I'm sitting on the edge of my chair....anticipation filling my every pore....as I anxiously wait for Fall
to burst forward and stay put. That's the problem with living where we do, we get little glimpses of autumn and then BAM! you're back to closing the windows and turning the AC back on. Siiiigh....I don't know why I get my hopes up every September!! You'd think having lived here for so long, I'd know better:)
One thing I do find myself doing more of at this time of the year is cooking hearty, thick food. Enough with the salads....give me something warm and dense....but also healthy! This month I attempted to do the Whole30 program. I made it 14 days and then stress overtook my willpower and a single serving of ice cream derailed me! But....during those 14 days I learned SO MUCH about myself and food. I realized that I'm totally beholden to the sugar dragon. That dairy really doesn't agree with my stomach well. That as much as I love, love, LOVE breads....they really make me feel bloated. Will I cut those items out of my diet forever? Obviously (since I only made it 14 days) no....but I'm determined to follow a clean-eating program 90% of the time. And I'm okay with that!
One of my favorite meals I cooked was this awesome potato fritatta. It was perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Delicious either cold or heated. When I lived in Spain as a young kid, we had a maid that came twice a week and she would cook authentic Spanish food for us. This recipe reminded me so much of sweet Rafe and the amazing meals she would prepare for us....in exchange for a box of Oreos;)
You can find the recipe at the bottom:
Potato Fritatta:
1 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, sliced
Salt
4-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed
1 1/2 pounds waxy potatoes, thinly sliced
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 pound smoked Canadian bacon or ham, diced
6 eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Cheddar {I omitted this since I was following Whole30 and dairy was a no-no during that time;}
Salt
4-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed
1 1/2 pounds waxy potatoes, thinly sliced
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 pound smoked Canadian bacon or ham, diced
6 eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Cheddar {I omitted this since I was following Whole30 and dairy was a no-no during that time;}
1. Combine the zucchini and 1 teaspoon salt in a colander and toss well. Set aside to drain for 30 minutes.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or ovenproof nonstick skillet. Add the potatoes and onion, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, flipping and stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and continue cooking, tossing occasionally, until the potatoes are are brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon but keep the skillet on the burner.
3. Transfer the zucchini to a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Add the zucchini and Canadian bacon to the skillet and sauté over medium-high heat, until the zucchini is just tender, about 4 minutes. Remove the zucchini and Canadian bacon with a slotted spoon. Keep the skillet over the heat.
4. Beat the eggs and pepper to taste in a medium bowl until well blended. Fold in the potatoes, zucchini and Canadian bacon, and cheese.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil to the skillet as needed to lightly coat the bottom. Pour in the egg mixture, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook without stirring until the bottom is set, about 10 minutes.
6. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the top is set, 5 to 15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes.
7. Place a serving plate on top of the skillet and carefully invert. The frittata should fall out of the pan. Cut into wedges and serve.
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