Thursday, October 13, 2011

Frittata with Buffalo Sausage



Savory, rich, delicious! 


That's a frittata.


Making frittata is not "easy," but if you prepare ahead, it's well worth the effort.

But more about that in a minute.

First... I took a week off with my husband. No writing. As little thinking as possible. I know, lucky me. We went to a beautiful, serene place and I did a lot of breathing. If we (as authors) haven't told you before, we have deadlines, and sometimes those deadlines can be pretty tight. A book due today, but yesterday the revisions were due, and the day before that the outline was due.

Okay, maybe they're not that tight, but they're tight. Add to that the fact that we have our own promotion to do (the world has changed and though the publisher does a lot of promotion, they "hope" that we will do our part...a big big big part). Sometimes it's hard to find breathing time.

So my husband forced me on a vacation...LOL...okay, he didn't have to break my arm. We went to lovely Hawaii.  I read and read--friends' books, new authors. I closed my eyes. I meditated. I walked and swam. A slice of heaven.


Except for the wind, which was blowing so hard the entire time.  The Trade Winds had hit the island. I'm not a big girl. I was blown over a number of times.





But it was still fun, and perhaps that was God's way of telling me I needed more air in my lungs!
I thought I'd share a few pictures.








We visited the active volcano, Kilauea. The breadth of the hole in the earth is almost a half-mile wide. Steam poured from vents all around the area. We walked in a nearby rainforest. The stems and roots of these ferns are incredible in size.
The water features were inspirational. Can you see the metal crane? The meditation hut or "hale". The roar of the water was steady and soothing.

The flowers were exquisite. I love how happy they look.


I hope a few photos will help you breathe a little better. Breathing is a much underrated activity nowadays!


And then, when you can find the time, enjoy this frittata. It was a delicious meal to come home to. Hearty, rich with flavor. The house smells so savory. And most of all, the frittata is packed with scrumptious cheese.

SAVORY FRITTATA WITH BUFFALO SAUSAGE


Ingredients:

8 eggs
6 oz. white cheddar (I used Kerrygold)
6 oz. buffalo sausage
¼ pound mixed mushrooms (I used portabella, crimini, & regular)
2 cups spinach snipped into 1” slices
1 scallion
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
*If desired, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese





Directions:

To do ahead:  Dice the cheddar into little bits (about ¼” each).  Remove the casing from the sausage and dice the sausage into small slices (about ½” to 1”). Chop the scallion.  Slice the mushrooms into thin slices. Snip the spinach into thin strips (about 1”).


Now…whisk the eggs.  Add the cheese to the eggs along with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the pepper. Set aside.

In a large oven-proof skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil.  Add the sausage and scallion. Heat on medium high for about 8 minutes, remembering to stir often so the mixture doesn’t stick.  Drain the sausage and scallion and set aside.

In the same skillet, add a little more oil. Toss in the mushrooms. Heat over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes until tender but not overcooked. Drain and add to the sausage mixture.

In the same skillet, add a little more oil. Toss in the spinach and stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until wilted.  Add the sausage and mushroom mixture to the spinach.  Pour in the eggs and cheese mixture.

Using a spatula, lift the sides of the mixture and help the eggs ooze to the bottom of the pan, rotating the pan repeatedly to make the mixture cook evenly.  Cook for about 4-6 minutes.










Now you have 2 choices:  Either heat another skillet the same size. Add 1 tablespoon of oil.  Set the skillet face down on the egg mixture skillet. Carefully flip the two skillets.  The egg mixture will slide into the other skillet. Cook for 4-6 minutes and serve.

OR…turn the oven onto broil.  Set the skillet under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture bubbles and cooks through.
*If desired, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.













ENJOY, BREATHE AND READ!


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8 comments:

  1. It's breakfast time for me and you've got my mouth watering with these pictures, Avery! Not just the delicious frittata, but the lovely vacation photos! I'd love a visit to Hawaii. :)

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  2. Elizabeth, glad you enjoyed. Still getting myself back on schedule. Definitely feeling the need for protein. :)

    ~Avery

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  3. Welcome back, Avery! Oh, that frittata looks like the perfect light, healthy, and delicious lunch. Your vacation photos are gorgeous, too. Thank you so much for sharing a little piece of paradise with us. We can all use a real break from time to time--and when we forget, it's especially nice if someone in our lives reminds us, lol.

    ~ Cleo

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  4. What a wonderful and well-deserved holiday, Avery! I love the pictures and this recipe. I love frittatas this one puts a new spin on it.

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  5. Cleo, thanks. Funny story. As we flew over to the islands, the pilot kept saying welcome to paradise. After a while, it sounded pretty silly. He must have said it thirty times. But it was, so perhaps he was right. :)

    Mary Jane, thanks so much. I took some moving pictures of the water falls and fountains but haven't found the time to edit them into a little movie. Perhaps when I share the Tommy Bahama Restaurant special cheesecake in a few weeks, I'll have it done. (The TB recipe was for 100. I'm not sure I can tweak enough to make a cake for 6-8, but I'll see.)

    ~Avery

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  6. What a wonderful vacation, Avery! Thanks for sharing your pictures.

    I'm a big fan of frittatas and buffalo, so this one is right up my alley!

    ~ Krista

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  7. Krista, thanks!. It's interesting that not too many people understand "buffalo" but it's so much leaner than beef and has lots of earthy flavor.

    ~Avery

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  8. Krista, thanks. It's interesting that a lot of people don't understand "buffalo." It's so much leaner than beef and adds a very earthy flavor.

    Enjoy.

    ~Avery

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