Favorite Frittatas

Roasted Onion and Mushroom Frittata

2 t. olive oil

2 med. white onions, peeled

8 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 t. salt

1/4 t. freshly ground pepper

2 1/2 T. unsalted butter

3/4 lb. shiitake, porcini or portobello mushrooms (I like portobello, myself)

1 1/2 t. minced garlic

1 1/2 T. good-quality balsamic vinegar

2 T. chopped fresh herbs such as chives, parsley or chervil

First, preheat the oven to 400. Lightly brush a cookie sheet with the olive oil. Cut the onions into 1/2-inch slices and separate into rings.

Second, Arrange the onion rings on the cookie sheet and bake, turning once, about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden at the edges. To make the edges crisp and golden brown, broil for an additional 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove from the oven and let cool. Mix the eggs with the salt and pepper.

Third, Heat a large heavy skillet until hot (I like to use a cast-iron skillet), add the butter, and heat until melted and sizzling. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute, stirring from time to time, over medium heat, until the mushrooms are cooked and dry. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir to coat. Sprinkle the roasted onion rings evenly over the mushrooms and slowly pour the eggs into the pan. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges of the eggs are set and the bottom is golden. While the eggs are cooking, preheat the broiler.

Fourth, place the frying pan under the broiler and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the top is golden and set. (Alternatively, you may flip the eggs over in the pan and continue cooking for another 5 minutes on the stove until the bottom is golden.) Remove from the pan and cool slightly. Cut into wedges, arrange on a plate and sprinkle with the chopped fresh herbs.

Note: Do not use a non-stick pan if you plan to put it under the broiler. It's not save to heat non-stick up that high. It releases dangerous chemicals at that heat.

Spanish Frittata

(Serves 6; Prep time: 50 min., Baking time: 45 min)

2 to 3 cups sliced potatoes (1/2-inch thick)

3 T. olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 T. paprika

2 cups thinly sliced onions

2 cups sliced bell peppers (a mix of colors is nice)

1/8 to 1/4 t. cayenne

6 eggs

3 oz. Neufchatel or cream cheese

1 T. unbleached white flour

1 1/4 c. milk

1/2 t. salt

1/2 cup chopped Spanish olives

1 cup grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly oil a 7x11-inch or a 9-inch square baking pan.

In a bowl, toss the potato slices with 2 T. of the oil, half of the garlic, the paprika, and a dash of salt. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until tender and golden brown. In the same bowl, toss the onions and peppers with the cayenne and the remaining oil and garlic. Spread in an even layer on a second baking sheet and roast until tender and brown, about 15 minutes

Meanwhile, combine the eggs, Neufchatel or cream cheese, flour, milk, and salt in a blender and puree to a smooth custard.

When the vegetables are roasted, reduce the oven temperature to 350.

Layer the roasted potatoes in the prepared baking pan. Spread on the roasted onions and peppers, sprinkle with the olives and grated cheese, and pour the custard over all.

Bake at about 45 minutes, until the custard is set and top is golden brown. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Mixed Greens Frittata

2 cups chopped greens (A mixture of any such as spinach, Swiss chard, collards, escarole or kale works fine)

3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 1/2 t. olive oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup water

1/4 t. salt

1/2 cup grated feta, Parmesan or Cheddar cheese

In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, stir-fry the greens, parsley and basil in 1 t. of the oil until wilted and tender. Transfer the greens to a bowl. Rinse the skillet and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, and salt and stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese.

Lightly oil the skillet with the remaining 1/2 t. of the oil and place it on medium-high heat. Stir the egg and cheese mixture into the greens and pour into the hot skillet. Sprinkle the top with the rest of the grated cheese. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, without stirring, until the edges are firm and pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 5 minutes. The frittata should be mostly cooked, but with the top still slightly undercooked. Place the skillet under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, until the top is firm and beginning to turn golden brown.

Cut into wedges and serve, either directly from the skillet or turn out onto a large plate.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed & drained and blanched in boiling water (about 1 minute)

Juice of 2 lemons, plus more as needed

3/4 c. tahini

1/3 c. olive oil

3 garlic cloves

Salt & pepper

1 roasted red pepper

1 T. cumin or paprika

Fresh parsley for garnish

In a food processor, puree warm chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic and 2/3 cup water or chickpea liquid for 3-4 minutes or until smooth. Add tahini and puree 1 minute, adding 1-2 T. water if necessary. Add roasted red pepper and puree 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings (add more lemon juice, if you like.) Serve, drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with a bit more cumin or paprika and some parsley.

