spinach feta frittata

trying to find things that are both delicious, nutritious, and finger-food-friendly is sometimes a huge pain in the a$%.  especially last minute.  this frittata is all of those things.  and super-easy.

original recipe from jamie oliver's site

and because he is so relaxed about portions and such, i was as well...and i winged it.  you do need an over-safe frying pan but everything else should be something you already have in your kitchen.

ingredients:

½ a small red onion
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup drained and squeezed chopped defrosted frozen spinach or approximately 9 ounces of fresh spinach (i used fresh, and i probably used more than 9 ounces)
4 large eggs(i used 6)
½ cup crumbled feta cheese freshly 

ground black pepper, to taste

directions:

Peel and finely slice the onion.

Preheat your broiler to high. Pour enough oil into a small 7 to 8 inch ovenproof non-stick frying pan to very lightly coat the bottom (about 1 teaspoon) and put over a medium heat.

Add the onion and cook until just starting to brown. Add the spinach and toss for a minute or two to heat through, then remove from the heat and allow the vegetables to cool slightly. 

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add in the cooled spinach and red onion, followed by the feta and a good pinch of pepper.

Put your pan back on a medium heat and pour in the eggs. Stir around gently with a spatula until you feel the egg start to set at the bottom, then straight away, turn the heat off so the frittata stays half cooked and quite runny.

Carefully place your frying pan under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the frittata is golden and cooked through (check the center with a fork.) Put a plate over the pan and turn over quickly but carefully – the frittata should come right out. Serve hot or cold.

give baby a fork so he can feed himself cause he sure ain't going to let you do it for him.

yummy.  

{and i apologize for the quality of the food pictures, especially the eggs.  i was all about the cooking and not about the photography...just took some shots with my phone.}

found a fish i like

i have been trying to really eat healthy the past few years and even more so as quinn watches (and wants) everything mike and i put in our mouths.  i am not a big fish person, but we all know that fish is healthy, blah blah blah.  i like seafood, just not fish.  so i set out to find some kind of fish i like and an easy recipe to cook it.  

enter cod. 

my mom believes that even if fish is wild-caught right off the coast around here that it is still probably polluted with all sorts of crap, so i found wild-caught atlantic waters frozen cod fillets.

and i found this recipe.

lemon-baked cod

{nope, not my picture...pic from food.com.  but in all honestly, mine did not look that far off from this pretty plate}

ingredients:

1 lb cod fillet

1/4 cup butter (the real thing), melted

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

paprika

directions:

1. 1
   if fish fillets are large, cut into serving pieces.
2. 2
   mix butter and lemon juice.
3. 3
   in another bowl, mix flour, salt and white pepper.
4. 4
   dip fish into butter mixture; coat fish with flour mixture.
5. 5
   place fish in ungreased square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches.
6. 6
   pour remaining butter mixture over fish; sprinkle with paprika.
7. 7
   cook uncovered in 350 degree oven until fish flakes easily with fork, 25-30 minutes. garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon slices if desired.

i served it with fresh green beans sauteed in olive oil with some lemon juice and salt and pepper, some roasted potatoes, and an arugula salad with toasted pine nuts and shaved locatelli cheese.

could not have been easier or more delicious.  quinn gobbled it up.  the dish is sure to become a weekly staple in our house now. yahoo for me eating fish!

lemony shrimp salad with couscous

real simple has the best recipes.  easy, seasonal, and i almost always know what all of the ingredients are.

i intended on making this salad on friday night but then we had a house showing at dinner time and couldn't risk making a mess in the kitchen (yes...our house is still on the market).

so when i came home from work on saturday, mike had whipped this salad up and had a bottle of red wine opened and breathing.  yes...seafood goes better with white wine, blah, blah, blah...i much prefer red though.

lemony shrimp salad with couscous

[recipe and image from realsimple.com]

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 15m | Total Time: 15m

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds cooked peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 1/2 pound snap peas, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Place the couscous in a large bowl. Add 1 cup very hot tap water and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes; fluff with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, snap peas, tomatoes, basil, scallions, oil, lemon zest and juice, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and toss to combine. Serve over the couscous.

zucchini and chicken salad

i have made this a few times now.  always easy and always a hit.  that martha stewart sure knows her stuff.  

check it out:

zucchini and chicken salad

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bunch (about 8 ounces) spinach, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Add zucchini; toss to coat, and let marinate while cooking chicken.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken until golden brown and opaque throughout, about 7 minutes per side. Remove from skillet, and slice thinly.
3. Toss chicken with zucchini mixture, spinach, onion, pecans, Parmesan, and mint. Serve.
   [picture and recipe from martha stewart.com]

heaven and hell

i am worthless the day i come home from working the night before.

