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! 

Thin Mint Green Monster

Man, it has just been one of those days.

You know those days where nothing goes right?  Where you just stop doing things because you know it’s pointless.

That’s my excuse for homework, at least.  I’m sure that would go over really well.  “I didn’t do my homework because I knew I was going to fail.”  But, I insist on making a blog post instead of doing it anyway.

This day is putting me in a bad mood and there’s only so many times you can claim it’s “that time of the month” before people start questioning you.  “Katie, didn’t you say “your time of the month” was last week?” Uh, what? No!

I just have a few quick requests….

Dear puddle, get away from my shoes.
Dear bobby pins, please restock yourself.
Dear teacher, please don’t get mad at me because I was having technical difficulties with my computer.  It’s not my fault.
Dear homework, if you aren’t “group work”, please don’t have “group work” written on you so I don’t wait to do it in class with a group when I was supposed to do it by myself.
Dear cat, please quit puking on all of my stuff.  SERIOUSLY!
Dear Verizon, please get the iPhone so I can finally have my birthday present.  (I’m in a bad mood, I can be greedy).
Dear Pretty Little Liars, please just tell me who “A” is. (Don’t make fun of me.  It’s an unhealthy habit that can’t be stopped.)
Dear Glee cast, please don’t ever sing Justin Bieber songs again, and if you do, please don’t make Sam sing it; you’re ruining him for me. (Again, don’t make fun of me.)
Dear Mom, who accidentally bought the wrong thing at the store today, it’s okay. It was probably my fault!!
Dear blogger, please don’t tell me an error occurred when I try to post this recipe!!!!!

Okay, so it was nothing significant, but it just added up today and I was not having any of it.

Anyway, on a more positive note, I’ve been obsessed with these Green Monster smoothies lately.  There’s a whole site dedicated to recipes for them, so I think I’m set for life.

They have spinach in them.  They’re green.  They taste delicious.  If you’re like me, you’re really hesitant about the green/spinach thing.  Ew.  When I take these to work with me, I put them in a non-see-through (that’s a word right?) cup because they’re so nasty looking.

But please trust me when I tell you that you can’t even taste the spinach.  It’s a really good way to get vegetables into your diet if you’re anti-veggies.  The one I’ve been making lately tastes exactly like a Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie.  I swear!  Don’t believe me?  Try it for yourself!

Also, if anyone has any tips on making one of these look appetizing, please let me in on your secret.

P.S. Happy late Valentine’s Day.  I hope you all enjoyed it.  I did!  Post on that coming soon 🙂

Thin Mint Green Monster

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I used vanilla and added two tablespoons of cocoa powder)
1 cup milk
1 HUGE handful of spinach
1/8 tsp mint extract (or to taste)
Sweetener, to taste.  I add a bunch of agave nectar.
Ice cubes to desired consistency.  I like mine super thick so I add a bunch

Blend all ingredients in a blender.  Easy as pie. 

P.S. I’m trying to win a free box of Clif Bars and I’m also trying to win a package from Fitting It All In of her favorite things.  You should all check out her blog, it’s very cute!

Thin Mint Green Monster

Man, it has just been one of those days.

You know those days where nothing goes right?  Where you just stop doing things because you know it’s pointless.

That’s my excuse for homework, at least.  I’m sure that would go over really well.  “I didn’t do my homework because I knew I was going to fail.”  But, I insist on making a blog post instead of doing it anyway.

This day is putting me in a bad mood and there’s only so many times you can claim it’s “that time of the month” before people start questioning you.  “Katie, didn’t you say “your time of the month” was last week?” Uh, what? No!

I just have a few quick requests….

Dear puddle, get away from my shoes.
Dear bobby pins, please restock yourself.
Dear teacher, please don’t get mad at me because I was having technical difficulties with my computer.  It’s not my fault.
Dear homework, if you aren’t “group work”, please don’t have “group work” written on you so I don’t wait to do it in class with a group when I was supposed to do it by myself.
Dear cat, please quit puking on all of my stuff.  SERIOUSLY!
Dear Verizon, please get the iPhone so I can finally have my birthday present.  (I’m in a bad mood, I can be greedy).
Dear Pretty Little Liars, please just tell me who “A” is. (Don’t make fun of me.  It’s an unhealthy habit that can’t be stopped.)
Dear Glee cast, please don’t ever sing Justin Bieber songs again, and if you do, please don’t make Sam sing it; you’re ruining him for me. (Again, don’t make fun of me.)
Dear Mom, who accidentally bought the wrong thing at the store today, it’s okay. It was probably my fault!!
Dear blogger, please don’t tell me an error occurred when I try to post this recipe!!!!!

Okay, so it was nothing significant, but it just added up today and I was not having any of it.

Anyway, on a more positive note, I’ve been obsessed with these Green Monster smoothies lately.  There’s a whole site dedicated to recipes for them, so I think I’m set for life.

They have spinach in them.  They’re green.  They taste delicious.  If you’re like me, you’re really hesitant about the green/spinach thing.  Ew.  When I take these to work with me, I put them in a non-see-through (that’s a word right?) cup because they’re so nasty looking.

But please trust me when I tell you that you can’t even taste the spinach.  It’s a really good way to get vegetables into your diet if you’re anti-veggies.  The one I’ve been making lately tastes exactly like a Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie.  I swear!  Don’t believe me?  Try it for yourself!

Also, if anyone has any tips on making one of these look appetizing, please let me in on your secret.

P.S. Happy late Valentine’s Day.  I hope you all enjoyed it.  I did!  Post on that coming soon 🙂

Thin Mint Green Monster

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I used vanilla and added two tablespoons of cocoa powder)
1 cup milk
1 HUGE handful of spinach
1/8 tsp mint extract (or to taste)
Sweetener, to taste.  I add a bunch of agave nectar.
Ice cubes to desired consistency.  I like mine super thick so I add a bunch

Blend all ingredients in a blender.  Easy as pie. 

P.S. I’m trying to win a free box of Clif Bars and I’m also trying to win a package from Fitting It All In of her favorite things.  You should all check out her blog, it’s very cute!