Carmelized Cumin Roasted Carrots

Another dish served for our Indian dinner. Very easy, and very delicious!

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
12 medium to large carrots, peeled, cut on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Combine carrots and all remaining ingredients in large bowl; toss to coat. Spread in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Roast carrots until tender and lightly caramelized, turning carrots over once, 35 to 40 minutes.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Caramelized-Cumin-Roasted-Carrots-357271#ixzz0ruuFcejw

Mango Coconut Ice Cream

A friend of mine made this and brought it to our house for an Indian dinner. She topped it with fresh mango and toasted coconut. It was amazing!!! A must make if you have an ice cream maker (which I don't). =0(

In Thailand, mangoes often appear on the table for dessert — served both on their own and incorporated into a sweetened sticky rice. If you can't get your hands on really good mangoes, you'll find that canned mango purée delivers the best flavor for this ice cream. However, many canned brands taste like peaches, so we recommend Ratna brand, which uses Alphonso mangoes, an Indian cultivar renowned for its bright orange flesh and very intense flavor. Ka-Me brand is a runner-up — the recipe will work fine, but the color and flavor will not be as intense.
Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 17 3/4 hr (includes chilling and freezing)

1 1/4 cups canned mango purée
3/4 cup well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole milk
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer; an ice cream maker

Stir together mango purée, coconut milk, cream, corn syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla in a bowl until combined well.
Bring milk just to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan. Whisk together yolks, sugar, and a large pinch of salt in a bowl, then add hot milk in a stream, whisking. Pour custard into saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it registers 170 to 175°F on thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in mango mixture until combined well.
Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl (to remove any strings from mango), discarding solids, and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Chill custard, covered, until very cold, about 4 hours.
Freeze custard in ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 12 hours.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mango-Coconut-Ice-Cream-109471#ixzz0rutVJQhz

Greek Salad with Orzo and Black Eyed Peas

I'm finally ready for main dish salads for dinner--it's getting quite warm around here. (But with our crazy scary thunderstorms, it has cooled things off this week.) We ate this for dinner last night and I loved it. We had hummus and pita on the side--yum.

This satisfying vegetarian combo—a black-eyed-pea salad with tomatoes; orzo tossed with olives, red onion, and cucumber; and salty crumbles of feta cheese—sings of the Aegean sun. Yield: Makes 4 servings
Active Time: 30 min
Total Time: 45 min

3/4 cup orzo
1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 large tomato, diced (1 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise, cored, and diced (1 cup)
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, slivered
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano
2 to 3 cups coarsely chopped romaine
1/2 pound feta, crumbled (1 cup)
4 to 8 peperoncini

Equipment: 4 (16-ounce) wide jars or containers with lids
Accompaniment: pita chips

Cook orzo according to package instructions. Drain in a sieve and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well.
Toss black-eyed peas, tomato, and parsley with vinegar, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Marinate, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss together orzo, remaining tablespoon oil, cucumber, olives, onion, lemon zest and juice, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
Divide black-eyed-pea mixture (with juices) among jars and layer orzo salad, romaine, and feta on top. Add 1 or 2 peperoncini to each jar.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Penne Pasta

A tasty and easy recipe I took to a potluck, where it got many compliments.

1 medium butternut squash
1 1/2 cups diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 t. crushed red chili flakes
3 T. olive oil
1 T. lemon juice
2 t. salt

1 pound penne pasta

1/2 cup minced parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Peel the butternut squash (a vegetable peeler works the best). Using a heavy knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, and discard them. Dice the squash in to 1-inch cubes (you should have about 4 cups). Place the squash cubes in a large mixing bowl, and add the onion, garlic, red chili flakes, olive oil, lemon juice, and the 2 t. salt. Toss the ingredients to mix well.

Place the mixture in a large roasting pan, and roast for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. The squash should be firm-tender, not mushy.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until it is al dente. Drain the pasta, and place it in a large serving bowl. Mix in the cooked squash mixture, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.

Room temperature is the best way to enjoy this dish. Try topping it with some toasted pumpkin seeds.

Birthdays!

Here are some recent photos of the girls! This was Hannah and Brad on Easter.

Here's what normally happens when I'm trying to get dinner ready--trying and not getting much done.