completely useless.

i am still in pajamas, glasses on, looking frightful.

so quinn is finally down for the count (wishful thinking) after having what is sure to have been the biggest blow-out in history.

totally jinxed.  quinn just woke up and needed to be rocked to sleep again.  damn.

anyway...mike and i got takeout.  because i am worthless and will not be cooking a thing today.  a little heaven and hell.  a giant cobb salad and sundaes.  i got this one:

i'll let you know how it goes.

yummy.

valentine's day treat

mike loves rice pudding.

so quinn and i decided to make some for valentine's day...with chocolate (ohhhhh, yummy)...courtesy of giada de laurentiis (found here).

1.  start by placing baby in sling or wrap so that both hands are FREE!

2.  gather ingredients:

• 5 cups whole milk
• 2/3 cup Arborio rice (same rice used for risotto)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest (from 1 medium orange)
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract)
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange liqueur
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3.  baby falls asleep after approximately 5 minutes...

4.  create:

In a heavy, medium saucepan, combine the milk, rice, sugar, and orange zest. 

Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean (i used 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract added with the cocoa powder at the end) and add the bean to the saucepan. 

Bring the milk to a boil, stirring occasionally. 

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender and the mixture thickens, about 35 to 40 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the heat and discard the vanilla bean. 

Stir the cocoa powder and orange liqueur into the mixture (vanilla extract added here).

Add the chocolate chips and stir until melted. 

Allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spoon the rice pudding into serving bowls. 

Cover and refrigerate for 2 1/2 to 3 hours and up to 1 day ahead.

5.  enjoy!

smitten list

jr watkins hand lotion

this stuff really has helped my severely dry and chapped hands.  goes on every night before bed.  and it isn't greasy!  love it!

barkeepers friend

this stuff is literally a magic potion.  and i told my sister that with a few excited expletives thrown in.  i had no idea how filthy my bathtub was until i met this stuff.  seriously...this stuff is magic.

nioxin hair care system

i have mentioned before (maybe?) that my hair is falling out in clumps ever since quinn turned three months old.  something about hormones and the hair follicles no longer in the resting stage.  so a friend recommended this product and i have only used it for about two weeks and already notice a difference!  huzzah!

eggs

+

feta cheese

eggs and feta cheese...yum.  throw in some tomatoes and some spinach an you have yourself one of my favorite meals.  delish...

quinn's giggles

please please please ignore how silly i sound.  i am well aware that i have become the type of mother that will do whatever it takes for a smile or laugh.  also...ignore how i look - i had worked all night and definitely looked it!  the best part is that quinn watches the videos of himself on the computer and coos and smiles.  it is adorable!

smitten list

jeans, jeans, and more jeans

i am a jean girl through and through.  i may depart from the jean once in a while but will always come back to this wardrobe staple.  and i have loads of jeans...sevens, rock and republic, true religion, you name it...but sevens have my heart.  would love to pick up this pair...yummy.

a good cup of coffee

i have been limiting my caffeine intake since last new year's day...well-timed as i got pregnant soon after and am now nursing.  so i really enjoy a good cup (or half a cup) of coffee.  i saw giada on the ellen show and she made this fabulous spiced coffee that is just delicious.  i have since made it a few times, topped with whipped cream, and dusted with cinnamon.  i could actually go for a cup right now...

Spiced Coffee with Cinnamon

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

2 cups double strength brewed coffee (Giada's Blend)

Vegan whipped cream (Available at health food stores like Whole Foods) - i used regular whipped cream

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and reduce heat to low. Add the allspice, cinnamon, and ginger and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved.

Take the pan off the heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the spiced syrup to each cup of coffee and stir to combine. (Optional: Top each cup with a dollop of vegan whipped cream.)

Dust with additional cinnamon and serve.

Makes: 4 servings

prague

mike and i travelled all through europe back in 2003 and went to so many fabulous places.  prague was our most favorite city.  it was just magical.  this is a picture of karluv most.  i seriously recommend you visit this amazing city once in your life.  

nibbling quinn's ear

yes, that one right there.  the other one too.  i nibble them all day long.  poor kid!

carrie's blue apartment in sex and the city

i can ALWAYS watch satc.  always.  any time.  any place.  and i fell in love with carrie's apartment in the movie.  love, love, love it.  definitely makes me smitten.

guilty pleasure

mom...look the other way...

this is one of my guiltiest pleasures and i want one...RIGHT. NOW.

chocolate covered s'mores

yummy.