About once a month, you’ll find a giant pot of this Italian Tomato Sauce bubbling away on my stove, making the house smell scrumptious.

Usually when I make a big ol’ pot of it, I spoon some over spaghetti for an easy dinner that evening. Then I scoop the rest into labeled freezer bags and freeze and use later on.

It’s a terrific red sauce – I’ve found none better. It’s perfectly balanced – not too acidic, not too sweet – with loads of flavor thanks in part to lots of Italian seasoning, green peppers, garlic, and parsley. And when you make it with fire-roasted tomatoes … yes.

Sometimes, after it’s all done, I’ll add some to a pot of browned hamburger and spicy sausage, where I let it simmer away for another 20 minutes or so, and voila – this Italian Tomato Sauce for the vegetarian can convert to Italian Meat Sauce for the meat-eater.

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Italian Tomato Sauce Recipe

A perfectly balanced, intensely flavorful red sauce that I use as the foundation for all kinds of recipes like lasagna, baked ziti, spaghetti, spaghetti pie, and more.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 cups

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion diced small (about 3 cups)
• 1 green bell pepper diced small (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 6 medium cloves garlic minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 28-ounce can whole fire-roasted tomatoes (diced fire-roasted tomatoes will work too)
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar*
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Instructions

• Add the olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, bell pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent and the pepper is tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for one more minute.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, honey or sugar, salt, and pepper. If you’re using whole tomatoes, break up the tomatoes with a spoon. To save time, I like to give the tomatoes a quick spin in the blender to break them down a bit, then add them to the pot.
• Continuing to cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until it comes to a boil. Turn the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add the parsley, then remove from the heat.
• Serve over pasta, in lasagna, or use it as a dipping sauce. I like to make double (or triple!) batches and freeze it in freezer bags.

The post Italian Tomato Sauce Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

This actually started out – at least in my mind – as a breakfast burrito recipe. Safeway and Old El Paso asked me to create an easy weeknight meal for back to school, and for me, breakfast for dinner is one of the easiest dinner themes of all.

But burritos went by the wayside pretty quickly. Because when I saw these Old El Paso crunchy taco shells on display at my local Safeway, I knew I just had to create something with those instead. Black Bean & Avocado Breakfast Tacos were born!

These things are so easy. All you do is cook up some simple veggies, scramble in the eggs, and stir in some black beans. Fill your taco shells with the scrambled egg mixture and top with a couple of creamy avocado slices. Then chomp and enjoy! They’re awesomely portable, so you and the kids can just grab one or two on the way out the door to school in the morning or before evening soccer practice. Plus, only about 10 minutes to cook and assemble. For real!

These breakfast tacos are great for customizing to individual tastes too. Add a little cheddar or pepper jack for cheese lovers. Crumble in a little cooked sausage or bacon for the carnivores. Drizzle with hot sauce or salsa for added zip. The world is your taco!

And after you use your taco shells for this recipe, don’t throw away the box! Clip the Box Tops on your Old El Paso packaging, and on other General Mills products, to earn 10 cents each for your schools (see more info below).

More Breakfast Recipes with Avocado

• Avocado Toast with Poached Eggs
• Cucumber Hummus Avocado Toast
• Black Bean & Avocado Breakfast Scramble
• Sheet Pan Breakfast Hash
• High Protein Vegan Breakfast Bowl

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Black Bean & Avocado Breakfast Tacos

Scrambled eggs flecked with veggies and black beans, stuffed into a crunchy taco shell and topped with creamy avocado. Grab and go deliciousness that’s ready in 10 minutes!

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 tacos (2 tacos each serves 4)

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion about 1/2 small onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper about 1/2 medium pepper
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup cooked black beans drained and rinsed
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
• 1 large ripe avocado pitted, peeled, and sliced
• 8 Old El Paso crunchy taco shells

Optional additions:

• Shredded cheddar or pepper jack
• Hot sauce salsa, or pico de gallo
• Cooked crumbled sausage or bacon

Instructions

• Set a medium saute pan over medium haet. When hot, add the olive oil. Add the onion and green pepper and saute until soft, 4-5 minutes. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and whisk until well-beaten. Pour over the veggies and cook, stirring frequently, until scrambled, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the black beans. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
• Divide the mixture between the 8 shells. Add any additional toppings if you like, then top with avocado slices. Serve.

