McKenzie Electric Cooperative member Rebekah Engebretson has embraced a homesteading lifestyle (learn more here). For Engebretson, that means keeping it simple. One of the best ways to start is in the kitchen.
“It can be as simple as growing your own food or cooking meals from scratch,” she says.
With Easter this month and Mother’s Day the next, Engebretson shares two recipes that belong on a spring brunch table. The scones are flaky, buttery and the perfect complement to a hot cup of coffee or tea. Elevate your brunch table with Engebretson’s egg bake. The secret ingredient? Caramelized onions. Try it the North Dakota Living test kitchen-approved way by layering sliced sweet potatoes and yellow potatoes for the base!
Sweet potatoes, potatoes or hashbrowns
Sausage or other breakfast meat
1-2 onions, caramelized
Peppers or other veggies
1-2 cups cheese
8 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
Grease bottom of 9x13-inch pan. Layer sliced sweet potatoes, cubed potatoes or hashbrowns. Set aside.
Caramelize one to two onions. Brown sausage. Sauté peppers or use fresh.
On top of potatoes, layer sausage, onions, peppers and cheese. Whisk eggs, milk and salt together, then pour mixture over casserole. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.
REBEKAH’S TIPS: This can be made ahead of time and is flexible. Add other veggies or customize to your family’s tastes. Rebekah has used fresh, frozen and freeze-dried veggies in this recipe with success.
Recipe by Rebekah Engebretson, McKenzie Electric Cooperative
2 cups flour
1/3 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
¼ cup sugar, plus more for dusting
2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup milk or cream
Sour cream
Cut butter into flour. Whisk in sugar and baking powder. Add egg, vanilla and milk or cream, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
Turn the dough out and pat into a rough disc about ½- to 1-inch thick. To create flaky layers, fold dough in half and make a quarter turn, patting dough down to make another disc. Repeat four or five times. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cut dough into wedges. Brush tops with sour cream and dust with sugar (try coarse sanding sugar). Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
TEST KITCHEN NOTE: Serve with jam, honey, butter or traditional clotted cream, as the English do! This would be a great base recipe if you wanted to add other mix-ins to the dough. White chocolate and blueberry? Cranberry orange? Yes, please!
Recipe by Rebekah Engebretson, McKenzie Electric Cooperative
