Category: Breakfast All Day

Breathe, savor, smile

Posted in Appetizers and Snacks, Breakfast All Day, Cookies and Bars, Dessert, Fruits and Nuts, Snacks, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Why do you cook?  Because you are hungry?  Because you like to eat and feed others?  Maybe you have too much zucchini. There are plenty of reasons why we cook…

Cooking is my therapy, it’s a form of meditation.  I can get lost in the repetitive process of chopping, stirring, or kneading; it zones me out and relaxes. I like to think I’m a better person because I cook… but that’s purely subjective.

Then, we get to enjoy the fruits of our labor, the results of all this cooking. Eating is our big reward.  Before a meal I like to set the table and arrange the food so that it is visually appealing. There are times when I’m famished or in a hurry and need a reminder to take a deep breath and slow down.

When I seriously savor my food I know I eat less and enjoy it more.  Such is the case with a recent batch of transformative Fig Bars.  Though nothing fancy, they are definitely meant for savoring.

Odd-shaped dried figs have a perfumed honey flavor with little seeds that can be distracting.

Peculiar dried figs

However, when  teamed with complementary partners they magically morph into something far different. Once baked, you realize these mysterious understated little packages are well worth a meditative moment.

At first bite, the bar is reminiscent of a well-built brownie. Notice how it shatters on top. But there’s no butter here and no heavy hit of chocolate—merely enough cocoa to create a balanced, ethereal union with the figs.

Fig Cocoa Bars

A citrusy bite of orange punctuates and brings the flavors fully alive. The center is moist and slightly gooey, thanks to those crazy dried figs, the seeds fade and blend beautifully with the candied walnuts.

There are times when sweets fill a momentary gap: a quick breakfast bite, perhaps a snack during the day or an easy dessert. These bars provide all that plus a good dose of fiber, nutrition and energy.

While you are at it, take a moment to breathe, savor, and smile.

Fig Cocoa Bars

Ingredients
2 eggs, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup less 2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp grated orange zest
1 cup dried figs, chopped (approx. 10 medium )
½ cup candied walnuts, chopped

Directions

  1. Coat an 8×8” pan with baking spray or line with non-stick foil. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Slowly add the granulated sugar blending until thick; continue to beat in the brown sugar. Then the vanilla.
  3. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and mix into bowl along with orange zest. Stir in the figs and nuts, don’t over blend.
  4. Spread batter evenly into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until top is evenly browned but not overbaked. Cool for 10 minutes. Cut into portions while warm. Yield: about 15 bars.

Ice Storm Satisfaction

Posted in Appetizers and Snacks, Bread, Breakfast All Day, Dairy, Eggs, Entree, Snacks, Uncategorized3 Comments

This past week the entire country was hit by severe winter storms. We haven’t been spared here in Oregon either. For over a day now, ice storms  have caused sporadic power outages throughout the region.

Icy Rose Bush

Crashing sounds continue to echo outside, as huge icicles precipitously break and fall thunderously to the ground from their weighty perches. It’s darn cold out there.

An early start this morning called for a late breakfast of warm, luxurious, comfort food. High on my mind, a fabulous block of Cotswold Double Gloucester cheese on standby in the fridge.

Cotswold, Courtesy Amazon.com

Cotswold is a variation of Double Gloucester, a whole cow’s milk cheese made in Gloucestershire County, England where it is revered as a pub cheese.  In my book, it’s not nearly so self-limiting.

This is a unique cheddar-style cheese, pale orange in color and deftly speckled with chives and onions.  Its full herbaceous flavor equally shines on a cheeseboard or teamed with just about anything that agrees with alliums.

Here’s a simple solution that soothed my hungry heart.

Cotwold Pub Sandwich

Call this a starting place: a hot sandwich or cheese-stuffed French toast topped with an egg.  A cheese sandwich of this stature is so startlingly robust it needs little more—perhaps a dab of mayonnaise.

Or, Cheese-Stuffed French Toast

Envelope it all in an eggy batter and simply toast on both sides.  It is exquisite graced with a gooey fried egg.

