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! 

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

Chicken bacon ranch pizza made with vegan ranch dressing and vegan cheese.  As a friend commented, this invokes thoughts of the song "one of these things is not like the other ones."  But, you do what you gotta do when you can't eat dairy or soy. 

First, the ranch dressing.  It's no Hidden Valley Ranch, but it's pretty good.  Samantha liked it, so that's good enough for me!

Ingredients (adapted from here):

• 1 c. mayo (I used Whole Foods' 365 brand, which is dairy/soy free)
• 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 3-4 tbsp. minced onion (or 1/2 tsp. onion powder - I just didn't have any)
• 1 tsp. dill
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• Splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• up to 1/2 c. unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk
• Salt

To make:

• Whisk first 6 ingredients together
• Slowly whisk in milk until dressing is the desired consistency
• Add salt to taste
• It's best to let this sit in the fridge for a bit to let the flavors mingle 

I spread a bit of this on my homemade dough and added some Daiya mozzerella, grilled chicken, cooked bacon, and roma tomato slices.  It was really yummy . . . so good that I was too busy chowing down to take a picture!  Whoops.  Guess I'll have to make this again!  I think I can make the sacrifice. 

Cherry Rice Pilaf

Here's the rice pilaf recipe I promised you the other day.  I know y'all couldn't even sleep in anticipation.  Well, I promise, you will not be disappointed if you make this.  It is sooooo good.

Ingredients (adapted from my I Love Trader Joe's cookbook):

• 3 c. cooked rice (I used brown, gave it a nice crunch)
• 2 tbsp. Earth Balance butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 c. diced celery
• 1/2 c. dried montmorency tart cherries
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• Salt & pepper

To make:

• Melt butter in large skillet
• Saute onion, celery, cherries, and thyme until softened
• Stir in cooked rice
• Season with salt & pepper

Super easy and super tasty.  I doubled the recipe for the six adults and 2 kids and we had plenty left over (the leftovers were really good, too).  The original recipe called for 1/2 c. chopped walnuts, but I left those out.  I didn't really miss them, either.  The brown rice added a nice texture that you just don't get with white rice.  And the cherries . . . oh, the cherries. They really plump up and become soft.  Yum!

Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon

We had a full house (apartment) last weekend.  My sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and nephew came out from CA for a couple of days and my inlaws decided to drive out, too!  The visit was far too short, but we had a good time and lots of good food.  Plus we celebrated Samantha's 3rd birthday!

I decided to make glazed salmon for Friday's Lenten dinner.  But not just any old salmon . . . glazed salmon. 

Ingredients:

• 2lbs. salmon (I used wild coho salmon from TJ's - so tasty!)
• 2 tbsp. Earth Balance butter
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 3 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 c. whole grain dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt & pepper

To make:

• Preheat oven to 400
• Melt butter, honey, and brown sugar in small saucepan
• Remove from heat san whisk in olive oil and mustard
• Season both sides of salmon with salt & pepper
• Brush with brown sugar mixture
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, until salmon flakes with a fork

This was so good!  Not too sweet with just a little tang from the mustard.  We had a couple of pieces left over and it reheated well, too.  I usually don't like reheated salmon; it just doesn't taste good.  But this was pretty tasty when I reheated some on Sunday. 

I served this with steamed veggies and a really yummy rice pilaf.  I think the rice may have been a bigger hit than the salmon.  Watch for that recipe up next!

Balsamic Roasted Potatoes

Looking for something new to do with potatoes?  Look no further!  These are really good and super easy, too.  I wasn't too sure about them at first, but they grew on me as I was eating them. 

Ingredients (adapted from Everyday Food):

• 1 1/2 lbs potatoes, cut in chunks
• 3/4 c. low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
• 8 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• Coarse salt & pepper

To make:

• Preheat oven to 425
• Combine all ingredients in an 8" baking dish
• Bake until potatoes are tender 1 - 1 1/4 hours and liquid reduces to glaze, tossing a couple of times
• Season with salt and pepper