Notes

Dairy option:

Add your favorite cheese either along with the beans or sprinkled on top after you stuff your shells. Cheddar and pepper jack are excellent.

Meaty option:

Add cooked crumbled bacon or sausage.

More about Box Tops for Education:

Only Box Tops For Education registered schools can redeem Box Tops. Each Box Top is worth 10 cents to redeeming school. Limit $20,000 per school, per school year for Box Tops redeemed through the Clip Program. See www.boxtops4education.com for program details.

Sponsored Post

This is a sponsored post that I wrote for Albertsons Safeway and Old El Paso. Thank you for supporting the companies that help support Kitchen Treaty!

Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.

Old El Paso products, found at your local Albertsons Safeway store, are an easy weeknight meal solution.
Shoppers can clip the Box Tops found on the Old El Paso packaging, and on other General Mills products, to earn 10 cents each for their schools through the Box Tops for Education program.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Albertsons Safeway and Old El Paso . The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Crunchy Vegetarian Breakfast Tacos appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I make this breakfast strata every Christmas! It’s a great way to get a dose of protein in alongside pastries, muffins, and other inevitable holiday breakfast treats. And it makes holiday mornings special!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Overnight Breakfast Strata
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make This Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole
• Tips for Success
• More Strata Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

Like many recipe stories, this one begins with my Mom. She made a version of breakfast strata every Christmas morning. It was delicious and satisfying and made enough for leftovers.

Ahhhh … the leftovers. A square of warmed up breakfast strata and some of my Gran’s leftover dinner rolls sliced up, toasted, and buttered … we’re talking the good life right there.

My mom’s version of this overnight breakfast casserole involved cream of mushroom soup and chopped up sausage links. I’m not sure where the soup came in, and I’m now a vegetarian, so no sausage for me.

This version, Vegetarian Overnight Breakfast Strata, is the one I now make for my family every Christmas. Oftentimes, I’ll make two of them, adding browned crumbled sausage to the second one for my guy and any other meat-eaters at the table.

Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Overnight Breakfast Strata

There is just something so deeply satisfying about making a hearty, delicious breakfast with literally no effort on the morning of a special occasion. This vegetarian breakfast casserole is a bit of work to assemble the night before, but it is SO worth it!

Plus, it tastes so good. The eggs and cheese transform into kind of a soufflé consistency. The veggies add some interest, but the cheesy bits are the best, in my book.

Ingredients

• Eggs – Lots of em! I use large eggs.
• Milk – Whole milk works well, or half and half for a richer egg strata. I’ve also often used unsweetened oat milk or almond milk to reduce the dairy, and it works great!
• Bread – Plain old white bread, please, with the crusts trimmed.
• Cheese – I like to use a medium cheddar. Sharp cheddar, white cheddar, or gruyere are fantastic in this vegetarian breakfast casserole as well.
• Olive oil – For sautéing the veggies.
• Onion – Diced, for a bit of texture and flavor.
• Green pepper – I love the color and flavor green bell pepper adds to egg strata.
• Mushrooms – These are optional (I know mushrooms can be polarizing!) But I love them. White button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms both work.
• Salt & pepper – always!
• Parsley – optional, but pretty when sprinkled over the top of your strata.

Adaptations/Variations

Add meat or make it a one-dish-two-ways recipe: Sometimes I’ll make one big meatless version in an 8″ x 8″  pan, then just cook up some bacon to serve alongside for the meat-eaters. Other times, like this one, I split the strata into two smaller casserole dishes and add sausage to the meat side. I adore Morningstar Farms’ Veggie Sausage Patties, so this time I cooked up a couple of those and added them to my veggie version as well. It was great.

Make it dairy-free: I’ve made this with dairy-free milk and I’ve both omitted the cheese, and subbed in vegan cheese. Both work well.

How to Make This Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole

First, you sauté the veggies. In a large bowl, whip together the eggs, then stir in the milk, salt, and pepper.

