Potato and Cheese Frittata

Eggs and I had a bit of a love-hate relationship this summer. I began the summer low-carb dieting (not healthy, not tasty, and definitely not blog-worthy--you can only post "put some chicken on some lettuce" so many times...), and eggs were a great breakfast for a low-carb dieter. However, I made the mistake of cooking eggs in some leftover bacon grease one morning, and all I could taste was toasted fattiness, triggering feelings of nausea for a good month whenever I so much as thought of an egg. 

But then, the egg begged me for a second chance, dropping the recipe for an egg and manchego cheese frittata into my lap. And I was able to put the past behind me and love the egg once more.

I actually came across the recipe in the cookbook Vegetarian Basics by Cornelia Schinharl and Sebastian Dickhaut. I tried to be a veggie for a brief time, but missed Taco Bell too much and quit--still have the book though. I'm glad I kept the book, too, because the frittata was AWESOME!

Now, I could list their ingredients for you, but I changed almost all of them (their directions and general idea of putting potatoes into an egg type deal were still very inspiring), so I will just tell you what I used:

-2 large Yukon gold potatoes

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-2 garlic cloves (minced)

-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

-8 eggs (medium-sized)

-Salt and pepper

-1 bunch green onions (reserve some for garnish)

-Chopped tomato for garnish

*I also ignored the cookbook's title and added four slices of centercut bacon. Just don't tell Cornelia and Sebastian...

First thing's first: if I were to make this frittata again--and I will make it again--I would try harder to find manchego cheese or at least substitute in a milder cheese. The cheddar stood out too sharply and just didn't seem...sophisticated enough for the dish. Same with the green onions--when I make this dish again, I will substitute in a Vidalia onion sauteed in a little butter instead to help the flavors meld a bit better. That said, this was still tasty. So, you have your ingredients:

First, peel your potatoes and cut them into thin slices--think scalloped-potato slices. Heat the oil in a skillet and cook your potato slices over medium heat (about 8-10 minutes, until they are soft). Here is where I would also slice and cook my Vidalia onion in butter (or you can chop and add in your green onions here as I did in reality), as well as any additional veggies if you'd like to add them in! Add the minced garlic (and crumbled slices of bacon if you want to defy the purpose of the cookbook like I apparently did) to the skillet, as well.

In a separate bowl, crack your eggs and whisk lightly. I chose to add my cheese here, since I just used shredded cheddar, as well as my salt and pepper. Had I found manchego cheese, I would have sliced it and added it to the layers of potato and onion in my skillet, not to my eggs. Only add 3/4 cup here--save the remaining 1/4 for the top of the frittata.

Here, I deviated from the cooking directions of the book (which involved cooking each side of the frittata for 10 minutes....there was flipping and it seemed complicated). Instead, I remembered a chef on a cooking show I'd seen earlier in the summer (it wasn't a food network guy, so I am afraid I can't identify or properly cite him) make a frittata and followed his method. So here's what you do:

First, preheat your broiler, then add your eggs to your skillet of potatoey goodness. Gently, cook the eggs for a few minutes as though you are scrambling them (i.e. use your spatula to pull the liquid egg away from the edges of the pan, till you start to see little bits of cooked egg forming in the skillet). When about half the egg looks cooked, but there is still liquid egg in the pan, leave it sit on the stove for one minute (to allow the egg on the bottom of the pan to set up), then top the frittata with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese and place it under the broiler.

Watch the frittata closely, because it only needs about 5-7 minutes to finish cooking (and no flipping necessary!). When the egg has solidified and the cheese is melted, remove from the oven. Let it rest and completely finish cooking on the counter for a minute or two, then turn the frittata out on to a plate.

Finally, slice, serve, and enjoy for a yummy breakfast or for dinner as a variation on La Tortilla Espaniola for you tapas lovers!

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

I doubt even my husband knows this--because I'm usually too busy drooling over a Taco Bell commercial to bring it up--but this casserole is one of my absolute favorite comfort foods. I came across the recipe in one of my Mom's old cookbooks* back in high school, made it, and fell in love with the creamy, melty texture and the flavor of curry powder. Since then, I've made it here and there (the mayo in it usually reminds me that it can't be a weekly dinner), but love it every time. I hope it warms your stomach like it does mine!

