Vegetable Frittata

This was a last minute dinner thrown together with low expectations, but was such a hit I thought I'd better write it down before I forget.

6 eggs
3 Tablespoons cream (or milk)
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper

3 small yellow potatoes
1/3 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced bell pepper
1 cup chopped spinach
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In medium bowl combine eggs, cream, and spices.

Wash potatoes and pierce with a fork. Cook according to microwave's directions for baked potatoes until soft, then dice. In an oven-proof skillet saute onions and pepper in 2 Tbsp olive oil until onions are translucent. Add spinach and saute until wilted. Turn off heat and add egg mixture and cheese. Stir to combine. Place in oven for about 15 minutes or until eggs are cooked through.

We are this with leftover muffins from the freezer and fresh pears. Not a word of complaint was uttered, and all the food was devoured.

Lemon Sesame Dressing

Liz brought me some coleslaw with this dressing in place of the the stereotypical creamy kind. I licked the bowl clean, and then called for the recipe, made it and ate it with a spoon. Maybe I'm just pregnant, maybe it's just that good.

1/3 c. olive oil (more or less to taste)
Juice from 1 lemon
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
small clove of garlic, crushed (I used powder)
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Combine and serve over salad, veggies, or eat with a spoon.

Spinach Stuffed Rolls

I made my own variation on this Spinach Twist from the Sisters Cafe to rave reviews all around. The boys around here were rather surprised that they liked them so much. Drew commented that it was the bacon and salt that made them so delicious, so I won't tell him that there was no bacon and they were still delicious.

While I have made the original version and liked it I made a few variation this time that I think put them over the top. The original recipe called for 8 oz of cream cheese, but I had half a brick of cream cheese and half a log of goat cheese so that's what I used. I think the goat cheese made all the difference in flavor. I also upped the spinach and decreased the meat. Then I opted for the traditional cinnamon roll style because it is easier than the original twist and caused less trepidation for my kids.

1 pizza crust, rolled into a rectangle
3 oz cream cheese
3 oz goat cheese
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 egg beaten
4 cups fresh spinach
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped ham (I used deli meat)
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cream cheese, goat cheese, basil, rosemary, and egg in a small bowl. Spread over rolled pizza dough. (You may need to soften at half power in the microwave for 30 seconds or so to make spreadable.) Saute onions and mushrooms in butter until translucent. Add spinach and saute until wilted. Add salt and pepper and ham. Spread spinach mixture over the dough. Sprinkle parmesan over top of spinach. Roll up and slice like cinnamon rolls. Place on a lined jelly roll pan and bake for 20-30 minutes.

Cottage Cheese Dip, 2 ways

Grandma LuDean's Garlic Dip

8 oz cream cheese

1 pint cottage cheese

1 T mayo

dash Worchestersire sauce

salt to taste

1 small clove garlic (or 2 or 3)

1 tsp onion juice (or minced onion)

chives if desired

Mix all ingredients in a food processor. Process until desired consistency is reached.

Uncle Mike's Crab Dip

8 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup diced onion

1 pint cottage cheese

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp lemon juice (or to taste)

1 can crab

1 T mayo

1 tsp Worchestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients in a food processor. Process until desired consistency is reached.

Aunt Laura's Raspberry Jello

6 oz Raspberry Jello
2 C boiling water
1 C apple sauce
small container (pint?) frozen sweetened raspberries

In large bowl pour boiling water over Jello. Stir in apple sauce and berries until berries are defrosted. Pour in to a Jello mold, if desired, and chill until set.

Spinach Pear Cranberry Salad

Recipe Copied from Epicurious


Dressing

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper

• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 8 cups lightly packed fresh baby spinach leaves, stemmed if needed
• 2 firm but ripe Bosc pears (do not peel), quartered lengthwise, cored, and cut into long, thin slices
• 2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted (see Cook's Notes) and chopped (I've used pecans and walnuts)

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preparation

To make the dressing, in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover tightly and shake vigorously to blend. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside.

Place the onions in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Let stand for 30 minutes. This crisps the onion and takes away the raw onion taste. Drain well and pat dry on paper towels.

In a small bowl, toss the cranberries with 2 tablespoons of the dressing to soften them. Set aside for at least 20 minutes or until ready to serve the salad.

To assemble the salad, place the spinach, onions, and pears in a large bowl. Give the remaining dressing a last-minute shake and pour over the salad. Toss to coat evenly. Arrange the salad in a large serving bowl or divide it evenly among 8 salad plates. Scatter the cranberries and hazelnuts over the top(s). Serve immediately.

Cook's Notes
Try to buy shelled hazelnuts (also called filberts) with the brown, papery skins removed as well. To toast, spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a preheated 375°F oven. Toast for about 12 minutes until lightly browned. If the nuts still have the skins on, transfer them while they’re hot to a clean kitchen towel. (Use a clean towel that is old or you don’t mind washing with bleach, because the skins tend to discolor the fabric.) Rub the nuts to remove most of the skins (they never come completely off).

You can substitute unsalted cashews for the hazelnuts. Toast cashews, as directed above for hazelnuts, for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned.

Do AheadThe dressing can be made up to 1 day in advance, covered tightly, and refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before serving. The nuts can be toasted up to 1 day in advance; store at room temperature in an airtight container. The onions and cranberries can be prepared up to up to 4 hours in advance. Set aside at room temperature.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spinach-Salad-with-Bosc-Pears-Cranberries-Red-Onion-and-Toasted-Hazelnuts-355430#ixzz1cOqOrwyH

Curried Butternut and Pear Soup

I loved this version of butternut squash soup. I liked that it leaned more to the spicy side than the sweet. The recipe is taken from here.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs butternut squash (raw weight), about 1 large or 2 small
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root (I used bottled)
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (or less depending on saltiness of your broth)
• 4 cups broth (as always, I used my favorite vegetable broth concentrate)
• 2 firm ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch dice
• 1/2 cup whole milk, or half and half, or cream (I used milk

Directions

1. Prepare squash. Cut squash in half lengthwise, remove and discard seeds and stringy stuff. Roast at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until tender. You can alternately cook this in the microwave in a glass casserole dish with 1 inch of water at the bottom, for 10-15 minutes on high, until tender. Or, place it in a crock pot for 4-6 hours. When squash is tender scoop out flesh and reserve for soup.
2. Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, and salt. Cook and stir until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the pears and squash. Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes.
3. Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender. Puree in batches until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, stir in the milk. Reheat if needed.