Cotswold Pub Sandwich (Cheese-Stuffed French Toast)

Ingredients
2 slices sourdough bread
2-3 slices Cotswold Double Gloucester with Onions & Chives cheese
1 tsp mayonnaise or mustard combo
2 eggs, divided
1 Tbsp milk
salt, pepper
1 Tbsp butter, divided

Instructions

  1. Spread the inside slices of bread with mayonnaise. Layer with thick slices of Cotswold cheese.
  2.  In shallow bowl, beat 1 egg with 1 Tbsp milk, and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Place the sandwich in the egg batter and soak for 30 seconds to absorb some of the batter. Turn and repeat.
  4. In hot skillet over medium heat, coat the surface with part of the melted butter.  When hot and bubbly add the sandwich and cook until toasted and cheese softens, approximately 3 minutes per side adding butter as needed. 
  5. Remove sandwich to plate.  If desired, add an egg to buttered skillet; once the white begins to set turn or, add 1 Tbsp water to pan to create steam, cover with lid and cook to set the yolk, another minute or so.
  6. Top the sandwich with a fried egg. Enjoy hot.   Serves 1. 

Let Them Eat Cake!

Posted in Appetizers and Snacks, Breakfast All Day, Dessert, fruit, Snacks, Uncategorized1 Comment

Back on the blueberry trail again… going into the fall this year’s berry crop was incredibly abundant and they have just kept on coming well into winter.

Blueberries are durable,  so low in maintenance I suspect purveyors and markets love them, too. Packaged well, the nutritious bursts of flavor will hold over 2 weeks in the fridge or freeze easily for later use.

I decided it was time to use up the last of my current supply and opted for a very simple blueberry snack cake.

 

Such a basic little cake, there isn’t really much to it—just enough batter for the luscious berries to reign supreme in a 7” springform or 8”x8” baking pan.

Toppings are optional.  I used a little old-fashioned crumble left from baked apples, but cinnamon-sugar or a sprinkle of turbinado finish it nicely, too.

Blueberry snack cake

It’s the sort of moist, multi-purpose cake that stands in for cheery morning coffeecake, as a sweet afternoon pick-me-up with tea or coffee, or a tempting dessert dabbed with sweetened whipped cream.

Blueberry Snack Cake

Ingredients
1 cup AP flour (or ¾ cup AP + ¼ cup whole wheat flour)
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp each salt and nutmeg
1 cup blueberries
1 egg
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup butter, melted
Topping Options:  Crumble: 2 Tbsp oats, ¼ tsp cinnamon 3 tsp brown sugar, 2 tsp melted butter; Cinnamon-Sugar: ¼ cup granulated sugar plus 1 tsp cinnamon.  1 Tbsp turbinado sugar; or Confectioners’ sugar.

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 7” springform or 8×8” pan with baking spray.
  2. Prepare topping. For Crumble, combine and press all together to form a crumbly mixture.  For Cinnamon Sugar, combine sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
  3. In medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.  Add the berries.
  4. Separately combine egg, sugar and butter and quickly add to the dry, it will be thick.
  5. Spread into pan and gently level the top.  Sprinkle with topping and bake 35-40 minutes, until it separates from the edges of pan and is set in the center.  Rest on rack for 10 minutes, release and remove springform, cool.  Cut into portions. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serves 4-6.

Behold, leftovers!

Posted in Appetizers and Snacks, Breakfast All Day, Dairy, Eggs, Entree, Snacks, Uncategorized, Vegetables2 Comments

This year, Christmas dinner had its challenges.  With lockdown in place for many of us, we faced a different holiday meal, one without the shared comfort and joy of extended family and friends.

Not terribly hungry, I ended up roasting a supply of vegetables: brussels sprouts, carrots and potatoes. When ready I topped it with sliced ham, a mustard glaze and baked until bubbly. It got the job done—without much flash or flare.  My heart really wasn’t in it.

Pending leftovers

Holidays meals often translate to future soups, stews and snacks.  The uninspired leftovers lingered in the fridge for a couple of days before I considered what to do with them.  I mulled over the possibilities: soup and such just didn’t seem to fit here. Then I recalled a delicious dish that would create a cohesive meal out of all this with little effort on my part.

