Sometimes you have to be a little defiant to keep your sanity. Sometimes a lot.
It might be something as seemingly innocuous as wearing dressy jeans when it isn’t casual Friday. A more daring act might be banning Frozen from the car. Having a board-game night on a (Super Bowl/March Madness/fill in the blank) game night.
I once stood nose to nose with an arrogant and curmudgeonly editor who was yelling at me about a change I made in a reporter’s story, expecting me to back down. I may be an introvert, but I stood my ground and told him the reporter’s wording was a double entendre that was insulting to gay men and had no place in a respected newspaper. He said no one would read it that way (yet all of the copy editors did). Common sense won.
With my low energy level the day I made this, defiance took the form of the bright placemat I threw under the casserole with the backdrop of snow and the temperature of 13 degrees. That’s Fahrenheit, for my friends in Australia who faced a high that day of 90 (32 Celsius).
I adore egg casseroles, which are perfect for weekend guests or to take to brunches or church breakfasts. I made this one for longtime friend and former coworker Mary, who was in town for a farming conference. I adapted a recipe from Two Peas & Their Pod. It was good, but I think a more flavorful cheese like Cheddar or Gouda would be an improvement. And perhaps I should have added the prescribed dash of crushed red pepper after all.
Spinach Artichoke Egg Casserole
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups packed fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups jarred, canned or frozen artichokes, drained and chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
10 large eggs
3 tbsp. milk
Chopped basil for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute onion until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Stir in the spinach and cook and stir until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in artichokes, oregano, and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly in the baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella and half the Parmesan over the mixture.
Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium bowl. Pour over vegetables and cheese. Top with the rest of the cheese and sprinkle with more basil, if desired.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes until eggs are set and the edges and top are browning. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Individual pieces reheat well in the microwave.
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