Spinach, Tomato, Ricotta Frittata

This dish will amaze your family and friends. It's quick and easy and a great idea for last minute brunch or a awesome breakfast.

Finecooking.com featured this beauty and I had to try it. I made a few changes to the ingredients as to what I had on hand and added a few of my favorites to spice it up a bit. This dish is now one of my go to dishes to serve when that unexpected guess drops in 'I'm ready"!

Who's not a fan of a quick and easy meal well get put your pompoms and bullhorns because this dish is one to cheer about.

Here's what I used:

5 large eggs

2 Tbs. whole milk

8 oz bag Fresh Express spinach

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese + 2TBSP for the top 

1 tsp. Pepper flakes 

***or to desired taste

1/4 tsp. sea salt and 1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper 

***or to desired taste

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/2 onion, chopped

6 slices of a Roma tomato, sliced crosswise

6 TBSP cup whole-milk ricotta

1 TBSP Coconut oil 

1 tsp. garlic powder 

1/4 tsp. dried Basil 

2-3 fresh basil leafs sliced into ribbons

PREHEAT OVEN TO 375°

- Whisk eggs, milk, sea salt, cracked pepper, pepper flakes, garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, and dried basil in a large mixing bowl set aside

- In a medium to large oven proof skillet melt 1TBSP of coconut oil over medium heat, add fresh spinach, cook until wilted, pour into heat proof bowl to cool, once cooked spinach has cooled add to the egg mixture

- In the same skillet add the butter and onions, cook until translucent 3-4 mins

- Add the egg mixture to the skillet of cpoking onions and cook until the eggs begin to set,  occasionally lifting the sides with a spatula to let uncooked egg run underneath, 3 to 5 minute

- Design your Frittata by laying the tomato slices over the eggs and dollop the ricotta around the tomatoes, Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top, then add on the fresh basil ribbons 

- Bake for 10 -15mins or until the ricotta is heated throughly and depending on oven 

***serve with some fresh Dutch crunch bread pan toasted in coconut oil 

ENJOY!!!

Asparagus Margherita pizza with a cauliflower crust

This pizza is made without a flour crust but with a cauliflower crust and I can honestly say, "you will not be disappointed with the flavors, texture, or it's taste...it is truely a delicious alternative to a traditional pizza".

The Margherita pizza is my favorite type of pizza, here in Vallejo there's a place called Napoli Pizza where I first fell in love with the pie. I've tried other pizzas in the past and enjoyed them but now whenever I go to a pizza restaurant the Margherita pizza is the first thing I look for on the menu. When the 'Cauliflower pizza crust' started trending I was very skeptical of its texture thinking it's going to be soggy and gritty or too difficult to make at home.

One day while waiting in an office for an appointment of some sort I just so happen to be scanning through the Dr. Oz ' The good life' magazine and saw the cauliflower crust pizza featured. My interest was sparked because it looked delicious and Dr. Oz highly recommended it on his weekly eating plan, as I was called in for my appointment I ripped the page from the magazine planning it for my up coming week meal plan. Best of all the recipe was easy, simple to do, and quick, with a few changes to the recipe and directions this pizza turned out fabulous.

Here's what you'll need:

《》

* Preheat oven to 425°

~ 4 stalks of asparagus cut into 1" diagonally pieces, white bottoms removed

~ 1 head cauliflower of 2lbs. stem and leaves removed then seperated into florets

~ 1 whole egg lightly beaten 

~ 1egg white lightly beaten

~ 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

~ 1/4 tsp. oregano 

~ 1/2 tsp. sea salt

~ 1/2 cup tomato sauce 

~ 6 oz whole-milk mozzarella sliced 

~ 1/2 TBSP coconut oil or butter

~ fresh basil leafs your desired amount 

~ red pepper flakes 

~ parchment paper lined baking sheet

- working in batches using a food processor or blender in,  pulse the cauliflower until its ground fine and fluffy

- place the grounded cauliflower in a microwavable bowl, cover with plastic wrap, poke a few vent into plastic cover

- microwave on high for 4.5 - 5 mins

- remove plastic, allow cauliflower to rest and cool 

Now:

- pour half of the cooked cauliflower into a clean towel, twist to ring out the moist trying to get all or as much as possible ***the less moist in the cauliflower the crisper the crust will turn out

- add that batch to a mediun size bowl and repeat process with the remaining cooked cauliflower 

 

- To the bowl of cauliflower, add the egg, egg whites,  Parmesan cheese, oregano, and salt then stir well until combined 

