Individual Garden Veggie Frittatas

We always have lots of chicken eggs on hand, thanks to our flock of chickens ~ so there is always a place for eggs on the menu for any meal.  Here's one way I like to use them . . .

I love making these individual frittatas, they are delicious, budget friendly (great for using up odds and ends from the refrigerator).  Plus you can assemble them ahead, cover with cling film, place on a tray in the refrigerator for a few hours (or overnight), then just uncover and place them, still on the baking tray in a 325º(F) oven until cooked through, but still a little jiggly in the center; they'll continue cooking a bit when you take them from the oven.


(I didn't include the cream/milk, or salt or pepper in the photo.)


As far as ingredients, almost anything goes. Good time to use up bits and pieces!
These are the ingredients I used this time ~ Rainbow Chard, sliced/chopped into smallish pieces Broccoli, cut into small pieces  Zucchini, quartered and thinly slices Bell Pepper, small dice Chopped Scallions (white & green parts) Julienned sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil A little grated Jarlsberg cheese Some grated Parmesan cheese
Eggs, (about 2 to 3 eggs per person depending upon the size of your ramekins) milk or cream, salt and pepper Optional: Herb/s of your choice.
Just a method! No recipe needed:
Butter ramekins Heat a little olive oil or butter in a small frying pan Add zucchini saute for a minute or two, add small broccoli pieces, stir for another minute or two. Then toss in the chopped Swiss Chard, stir for a moment then cover pan and allow Chard to wilt a bit.
Remove pan from heat, and allow to cool a bit. In a bowl beat the eggs, whisk some whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream. Stir in the cooled, par-cooked veggies, then add the chopped scallions, sun-dried tomatoes, the grated cheeses, fresh or dried herb(s) of your  choice, a pinch of salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper. Stir to combine ingredients, then ladle or pour into the buttered ramekins, filling about 3/4 full.
May cover and refrigerate at this point until you're  ready to bake them off.
To finish ~
Bake on a shallow rimmed baking sheet in a preheated 325º(F)  oven until egg mixture is set around the edges, but remove from the oven while centers are still slightly soft set to avoid a tough frittata.  Serve with salsa or fresh chopped herbs  if desired.



Good hot, or served at room temperature. They are great for breakfast/brunch, lunch or dinner.

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Just a note:
We've switched to uncured bacon. I really like Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked, it's my favorite so far.
(No compensation from the Niman Ranch folks... just my honest opinion.)

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Question!

Along with fresh thyme, the little flowers I used to garnish the plates are from volunteer plants.



They popped up inside of the little heart-shaped garden bed a few years ago. I love them, but I cannot decide if they are Camomile (perhaps Roman?) or Feverfew?
Does anyone have a clue? I would love to know. Thank you in advance if you can help me solve the mystery! 


Thank you for coming by today friends, I hope you are doing well.   xo ~mari

Dark Chocolate Brownie Bites, Double Drenched with Dark Chocolate Ganache (Kahlua is optional)

Only 1.5-inch (38mm) in diameter, the perfect 2-bite portion. These brownies are all dressed up and great with tea/coffee or as a finish to a nice little dinner party.
You can make these in a mini-tartlet pan, but this time I baked the batch  in a 8"x8" square pan with straight sides. When the brownies cooled I used a 1-1/2 inch (38mm) round cookie cutter to cut them, cut as closely as possible to each other. 
You can also just cut them into squares, rectangles or triangles, etc. any size you want. It is just a matter of preference  (they will taste just the same!)



If you are a box-mix brownie person, by all means use your favorite brand.
For the brownies shown here I used THIS recipe  ... it is a favorite of mine. I omitted the nuts to make cleaner cuts with the cookie cutter.
Or you can use the recipe for my signature brownies, which I  posted about way back in 2008.
and you can click below for
a printable copy of the recipe
(Just substitute the Ganache for the icing in the original recipe.)



To drench the brownies in ganache:
When the brownies are cooled and cut, chill them in the refrigerator until cold. (Chilling them helps the ganache to adhere to the brownies.)
Place the chilled brownies on a wire rack  (placed in a rimmed baking sheet, or placed over parchment or waxed paper to catch the  excess chocolate as it drips off.)



Allow the ganache to cool just a bit so it thickens slightly, then spoon the it over the tops of the brownie and allow  it to drip down the sides.  
For even more of a chocolate punch, after the first coating of chocolate sets up slightly, repeat. :o)
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I  used the traditional recipe for Ganache:
9 ounces of Chocolate (I used Scharffen Berger Bittersweet, Dark) and 1 cup of heavy cream.
Use your favorite chocolate for the ganache, I just happen to love dark. In a pinch you can even use chocolate morsels.

