Sunday, April 17, 2011

Zucchini, Red Pepper and Feta Frittata


A delicious and easy egg dish that I made today for Sunday breakfast.  This frittata would be perfect for Easter breakfast or brunch, Mother's Day or even a light dinner.  Enjoy this frittata full of zucchini, red pepper, feta cheese (also has parmesan in it too!) anytime of year.  



Zucchini, Red Pepper and Feta Frittata


Ingredients
6 eggs
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup zucchini, roughly chopped
¾ cup red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 cup feta, crumbled

Directions
1. Turn on the broiler.
2. Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl and beat them with a fork until they are broken up. Then add half of the parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
3. Heat the remaining olive oil (2 tablespoons) in an oven proof pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini and peppers and stir them until they are cooked through and wilted.
4. Pour the eggs into the pan with the cooked zucchini and peppers.  Add a few pinches of salt and pepper. Cook the eggs on the stove top for one more minute. Scatter the remaining parmesan cheese and the feta on top and place in oven.  Broil it for about 1 minute. Shake the pan to make sure the eggs are set. If not, broil for one minute more. Remove from the oven, cut in wedges and serve.



Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  A frittata starts on the stove top and then is finished in the oven.  Make sure to use an ovenproof skillet that can handle broil temperatures.  


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Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Grilled Ginger-Lime Shrimp: Local Foods for The Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club


It's time to share another Cooking Light recipe with The Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club.  This month the theme is 100 Miles of Flavor.  Each of us had to find a food ingredient that is locally made or grown within 100 miles of where we live.  At first, I couldn't think of any locally grown food within 100 miles of where I live, which is Pensacola, FL.  I kept thinking of Georgia corn or Alabama peaches.  But those food items aren't in season right now.  Then I had one of those "duh" moments.  Pensacola lies on the Gulf of Mexico.  Local seafood.  Right here in my own "backyard".  


We eat seafood once or twice a week.  We love seafood and are very lucky that we have a fantastic seafood market here (Joe Patti's Seafood) that gets a variety of fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico as well all over the world.  I chose shrimp as my local ingredient.  There is nothing like Gulf Shrimp.  When the BP Oil Spill hit this region last summer, it was devastating.  I could go on and on about the oil spill and what it did to our waters, sea life, beaches, economy and our lifestyle here and to our nearby cities but I won't get into that discussion now.  I'm happy to see that our beaches and waters are coming back and I'm starting to see Gulf of Mexico shrimp back at Joe Patti's.  They are also still getting shrimp from the East Coast as well as other safe areas.  


If you like grilled shrimp, you will love this recipe.  You marinate the shrimp for 30 minutes in a mixture of cilantro, ginger, lime juice, garlic, jalepeno pepper and a few other ingredients.  Place them on skewers and grill for 5 minutes or so until done.  The shrimp had a wonderful flavor to it.  It was a great way to showcase my local food - Gulf of Mexico Shrimp!        





Grilled Ginger-Lime Shrimp
Recipe by Cooking Light
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 skewers)

Ingredients


  • 1/2  cup  fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/4  cup  thinly sliced green onions
  • 2  tablespoons  chopped peeled fresh ginger
  • 1  tablespoon  fresh lime juice
  • 1  tablespoon  canola oil
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon  dark sesame oil
  • 4  garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1  jalapeƱo pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 1/2  pounds  large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 32 shrimp)
  • Cooking spray

Preparation


1. Combine the first 9 ingredients in a food processor, and process until coarsely chopped.
2. Combine cilantro mixture and shrimp in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake well. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
3. Prepare grill.
4. Remove shrimp from bag; discard marinade. Thread 4 shrimp on each of 8 (8-inch) skewers. Place shrimp skewers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes or until done, turning once.


What other local foods were brought to the dinner table this month?

Check out the links and menu below.


Jamie (me) - Grilled Ginger-Lime Shrimp
Mary Ann (Meet Me in the Kitchen) - Mixed Greens with Blueberry Vinaigrette
Sandi (Whistlestop Cafe Cooking) - Peas and Orzo with Pesto
Jerry (Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants) - Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom-Red Wine Sauce
Roz (La Bella Vita) - Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Marscapone Cheese
Val (More Than Burnt Toast) - Fallen Chocolate Cake with Cherry Red Wine Sauce



Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: When using wooden skewers to grill your seafood, meats and vegetables, don't forget to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes.  This will prevent them from burning and catching on fire.    


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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Giveaway - $10 Gift Card and Old El Paso Prize Pack



This giveaway is now closed.  Congratulations to comment #8, Karin, picked by Random.org.  Thanks for everyone that entered. 


I'm back with a fun giveaway!  It's been a month since my last blog post.  Where does the time go?  There have been some changes in my life the past several months that have limited my time and shifted my priorities.  After being laid off from my part-time job in October (company closed), starting a full-time job in November, keeping on top of my 2 daughter's sports and activities, as well as keeping up with house and home, has left me with little time to focus on my blog.  

One thing I haven't stop doing is cooking and sharing meals with my family.  My husband, myself and my 2 daughters sit down for dinner together every night.  One way to keep my weeknights easier is to make quick but delicious meals.  Such easy family meals are Taco Nights.  "Old El Paso offers a variety of seasonings, sides, sauces, and meal kits as simple solutions for a night of catching up with the family over a delicious taco dinner."

"To satisfy your Mexican style cravings, the Old El Paso® line up of products includes chilies, dinner kits, dips and sides, enchilada sauce, refried beans, seasoning mixes, shells, taco sauce and salsa. The Old El Paso taco seasoning mix selection includes flavors like Burrito, Cheesy Taco, Chili, Fajita, Taco, Mild Taco and even a seasoning with 40% less sodium."

Visit Old El Paso website for news, tips recipes and more.  

Also, to keep your family laughing at the dinner table, have some fun with El TacodorTM, the world´s only Family Taco Night Game. With El Tacodor, your family can share a special night at home by challenging one another to quick fire trivia, wordplay and pantomime. Visit www.ElTacodor.com today to download instructions, a score card, and a challenge sheet for even more fun on Family Taco Night! 

For giveaway specifics, keep reading......



The Old El Paso "Family Taco Night" prize pack includes:

Packet of original Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, a Cactus Chip & Dip Serving dish, a set of 3 Fiesta Chili Pepper serving dishes and a $10 gift card to purchase your taco fixings.  What a fun way to share taco night with your family!

To enter, please leave a comment telling me your favorite taco fixings.  Simple as that.
  
Comments must be received by Friday, April 8th, 2011.  I will pick a winner through Random.org.  Winner will be announced by Sunday, April 10th, 2011.

Note of Disclosure:  Old El Paso through MyBlogSpark provided me with the information and a prize pack.  They are also generously offering a prize pack to one of my readers. 

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  No matter how busy life gets, try to keep your family dinner routine going.  It's a great time to connect, stay in touch, laugh, make lasting memories and enjoy some delicious food together.   






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