- pour the cauliflower mixture onto the prepared baking sheet

- using your fingers, flatten mixture into a 1/4" thick 10 - 12" circle

- bake for 20-25 mins

MEANWHILE:

《》

- in a small sauce bring to a boil 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 TBSP of coconut oil or butter

- add Asparagus, cook covered about 

5 - 8 mins **do not over cook 

- set aside

Now: 

 (depending on  your oven, ***I did 25 mins. and gauged it by the color of the bottom side of the crust and the doness of the top)

- remove crust from oven once done

- flip it over, slather on the the tomato sauce, mozzarella, asparagus, and basil 

- return to oven allow to cook about 10 - 15 mins. more or until cheese has melted 

***the next step was added because I  wanted my crust a bit more crisper, 

- after the pizza was done I removed  the pizza from oven and off the parchment, placed it on small cooling rack, returned it to the over sat the rack and pizza directly in oven , allowed it to cook roughly 5 -8 more minutes

- removed pizza from oven, sprinkle with red pepper flakes, more fresh basil and...

ENJOY!!!

Double fudge Cream cheese Brownies #sodarngood

While still in my 'need to create something with chocolate' mode, my son JoRon called and told me he was coming to town and could I bake him and my grandson Josiah (to which is one of my favorite little people, I swear he gives the bestest hugs) something sweet, so I immediately switched  into 'baker's mode'.

I find myself getting more and more excited about cooking real food or baking sweet treats. My joy comes from seeing people's reaction to the finished dish and their outward satisfaction of tasting the finished dish

My go to cookbook is my Land O'Lake cookbook that I "my chest of treasure". I  normally use it as a baseline for my recipes or reference to a dish but then I add a few of own twist to the mix and voila sweet treats appears.

 

Before the preparation of this amazingly moist Brownie, allow the cream cheese and egg to reach room temperature, and then let the baking begin

You'll need to get ready:

for the Brownie 

~ your oven preheated at 350°

~ 1 cup butter

~ 1oz. unsweetened chocolate  

**(4 squares)

~ 2 cups white sugar

》1 1/2cup AP flour (all purpose)

~ 4 eggs lightly beaten

~ 1 tsp. salt

~ 1 tsp. baking powder 

~ 2 tsp. pure vanilla 

~ 1 cup semi-sweetchocolate chunks 

Make ready for the Filling:

~ 1/4 cup white sugar

~ 2 TBSP butter **room temperature 

~ 3 oz. cream cheese **room temperature 

~ 1 egg

~ 1TBSP AP flour

~ 1/2 tsp. vanilla 

As we all know that 'preparation' is key to success, and in the kitchen its always best to have things cut, chopped, diced, and sliced ahead of time so, let's start by preparing the filling, the chopping the semi-sweet chocolate into chunks.

》 In a medium bowl, using a electric mixer or by hand cream together 1/4cup sugar, 2TBSP butter, and the 3oz. cream cheese

》 add in flour and vanilla, then mix in egg until well combined, set aside

NOW:

》With a sharp knife chop the semi-sweet chocolate into desired chunks to equal 1 cup, set aside

》 line a 13x9" baking pan with enough parchment paper that alow some to hang over, this will make it easy to remove the Brownies from the pan  once cooled

》spray parchment paper with cooking spray, set prepared pan aside

NOW, let's get down to the knitty-gritty

》Begin by adding the 1 cup butter and unsweetened chocolate to a mediun to large saucepan over medium heat

》cook until melted, stirring occasionally to ensure a even melted mixture, remove pan from heat 

》Stir in the rest of the Brownie ingredients *EXCEPT eggs and chocolate chunks

》 **ADD flour into mix in 2 batches 

》mix until combined don't over mix

》add eggs and mix well

》 now, fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chunks 

》pour half the Brownie batter into pan, then pour the cream cheese mixture on top of brownie batter

》 the cream cheese mixture will not totally cover the brownie mixture

》now, pour the remaining brownie mix on top of cream cheese mixture

》 using a wooden skewer make swirling designs in the batter

》**if using a foil pan like I did place the Brownie pan on a cookie sheet for more stability 

》tap pan on countertop to remove as many air bubbles as possible 

》bake for 30 - 35mins **I set my tomer for 30mins then checked for doneness, I  needed to let cook for a full 35mins

》allow to cool, remove from pan, and allow to cool before cutting

》cut into desired size, I would've cut then into bite size and made 3 dozen but I  know my family love their brownies cut into nice sizes

This is my grandson Josiah or 'Jojo' but I call all my grandkids 'Bootz'. His smile is so heart warming, he couldn't wait to taste the Brownie but once he realized the Brownies were for him his smile got even bigger.

ENJOY!!!