Super Easy Potatoes, Eggs & Ham Skillet Meal (Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free options)

Perfect for a Sunday afternoon, when you want to serve something delicious and filling to your family, without wearing yourself out in the kitchen. 

Super Easy Potatoes, Eggs & Ham Skillet Meal

Today was one of those Sundays... I felt like I needed a nap almost all day. I like making Sunday a day of rest. Our lives are so hectic, it's nice to reserve at least one day a week where you can connect with people you love, get some relaxing in, and even have some alone (NAP) time.

Wrapped burrito-style.

This yummy skillet meal makes a mean breakfast burrito for on-the-go, or just eat it as-is on one of those plate thingies, you know, those things you use to hold food, like when you sit at a table, together, as a family?

I quickly made this meal today and figured out a new great way to steam and soften the tortillas. Microwaving tortillas makes them tough and they dry out quickly, and I do not recommend it. Using tortillas strait out of the package, cold, is yucky too in my opinion - Plus they crack and break spilling the filling all over the place. FOOD FIGHT!

Not.

I used a couple of left over Perfect Baked Potatoes (recipe on blog) for this quick to prepare meal.

It is easy to make this a gluten-free or dairy-free meal by how you select your ingredients.


Potatoes, Eggs & Ham Breakfast Skillet Recipe:

Serves 6 generously

1 T. deodorized coconut oil
1 T. organic butter
2 cold leftover baked potatoes, cubed
1/2 large red onion, diced
2 c. ham, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 large free range eggs
1/4 c. organic milk or purified water
20 grinds fresh black pepper
1/8 t. garlic powder
2 c. shredded cheese blend of choice, optional
1/4 t. smokey paprika, optional
1/2 t. BioSalt or sea salt, to taste
2 scallions, minced
1 tomato,diced
1/4 t. onion salt
Large flour tortillas, steamed, optional (for making breakfast or brunch burritos)
Sour cream, optional (We love to use our Favorite Reduced Fat Sour Cream Blend)
Salsa, optional


Method:

Melt the coconut oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add cubed potato and saute 1 minute.

Add the onion and saute 1 minute.

Add the ham and saute a few minutes, until starting to brown.

Whisk the eggs with 1/4 c. milk or water and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet with a lid, place a small metal cooling rack inside. Fill skillet with about 1/2-inch of water. Place the skillet with lid on, over medium heat and let the water start to steam.

Add the red bell pepper to the ham mixture and saute until everything is starting to brown nicely.

Place the desired number of flour tortillas onto the metal rack above the simmering water. Place lid on and steam tortillas a couple minutes, until warm and soft. Remove from heat and keep lid on.

Push the ham mixture to one side of the skillet and pour the egg mixture into the empty side.

Scramble the eggs until just barely cooked through (you can add a dab of butter if desired).

Mix the eggs into the ham mixture. Season with salt and mix. Top with cheese and let it melt.

Sprinkle with smoked paprika if desired. Top with tomatoes and scallions. Sprinkle with onion salt.

Serve hot along with sour cream and salsa as garnishes.

Make into fabulous breakfast or brunch burritos using the steamed flour tortillas.



Photos of the process:

Prep your ingredients.

Add potatoes to the melting coconut oil and butter.

Add the onions and saute.

Add the ham and saute.

whisk egg mixture.

Brown the mixture.

Prepare a pan for steaming the tortillas.

Place tortillas onto rack over steaming water.

Steam as many tortillas as needed.

Place lid over tortillas to steam gently.

The skillet mixture is sizzling and browned.

Push ham mixture aside and pour egg mixture into the pan,

You can now add additional butter to the eggs. 

Gently scramble the eggs.

Mix the just cooked through eggs into the ham mixture.

The skillet is ready for toppings.

The tortillas are steamed and flexible.

Top with shredded cheese blend.

Let the cheese melt.

Season with salt and stir the cheese in a little.

Top with fresh tomatoes.

Top with scallions.

Sprinkle with onion salt and smoked paprika to taste.

The skillet meal is ready to eat!

Laying out the goods onto a soft warm tortilla.

Fold 1.

Fold 2.

Fold 3.

E-A-T


ENJOY,

Leila.

My Favorite Seared Fajitas - Plus a Tortilla Review

My Favorite Fajitas

These have been made in my home for many years, and we never tire of them. They are easy to make and very flavorful. The fresh lemon juice in the marinade is perfect. I have even let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for 3 days before making. I did not do that on purpose, life just got busy. I imagine you could marinate the meat and freeze in serving-size packets for make ahead meals.

You can use any type of tortilla you want to. For this particular dinner we tried a new organic whole wheat flour tortilla. They are thinner than most tortillas, which I like. See the review for these tortillas at the end of this post.

