whisked eggs and toss to mix.

Pour the eggs and veggies into the prepared baking dish and drizzle the pesto over the top. Bake in the oven until the eggs are set, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan on top before serving.

Sautéed Asparagus with Hollandaise and Arugula Blossoms

We kicked summer off with this indulgent Nasturtium Risotto recipe, all in thanks to Malori from Hoot & Holler's creative mind! Now we are back this month with another mash-up of food and flowers, a seriously cool series if you ask me! This time I created a breakfast for asparagus lovers. Tender spears topped with a homemade hollandaise sauce and arugula blossoms. Arugula blossoms are both sweet and spicy {like me} with a hint of pepper flavor. They add an extra depth of flavor to any dish, and I love how well they worked here.  Be sure to head on over to Hoot & Holler and check out the recipe, and to see what else Malori has up her sleeve this summer!

Sautéed Asparagus with Hollandaise and Arugula Blossoms recipe here.

Summer Veggie Hash with Fried Eggs

You guys. Can we just talk about this weekend? Some of my all-time favorite people, aka my sorority sisters, came into town for a fellow sister's wedding. And. things. got. real. We stayed out til 1am, not once, but 2 nights in a row {who am I?}. We sang our hearts out at our favorite college dueling piano bar. We went back to campus for old time's sake. We danced til our feet were numb at the beautiful wedding of the new Mr. & Mrs. Irwin, and serenaded our lovely uber driver Fransicso {sorry about your ears} with some Avril Lavigne. After a weekend of indulging, it is back to routine life, and much earlier bed times. To re-set my metabolism and flush out any remaining wine toxins, I made this fresh summer veggie hash for breakfast. I realize I have already made something similar, but hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. 

Summer Veggie Hash with Fried Eggs

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tbsp. avocado oil, divided
• 1 sweet potato or yam, skin removed and chopped
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno, stems and seeds removed, then minced
• kernels removed from 1 corn on the cob
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 green onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2-4 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste
• hot sauce for garnish

Preheat 1 tbsp. oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sweet potato and toss to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 8 minutes. Add in the bell peppers, jalapeno, corn, garlic, and onion. Cook for another 5 minutes until the veggies are browned. 

In a separate skillet, heat the 1/2 tbsp. of oil over high heat and fry up the eggs. Cooking for 2 minutes for over-easy. 

Serve the hash with fried eggs on top, garnish with cilantro and a dash of hot sauce.

Individual Quinoa Enchilada Egg Bake

Today is an exciting day, as I have teamed up with Diana, the creator of Arizona Foodie to share a recipe with both established and new followers alike. I was extremely excited to create a recipe for Diana, and I had the perfect one in mind. These individual enchilada quinoa bowls are topped with baked eggs and a heaping serving of avocado, both filling, yet easy on the waistline. Be sure to follow AZFoodie on instagram as Diana's goal is share her passion for food and sinful dishes across Arizona.

Click here to see the recipe.

Pulled Pork Tostadas with a Runny Egg

This is my fancy way of having leftovers served as breakfast for dinner. Piled high with tortillas, pork, and a runny egg, I get to have the best of both worlds. Last week I made this brown sugar pulled pork for sandwiches, and then again in this crispy tortilla stack. It's like an oversized nacho plate. All that's missing is the cheese. Now, come to think of it, I should have added some shredded cheese in those layers. Won't you say you'll do that, please?! Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner, so don't miss this recipe. It's sure to be a hit! 

Pulled Pork Tostadas with a Runny Egg

Ingredients:

• 3 6-inch corn or flour tortillas (your preference)
• non-stick cooking spray
• 1 cup shredded pulled pork (recipes here, here, and here)
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1/2 jalapeno, minced
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 egg, cooked over-easy

In a small bowl, toss together the jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, spray with non-stick cooking spray and toast the tortillas until crispy, flipping onto both sides as they cook. Once they are nice and crispy, place the first tortilla on a plate. Top with 1/3 of the shredded lettuce. Then on top of the lettuce, place 1/3 of the pulled pork, and garnish with 1/3 of the jalapeno cilantro mixture. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, until you have 3 layers of tortillas, lettuce, pork, and jalapeno. Top with the egg and serve hot.