Smoked Ham Frittata with Caramelized Onion & Potato

Who doesn’t love ‘breakfast for dinner’? Simple, easy, delicious. The frittata I made today has a very short ingredient list, proving once again that flavor doesn’t require complexity. The smoky ham and the sweet, caramelized onions pair beautifully with the creamy Yukon gold potato. Top that off with goat cheese and you’ve got pure perfection. You may be thinking: “What is a frittata? I’ve heard that word, but not sure what it is.” A frittata is basically the Italian version of an omelet that’s cooked over a low heat in a skillet until the edges have solidified, finished in the oven or under the broiler. The ingredient list usually includes: eggs, meat, cheese, vegetables or pasta and often includes herbs. The ham I use here is fully cooked, so if you wanted to, you could dice it up and throw it in without the browning step. I love however to get a bit of caramelization on it and really develop those flavors. Since you’re already taking the time to make caramelized onions, you may as well brown up the ham while you wait If you’d like to lighten it up a bit, feel free to use all egg whites and reduce the amount of cheese. Also, if you’re not a fan of goat cheese, you can use any kind you like here. Serve with hot sauce and a green salad.

What You Need:

6 large eggs (or 1 ½ cups egg white)
6 oz smoked ham, diced
1 large onion
1 medium Yukon gold potato
4 oz crumbled goat cheese

¼ tsp salt and pepper, divided (or to taste)
1 Tbs olive oil, plus 1 tsp (divided)
Medium sized oven safe skillet (10”)

What To Do:

Pierce your potato with a fork several times and cook in the microwave on high for about 8 minutes or until fork tender. Cook times may vary here as it depends on how large your potato is (mine was 11 oz). Set aside and allow to cool a bit while you work on the rest of the ingredients.

Thinly slice your onion while you heat 1Tbs oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, carefully add onion to the pan and reduce heat to medium low. Season the onions with 1/8 tsp salt and pepper.

Cook onions over medium low heat for 30 minutes, stirring often. When the onions have about 5 minutes to go, heat up your broiler.

While the onions cook, heat 1 tsp oil in a small skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the diced ham and reduce heat to medium. Cook the ham for about 8 minutes or until well browned, then set aside.

Next you’ll want to cut your potato up into bite sized chunks and set aside.

Season your eggs with 1/8 tsp salt and pepper and beat with a fork or whisk in a small bowl.

Combine potato, browned ham and caramelized onion in the skillet you used for the onions and gently mix so that all the ingredients are well distributed.

Pour your seasoned eggs evenly over the meat and vegetable mixture and top with cheese.

Allow the frittata to cook most of the way on the burner over medium low heat. This will take about 10 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the edges begin to look cooked, but the center is runny.









Transfer the frittata to the broiler to finish cooking. This will only take about 4 minutes, so don’t go far because you’ll want to watch it so the top doesn’t burn. Serve with hot sauce and a green salad.




Serves 4-6

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**Edited to add: here are the nutritional stats for 1/6 of the recipe.**

Bon Appétit!
Mary

My Brother's Pesto Pasta Salad

My little brother David has been making this simple, flavorful salad for years and it’s just so tasty, it’s time to share it with all of you. With just six ingredients, you can make it too. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can make your own pesto sauce, but to stay true to my brother’s recipe (and because I’m still recovering from my injury) I will make it just like he does with the prepared pesto. I cook the pasta in chicken broth for extra flavor, but you could use either well salted water or vegetable broth to keep this recipe vegetarian. When you’re slicing your onion, I suggest making the pieces no longer than the pasta you choose so it makes it easier for your guests to eat. The best part about this recipe is that your measurements don’t have to be exact, just make it to taste. My brother says you can make it a day ahead… just leave out the almonds and cheese until you’re ready to serve it. Take this salad to any summer BBQ and it’s sure to be a big hit. There won’t be any leftovers! This recipe is for a crowd, so feel free to half it for a more manageable portion if you’re not taking it to a party.

What You Need:

1 – 14.5 oz box short pasta (I used penne – Barilla Pasta Plus)
1 – 7oz container pesto (my brother uses Buitoni or Costco’s)
4 oz crumbled goat cheese (or feta if you prefer)
½ cup slivered or sliced almonds (toasted or raw)
½ cup julienne sliced sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, lightly drained
¾ cup or about ½ medium red onion, sliced into small peices (optional or to taste)

What To Do:

Prepare pasta according to packages instructions in salted water or broth.









If you’re going to be eating the salad the same day, combine all ingredients and allow to chill in the fridge until ready to serve. If you’re making this a day ahead, combine all ingredients except cheese and almonds. Refrigerate until ready to serve, mixing in remaining ingredients just before you eat.

Serves 8-10

1 cup is about 289 cal, 13g fat, 3.5g fiber, 10.5g protein, 6g cholesterol

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Bon Appetit!
Mary

Garden Salad with Mango Pineapple Vinaigrette

As my sister and I debated about where we should go for lunch today, I realized I’d much rather throw together a salad at home than drive somewhere and pay 10 bucks. I learned from Rachel Ray that if you combine your favorite jam with a little olive oil and vinegar, you can make a million different variations of white wine vinaigrette. While browsing the wall-o-jam at Mother’s Market last week, I saw mango pineapple jam for the first time and the gears instantly started turning. I added beans to this salad to crank up the protein just a bit. If you’re not a big fan of beans, leave them out or substitute cooked shrimp. If I had an avocado handy, I’d have thrown that on there also for some added creaminess.

What You Need:

1 head romaine, cut into thin strips

1 can mandarin oranges, drained
½ cup beans, rinsed and drained
1 med shallot, thinly sliced
½ cucumber, thinly sliced
½ cup alfalfa spouts
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
4 oz crumbled goat cheese
1 recipe mango pineapple vinaigrette, recipe follows



What To Do:
Divide all ingredients between two plates and serve immediately.


Serves 2 (entrée portions)


Bon Appétit!
Mary





Mango Pineapple Vinaigrette

What You Need:

2 Tbs white wine vinegar

1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs 100% fruit mango pineapple jam
Salt and pepper to taste

What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a small food processor and whirl away until smooth or wisk together by hand. If you find that your dressing is a little too thick, add vinegar ½ tsp at a time until desired consistency. Set aside.

Green Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

This simple salad is great for a light lunch or on a warm summer day. It makes two entrée sized portions or enough for four side salads. I like using Trader Joe’s pre-roasted beets to save time and to avoid heating up the kitchen with the oven. The vinaigrette is very light and tangy. I originally didn’t use the yogurt, but after taste testing, it needed a bit more creaminess. If you’re not big on onions, feel free to leave that out completely or for a more mild onion flavor you could substitute minced shallots. To make this a heartier meal, add some left over roasted chicken or shrimp.

What You Need:

1 head romaine, cut into thin strips

8 pieces asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
2 roasted beets, cut into bite sized chunks
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
2-4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1 recipe orange vinaigrette, recipe follows



What To Do:
Divide all ingredients between two plates and serve immediately.

Serves 2


Bon Appétit!
Mary


Orange Vinaigrette

What You Need:

¼ freshly squeezed OJ (juice from 1 orange)

1 tsp orange zest (optional, but highly recommended)

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbs minced red onion
1 Tbs plain yogurt (2% Fage Greek yogurt recommended)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 tsp honey

What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a small food processor and set aside.  If you don't have a food processor, mince onions as small as possible and combine everything in a bowl with a wisk.