Baked "Frittata"

Not quite a quiche and not really a frittata.  But, when it tastes so good, does it really matter?

I came up with a quick and tasty recipe for a dish that's somewhere between a frittata and a quiche. There's no crust or custard (so it's not really a quiche, nor is it Hurricane Pie) and I baked it (so, not quite a frittata, which is usually done on the stove and briefly finished in the oven).  Still, it belongs in that "eggs aren't just for breakfast" family.  Browned on the outside, creamy and packed with goodies on the inside. You'll eat a slice of this cold out of the fridge in the middle of the night. It's that good...

Here's the recipe:

• Spray a deep pie plate with non-stick cooking spray (I like olive oil) and preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 
• In a large bowl, whisk 6 large eggs and 2 TBS of heavy cream until you have a light yellow mixture and set aside.  
• If you have those Zip 'n Steam bags (love them!), peel 2 large baking potatoes and follow the directions on the bag. If you don't have them, peel 2 large baking potatoes, cut into cubes and microwave in covered dish about 10 minutes, or until tender. (Check them after 8 mins.)
• Dice up some roasted red peppers -- about 1/4 cup and set aside.
• Cook and cut 3 pieces of bacon into small pieces. You can also use ham or sausage.
• Dice up 1/4 of a Velveeta bar (4 oz.) -- yes, I said the V word. Trust me, you'll love how it melts.
• Place the potatoes, bacon, peppers and Velveeta in the pie plate and top with the egg mixture.  
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper and some dried herbs if you want.
• Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the eggs are set and it starts to pull away from the side of the plate.
• Let cool slightly, cut and serve with crusty bread and salad

Yum!

xoxo

Penne with Bacon, Swiss Chard, and Tomatoes

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

My bi-monthly box of organic food has started to transition toward spring vegetables. Asparagus, early tomatoes, lettuce, etc., were prominent in my latest one, but we're also finishing up with winter's chard and kale.  

I had been reading some magazine articles lately that featured Italy and was craving pasta.  I also wanted to try out the suggestion/technique of boiling the pasta until it is just about done, and then transferring it to a large pan/skillet to finish cooking it (with the sauce), adding a bit of the starchy water for the ultimate in pasta preparation.  I've seen this technique referred to a few times lately, in recipes and articles, so thought I'd give it a shot.

I thought a creamy tomato sauce with spinach and bacon would be nice, but I didn't have spinach, so I used some beautiful chard instead.  The dish turned out lovely -- the creamy sauce, the slightly bitter taste of the chard with the salty bacon and the sweetness of the tomatoes made for a really nice dish.

1, 1lb. box penne pasta 

4 strips bacon, cut into small pieces

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 cups chard (stems removed), chopped

4 tomatoes, peeled and diced (or, 1 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes, drained and chopped)

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 TBS goat cheese

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 TBS butter or olive oil (optional)

Bring water to a boil in large stock pot with 2 handfuls of salt.  Add pasta to boiling water and remove when test piece is white only in the very center.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water then drain penne and set aside.  

In large skillet/pan over medium heat, brown the bacon, adding the garlic when bacon starts to crisp.  Once garlic is soft and fragrant, add in the chard, tomatoes and cream and reduce heat to a simmer. After the tomatoes start to break up, stir in the goat cheese and salt and pepper, and then add in a bit of the pasta water to thicken the sauce.  Simmer a few more minutes then gently toss in the pasta, coating it with the sauce.  Let this simmer for a minute or two more, adding in more pasta water if needed, adjust your seasonings add the butter/olive oil, and enjoy!

xoxoxo

Comfort Food

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

As the temperatures plunge and we get closer to the holiday season, I turn toward my favorite comfort foods. Which means bacon and potatoes are probably involved in some shape or form. This time, I included cabbage as well.

My last organic box contained lovely potatoes and a beautiful head of green cabbage from a farm in PA -- it was brightly colored and had a sweet, fresh flavor--and it was a manageable size (sometimes I get a cabbage and it is bigger than my own head).  So, I made a pot full of bacon and potatoes with apples and cabbage.  I was planning on making a roasted pork loin to go with it, but I didn't get around to it.  And, it didn't really matter. A big steamy bowl of this mixture was just enough.  It reminded me a bit of German Potato Salad (one of my favorite childhood dishes), but wasn't overly vinegary, and the addition of the coriander gave it a bit of elegance.  

I was sad when my bowl was empty...it was that good. And leftovers the next day?  Even better.

Potted Potatoes and Cabbage with Bacon and Apples

4 strips smoked bacon, diced (applewood smoked bacon is great for this recipe)

6-8 red skinned potatoes, cleaned and quartered (or halved if very small)

1 head, green or napa cabbage, sliced and chopped into small pieces
1 cup chicken stock (add more if mixture seems dry)

2 tart apples (Macintosh or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced

3 TBS unsalted butter
1 Tsp coriander (you can grind these if you don't like the whole balls--but they soften during cooking, so I don't mess with them)

2 TBS apple cider vinegar (you can add more if you want to up the vinegar flavor)

Salt/pepper to taste

• Put the bacon in a large covered pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook until slightly crisp.  Remove the bacon from the pot and drain on paper towels.
• Add the potatoes into the pot and cook in the bacon drippings for a few minutes until they start to soften.
• Add the bacon back into the pot with the potatoes and stir with a wooden spoon for a minute or two.
• Add the cabbage and stock and cover the pot
• Remove the lid, stir in the apples, butter, coriander and vinegar until combined.
• Season with salt/pepper, re-cover and continue to simmer on low heat until the cabbage has wilted and your potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Yum.

xoxoxo