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Sweet Potato, Onion and Blue Cheese Frittata
I want something different for breakfast on Sunday! What do I have? – sweet potato, red onion and bleu cheese, eggs. Why not? It was a pretty straight forward recipe I found and it turned out well. Mr. L thought it was quite rich with the bleu cheese (secret – I added more than the recipe called for…he was right) Stick to the recipe!
Sweet Potato and Blue Cheese Frittata
Ingredients
2 Red onions, medium
1 Sweet potato, large
6 Eggs, large free-range
1 Nutmeg, whole
3 tbsp Olive oil
100 g Blue cheese crumbled
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190ºC.
- Rub the sweet potato with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with sea salt and black pepper. Bake for 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove and leave to cool.
- Peel and finely slice the onions. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 26cm ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion, pop on the lid and cook for 20 minutes, or until soft. Leave to cool.
- Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Crumble in the cheese, then add the onion, and scoops of sweet potato flesh, discarding the skin. Add a good grating of nutmeg, then season.
- Wipe out the pan and coat with 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the egg mixture and fry over a medium heat until the eggs start to settle and cook.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook for 3 more minutes, then transfer to the oven for 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Delicious served with a seasonal salad.
Too vegan for me…LOL…I cooked some bacon….
Shrimp, Tomato and Spinach Pasta
Eureka! Shrimp in the freezer. What to do? Checked the ingredients I had on hand and found this recipe for dinner. The worst part is cleaning the shrimp, so just cheat and buy them already cleaned and deveined…LOL. Substitute whatever protein you have available. As always, my changes are in red lettering.
Shrimp, Tomato and Spinach Pasta
Ingredients
- 5 medium tomatoes, fresh, chopped into large cubes ( one can of diced with juice depending on how much you like tomatoes)
- 1 cup cooked spinach
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 or 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 small lemon
- salt
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more)
- paprika
- 10 oz fettuccine pasta
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil until melted. Add fresh shrimp and half the minced garlic. Make sure shrimp is not crowded. Cook for 1 minute on one side until pink on that side. While it’s cooking, generously sprinkle paprika and salt over uncooked side of the shrimp. Flip the shrimp over and cook for another 1 or 2 minutes until pink on the other side.
- To the skillet with shrimp, add chopped fresh tomatoes, cooked spinach, and remaining amount of minced garlic. Add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more). Mix everything well, remove from heat while you cook pasta.
- In the mean time cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent pasta from cooking and getting mushy.
- Add pasta to the skillet with shrimp and vegetables with 1 or 2 tablespoons of butter. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice (depending on the juiciness of your lemon, it could be 1/4 of small lemon or 1/2 lemon). Don’t add too much lemon juice. Season with salt and more crushed red pepper. Warm it up on medium heat until shrimp is cooked through, and all ingredients are heated through.
- To serve, top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Lemony Chickpea (Garbanzo), Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad
Okay Cousin Bonnie, here is the salad recipe you asked for…it was yummy!
Lemony Chickpea, Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad
Recipe by Michela Chiappa from Michela’s Tuscan Kitchen
Ingredients –
600g ripe tomatoes (I just drained a can of diced tomatoes)
1 small bunch fresh basil
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
small handful walnuts
½ jar good quality chickpeas (about 300g)
pinch of dried cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 lemon
2 good handfuls of arugula
1 small round of crumbly, soft goat’s cheese
- Roughly chop the tomatoes and add to a serving bowl. Rip in most if the basil leaves, keep the baby leaves to one side. Drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and season with black pepper and salt.
- Place a small frying pan on a low heat, add the walnut halves and cook for 5 minutes until toasted and smelling delicious. When ready tip into a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, drain and the chickpeas. Add the cumin, oregano, lemon zest and half the juice and a drizzle of oil. Toss together with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add the chickpeas to the tomatoes and toss together. Add the arugula and crumble over the goat’s cheese and walnuts.
Greek Moussaka
In the process of cleaning out our freezer and realized I had 500 gm of ground lamb. What to do? I have always liked moussaka in a Greek restaurant, but never made it at home. Good old Pinterest to the rescue, for what appeared to be an easy recipe and without the potatoes on top….less calories. The recipe looks complicated, but I decided to prepare the ground lamb ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator until I was ready to make the complete dish. It gave me time to prepare the eggplant while I was cleaning up from the lamb prep. The dish turned out perfectly, with our guests taking home this recipe! The photo below is from the Pinterest pinner…we got so carried away enjoying the dish that I forgot a photo. Check out Sniff It Out on Pinterest for more tantalizing recipes!
Greek Moussaka
About 500g of lean minced (ground) lamb
2 Aubergines (Eggplants) medium to large in size
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 heaped tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 rounded tablespoons tomato purée
3 fl oz. (75 ml) red wine or more
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the yogurt topping for the Greek Moussaka – I used a large CorningWare casserole dish and ended up doubling the yogurt in order to cover the top.
150ml Greek yogurt (double if necessary)
1 medium egg, beaten
50g feta cheese or more
25g freshly grated parmesan or more
- Preparing the Aubergines
Leave the skins on and slice the Aubergines into approximately 10mm thick slices.
