WRAL reporter Brian Shrader and our own Lisa Prince feature seasonal recipes in their weekly Local Dish Cooking segment. This month Brian and Lisa featured recipes that include eggs as a main ingredient.
May is National Egg Month and according to the N.C. Egg Association, our state produces about two billion eggs each year. Since the average person eats about 260 eggs per year, North Carolina chickens produce enough to feed our state. Chances are when you buy eggs at the grocery store, you are buying local.
This first recipe comes from Tom Normanly, Local Dish photographer. Lisa says this casserole is perfect for a weeknight dinner with a salad. She recommends adding some salsa as a topping.
Sausage and Potato Egg Casserole
- 1 pound sausage
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cups potatoes, chopped (can be frozen potatoes)
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon sage
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- Salt and pepper, decent pinch of each
- 5 eggs
- 1⁄2 cup Bisquick
- 1⁄3 cup milk
- 1 1⁄2 cup grated cheddar
Heat oven to 400. Brown sausage with onions, spices and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Remove sausage from pan and drain. Sauté the potatoes until they’re done and a little crispy on the edges. Combine potatoes, meat mixture and 1 cup of cheese. In another bowl, mix Bisquick with eggs, milk and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the meat/potato mixture into an 8×8 casserole dish. Don’t use a 9×13 casserole dish because this casserole is better when it’s thicker. Pour the egg mixture on top of that. Bake for 40 minutes. Add remaining cheese. Bake a couple more minutes until the cheese melts.
The next recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free, and provided by Local Dish’s very own Brian Shrader. He tried the dish and home and suggested as a recipe for Local Dish because it was that good. The recipe is from the New York Times. Lisa added that some shredded chicken, pork or fresh diced tomatoes would be a delicious addition to the dish.
- 1 1⁄2 pounds fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 3 jalapeno or serrano chiles, stemmed (seeded for a milder salsa)
- 12 cilantro sprigs (plus 1/3 cup chopped cilantro)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil
- 1 small white onion, quartered and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- Salt
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 6 large eggs
- 12 thick corn tortillas, cut into wedges and deep-fried or microwaved until crisp (or ½ lb. thick tortilla chips from a Mexican grocery)
- 1⁄2 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta
Heat broiler. Place tomatillos and chiles on a baking sheet and set about 4 inches below broiler. Roast until dark and blackened in spots, about 5 minutes. Flip over and roast on other side until tomatillos are soft and charred in spots and chiles are soft all the way through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer tomatillos and chiles to a blender along with juices on baking sheet. Add cilantro sprigs, then blend to a coarse puree.
Heat oil over medium heat in a large, wide casserole or saucepan and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add a little salt, stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, or about 1 minute. Turn to medium-high and add tomatillo puree. Cook stirring often, until salsa thickens and leaves a canal when you run a wooden spoon down the middle. Add broth, bring to a simmer, and simmer 10 minutes or until salsa coats the back of a spoon.
Beat eggs in a bowl and season with a little salt. Turn heat to low and stir eggs into salsa. Add chopped cilantro and stir until eggs are set. Mixture should be creamy.
Stir in tortilla chips, making sure they are completely submerged, and remove from heat. Sprinkle with crumbled cheese and serve at once.
Egg salad is a popular summertime sandwich that can be easy to make at home. Lisa suggests serving this egg salad with sliced tomatoes and lettuce leaves or a roll, croissant, or with tortilla chips. Also, if you aren’t a fan of ranch dressing, use light mayonnaise.
- 6 hard cooked eggs, chopped
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 strips bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
- 1⁄2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3⁄4 cup reduced fat ranch salad dressing
Toss all ingredients together and chill for at least one hour. Serves 4-6.
Last is a recipe that is rich in protein and portable. Rambling bars are also less likely to crumble in your backpack like the store bought. Lisa suggests using a variety of dried fruits and nuts to find what you like the best.
- 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup raisins
- 1⁄2 cup pecans, chopped
- 1⁄2 cup oatmeal
- 1⁄4 cup flaked coconut
- 6 eggs
- 2⁄3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1⁄4 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir in raisins, nuts, oatmeal and coconut. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together remaining ingredients until smooth. Stir in reserved flour mixture. Pour into greased 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven until cake tester or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and place on wire rack until cool. Cut into 24 bars.