Asparagus and Shiitake Omelet

With farmer’s markets up and running for the season, as well as my favorite local fruit and veggie supplier, I have more produce than I usually know what to do with.  Everything looks so beautiful that I buy with my eyes instead of following my shopping list.  The wonderful bounty can turn into a trash can full of waste if I’m not careful.  So what I usually do to avoid this is lay everything out when I get home from shopping and plan meals around what I bought.  Large fruits like pineapples and melons get peeled and chopped and put away in the fridge for easy snacking for the kiddos (and me).  Other things get cooked for dinner, with the most perishable things getting used first.  And any leftovers most likely will find their way into my breakfast.

I found the most wonderful tiny shiitake mushrooms at the market this week.  My daughter commented on how delicious they were and how different they taste compared to other mushrooms.  She’s right! Combined with some leftover roasted asparagus, I had the makings for a tasty treat of an omelet.

Asparagus and Shiitake Omelet

Asparagus and Shiitake Omelet

4 stalks of asparagus, cut into one inch pieces
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2-3 eggs
Salt & pepper

In a small bowl beat the eggs with a pinch of salt & pepper.  Set aside.  Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add a drizzle of olive oil and toss in your onion and mushrooms.  Saute for a couple of minutes until veggies are tender.  Add asparagus and cook another minute or two (since my asparagus was already cooked I just added it at the end and tossed it until it was heated through).  Remove veggies to a bowl and set aside.

Add another drizzle of olive oil to the pan and swirl it around to coat the surface.  Pour eggs into the pan.  Move them around with your spatula, lifting the edges and tilting the pan to move the uncooked egg to the pan surface.  You’ll end up with a lumpy moon crater surface, with all of the egg mostly cooked but still a little glossy on top.  This is how you avoid omelets that are runny in the middle or overcooked on the outside!

Sprinkle cheese all over the egg surface.  Pile all of the veggies on one half.  If needed let it cook a few seconds until the egg is set and the cheese is melted.

Doesn’t that look yummy?

Fold over and slide onto a plate.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Broiled Grapefruit

Most people think I’m pretty strange when I tell them I cook grapefruit.  But the truth is, this is absolutely the best way to eat it.  I had this once at a B&B in Taos, NM and I’ve made it like this ever since.  The combination of heat and brown sugar makes for a sweet, juicy treat.  No sour faces.  And it works well with any kind of grapefruit.  This is the perfect addition to any breakfast or brunch, and not bad for a yummy snack either.

This hardly qualifies as a recipe since there are only two ingredients, but that doesn’t make it any less delicious.  Make it today.

Broiled Grapefruit and Scrambled Eggs

Broiled Grapefruit

Grapefruit
Brown sugar (about a teaspoon for each grapefruit half)

Preheat broiler.  Slice a bit off each end of the grapefruit so there is a little flat spot for it to sit on so it won’t roll around.  Cut grapefruit in half and set the halves in a baking dish.  Sprinkle the top of each half with a teaspoon or so of brown sugar.

Broil for about 3-5 minutes, until edges begin to brown and the brown sugar has melted over the top.  Remove from oven and eat.

Rice and Mushroom Frittata

I always make too much rice.  I KNOW it will puff up and multiply in size and I’ll have plenty, but when I’m loading up the rice cooker, that tiny bit of rice in the bottom just never looks sufficient and invariably, I throw in another scoop just for good measure.  And then I have leftover rice.  Every time.

Frittatas are my go-to recipe for using up leftovers.  I had actually never made one with rice, but didn’t see any reason it wouldn’t work.  In this case, my leftover rice was a wild rice/brown rice/other stuff blend (called Royal Blend if you care).  I really like it because it’s not boring, lots of great texture and a nutty flavor.  It worked beautifully in my frittata, but I think just plain white or brown rice would be fine too.  Use whatever you’ve got and you’ll be golden.

Rice & Mushroom Frittata

Rice & Mushroom Frittata

1 cup cooked rice
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
5 eggs
Salt & pepper

Heat a medium size skillet (I use a 10 inch skillet for these usually) over medium heat.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the pan.  Add mushrooms, onions and jalapeno and sauté for a couple of minutes.  Add rice and cook one or two minutes more until rice is heated through.

The foundation for the frittata.

Meanwhile in a bowl, beat eggs with a pinch of salt & pepper.  Pour eggs over rice and veggies and swirl around so they are evenly distributed in the pan (no worries if it doesn’t cover the other ingredients completely).  Sprinkle with tomatoes and cheese.  Cover with a lid and turn down heat to medium low.  Cook for 5-10 minutes until top is set and eggs are not runny.  Slice into wedges and serve.  Serves 3-4.

