Zucchini Frittata

Good morning! 

I woke up with a killer cramp in my calf this morning, so I'm slowly limping around the house.  As time passes, it seems to be getting better... but it doesn't look like I'll be getting my run in today.  I figure I better let it rest up and I'll get back at it Saturday.

I'm pretty stoked today because I get to take a little roadtrip to Danville, KY to meet up with a few other Kentucky Food Bloggers.  We're doing a tasting of a few restaurants tonight and I'm really excited to actually meet these awesome bloggers in person.  I'll definitely post pictures and a review of the experience next week!

I made this frittata when we had tons of zucchini from our CSA.  It was quick, easy, and my only complaint... I used too big of a pan, so it looks rather thin (and more like an omelette) than an actual frittata.  Oh well, it still tasted mighty good!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 zucchini, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
6 eggs
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup milk

In a medium skillet under medium high heat, add about 1 & 1/2 teaspoons olive oil.  Add zucchini and saute until starting to brown, about 5-7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove zucchini and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and milk together.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat a non-stick skillet under medium low heat and add remaining 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil.  Coat pan with oil.

Pour the egg mixture into the pan and let cook until the egg starts to solidify, about 2-3 minutes.  Spread the zucchini over top of the eggs and top with cheddar cheese.  Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until egg is cooked through and cheese is melted.

Slice and serve right away.

This was simple, delicious, and easy.  You could have it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  It's perfect for any time of day!  Feel free to swap out the ingredients for what you have, and add whatever you like!  Frittatas are versatile like that =)

Have a great Thursday guys!

Chef Salad w/ Honey Mustard Dressing

Boy am I glad it's Friday!  I don't really have big plans for the weekend (possibly the KY State Fair?), but the usual - relaxing. 

Andy is going to be out tonight for a bachelor party, so that leaves me to fend for myself tonight for dinner.  I work late, so I might just throw together some CSA vegetables and see what I come up with!

Salads are always my go-to lunch during the week, but every now and then you'll see them appear for dinner.  I made this a while back, but it's still been in the back of my mind because it was one of the best and most filling salads I've ever had.  The easy honey mustard dressing really makes this something special!

Ingredients:

Dressing:

1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped dill

Salad:

Romaine Lettuce
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and julienned
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
3 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped
shredded cheddar cheese
sliced turkey, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped

I love the "Mason Jar" method when making salad dressings.  What is that?  Well, basically, throw in all of the ingredients for the dressing into a Mason Jar.  Shake until mixed.  Pour on top of salad.  Easy?  Hell yeah it is.

To assemble the salad, wash the lettuce and shake dry.  Divide among plates and top with apple, eggs, bacon, cheese, turkey, and carrots.  Drizzle on dressing. 

And bam!  Lunch or dinner is ready in no time. 

I don't usually like honey mustard as anything other than a dipping sauce for chicken, but on top of this salad... it was amazing.

What's your favorite salad & dressing combo?

Have a great weekend guys!

Spicy Fried Rice w/ Chorizo

Happy Friday guys!  I am so elated that it's rearing up to be the weekend, that it's not even funny.  We've got a pretty jam-packed weekend planned, actually.

Tomorrow morning is the Derby Marathon & Mini.  And no.  My butt is not running in it.  I'm not that in shape yet.  I'll actually be volunteering at one of the Powerade and water stations (mile marker 10/19 for those of you that are actually running!).  The only bad thing about this is... I have to be there at 6:15am.  SIX. FIFTEEN. In the morning.  On a Saturday.  Yeah.  I'm dedicated to giving the runners their fluids.

But it won't be so bad.  I've been on a volunteering kick lately, so it'll be good to get out there and do some good.  (And I get a free t-shirt, so that's always a plus!)

And there's also a free concert (that was supposed to be by the river, but considering Waterfront Park looks pretty much like Atlantis right now, I'm positive that they'll be relocating that) on Saturday night that we plan on going to with a couple friends.  The band?  Soul Asylum.  Yeah, anybody remember that early 90's band?  Most famous for that song "Runaway Train".  Yeah, I was 7 when that came out, so no, I don't really remember that band... but since Andy is a tad bit older than I am, he remembers them clearly.  Which is also funny because he can't ever remember to take out the trash on Mondays, but yet, remembers a band from ages ago.  But I digress. 

Anyway, let's talk fried rice.  Fried rice is one of those things that I believe my mom can make the best.  She always just added in whatever we had laying around the house, and it was always amazing.  Definitely great for dinner all on it's own.  But I'm not bragging.

