Vegetable Frittata with Swiss Chard and Potatoes

Vegetable Frittata with Swiss Chard and Potatoes

3 medium sized red potatoes thinly sliced

1 clove of garlic minced

2 T of olive oil

1 cup of chopped tomatoes 

4 T chopped chives

1 cup of chopped swiss chard or spinach

2 -3 T of fresh basil (I used purple Thai basil and African basil)

8-10 eggs

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 cup of milk

salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute potatoes in olive oil in a saute pan for 7 minutes. Add garlic the last 2 minutes so that the garlic does not burn.

2. Whip eggs and milk for 7-10 minutes.

3. Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray.

4. Pour in egg mixture.

5. Then layer all vegetables potatoes and herbs on top.

6. Add your layer of cheese.

7. Put in 375 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Enjoy! We had ours with Canadian bacon and a fruit salad.

Comfort food during Corona virus times...Turkey Meatloaf

Turkey Meatloaf (Ina Garten's Recipe)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

1 chopped onion

1 T olive oil

1 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2-1 tsp fresh thyme chopped

2 T Worcestershire sauce

6 T chicken stock

1 tsp tomato paste

2 lbs ground turkey

3/4 cup of bread crumbs

1 1/2 eggs

6 T ketchup.

My son asked for some meatloaf for dinner tonight. Some comfort food during these stressful times of the Corona virus. I wanted to say yes, but I didn't feel like eating something higher in fat, either. 

So, I found Ina Garten's recipe. Not too fatty but plenty tasty. It's so good. Try it!

Saute onion in the olive oil. Then mix with the rest of the ingredients (but not the ketchup). Make a loaf of this mixture. Place in oil sprayed glass casserole dish. I wanted to sculpt something inappropriate, but that's me. Do what you like. Then, spoon on the 6 T of ketchup to top of loaf. Make for 1 hour 15 or 20 min at 325 with another pan of water below it to keep it moist. 

Enjoy with potatoes, salad...

Bon appetite.

Chickpea Salad

I first made this salad sometime in the mid nineties. I was headed to a bluegrass festival somewhere an hour south of Richmond, VA, as I remember. We were planning to grill a lot and this seemed like a nice side to bring along. The original recipe is from Fannie Farmer cookbook. I've changed it over the years depending on what I've had in the fridge/garden/cupboard...

Make you own variation! It's good.

Chickpea Salad

1 can of chickpeas

2-3 radishes 

2 T fresh parsley

1 T fresh basil

1/4-1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp minced garlic

2 T lemon juice

1 T olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Drain chickpeas reserving 1 T of canning liquid. Slice radish however you like. Mince parsley and basil. Add all other ingredients, including reserved chick pea liquid. Toss. Let marinade one hour before serving. Unless, you are starving that is... Then, eat it whenever the heck you want!

 

Bon appetite! 

Random Stuff I Tossed Together...

Stressed out, hungry....what's a girl to do?

Random Stuff I Tossed Together

Grab 3 random veggies from fridge, toss with olive oil, garlic and salt and oven roast 375 for 30 min

Make rice in rice cooker 

Grab bag of shrimp out of freezer, boil half way in shallow saute pan, adding chopped kale at the end and drain

Then saute everything including the roasted veggies in a tiny bit more evo and serve with rice

Enjoy!

Hoppin' John for New Year's Day

Hoppin' John

I'm eating some Hoppin' John today for good luck for 2020. I've tried several recipes over the years and am always leaning towards the vegetarian version for some reason. Maybe I over indulged in richer foods over the holidays... And this is my healthier recipe with a bit of spice!

Ingredients

2 T olive oil

1/2 large red pepper diced

4 oz chopped green chilles

3 stalks of celery diced

2 carrots diced

3/4 cup chopped kale

2-3 cloves of garlic minced

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 can of fire roasted tomatoes

1 can of black eyed peas drained

Saute first 7 ingredients til translucent.

Then add can of tomatoes, spices and drained black eyed peas.

Cook at low heat for 20-30 minutes.

Serve over Jasmine rice and with cornbread if you like. 

Happy New Year!

Apple Pecan Cake

Apple Pecan Cake

This cake is tasty and moist inside and perfectly crunchy on the outside. 

I made this Christmas Day. It was so good...Try it! You'll like it!

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups of vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3 large apples cut into 1 cm cubes, leave skin on

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts cut roughly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all wet ingredients first, then add dry ingredients, and finally apples and nuts.

Use your muscles. Strong arms are sexy. 

Spoon batter into nonstick sprayed bundt pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 min. 

Chill out and read or listen to music. 

Test cake with shish kabob skewer. If it comes out clean, it's done.

Decorate with powdered sugar once cooled.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread

I don't go for all those pumpkin flavored drinks at Starbucks. Or the bizarre stuff you start seeing at the grocery store once September hits: Pumpkin Spice Hummus, Pumpkin Spice Cheerios or Life Cereal, Pumpkin Spice Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies, Pumpkin Spice Oreos, Pumpkin Spice Greenies for your dog.....Too much!

But, I do like making a good pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread this time of the year. So, here is one of the best Mother Lovin' Pumpkin Bread Recipes I have found. It stays moist inside while getting a nice crust to the outside of the loaf. Try it!

Pumpkin Bread

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray nonstick spray to two loaf pans.

* 1 15 oz can of Organic Pumpkin

* 2 large eggs

* 2 cups of sugar

* 1 1/2 sticks of butter softened

Mix all of this together at medium to high speed in mixer.

Then, add

* 2 cups of all purpose flour

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 1 tsp baking soda

* 1/2 tsp baking powder

* 1 tsp of ground cloves

* 1 tsp ground cinnamon

* 1 tsp ground nutmeg

Mix some more. Use spatula to make sure everything is incorporated.

Put mixture into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake 60 minutes. Test to make sure done. If not, add 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!

***Optional: Add demerara sugar crystals to tops of loaves 3/4 the way through baking process for nice crunch and look to your finished product.***