Egg Bake: Healthy and Fresh Dinner or Brunch

Our ladies are still laying like champs and i had a surplus of eggs as none have been purchased lately (some available!). I decided to try out a totally made up recipe utilizing the eggs, raw milk in the fridge, and fresh veg/herb in the garden. Here's what i came up with:

• 8 eggs
• 1/3 pint raw milk
• Salt, ground flax, hemp, pepper, dried oregano
• Drop of truffle oil
• Bunch garlic chives, diced
• Chopped tomato - i think i used about 5 porters and one Japanese Triefel - about 3 regular tomatoes
• 2 serranos, sliced
• Bunch fresh basil, chopped
• Dollup of left over gazpacho
• Small onion, diced
• Cheese would be great - but i didn't have any

I used a round pyrex - this made a very thick bake, i think it would have cooked more quickly if i'd used a dish with more flat surface area. This shape also caused the veggies to float to the top, a wider dish would have mixed things more evenly. I didn't mind though.
Spray the dish, or coat with butter or olive oil. Mix eggs and milk in a separate container- you don't have to scramble, but break up the yolks. Add dry seasonings and truffle oil to the milk/egg mixture, mix, then our into the cooking dish. Add the veggies and fresh basil - scattering them evenly. Cook until the middle is cooked through - stands up to squishing from above with no liquid escaping. There will be moisture from the veg, but no runny yolk and the 'casserole' will be puffed up some. 
I waffled the temp around from 375 to 400 and cooked for about 30 or so minutes - time will depend on the size of your cooking dish.

This served the two of us heartily: high protein, lots of great vitamins and minerals, and very low carb - unless you count the roll i gave the husband ;).  Would be great for brunch, but was awesome as dinner too. I drizzled the plates with a little homemade mayo and some homemade habanero sauce which both added some nice zest. I didn't use any cheese, and didn't really miss it. Often i feel that cheese just adds calories but that its flavor isn't overly noticeable. Cheese is good for holding the texture together, but we both agreed this was tasty without it.

What's your favorite thing to do with a whole lot of extra eggs? Cook them on the spot, or store them for the lean months?

Chicken and Rice Casserole, a la Miranda

What's more homey sounding than chicken and rice casserole? It's the classic housewife, prepare ahead, easy to cook, low fuss, ready to eat when you get back from church meal. It's also my Gramma Vivian's specialty. This is NOT my gramma's casserole!

I did some research, found some recipes i liked to get the cooking time and temperature figured out, then did some serious 'flare' adding. I used ripe ingredients from the garden, and spices and herbs that suit our pallete. I served it his and hers style - his on a big plate with a breast of chicken and lots of rice, hers on a little plate with chicken and a little rice. Delicious! And even better, SO EASY! Which is a good thing when you have a new puppy laying around looking so freakin' cute you couldn't possibly spend too much time cooking.
The ingredients were chopped and prepped in about the time the oven took to preheat.

• 1 cup rice, i used saffron
• 3 medium sized chicken breasts
• 3 small hot peppers
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• Sprig lemon thyme
• 2 bay laves
• Pinch dried basil and oregano
• 1 pint turkey stock (about 9 ounces of very rich stock/gelatin plus white wine and water to fill the pint or cup)
• 2 cups water
• Seasonings: allspice, salt, pepper, turmeric, smoked paprika

Place the rice in a casserole dish. Sprinkle chopped veggies evenly on top. Coat chicken on both sides with remaining seasonings, place on top of rice and cover all with the liquid. Cover well with foil and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes up to 1.5 hours, until it's all bubbly and the rice is cooked and chicken is up to temp: 180.

Serve with a side of something green for a more complete meal. Peas would be great, or green beans. My stupid green bean plants aren't giving me any fruit though, so this is all we got. Very tasty, and great leftover too.

Cheese added as a bonus :)
What's your favorite easy meal?