What I will be bragging about, is this new recipe for fried rice that may give my mom's many versions a run for her money.  It's spicy, it's filling, it's absolutely delicious.  So go ahead, try it out - you won't be disappointed!

Ingredients:
Adapted from PigPigCorner's recipe

2-3 cups leftover cooked rice (cold and day old is usually best)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
4 pieces of bacon, chopped
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 scallions (green parts only), chopped
1 large cooked chorizo sausage (or whatever meat/protein you want to add - I just had some leftover), chopped
2 tablespoons Sriracha, or other hot sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon hot water
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Soy sauce, to taste
3 eggs

In a medium bowl, mix leftover rice with the melted butter and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together Sriracha, sugar, and hot water.  Set aside.

In a large skillet under medium high heat, fry up the bacon pieces until browned and crisp, about 6-8 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.  Set aside.

Drain pan of the bacon fat, leaving about 1-2 tablespoons still in the pan.  Add the diced onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic and half of the scallions.  Saute for about a minute more.

Add rice to the pan and pour Sriracha mixture over top.  Mix well.  Stir fry for about 3-5 minutes, or until rice is started to "crisp" or brown.

Crack the eggs over the rice and stir to scramble throughout mixture.  Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring often.

Stir in bacon pieces and chorizo.

Season mixture with soy sauce, I think I used maybe 2-3 tablespoons and it was perfect. 

Stir in sesame oil and remaining scallions.  Serve hot and with extra Sriracha if you'd like!

This was seriously delicious.  We had this with some Red Curry Chicken Wings (recipe soon to come!) and it couldn't have been a better meal.  The best part?  We had a good amount of leftovers, and after making this on Tuesday, they're practically almost gone.  It's almost bittersweet... but then again, I could always just make some more!

How do you guys fix your fried rice?  Leftovers are always useful!

Hope you all have a great weekend and look forward to a new recipe on Monday!

Pizza Frittata

Happy Monday everybody!  It was an exciting weekend for sure!

 I went to an open house for the Culinary School I applied to and learned so many cool facts about the school:

- The head of the Professional Catering department was actually one of the heads of the catering for the past 2 Olympic games.
- The school is actually one of the Top 5 best Culinary Schools in America (it's not a large school, but I actually like that)
- One of their recent graduates is the personal chef to Jimmy Kimmel.

So yeah, just some fun facts, but most of all, the open house really proved to me that this is what I really want to do with my life.  I understand the long hours and the fast paced work environment, and I want it.  There's no greater feeling than really believing in yourself!

 Anyway, today is a major day for the blog.  The first EVER video!  So enjoy me and my nerdy-ness (I'd love to hear some feedback on this!) and the recipe is below!

Ingredients:

This is some seriously delicious stuff!

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
8 oz. portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup Newman's Own Family Recipe Italian Dressing
6 eggs
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
about 10-15 pepperoni slices
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
Newman's Own Tomato & Basil sauce, optional

In a medium bowl, combine green bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic.  Drizzle Newman's Own Family Recipe Italian Dressing over mixture and toss to coat.  Let sit for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another medium bowl, combine cream cheese and eggs.  Beat on medium speed until combined, about 2-3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large cast iron skillet (or other oven-proof skillet) under medium high heat and melt butter.  Add peppers and mushroom mixture.  Saute vegetables until softened, but still slightly crisp, about 5-7 minutes.  Add pepperoni and then pour in egg mixture.

Cover skillet with lid (or, in my case, if you don't have one - some foil) and cook for about 5 minutes, or until center is almost set.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven broiler on high.

Uncover foil from skillet and sprinkle Pecorino Romano cheese over top.  Carefully place skillet in oven under broiler for about 2-3 minutes, or until top is starting to brown.

Cut into slices and serve with Newman's Own Tomato & Basil sauce on the side.

Verdict?  This was "awesome" - just like Andy said.  And of course, if Andy likes it... it MUST be good!  (I know, shameless plug - go me!)  Hehe.   Hope you guys had fun, I know I sure it!  Maybe I won't be such a dork in my next video!

Happy Monday and be back tomorrow to announce the CSN giveaway winner!

Disclaimer: I was provided a Flip video camera & an assortment of Newman's Own products as part of Foodbuzz's Tastemakers Program.  The opinions and recipe in this video/blog post are my own.

Crabcake Quiche

One of my favorite appetizers to have are crabcakes. I mean, who doesn't like crabcakes? Weirdos. That's who. (No offense to you non-crabcake lovers out there). The crunchy, panko crusted outer edges, and the soft meaty crab... the flavors are just superb... when done correctly, of course.