In a 2014 blog I described the Chicken Puff Pie as a throwback to the “pot pie—without the pie crust”.  At the time I was deeply into crepes, clafoutis, and custard-based dishes and this evolved from that process. The surprising dish yielded a nutritious, creamy, and satisfying meal without all the work.

I’ve since learned that just about any leftover vegetables and complementary protein will work. Refresh them in a quick sauté with onion and herbs. A thin crepe-like batter is poured overall,  suspending the collection into something similar to a savory clafoutis.

Puff Pie glimpse

Bake the dish for 30 minutes in a hot oven until light and puffed.  Cool briefly and slice into neat wedges.

True comfort food that does not taste like leftovers and reheats beautifully…

Vegetables and Ham Puff Pie  

Most complementary precooked vegetables and protein can be substituted here. 

Ingredients
1 Tbsp butter, plus butter for baking dish
½ medium onion, peeled, small chop
1 clove garlic, divided, crushed
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, diced
1 tsp dried herbs:  thyme, rosemary, sage
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 cup precooked brussels sprouts, cut in half
1 cup precooked carrots, small chunks
1 cup precooked potatoes, small chunks
1 cup or more ham cut into small chunks
Batter
½ cup all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
3 large eggs, beaten
⅔ cup warm milk
1 clove garlic, crushed
few grinds fresh pepper
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
For top:  2 Tbsp Gruyere cheese, grated

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a quiche dish, pie plate or similar baking dish.
  2. In large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, cook to soften. Add the garlic, jalapeno if desired, herbs, salt and pepper, cook 3-4 minutes.
  3. Stir in precooked vegetables. Add the ham and cook 3-4 minutes to heat and blend flavors.
  4. Make the batter: In a medium bowl combine the flour and salt and make a well in the center.  Add the beaten eggs and begin incorporate the flour; whisk in the milk, the garlic, and a few grinds of pepper. Add the Parmesan cheese to form a thin, nearly smooth batter.
  5. Spread enough batter into the baking dish to coat the bottom, about ½ cup. Place in the hot oven and bake until the bottom is set, 4 minutes.
  6. Evenly distribute the ham and vegetables mixture over the layer of batter in the baking dish. Stir down the remaining batter and pour it evenly over the filling. Sprinkle Gruyere cheese over the top and return the dish to oven.
  7. Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake 35 to 40 minutes longer. It is done when puffed and browned around edges and the center is firm when pressed.  Yield:  4 or more servings

Fruitcake worth considering

Posted in Appetizers and Snacks, Bread, Breakfast All Day, Dessert, fruit, Fruits and Nuts, grains, Snacks4 Comments

Old fashion fruitcake tends to get a bad wrap due to its tooth-aching inclusion of sweet candied fruits and such.  Here’s a game changer that will get your attention and become a requested addition on any  table—especially alongside holiday specialty meats and cheeses.

When this moist, easy to assemble Moroccan fruitcake was demonstrated on Martha Bakes recently I knew wanted to give it a try. Helen Goh, baker with London’s Ottolenghi restaurants shows how easy it is to create her big flavored creation.  The cake’s complexity is rooted in a combination of plump dried fruits soaked in dark tea and given a jolt with an exotic ras el hanout spice blend.

Moroccan Fruitcake

I love everything about this bread from the jam packed assortment of figs, prunes, apricots, raisins and dates to the big flavors of toasted cumin and coriander seeds, red pepper flakes, turmeric, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, and paprika.

As mentioned, the secret is to soak the dried fruit in advance to fully plump and activate flavors; I prefer a fine Puer tea, but Assam is recommended.  You’ll note there is no fat used in this recipe either—and it is not missed.

Admittedly, the first time I tried a rich moist slice early in the morning I was not prepared for the impact. The distinct cumin flavors were front and center—near jarring on my sleepy taste buds.

With that in mind, I set about making the fruitcake again—this time with a modified spice blend that omitted the cumin but retained the red pepper.  I also took Goh’s suggestion to add a little whole grained flour and included ½ cup buckwheat flour. (I also swapped out self rising flour for AP flour and baking powder).

