Cherry Tomato and Zucchini Galettes.

 

 

 

It seems sometime after June, I fell off of posting regular recipes here. It sometimes goes like that. We didn't stop eating, I just either lacked the incentive to post it, or we scarfed it up too quickly to photograph it. Or more often then not, I was in a mode of recycling tried and true recipes and not coming up with anything new.

 

 Maybe I was kidnapped by ravenous vegetarian ninjas. But if I was, I'll never tell. They've sworn me to secrecy.

 

 

So hi again, and welcome back. Or maybe you never went anywhere at all, and waiting patiently for me to post something new, and so I'll say it's good to be back.

 

This recipe was so delightful, and screamingly easy  to make. I cheated a little bit here and used pre-made pie dough (which I almost never do, but I was short on time, so there you have it.) If you have the time to make your own pie crust, I recommend it. 

 

Each pie will serve about 3 people.

 

 

 Zucchini and Cherry Tomato Galletes.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup ricotta

1/2 cup good-quality parmesan cheese

1 pie crust

olive oil

about 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes or zucchini

2 Tbsp basil, chopped, for garnish

 

 

 

 

1. Mix the ricotta and parmesan together in a bowl and spread evenly on the pie crust(s). Leave about an inch wide border, this will be turned up and over to form the frame of the galette.

 

2. Arrange your veggies on top of the ricotta/parmesan mixture.

 

 

3. Fold up the edges of the pie crust around your veggies.

 

4. Sprinkle a small amount of olive oil over the top.

 

5. (Optional) brush pie crust with milk or egg wash.

 

6. Place on an oiled cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the pie crust is golden. Let cool slightly and garnish with basil. Can be served hot or at room temperature.

 

Goes well with a fresh green salad. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shakshuka

Shakshawhata?  Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen, this dish is apparently an Israeli dish of poached eggs in spicy tomato sauce.

My husband and I actually got in a little to-do about whether or not it resembled juevos rancheros, and Italians might think it resembles "eggs in purgatory." Suffice it to say, a good thing is a good thing in any language, so let's just call it delicious and keep it at that.

 My recipe probably falls somewhere in the middle, as I used what I had on hand, which makes it half Israeli and half Mexican.

I'm not usually a fan of messing with eggs in ways other than my tried and true recipes, but being a little bit of a culinary adventurer, I could not wait to make this! And what a delight it turned out to be, complete with eye-rolling, yummy sounds and head shaking. So so good.

Serves 2-4

olive oil
3 tbsp. chopped pickled or fresh jalepenos
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 14 oz. can of Italian stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
4 eggs
salt to taste
dash of red pepper flakes
feta
cilantro
pita or tortillas for dipping

Heat olive oil in a skillet until hot and add jalepenos and onion. Cook until soft. Add spices, red pepper flakes and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Pour tomatoes in to the pan with 1/2 cup of water and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Salt to taste.

Crack eggs evenly over the pan, being careful not to break the yolk. Cover  and cook until the whites are set, about 5 minutes or so. Sprinkle with feta and cilantro and serve with pita or tortillas.

Spinach and Potato Frittata

It's a rainy Veteran's Day out here on the California coast, and what better for brunch than a savory frittata and a cup of hot coffee? My husband's got music playing and my kids are debating on whether this should be considered a breakfast or a lunch...hence: brunch.

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
2 large red potatoes, diced and boiled until barely soft
1 6 oz. bag of fresh baby spinach
4 whole eggs
4 egg whites
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/3 cup of vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup of shredded cheese of your choice
sprinkling each of bread crumbs and parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

Saute the onion until soft, then set aside.

Saute the spinach until wilted, doing in two batches if necessary and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, whites, broth, seasoning, salt and pepper, whisk until blended. Then fold in the onion, potato and spinach.

Pour into a greased pie pan and top with cheeses and bread crumbs. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until middle is set and top is browned. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting and serve with sour cream and salsa.

Roasted Red Pepper Flatbread Pizza

Perfect little individual pizzas with a very fresh taste.

Ingredients
flat bread, 1 for each person
mozzarella, sliced
1 jar of roasted red peppers in brine
1 tomato, seeded and sliced thinly
Fresh spinach leaves
fresh parmesan cheese
pepper and dried parsley to garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Layer on to each flat bread: sliced, drained red pepper, spinach, then tomato and finally the mozzarella. Bake directly on the rack, with a cookie sheet on the rack below to catch drippings, until the mozzarella is bubbly. Top with parmesan, parsley and pepper.

Eggs Benedict

Good for breakfast or dinner, we love eggs benedict! The trickiest part is to learn how to poach eggs. Here is an easy tutorial for this. There are many different ways to poach eggs, some use vinegar (I do not), some use fancy poaching pans. But the easiest way is to use a pot and plain water. It takes about 3 minutes for the eggs to cook. Then scoop them out with a slotted spoon and drain. Serve immediately.

Ingredients:
eggs, 1 for each person
English muffins, toasted
spinach
tomato
hollandaise sauce (I usually buy it premade, it saves time)

Poach the eggs, one at a time.

Top your English muffin with spinach, tomato, egg and hollandaise sauce. Then sprinkle on chili powder and dried parsley. Bon appetit!