 

Stuffed Baked Potato Frittata

I have had a theory for quite some time that almost any leftovers can be mixed with scrambled eggs to make a perfect breakfast.  A frittata is one of the best ways to put this to the test.  On this occasion, I had leftover baked potatoes and broccoli from the night before.  Combined with a few other ingredients, it reminded me exactly of a stuffed baked potato.  But for breakfast.  Mmm. I love breakfast.  But I would eat this for any meal of the day.

Stuffed Baked Potato Frittata

Stuffed Baked Potato Frittata

2 baked yukon gold potatoes (or microwave for 5 minutes or so until tender), sliced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup steamed broccoli
4 strips bacon
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
5 eggs
Salt & pepper
Sour cream (optional)

Get all your ingredients ready before you start cooking.  Beat eggs with a little salt & pepper in a bowl and set aside.  Shred cheese, chop veggies.

If you don’t have leftover potatoes and veggies, just nuke them in the microwave for a few minutes until tender.

Cook bacon in a medium skillet until crisp.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.  Drain off bacon grease, just leaving enough to coat the bottom of the pan (1-2 tsp.).  Add potatoes and onion to pan.  Sprinkle lightly with salt & pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally until onion is tender.  Beat eggs with a little salt & pepper in a bowl and set aside.  Crumble bacon and add that and the broccoli to the potatoes.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Pour eggs over the top and swirl around to coat all the ingredients.

Swirl around evenly in the pan. Don’t worry if the veggies are sticking out of the egg mixture.

Cover and turn heat down to medium low.  Cook for 10 minutes or so until eggs on top are cooked (will look a little poofy).

All set up and ready to eat!

Cut into wedges, top with a dollop of sour cream and enjoy!

Ham & Egg Cups

On weekdays I don’t usually cook breakfast.  Mornings are crazy and everyone just fends for themselves, usually grabbing a granola bar, fruit or cereal.  And then I have some slight mom guilt because I’m not feeding them right.  But some mornings I actually plan ahead and make something easy that doesn’t interfere with the routine much.

These ham and egg cups are a great quickie breakfast.  They are so easy it barely qualifies as cooking.  And I don’t know about you, but I always feel better when I start my day with a little protein. Plus, you can make a bunch at a time, or just make one or two, depending on how many people feel like eating real food.

For these I used a roasted red pepper tapenade that I happened to have in the fridge, but you could really use any sauce of your choice (or no sauce).  Try pesto, salad dressing, hot sauce, marinara, salsa…you name it.  So many variations!

Baked Ham & Egg Cups

For each cup:

2 thin slices of ham
1 tsp. roasted red pepper tapenade
1 egg
Salt & pepper
A sprinkle of parmesan (or cheese of your choice)

Spray a muffin tin (or you can use ramekins) with cooking spray or rub with a little oil (just spray as many wells as you plan to use).  Press ham into the well, making a little ham shaped bowl.

First the ham.

Place a teaspoon of tapenade in the bottom of the bowl.  Crack an egg into the well.  Top with salt, pepper and cheese.

Ready to go in the oven.

Bake at 400˚ for 10-14 minutes, depending on how done you like your egg yolk.  Remove from oven.  Use a butter knife to lift the egg cup out of the tin and onto a plate.

Cooked and ready to eat. Just slide a knife down the side and lift it out.

Pizza Quiche

One of our favorite meals, especially when we have friends over, is the “build your own” pizza.  We get ciabatta rolls or french bread and all sorts of yummy toppings and create delicious masterpieces.  It’s always a hit.  But that’s not what this post is about.  Mostly because the four tween girls who were building pizzas distracted me so I didn’t get any pictures.  But you get the idea.  This post is about leftovers.

After the pizza party, I had bits and pieces of pizza toppings to use for…something.  And so pizza quiche was born.  Obviously, you could change this up with whatever toppings YOU like on a pizza, but this combo was particularly tasty.

Pizza Quiche

Pizza Quiche

1 pie crust (I prefer Pillsbury fresh pie crust, found in the dairy case)
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half
Salt & pepper
1/2 cup pepperoni
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 cup sweet bell peppers, chopped
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup mild banana pepper rings
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425˚.  Unroll pie crust and press into a pie pan (I usually dust the bottom with a little flour to prevent sticking).  Crimp edges around the pan and trim off any extra dough.  In a bowl whisk together eggs, half & half, and salt & pepper.  In the pie pan, layer the pepperoni and veggies.  Top with cheese.  Pour egg mixture over the top.  Carefully set it in the preheated oven.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Turn oven temperature down to 375˚ and cook another 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and LET IT SIT FOR 10 MINUTES.  If you don’t let it sit it won’t set up and it will be a mess on a plate instead of a pretty wedge.  I have learned this the hard way.  Cut into wedges and enjoy hot, cold or in between.