Layer half your bread in your baking dish, then top with the cooked veggies and cheese then pour half the egg mixture over the top. Repeat the layers.

Cover tightly and store in the fridge overnight.

About an hour before breakfast, bake your egg strata until it’s set all of the way through. The middle should no longer jiggle. It will take almost an hour to bake, but it’s all hands-off time. This is when we dig into our Christmas stockings and see what’s under the tree!

Tips for Success

• Use the most basic white bread possible. We’re talking white sandwich bread.
• Make sure it’s set all the way through. Sometimes it takes awhile to cook in the middle, but it will – just give it time! It shouldn’t jiggle in the middle when it’s done.

More Strata Recipes

• Mushroom Swiss Breakfast Strata
• Chiles Rellenos Breakfast Strata

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Holiday Breakfast Strata with Sausage (or Not)

This easy overnight breakfast strata is cheesy, delicious, and perfect for holiday mornings! When time is tight and a special breakfast is in order, this fits the bill on both counts.

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 268kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion about 1 small onion
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper about 1 medium green bell pepper
• 1 cup white button mushrooms sliced
• 9 eggs
• 3 cups whole milk unsweetened oat milk also works
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 12 slices white bread crusts removed
• 10 ounces medium cheddar cheese, shredded about 2 1/2 cups
• parsley minced, for garnish

Instructions

• In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, green pepper, and mushrooms until soft, about 7-8 minutes. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until well blended. Add the milk, salt, and pepper.
• Spray a 9"x13" casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• Layer half the bread in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 of the veggies over the top, then half the cheese. Pour 1/2 cup of the egg mixture over the top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients – first the bread, the rest of the veggies, the cheese, then the eggs. Press any bread down gently that's floating so that it becomes submerged.
• Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, or for at least three hours.
• In the morning, uncover and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes, until set and no longer jiggly in the middle.
• Garnish with parsley, cut into squares, and serve.

Notes

Recipe update 4/3/2024:

I’ve rewritten this recipe to simplify it, making one large vegetarian strata instead of two smaller stratas. If you like, you can easily divide this recipe between two smaller pans, adding cooked sausage to one, and baking so that you have two versions, one for the meat-eaters and one for the vegetarians. 

Old recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 3/4 cup white button mushrooms
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups half and half
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 8 slices white bread (crusts removed)
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

For the meat half, if making:

• 1/2 pound sausage

Instructions

• In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, green pepper, and mushrooms until soft, about 7-8 minutes. Set aside.
• If using sausage, brown it in a medium saute pan and drain.
• If using veggie sausage, heat it in the microwave for a minute or so and crumble.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, half and half, salt, and pepper.
• Spray two approximately 4″ x 8” baking pans/casserole dishes with non-stick cooking spray.
• Layer two slices of the bread in the bottom of each pan.
• Sprinkle 1/4 of the veggies over the bread in each pan.
• Spread half the crumbled sausage over the sausage version.
• Sprinkle on 1/4 of the cheese over each.
• Pour about 1/2 cup of the egg mixture over the top.
• Add a layer of the remaining bread, two more slices each, then veggies, then sausage over the sausage side, then cheese.
• Pour the rest of the egg mixture evenly over the top of each.
• Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, or for at least three hours.
• In the morning, uncover and bake at 325 degrees for about 40 – 50 minutes, until set.

Nutrition

Serving: 1square | Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 490mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 560IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 318mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Vegetarian Overnight Breakfast Strata appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I tried super simple chili, chili with a gazillion ingredients, chili with “secret ingredients” like unsweetened cocoa or brewed coffee (both very good, actually) … but this 3 bean chili – slow cooker style – rules them all.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love 3-Bean Chili Slow Cooker
• Crock Pot 3-Bean Chili Ingredients
• More Crock Pot chili recipes

• Jump to the full, printable recipe
• Read reviews and comments

The Story Behind the Recipe

This slow cooker 3-bean chili recipe is the one that’s been floating around on a piece of paper with the title of “THE Chili.” My guy took a bite of his version (with meat, option for carnivores is in the recipe) and said, “This is it. You can stop at this one. It’s perfect.”

I feel the same way about the vegetarian/vegan version.