Ingredients:

-1 large bag of frozen broccoli (or veggies of choice)

-3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

-2 cans cream of chicken soup

-1/2 cup mayo (the original recipe called for a full cup--see, I'm looking out for your health here ;))

-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

-2/3 cup of breadcrumbs

-1 tablespoon of butter

-1.5 teaspoons of curry powder (or more or less, to taste)

-Salt and pepper 

-Oil for browning chicken

I like to prepare the saucy part of the casserole first. To do this, simply mix together the cream of chicken soups, mayo, cheddar cheese, and curry powder. Set aside, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Next, get your broccoli into the microwave (or on the stove-top--I just love the convenience and crispness of the broccoli in those microwave steamer bags) and cook according to package directions. If you like your broccoli to have a bit more bite to it, take it out of the microwave (or off the stove) a minute or two earlier, because it will finish cooking in the oven later.

For the chicken (and to expedite the process), I typically cut my uncooked chicken breasts into cubes, salt and pepper them, and then toss them in a skillet with some oil to brown. When I was baking the casserole this time, however, I already had some leftover chicken breasts that I had baked from the day before and used those. Really, so long as you have some form of cooked chicken, you can't go wrong.

Set the chicken aside, then melt the butter in a small skillet and add the breadcrumbs. Make sure the breadcrumbs absorb the butter evenly and toast them for a few minutes until they get crispy (just be sure to keep stirring so they don't burn).

Finally, assemble the casserole. Spray a 9 x 13 casserole with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Then layer the following in the following order:
1) Broccoli
2) Chicken
3) Sauce
4) Breadcrumbs

Bake for about 20-30 minutes, until everything is heated through and the sauce is bubbly around the edges. And, if you want to get a bit more texture into the dish or just can't handle such a concentration of yummy creamy goodness, you could also serve the casserole over rice. Enjoy! :)

*My apologies, but I do not remember the name of the cookbook since this was about 10 years ago. Eesh, I'm getting old!!!

Homemade Pop-Tarts

Last week, Sarah invited me to bake with her because she found an awesome recipe for Homemade Pop-Tarts. Great company AND sweet treats? Who could say no to that?? Now, the recipe calls for the following ingredients for a set of cinnamon and a set of strawberry pop-tarts:

For the pastry crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks, or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk

For the cinnamon sugar filling (amount for 8 pop-tarts--adjust as needed):
½ cup light brown sugar
1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

For the strawberry filling (amount for 8 pop-tarts--adjust as needed):
¾ cup strawberry jam
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

However, the beauty of a homemade pop-tart is that the filling can be whatever your hungry little heart desires. So, we made: 2 cinnamon sugar, 2 raspberry, 2 fig (I told you I was going to use those preserves again!), and 2 nutella pop-tarts. Mmmm! The raspberry and fig are made in the exact same way as the strawberry (with preserves, cornstarch, and water), and the nutella needs no added ingredients.

We also ended up making an icing for the fruit-y pop-tarts and covered the nutella in powdered sugar, so you might also want to have the following on hand for this Icing recipe:
-2 cups powdered sugar
-1.5 tablespoons of softened butter
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/4 teaspoon of salt
-3 to 4 tablespoons of milk

First, make your pastry dough. As per the recipe, "To make the crust, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, work in the butter until it is the size of peas and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it. Whisk together the egg and milk and add to the dough. Mix together with a fork until everything is evenly moistened. Knead briefly on a floured surface, if necessary, until the dough comes together." Sarah was able to perform this step brilliantly without the use of a pastry blender, so don't worry if you don't have one. Divide the dough in half.

And this is admittedly, where we made a crucial mistake. The recipe on the website says that you can refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days or just keep working, and that if you do decide to refrigerate, to bring the dough back up to room temperature before rolling out. If we were to make the recipe again (which I feel fairly certain we will--it was SO good!), we would without a doubt refrigerate for a good hour or so. Since you will be rolling out the dough to 1/8 inch thick, it easily falls apart at room temperature. So learn from us and refrigerate first!