For a gluten-free meal, make this a chicken fajita salad or use gluten-free tortillas (usually yucky though, I'm afraid). If you ever find a delicious GF tortilla, let me know.

Use vegan sour cream and cheese, if you are into that.

Of course you can vary your toppings too. Your favorite bottled salsa will do when tomatoes are not in season.

Oh Yeah. I ate 2 of these babies for dinner!

My Favorite Fajitas Recipe:

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts or beef

Marinade:

1 to 2 cloves garlic, smashed well
1 1/2 t.gluten-free seasoned salt (recipe on our blog)
1 1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. gluten-free chili powder
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. rice bran oil or light olive oil
2 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice

Fajita:

3 to 4 T. deodorized coconut oil
1 c. sliced onion
1 c. red bell pepper
1 c. yellow bell pepper
8 flour tortillas, of choice, warmed
2 avocados, sliced or mashed with onion salt, garlic powder, and lemon juice
1/2 c. chopped scallions
sour cream of choice (Reduced Fat Sour Cream Blend - recipe on this blog)
shredded cheese of choice
fresh salsa
fresh cilantro, minced


Method:

Cut the meat into thin strips (you may partially freeze for easier cutting).
Marinate the sliced meat in the combined marinade for 2 hours (even up to 3 days in fridge is o.k.)
Quickly saute the vegetables in coconut oil until lightly browned (sear them over med-high heat).
Remove vegetables from pan.
Saute the meat in coconut oil about 4 minutes.
Toss the meat with the vegetables and serve.
Spoon meat & veggie mixture into flour tortillas.
Garnish with avocado, sour sream, scallions, cheese, salsa, and cilantro as desired.


Tip:

I like the way restaurants serve fajitas seared and sizzling. Without having to grill the meat on an outdoor grill, this is what I do in my home kitchen:

I will often cook the meat in a large non-stick skillet while I am searing the vegetables in a well-oiled cast iron pan. I remove the vegetables and set aside. I drain the barely cooked meat, reserving the juices. I add the barely cooked meat to the well-oiled cast iron skillet and toss, to quickly sear it a minute or so. I then add the vegetables back to the skillet with the meat and toss to warm through. To finish the fajitas off, I pour the reserved juices over top. toss and serve.






Here are some photos of the fajita making process:

Thinly slice the partially frozen meat.

Meat and marinade ingredients before being well mixed together.

Vegetables being prepped.

Searing the peppers in a cast iron skillet.

Cooking the meat and vegetables separately to save time.

The onions are looking nicely seared.

Tossing the meat and vegetables together before serving.

My husband about to dig in!

Flour Tortilla Review:

Los Fortunitas Organic Flour Tortillas

My husband and I were on our regular Costco date, when we saw these being sampled. Of course we tried them. We bought them because they were organic whole wheat tortillas, and mostly because they are thin. I hate the thick, pasty white flour ones sold in stores. These actually resemble my favorite uncooked tortilla also sold at Costco, called Tortilla Land All Natural Fresh Uncooked Tortillas (Restaurant authentic). They are yum, but made with white flour, so we don't eat them very often.

I recommend gently warming these up before eating them, do not let them dry out. They are easier to use than the uncooked ones, which is nice. I like that they are healthier too. The texture of these tortillas is excellent. Finally, a whole wheat tortilla that doesn't taste like cardboard.

If I were to go on taste alone, these rank as my 2nd favorite tortilla that's sold in stores. If I were to consider nutrition too, this is my first choice.

Honestly, my mom's gluten-free tortillas rule, but they aren't sold in stores. Booo.

So there you go, my review is complete.

Enjoy!

Leila

Our 3 Favorite Fiber Blends for Gluten-Free Baking - Great to have on hand for other recipes too...

Our Favorite Synergistic Soluble Fiber Blends - Critical for Superior Gluten-Free Baking!

Besides using our favorite 4-Flour Blend in gluten-free baking, using one of these fiber blends is crucial for obtaining superior gluten-free baked goods that have nice chew, rise, stability, moisture retention, and bread-like texture and structure.

We have given you 3 choices of fiber blends to give you more flexibility. Some people prefer one gum over another. In the Cheetah Test Kitchens, we feel all of these gums are healthful and beneficial to the body. Soluble fiber improves gut health, helps to level out blood sugar levels, and helps you feel satisfied longer after a meal. Fibers and gums are superior to using starches for thickening purposes for these reasons, and more.

We use these soluble fiber blends a lot in our households, not only for gluten-free breads, but also for GF cakes, muffins, and cookies. We also use it in sauces, salad dressings, smoothies, etc... We recommend having some in your pantry too!

3 BEST SYNERGISTIC SOLUBLE FIBER BLEND FORMULAS:

In order of preference...


