So what I really need to ask myself is – why am I writing up a recipe, a version of which half the population already prepares on a regular basis? Well, that’s an easy question to answer, even for me! If only half the population knows about scrambles; that leaves the other half that doesn’t have a clue. And believe me, I was part of the clueless masses ‘til a couple of years ago when my sister-in-law Katie fixed a wonderful and quick vegetarian scramble for us one morning.
I had just made an appearance and was sitting at the counter drinking my first cup of coffee, when she started the unbelievably quick process that led to absolutely delicious scrambled eggs. So here I am, half awake (have I mentioned before that I am NOT a morning person) watching Katie prepare this masterpiece. What, she wasn’t setting the sautéed vegetables aside while she washed the pan? She wasn’t then adding more butter and carefully cooking the egg mixture to a certain point, then tenderly placing the cooked veggies and a smidge of cheese on half of the eggs, folding the other half ever so gently over the veggies and cheese, then placing the pan in a pre-heated oven to finish cooking? What had just happened here? She had created a mock omelet without the time involved and bother necessary to create the “real thing”. I was not only dumbfounded; I was hooked!
So of course, the first morning we were home, I fixed us a wonderful scramble and have been dishing up scrambles ever since. FYI: scrambles take about a quarter of the time to prepare as an omelet, but still include all the same ingredients and flavor. Now granted, scrambles aren’t as pretty or as showy as an omelet, but its breakfast y’all. Who the heck cares if the eggs are beautiful? Scrambles are both delicious and nutritious, on the table in no time flat, and they aren’t cold cereal!
And just so you don’t think I’m a complete culinary moron, I had previously added cooked ham or bacon to my scrambled eggs, but never thought to add veggies such as spinach, mushrooms, or basil. And yes, I had been going through all the steps of making the perfect omelet as referenced above, but I must admit, not very often. A wonderful omelet is a joy and a delight, but it takes time to prepare. And frankly, more time then I normally want to spend fixing food to break our fast.
Below is the recipe for the scramble I prepared yesterday morning. The eggs, milk, salt, and pepper mixture is simply the base for many, many variations you can make using ingredients that your family loves and/or you happen to have on hand. Feel free to sauté bacon or sausage, or add veggies such as onion or red bell pepper, greens such as baby kale, herbs such as fresh thyme or parsley, or your favorite cheese. Almost any combination will work beautifully. And frankly, my scrambles are never the same twice. However, the one I made yesterday morning was particularly delicious, and all the better because it was meatless. So, I may even look up this recipe next time I scramble to get breakfast on the table. Good morning! Breakfast’s ready!
- 4 eggs
- 2 T. milk or half & half
- ¼ tsp. seasoned salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 T. butter
- 4 mushrooms, halved then thinly sliced
- 3 slices zucchini or other summer squash, chopped
- 3 sliced green onions
- 1/3 c. chopped fresh spinach
- ¼ c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 7-8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced (chiffonade)
Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. (The start to any scramble.) Set aside. Melt the butter in a small non-stick frying pan. Add the mushrooms and fry until browned. Add the zucchini, cook for about a minute and add the green onions and spinach. Stir fry until the spinach starts to wilt. Reduce heat to low. (Never cook eggs over high heat!) Add the egg mixture and cook until the eggs are almost set, lifting the cooked egg mixture from the bottom of the pan to the top. This step allows the uncooked egg to gravitate to the bottom of the pan and also get cooked. (If there is any sign of brown, your heat is too high.) Stir in the cheese and basil. Finish cooking and serve immediately.