While the dough is setting up in your refrigerator, prepare your fillings. For the fruity ones (the strawberry, raspberry, or fig preserves), put your preserves into a small saucepan, then mix together and the cornstarch and cold water separately and add to the preserves. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for 2 minutes (or until it is thickened). For the cinnamon and sugar, simply mix the ingredients together in a bowl (note: it may be easier for you to microwave the brown sugar first if it has been sitting in your pantry for awhile). And for the Nutella...just try not to eat it out of the jar while you are waiting for your dough. That may be the hardest step of the entire process.

Now, once you have refrigerated your dough and made your fillings, it is time for assembly! Lay out one half of the dough on a non-stick baking mat or on a sheet of wax paper that you have sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Place another piece of wax paper on top of the dough, and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a 1/8 inch thickness. Try to keep the shape of the dough as rectangular as possible to make the standard pop-tart shape, but know that you can always re-roll the scrap dough into rectangles if your shape is imperfect. Ours was imperfect and took a few re-rolls.

Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the rolled dough into 8-10 rectangles, depending on what you are able to get out of your dough (we ended up with 8 pop-tart rectangles). Transfer your dough rectangles onto a baking sheet. Then, place about 1.5-2 tablespoons of your selected fillings on top of each one. Be sure to leave a good 1/2 inch open around the edges. Lightly beat one egg, then carefully brush the egg on around the edges of your pop-tarts' fillings. This will act as a glue when the tops of the pop-tarts are placed on top of the bottoms. See below:

Repeat the dough roll-out process with the other half of the dough for the tops of the pop-tarts, then place the  second set of dough rectangles directly on top of the first. Use a fork around the edges to seal the pop-tarts, and puncture the top of the pop-tarts a few times so that steam can escape (and they will not explode while baking). Then refrigerate the pop-tarts for 30 minutes to set up.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees, and take the pop-tarts out of the refrigerator. Pop them in the oven for about 25-30 minutes (ours took the full 30) and get your toppings (if desired) ready.

To make the icing, simply mix together the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and butter. Then, one tablespoon at a time, add in the milk until you have your desired consistency (spreadable, but not runny). You can also have extra cinnamon-sugar and powdered sugar on hand for the non-fruity pop-tarts.

The pop-tarts should be crisp and flaky when finished, like so:

Allow them to cool, and then decorate! We chose red sprinkles for the raspberry pop-tarts and gold for the fig pop-tarts. Cinnamon-sugar pop-tarts received an extra sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar, and we figured that the nutella were already fairly decadent and gave them a sprinkle of plain powdered sugar.

Let me tell you: these tasted AMAZING. This was easily my favorite recipe for the summer. The fruity ones taste like you are eating your own mini-pie, anything with nutella is delightful, and the cinnamon-sugar just brought out the buttery, flakiness of the dough. Eating these put us into such a state of bliss...I swear I was a better human being for at least that hour (not that I was eating them for an hour--the effects of the pop-tart bliss made me feel happier for at least an hour after eating them....I promise I only ate the one...stop looking at me :p). Anyway, do yourself a favor and make these--you'll never want the boxed version again. Thanks again to my fabulous co-baker Sarah, and we both hope that you make these and enjoy!

"Taco Bell" Mexican Pizza

I've said before that I love cheese--as a result, all foods made with said cheese are near and dear to my heart. Thus, I have always had a dangerous love affair with the Taco Bell Mexican pizza. And I'm not joking on the dangerous part: I've had food poisoning at least twice from Taco Bell alone, and I know my waist line gives me dirty looks as soon as it sees the bell on the bag. But I have a cheese addiction, and the Mexican pizza keeps me from tweaking.

So, as a compromise one night, I decided I would at least attempt to make my own pizza (and maybe cut down my chances of getting the food poisoning again :p). It turned out really well and was MUCH more filling than Taco Bell's version--my husband even said he liked the taste of this one better, but as he could take or leave Taco Bell, I'm not sure that will convince you other Bell lovers out there that this is worth a go. But the lack of food poisoning should--so try it any way.

Ingredients:

-Flour tortillas (props if you make these yourself--I used store bought)

-Quart of veggie oil for frying

-1 pd. of lean ground beef

-1 packet of taco seasoning (I found a taco bell one--score!)