 

Perfect Hash Browns!

Out of all of the things I love in this world, potatoes easily make my top 10.  Some might say that’s a sad state of affairs, but personally, I think it’s great that something so small can make me so happy.  For me, they are more than a comfort food.  They are delicious, but they are also a cure-all.  Morning sickness?  Eat hash browns.  Hangover?  Eat hash browns!  Bad day?  You guessed it.  Get out the shredder.

Potatoes get a bad rap for being unhealthy, but I think it’s unjustified.  True, they are high in carbohydrates and low in protein, but they are also loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber, especially if you eat the skin.  The unhealthy part is mostly in how they are prepared – deep fried, or smothered in butter and sour cream.  I say just eat them in moderation, and with a little protein to balance the carbs.

I’ve tested hash browns at breakfast places across the country, and though I’ve enjoyed most of them, I have formed definite opinions about how I like them best.  Shreds.  Golden brown.  Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.  Butter.  Hot sauce.

To cook these right (and by “right” I mean the way I like them), there are some hard and fast rules that CANNOT be broken:

1. Squeeze out the potato juice (there is a lot more than you think!)
2. ONLY FLIP ONCE!
3. Use butter.   They will not taste the same or cook up the same in oil or margarine.  Butter!

Hash browns, ready to eat!

April’s Perfect Hash Browns

4 russet potatoes, peeled and shredded (you can also use red or yukon gold potatoes, I don’t peel those)
2 tbsp. butter
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Paprika

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  While it’s heating, squeeze out the liquid in the potato shreds.  You can wrap them in a towel and twist or just pick up handfuls and squeeze them over the sink.  You’ll be amazed at how much potato juice comes out!  When your pan is hot, add butter.  Melt and swirl around pan to coat the whole bottom.  Add potato shreds and spread out.  Sprinkle with a pinch each of salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Turn down heat to a little below medium and cover.

Making Hash Browns. Spread out in the pan and sprinkle with spices. Cover.

Cook for 15-20 minutes.  Maybe this sounds weird, but I usually don’t time them, I just know they are ready to flip when they smell done.  Raw potatoes have a smell, and yummy cooked potatoes have a really good smell.  When they are smelling like you want to eat them, it’s usually time to flip.  Until you have the smell test down, just check them every few minutes.  When they are ready, they should be brown on the bottom, and if you taste a bite, it should be cooked, not raw.  By now it’s set up like a pancake, so slip your spatula underneath and flip the whole thing.  If you’re not feeling brave, you can break it into a few sections and flip that way.  At this point I usually slide a couple of slivers of butter under the edges in a couple of places just to help the other side brown up.  Leave uncovered, sprinkle that side with a little salt, and cook for about 5 minutes more.  Cut and serve.  I like to drizzle a little hot sauce on top, and serve with a couple of eggs.

Breakfast time. Hash browns with eggs over easy.

Project Veggie: Day 25 – Blueberry Banana Smoothie

I ate meat yesterday. We went to a birthday party and ate some lasagna. No need to be rude, and I like lasagna. I found that I had not missed the meat much. The lasagna was good but by that time I had been grazing on goodies for quite some time, so I ate a few bites and gave the rest to Luke.

Since we were gone for dinner, for my post today I decided to highlight some yummy smoothies I made the other day when Luke was home from school. Claire was very upset I made these when she was gone, but I made it up to her by making them again when she was sick too. Not to say these are only good when you’re sick. We make them quite a bit for breakfast or snacks.

I like bananas, but only during a very narrow window, when they are no longer green, but still not very ripe. I dislike squishy bananas, preferring them a little on the crunchy side. Once they go over to the dark side they are promptly peeled and stuck in a freezer bag until it’s time to make smoothies. Same goes with any other fruit that’s getting overripe. That way whenever I am in the mood for smoothies, I’ve got the stuff on hand and I’m not throwing things away just because it’s over the hill for munching.

There are many different smoothie recipes out there, and I even have a whole book of them…that I hardly ever use. I prefer my simple little recipe. I like the tang and added protein of yogurt, and the fizz of club soda – it reminds me of Orange Juliuses I used to drink at the mall. If you don’t eat dairy, you can leave the yogurt out, or if you want more protein you can substitute silken tofu. I know that sounds disgusting (well it did to me) but it actually doesn’t change the flavor at all, just adds some body and protein, making it a good choice if you are eating a smoothie for a meal.