Fruitcake, take 2

Side by side, I preferred the original bread.  I missed how beautifully the bright spices and dried fruit mingled together. For personal choices, I’ve kept both options in the recipe below. This truly depends on taste and how you plan to use it.

If you wish, spread thick slices with butter, or toast it first.

Moroccan Fruitcake

Inspired by Moroccan Fruitcake as demonstrated on Martha Bakes by Helen Goh, baker from London’s Ottolenghi restaurants.

Ingredients
2½ cups dried fruit: ½ cup each diced apricots, figs, prunes or dates, raisins or cranberries
1 cup hot strong dark tea, Assam, Puer, etc.
1½ cup AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt
2 tsp ras el hanout (see below)
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup milk, approximate, to thin as needed

Instructions

  1. Ahead, in medium bowl combine dried fruits, pour hot tea over all. Cover, let stand 2 hours or overnight to plump and absorb tea.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray with nonstick baking spray and line 8 ½ x 4 ½” loaf pan with parchment with 1 ½ inch overhang.
  3. In mixing bowl, sift flour and baking powder, add salt, the spice blend, sugar, and combine.
  4. Stir in the dried fruit and any remaining liquid; add the egg and combine. Stir in milk as need to bind; it should be thick.
  5. Spoon into baking pan, bake until tester comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, turn out on rack to cool.
    Slice and spread with salted butter; also good toasted. Store at room temperature well wrapped for 3 days. Serves 6-8

Note: watch for signs of early browning on top as the bread tends to burn easily. Cover with foil as needed to protect the top.

Ras el hanout

Toast 1½ tsp coriander seeds and ¾ tsp cumin seeds and grind with ½ tsp coarse sea salt.
Add ½ tsp each coarse ground black peppercorns and crushed red pepper flakes and grind. Combine mixture with ¼ tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp dry ginger, ½ tsp cardamom. Makes about 2 Tbsp

Modified spice blend: ½ tsp coriander, ¼ tsp each cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, turmeric, and ground red pepper flakes

Cranberries, meet Apples

Posted in Appetizers and Snacks, Breakfast All Day, Dessert, fruit, Fruits and Nuts, Snacks1 Comment

Ah beautiful cranberries,  ruby red jewels of the holiday season…

Courtesy Oregon Cranberry Growers Assn.

It’s too bad that cranberries tend to receive little more than a cursory nod when cast in their limited role as a wobbly sauce —several circles down from the holiday turkey.  If real lucky, they might be hung out to dry on a string draped around the Christmas tree.

I decided to give cranberries a chance, this time as a co-star with another seasonal favorite, the Honeycrisp apple (or any other sweet-crisp variety).  Anyone who has played with cranberries knows they can be quirky.  They are hard, tart, and when cooked have their own thickening power.  On the other hand, Honeycrisp apples are full of flavor, crisp, bright and juicy—they could go a long way to elevating cranberries beyond their obscure part as a bit player.

This beautiful Crostata is very similar to the Stone Fruit Galette in my Counter Cuisine cookbook.  If you have taken a look, you know that it is a hand formed pie mounded with fresh fruit. It also bakes in about 30 minutes.

Apple Cranberry Crostata

The trick here is to cook the apples and cranberries just long enough to soften them but still retain their shape and unique attributes.

Apples and near popping Cranberries

The best way to pull this off is to briefly cook the filling ahead. The hand formed pastry can be prepped ahead, too. Then, it’s a simple matter of assembling it all and baking the crostata off until bubbly and golden brown.

A little pastry with your fruit

The result: a crisp pastry bundle wrapped around a tender-fresh filling near bursting with holiday flavors.

