Eating on Jitneys

Both fortunately and unfortunately I am busier than I have ever been in my life.  Which is why the last few posts have been really few and far between.  I have barely even been cooking anything interesting, besides trying to replicate the most delicious deviled eggs known to mankind: the deviled eggs at The Velvet Hour.  If you live in Chicago, please go.  I can’t stress this enough.

So lately I have been spending most of my waking moments either at school baking and cooking or thinking about baking for the farmer’s market.  I even dream about this stuff.  Flavor combinations, packaging, logo design…etc.  If anyone reads this blog anymore (and I promise it will get great again), please tell me: what is your favorite spring/summer/fall flavor combination?

Lastly, does anyone know anyone that owns chickens in the city?  It’s totally legit.  In Chicago, you can even have “unlimited chickens” as long as you are using them for eggs or playmates.  Ahhh eggs.

I have been really self-conscious about my food photos lately.  Sometimes if I’m lucky I’ll get a good one, but more often than not my pictures make my food look gross/soupy/yellowish/bland. The same is true for this one, but tonight I am feeling brave. I don’t care that the melted cheese looks like uncooked egg whites, or that the shot is slightly out of focus. This frittata tasted so good I really don’t care. Plus, words about food without pictures of food are boring.  Here, don’t barf!

I highly recommend baking a frittata when you feel like having eggs for dinner. I made this in a little iron skillet because I didn’t want a ton of leftovers, so these instructions will make one, one and a half, or two servings, depending on how much you eat in one sitting.

My friend made an awesome frittata a while back that used potatoes as a base layer, so I copied. Thanks Ellen!

Mini Baked Frittata
1/4 cup red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic
olive oil
1 small red (new) potato, thinly sliced
1/2 cup asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced (I used crimini but that’s only because that’s what I already had)
1 tomato, diced (or you might want to use cherry tomatoes)
Mozzarella, or goat cheese, to taste (I used about 7 small balls of mozzarella)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
3 eggs
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sautee the garlic and onion in some olive oil for about 5 minutes in a small cast iron skillet. Leave about a quarter of the garlic/onion mixture at the bottom of the skillet, layer the bottom of the skillet with potato slices (cutting them further so that they will fit), and spread the other 3/4 of the garlic/onion mixture on top of the potatoes.

Layer the asparagus, mushrooms, and tomato on top of the potatoes. I was going to use red peppers but ran out of room in the skillet. I think they would add a nice sweetness that I hoped for from the tomatoes (but the tomatoes were from the local corner store and were pretty bad). If you are using fresh mozzarella, cut it into small pieces and scatter it over the top.

In a small bowl, mix the eggs well. Add the yogurt and mix some more. If you are using goat cheese, you could add that into the egg mixture. And maybe some chopped spinach?? Add salt and pepper to taste and pour the mixture over the top of the vegetables and potatoes.

Now cook. About 35 minutes.

When this delicious treat comes out of the oven it should be slightly browned on the top, but not burnt. Obviously. Let it cool for about 5-10 minutes in the skillet. This will let the cheese set and make it much easier to cut.

I wasn’t very busy at work today and spent a good portion of it looking forward to making and eating this meal. It’s supposed to be for breakfast, but breakfast for dinner is awesome. It’s really pretty, on top of being pretty delicious, but also totally adaptable. I think the next time I make it i will add a little cheese to the eggs and some fresh herbs rather than dried (all I had).

Basically, you bake a portabella at 400 for about 10-15 minutes. I did this in a skillet because I am so excited to have skillets to use as a result of my new roommate. In the meantime, saute onions, garlic, and herbs. Take out the portabella, place the spinach mixture on the bottom of the skillet, put the portabella back on, add some roasted red pepper, stick it back in a reduced oven so it stays warm (about 250), and scramble an egg. YUM. I am excited to switch things up. It was slightly bland, but could be super sassy.