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.

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!

Classico Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

There are many things I love about summer, and no I am not talking about the Texas heat! What I am talking about are the wide array of fresh vegetables that are in season during the summer months. Many of these vegetables are my favorites and I crave them year round and purchase them at the grocery store whenever they are available. While I may be able to enjoy fresh spinach, bell peppers and tomatoes year round, their flavor is unparalleled when they are enjoyed in their proper season.

I love pasta that includes fresh vegetables, a little oil and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and no sauce. This is especially true with in this pasta dish. The bell peppers and spinach really shine while the cheese adds just a touch of creaminess to round out the palette. Next time you're craving a nice bowl of pasta this summer, you should give this recipe a try, I think you'll find it to taste like summer.

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Classico Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 cup sliced shallots

1 red bell pepper, julienned

1 yellow bell pepper, julienned

2 cups raw spinach, thinly sliced

1/4 cup basil, chiffonade

1/4 cup pine nuts

3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

3 1/2 cups water

1/2 pound angel hair pasta

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Salt and pepper the chicken breast halves and place in the oil.

Cook until the chicken is browned, about 3 minutes each side.

Place in a prepared baking dish and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the shallots, bell peppers and spinach and set aside.



Pour the chicken broth and water into a large pot and bring to a boil.

Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, I cooked mine for 5 minutes for al dente.

Drain and reserve some of the pasta liquid.

While the pasta is cooking, heat 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and add the pine nuts.

 Cook until golden brown and set aside.

In the same skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the bell peppers and shallots for about 3 minutes.

 Add the spinach and basil and cook until wilted.

 Add the sun dried tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes.

 Remove from the heat and add the chopped chicken, pasta and Parmesan cheese to the skillet.

Toss and mix well until the cheese is melted and incorporated in the pasta. Top with additional Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

 Source: Neiman Marcus Pure and Simple Cookbook











"Brown Bag Lunch": Pearl Couscous Chicken Salad

Today I had a lovely "brown bag lunch" with one of my oldest and dearest friends, and her sweet one year old daughter! Often times we pick something up from a restaurant and then go to one of our homes for a casual and easy lunch. Today I thought it would be fun, and just as easy (I just didn't even want to deal with parking and going into a restaurant at lunchtime and then walking back to my car in this 100 degree plus Texas heat), to make a quick couscous salad and take it over to her house for a tasty and healthy lunch. Even the little one enjoyed the brown bag luncheon!

I love couscous, and I especially love pearl couscous, also known as Israeli couscous. It is sometimes difficult to find at normal grocery stores, so if you go to a store near me and the shelf is cleared out, I most likely bought them all before you got there! Pearl couscous is a bit bigger and less fluffy in texture. It ends up being a bit more like risotto in texture and composition. You can pair anything with couscous, so it is a great staple to keep on hand. Today I added chicken, grape tomatoes and spinach. Very flavorful and full of great protein and vitamins.

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Ingredients:
One package of Near East Basil and Herb Pearl Couscous (prepare as directed with water and olive oil). You can use whatever type of couscous you would like, Basil and Herb is just my favorite.
One chicken bouillon cube (or one tablespoon of bouillon, or just salt and pepper to your taste)
2 breasts of cooked chicken, cut into one inch pieces
2 cups of fresh spinach, washed and roughly cut into smaller pieces (these will wilt down considerably)
1 cup of grape tomatoes, sliced in half

Steps:
1. Prepare the couscous according to the box: boil the water with the olive oil and couscous.

2. Add a chicken bouillon cube to the boiling couscous for flavoring.
3. Once you have reached a full boil, reduce the heat to medium-high so that the couscous is simmering. Add the contents of the spice package (according to the directions on the couscous box). Stir to combine.

4. Let the mixture come back to a low boil for about 5 to 6 minutes.
5. Remove the couscous from the heat, and cover and let sit. I added about 2 Tablespoons of chicken broth to the couscous before I covered and let it sit. This just adds a bit of moisture to the mix, as I knew I was going to put the dish in the fridge for a bit. I feel that food always dries out a bit in the fridge, so I always like to add a bit of extra moisture to a dish if I know I will be putting it directly into the fridge.
6. Cut and wash the 2 cups of spinach.

7. Wash and cut the 1 cup of grape tomatoes.

8. Cut the baked chicken into 1 inch pieces.

9. Add the spinach, tomatoes and chicken to the couscous and stir to combine.

 

10. Transfer into a serving dish and refrigerate for at least an hour.

11. Enjoy on a hot (did I mention that it was over 100 degrees here?) afternoon.



I paired this cold couscous chicken salad with a fruit salad made up of watermelon and cantaloupe, my favorite summertime fruits!

I then packed everything up in this wonderful glass glassware from The Container Store (one of my favorite places in the world...however...I do find at least 10 things there each time I go that I absolutely cannot live without...including...this wonderful set of glassware!) 

Everything fit perfectly into my fancy brown bag, for our "brown bag lunch," healthy and delicious, with a side of wonderful conversation! 

Who can you bring a "brown bag lunch" to? It is so easy and such a fun change to the normal grab and go lunches that are not always the most healthy, and are also scarfed down quickly so that we can get on with the rest of our day. Take an extra few moments and share a homemade meal with someone you love, or with someone you would like to connect with and know more about on a personal level. Lunch, conversation and friendship are a wonderful things to share!