SYNERGISTIC SOLUBLE FIBER BLEND #1:

50 % Konjac Flour and 50 % Xanthan Gum



SYNERGISTIC SOLUBLE FIBER BLEND #2:

50 % Konjac Flour and 50 % Guar Gum



SYNERGISTIC SOLUBLE FIBER BLEND #3:

50 % Xanthan Gum and 50 % Guar Gum




Method: 

Place in a jar with an air-tight lid and shake the tar out of it to thoroughly blend together.
Store air-tight in your pantry.




Notes:

About gum synergy: When mixing 2 or more soluble fibers or gums together, they are more powerful than when used on their own. These gum blends are carb-free and basically calorie-free. Only small amounts are needed.

Konjac Flour - A naturally occurring gum. Contains Glucomannan, a water-soluble polysaccharide and a dietary fiber. Glucomannan is derived from a tuber called Amorphophallus Konjac. Glucomannan has the thickening power that is about 10 times stronger than corn starch.

Guar Gum - A naturally occurring gum from guar beans, a commonly eaten vegetable in other countries. It is a galactomannan, which is a soluble fiber.

Xanthan Gum - A polysaccharide created by a fermentation process.
To quote +http://modernistcuisine.com/ - "First discovered by USDA scientists in the 1950s, xanthan gum is fermented by plant-loving bacteria, characterized by sticky cell walls. It is no less natural than vinegar or yeast. We think xanthan gum is one of the best discoveries in food science since yeast."


We will be sharing more on how to use these gum blends, along with recipes using them.

Happy baking!

Leila & Nancy

Gluten-Free Buffalo Meatballs with Cream Sauce

Buffalo Meatballs

When our family raised buffalo (yes, you read that right), this is one of the recipes my mom created using their lean flavorful meat. This dish is even better reheated. The meatballs are tender and the creamy sauce is rich and flavorful.

If you don't want to hunt down buffalo, you can make the meatballs with a combination of 12 ounces ground beef and 4 ounces ground pork.


BUFFALO MEATBALLS Recipe:

Meatball Mixture:

1 large egg
1 c. soft bread crumbs, not packed (or for a GF version replace with 2 T. potato flakes)
2 T. purified water
1 lb ground buffalo meat
2 T. olive oil
1 t. Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free)
1 small garlic clove, smashed well
1/2 c. minced onion
Several gratings fresh nutmeg
1/2 t. sweet paprika
1/2 t. sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
Lots of fresh ground black pepper, to taste


Simmering Sauce:

Gluten-free flour for dredging meat balls (recipe on this blog)
1 T. bacon fat plus 1 T. clarified butter (or 2 T. butter)
3 to 4 c. beef or poultry stock (seasoned to taste)
A blend of 50% gluten-free flour and 50% tapioca starch, for thickening
1/2 c. Heavy cream


Method:

In a large bowl, mix the egg, water and instant potato flakes or bread together.

Add the buffalo meat and the rest of the meatball ingredients to the egg mixture.

Mix and squish the meatball mixture together with your hands (wear food-safe gloves if desired).

Shape into 1 1/2-inch sized meatballs.

Dredge in gluten-free flour.

In a large, deep frying pan, brown the meatballs in a mixture of 1 T. bacon fat and 1 T. clarified butter (or 2 t. butter).

Cover browned meatballs with 3 to 4 c. of beef or poultry stock.

Cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour.

Thicken the stock with a mixture of water and the GF flour/tapioca starch mix, to make a gravy.

Pour in heavy cream and stir to blend. Check seasoning and adjust if needed

Remove from heat and let cool, then chill overnight.

When ready to serve, gently warm the meatballs in the thickened sauce.

Serve over brown basmati rice, gluten-free noodles, or seasoned mashed potatoes.



Note: 

Using gluten-free bread in place of regular bread does not work. Don't do it. You could try using up to 1/3 c. homemade mashed potatoes if you want to, or some soft cooked brown rice or warm quinoa for more texture. I have not done this, so if you try it, let us know how you liked it.



Tip:

If you don't have buffalo or beef broth ready, in a pinch you may use water plus a high quality organic Beef Base. I did it and it worked out great. I added a touch of sherry to the sauce, along with a little onion salt, garlic powder, and a shaving of nutmeg.

The pictures of making this dinner:

Starting the meatballs

Hand mixing the meatballs

Meatballs in the frying pan

Steaming some carrots for the side

The meatballs are almost done

Adding frozen baby peas to the nearly done carrots

Removed finished meatballs from pan

Making the sauce

Adding the meatballs to the simmering sauce

Warm the meatballs through

Meatballs and sauce ready to serve

The veggies are done steaming

A rice cooker makes perfect rice

Jasmine rice ready to go

Dinner is ON - Buttered peas & carrots, Jasmine rice, and the meatballs

YUM.

Enjoy,

Leila