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Easy Potato and Tomato Frittata…

February 25, 2012 //
2

Although I was away from home, my work week this week was super fun! I had to go to Vegas… I know, I know, Vegas to me is repulsive, but we made it fun with an amazing dinner at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon. Thomas Keller is most notable for his Michelin starred restaurant The French Laundry in Yountville, which is in the Napa Valley. Bouchon is less formal and is all French bistro food. He has locations in Vegas, LA, and Yountville so if there is one by you and you haven’t been, do it. Its so great that everyone I work with is as passionate and as adventurous with food as I am. We ordered unusual dishes like roasted bone marrow, country style pâté , and cod brandade and everyone partook and enjoyed it. For the main course I had braised short ribs and everyone else had amazing steaks. The desserts were also amazing! We had crème brulee, pot de crème, and something else that I just can’t remember. I blame it on the wine:) After this experience and hearing my boyfriend Anthony Bourdain coin The French Laundry as the “best restaurant in the world,” I need to make it a point this year to have that experience and am so ashamed that having lived in San Francisco that I have not yet. Some foodie I am, eh?

As usual, it is great to be home with my babies, so I put together this frittata for Mikey this morning with what we had. Some of the tastiest things I have made have come out of just getting creative with ingredients that are lying around the kitchen. It was really good and super quick and easy! My best friend in the whole world, Jeffy will be here next weekend to help me accept the fact that I am turning 35. I cannot wait to see him. When we are together, all we do is eat, drink, and act like we are 12. I think I will make this for him. Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Easy Potato and Tomato Frittata…

  • 6 eggs
  • 1 cup milk or cream
  • handful chopped basil
  • 1 Tbs. fresh chopped thyme
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 3/4 cup shaved good parmesan
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 10-12 baby Dutch yellow potatoes thinly sliced (the tiny ones)
  • 1 cup tinned crushed tomatoes
  • salt and pepper

Preheat over to 375. In a large oven proof skillet, heat olive oil and sautee onions, garlic, and potatoes until onions are translucent and potatoes are almost cooked through seasoning appropriately.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, cream, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper together until well combined. Add in herbs and cheese. Set aside.

Once potatoes are cooked through, stir in tomatoes until heated through. Spread potato mixture evenly across pan and pour in egg mixture. Cook over medium to low heat until eggs start to set. Finish off in oven for about 15 minutes until eggs are cooked through and top browns. Loosen sides of frittata with a rubber spatula and turn onto a serving platter or a cutting board. Let cool for a few minutes, slice, and serve alone or with a simple green salad. We also like to nibble on this at room temperature throughout the day:)

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Categories breakfast, cheese, eggs, food and recipes, lunch, vegetarian

Highland Park Breakfast Bake…

February 4, 2012 //
0

I absolutely love being in our new hood!!! Although we are sort of fish out of water here, everyone on our block has been so welcoming.  It has been so fun to explore the amazing neighborhood grocery stores. They are filled with fun things like homemade tortillas, chips, fresh salsas, interesting marinated meats in the carnicerias, delicious baked goods in the panaderias, and the produce is so freaking cheap and amazing! I went hog wild last weekend and bought tons of corn and flour tortillas, pastries like flan and tres leches cake, and enough produce for a family of 8 so I needed to use it all up today which is how this recipe came about. It turned out so great and makes enough for around 4-5 people. We def have enough for breakfast tomorrow too. Mike suggested adding chorizo or soyrizo next time which I think is a great idea. I brought a bag of Blue Bottle coffee beans back from San Fran this week (my fave). With the breakfast bake,  French press coffee, the 70 degree sunshine, and being able to spend quality time with Mike and Luna, it has been an amazing morning. So good to be home!

Highland Park Breakfast Bake…

  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup half and half (milk will do)
  • 1 tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1/4 cup salsa roja
  • 1/4 cup salsa verde
  • 6 corn tortillas, cut into small triangles
  • 1/2 cup cojita cheese
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 large poblano pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • kernels from one ear of fresh sweet corn
  • handful cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped
  • 2-3 scallions, chopped
  • sour cream
  • Tapatio, Valentina, or your favorite hot sauce
  • salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare a large baking dish by spraying wtih a non stick spray. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and saute onions until translucent. Add in peppers and corn and cook until soft seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Set mixture aside to cool.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with half and half, chili powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, a handful of cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix in cherry tomatoes.

Add in corn tortillas, cheese, salsas, and pepper mixture. Pour mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle top with more cojita.

Bake at 375 for about 30-45 minutes or until set. Turn on broiler and heat under for a few minutes until top is browned. Let cool.

