Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Guest Post: Spinach and Eggs Baked in Tomato Cups

Hey guys!  Just thought I'd let you know that I'm still on 'vacation' and enjoying every moment of it. ;)  
I miss you guys, though!  It's weird not being on blogger every day!  Anyway, I'll be back next week with pictures and recipes.  I promise!
Until then, I'm lucky to have a delicious guest post from Sheila.  If you haven't visited her blog, you're missing out.  Her photos are gorgeous and she always seems to pick the best recipes!  
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Hello everyone! My name is Sheila from Elements, and when Katie asked me if I would be a guest blogger, I was honored! I love all her tempting and mouth-watering recipes, and I always look forward to seeing the next thing she's baking.
Anyway, I had a hard time deciding what to share with you today, but I finally decided on something that I think not only looks beautiful on your plate but also tastes great!
It's a spinach and cheese mixture that's stuffed inside a cored out tomato and baked with an egg on top.
Every bite is packed with flavor, and it's a meal we certainly plan to enjoy again and again. :)

Spinach and Eggs Baked in Tomato Cups
Adapted from: Recipes from my Mom
Ingredients:
  • 5 large tomatoes
  • 5 large eggs
  • 8 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves
  • feta cheese
  • ricotta cheese
  • Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup finely diced onions
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp. pesto paste (I used Amore pesto paste)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • dried basil and oregano for sprinkling
  • Optional: 1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers (add them if you end up making your filling a bit too leaky)
Instructions:
Step One:  Prepare the Spinach
  • Wash the spinach leaves, and then place them in a large pot with about 1 quart of water.
  • Cover with a lid, and cook on medium high heat until the spinach wilts.
  • Drain the water off the spinach, and then set the spinach aside so it can cool.
  • After the spinach cools, squeeze the excess water out of it.
Step Two:  Make the Filling
  • Mix some crumbled feta cheese, ricotta cheese, and Parmesan cheese into the spinach. We didn't measure...just added a little of each.
  • Then stir in the pesto paste, nutmeg, and some salt in pepper.
  • Add some crushed saltine crackers to thicken up the mixture if needed. You want it to be creamy...not thin and watery.
Step Three:  Assembly
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Grease a glass baking dish with a little oil.
  • Horizontally cut the tops off the tomatoes, and then core out the centers. (Use the centers that you cored out for another meal.)
  • Place the tomatoes in the greased dish.
  • Add stuffing to the insides of the tomatoes, filling them up almost to the top, making sure to leave enough room at the top for the egg.
  • Crack an egg onto the top of each stuffed tomato.
  • Sprinkle some dried oregano and basil on the top of each each egg.
Step Four:  Bake the Tomatoes
  • Bake uncovered until the egg whites are firm.
  • Sprinkle with a little bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Serve warm.


Yumm, these look amazing Sheila.  Thank you!! :)

P.S. Yesterday was Kellen's 21st birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY to him! 

6 comments:

  1.  Awwwww...thanks so much, Katie, for all the sweet things you said! I love your baking blog and every post is so tempting I want to run in the kitchen and try it myself!

    Glad you're having a wonderful vacation, and thanks so much for the honor to do a guest post for you! :)

    P.S. I'm not able to see the pictures. Is it just me?

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  2. YUM! I love everything about the recipe
    They make for amazing appretizers

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  3. How adorable! Perfect for breakfast :D 

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  4. These seem like a really good way to bake eggs. I can imagine the whole lot stays a fair bit more moist than the usual dish-baked version. 

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