 

Serve the brownies just as they are, or decorated any way you like. I added viola blossoms (use organic blossoms and they are completely edible.)
If you give this method a try, I hope you love them as much as we do!




Thank you for stopping by today ~ I would love it if you would leave me a comment so I know you've visited and  I can visit your blog too.

I hope you're having a good weekend everyone.
~mari



  

Italian Chicken Chimichangas ... baked, not fried!

I love this time of year ~ everything in the garden is bursting with fresh new growth, and the tender, fresh basil is abundant ~ practically calling out to be included in many dishes as possible.
This one is a take-off on Mexican Chimichangas, which are usually deep fried. You won't miss the extra fat in this version because the assembled burrito is simply brushed with vegetable oil then baked until the tortilla is flaky and crispy, the filling  heated through ~ and the cheese is oozing . . . Yum!
You can cook chicken specifically for this recipe, or use leftover chicken if you prefer. (Shredded rotisserie chicken works particularly well here.)

Italian-style Chimichangas

So easy to assemble and bake ~
Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat to 425º(F)
Place burrito filling on a flour tortilla (plain white, whole wheat or spinach wrap) :

 Layer in this order:

- Mozzarella cheese directly on the tortilla, then
- a dollop of Ricotta cheese, which has been thinned  slightly with a little milk or cream, then mixed with minced  fresh basil, minced parsley, dried or fresh oregano) salt, pepper (minced garlic-optional)
-A spoonful of marinara if desired (I didn't this time)
- Shredded chicken
Then fold up burrito style, brush outside of each burrito generously  with vegetable oil, with seam side of burrito down,  place on parchment lined rimmed baking sheet, space  one or two inches apart so they brown evenly.
Bake in preheated oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until as crispy and browned as you like.
Serve with your favorite warmed marinara (and pesto sauce if you like) for dipping.

Note: You can assemble these early in the day, (don't brush with oil yet), refrigerate, covered until baking time.   Remove from fridge about 10-15 minutes, then brush with the oil and bake as directed. You may need to reduce oven temp to 400º(F)  and increase baking time by a few minute to  compensate for the cold filling.
Something a little different ~ simple and very tasty!
If you give this one a try, I hope you like it too.


Thank you for coming by for a visit today ~ I love to hear what's on your mind and invite you to leave a comment.
Have a happy week everyone!
~mari

Crispy Garlic-Ginger Chicken

As lots of you know I was born in San Francisco, grew up and spent most of my life just south of SF near Stanford University. Because of its cultural diversity the San Francisco Bay Area  is home to some really fine ethnic restaurants, including   some top quality Chinese cuisine, which I LOVE.
Several years ago when I moved to this area of the Pacific Northwest,   I was dismayed to learn that the Chinese restaurants here are abysmally bad. But my love of Asian inspired food remained (and still remains) as strong as EVER ...  so when we long for Chinese food, I make it myself.  

This is one of my favorites, and I've  posted about it before  (clickable link) ~ 
It is really not difficult to make at all,  and it always  satisfies my craving for Chinese food.
You can get a  printable copy of the recipe over on my recipe blog by clicking here.
Gluten Sensitive? The good news is the coating used for the chicken is made with cornstarch, not wheat flour, so it is naturally gluten free. However the sauce does contain soy sauce, so substitute tamari (verify that it is wheat free.)

I usually serve it with steamed rice and a simple vegetable (this time steamed broccoli.)
If it sounds like something you might like, I hope you'll give it a try!
Do you have a favorite Chinese dish that you make, or that you like to order?
I'd LOVE to hear your favorites!
I'm linking to Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm please come see!
Thank you for stopping by today.

xo~m.

Postcards from the Garden

I so wish I could share the heavenly fragrance of this garden with you!

This was the calm before the storm in the side garden . . .
Below: Climbing Abraham Darby (David Austin English rose) In the far background, growing over the gate Climbing Don Juan

If you have roses, or rose covered garden arches, showers of rose petals are inevitable --unless you're vigilant about dead-heading. (Dead-heading means removing the spent blossoms.)

the weather is usually quite 'changeable' for Memorial Day weekend, and this year was no exception.
Yesterday was a mix of brilliant blue skies, changing to overcast,  some light sprinkles a pattern which repeated throughout the day  . . . then the high winds whipped up in the late afternoon ~ 

David Austin English rose 'climbing 'Eden'. In the background, climbing 'Zephirine Drouhin' (French Bourbon Rose)

which wreaked havoc on the rose arches . . .

Close up, full blown (Eden)

I'm glad I was able to capture a couple of shots of one or two of the rose arches over the path just moments before the wind had its way.
*sigh*
I'm going out now to mend/tieback/clip and do major petal clean-up right now.


I hope you all had a nice long weekend ~ Happy Tuesday!

xo ~mari