quinn's place

mmmmm. breakfast.

this was totally a clean-out-the-fridge style brekky that we made one weekend, but it was so scrumptious and satisfying that i made it again.

and it’s really just a BLT on a plate!

or a BLAT, but i don’t like saying that.

also, health, because sautéing like 4 giant leaves of kale in a pan quickly becomes a tiny pile of kale. but all that green superfood goodness is all still present!

if you’re a sunny side up hater, then leave more room between the kale and center of pan to flip the eggs over, or just scramble them.

you have to be sure to get a piece of each component into each bite! all the savory flavors really jive.

whomever first placed a slice of bacon next to a slice of tomato and a piece of lettuce was a got dang genius. amiriiiiite?

BLT. meant 2 be.

Breakfast BLT Plate

Time: 20 minutes

Serves 1, easily multiplied

Ingredients:

3-4 large purple kale leaves, washed, dried and removed from stems
2 large eggs
2-4 slices of bacon (save a little bacon grease in pan to sauté the kale in)
1/2 a large avocado, sliced
handful of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
goat cheese
salt, pepper, red chili flakes
bread or toast, optional

Instructions:

In a large pan or skillet, cook the bacon as desired. Save just a bit of the bacon grease in the pan, discard the remainder in an old can or jar to harden. Place the bacon on a paper towel to remove excess grease.

Heat the pan with the bacon grease to medium, tear the kale and toss it into the pan and sprinkle with a pinch of salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Toss with a spatula to tenderize, about 2 minutes.

Once the kale is tender, scoot it out to the edges of the pan, leaving a hole in the center to crack the eggs in. Crack 2 eggs into the center and sprinkle with black pepper if desired. Cover the pan and allow the eggs to cook about 2-3 minutes, or just until you see a film starting to form on the yolks. Remove from heat immediately. If you don’t like runny yolks, cook until the yolks are hardened, about 2 more minutes.

Carefully transfer the kale and eggs to a large plate. Add the bacon, sliced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, and goat cheese crumbles. Add an extra sprinkle of red chili flakes if desired.

Serve with bread or toast if you like!

after having looked at the word ‘squash’ for the last 10 minutes…..whoa. that’s a weird one.

oh, you butternut squash and your versatile ways.

i love eating all kinds of squash during the fall - in sooo many forms! you can roast a whole butternut squash and continue to use it in all kinds of different recipes all week long.

this week on the squash-for-dinner front: pete and i had stuffed acorn squash with arugula, sausage & goat cheese one night, butternut squash in a big salad the next night, spaghetti squash with pesto the next night, and spaghetti squash crisped up with pulled pork, corn & salsa the next night.

and the shirt i’m wearing right now is squash colored. I AM SQUASH.

this dip/spread is so simple and you only really need 2 or 3 ingredients, but you can spruce it up with some other fun stuff like lemon, green onion, sunflower seeds or pepitas for texture!

if you prefer feta cheese over goat cheese, that would be a great substitute.

Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Dip_QuinnsPlace-10.jpg

Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Dip_QuinnsPlace-9.jpg

serving this warm and fresh on toasty bread is quite cozy & delightful. it also goes great with different veggies for dipping!

Easy Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese Spread

Yields 2-3 cups

Total Time: 45 minutes, Active Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 a medium/large butternut squash, seeded and roasted
5 oz. soft goat cheese
1/2 tsp. sea salt
lemon juice or 1 tsp. white vinegar (optional, for acidity)
green onion (optional topping)
pepitas (optional topping)
sunflower seeds (optional topping)

Instructions-

To roast the squash, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove all the seeds. Lightly oil the skin of the squash and poke all over with a fork. Place in a rimmed baking pan skin side up and fill the pan with a little bit of water to create steam and prevent the bottom of the squash from burning. Roast for about 30 minutes, until the squash is fork tender.

Allow the squash to cool for a few minutes and scoop the flesh out of the skin and into a large food processor. Pulse until smooth. Add about 1/4 cup of water to help smooth it out if necessary. Half of a butternut squash will yield about 2 cups of squash purée.

Add the softened goat cheese and salt to the food processor and run/pulse until very smooth.

If you’d like your dip/spread to taste a little more bright, add a squeeze of lemon or a teaspoon or vinegar to wake it up.

Serve warm with toasted baguette, pita or bread of choice & vegetables! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.