Spring in a Dish

Spring Vegetable Egg Casserole

Cook's notes: Spring Vegetable Egg Casserole is the perfect way to highlight all of your favorite seasonal veggies. It’s a great make-ahead dish to serve a crowd when paired with zesty feta cheese and baked up into an easy casserole. Some suggested combinations include: asparagus, spring onions, tomatoes, spinach and peppers, broccoli and garlic, zucchini but the list of possibilities can easily go on and on. Chop veggies ahead for easier prep.
This casserole can be made in advance. Just cover and refrigerate the casserole for up to one day before baking. Remove the cover, let the casserole rest at room temperature while the oven is heating up and bake as directed.
Recipe serves 6-8 and adapted from gimmesomeoven.com.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3/4 cup onions, diced
• 1/2 cup each red and yellow peppers, diced 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large carrot (or 1 cup of baby carrots), peeled and diced
• 1/2 pound asparagus, cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup diced white button mushrooms
• 4 ounces sugar snap peas, halved or 1 cup chopped spinach
• 2 cups chopped broccoli florets 
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved and patted dry on a paper towel 
• 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese, 1-1/2 cups white cheddar cheese, sharp yellow cheddar or combination of the cheddar cheeses  
• 12 large eggs, whisked
• 1/2 cup 2 % milk
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning or 2 tsp. herbes de Provence, divided 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and peppers saute for 3 minutes. Add in garlic and cook 2 minutes more. 
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil with carrots, asparagus, snap peas, broccoli and stir to combine. Continue cooking for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies have softened and cooked through. Add the mushrooms, spinach if using and tomatoes. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. spice seasoning. Stir for another 3-4 minutes. Place veggies mixture on two paper towels to drain liquid. 
• Transfer about half of the veggie mixture to the prepared baking dish, and spread the veggies out in an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with half of the feta cheese or 1 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat by adding the remaining veggies on top in an even layer, followed by remaining cheese.
• In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, mustard, rest of seasoning and milk with a generous pinch of salt and pepper together until combined. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the casserole comes out clean. Serve immediately.
• If you would like to make this casserole in advance, just cover and refrigerate the casserole for up to 1 day before baking. Then remove the cover, let the casserole rest out at room temperature while the oven is heating up, then bake as directed.

Easter Brunch

Cook's notes: I had to substitute a cabbage leaf for serving the vegetable casserole but would have preferred a romaine leaf for more color. The M and M bar recipe was previously posted. http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2015/11/weekend-round-up.html
I used spring colored M and M's.