In a recent post, I waxed poetic on how obsessive I can be about saving leftovers, even in minute amounts. Today’s meal is a perfect example of it.  Papa Satyr slept late, not feeling his best, and #Babysatyr and I were up very early.  I had fed the animals, made coffee, had an instant breakfast, unloaded, loaded, and run the dish washer before he stepped out of the bedroom, and he was not feeling very hungry.  That said, it is important to eat breakfast and this was Jazz Sunday, when we listen to jazz music and have whiskey in his coffee, and a fancy breakfast prepared by me, but it was almost lunch time and I knew we would only have two meals together this day, so I wanted brunch to be fulfilling but low-key as I had been up for hours.

I went to the refrigerator to see what I had.  Eggs, always, leftover diced ham from the ham steak I used for a Jacques Pepin’s “Fast Food My Way” dish, half a zucchini, the bottom of a yellow pepper, herb pastes, a clearance tube of polenta from the Kroger, onions I had already diced, and over there on the counter a box of very ripe tomatoes I had picked up at Costco because the Kroger tomatoes are weak and I like to have roasted tomatoes around for a quick side dish.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes (Basics, Sides)

• 6 or more large ripe tomatoes
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried herbs of choice, e.g. oregano and basil
• salt and pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.  Line a baking dish with foil, silicone liners, parchment paper, etc.
2. Cut off 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the top of each tomato and set aside.  Remove excessive seeds and place in pan.
3. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with herbs and spices to taste.
4. Bake 35 minutes.

Go the Extra Mile: dice the tomato tops and reserve for later in the fridge.

While doing this, I removed the tops of four more tomatoes (reserving), hollowed them out, filled them with a bit of frozen corn, sautéed onions leftover from steak night, ham from Pepin night, and eggs mixed with heavy whipping cream leftover from the homemade strawberry ice cream I made for our celebration on Saturday, sprinted them with leftover parmesan, and baked them with the roasting tomatoes.

I then browned the polenta and served it with vegetables composed of leftover zucchini, extra onions, and three tbsp diced tomatoes from the reserved tops.  Chicken stock is used to help cook the zucchini and give extra flavor to the meal.  I keep this frozen in 1 tbsp increments in the freezer for when it is needed.  Further details in an upcoming post.

I shall approximate all ingredients for you in hopes that you can reproduce my meal should you desire to do so.

Baked Eggs in Tomatoes (Breakfast)

• 4 tomatoes
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/4 cup frozen corn
• 1 tsp cilantro paste
• 1/4 cup diced ham
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.  Line cake pan with parchment paper.
2. Hollow out 4 eggs being careful not to pierce the flesh.  Fill with corn and ham.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, cream, and herbs.  Pour into tomatoes. Top with parmesan cheese.
4. Bake 35 minutes.

So simple.  You can also stuff bell peppers, onions, squash, etc.  But ultimately not enough for a weekend breakfast.  Enter the leftovers and clearance foods…

Polenta and Vegetables (Sides)

• tube of polenta, sliced into ~ 12 slices
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1/2 zucchini
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 1/4 cup tomatoes, diced
• 3 tbsp chicken stock
• shredded cheese, if desired
• sour cream, optional

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large heavy pan over medium-high heat.  Place polenta in pan. Sauté 9-11 minutes.  Flip and repeat.
2. In another pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.  Add zucchini and onion.  Sauté 9-11minutes.
3. Add chicken stock and tomatoes to vegetables.  Cook until mostly evaporated.
4. Plate on top of polenta with a dollop of sour cream.
5. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced cilantro, and serve.

Duster the dog thought it looked amazing.  Too bad he cannot have garlic.