Double Duty Recipes

Tonight I decided to officially open grill season.  I normally don’t close it, but this winter really wore me down so I haven’t used the grill in months.  At the grocery today I bought some cod and mahi mahi.  It has been too long since I have had fish.  So this part of the meal was taken care of, but what to do about accompaniments?

I remembered my last recipe, which I posted about a couple of weeks ago.  Then I used red potatoes, but I suggested in the post to use sweet potatoes.  Since I had sweet potatoes at home, I picked up onions and mushrooms to go with them.  At home I pulled out the trusty cast iron skillet and got to work.  I found out that I am in need of a much bigger skillet!!

The results were great!  Everyone cleaned their plates – fast!  I put the extras in individual ramekins and put them in the fridge.  Tomorrow I will pull one out and add an egg white and some shredded cheese.  Pop it in the oven for ~20 minutes and viola – breakfast for the kid to gobble before the bus comes!  I like this double duty recipe.  Now if I can just figure out other recipes that can do this.

What is your favorite double duty recipe?

In Search of Breakfast

We get up obscenely early in the morning and cooking breakfast is the last thing I want to do.   However, I want my DD to have something healthy and filling to eat.  I won’t lie, most days breakfast is rarely filling or particularly healthy.  But I keep trying to think of something that can be eaten fast and that she will like.

While watching the show Recipe Rehab on television the other day I was inspired to make this dish.  I liked the idea of a ramekin.  I own several, but have never used one for its intended purpose!!

The initial trial yielded a non-running yolk (20 minutes at 350 degrees).  The next trial was in the morning before school.  I used the egg white only that time. My DD reports that the spinach was not as crisply done as the previous evening.  Therefore, I need to increase the baking time because the mix was coming out of the refrigerator.

My intent with this recipe is to fill several ramekins and freeze them.  I know that potatoes do not freeze well because they become mushy, but I am going to try anyway.  I don’t think that will be a problem, but will let you know.

Recipe:

4-5 cloves garlic
½ yellow onion
4 red potatoes (they were ~ the size of my fist)
Spinach (I used frozen, thawed it and squeezed out the water)
Mushrooms (I used portabella because that is what I had)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic salt
Paprika
Egg
Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Chop up first 3 ingredients.  I actually ran the potatoes through the potato slicer and then chopped them.  It was faster and helped me cut them roughly the same size.  Sauté potatoes until almost done.  About half way through add garlic and onion.  Season to taste.  Cook until potatoes are almost done.  Season the spinach and add to skillet.  Stir to combine.

Spoon into individual ramekins, crack one egg on top, season with paprika and cover with ~2T of cheese.

Cook for 20 minutes (if cooking immediately) or until egg is done to your liking.  

Suggestions for future:  Use sweet potatoes (I only had red potatoes or would have initially used sweet), increase cooking time if refrigerated.  Add meat.