We just got back from an amazing 6-day family ski vacation in Big Sky, Montana. Our 9 am to 4 pm ski days were fueled by hot chocolate (Hot Toddy for me), loaded nachos, chili…REPEAT. Not complaining. Big Sky’s beautiful blue sky, wide-open trails, and perfect snow conditions were the backdrop for a week of amazing family memories.

Now that we’ve been reunited with our pup and the 4 loads of laundry are done, my priority numero uno is to get back into the kitchen and start cooking some good food.

On the menu for our first meal back is a family favorite. An egg skillet packed with veggies and full of flavor. This recipe works for breakfast lunch and dinner.

Ingredients:

• 5 roasted red peppers, skin and seeds removed or one 12oz jar of roasted red peppers like Dunbar Roasted Peppers rinsed
• 4.5 tbs of olive oil
• 2 large shallot sliced
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp of salts
• 1 tbs of the liquid from a can of Chipotle in Adobo Sauce
• 5 eggs
• 4 bundles of Red Chard, washed, deveined and chopped. Remove just the large red stem/vein that runs down the center.
• 1 medium-sized sweet potato peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup of goat cheese or shaved Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1/4 cup of chopped parsley

Let’s Cook:

Step 1: Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

The red pepper sauce is super easy to whip up and can be used on anything from egg skillets to scallops to pasta. I add heat to the sauce by simply adding the liquid from a can of Chipotle in Adobo (found at any local grocery). If your family doesn’t like it spicy, the sauce is AMAZING even without it. Also, feel free to substitute homemade roasted red peppers with jarred red peppers. TIP: Rinse the red peppers before using them.
The worldwide web ranks Dunbar Roasted Peppers as one of the better jarred roasted red pepper brands.

In a small saucepan saute one of the sliced shallots in 1.5 tbs of olive oil over medium heat. Allow the shallots to cook until they are tender, then add the smoked paprika, roasted red peppers, 1/4 tsp of salt and 1 tbs of the chipotle in adobo liquid. Mix the ingredients and allow them to cook for 3 to 4 minutes then turn off the burner and allow ingredients to cool to room temperature. Once the red pepper mixture has cooled pour the ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth and set aside for later.

Step 2: Sweet Potatoes

In a large nonstick saute pan, add 1 tbs of olive oil and set the burner to medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot (not smoking), add the sweet potatoes. Toss them every few minutes so they are crispy on all sides. Adjust the heat so that they do not burn and cook them until they are slightly tender but not too soft. Turn off the heat, set sweet potatoes aside and once the pan cools, wipe it down.

Step 3: Red Swiss Chard Prep

To prepare the red chard simply cut out the long center vein or stem, then chop or tear the leafy part into small pieces. Next, rinse the chopped red chard leaves really well. Tip: I save the long red stems from the swiss chard, saute them and use them as salad toppings!!

Step 4: Building the Egg Skillet

Now it’s time to build the bed of veggies in this egg skillet. Start by adding the remaining olive oil (2 tbs) and remaining chopped shallot to the same saute pan you used for the sweet potatoes. Over medium heat cook the shallot until it’s tender then add the chopped red chard leaves plus 1/4 tsp of salt. Once the leaves begin to wilt turn them over then cover with a lid until all the leaves have wilted. Red chard wilts quickly (about 2 to 3 minutes) so keep an eye on them.

Once all the leaves have wilted, add approximately 3/4 of the red pepper sauce and all of the sweet potatoes. Gently mix the ingredients together and allow them to cook for 2 more minutes.

Using the back of a spoon, make 5 small indentations/pockets in the veggies to hold the eggs. Be sure to space the pockets evenly throughout the pan.

Raise the heat of your burner slightly and begin to crack one egg into each pocket. Try to keep the egg yolk intact while doing so. Once you’ve added all the eggs, cover the pan and allow the eggs to cook to your likeness. If the pan is getting too hot, lower the heat. TIP: Remember that the eggs will continue to cook even after you have removed them from the burner so take them off the burner before they are done.

Once the eggs are cooked, drizzle the remaining red pepper sauce, sprinkle the goat cheese and garnish with parsley right before serving. Now that’s a healthy egg skillet dinner!

If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out my recipe for Bucatini with Red Pepper Sauce and Cured Eggs and as always feel free to send me questions or comments.