Kumato Tomato Quiche

I first saw Kumato tomatoes in Aldi a couple of years ago, and decided to give them a try since I had never heard of them.  They’re now my favorite tomato.  They’re not the easiest tomato to find.  I can’t usually find them anywhere other than Aldi, and Aldi doesn’t always have them.  I make sure I buy them whenever they’re available.

You can read a little more about them here if you’re not familiar, and prefer to learn about them before you try them. 

















Kumato tomatoes are delicious!  I love them in salads, on tuna sandwiches, on bagels with garlic and herb cream cheese, and in this quiche.  Really, I haven’t found a way I don’t like them.  Don’t worry, if you don’t have Kumato tomatoes you can substitute Roma tomatoes in this recipe. 

Kumato Tomato Quiche

1 prepared pie crust

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp olive oil

9 eggs

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup cottage cheese

1/4 cup half and half

1 tsp basil, plus a little more for sprinkling

½ tsp oregano, plus a little more for sprinkling

Salt & pepper to taste

2 - 3 Kumato tomatoes, thinly sliced, OR Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan, over medium heat, and saute the onion, with the garlic, and a little salt, just until the onions begin to brown.  Remove from heat, and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, and stir in the cheeses, half & half, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.

Spread the pie crust into a pie dish, and lightly sprinkle with some basil and oregano.

Once the onions have cooled completely, stir them into the egg mixture.  If you add hot onions to the egg mixture you will end up with a really gross partially scrambled egg concoction, so make sure they’re cool before you add them.

Pour the egg/onion mixture into the pie crust.

Top with the tomato slices.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 50 - 60 minutes, until set through.  Test the middle with a small knife or toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Have you tried Kumato tomatoes?  What is your favorite kind of tomato?

Zucchini Frittata

I’ve been meaning to post this recipe for a while now, and since today is World Egg Day it seems like a good day to finally share it.

I came up with this during the summer when we were being inundated with zucchini. My friend Beth and I had talked about the fact that quiche is a great way to make use of extra vegetables, but were lamenting the fact that while quiche isn’t a complicated dinner to make, it’s also not a quick dinner to make.

I wanted a quiche type meal that allowed for more advance preparation. I decided fear of the crust getting soggy was the biggest problem with prepping a quiche ahead of time, so I went with bread instead of a crust. Not only can it be prepped ahead of time, but it’s also delicious!


Zucchini Frittata:

1 medium zucchini, sliced into thin rounds

1 small onion, thinly sliced

2 slices of bread, crusts removed

9 eggs

1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Butter, for greasing a pie pan

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute zucchini and onion with salt and pepper until they’re soft. Remove from heat, and allow to cool.

Generously grease a pie pan with butter. Tear bread slices into small pieces and place in the bottom of pie pan. Layer zucchini and onion over bread.

Beat eggs in a large bowl with salt and pepper. Add cheese and milk. Mix well. Pour mixture into pie pan over bread, zucchini, and onion.

At this point, you can cover and refrigerate it for up to a day, or bake it if you’re ready to enjoy it now.

If you’re baking it now, heat oven to 350, then bake for 45 minutes, or until eggs are set, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

If you’re planning to bake it later, cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator for up to a day. When you’re ready to bake it, remove the cover and place the pie dish in a cold oven for ten minutes. Set oven to 350, and bake for one hour, or until eggs are set, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

So what about you? Are you planning to eat eggs today? What is your favorite egg dish?

Mini Oven Omelets

These baked omelets are quick and easy to make.  They’re a great make ahead breakfast and work well for eating on the go.  The basic recipe is a delicious cheese omelet, but you can easily add sausage, bacon, vegetables, etc. to individual omelets.

Basic Recipe:

8 eggs

¼ cup milk

1/8 tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp pepper

¼ tsp salt

1 cup shredded cheese

12 paper muffin liners (you will want to use paper, not foil, so you can re-heat them easily).

Beat eggs and milk together, stir in cheese and spices.  Pour into 12 paper-lined muffin cups, about half full.*  

Bake at 350 ° for 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into omelets comes out clean.

Add-Ins:

Cooked ground sausage

Chopped bell peppers

Chopped onions

Chopped and seeded tomatoes

Crumbled cooked bacon

Add about a tablespoon of desired add-ins per muffin cup and gently stir.

*The omelets will rise quite a bit during baking.