Sauteed Vegetable Fritatta

My favorite breakfast as it is so easy, versatile & delicious! You can substitute or add any veggies you have on hand. Make sure to cut them all in same size so they cook evenly.

Ingredients

1/2 c diced sweet onions
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 T olive oil
1 c sliced mushrooms
3-4 handfuls fresh baby spinach
6 large eggs
1/3 c milk or cream
Salt & pepper
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 c sliced cherry or grape tomatoes
1 c grated swiss cheese (you can used sliced; enough to cover the fritatta)

Preheat oven to 350*

Add olive oil to 10" oven proof pan (I use a cast iron pan) and saute the onions and garlic over medium heat for 5 minutes; add the mushrooms and continue cooking for another 4 minutes or until all or tender and onion is translucent. Toss in spinach and cook until wilted.

In the meantime add eggs, milk, salt & pepper and tarragon to a large bowl and whisk until combined. Pour over sauteed vegetables in pan. Cook until only half the mixture moves when you move the pan back and forth.  You will be cooking it the rest of the way in the oven.  Add the sliced tomatoes evenly over the egg mixture; cover with cheese. Place in oven.

Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until mixture no longer moves and cheese is melted.

Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes.  Run knife around pan, cut in slices and serve!

Mocha Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients

1-1/2 c graham crumbs
1/4 c granulated sugar
4 T melted butter

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c kahlua
1 T water
3 T unsweetened cocoa (dutch processed is best)

1 c heavy cream
1/4 c confectioners' sugar
1 T sour cream or creme fraiche

Combine the first 3 ingredients until thoroughly moistened.  Press into a 9" pie dish, making sure to firmly work up the sides and the bottom.  Chill in refrigerator while you make the filling.

In a small microwaveable cup heat Kahlua and water for 20 seconds. Remove from microwave and add the cocoa.  Whisk until combined and no lumps.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add cream cheese and beat on medium-high speed for one minute. Reduce speed to low and slowly add sweetened condensed milk. Raise the speed and continue to beat for another minute. Reduce speed to low and add in Kahlua/chocolate mixture. Raise the speed and beat for 1 more minute scraping down sides.  Pour into chilled crust and place back in refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours.

Before serving, beat heavy cream, confectioners' sugar and sour cream until stiff peaks form. Dollop on top of pie and it's ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Super Moist Cornbread

Ingredients

1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish (glass is recommended) with non-stick cooking spray.

 In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined; set aside.

 In a food processor or blender, process the sugar, thawed corn kernels and buttermilk until combined, about 5 seconds. Add the eggs and process until well combined (corn lumps will remain), about 5 seconds longer.

Using a rubber spatula, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; pour the wet ingredients into the well. Fold the dry ingredients into wet, giving the mixture only a few turns to barely combine; add the melted butter and continue folding until the dry ingredients are just moistened (do not overmix!).

 Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. Bake until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert cornbread onto wire rack, turn right side up and continue to cool until warm, about 10 minutes longer. Cut into pieces and serve.

Recipe from The Brown Eyed Baker.

Blueberry Buttermilk Ice Pops

I like to take a non-toxic fine point Sharpee and write the flavor on the stick.

Ingredients

4 c fresh blueberries
2/3 c simple syrup (see below)
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 c buttermilk

Simple Syrup
2/3 c water
2/3 c sugar

Stir over medium low heat until sugar dissolves.  Set aside to cool.

Pick out any stems or leaves from the blueberries and puree them in a food processor.  You should have about 1-3/4 c of puree.

Combine the pureed blueberries, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a bowl or measuring pitcher with a pouring spout. Press the blueberry mixture through a colander or sieve using a wooden spoon. Swirl in the buttermilk.

Pour the mixture into your ice pop molds, leaving a little bit of room at the top for expansion. Insert sticks and freeze until solid, 4-5 hours. Unmold and transfer to plastic bags for storage.

Recipe adapted from the people's pops.

My Own Awesome Gazpacho for Dipping

This recipe is my very own. I wanted a cross between bruschetta and gazpacho, but thicker and richer so you can dip your bread into it.  Part is cooked, and part is left raw.  You will need a food processor as the chunks are very small.  There are a lot of ingredients, but the final result is so delicious. I brought it to a get-together and everyone loved it!

Ingredients

1 red onion, chopped and divided in half
4 cloves of garlic, chopped small and divided in half
2 medium red bell peppers, chopped and divided in half
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped fine
Extra virgin olive oil
1 14 oz. can Glen Muir Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
1 14 oz. can Glen Muir Fire Roasted Crush Tomatoes
1 14 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin, toasted
Rind of parmesan or romano cheese, or a 1-inch piece
5 ripe, but firm plum tomatoes, diced and divided in half
1 English cucumber, ends removed, cut in half, seeded & chopped
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c sherry or balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 T Worcestershire Sauce
Sriracha to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Basil Chiffonade for garnish

In a dutch oven over medium heat, saute 1/2 the onion, 1/2 the bell peppers, the entire jalapeno pepper & 1/2 the garlic in 2 T olive oil 4-5 minutes. Add the cumin & oregano and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Dump in the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce and 1/2 of the diced fresh plum tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes. Add the parmesan rind and continue cooking for another 20 minutes. Remove from heat and remove the cheese rind.  Add olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire, Sriracha and salt & pepper. Stir until blended.  Test for taste. Adjust condiments as needed. Do not skimp on the salt. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

In the food processor pulse the remaining onion, pepper, garlic, plum tomatoes & cucumber until small. Do not puree. Remove from bowl of processor and set aside.

Once the tomato mixture is cool, add it to the bowl of the food processor and process until desired consistency.  Remove to a bowl and add the onion, pepper & tomato mixture.  Chiffonade the basil and sprinkle on top.  Drizzle with more olive oil just before serving.  Serve with baguette slices or any crusty bread.

To create basil chiffonade, take several fresh basil leaves on layer them on top of each other.  Roll up from the long side and slice with a sharp knife from the point of the roll all the way to the opposite end. You will end up with strips of basil.

Mangia!

Tres Leches Cake with Strawberries & Whipped Cream

Ingredients

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 c plus 5 T granulated sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 c whole milk
1 1/4 c heavy cream
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
8 cups sliced, fresh strawberries
Whipped Cream

Preheat oven to 350*. Butter a 9 x 13 baking pan.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl and set aside. Place the eggs, 1 cup of sugar, and the vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 10 minutes (very important) until light yellow and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add half the flour mixture, then the milk, and finally the remaining flour mixture. Mix with a rubber spatula to be sure the batter is well mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 25 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched lightly in the middle and a cake tester comes out clean. Set aside to cool in the pan for 30 minutes.

In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, almond extract, and vanilla seeds. Using a bamboo skewer, poke holes all over the cooled cake and slowly pour the cream mixture over the cake, allowing it to be absorbed completely before continuing to pour on more of the mixture. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

To serve, toss the strawberries with 5 tablespoons of granulated sugar (optional). Cut the cake into squares, and place on dessert plates. Surround the cake with the strawberries, put a dollop of cream on top, and serve!

Recipe adapted from The Ina Garten 'make it ahead' cookbook.

Roasted Parmesan Kale Chips

Light, healthy, tasty and so easy to make.

Ingredients

3 large bunches of fresh kale, ribs removed
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Extra Virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400*. Line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper.  Divide prepared kale among the 2 pans. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Roast for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Return to oven for another 5-6 minutes, or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.  Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.  Kale chips will soften over time.  Best eaten when cooled.

Enjoy!