Put the slices into a colander and sprinkle them with about 1 level dessertspoon of salt. Stand the colander on a plate to catch the water which comes out of the Aubergines and put another plate on top of the aubergine slices.
You now need to weigh this plate down with something heavy (I find that a couple of tins of soup works quite well) and leave them for about an hour to let the juice come out.
After an hour, squeeze out any of the excess juice from the aubergines and dry them well in a clean cloth.
Spread the aubergine slices on a baking sheet and drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over them tossing them around to get a good coating.
Put the baking sheet in a pre heated oven (around 200 degrees) and roast the aubergines for 30 minutes or until they are browning at the edges.
I usually roast the eggplant simply because the baking tray is much bigger than the frying pan and I can get the slices done all in one go, but, if you would rather sauté the eggplant to use in the moussaka you can do that too.
- Preparing the lamb for the Moussaka recipe (I did this step first)
Because the mince can have quite a lot of fat come out of it I usually dry fry the mince until it is nicely browned then remove it from the pan and put it to one side then discard any of the fat which has come out of it before using it to make the moussaka.
Then heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the onions, garlic and thyme gently, without colouring, for about 10 minutes.
Stir the minced lamb back in and add the parsley, cinnamon, tomato purée and red wine and stir to combine the ingredients. Season the mixture well and cook gently for around 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare the topping for the Greek Moussaka recipe
It’s true that Moussaka isn’t the most healthy dish on the planet, that’s why I prefer a yogurt topping for my moussaka recipe because it is a bit lighter than others I have tried but that is purely my preference. Mix the yogurt with half of the cheeses and the beaten egg and season with ground pepper.
- Putting everything together for the Greek Moussaka!
Line the bottom of a casserole dish with slices of aubergine, then spoon over some of the meat mixture. Build the layers of the moussaka up until all the meat and aubergine has been used.
Cover with the topping mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180ºC / 350ºF for about 1 hour until golden and bubbling.
Let the Moussaka stand for about 20 to 30 minutes before cutting and serving and this will ensure that it keeps its shape when you serve it.
Spicy Shrimp Pho
First had this Vietnamese noodle soup in San Francisco, The portions they served were a little large, but awesome.
Spicy Shrimp Pho (http://chefsavvy.com/spicy-shrimp-pho/)
Prep time 10 mins Cook time 20 mins Total time 30 mins Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 4 ounces whole wheat thin spaghetti (I substituted rice noodles for a less heavy Pho)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon jalapeno, minced
- 2 tablespoons green onion, sliced thin
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (or soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 cup button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 12 ounces large shrimp, uncooked
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti until al dente (or prepare rice noodles according to package)
- Meanwhile add oil to a large pot or dutch oven.
- Add garlic, jalapeno and green onions. Saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in chicken stock, fish sauce and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer.
- Stir in mushrooms and shrimp. Simmer until the mushrooms are tender and the shrimp is fully cooked.
- Take off of the heat and stir in pepper, lime juice, and cilantro.
- Divide the noodles among the 4 bowls and pour the soup on top.
- Garnish with extra lime wedges and cilantro if desired.
Caramelized Leek, Parmesan and Ham Quiche
Still time to prepare this wonderful quiche for Easter morning, friends!Its not all that difficult, if you start with a refrigerated crust. Make sure to really clean the leeks well, as they often have dirt hidden inside!! Serve with some ice fresh strawberries…
Could also be good to use up that leftover ham after Easter!
Caramelized Leek, Parmesan and Ham Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 oz. Ham
- 1 Leek
- 1 Egg wash
- 2 Eggs,
- 2 tbsp Brown sugar
- 1 Salt and pepper
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
- 10 slices Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup Cheese, grated
- 1/3 cup Cream
- 1/3 cup milk
Directions
Prepare the caramelized leek. Clean the leek and peel off the top layer of skin. Cut in half length-ways then finely slice width ways. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat and gently cook the leek for a few minutes until soft. Add the brown sugar and red wine vinegar. Stir for another couple of minutes until the sugar has dissolved and set aside to cool.
Prick the bases of the pie shell with a fork about a dozen times evenly around the base. Place on a tray and into the oven for the time recommended on the package.
Remove the pie shell from the oven. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove, brush the shell with egg wash and cook for a further 3 minutes.
Remove the quiche from the oven. Evenly distribute the shaved ham and caramelized leek evenly over the crust. Sprinkle over the grated cheese. In a mixing bowl whisk together the 2 eggs, ⅓ cup of milk and ⅓ cup of cream. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a jug and carefully pour into the pie shell. Cook for 20 minutes.
- Cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing to serve.
Honey Garlic Shrimp
Super supper meal! It does require a little time for marinating the shrimp, otherwise it is a KISS recipe! Instead of brown rice, I prepared some of the…you guessed it…Costco Ancient Grains!
Honey Garlic Shrimp
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (I use reduced sodium)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- optional: 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 lb. medium uncooked shrimp, peeled & deveined
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- optional: chopped green onion for garnish
Directions:
- Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger (if using) together in a medium bowl.