Apple Cranberry Crostata

Ingredients
1 recipe Hand Formed Pastry (below)
1 Tbsp butter
2-3 Honeycrisp or other apples, peel, core, cut into ½” slice or chunks, @ 3 cups
1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 orange:  1 Tbsp juice, 2 tsp zest
1 Tbsp flour
¾ to 1 cup raw cranberries
Egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 1 tsp water, 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
Glaze: 1 Tbsp melted and strained marmalade (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare pastry and chill at least 30 minutes, up to 2 days.
  2. For filling, heat butter in wide pan over medium. Toss in apples to coat, add the spices and sugars to melt. Add the orange zest and juice, cook 1 minute.
    Remove from heat, sprinkle flour over the fruit and gently stir to combine all. Return to medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the cranberries, lower heat and cook 2-3 minutes, until thick and fruit just begins to soften. Remove and cool well, 1- 2 hours. Filling can be chilled and brought to room temperature before proceeding.
  3. To assemble, roll out pastry on floured parchment into 12” free formed round. Set pastry and parchment on baking sheet.
    Mound prepared filling onto pastry with slotted spoon, higher in center. Allow 2” border to fold over fruit and contain it. Brush pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
  4. Bake 375-400°F for 25-35 minutes, until filling is bubbly and pastry is golden brown. If desired, brush fruit top lightly with marmalade glaze for extra shine. Cool well. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream. Serves 4 to 6
Hand-Formed Pastry

3  Tbsp each butter and vegetable shortening spread ½” thick, freeze 15 mins
1 cup AP flour
½ tsp salt
3-4 Tbsp ice water

Whisk flour and salt in med bowl. Dice the cold shortening and butter into ½ cubes and cut into flour with 2 knives or a pastry blender, until pieces are the size of small peas.
Add 3 Tbsp ice water and stir with a fork until the flour is moist and begins to hold together. Add a few more drops of ice water into bottom of bowl if needed. Gather up dough and gently shape into a ball and flatten into a disk. Roll out as needed or wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill up to 2 days.

Holiday Hash

Posted in Breakfast All Day, Herbs and Spices, VegetablesLeave a comment

Not too long ago while skittering through Trader Joe’s a container of diced mixed vegetables caught my eye.  I paused just long enough to appreciate what looked to be a colorful collection of perhaps diced sweet potatoes or squash, red onion, maybe herbs…

My glasses were steaming up from my mask, but I think it read “Hash.” I quickly moved on, but this blurry visual stayed with me and continued to stimulate my imagination.

I planned to cook Cornish game hens for Thanksgiving.  I could picture the hen nestled in a bed of hash-like vegetables—further eliminating any trace of traditional stuffing. Since I had white sweet potato on hand I’d make it much like an ordinary stuffing and replace the bread with partially cooked sweet potato.

Hen and Hash

I’d start with a shallot or sweet onion, celery, and a jalapeno pepper for a little bite, plus good quality herbs such as sage, rosemary and thyme.  I’d briefly steam the diced sweet potato and toss it in the pan for a quick brown.  Thus, the Holiday Hash was born.

Sweet Potato Hash

The white sweet potato gives much more flavor, food value, and fiber than the usual gooey stuffing—and its slight touch of sweetness goes beautifully with poultry.

Hash and Egg

And yes, this hash is outstanding the next day with eggs.

Sweet Potato Hash

Inspired by Trader Joe’s prepped hash

Ingredients
1 large white sweet potato, peel and cut into ½” dice
⅓ cup water, approx.
2-3 Tbsp butter, divided
1 large shallot or sweet onion, dice
¾ tsp each dried sage and rosemary
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 stalks celery plus leaves, dice
1 large jalapeno, seed and dice
½ tsp each salt and fresh ground black pepper
¾ tsp paprika

Instructions

  1. Place diced sweet potato in ovenproof bowl, add water to cover bottom of bowl; cover and bake in microwave 2½ – 3 minutes, until the sweet potato begins to soften. Drain well.
  2. In a medium skillet over medium heat melt 1 Tbsp butter, add the shallot or onion and the dried herbs; cook to soften, 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add the remaining vegetables, a bit more butter if necessary, and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until vegetables begin to soften, 2-3 minutes.
  4. Increase heat slightly, add a bit more butter and the steamed sweet potato. Season with paprika, a bit more salt and pepper. Cook, loosen and turn with a spatula until the potato begins to take on color and brown on edges, 4-5 minutes. Serve or set aside for later use reheated. Serves 3-4

Manageable Muffins

Posted in Appetizers and Snacks, Bread, Breakfast All Day, Dessert, fruit, grains, Snacks, Uncategorized2 Comments

I’m in food management mode.  My fridge has stopped working and while waiting for parts and repair I’m keeping it simple by relying on the most stable foods and meals.

