Frittata

Last summer, I really got into making frittatas with the farm-fresh eggs and other yummy produce we got in our CSA box.  We called it "Frittata Friday."  I like to make it when we have company, too, because it is super easy, yummy, and makes a lot.  And I always get asked about my recipe.  Well, here goes . . . it's not really so much a recipe as a method.

Preheat broiler.  Saute a bunch of veggies (asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, sundried tomatoes, and spinach are all good choices) on the stove in an oven-safe skillet.  You can even add some cooked pancetta or bacon or sausage if you want.  Season with salt and pepper.  Lightly beat eggs (use the number of eggs equal to the diameter of the skillet.  So 10 eggs for a 10" skillet, 12 for a 12", etc.).  Pour in skillet, stir, and cook until eggs are mostly set.  If you want, top with cheese of your choice (goat cheese is fantastic!) and broil until eggs are set and cheese is melted/lightly browned (keep a close eye, those sneaky broilers are notorious for burning things in an instant).

Removing the frittata from the pan can be tricky.  What I usually do is run a knife around the edge of the skillet, run a spatula up under the frittata to help loosen it from the skillet, place a cutting board on top of the skillet, flip, and say a little prayer that it comes out!  Since it's now upside-down, I put the serving plate on it and flip it back over, then slice into 8 pieces.

Red Velvet Cake Balls

Sadly, I can’t take credit for this idea – I got it from the Bakerella blog and made a few modifications.  My original plan was to make Bakerella's doggie cake pops for Samantha's birthday.  Then I remembered I had a newborn . . . so I scaled back my delusious of grandeur and settled on cake balls.  I still have hopes of making those cake pops someday. 

I wanted to make these because they seemed so much easier (read: less messy) for Samantha's friends at day care to eat than birthday cupcakes or cake.  I figured the teachers would be grateful.  And they were.  I also had requests for the recipe.  More than two months later, I'm finally getting around to typing the whole thing up. 

Cake (you can use a box mix but I prefer to make my own – adapted from The Joy of Baking):

• 2 ½ c. cake flour, sifted
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp.  cocoa powder
• ½  c. unsalted butter, room temperature (I used Earth Balance soy-free)
• 1 ½ c. sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 c. buttermilk (I used 1 c. unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage “curdled” with 1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar)
• 2 tbsp. red food coloring
• 1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
• 1 tsp. baking soda

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 and place rack in center of oven.
• Butter a 9x13” cake pan/glass baking dish
• In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
• Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes).
• Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
• In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
• In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter. 
• Pour batter into buttered dish and smooth top with the back of a spatula. 
• Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
• Allow cake to completely cool.

Buttercream Frosting (again, you can use canned but I prefer homemade):

• 3 c. confectioners' sugar
• ½ c. butter (again, I used Eath Balance soy-free)
• ½ c. shortening
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-2 tbsp. whipping cream (I used So Delicious French Vanilla Coconut Milk Creamer)

Directions:

• In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well-blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
• Add vanilla and cream (start with 1 tbsp. and add more if frosting seems too thick) and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute

Coating for cake balls:

• 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil (butter or canola/vegetable oil will work, too), optional

Making the cake balls:

• In a large bowl, crumble cake
• Mix in frosting until cake holds its form when rolled into a ball (it’s messy, but a lot easier to use your hands to mix in the frosting) (if you use canned, you’ll probably need about ¾ of a 16oz tub, with the homemade, I think I used most of it)

• Roll mixture into quarter-sized balls (I usually get 4 dozen) 

•  Place on parchment or wax lined cookie sheets and chill or freeze for several hours (I put mine in the deep freeze overnight – it really made dipping easier)
• Melt chocolate over double boiler or in microwave being careful not to get any water in it.  Stir in oil if necessary to thin enough to easily dip cake balls.
• Dip cake balls – I found it easiest to put the ball on a spoon, dip, then transfer back and forth between two spoons to make sure the ball was coated and to let excess drip off
• Place on parchment/wax lined cookie sheet to set - if decorating, be sure to do so before chocolate sets too much 

Store in an airtight container.

I got a ton of compliments on these.  They are sooo good and soooooo rich.  If you don't need all of them right away, I'd put any undipped cake balls in an airtight container and freeze them.  In fact, I have some in the freezer now . . .

Cherry Vanilla Granola

I have been obsessed with granola lately.  Seriously obesessed.  I posted a status on Facebook yesterday about that obsession and a friend asked me for the recipe, which I graciously shared with her.  Then I remembered . . . "hey, I have a blog I haven't updated lately."  So here it is:

Ingredients:

• 3 c. rolled oats
• 1 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 c. seeds/nuts (I have been using 1/2 c. raw sunflower seeds and 1/2 c. raw pumpkin seeds lately)
• 1/4 c. coconut oil (or butter)
• 1/3 c. honey
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. dried montmorency cherries

To make:

• Preheat oven to 300
• Mix first three ingredients
• Melt coconut oil and honey on the stove
• Add salt and vanilla extract
• Stir honey mixture into oat mixture
• Spread on parchment lined baking sheet (foil works, but the granola does stick)
• Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown, gently stirring after 15 minutes
• Remove from oven and allow to cool
• Pour into airtight container and stir in dried cherries

Homemade granola allegedly lasts 3-4 weeks in an airtight container.  I haven't tested this theory.  Mine usually lasts 3-4 days before it's gone!