- Place shrimp in a large zipped-top bag or Tupperware. Pour 1/2 of the marinade mixture on top, give it all a shake or stir, then allow shrimp to marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or for up to 8-12 hours. Cover and refrigerate the rest of the marinade for step 3. (Time-saving tip: while the shrimp is marinating, I steamed broccoli and prepared the Ancient Grains according to the directions).
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place drained shrimp in the skillet. Cook shrimp on one side until no longer pink– about 45 seconds– then flip shrimp over. Pour in remaining marinade and cook it all until shrimp is cooked through, about 1 minute more.
- Serve shrimp with cooked marinade sauce and a garnish of green onion. The sauce is excellent on brown rice and steamed veggies on the side.
TIP…when a recipe calls for minced ginger, I take out some of the ginger I keep in the freezer. Whenever I need some, I just grate it, rind and all depending o the amount I need, into the dish and put the ginger back in the freezer.
Ravioli with White Wine and Leeks
First had this at one of our favourite restaurants in nearby Merida – Il Caffe Italiano. Had to try and duplicate this subtle dish. Et voila as the French say. PINTEREST as I say…LOL. I would highly recommend it for your Christmas Eve or New Years dinner. Suggestion is to serve it with grilled asparagus spears…I chose not to…
Ravioli with White Wine Butter Sauce (and Asparagus – optional)
Ingredients
- One 9 ounce package chilled fresh ravioli
- One bunch asparagus (about 15-20 spears), trimmed and cut into two inch pieces. You can use just the tips or if you like lots of asparagus, use the stems as well! OPTIONAL
- 2 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 leeks carefully washed and chopped into 1/4 inch slices. Dont use the dark green parts!
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes
- ¾ cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme, plus more for garnish
- Shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and olive oil, and then asparagus. Cook asparagus until just crisp-tender, about 2 minutes, and remove asparagus with a slotted spoon, leaving the water boiling. OPTIONAL – just boil some water for the ravioli !
- Add one tablespoon of butter to a medium size skillet and melt over medium high heat. Add leeks and garlic and stir until soft, 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes. Now add butter, cube by cube, stirring until each one is melted into the sauce.
- While the sauce is cooking, add the ravioli gently to the boiling (asparagus*) water (I like to lower them in with a slotted spoon) and cook according to package directions until just done, about 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and put in a single layer on a plate until the sauce is finished.
- When all the butter is melted, stir in the chopped thyme.
- Divide the ravioli between two plates, (and tuck the asparagus tips in between the ravioli – OPTIONAL). Drizzle a generous portion of sauce over each serving, garnish with fresh thyme and shaved Parmesan and serve at once!
Corn and Black Bean Dip x 2
Bonus day today as I have two similar recipes, one of which originated from our “sister” Jean in Peterborough, Ontario. She served it while we were visiting for her sons wedding in August. It has a great fresh taste when served with tortilla chips.
The second I ran across while waiting for Jeans recipe to arrive. The ingredients are very similar, with the exception of the avocado and the dressing.
- Corn and Black Bean Dip from Jean Johnston
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2cup olive oil
1 tbsp water
1 can lentils
1 can corn
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup each celery, green pepper and green onion
Jar of pimento ( I used red pepper because I didn’t have any pimento)
I added a few fresh spices. Her daughter suggested adding fresh cilantro which makes sense.
Mix all together and soak for at least 3 hours. Drain and serve.
2. Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Dip
Prep time: 15 minutes Yield: 20 servings Serving size: 1/4 cup
Ingredients
- 15 oz can black beans, drained + rinsed
- 15 oz can yellow corn, drained + rinsed
- 2 avocados, cut in half, pitted + cubed
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- juice of one lime
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a medium size bowl and mix until combined.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Let me know if you try either of these at your next event…
Slow Cooker Garlic Rosemary Roast Beef
Someone in the house is not a fan of turkey at Thanksgiving, so I scoured Pinterest for this wonderful roast beef recipe, which turned out to be delicious! This is definitely one of those KISS recipes – Keep It Simple Stupid! That someone in the house really enjoyed it…serve some horse radish alongside it! As always, the words in red reflect my changes to the original recipe.
Slow Cooker Rosemary Garlic Crusted Roast Beef
Author: Slow Cooker Gourmet Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- 2 pound eye of round beef roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 or more stalks fresh rosemary
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic or more
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 cans of beef broth
Instructions
- Rub roast all over with olive oil
- Chop three stalks of rosemary leaves and combine with garlic, sea salt and pepper
- Rub around the outside of the roast to form a crust
- Preheat a skillet to 400 degrees
- Add roast and sear on each side until lightly browned (4-6 minutes)
- Deglaze pan with balsamic vinegar and transfer all contents to slow cooker
- Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours OR cook on high for about an hour
- Pour one or two cans of broth around the roast and more rosemary stems to taste
- Cook for another 30 minutes and check with a meat thermometer depending on the doneness you like.
- Remove and let rest for 15-30 minutes then slice to serve