Hannah's smile is so cute! She has these two cute top teeth that show when she smiles like this. This picture was taken yesterday morning on her 1st birthday! I can't believe she's 1 year old!

Livvy went to a birthday party last weekend with 22 kids! There were inflatable toys, face painting, and the works. I think she had a good time. (We did--we got to go out to dinner after dropping her off at the party!)

Livvy got a bike for her 4th birthday a month ago on May 8. She was able to ride it the first day (with training wheels, of course).

The Best Hummus!

I have been looking for a long time for a hummus recipe that I love, that tastes as good as the ones at the store. (Trader Joe's has the best I've ever eaten.) This one comes pretty close. I added a couple of jarred roasted piquillo peppers, which made it even more tasty than the original recipe. Unfortunately, this one isn't the lowest fat recipe I've found, but it is the best! (From Mark Bittman, The Best Recipes in the World.)

• 2 cups drained well-cooked or canned chickpeas, liquid reserved
• 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste), optional, with some of its oil
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus oil for drizzling
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, or to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin or paprika, or to taste, plus a sprinkling for garnish
• Juice of 1 lemon, plus more as needed
• Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

1. Put everything except the parsley in a food processor and begin to process; add the chickpea liquid or water as needed to allow the machine to produce a smooth puree.

2. Taste and adjust the seasoning (I often find I like to add much more lemon juice). Serve, drizzled with the olive oil and sprinkled with a bit more cumin or paprika and some parsley.

Funny Girls!

My two little princesses!

She's up on her knee, and is just days away from crawling! Ahhhh!

Hannah has learned to sit up by herself, but she doesn't know how to lie back down! I found her twice this week asleep hunched over in her crib.

Hannah discovered her reflection in the dishwasher and decided to give herself a kiss.

Lacquered Tofu Triangles with Green Beans and Cashews

A recipe that was so good I almost cried. Well, I don't want to get your expectations up too high, but I loved this dish. You can serve it over rice (which Brad prefers), but I ate mine over a baked sweet potato. It was awesome, and all the colors on the plate were so pretty together. (Taken from Deborah Madison's book, "This Can't Be Tofu!")

1 carton firm tofu

1 red bell pepper

1/2 lb. green beans or thin asparagus

1/2 tsp. Szechuan peppercorns (I used regular peppercorns)

1 T. mushroom soy sauce

3 T. regular soy sauce

2 T. light brown sugar

3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup water or stock

5 T. roasted peanut oil

5 scallions, including the firm greens, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4 cup roasted cashews

1. Drain the tofu. Cut it crosswise into slabs about 1/2 inch wide. Cut each slab in half lengthwise, then cut into triangles. Blot well with paper towels. Cut the bell pepper in half lengthwise, remove the veins and seeds, then cut each half in to three long strips. Cut each strip into triangles. Tip and tail the beans and cut them into 2-inch lengths. Toast the Szechuan peppercorns in a dry skillet until aromatic, then grind to a powder and set aside.

2. Combine the next five ingredients in a small bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar.

3. Heat 1 T. of the oil in a wide nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook, without disturbing, until firm, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook the second side. The tofu should be golden, but still tender to the touch. Remove and set aside.

4. Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan and, when hot, add the green beans. Stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes, then add the bell pepper and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Add the scallions to the pan, and return the tofu to the pan and season with a few pinches of salt and the Szechuan peppercorns.

5. Pour in the soy-sauce mixture and cook, moving the pan back and forth rapidly to coat the tofu and peppers. Turn off the heat before it reduces too much. Top with cashews and serve over rice or baked sweet potato.

Healthy Cookies

So, one of our favorite cookies has no butter, sugar, flour, or eggs in them. They are sooooo good! I'm just posting the link here so you can go to the website and see the picture and read about them. We make them with vegan chocolate chip cookies, so there is no dairy, if you're sensitive to it. Go ahead and try them--they're so good! http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/nikkis-healthy-cookies-recipe.html

Chickpea, Tomato and Spelt Soup

Very yummy soup! I added a small zucchini to it and it was wonderful. Very flavorful, warm and hearty.

Serves 4 (makes 6 cups)

• 1 cup spelt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch lengths
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon saffron (optional)
• 4 cups chicken broth, homemade or canned
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. Place spelt in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for 1 hour; drain.
2. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add bay leaves, paprika, cumin, saffron (if using), spelt, broth, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes or until spelt is tender.
3. Add tomatoes and chickpeas and cook for 20 minutes or until flavors have blended. Discard bay leaves. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.