Slice and serve with dollop of sour cream, a dash of your favorite hot sauce, and sprinkle with chopped scallions and cilantro. This could also be great for lunch or even dinner!

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Categories breakfast, cheese, eggs, food and recipes, vegetarian

Sweet Potato and Pepper Hash…

December 13, 2011 //
0

This weekend was so glutenous that I feel like we ate and drank enough in one weekend than most humans are supposed to in one week. Not only did I make a birthday cake, biscuits, and this recipe…I also made a homemade mac and cheese for a little din get together that I will write about later! I used an entire pound of butter in my recipes this weekend… That is nasty. Luckily I have lots of great pals to help me consume all of this stuff. From the day after Christmas on out, it is time for me to get into serious wedding mode… No more butter and no more gluttony!!!! I wish I could say that before the holidays were over, but who am I kidding? This is my first time not spending Christmas with my family back in the Midwest. It makes me so sad and what is Christmas without lots of delicious food and lots of family??? The exciting thing is that it will be our first Christmas ever with Luna. Isn’t the bubs getting so big???

This breakfast recipe was thrown together by things we had lying around. It is actually filled with super foods, but I ruined it with bacon. Go figure! This could be made vegan or vegetarian by just using a bit of olive oil instead of the bacon and its oh so delicious pork fat. In fact, I think it would have made it crispier. Some how it didn’t come out as crisp as I had hoped and think I should have crisped the bacon first, removed it from the pan, poured out some of the bacon grease, and then added the vegetables. It still tasted amazing… we had it for breakie and also a bit with a grilled pomegranate glazed pork chop dinner later that evening . Try it, you’ll like it, but ensure you let me know if you were able to make this crispy. If I could nail that, this would be an amazing go to fall dish!

Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Hash:

  • 3 strips of bacon, chopped
  • 1 sweet potato, peeled & cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 large onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 2 jalapenos, chopped
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • tbsp. chili powder
  • tsp. cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 small apple, cored & cut into small cubes
  • 1 green onion, chopped

Using a large skillet, add bacon and cook until crispy. Next, add the ingredients that will take the longest to cook. (You can use any vegetable combo, really.) Start with the sweet potato first and fry in the bacon grease for 4-5 minutes. Add the onions, jalapenos, and red peppers, along with a pinch of red pepper flake, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes.

This is the point the potato mixture should take on a light brown color. Finally, add the chopped apple and green onion. Season to taste. The apple, bacon, and sweet potato are such an amazing fall-flavor combo. Cook for another 2 minutes or until everything is fully cooked and crisped up. Serve along side a couple of eggs cooked to your liking topped with fresh chopped green onions and a bit of hot sauce. Promise you won’t be disappointed!

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Categories breakfast, food and recipes, fruit, pork, side dish, vegan, vegetarian

Easy Buttermilk Biscuits with Cinnamon Butter…

December 10, 2011 //
0

After making that cake yesterday, I had a ton of buttermilk left. What in the hell do you do with buttermilk? Soooo, I decided to try my hand at making biscuits this morning. Even though I had a mad hangover, they were actually pretty easy and came out alright for my first time. I did learn a few lessons, however… it is very important to keep the board and the dough floured as it can be sticky, the colder the butter the better so they don’t get sticky, and when baking them they are supposed to touch….which I did not do. All in all, they were pretty tasty and Mike seemed to really enjoy them. Next time, I want to try and add in other ingredients like jalapenos and cheddar! With a bit more practice, I think I can master this and make it a weekend breakfast tradition.

Easy Buttermilk Biscuits:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons ice cold butter
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk

Cinnamon Butter:

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Cut  butter for biscuits into tiny chunks and put in the freezer so it stays cool.

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until it looks like coarse sand. Add the buttermilk and continue to cut the dough together.

Turn out onto a floured surface and gently bring together. Gently press the dough into a rectangle until it is between 1/2 and 3/4-inch thick. Use a round cutter (I just used a mason jar) that has been floured to cut the biscuits.

Place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes. Remove biscuits from freezer and place on a prepared baking sheet so they are touching each other. Bake for 20 minutes.

While baking, prepare the cinnamon butter. Just mixed softened butter with above ingredients, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.

When golden brown, remove biscuits from the oven and serve with cinnamon butter.

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Categories appetizer, baked goods, breakfast, food and recipes, side dish, vegetarian

Roasted Fall Vegetable Breakie…

November 19, 2011 //
2

I haven’t seen Mike and Luna all week, so today we stayed in bed til around 10 a.m., run/walked around the reservoir, and took Luna to go wild at the dog park. The dog park is like Disneyland to her. For real, the happiest place on earth. All of that activity really wore the little monster out. We also worked up quite an appetite, so we made a blueberry and almond milk smoothie to hold us over while we put this concoction together. It was so hearty, healthy, and appropriate for this chilly weather. I miss summer already!

