Pasta Frittata Recipe

Jim and I planned on making this with bacon – But in our frenzy to get dinner on the (coffee) table, we totally forgot.

We didn’t realize the bacon was missing until after we were done eating – This recipe is THAT good.

It’s super easy, requires few ingredients and is a great way to use up leftover pasta.

Ingredients: (serves 3-4)

• 1/2 pound cooked pasta (any kind, we had some leftover ditalini on hand)
• about 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• about 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan (or romano) cheese, plus more for garnish
• handful of chopped fresh basil
• about 2 cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Spread out cherry tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper and put in the oven (check on the tomatoes periodically and remove from the oven when soft, bubbly and slightly charred)
3. Coat the cooked pasta with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl
4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a bit of salt and pepper
5. Add pasta, basil and parmesan cheese to the eggs and mix until combined
6. Heat a medium-sized, non-stick, oven-proof skillet over medium heat and melt the butter
7. Once butter is melted, add pasta-egg mixture to the skillet, even out the frittata with the back of a spoon if necessary
8. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until mixture firms up on the bottom, about 10-15 minutes
9. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake until the top is just cooked, about 10 more minutes
10. Remove from oven, top with cherry tomatoes and a sprinkling of additional parmesan cheese
11. Enjoy!

We’re already thinking of changing up this recipe and adding sausage for Sunday morning brunch!

New Favorites: Vegetarian Dinners

Jim and I love to incorporate a lot of vegetarian meals into our diets – They are tasty, good for us and are usually cheaper to prepare.

Here are 3 that have quickly risen to the top of our “make again” list!  (click image for recipe)

Crispy Gnocchi with Homemade Pesto: Make a double-batch and enjoy for lunch the next day!

Farfalle with Chipotle, Black Beans and Corn: Sensitive palates – Beware!!  Chiles in adobo make this recipe a HOT one!  P.S. We substituted in sour cream for mayonnaise.

Soba Noodles with Sweet Ginger Scallion Sauce: So easy to put together – Dinner will be ready before you know it!

Do you have any favorite vegetarian dishes you’d like to share with me?

Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie

After my 9-mile Saturday runs, I sometimes like to stop in at a local cafe and grab a smoothie – The mix of sweet fruit and creamy yogurt is just what my body craves after a long jog on a hot day.

This past weekend, I decided to try and make my own with some fresh fruit and leftover yogurt we had lying around the kitchen – Turned out pretty yummy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup strawberries, frozen
• 1 banana, frozen
• 3/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. That’s it!

Customize it by adding your favorite fruits – Enjoy!

P.S. Recipe inspired by this one over on (never home)maker.

Spicy Black Bean Croquettes

Made these last Thursday for the first time – Amazing!!  (P.S. They’re vegetarian too!)

You could enjoy these little fried delights on their own, but Jim and I wrapped them in tortillas with a bit of fresh salsa for a dinnertime meal:

Ingredients (serves 4):

Croquettes

• 2 cans black beans
• 1/2 cup onion
• handful chopped cilantro
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 jalapeño
• salt and pepper to taste
• about 1/2 cup coarse cornmeal (or breadcrumbs)
• vegetable oil for frying
• medium tortillas

Fresh Salsa (place all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine):

• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice from 1 lime
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add black beans, onion, cilantro, egg, cumin, jalapeño, salt and pepper to your food processor and pulse until just combined.  Do not purée – You still want to be able to see recognizable bean chunks, this will give your croquettes some texture.  (This step can also be done by hand by mincing the ingredients and mashing the beans.)
2. Transfer the bean mixture to a large bowl, add the cornmeal and stir to combine.
3. Form mixture into patties that are about 3 inches across and 1.5 inches thick.  Batter should feel sticky and fragile – Don’t worry, it’ll fry up nice.  (If batter seems too wet to mold, add a little more cornmeal.)
4. Fill a skillet about 1/4 inch deep with vegetable oil and set heat to medium.
5. When the oil is hot, add patties and cook 3-4 at a time (don’t crowd your pan!).  Fry until deep golden brown (about 4 minutes on each side).
6. Top croquettes with a few spoonfuls of fresh salsa and wrap in a tortilla – Enjoy!

For busy week-nights, feel free to substitute your favorite ready-made salsa or guacamole to save on prep time.

Hope you like it!

Recipe adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman.

Blueberry-Lemon Pancakes

About twice per month, Jim and I get to enjoy a day off together.

These days almost always mean pancakes for breakfast.

This past weekend, we put a little spin on our usual recipe and added blueberries and a bit of lemon zest …

Ingredients (serves 2 hungry adults):

• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 1 cup blueberries

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.
2. In another bowl, whisk together egg, milk, vegetable oil and lemon zest
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine.
4. Add blueberries to batter and stir gently until incorporated.
5. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
6. Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop batter and pour into hot pan.
7. Flip when the edges become slightly dry and when the underside of the pancake is golden brown.
8. Move cooked pancakes to a serving plate and serve with maple syrup.
9. Enjoy!!

Hope you love this recipe as much as we did!

What do you like to put in your pancakes?