Spinach and Potato Frittata

Ever since I tried my hand at making homemade quiche a while back, I have found myself thinking about making one on a fairly regular basis. Tonight was definitely one of those nights. The problem, however, was that my pie crust was still in the freezer and waiting for it to thaw was not an option as it would result in a very late dinner.

So I decided to try my hand at making a frittata instead. A frittata is basically a quiche without the pastry crust. It also shares some same methods as making an omelet as well in the technique of letting the egg set by lifting up the edges to let the runny egg go to the bottom of the pan. This would be great for those on a paleo diet (or at least I think it would be).

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Spinach and Potato Frittata


Ingredients
2 bunches spinach, washed, trimmed, and chopped
1/4 cup water
1/2 yellow onion, minced
1 medium potato, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup half and half
2 egg yolks
4 large eggs
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese, divided
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chopped spinach in a saucepan with 1/4 cup water and cover with a lid. Heat over medium high heat until the leaves are barely wilted, just a few minutes.

 Remove from heat and set aside. While the spinach is cooking, whisk together the egg yolks, eggs, half and half, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and half a cup of the Gruyere cheese.

 Melt the butter in an oven proof skillet and add the onions. Saute until translucent and fragrant.

 Add the potatoes to the onions and saute until beginning to brown and soften.

 When the potatoes are ready, top with the cooked spinach,

 and pour the egg mixture.

 As the egg heats and begins to set, use a spatula to lift up the edges and allow the egg to move to the bottom of the skillet. Repeat until the egg is no longer runny

 Top with the remaining cheese and place in the oven.

 Bake for 13-15 minutes until the egg has puffed up and the cheese has browned.

Cut into quarters and serve.

Turnip and Potato Mash

I struggled with what to title this recipe. It's mashed turnips and potatoes but that didn't really roll off the tongue. So I decided to instead say Turnip and Potato mash. Not sure why I found it necessary to tell you my thought process but there you have it.

Until this week I had never tasted a turnip, nor could I tell you what they looked like. That was until I came home with my Urban Acres produce share on Saturday and found two in my crate. Often when this happens I avoid the strange new vegetable and it ultimately spoils before I figure out how to use it. This week, however, I decided to tackle the turnip head on, and by head on I mean sneaking it in with mashed potatoes.

I was really pleased with the results, although I would not say that it was love at first bite. It took several tastes before I decided that the complex flavor provided by the turnip was one I enjoyed. And then I went back for seconds, which is always a key indicator of success at my dinner table. So if you feel adventurous, but still want to keep some semblance of comfort, try this turnip and potato mash  with dinner. I think you'll be glad you did.

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Turnip and Potato Mash


Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 small turnip, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick half moons
1 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick half  moons
1/3 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup half and half
3 tablespoons minced chives
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat until foam bubbles disappear but before the butter browns.

 Place the turnip slices into the butter, stirring occasionally.

 You should cook the turnips until they start to brown and caramelize, about 10-12 minutes. If you need to increase the heat to speed up the process you can turn it up to medium high. (Mine took longer, I think my pan was too small)

 Place the potatoes on top of the turnips and pour in the chicken broth.

 Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer covered until the potatoes fall apart with a fork and the liquid is mostly absorbed by the potatoes. for about 20 minutes. (again mine took longer and I think it was the pan)

 Use a potato masher (or if you're me and don't have one use a pastry blender) and carefully mash the veggies. You don't want to over mash and ruin the texture!

 Pour in the half and half and stir into the potatoes and turnips.

 Stir in the chives and let sit a minute. This allows the liquid to absorb into the potatoes and turnips.

Serve with your favorite meal in place of mashed potatoes.

Source: The Way The Cookie Crumbles

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

I grew up in a meat and potatoes family. Usually, our potatoes were either baked or mashed and rarely did my mom make roated potatoes. At least that I can remember. It has taken me about a year to finally find the perfect method for crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside roasted potatoes. In the past the potatoes would merely be cooked, but rarely develop the crisp outer layer that I desired.

The trick is to use small, fingerling yellow potatoes and plenty of oil and seasoning. The smaller potatoes mean they cook quicker and the yellow varietal have a nice, buttery flavor that really kicks it up a notch. Additionally, I've learned that to get the crispy, you cannot be afraid of the olive oil. While dieters intuition might suggest you stop at 1 tablespoon, you really need between 2-3 to really get a good coat. Finally, the blend of garlic salt, pepper, and dried rosemary I include gives each piece just enough flavor without being overkill. Serve these with burgers, chicken, or steak and you won't be disappointed.

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Rosemary Roasted Potatoes


Ingredients
1 lb bag fingerling yellow potatoes
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried rosemary

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Cube the potatoes and place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer.

Drizzle with the oil.

Sprinkle with the garlic salt, pepper, and rosemary and stir to coat evenly.

Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Penne, Spinach, and Chicken Salad with Lemon Dressing: Dinner for One

Bunker travels for work about 3 nights a week, therefore, I have quite a few nights alone for dinner. Often times I just eat cereal or a sandwich, but that is not being very nice to myself. Just because I am eating dinner for one does not mean that I should not treat myself to a delicious, and nutrient rich dinner.

This dinner salad was inspired by my favorite salad at Cafe Express. I actually think this version is a bit tastier, and far easier than getting in the car and driving across town for a salad. The combination of the pasta, potatoes, chicken and croutons make this salad a full and satisfying meal. I don't know about you, but a salad with just veggies just will not fill me up enough to be considered a full meal.

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Ingredients for Salad:
1 Cooked Chicken Breast, cut into cubed pieces
1 cup of spinach
1/2 cup of cooked and cubed new potatoes (I put mine in the microwave for about 2 minutes)
1/2 cup of lightly cooked broccoli (I put mine in the microwave for about 1 minute)
1/2 cup of grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup of carrots, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup of croutons

Ingredients for Lemon Dressing:
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon of water
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of honey
1 teaspoon of Honey Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Steps:
1. In a large bowl prepare the salad: combine the cooked chicken, spinach, cooked potatoes, cooked broccoli, tomatoes, carrots and croutons.

2. In a smaller bowl prepare the dressing: combine the lemon juice, water, olive oil, honey, Honey Dijon mustard, 2 minced garlic cloves, and salt and pepper.

3. Pour about half of the dressing over the salad.

4. Enjoy by yourself and feel good about giving yourself a yummy dinner that is good for your body and soul!(You can always double the recipe to serve more than one!)

Cort  looking towards the front door, waiting for Shafer to come home from her surgery. Cort really missed her buddy all day :(

Shafer recovering from surgery...she has slept most of the past 2 days, but is recovering nicely. Shafer was spayed, not a big surgery but scary for her mom non-the-less...just happy to have her home!