My tiny backup cooler/fridge takes limited perishables like milk, eggs, cheese, and perhaps a ready made meal or two. So, there’s nothing like a good challenge to get the creative juices flowing.

Applesauce Muffins

For some reason I had several kid-sized servings of applesauce in the pantry. Turns out, 2 of these cups are just enough to make a small batch of  6 delicious applesauce muffins.

These fall-flavored muffins should hold at least 3 days without refrigeration, just long enough to safely polish them all off. Thus far, they have been a welcome touch for breakfast, snacks… even dessert.

The muffins are inspired by a larger recipe at Mel’s Kitchen Café. They cleverly begin by giving rolled oats a quick softening soak with other wet ingredients. Rather than melted butter, I used shelf-ready coconut oil for a light floral background note.

The wet mixture is then dumped into the dry ingredients. The flours can be your choice: gluten-free, whole grained, etc.  I used partial all-purpose for max leavening power, plus a touch of recent favorite, buckwheat flour.  Additions such as dried cranberries or raisins are also combined with the dry ingredients.

Safe and Sane Muffin

The batter is quickly blended and portioned into a 6-cup lined muffin tin (a large ⅓ cup scoop works beautifully) and bake approximately 18 minutes. To avoid tough or dry muffins, the big caution is to not overmix or overbake.

Mine were/are moist, with just enough texture from the oats and dried cranberries for plenty of flavor, fiber, and food value.

Small Batch Applesauce Muffins

Modified from Mel’s Kitchen Café

Ingredients
½ cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp coconut oil or butter, melted
3 Tbsp sugar
¼ cup AP flour
2 Tbsp whole wheat or buckwheat flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
pinch salt
¼ cup dried cranberries or raisins, optional

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 6-cup muffin tin with liners or grease the muffin cups. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the oatmeal, applesauce, egg, vanilla, coconut oil and sugar and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, cranberries or raisins if using. Make a well in the center and pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir until just combined; don’t overmix or the muffins will be dense and dry.
  4. Using a large scoop, distribute the batter evenly among the 6 muffin cups. Bake for 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. Remove the muffins to a rack to cool completely. Yield: 6 muffins

Breakfast All Day

Posted in Appetizers and Snacks, Breakfast All Day, Dairy, Eggs, Entree, Snacks, VegetablesLeave a comment

Frittatas are highly versatile and notoriously good hot, warm, or room temperature. They are equally good as a finger food snack cut into small bites.

Depending on the combination, a frittata is satisfying any time of the day. It makes an easy receptacle for fresh or cooked vegetables like potatoes, chorizo and other meats, and leftovers such as pasta—or just about anything that can be suspended in eggs—that familiar binder that keeps it all together.

A frittata is so adaptable it’s hard to screw it up.  As a habit, I tend to begin with vegetables, sliced or in a standard chop, and sauté them over medium heat for even cooking. Any other inclusions are added, followed by the eggs, and it’s finished on the stove with a quick flip, or baked in the oven until set.

Recently, I came across a photo of a frittata that featured bigger pieces of cut-up vegetables—not a hugely innovative idea, but it caused me to rethink frittatas in general.

Frittata with Mixed Vegetables & Cheese

For a slightly different approach, why not simply bump up the heat a little?  Start by searing vegetables cut to any size with a fast steam to further soften?  Add other ingredients including the eggs and cook until set, and finish under the broiler.

Frittata fast track

No big deal, but it does provide a faster, more consistent outcome.  Those lovely vegetables are no longer lost and buried filler.

just a bite

The eggs rise up and elevate zucchini, onion, pepper, and baby tomatoes  into tempting chunks wrapped in a cheese bath.