Roasted Fall Vegetable Breakie:

  • 1 small yellow squash, chopped
  • 1 small zucchini, chopped
  • around 1-1 1/2 cups butternut squash, chopped
  • 1 cup baby portabellas, sliced in half
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • handful fresh rosemary, chopped
  • handful fresh oregano, chopped
  • handful fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 Tb. olive oil
  • 2 Tb. spoon balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper
  • dash of red pepper flakes
  • 2 cups fresh arugula
  • 2 eggs cooked to your liking

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the chopped vegetables, minced garlic, rosemary,and oregano with olive oil and 1 Tb. balsamic vinegar. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Spread out on a foil lined baking sheet and roast for around 20 minutes until vegetables are tender. When vegetables are done, toss into a bowl and toss with basil and last Tb. balsamic vinegar.

Pile plates with arugula and layer on roasted vegetables. Top with an egg cooked to your liking. I prefer over easy or poached so the ooey gooey yolk breaks all over everything! So easy and delicious and you can use any vegetables that look great at the farmers market that week.

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Categories breakfast, food and recipes, lunch, salads, vegetarian

Dutch Apple and Blueberry Pancake…

November 12, 2011 //
0

When I said we were going to splurge on the weekends, apparently I wasn’t lying! I created this sinful breakfast based on what we had in the fridge, which wasn’t much. This was more for Mike since he is a morning sugar lover. I really wanted to make traditional Dutch apple pancakes, but only had one apple so that is where the blueberries came in. I also used almond milk in this recipe, but if you like a richer pancake, use regular milk or half and half in this. It turned out pretty tasty. We did not have maple syrup either (told you we have nothing!), so I made a little whipped cream which was a bit over the top, but this would also just be good sprinkled with a little powdered sugar. My favorite part about this dish was this wonderful crust that the batter formed around the edge of the pancake. This would have been even better made in a cast iron skillet, but holy crap, this was tasty!

Dutch Apple and Blueberry Pancake:

  • 1 apple, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Heat oven to 425°. Put an oven proof 9 or 10 inch skillet or pie pan in the oven to preheat.In a bowl, combine the blueberries and apple slices with lemon juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon; toss gently to coat well.

In another bowl, mix flour with salt. In a large cup or small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Mix wet ingredients with dry to create a batter.

Take the pan from the oven and add remaining butter; swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Arrange apple and berry mixture over the bottom of the pan. Pour batter over apple slices. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned.

Serve with whipped cream or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Categories breakfast, dessert, food and recipes, fruit, vegetarian

Eggs Bennie with Spinach and Heirloom Tomatoes…

October 30, 2011 //
4

The weather has been so perfect lately that Mike and I have just wanted to spend as much time out there before our summer comes to an end. Instead of going out for brunch today, I decided to cook something up so we that we could stay in our jammies and hang with Luna. I made eggs benedict for the first time ever. I have embarrassingly never poached an egg in my life, so I was a bit nervous, but this was so easy to do. I am not a huge fan of breakfast meats, so we made a veggie option with sauteed spinach and these beautiful heirlooms. It was really tasty and I copped a little Sunday morning buzz from the mimosas we paired with it:)

Veggie Eggs Bennie…

Hollandaise:

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
  • Pinch cayenne
  • Pinch salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl until the mixture is thickened. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water. The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume.

Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the eggs benedict. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.

The Rest:

  • 2 English muffins, split and toasted
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 bag spinach (we used baby spinach)
  • 1/2 onion thinly sliced
  • 1 garlic clove finely chopped
  • 1 large heirloom tomato cut in 4 thick slices
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Hollandaise sauce, recipe above

Fill a 10-inch nonstick skillet half full of water. Add white vinegar and a dash of salt to the cooking water. This will make the egg white cook faster so it does not spread. Bring to a slow boil. Gently break 1 of the eggs into the water taking care not to break it. Repeat with remaining eggs. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook 3 1/2 minutes until the egg white is set and yolk remains soft. Remove with a slotted spoon, allowing the egg to drain.

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add spinach and cook until soft and bright green. Slice tomato. Toast muffins.

To assemble: Top each muffin half with spoonful of spinach mixture, heirloom slice, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add poached egg. Season to taste. Spoon hollandaise sauce over the eggs. Make yourself a mimosa or other brunch like adult bevie and enjoy!