Why You’ll Love 3-Bean Chili Slow Cooker

This recipe is simple! This Slow-Cooker 3-Bean Chili is super simple to throw together, and takes next to no work to cook. It bubbles in the Crock Pot all day, simmering to dinnertime perfection.

It’s versatile too. You can stick with the vegetarian chili, or if you want it one-dish-two-ways style, just brown some ground beef, simmer some of the chili together with the meat for a bit, and dinner’s ready.

Crock Pot 3-Bean Chili Ingredients

As-is without the Tabasco, this is a nice, mild, family-friendly chili – not much heat at all. Add the Tabasco at the end, offer it up as a topping, or omit it altogether, depending on your preferences.

• Chili beans in sauce – I like using chili beans in sauce for an added boost of flavor.
• Black beans – love black beans in chili!
• Kidney beans – larger than chili beans or black beans for hearty bites of chili.
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes – I really like fire-roasted tomatoes for the added smoky bit of flavor.
• Onions, green peppers, and garlic – Aromatic veggies that make this vegetarian chili sing!
• Chili powder, cumin, and oregano – Classic chili spices; a must! Use a milder chili powder if you’re not wanting much heat, or a hotter chili powder if you like it spicy.
• Tabasco sauce (optional) – A finish with a few dashes of Tabasco makes this chili extra good!

More Crock Pot chili recipes

• Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Coconut Chili from The Fig Tree
• Crock Pot Pumpkin Red Lentil Chili from moi!
• Lentil Chili with Roasted Red Peppers, Olives, and Green Onion from Kalyn’s Kitchen
• Slow Cooker Black Bean & Mango Caribbean Chili from me!
• Slow Cooker 3-Bean Winter Chili from Boulder Locavore
• 17 Crock Pot Vegetarian Chili Recipes (+ 4 bonus meaty chili recipes for the carnivores)

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Slow-Cooker 3-Bean Chili

THE Chili recipe around here. Three kinds of beans + onions, green peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes, and spices bubble in the Crock Pot while you go about your day. Ground beef can go in the carnivores' portions if you like. Chili two ways=a happy home!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chili

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 463kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 30 ounces chili beans in sauce 2 [15-ounce] cans
• 15 ounces kidney beans, drained 1 [15-ounce] can
• 15 ounces black beans, drained 1 [15-ounce] can
• 30 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes 2 [15-ounce] cans; crushed tomatoes are also good
• 2 medium green peppers diced [about 3 cups]
• 2 medium yellow onions diced [about 3 cups]
• 2 medium cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder*
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 20 dashes Tabasco sauce optional

Instructions

• Add all ingredients except the Tabasco (if using) and the ground beef to the slow-cooker/Crock Pot. Stir. Cook on low for 8 – 10 hours or on high for 5-6 hours. Taste and add Tabasco if desired. If serving an all-vegan chili, skip to “Serve with toppings.”
• Serve with assorted toppings such as diced avocado, fresh cilantro, chopped onions, sour cream (or vegan sour cream), grated cheddar or jack cheese (or vegan cheese), and some Tabasco or Tapatio sauce.

Notes

Meat option for vegetarians & non-vegetarians eating together:

Add meat to half the chili: In a medium or large saucepan, brown 1 pound ground beef over medium heat with a little salt and pepper for flavor, if you wish. Drain off any fat. Add five cups of the chili to the browned ground beef. Stir, continuing the medium heat, and heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes.

Add meat to all the chili: Follow directions above but with 1 pound ground beef. Add to Crock Pot at beginning of cooking time. 

Nutrition info does not include ground beef. 

* Chili powder note

Chili powders can really vary in heat. If you have a milder chili powder, use the full two tablespoons – if you have a more extreme chili powder, you may want to start with less then add more to taste. 

Freezer notes

This chili freezes really well. I scoop leftovers into freezer bags, label, and stick in the freezer for super-easy future meals or even to top nachos. Double the recipe to ensure lots of extra – just make sure you’re using a big Crock Pot!

 

Nutrition

Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 406mg | Potassium: 1493mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1116IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 10mg

The post Slow Cooker 3-Bean Chili appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.