Mixed Vegetables and Cheese Frittata

Ingredients
1-2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tsp butter
½ medium onion, thickly sliced
1 small zucchini, thickly sliced
1 pasilla, poblano or bell pepper, seed, cut into 1” pieces
1 cup halved baby tomatoes
1 tsp combo fresh thyme, savory, rosemary or other
salt and pepper
6 eggs
⅓ cup thick dairy such as yogurt or ricotta
2 Tbsp water or milk
½ cup crumbled or grated ricotta salata, feta, or cheddar cheese
¼ cup grated asiago or Parmesan cheese
½ cup green onions

Directions
1. Preheat oven broiler to 400°F degrees.
2. Heat 8-9” skillet heat over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, and sauté the onion to soften for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium high, add zucchini, the green pepper, fresh herbs and a light dusting of salt and pepper.
3. Cook to color the vegetables, 4- 5 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp water and cover for 1-2 minutes to soften the vegetables.
4. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and liquid. Remove lid, toss the vegetables, add butter and a bit more olive oil if needed to coat bottom of pan.
5. Pour in the eggs and sprinkle with the cheese. Once the mixture begins to set, tilt the pan and gently lift the mass to loosen the bottom with a spatula and allow the egg liquid to run to the bottom of the pan. Continue to turn the pan, gently lifting to keep from sticking to pan and letting the loose eggs flow under.
6. When the eggs begins to set run the frittata under the broiler until the center is puffed and the top begins to brown in places. Remove and sprinkle with green onions or other fresh herbs. Serve hot, warm or room temperature, sliced into wedges. Serves 4.

Quintessentially laid back

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I can’t believe I haven’t yet posted on Key Lime Pie, a favorite of many, including me. Once you’ve had a taste of its tart-sweetness, just thinking about this luscious pie makes your mouth water.

Key Lime Pie

This is a recipe that comes from my cheffing days based out of Florida—where  small, flavorful Key limes are readily available. If not, no worries, just substitute bottled Key lime juice or regular limes. It really doesn’t matter—it’s always good.  For a tropical climate with a laid back attitude, this legendary pie is one that everyone can wrap their minds around.

It’s a curious pie that hasn’t changed much in decades. One of its quirks comes from the inclusion of sweetened condensed milk. The knowledge that acid combined with evaporated milk could yield a thick filling was a boon to those living on the water or in remote locales. No need to fret over fresh milk or cream, and the addition of sugar in the canned milk made it even easier.

Chilled Out 

Still, there are many versions of Key lime pie.  I like to lighten the filling just a bit with a couple of  beaten egg whites.  An optional sour cream topping can introduce an interesting counterpoint to the sweetness of the pie.  Also included, a graham cracker crust alternative that bakes for only three minutes in the microwave.

Most Key lime pie lovers would agree that it is perfectly good morning, noon, or night—anywhere there’s a cool breeze and a little shade.  At times, I’ve been known to get further carried away by making candied lime slices ahead for garnish points. But that’s another story.

Key Lime Pie

Ingredients
1 recipe Graham Cracker Crust, baked (below)
Filling
1 – 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand is good)
¼ cup Key lime juice (6 small), bottled Key lime juice, or fresh lime juice
1 tsp grated lime zest
2 eggs, separated
½ tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
Optional:  Topping: 1 cup sour cream, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla; lime slices

Instructions

  1. Ahead bake the crust. Pre-heat oven to 325-350°F.
  2. For the filling, whisk condensed milk, lime juice and rind in a bowl to blend. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla until smooth and thick.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the whites until soft peaks form, sprinkle on sugar and continue until stiff. Gently fold into lime mixture.
  4. Pile filling into the pre-baked shell and bake 15 minutes to set; remove to rack to cool while making the topping. If not using, bake a total of 30 minutes.
  5. For topping, gently combine sour cream, sugar, and vanilla and spread over the warm pie. Bake the pie with topping an additional 15 minutes.
  6. Cool and chill well. Slice into wedges and serve with a lime slice. Yield: 8 slices.

Graham Cracker Crust
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (10-12 graham crackers)
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
⅓ cup melted butter

  1. Spray a 9″ pie plate with cooking spray.
  2.  For the crust, combine ingredients and pat into pie plate; chill for 15 minutes.
  3.  Bake the crust in the microwave for approximately 3 minutes, or in 375°F oven 6-8 minutes, until firm and crisp. Set aside to cool.