I've also recently developed a lover for quiches. Cheese plus eggs. How can you go wrong there?

So, the genius inside of me decided one night... why not combine the two? Hell... I could be one to something here. Unless it's already been thought up... but as far as I know, I haven't seen or heard of anyone else making this. So, consider yourselves lucky, because this is a knockout dish perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!


Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus 3 tablespoons melted
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. lump crab meat
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
small handful parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

I've been in love with this simple cream cheese pastry dough. It's uber easy and pairs perfectly with practically anything savory.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt. In a large bowl, beat the 1 cup of butter and cream cheese until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Slowly beat in flour mixture until dough starts to form.

Dive the dough in half and shape into 2 rounds. (You can store the other half in the freezer in a freezer bag for up to 1 month for another use, or another quiche!). Cover and refrigerate the dough round for about 1 hour, or until well chilled.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the crabmeat, panko, onion, and bell pepper. Stir in parsley, mustard powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Toss with melted 3 tablespoons of butter and heavy cream. Mix well and fold in eggs and cheese.

Roll out dough on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness. Make large enough to fit a normal sized pie pan. Grease pie pan and preheat oven to 350F.

Set dough in pan and place pie weights or dry beans atop of dough. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until starting to brown.

Add crabmeat mixture and bake for about 25-30 minutes longer, or until filling is set. Let cool for about 5 minutes and serve!


I'm telling you, this was one of those light bulb moments like "why haven't I thought of this before?!" It was soooooo good. Happy weekend and enjoy guys!

Sunday Morning Burger

No, this isn't meant to be eaten for breakfast... however, it wouldn't be a bad idea. I just think this whole concept of a burger came out of pure adaptation for what was available in my fridge. And seriously... every time I top something with an egg (whether poached or fried), it's been absolutely delicious. This is no exception... I highly recommend you try this... like, now.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground pork
1 Granny Smith apple, grated
1 onion, grated
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon ground sage
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg/burger patty
cheese (I used slices of Velveeta)
Kaiser rolls
margarine or softened butter
1 teaspoon olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork, apple, onion, bread crumbs, sage, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined. Form into 4 good sized patties. You can probably make 8 thinner patties if you wanted to, but I'm a fan of a big juicy burger.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Heat a large oven proof skillet under medium heat and add olive oil. Brown the patties on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. You don't want to cook them all the way through, just get a nice crust on the outside.

Place skillet in oven and cook for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, you can fry your eggs. I did mine one at a time and I like them over-easy. You can cook them up any way you wish, but make sure you have a nice oozy (but still done) yolk!

Open Kaiser rolls and butter both sides. Place in oven for about 5 minutes to toast.

To assemble burger, place patty on bottom bun, top with egg, then cheese and cover with top bun. In my opinion, this doesn't need any condiment. The oozing egg is just what it needs and the burger is one of the juiciest burgers I've ever eaten.

This was absolutely wonderful. This to me, is like a sausage, egg, and cheese muffin to the extreme. McDonald's has nothing on this. This. Is. Great. Try it now! Enjoy!

Chipotle Pork & Cheddar Quiche

This was my first time making a quiche, and considering it went over very well, it won't be my last. This was extraordinarily simple and delicious. Andy seemed to love it, seeing as he ate it for lunch the next day. This is unusual because he's an avid believer of not eating the same thing twice in a row (which I don't understand why you can't have things two days in a row, but to each his own). This was inspired by these mini quichelettes over at La Fuji Mama blog.

Ingredients:

1 & 1/4 cup flour
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt, divided in half
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced chives
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon garlic powder
fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

This crust was simple, but full of flavor. Just mix flour, butter, 1 egg, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in bowl until mixture forms clumps. Then gather into a firm ball.


Line a greased pie dish with the crust mixture and press down until whole pan is covered. You should have just enough to cover the whole dish and the sides.


Heat a large skillet under medium high heat and cook your pork until no longer pink. Season with the chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Take off heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining two eggs, heavy whipping cream, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Beat by hand until well combined.

To assemble quiche, line bottom layer with ground pork (I had a good amount left over, but Andy used it as a garnish for his quiche pieces so it didn't go to waste). Then top with cheddar cheese and chives. And finally fill rest of quiche with the egg/cream mixture (you should have just enough to perfectly fill the dish).

Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until your crust is golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve topped with extra cheese or leftover ground pork.


This was a great weeknight meal. I loved how every bite was simple and delicious. The quiche was creamy inside, but not runny. The pork just added a nice subtle depth of flavor and the crust was simple to die for. Enjoy!