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Categories breakfast, food and recipes, lunch, vegetarian

Not So Vegan Lemon Blueberry Loaf…

October 22, 2011 //
0

Today our baby Luna is losing her womanhood. Mike took her to the vet this morning to get spayed. It makes me so sad to leave her in a strange place. He said she was crying and shaking when he left her:( Poor baby. The Pasadena ASPCA spays and microchips rescued pit and pit mixes for free! It is such a good program and all the more reason to adopt one of the million abandoned pit bull puppies in the LA area. We have been on the waiting list for a long time, but finally today is her day. She will be so happy to be able to play with the big dogs at the dog park.

Like it was the 50′s or something, Mike came home and asked what was for breakfast. Being the sucker that I am, I baked him this loaf of blueberry goodness with a recipe that I had played around with from the Joy of Baking. The best part about this bread is the lemon glaze…. Sooo good! This was way better than the vegan pumpkin bread  from the other night. We pick Luna up at 4 today, so send our baby good energy for a speedy recovery!

Lemon Blueberry Loaf:

Makes 1 loaf.

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup milk or half and half
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries (can use frozen if needed)

Lemon Glaze:

  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a non stick vegetable spray) the bottom and sides of a loaf pan.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of your mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until softened (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture (in three additions) and milk (in two additions) alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Mix only until combined. Gently fold in the blueberries. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the 1/4 cup (50 grams) of sugar and the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

When the bread is done, remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Cool the loaf in the pan for about 30 minutes then remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Pierce the hot loaf all over with a wooden skewer or toothpick and then drizzle the top of the loaf with the hot lemon glaze.This bread is best served right away while it is still warm.

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Categories breakfast, dessert, food and recipes, fruit, vegetarian

Moist Vegan Pumpkin Bread…

October 17, 2011 //
0

Because I know you all love the word moist…

I went to TJs on my lunch break and everything featured was fall and pumpkin related (my favorite time of year). I originally went in for some vegetable stock and some cheese for a risotto I planned on making tonight, but was a sucka and walked out with a can of pumpkin. When I started gathering my ingredients this afternoon, I had originally intended to make a run of the mill pumpkin bread using my usual recipe for banana bread but substituting pumpkin for the banana. As I was putting the dry ingredients together, I changed my mind and decided to attempt a vegan version. I love vegan baked goods. They always taste a bit richer. This one has no eggs, no butter, no milk… it is all vegetarian, no dairy, and you definitely cannot tell the difference (ok, well maybe a little). Next time I will cut out some of the calories by cutting the oil amount in half and substituting in some applesauce. This turned out so yummy and made the house smell like a dream!

Vegan Pumpkin Bread…

  •  1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1 cups pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one large loaf pan. Toast walnuts. In mixer combine sugars, oil, pumpkin, vanilla, and coconut milk.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and ground cinnamon.

Mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until all of the flour mixture is gone. Fold in the nuts.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cover with foil tightly. Allow to steam for 10 minutes. Remove foil and turn out onto a cooling rack. Tent lightly with the foil and allow to cool completely. Slice, top with a bit of powdered sugar, and enjoy. This is gonna be so good for breakfast with coffee.

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Categories breakfast, dessert, food and recipes, vegan, vegetarian

Baked Blueberry Oatmeal…

October 9, 2011 //
0

Yesterday Mike wanted me to make oatmeal for breakfast, but honestly, I was way too hungover from a fun night of celebrating the LA Weekly’s “Best Of” issue and dancing at the neighborhood gay club. A breakfast burrito from Tacos Delta was more in order for me yesterday, so today I thought I would surprise him with this recipe when he woke up this morning. Mike is one to like sweet things for breakfast and I am more of a savory gal. This morning I put this together based on what we had laying around the house and combining a few different recipes I found on the internet. Besides the brown sugar and butter aspect of this dish, we were able to get in some ingredients that were really good for us… blueberries, oats, almonds, and coconut milk make for a power meal. Next time I will use agave to cut out some of the sugar, but unfortunately this time we did not have any. You could also substitute the butter with grape seed oil for a healthier alternative. Its totes easy, delish, and it makes your house smell delightful. Here is what you need:

Baked Blueberry Oatmeal…

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1/4- 1/2 cup brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 cup vanilla coconut milk (I used Silk brand) plus more for serving
  • 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl mix together oats with the rest of the dry ingredients. Add the vanilla, blueberries, butter, coconut milk, and eggs. Mix well ensuring ingredients are well incorporated.

Pour ingredients into a 9×13 baking dish and bake for 40-50 minutes or until top is browned. Cut into squares and serve with a bit more coconut milk. Yummy!

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Categories breakfast, dessert, food and recipes, fruit, side dish, vegetarian
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