Mushroom, Pepper, and Potato Frittata

This is a wonderful and easy dish to make for company, a quick dinner, or to use up leftovers from the fridge. Feel free to swap out the ingredients for what you have; add spinach, veggies, cooked meat, etc. Also warms up great the next day in the toaster oven!

Mushroom, Pepper, and Potato Frittata
serves 6


Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
2-3 red bliss potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 pepper thinly sliced
1 clove garlic minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
5 large eggs
5 large egg whites
1/2 cup whole flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a medium (10-inch) nonstick oven proof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion, potato, and peppers; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Cover skillet, and cook 10 minutes; uncover. Add garlic and cook, tossing mixture occasionally, until onion and potato are tender, about 5 minutes.


Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, parsley leaves, with salt and pepper to taste.
Add remaining tablespoon oil to vegetables in skillet. Pour egg mixture into skillet. Cook on stove, over low heat untouched for 2 minutes. Cook for about 10 minutes longer, lifting mixture a few times around the edges with a spatula to let egg flow underneath. Continue cooking until frittata is almost set in center.

Heat broiler with rack set 4 inches from heat.Sprinkle cheese over the top of the frittata. Place skillet under broiler; broil until frittata is set and top is lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Run a clean spatula around edges to loosen, then slide frittata out onto a serving plate, and cut into wedges.Serve with a mixed green salad and fruit.

Shrimp Corn Chowder

Is the winter's storms getting you down? Need something warm to cuddle up with while you celebrate not having to work? I have just the winter dinner for you to try! Its easy to make (always good when you want to couch it on your day off) and inexpensive! While I would usually freeze soups that yield this amount, this one doesn't freeze well, so make sure you are in the mood for several corn chowder lunches!

Shrimp Corn Chowder
makes 8 servings


Ingredients
1/2 sweet yellow onion, small dice
1 large or two small Idaho potatoes, 1 inch dice
2 cans no-salt-added creamed corn
1 Cup milk (do not use skim, but any other percentage will work)
2 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp fresh or 1/2 Tbsp dried parsley
4-5 raw shrimp per serving 


Place onions and potatoes in a pan and just cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove lid and salt, cooking about 10 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Add both cans of creamed corn and heat through. Add the milk and butter and heat again, do not let this boil. Once the chowder is hot through taste and adjust your seasoning. 


Because there are only two people in my house hold I will not add the shrimp to the whole batch of chowder, I will cook it in individual servings. Peel the shrimp and rough chop them into 1/2 inch pieces. While chowder is hot and ready to serve stir in the amount needed for servings and let cook about 3 minutes, til opaque and pink. Garnish with parsley. 

You always want large pieces of lettuce for a Caesar salad

I served this up tonight with a big Caesar salad. My quick trick for croutons is to use up any crackers or left over bread you have hanging around. I used a focaccia cracker broken into smaller pieces. If you want to make your own croutons toast cubes of day old bread sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, pepper, and garlic. I have not attempted my own dressing, maybe later this year!

Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup

Bah, November...I have not seen the sun in almost 5 days. It is cold and cloudy, and I am cranky! The best remedy for this is a pot of homemade soup and bad movies on the couch! This is one of my new favorite recipes! Its plentiful, easy to make, and CHEAP! Thanks to The Kitchn for posting it last year!

Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup
1 head garlic
1 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme
3 cups chicken stock
1 large white potato, peeled and diced
1 inch cube Parmesan or small piece of Parmesan rind
1 cup milk (2% or whole is best)

Heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the top off your garlic and place on a piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil, and wrap foil up around it. Roast for 40 minutes, or until the cloves are very soft. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Before Roasting...

Delicious Goodness!

Melt the butter in the bottom of a saucepan. Add onion and thyme to the saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the stock and potato. Squeeze half the garlic cloves out of their skins and into the soup. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until potato is very soft. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup or use a regular blender. Return to heat and stir in the milk. Cook until just heated through. Taste and season with additional garlic or salt as desired. This serves 4-6 depending on bowl size.

And now, I am on the couch not feeling so grumpy, thanks soup and pizza!