Zucchini Breakfast Skillet

Wow!! I can't believe I've been away for so long!

First, I would like to thank all of my faithful readers for sticking with me during the past couple of months. It's been quite hectic! And, second, I would like to apologize for being gone so long. At the beginning of September, I moved back into my own place after housesitting for my family during the summer, and so have been working on getting all of my stuff unpacked again (especially all of my precious kitchen stuff). Not to mention, I've been working around 50 hours per week at my new job, and trying to work out and get in better shape again afterwards with my fellow chef, so have been trying to juggle my time there. And, I didn't have internet until the beginning of this week, so that didn't help either!

But, I'm finally back!  :-)

This recipe is another one that I found in a copy of Food Network Magazine that I had picked up at the store, the same one as the Heirloom Tomato Pie I just had to make, so you might have seen it floating around the internet already. But, maybe you haven't!

I especially like this dish, because I'm trying to be more conscious of my diet and want to get back into shape, and this is such a great dish. You don't even feel like you're missing out on everything! Of course, I did change a few things, but I did keep the recipe very much the same as the original... For myself and my family, we like things a little spicy, so I added two jalapenos instead of the one. And I used the special yummy cheese (Morel Mushroom and Leek Jack) I found instead of pepper jack or cheddar. And probably more scallions...  :-D

The great thing about this recipe is that it really is very easy to customize to your liking. If you want it to be a complete breakfast, you could add some bacon to the skillet as well. Served with a couple slices of toast, it's the perfect breakfast!

Printable Recipe

3 lb. summer squash and/or zucchini

Kosher salt

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Freshly ground pepper

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

6 large eggs

½ - 1 c. grated pepper jack or sharp white cheddar cheese

Grate the squash into a colander using the large holes of a box grater (or use a food processor fitted with the shredding attachment). Toss with 1 tablespoon salt, then let drain in the sink, 30 to 40 minutes. Roll the squash in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Set aside 3 tablespoons scallion greens. Add the remaining scallions (white and green parts), the jalapeno, and salt to taste and cook until the scallions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the shredded squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in the parsley, nutmeg, and pepper to taste. Cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and let cool, 5 minutes.

Spread the squash evenly in the skillet. Make six 2½-inch-wide indentations in the mixture with the back of a spoon; put ½ teaspoon butter in each one. One at a time, crack each egg into a small bowl and pour into an indentation; season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the cheese.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the egg whites are set and the yolks are cooked to desired doneness, 10 to 12 minutes. Scatter the reserved scallion greens on top.

Asparagus and Bacon Quiche

If you've never had quiche, I strongly encourage you to try it. This is my go-to recipe for quiche that I came up with a couple years ago, and I actually make it fairly regularly. The great thing about quiche is that it really is SO versatile!! While I absolutely love asparagus and bacon, other people might prefer spinach and ham, and that is perfectly fine! Although, if you are going to use spinach, I would recommend preparing the spinach in advance as it has a high water content. In order to do this, simply trim the stems and steam the leaves of the spinach; once the spinach has wilted, remove it from the cooking vessel to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze the spinach in the towel to get most of the liquid out. If you don't do this, you'll end up with a very watery quiche, which is not conducive to yummy breakfast times...
Another great thing about quiche is that you can change it even more, making the crust out of different things and thereby making them healthier, if you so choose. Or, you can do away with a crust entirely, if you so choose. However, then this becomes a frittata instead of a quiche... If you are the kind of person who likes to make what is commonly referred to as an "egg bake", then you are essentially making a quiche or frittata, depending if you use hash browns as a crust or not. Quiche and frittata merely sound fancier! ;-)
The first thing you'll probably notice is that this quiche is much thicker than most, that it's more substantial. Well, that's because I happen to be under the impression that more filling is a good thing, especially if it tastes good. If this is all you're going to eat for breakfast, then I think it stands to reason that it should probably be as filling as possible. And like every other recipe, feel free to make this your own! Add a seasoning like basil and mix it with some fresh tomatoes, provolone cheese, and browned prosciutto for an Italian kind of dish. Make it healthier by substituting egg whites for half of the eggs. You are only limited by your own imagination and taste buds!



1 unbaked pie crust (9 in.)
8 large eggs
1 c. milk
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (2.8 oz.) jar real bacon bits
1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 425°.
Roll out the pie crust on a floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate; poke a few holes with a fork at the bottom of the dough and flute pie crust as desired. Place another small pan inside to help set the sides while baking, or place a sheet of foil in the shell and fill with beans, rice or pie weights. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until the pie shell begins to feel firm.
Mix together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium size bowl. Cover the edges of pie crust with foil; pour ⅓ of the egg mixture into the partially baked quiche crust. Bake mixture until the filling begins to set; about 8 minutes. Place the asparagus and bacon on top of the partially cooked eggs already in the pie plate (or mix it into the remaining egg mixture). Pour the rest of the egg mixture over the asparagus; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, with foil still in place around pie crust edges, for about 30 minutes, until puffed and brown. Serve hot or at room temperature. Yield: 8 servings.