What with swimming, gymnastics, more swimming, piano, jump-rope early in the mornings and a zillion other social engagements, I feel drained at the end of each day. It's tough to do it alone. I tip my hat to the single moms out there. I am physically exhausted and ready to throw in the towel after a week and a half! But I have to make it through another 3 weeks. It helps to be part of a cooking co-op. It takes a lot of pressure off trying to figure out what dinner should be.
Yes, I'm trying out a cooking co-op that 4 families in my neighborhood have been participating in for the last 7-8 years at least. They each cook 4 meals by the end of each month and exchange containers of frozen delights with the other families. Each family ends up with 12 different entrées, and 4 of their own, which help jumpstart the meals on busy weekdays. Dishes can be soups, sandwiches, burritos, pasta sauces, anything that will freeze well.
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3854/158/400/spinach-pasta-sauce.jpg)
Then again there are days when I long for my own cooking despite the hustle-bustle and sometimes a simple one-dish meal like a Veggie Egg Bake is the answer!
Veggie Egg Bake
- 6 eggs, (3 yolks and 6 egg-whites)
- 8 oz (1/2 bag) frozen chopped broccoli
- 8 oz (1/2 bag) frozen chopped spinach
- 1/2 cup green olives, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 cup cheese, pepper jack preferably
- jalapenos for garnish, optional
- Preheat oven to 400F
- In a wide and flat over-proof casserole dish, make a layer of the frozen chopped broccoli
- Add the chopped red pepper evenly over the broccoli
- Add the chopped green olives (preferably the kind with stuffed pimentos)
- Add the frozen chopped spinach
- Season with salt and pepper
- Whisk the eggs until they are fluffy. I use my hand-whisk and whisk them in a tall narrow jar or glass for about 5 minutes for best results
- Pour the eggs over the veggies
- Cover with a layer of cheese
- Garnish with jalapenos
- Bake at 400F for 30 minutes or until a knife stuck in the middle of the veggie egg bake comes out clean
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3854/158/400/veggie-egg-bake.0.jpg)
If you're wondering why only half the dish has the jalapenos, well, my daughter is not quite ready for the heat that generates!