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Friday, December 13, 2024

ChezCindy: Individual Mini Frittatas

 


Frittatas are a great way to serve eggs for breakfast or brunch.  These are individually baked in a muffin pan so everyone gets their own.  Perfect for breakfast with the family or brunch for a crowd.  

In this recipe I use onion, mushroom, and parsley as the filling ingredients.  But the filling can be changed to make it your own.  Consider using diced sweet potatoes, poblano peppers, and cilantro, or asparagus, leeks, and prosciutto, or hash browns, crumbled sausage, and rosemary.   

The frittatas can be made the day before serving.  Once cooled, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.  The next day, reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  


Individual Mini Frittatas
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided  
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
4 ounces baby bella mushrooms, chopped small
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
4 ounces fontina cheese, grated or diced small
8 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
4 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil leaves and cherry tomatoes for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Brush a standard 12-cup muffin tin with 1 tablespoon olive oil, including the top of the pan.  Set aside.

Place a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Add the diced onions, minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, stirring to combine, cooking for 2-3 minutes until soft.  Add the chopped mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, cooking for another 2-3 minutes.  Turn off the heat, allow to cool.  When cool, stir in the chopped parsley.  Divide the mixture among the 12 muffin cups, about 1 tablespoon in each muffin cup.  Top the mixture with the grated fontina cheese, about 1 tablespoon per each muffin cup.  Set aside.

In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, add the eggs, whisking to combine.  Add in the half-and-half, and 1 teaspoon salt, whisking to combine.  Pour the egg mixture evenly over the filling in each muffin cup, filling to nearly the top.  Sprinkle each with a small amount of grated Parmesan cheese.  

Bake the frittatas for 18-20 minutes until puffed and lightly browned on top.  Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, using an offset spatula to remove the frittatas onto a serving platter.  Garnish with fresh basil and halved cherry tomatoes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  



Thursday, December 5, 2024

ChezCindy: Tomato Bruschetta

 



Sometimes we forget how delicious simple ingredients are when added together.  Even when we can no longer get summer farm tomatoes, most always, a gorgeous hearth-baked bread is available to lift this tomato bruschetta to next level.  

Because the ingredients are so few, it is recommended to use your best extra virgin olive oil, a beautiful loaf of ciabatta bread, and coarse-flaked sea salt.  


Tomato Bruschetta
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, basil, oregano, and/or thyme
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus more for serving
Pinch of red pepper flakes
4 Roma tomatoes or 1-pint cherry tomatoes
1 12-ounce loaf ciabatta bread
1-2 garlic cloves

Add the olive oil, chopped herbs, salt, and pepper flakes to a small bowl, whisk to combine.  Dice the tomatoes into small pieces, placing them into a bowl and set aside.  

Cut the bread into 1/2" thick slices.  Toast the bread in a hot cast iron pan, or over hot grill grates, flipping over once until both sides are slightly charred on the edges and well toasted.  Transfer the toasted bread to a cutting board, rubbing each slice with the garlic cloves.  

Top each toasted bread with a generous spoonful of chopped tomatoes, a spoonful of herbed olive oil, and a sprinkling of sea salt.