-1 can refried beans

-1 jar salsa (also found a taco bell one)

-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 

-1 bunch green onions

First, you need your flour tortillas crispy. Heat the veggie oil in a large skillet over medium heat. You will know the oil is ready when you stick a wooden spoon into the middle of the oil and bubbles rise up around it (or if you have a thermometer). (Disclaimer: I don't really believe I need to say this, and this is rather tongue-in-cheek, but as I married a lawyer, I will: do not use your fingers or any other body part to ascertain that the oil is hot. It will burn you, and then you will won't get to eat the Mexican pizza. And you'll have hospital bills. So use the spoon.)

When the oil is ready, carefully place a tortilla in the oil. It will begin to puff up, so carefully puncture any bubbles in the tortilla with your spoon, fry until the tortilla is crisp, and then remove and place on a plate covered with paper towels (to absorb the extra oil). Repeat this process until all tortillas are cooked.

Next, get your ground beef ready. Cook the ground beef in a skillet until it evenly browned, then drain off any residual fat. Mix your taco seasoning with water according to package directions and add to your ground beef in the skillet (note: if you are trying to cut back on your sodium, look for a low-sodium mix or do not add the full packet of seasoning to your ground beef...or add your own spices that do not contain salt for best low-sodium results). Simmer over low-heat until all water is absorbed and the beef is evenly coated with the seasoning.

Chop the bunch of green onions, shred your cheddar cheese, and turn the broiler on in your oven. The rest is all assembly!

On top of one of the crispy tortillas, place the following:

-a layer of the refried beans

-a layer of the ground beef

-a second tortilla

-a thin layer of salsa

-a generous sprinkling of cheddar cheese

-a sprinkling of green onions

Place all assembled pizzas onto a baking sheet. Finally, place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is melted, and serve! 

The beauty of this recipe is that you can even add other veggies, change the meat (say you'd prefer a ground turkey Mexican pizza for health/diet reasons), alter the cheeses, or make any other changes you want to fit your needs. Of course--I like the original best, and I hope you enjoy!

Tomato, Lemon, and Cannellini Bean Pasta

Let's face it--trying to cook a healthy meal is expensive. It's much easier to buy a package of Ramen noodles or macaroni and cheese for a dollar than it is to find something that is affordable AND has nutritional value. So, wanting a recipe that wouldn't break the bank, I found this: Lemon, caper, and white bean pasta. The recipe is supposed to be made from foods that are generally already in your pantry (and that are fairly cheap!), so I decided to give it a try. I omitted the capers (I didn't have any, and didn't want to spend money on them just for this recipe) and instead used my friend Sarah's roasted grape tomato idea in their place.

Ingredients:
1 box grape tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil (fresh would be even better!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 box angel hair pasta (I used whole wheat)
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon garlic pepper
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt to taste
Optional toppings: Parmesan cheese, parsley 

Put the water on to boil for your spaghetti. Salt the water to flavor your pasta.

While the water is heating up, prepare your roasted tomatoes. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together your grape tomatoes, olive oil, basil, and minced garlic cloves until all the tomatoes are well-coated. Spread out on a baking sheet. When the oven is ready, cook at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes (7 minutes is fine if you want the tomatoes a bit firmer; they will start to break down by 10 minutes). I may come back to this recipe for a homemade pasta sauce in the future--the smell of the tomatoes when they are finished is amazing!

Next, get your sauce ready. Melt the butter in a skillet over low-medium heat. Using a handheld grater, shred the peel of the lemon (the shreds of lemon peel are the zest) into the butter. To get the most juice from your lemon, roll it on the counter applying pressure with your hands to get the juices to flow, then cut the lemon open and squeeze the juices from each half into the butter, as well. Add in your garlic pepper and salt and mix well. Finally, toss in the cannellini beans and roasted tomatoes until heated through.

Toss with the spaghetti or simply serve the tomato-bean sauce on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley if desired. Enjoy the meal--and the extra money in your wallet! :)

**I had to include a close-up to point out the color here. The dish is still tasty without the tomatoes, but they provide both an added depth of flavor and beauty in presentation. A feast for the stomach AND eyes! (Now really...go enjoy ;)).

Sarah's Banana Bread

I found a baking buddy! Sarah and I met through mutual friends, and while at first I was simply impressed by her spirit and optimistic attitude, I later discovered that she also shares the same love for cooking and baking that I do--a kindred spirit! Hence, the next few recipes are inspired by or are directly from her, beginning with an amazing chocolate chip banana bread.

