Fathers Day 2013

The Delicious Fritata 

   Of Course today is a very very special day to celebrate our Dads. For our celebration of our Father, we made a Bacon Frittata. A Frittata is an egg dish that can be made with meat or it can be a vegatarian dish. You can also add a variety of different herbs to the Frittata to produce some very wonderful bites. On the side of the Frittata we had a fruit plate consisting of red grapes and strawberries. Also on the side we had a plate of different kinds of pastries from Lucia's bakery in Uptown, Minneapolis. This meal was really good. To cap it off my dad, brother, and I had a glass of orange juice. 
     The recipe for the Frittata is further on in this post. We made a couple of modifications to the recipe. One was that we did not incorporate the potatoes and second was we used Gouda cheese in place Provolone. One thing that I love to do for my Dad, to show him how much I love him, is to cook a special meal for him. 

                     Bacon and Potato Frittata

yield: Makes 4 servings

active time: 35 minutes

total time: 35 minutes

8 large eggs

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, parsley, or tarragon
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, or more to taste, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, or more to taste, chopped
• 2 to 3 cups spinach or arugula, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted peppers, or to taste
• 3 ounces sliced Provolone (5 to 6 slices), optional

• Special equipment: 10-inch heavy ovenproof skillet, preferably nonstick or cast-iron; heat-proof rubber spatula

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preparation

Preheat broiler.

Whisk together eggs, basil, parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a large bowl then pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat.

Add potatoes and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to skillet, and sauté over medium-high heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Cover skillet and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring a few times, until potatoes are just tender, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the potatoes with a slotted spoon to bowl containing the bacon.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and sauté onion and garlic over medium-high heat until pale golden, about 4 minutes, then add spinach and sauté until just wilted.

Gently add the potatoes and bacon, the roasted peppers, and remaining tablespoon oil into onion mixture, spreading it evenly.

Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables and cook over medium-high heat, lifting up cooked egg around edges with a heat-proof rubber spatula to let uncooked egg flow underneath, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until it appears mostly set, with a moist top and center, 3 to 5 minutes more.

Remove lid. If using Provolone, broil frittata 5 to 7 inches from heat until set, but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes, then top with an even layer of cheese and continue to broil until browned and bubbling, 1 to 3 minutes (watch carefully).

If skipping the cheese, broil frittata until the top is lightly browned, 1 to 3 minutes (making sure it doesn't burn).

If using a nonstick skillet, slide the frittata onto a serving plate. If using a cast-iron skillet, cut and serve wedges directly from the skillet.

Spring 2013

           I am so sorry that I haven't been posting  on my blog that much lately. School just ended and I have been trying to get into the summer life mood. During school I was really busy which prevented me from posting on my blog. Thank you for your patience and still wanting to follow my blog. I really appreciate it.
          The State of Minnesota has had a very wet spring. Almost every day we have had at least a small sprinkle of rain or a slight shower. The ground in Minnesota is very wet. Many people and farmers have been effected by this very wet spring. Our CSA farmer has his season delayed about 5 weeks because the ground is so wet. All of the rain has been flooding his land. Most of the vegetables he his growing today are in the green house or in a plant tunnel. The rain has helped our own family's prairie garden start to grow and get full. The good thing is that last year at this time we were in a very severe drought. Tons of rain is better than being in a severe drought for half of the summer. With the drought almost all 10,000 lakes that are in Minnesota were reaching record low water levels. The rain has helped replenish those lakes to where they are as full as can be.
          This summer I am hoping to post more frequently on my blog. I want to post more about the meals our family makes and good healthy summer recipes that you can try. I want to post more grilling recipes - focusing on a variety of meat options. I have become a really good griller. A lot of times people will ask me "What is your favorite meat to grill"? I like to grill a variety of meat. I like to use a different rub or marinade depending on what type of meat I am grilling

. I have even considered entering different grilling contests. If I  do you will definitely see a post on my blog about the contest and my experience.