Pineapple + Bacon Scramble

Well hi! I've been a little radio-silent over here for the past few weeks. November and December were jam-packed with weekends of creating and shooting and editing and trips down to Olympia to spend the Holidays with my family. I pushed out so much content last two months and I wouldn't say I got burned out, but I have felt a little uninspired the last few weeks.

In my experience, inspiration tends to hit you when you're not looking for it. So, I took a mini-break from the blog and focused on other things for a bit. I completely re-organized the metro shelf that acts as my pantry where I store most of my baking ingredients as well as a plethora of other kitchen gadgets. My dad made me the most awesome custom riser for all my jars which I'm absolutely in love with. I moved all my props to a separate shelf unit (which my dad also made, he's seriously the best) where they can be displayed properly and most importantly, I can actually see everything I have!

When my mind started to wander towards the blog again and the sort of content I wanted to focus on in the next few months, I wanted to challenge myself to err on the savory side for a bit. I admit, baking and sweets are definitely my favorite things but I do love cooking savory in my day-to-day life, too. And also, real talk for a minute: our family is going to Hawaii in June and having extra cookies and sweets around isn't gonna help the situation, amiright? So, in the spirit of a clean start for the new year, I'm going to try to bring a little more balance to my content and I hope you enjoy!

Mmmk, so about this scramble. When I was in my freshman year of college at George Fox University (a tiny little Christian college in Oregon) and I was actually up early enough on weekends to roll out of bed and catch breakfast still being served at The Bon (cafeteria), I loved hitting up the omelette bar. They only had it on the weekends, which made it more fun and special. They had a huge assortment of veggies and cheese and meats to choose from and you tell them what you want in your omelette then they'd whip it up for you. For some reason, pineapple was included in the options. Maybe it's not weird but at the time I thought it was. Fruit doesn't normally belong in eggs, no? But, for whatever reason, I asked for pineapple on a whim one Saturday and I never looked back. It added a little sweet bite to the otherwise savory eggs. So good! Think the breakfast version of Hawaiian pizza. When paired together with bacon, sautéed onions and peppers, and some sharp white cheddar, it's a smoky, savory, sweet and tangy hodge podge of deliciousness. Dare ya to try it!

3 eggs
splash of half and half
salt and pepper, to taste
2 slices bacon (ideally nitrite and nitrate-free)
1/4 c onion, roughly chopped
1/4 c red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/4 c green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/2 c fresh pineapple, roughly chopped
1/4 c sharp white cheddar, grated

In a nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Set aside the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. While the bacon is cooking, whisk together the eggs and splash of half and half in a medium bowl and set aside.

Spoon out most of the bacon fat that's been rendered in the pan except for about a tablespoon. Sauté the onion, bell peppers, and pineapple. You're just looking for the vegetables and pineapple to soften a bit and caramelize a little on the outside. This should take just a few minutes. Once you're there, turn the heat down to low and pour in the egg mixture. With a rubber spatula, slowly scramble the eggs in the pan until almost cooked. Season with salt* and pepper, crumble in the bacon, and sprinkle over the cheese. Remove from heat and serve.

*You may be wondering why wait until the very end to add salt rather than whisking directly in the egg mixture beforehand. The salt can actually make the eggs tough as they cook so by waiting until the very end, they stay nice and soft and fluffy. Cool, huh?