Simple By Cindy

Summer Squash Frittata

Jun. 20
2016

When I came across this frittata recipe, I fell in love with the ingredients and couldn’t wait to try it.

A frittata is an egg-based Italian dish, similar to a quiche or an omelet. It resembles a pancake and consists of vegetables, eggs, and cheese. It can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.

Preparing a frittata has many benefits. It is a great way to use up and left-over vegetables, it is large enough to serve many people, and can be eaten hot or at room temperature.

You will need a cast-iron or oven-safe skillet. It is so easy to make, it can be whipped up in no time. It’s perfect for the evenings when you just don’t know what to make for dinner.

This recipe is outstanding. It is light and airy, yet satisfying and delicious. Change the vegetables to the ones you have at home if you prefer. I found the combination of leeks and zucchini to be scrumptious. The addition of the quinoa gives it a flavorful texture. I know you will love this recipe.

This recipe is courtesy of Alana Chernila”s “The Homemade Kitchen”. It will serve 4-6 people.

Ingredients for the Summer Squash Frittata

3 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups chopped leeks (1-2 leeks, using all the white and most of the green)
1 1/2 tbsp. finely chopped shallot (about 1 shallot)
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups paper-thin sliced zucchini or summer squash (1 medium zucchini)
6 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups cooked grains such as millet, rice or quinoa
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
1 cup grated or crumbled cheese (Cheddar, Swiss, Jack, or feta cheese)

Preheat the oven to 400.

Heat a 10-12 inch ovenproof skillet or frying pan over medium heat.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil for a minute, then add the leeks. Cook, stirring often, until soft and aromatic, about 5 minutes.

Add the shallot, salt and zucchini and continue to cook until the zucchini is soft and translucent, another 5-7 minutes.

Squash frittata shallots, salt and zuccchini

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Whisk together the eggs and milk in a large mixing bowl.

Fold in the grains, basil and cheese, as well as the leek mixture.

Wipe out the skillet, then use a clean paper cloth or paper towel to rub it with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.

Transfer the contents of the mixing bowl back to the skillet and bake for 20 minutes, until the egg is firm and doesn’t ooze when you cut it in the center.

Sqaush frittata contents back in skilltet

Switch the oven setting to broil and brown the top of the frittata for a few closely watched minutes under the broiler.

It’s that simple!

Asparagus A La Parmigiana

Jun. 17
2016

I love eggs, especially with vegetables. I love the way the runny yolk gets into every crevice and yummy bite.

Eggs in vegetable dishes are more popular in Italy and France, but they are slowly making their way into the American cuisine as well. When I see it on a menu, I order it. It is these little things that make me so happy.

While browsing through my cookbooks, I came across this recipe by Andrew Cardellini from his “Urban Italian” cookbook. I love the easy and comfortable tone to his writing, as well as the information he provides about each of his recipes.

When I saw this one with the asparagus and runny eggs, it was a done deal for me. I had to make it.

This recipe was scrumptious! Fantastic, delectable, mouth-watering and delightful—- enough said.

Trust me, this recipe is fast and easy. Just measure all your ingredients before you begin. The whole process will take no time at all. This recipe didn’t indicate the number of servings, but I would estimate that it serves about 4 very satisfied people.

Ingredients for the Asparagus Parmigiana

1 bunch asparagus (about 16 stalks)
1 tsp melted butter or extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to coat the pan
a generous pinch of salt (about 1/2 tsp. or more)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
4 eggs
2 tbsp. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tbsp. breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs
a generous drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Place a large pot of salted water on stove. Bring to a boil.

Trim about 2 inches off the bottom of the asparagus. (If you really want to be fancy, you can peel the stalks with a carrot peeler).

Blanch the asparagus in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until the color intensifies.

Prepare a bowl with ice water.

Remove the asparagus and place into ice water to immediately stop the cooking process.

Set your oven rack one notch below the top and turn the oven to broil.

Coat the bottom of a long pyrex or earthenware oven-friendly casserole with melted butter, or olive oil using a pastry brush.

Lay the asparagus in the casserole, making sure the pieces are placed tightly together with no spaces in between. (otherwise the egg will run through instead of browning over the asparagus.)

Use a pastry brush to glaze the asparagus with melted olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle the thyme and rosemary on top. Be generous with the herbs and seasonings; they are important to the dish’s flavor, so make sure every piece of asparagus gets its share.

Crack the eggs and put directly over the asparagus.

Sprinkle the cheese over the entire dish.

Place the casserole in the oven and broil for 2 minutes. The egg whites should be fluffy white with brown specks, but the yolks should still be runny when cut.

Remove the asparagus from the oven and drizzle a small amount of balsamic vinegar over the top.

Serve immediately in the baking dish.

It’s that simple!