Blueberry Banana Smoothies

Blueberry Banana Smoothies

1 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries (or other berries or fruit)
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 -1 cup club soda

Blend all ingredients in a blender.   Start with 1/2 cup of club soda and add more for a thinner consistency.  This makes one big smoothie or 2 small ones.

Project Veggie: Day 18 – Cinnamon Walnut French Toast

Yesterday was a fun-filled day of shopping with the kids for boring, practical things like mattresses and frying pans.  Actually the frying pan part was pretty exciting for me.

My new frying pans. Woot!

I’m not one of those girls who loves shopping.  I usually know exactly what I want, and I’m in and out.  Long, drawn out shopping trips exhaust me.  While we didn’t linger any one place for very long, we had to go to five stores to get everything on our list.  In any case, by the time all of that was done, I didn’t feel much like cooking.  Plus I had plans to go out with friends in the evening, a rare treat lately.  All of this added up to our first night of eating out since the beginning of Project Veggie.

We ended up at Noodles & Company, which I think is pretty good for a quick service type place, and you can order almost everything on their menu vegetarian.  Since I was planning to eat later I got a little Chinese chopped salad and the kids both got Pad Thai (one with shrimp and one with tofu).  It was good, but mostly it just made me want to try to make Pad Thai.

Tasty Pad Thai, but I think I can do better.

So…since I was not responsible for dinner, I decided to post about breakfast instead.  Now in my opinion, there is no reason breakfast can’t be dinner.  I would (and have) definitely make this for dinner. I have a cousin who is adamantly opposed to this idea.  But, as smart as he may be, he’s wrong about this particular thing.  I LOVE breakfast for dinner!  This particular twist on French Toast I made up was really delicious.  The zing of cinnamon and orange combined with the crunch from the nuts made me very happy.

Cinnamon Walnut French Toast

Cinnamon Walnut French Toast

4 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
1 tsp. orange zest
a dash of salt & pepper
sourdough bread
butter

Beat eggs with a fork and add cinnamon, orange zest, walnuts & salt & pepper.  Stir to combine.  Dip bread in the egg mixture to coat both sides (if you’ve chopped the walnuts pretty fine they should stick to the bread, if they don’t just press some onto it).  Heat a skillet over med-high heat until hot.  Take a stick of butter and rub it on the pan to coat.  Drip extra mixture off bread and lay in the pan.  Cook 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.  Top with your favorite stuff.  I like a little real butter, maple syrup and homemade berry jam.  If I was eating meat I would put bacon on it too.  But I’m not.  So I didn’t.  But you can if you want.

Project Veggie: Day 8 – Huevos Rancheros

There are days when I don’t feel like cooking.  When my alarm goes off, I stick my head out, scent the air, and want to crawl back under my covers with a good book I haven’t had time to read.  Yesterday was one of those days.  Stupid head cold.  One kid home from school sick, and me feeling more than a little on the crappy side myself.  Ugh.  But people still want to eat.  Kids tend to complain if you don’t feed them.  And rightly so.  So I reached into my bag of tricks for a meal I could make in about five minutes that didn’t require a trip to the store.  I had eggs.  I had the double batch of salsa I made the other day.  I had tortillas.  You can see where I’m going with this.  Huevos Rancheros.  Spanish for eggs on a ranch?  I live in a ranch style house.  Close enough.  And spicy enough to maybe clear my sinuses.  Yay!

There are many different versions of this dish – some fancy, some down & dirty.  This is a quick, simple version that I make often, even when I have more time and energy.  It’s fast, it’s delicious, and you only make one pan dirty.  I had dinner on the table and was back to being curled up in my big yellow chair in no time flat.

Huevos Rancheros with Roasted Potatoes & Pineapple

Huevos Rancheros

2 cups salsa (you can use homemade or store bought, whatever you like) - Click here for my salsa recipe
1-2 eggs per person (I did 6 in one pan, breaking 2 into each well)
tortillas
shredded jack or cheddar cheese

Add salsa to large skillet and heat to boiling.  Make wells in the salsa and break eggs gently into each.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Poach eggs for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat & sprinkle with cheese.  Meanwhile, warm tortillas in oven.  Scoop eggs, with some of the surrounding salsa, onto the warm tortillas and serve.  I served these with roasted potatoes (see below for recipe) and fresh pineapple slices.

The eggs poach right in the salsa

Garlic-Cumin Roasted Potatoes

1 pound new potatoes or red potatoes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic paste (or minced garlic)
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Mix cumin, garlic, salt & pepper, and olive oil.  Toss potatoes in the mixture and spread out in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 400˚ for about 20 minutes, stirring once partway through.