Greek Breakfast Casserole

Greek Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup uncooked long-grain rice
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil Divided
  
• 2 1/4 cups thinly sliced leek (about 2 medium)
• 3 cups shredded zucchini (about 1 medium)
• 1/2 tablespoons chopped dried mint
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese plus extra if you love feta
  

Preparation

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Place rice in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 325°.

Heat half the olive oil a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add leek; cover and cook 12 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan; add leek to rice. Heat remaining olive oil; increase heat to medium. Add zucchini; cook 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan; add zucchini to rice. Add next 5 ingredients (through eggs) to rice mixture; stir until blended.

Pour egg mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 325° for 45 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Baked Jasmine Rice with Chicken and Black Beans

I bought a rotisserie chicken from Safeway yesterday, it was on sale for $5. I made a sandwich which was delicious and then shredded the rest of the chicken. I made chicken stock out of the chicken bones which yielded 12 cups of stock. Then I made the following the recipe. Note - I still have almost a cup chicken left that I'm going to put in my famous "big" salad tomorrow for lunch. So this is really what is called "stretching your dollar".

Baked Jasmine Ric with Chicken and Black Beans

3/4 cup yellow onion chopped
1 garlic glove minced
1/2 chili pepper chopped (optional)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
ground pepper
1/2 cup black beans
1 1/2 cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken (white and dark meat)
3/4 c. jasmine rice
2 cups chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350.
Heat olive oil over medium. Saute onion, garlic and peppers for 5 minutes, add spices, salt and pepper. Add black beans and chicken, stir until combined. Lower heat Do not overcook. Stir constantly about 3 minutes. Put into 8 x 8 glass casserole dish. pour rice over chicken mixture. Pour chicken broth over entire dish. Make sure rice is covered throughout.
Cover with aluminum foil tightly. Bake in oven for 1 hour. Serve hot.
Enjoy!

Cauliflower Marranca Madness

Cauliflower Marranca Madness

The other night I was wondering what to do with a big head of cauliflower. I flipped through the Moosewood Cookwood and found this awesome recipe. I changed it a bit to incorporate the block of pepper jack cheese.

1 cup long-grain brown rice

2 cups water

2 cups mushrooms, fresh -- sliced

1 large yellow onion -- finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 whole lemon

1 large head of cauliflower -- cut florets & stems

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 garlic cloves -- crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper -- to taste

2 cups pepper jack cheese -- shredded

Combine rice with water in a rice steamer. Let steam for 45 minutes or until rice is cooked.

While rice is cooking, in a large skillet over medium heat saute mushrooms and onions in olive oil and juice of one lemon. Set aside.

Heat another large skillet with one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add cauliflower and basil. As it heats up, add broth and stir quickly until broth is absorbed. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Saute for about 8 minutes or until cauliflower softens.

Combine cauliflower with cooked rice and onion/mushroom mixture in a 9 x 13 casserole dish, mixing thoroughly. Layer entire top evenly with pepper jack cheese.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes - until cheese melts. Remove cover and bake 5 - 10 minutes more until cheese browns slightly. Serve immediately.