Frittata

This is my favorite recipe for brunch eggs. It's almost totally technique-free (unlike an omelet), feeds several people at once, stays just as good as it cools (unlike fried or scrambled eggs), requires zero maintenance as it cooks, and it's lighter than a quiche or strata (no buttery crust or carbs). Once you get the basics down, feel free to improvise with the filling.

Preheat the oven to 400. Slice up two shallots and soften them in a oven-safe skillet (no non-stick!) with some butter and olive oil. I bought too many mushrooms earlier this week, so I threw them in along with the shallots. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper.

While the shallots cook down, whisk six eggs with 1/2 cup of milk. Pour over the shallots and evenly distribute your vegetables/cheese/herbs/meat. For this morning, I used a pint of cherry tomatoes that I roasted in the oven the night before, basil, and smoked mozzarella. Without stirring, let the eggs cook over the stovetop until the edges start to set. Move the skillet into the oven.

 

Bake for 10 minutes or so until the center is set. Remove from oven and let the frittata sit for five minutes before serving.

Pan Fried Chinese Dumplings

This is a prep post for cooking your dumplings with a nice crisp and a cool presentation. I used Costco Ling Ling frozen dumplings.

Lay your dumplings in a radial manner on a frying pan.

Add water up to half the side of the dumpling.

Add a tablespoon of oil.

Turn on high heat.

Cover 10 minutes.

 Uncover and evaporate all the liquid.

When the liquid is gone, give it about 2 minutes to crisp the bottom.

Shake up the pan (with love!) to loosen all the dumplings.

Put your serving plate face down, over the pan.

Flip the dumplings onto your serving plate.

Serve with sauces.

Polynesian Mahi Mahi

 Asian marinade + Texmex salsa = Fusion 

The fish is rubbed with curry powder and marinated in sesame oil, soy sauce, and white wine vinegar. Pan fry each side 5 min on medium heat.

Served on a torta roll with a side of salsa.

Crepes

For a while, I was very impressed by crepes. I figured that you needed special equipment, special ingredients, special French ancestry to produce these tasty, thin pancakes. I was so enamored that I actually would shell out up to $15 on an order of handcrafted crepes. Well, not anymore. Crepes can now join the club of breakfast items that I will no longer buy because I can make them.

1 cup of flour. 2 eggs. 1/2 cup each of milk and water. 2 tbsp of butter. Pinch of sugar and salt. Mix it all together and cook. Sure, there some minor details, like whisking the eggs, melting the butter, adding ingredients gradually in order, but that's all the ingredients you need. Chances are, you can make this right now.

So this is my 10th and favorite crepe. There are two stages that require troubleshooting.

1) the initial pour: Get a nice ladle that holds about a half cup of batter. Lightly oil the largest frying pan you have. Wait until the pan is at medium heat. Holding the pan in one hand and the ladle in the other, add the batter quickly to the center and swish the pan around so you have a thin coat across the entire surface. You will know if you are too slow or if the pan is too hot because the batter will not spread, bubbling up in place.

2) the flip: First, you shake the pan until the whole crepe loosens. Watch for the top to harden to know when it's ready to flip. From here, there are a few ways that this could work. You can grab it with both hands and manually flip it over, away from you. Some people can handle the heat. I got burned.

Alternatively, you can use a chopstick like object, slide it under, along the diameter. Lift up until the crepe folds, then drop it back down on the flipside. Depending on the lip of your frying pan, this can be tough.

Easy topping ideas: lemon juice, maple syrup 

Light drizzle

Fold twice. Serve (topped with powdered sugar).

Alternatively, you can make it savory with avocado and spicy Italian sausage. Future plans: smoked salmon and brie, ham and cheese, nutella/honey with bananas.

Chicken Caprese Salad

Ok last one, I promise! Same ingredients, separate meals. The only thing I did differently was adding lemon juice to the dressing.

Caprese Chicken Sandwich

Torta bread, medium toasted. Slice open and spread garlic hummus on both halves.

Top with one chicken breast, mozzarella, tomato and basil. Dress with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt pepper.

Caprese salad and strozapreti w/chicken

Tomatoes, mozzarella, basil. Can be prepared in advance. Just before serving, finish it off with a dressing of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Pasta, cook in boiling water for 5 minutes, toss in pan with sauce on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add pasta water to keep moist.

Butterfly chicken breasts, dry rub Susie Q, place on range at 325 for 5 minutes, flip for 3 minutes.

Chop parsley right before plating.

Assemble

Dessert: greek yogurt, honey, fruit and a cookie