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A classic Denver Omelet made easier by baking it in the oven! Serve it at your next brunch and spend more time with guests and less in the kitchen!
I hope everyone had a great weekend! We had record temperatures here in Denver with our highs in the mid 80’s…it does not feel like fall. I’m not complaining though because it’s sunny and gorgeous outside! Today on top of sharing the recipe for the delicious Baked Denver Omelet, I’m also sharing the experience I had a few weeks ago in Cleveland, Ohio with the American Dairy Association Mideast.
This was my first trip to Ohio and it did not disappoint. The purpose of this trip was to learn about all things having to do with dairies, milk, and cheese…how could this possibly be a bad thing. The trip started by being picked up from the airport in a limousine, not a bad welcome to Cleveland. I was then taken to the beautiful Hyatt at The Arcade. This hotel was stunning and perfectly situated near many great restaurants and bars.
Our first evening was spent learning about wine and cheese pairings and of course sampling both. It was off to bed early that night as we would be headed out to our first dairy farm at 6:00 am! The first farm we visited was Richman Farm. It was a small (80 head of dairy cattle) family owned farm run by a father and his two sons. It was here that I milked my first cow! I have to admit it was a very strange experience, but one I’m glad I can say I’ve done.
When you’re standing in the “milking parlor” you get a true sense of how big a cow is. We learned everything about the living conditions of the cows, what they eat, how the milk is filtered, treated to remove bacteria, and stored. I was so impressed by the dedication and care that the Indoe family puts into maintaining both the cattle and their farm.
The next stop was at Pearl Valley Cheese. This family owned business is known for their award winning Swiss cheese that they’ve been making since 1928. Along with having plenty of samples of the delicious cheese we also learned the process in which it’s made. After learning all about the cheese making process we made a stop in their store where I stocked up on all kind of Swiss, Colby, and Pepper Jack cheeses to take home with me.
Following the cheese tour we stopped at a beautiful home in the Amish country for lunch. It was here that I had my first Amish meal, and it did not disappoint! We had the most amazing homemade bread, fried chicken, buttery mashed potatoes, green beans, homemade buttered noodles, coleslaw, and to top it all off, apple crumb pie and a mind blowingly rich peanut butter cream pie! Basically I needed to be rolled out of there after all that rich delicious food!
However, there was no time for a nap, it was on to our final farm, Andreas Dairy Farm. The Andreas family had a much larger farm where they housed and milked 1,300 head of cattle. Even though it was a much larger farm you could still see the pride and commitment to quality here. On this stop I had the opportunity to bottle feed a calf. Let’s just say if I could have taken one home with me I would have! Aside from the slobber they are about the cutest things ever!
The day ended with an amazing dinner at the Cleveland Browns stadium where I had the pleasure of meeting Joe Thomas who is the tackle for the Cleveland Browns. Joe partners with ADA Mideast as part of Fuel Up to Play 60, an in-school nutrition and physical activity program from the National Dairy Council and the National Football League. The program empowers youth to improve nutrition and physical activity at their school and for their own health.
Our final day ended with a trip to a local elementary school where we had breakfast with some of the kids and learned how they are incorporating dairy into school breakfasts and the positive impact that offering breakfast at the school has on kids.
The last stop before heading home was to the famous Melt Bar and Grilled. You guys..this place had some of the most over the top grilled cheese sandwiches I had ever seen and tasted in my life. We ordered everything from the Monte Cristo, the buffalo chicken, a Cuban, jalapeño popper, and my favorite the peanut butter and banana.
Then there was the Melt Challenge. 13 kinds of cheese and 3 1/2 pounds of it were piled on this sandwich….mind blown! Lucky for us they cut all the sandwiches into bite size piece so we could have a sample of each. Let’s just say I left Cleveland full, happy, and stuffed wit cheese!
Inspired from my dairy-licious adventures in Ohio, I knew I wanted to create a breakfast recipe that used both milk and cheese in it. Since I’m an eggs kind of girl for breakfast this Baked Denver Omelet was the perfect solution. The omelet is big enough to serve 6 people so it’s perfect for serving the whole family, or you can refrigerate the leftovers. The omelet was surprisingly just as delicious the next day. Start your morning off right with this healthy, dairy filled delicious omelet!
Baked Denver Omelet
Ingredients
- 5 eggs
- 4 egg whites
- 1/4 cup milk I used 1%
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1/2 cup diced bell peppers I used a green and orange pepper
- 1/2 cup diced ham steak
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt and pepper, then set aside.
- Add the olive oil to a 10 inch cast iron or non-stick skillet and heat it over medium high heat.
- When the oil is hot add in the onion and bell peppers and season with salt and pepper.
- Let the onion and pepper mixture cook for about 5 minutes or until they have started to soften, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the diced ham and cook for another minute.
- Top the ham and vegetables with the egg mixture then sprinkle on the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes or until the omelet is set and the top is golden.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thanks to the American Dairy Association Mideast and Ohio Dairy Farmers for sponsoring this delicious dairy adventure! As always all opinions are my own.
More Baked Egg Recipes:
Egg Casserole with Mushrooms and Canadian Bacon
We are having this for dinner tonight – not always a breakfast item……nice green salad – I’m set
I love making omelets or frittatas for dinner. Enjoy!
I don’t know how I ended up here. It was from the high protein breakfast article from my Greatest newsletter. Anyways, I loved the Ohio visit. Thank you for sharing. The omelet is fantastic. Thanks!
Thanks for stopping by Kevin! :-)
Same, where’s the omelette recipe anyway?? Can someone pls give me the link?
https://reciperunner.com/baked-denver-omelet/
I would love to start my day with this omelet!
Wish I could make you one Jessica! :-)
We had a super hot day yesterday as well, I’ll take it as long as it doesn’t last! Looks like your trip was a blast, I remember seeing that grilled cheese picture on Instagram — holy cow. I would die for a taste of that! And the omelet….looks delicious and so beautiful!
Thanks Nicole! That grilled cheese was so over the top, I can’t imagine how anyone could eat the whole thing!
I love how perfectly thick and fluffy this is!! Definitely need to whip some up asap!
It’s so fluffy Rachel and super easy to make too!