breakfast frittata...or a quiche without a crust..whatev

Ingredients:
1 brick of chopped frozen spinach, thawed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (or, if you pre-chopped, about 1 cup of onion)
1 large clove garlic, minced (about 1tbsp)
9 large eggs (and you’ll use the yolk too!)
2 tbsp milk
½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
3 oz goat cheese (I didn't use this because I don't like goat cheese)

Method:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Drain spinach and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and parmesan cheese. Once combined, add in sun-dried tomatoes and salt and pepper. In a skillet, sauté onions in olive oil on medium heat (about 2 minutes, or until translucent), add minced garlic and sauté for one more minute. Add spinach. In a pre-greased muffin pan, or 8 x 11 pan add spinach mixture to fill cups about one-third to half-way. Pour egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle goat cheese over the top of each “muffin” and put in the oven for 10 minutes or until egg mixture appears puffy and golden. Remove from oven and enjoy!

sausage n' cabbage "noodles" and fried apples

I tried this with ground turkey because I didn't have pork..still good..plan to try pork next time...from everydaypaleo blog/website

Sausage N’ Cabbage “Noodles”

1 lb mild Italian pork sausage or other ground meat of your choice

1 red onion, thinly sliced

½ head or 5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage

2 tablespoons grass fed butter (or ghee, or coconut oil)

½ teaspoon caraway seeds

½ teaspoon paprika

Fresh ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

In a large skillet brown the sausage. Once the sausage is fully cooked, remove it from the pan and set aside. Add the butter to the same pan with the sausage drippings and add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions start to brown a bit. Add the cabbage and cook for another 7-10 minutes or until the cabbage is soft and “noodle-y.” Add the sausage back to the pan, add the spices, mix well and serve! Serves 4.

Fried Apples

3-4 small organic apples, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

2 tablespoons coconut oil

¼ cup raisins

½ tablespoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons canned full fat coconut milk

In a medium sized saute pan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the apples and saute for about 5 minutes or until they start to soften. Add the raisins and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add the cinnamon, mix well and add the coconut milk. Stir the coconut milk in with the apples just until warm and serve. Serves 4.

Chicken Fajitas

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

http://annies-eats.net/2010/05/03/grilled-chicken-fajitas/

Ingredients:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
6 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp. brown sugar
1 jalapeño, seeded, ribbed and diced
1½ tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
¾ tsp. pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied (6 halves total)
1 large red onion (about 14 oz.), sliced into ½-inch thick slices, rings not separated (or sweet onion)
2 large bell peppers (about 10 oz. each), stemmed, quartered and seeded
8-12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, 4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, salt and pepper. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade; set aside. Place the chicken breast halves in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Brush both sides of the onion rounds and peppers with the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.

For a gas grill, light all burners to high, cover and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave one burner on high and turn the rest down to medium.

Remove the chicken breast halves from the marinade and transfer to the hotter side of the grill; discard the left over marinade. Place the onion rounds and peppers on the cooler side of the grill. Cook the chicken until it is well browned, 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, flip the chicken and continue grilling until it is no longer pink inside (or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160˚ F.)

Meanwhile, cook onions and peppers until spottily charred and crisp-tender, about 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice as needed. When the chicken and vegetables are done, transfer them to a large plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

In 2 or 3 batches, transfer the tortillas in a single layer to the now empty grill on the cooler side. Cook until warm and lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side. When the tortillas are done, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or foil.

Separate the onions into rings and place them in a medium bowl. Slice the bell peppers lengthwise into ¼-inch strips and add them to the bowl with the onions. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved unused marinade and toss well to combine. Slice the chicken into ¼-inch strips and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of reserved marinade in another bowl. Arrange the chicken and vegetables on a large platter with the warmed tortillas and serve.

Note: Have toppings prepped ahead of time. When grilling and then quickly cutting the vegetables and chicken afterward, it’s fast work. Keeping everything covered with foil or wrapped in foil keeps all parts of fajitas hot during meal.

Brie & Chive Biscuits

Another Real Simple find from the November issue. I substituted a combo of cheddar and mozzarella for the brie. Also, doubled this recipe for our group and we ate every last biscuit!

Serves 16| Hands-On Time: 15m | Total Time: 35m

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for the work surface
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 6 ounces Brie, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces (including the rind)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
3. Add the butter and, using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut in until crumbly. Add the Brie and chives and toss to combine. Add the buttermilk and stir just until moistened (do not overmix).
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead it a few times to bring it together. Gently shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter (or a small glass), cut out 16 biscuits (flouring the cutter and reshaping the scraps as necessary). Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes.

Spiced Pumpkin Cake

I got this recipe from the Real Simple magazine November issue.

Serves 12| Hands-On Time: 20m | Total Time: 4hr 00m

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for the pan (I did use cake flour, a "secret" of my great aunt's cakes and I think it made a difference)
  
• 5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (1 1⁄2 cups)
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the pumpkin puree, milk, and molasses (the mixture may appear curdled). Reduce the mixer speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined (do not overmix).
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. In a bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cake. Let set before serving.

Bobotie

Here's the recipe for the South African dish, bobotie, we ate on Sunday night. Glad you guys liked it! Remember, the chutney is key and brings a really nice addition to the flavor.

2 T butter
1 c. onion, minced
1 lb ground meat (I used turkey)
2 slices of white bread, soaked in milk
1 apple, diced
2 T curry powder
1/2 c. raisins
2 T slivered almonds
2 T lemon juice
2 eggs
1/2 t turmeric
6 bay leaves
1/2 c. milk

Melt butter in saucepan. Add onion and saute. Add apple and cook for one minute. Add meat (I cook it before adding it to the mix). Squeeze excess milk from bread, tear up and add to the pot. Add curry, raisins, almonds, lemon juice, 1 egg, and tumeric. Stir well.

Place in 9x13 baking dish. Place bay leaves vertically in the casserole. Bake @ 325 for 40 minutes and remove from oven. Mix 1 egg and milk, pour over top. Bake 15 minutes more. Remove bay leaves before serving over rice.

*I tripled the recipe for our dinner and we were left with about 7-8 servings after everyone ate.

crockpot pumpkin spice lattes

--2 cups milk
--2 T canned pumpkin
--2 T white sugar
--2 T vanilla
--1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spiceOR: 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and a teeny tiny pinch of ground ginger
--1/2 cup brewed espresso or 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
--garnish with whipped cream (optional)

The Directions.This will make enough for 2 people to have a big mug with a bit leftover. If you are having friends over, adjust the recipe accordingly. I used a 4-quart crockpot, but as small as a 1.5 quart will work with these amounts.Add the coffee/espresso and milk to the crockpot. Whisk in the pumpkin, spices, sugar, and vanilla.Cover and cook on high for 2 hours if everything is cold. Whisk again.Ladle into mugs, and garnish with whipped cream and additional cinnamon.