Frittata Thursday!

On vacation -- in my own home today -- and decided to make myself a nice Frittata for breakfast! YUMMO!!! I do so love eggs and omelets and frittata's, oh and a good strata ... mmmmm! A few years ago my folks gave me a frittata pan and I've used it a good number of times, this morning included.

Ingredients:

approx. 2 tbsps. olive oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)

3 garlic cloves (I'm a garlic lover)

3-4 eggs (depending upon how hungry you are and or how many peeps are eating said frittata)

approx. 1/4 cup milk, half-n-half or heavy cream (today I used heavy cream 'cause I be on vacaaaaaa yo!)

1/4 of a fresh red pepper (sliced and chopped)

4 or 5 fresh mushrooms (sliced)

1/4 of a red onion (sliced)

1 baby red potatoe (sliced)

cheese of your choice (chunks)

capers

salt and pepper to taste

How To Make It...

Place your frittata pan  on the stove, add olive oil, garlic cloves (sliced, crushed or finely chopped, whatever your pleasure) and turn stove on  low. Let the garlic start to cook and when you can smell it add   a layer of baby red potatoes slices. Place the  frittata pan lid and let cook - on low heat - for approx. 5 minutes. Add sliced onion and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or so. While onions and potatoes are cooking, in a small bowl beat your eggs and heavy cream. Pour egg mixture into the pan and place rep pepper, mushrooms, capers and cheese on top of the egg mixture. Add freshly ground pepper and salt to taste on top. Cook each side of your frittata (yay awesome frittata pan) for approx. 5 minutes  -- until it is solid and the egg has slightly browned up.

Once your frittata is done, remove it from the pan -- place on a large cutting board. Cut it into severing sizes needed/desired and server it up!

My First #Fail...Stovetop Pizza

This delicious mess is what happens when you buy all the ingredients for a Stovetop Pizza recipe you found on line, and are more than half way through the cooking process when you FINALLY realize that it is a recipe for a SPECIFIC type of pan (only available - at the moment - in New Zealand and Australia) ... yikes! Here's the video of what I was attempting to make. Looks like I'll have to enlist my Kiwi friend Lisette into sending me one of these ... LOL

Funny thing is, though I now have a thin crust pizza crust stuck to the bottom of my pan (I sure hope I can get it out), the resulting semi-gooey-upper-dough mixed with the great toppings I used, and the tomato sauce was extremely tasty!

It does signify one of the only times I can recall truly failing at what I was trying to make in the kitchen ... but though I failed, I failed with a delicious verve I dare anyone to rival! ;)

The toppings I used were: bottled sauce; fresh mozzarella cheese; red onion; red bell pepper; mushrooms; capers; kalamata olives; and fresh purple basil. The pizza soup I made was a tasty one! :)

Anyone out there think I can market "Pizza Soup" ??? LOL

Orange Dreamsicle Smoothie

Two words: Orange Dreamsicle! #YAS!!! Especially after a long day, and the need to go grocery shopping in order to really "cook" something, I present to you the extreme deliciousness that is the Orange Dreamsicle Smoothie!  

I used the fat-free half-n-half, because I had it in my fridge, and it worked out fine. Though I mistakenly put a few more ice cubes in after it was initially blended, and I didn't blend them enough ... it's still de-lish and stupid easy to make (as long as you have a blender)! 

Mint Green Tea

Guys, I've just discovered Mint Green Tea (Twinings of London) ... it's so good!

I've known and love Twinings Teas for years.

I've known and love Mint tea for years.

I've enjoyed most Green Teas for years.

Put'em'all'together and have you got ... awesomeness (hot or cold)!!!

Cucumber Salad

This is a cucumber salad I have never made before.

Ingredients

2 large cucumbers (peeled or unpeeled, it's up to you)

1/3 cup rice vinegar [*I altered this to almost a full 1/3 cup white vinegar, with a bit of balsamic]

4 teaspoons white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root [*I altered this to ginger powder]

Directions

a. Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and scoop out large seeds, the thinly slice. Place in a serving bowl.

b. In a small bowl combine vinegar, sugar, salt and ginger. Mix well. 

c. Pour dressing over cucumbers and mix, making sure that all slices have been coated with the mixture.

d. Refrigerate for an hour (or more).

*The elements that I altered were due to what was in, or more accurately, what was not in my, my kitchen at the time. This was due to the fact that I'd had a long day at work, (and even ate dinner at work,) so I made this salad for the following day ... and as it was rather late at night, I used what was in my cupboards rather than go to a store.

Smells delicious ... can't wait to taste it tomorrow!

Green Bean & Almond Salad

This is another one of the recipes sent to me for my 33rd Birthday that I've now FINALLY made. :) My friend Brenda sent it to me ... and it's delicious.

Ingredients:

Green beans (1 lb.)

Medium Red Onion (sliced)

Celery (finely sliced)

Fennel Bulb (thinly sliced)

Sliced Almonds

Vinegar

Water

Sugar

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

There are a few steps to this recipe ... if you're interested in how to put it together let me know.

 One of the steps in this recipe was to "pickle" the onions ... I've never pickled anything before, muy taste-ito! 

Pasta with Sausage and Spinach

This is one of the recipes I got from my friend Meagan for my 33rd Birthday - my 33 Variations Birthday Cookbook! It's SO good!

I didn't have white wine so I substituted a cup of vinegar water for it.