Here is Sarah's list of ingredients:

2 cups brown rice flour (*I used regular bread flour, since I could not find this)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plain yogurt (you can also substitute Greek yogurt for additional nutritional value)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or honey is good if you're out)
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

 All ingredients

 Mashed bananas!

Now, when the recipe calls for "very ripe" bananas, it means very ripe-like brown all over. I can tell you from experience that you cannot force bananas to ripen by glaring at them, no matter how hard you try. So try to buy bananas that are already at least yellow, or you will be waiting a few days for your banana bread. Since my bananas were not ready yet, and I was banana-bread obsessed for those few days, I performed several unnecessary Google searches about bananas and can tell you why they should be brown. Apparently, the riper the banana gets, the more sugar it releases, making for a sweeter bread. And, you know...it's easier to mash a riper banana. WARNING NOTE: Do NOT place your bananas near other fruits while you are waiting for them to ripen. I lost three peaches with a lot of potential yumminess that way (bananas release a gas which causes other fruits to ripen faster). At this point, I could also tell you all the facts I learned from Shark Week (I spent some quality time with Google and the Discovery Channel this week), but I will spare you.

So, on to the baking (instructions from Sarah)!

Adjust a rack to the lower middle position of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, yogurt, eggs, melted butter and vanilla, mixing well.

Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry, just to blend--do not over mix. Add in the chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 50-60 minutes (most breads will take the full hour). Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out and let cool completely. (Or at least for 10 minutes if you really can't wait any longer :))

This was my first attempt at baking bread, and it was hugely successful--the hubby, who hates bananas, actually enjoyed the banana bread, and since he's my litmus test, I was fairly proud. It is also tasty microwaved for about 20 seconds and buttered (and I intend to use stale pieces--if the bread lasts that long--to make banana bread french toast in the future). Mmmm! Thanks again, Sarah, and to everyone else: enjoy!

Gourmet Paninis

If you couldn't tell from my first recipe posting, I love cheese. The kind of love where, if I were stranded on a deserted island and could only have one food with me, it would probably be cheese. So, I was daydreaming about grilled cheese sandwiches the other day (because they are made from my food crush) and pondering how I could make the ordinary grilled cheese sandwich a bit more blog-worthy. And then I found this recipe: Fresh Mozzarella, Prosciutto, and Fig Jam. The ingredients are as follows:

4 soft French or Italian rolls

10-12 ounces fresh mozzarella, thickly sliced

8 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

¼- ½ cup fig jam or fig preserves, to taste

Soft butter for spreading on bread

I followed this pretty much as follows, except I used ciabatta bread (I thought the square shape was cute...ahem) and added some spinach for a little added color and, I suppose, some nutritional value. But mainly for the color. Also, I don't own a panini press, so I used my little George Foreman type grill thing instead. And since it is non-stick, I omitted the butter. Trust me, you won't miss it when it comes to flavor.

I like recipes like this, because you really can't mess them up. All you have to do is:

1) Slice your bread, and spread the fig jam liberally on one side (or both--I will explain why in a moment).

2) Pile on the prosciutto, slices of the fresh mozzarella, and some washed/de-stemmed spinach leaves.

3) Cover the sandwich with the other bread slice, toss into your George Foreman (or place in a warm skillet and press down with a panini press) and just squeeze the heck out of it. The sandwich will get more compact, have lovely little grill marks for presentation purposes, and oh yeah--be ooey, gooey, melty, salty, and caramelized from the fig preserves. Then, you eat, drool, and repeat.

Which brings me back to the fig jam. This needs a special mention, because I almost didn't buy fig jam. I'd never had it before, the stuff was $5 a jar, and the strawberry jam, $3 cheaper, beckoned invitingly to me from beside the fig jam on the shelf. But, I sucked it up and bought the fig jam to stay true to the recipe.

And holy shitake mushrooms, people, was it amazingly delicious. First, it lacks the tartness of most other jams, so it just accentuates rather than dominates the other ingredients of the sandwich. The flavor is much more....like raisin-flavored honey. Or heaven. And when cooked, the jam warms up and sweetens, becoming almost candy-like, which provides a nice contrast to the salty prosciutto. And now, I am making it a life goal to get the fig family into as many recipes as I can from here on out. Try the figs, people--you won't regret it!!

Finally, the finished product--enjoy!