CrockPot Egg, Feta, and Mushroom Breakfast Casserole

Day 154.

Last week, I saw that Kalyn had posted an egg dish with feta and mushroom. I happened to have a new carton of eggs in the fridge and a block of feta that I didn't know what to do with. Within nano-seconds of reading her blog post, I ran to the store to pick up the mushrooms so I could plop everything into the crockpot. This is a fabulous breakfast dish---the eggs and the feta are fluffy and juicy and not grease-filled. I would serve these eggs to overnight guests any time.

The Ingredients.

--1 dozen eggs
--1 lb sliced mushrooms
--1 lb sliced portabella mushrooms (or other "fancy" mushroom)
--1 chopped red bell pepper
--1 block feta cheese
--1/2 t black pepper

The Directions.

Saute the mushrooms and bell pepper in a largeish frying pan on the stove in a bit of olive oil or butter (I used butter) until they are wilty and tender. Spray the inside of your crock with cooking spray, and add the cooked mushrooms, bell pepper, and the mushroom juice.

Crumble in the entire block of feta cheese.

In a large bowl, crack all 12 eggs, and mix with a fork. Add the pepper to the eggs and mix.

Pour the egg on top of the feta and veggies.

Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours. I used a 4qt round crockpot for this dish and it cooked in 3 hours, 15 minutes.


The Verdict.

I love these eggs. I really like how creamy the feta got, and how the eggs were flavored so nicely without any grease. I hate having too much grease for breakfast, yet love to have cheese and eggs. This is such a great compromise----I greatly look forward to having it again.

We ate this for lunch. The kids did great--they were in a really good mood, and happily ate 3-4 bites each before wandering off. I think it was a fluke.

CrockPot Spinach and Feta Quiche

Day 171.

While I was working last week, I came across a recipe for a Crustless Spinach and Feta Quiche on the Baking Bites website. I happened to have all the ingredients in the house, and gave it a go the other day in the crockpot. I liked it, but I liked the egg, mushroom, and feta dish better. This is very similar, except that I put in some flour as suggested to create a thicker filling and to try to create a mock-crust.

I haven't ever had a homemade quiche. I've had frittata a bunch of times, and maybe that's almost the same thing, but the only quiche I've had that have been called quiche are the tiny frozen ones from Costco. Those are delicious.

The Ingredients.

Adapted from Baking Bites

--6 oz bag of baby spinach

--1/2 onion, minced

--3 eggs

--1/2 cup flour (I used Pamela's)

--1/2 t baking powder (I omitted this, since Pamela's has baking powder in it)

--1/8 t cayenne pepper

--1/2 of a 4oz block of feta

--1 1/3 cup of milk

The Directions.

I used my mom's 4qt round crockpot for this dish, because I felt quiche should be round, and I still haven't given it back since Easter.

Butter or spray your crockpot stoneware insert. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, egg, flour, and cayenne. Add the onion and spinach to the bowl, and stir until all of the spinach leaves have a bit of the mixture on them. Pour into the crock, and shove down the spinach leaves with a wooden spoon.

Crumble the 1/2 block of feta over the top.

Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, or on high for about 4. This is done when the edges are brown, and start to pull away from the sides of the crock. Check with a knife to make sure the eggs are fully cooked.

Unplug and let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

The Verdict.

I liked this, but we didn't eat very much of it. I made it for dinner, but we mostly ate leftover ribs. The kids didn't try a taste. I wanted the cayenne to stick out more, and it was completely lost. The flour did settle a bit, which was neat to see, and the spinach and the egg was very moist and tasty. I like the combo of spinach and feta, and will probably try to do something like this again, but maybe with some more feta spread throughout, and perhaps a touch of lemon. I kept wanting a citrus bite.

Thank you, Baking Bites!