Zucchini with Anchovies and Capers

Jun. 15
2016

I am not a great lover of zucchini. It always seems tasteless, with a mushy texture. But, during the spring and summer there are so many wonderful zucchini recipes that I decided to give it another try.

The following are some relatively unknown facts about zucchini:

Zucchini is a summer squash that is super healthy and rich in antioxidants. The darker the squash, the more nutrients it has. There is a high water content in zucchini, that makes them low in calories. These calories contain very few simple sugars and no white sugars (the bad kind) making it a power food for people who are mindful of their caloric intake.

You should wash your zucchini before using it, but do not peel them; most of the nutrients are in the skin.

Of course I was drawn to this recipe because it had anchovies and capers in it. I love anything with these two ingredients.

This recipe is wonderful. My family loved it and even had the leftovers the next day.

Hmm? I think I like it!

This recipe is courtesy of Lydia Bastianich. I think she converted me! It will serve 6 .

Ingredients for Zucchini

2 1/2 pounds small zucchini
6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 plump garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
6 anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup drained small capers

Trim the ends off the zucchini, and slice them into 1/4-inch sticks, 2-3 inches long.

Pour the olive oil into a large skillet, and set it over medium heat. Toss in the garlic cloves and cook for a minute or so, until sizzling, (be careful not to overcook the garlic), then drop the chopped anchovies into the pan.

Cook, stirring, for about a minute or two, until the anchovies melt in the oil.

Scatter the zucchini sticks in the skillet, and toss to coat.

Season with salt and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini are cooked through, limp and lightly caramelized.

Finally, toss in the capers and cook another minute or two to blend the flavors.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

It’s that simple!

Old-Fashioned Crumb Cake

Jun. 13
2016

Oh my! This is definitely the best Crumb Cake I have ever tasted. It is as light as air, delicate and so addicting.

It is an old recipe (which is evident by the use of vegetable shortening), but the result is a very light and fluffy cake topped with a scrumptious butter and sugar-crumb mixture. It is everything a crumb cake should be and much more. It is filled with fresh blueberries that add an additional yummy flavor and texture.

There are a few things I did change. I added only 1/4 cup of vegetable shortening. I would also double the crumb-topping and add more blueberries. You need to get one in every bite.

This is another fantastic recipe courtesy of Marcy Goldman. I do not want to mess with her recipe though, so my suggestions are just options you may want to know. All of her recipes are wonderful, and I am so happy to share this one with you. It is a “keeper” for sure.

Ingredients for Old-Fashioned Crumb Cake

For the Cake:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup of vegetable shortening (I used 1/4 cup)
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries ( I used 2 cups)

For the Crumb topping: ( I doubled the following):

1/3 cup of confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
2-4 tbsp. unsalted butter or margarine; melted

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan, or two 9 by 9-inch square pans, or two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans.

For the cake:

In a large bowl, cream the sugar with the butter and shortening.

Add the eggs, one at a time, until well-blended.

Add the vanilla.

For the next set of ingredients, the recipe says to fold them in, howeverI used the paddle attachment of my mixer and it worked well.

Change the attachment of your blender to the paddle and add the flour, salt, cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder.

As the batter is being mixed, slowly pour in the buttermilk.

Gently fold the blueberries in by hand.

Place into pan.

For the crumb topping:

In a small bowl, toss the confectioners’ sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg with the melted butter. Use your judgement on this, if mixture does not seem crumbly, add more sugar and flour until you get the right consistency. I doubled these ingredients to get enough to top entire cake.

Sprinkle rubs over cake batter.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the cake seems firm to the touch. Cool completely, in or out of pan, before serving.

It’s that simple!

Baked Dijon Salmon

Jun. 10
2016

This is a perfect recipe for salmon. It is light, healthy and most importantly, fast and easy.

When buying salmon, you may want to stay away from the farm-raised brand. They are fed with chemicals and antibiotics. Some farm-raised salmon are raised on farms that use more sustainable methods, but you can never be sure. Farmed salmon contains much more fat than wild salmon, and has far less healthy omega-3 fats. Buying wild salmon may be a little more expensive, but is a much more healthy choice.

This method of making salmon has become my favorite. It has a sweet and tangy glaze that is topped with a delicious combination of breadcrumbs and pecans. At first, I was reluctant to use the pecans, but I was happy I did. They provided this yummy crunch that made each bite scrumptious.

This is a wonderful way to prepare salmon. It comes out flavorful, juicy and flaky. I will definitely make this again and again. Make it for your family or company, they will love it!

This recipe is courtesy of Giada DeLaurentis and provides 4 luscious servings.

Ingredients for the Baked Dijon Salmon

1/4 cup butter, melted
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tbsp. honey
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped pecans
4 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
4 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 wedge of lemon, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400.

In a small bowl, stir the together butter, mustard and honey. Set aside.