Tag: Cooper’s Hawk Winery

Frittata For Two and Other Thoughts

This is a story about making a frittata for dinner, but there’s more to it than that. Let me start by saying we have been feeling a little under the weather. Call it a cold…call it the flu…whatever, we have been struggling to stay upright for several days. I wanted to fix something for dinner, but I wanted it to be light and easy. Eggs are always a good choice when it comes to filling that particular bill, and a frittata is a simple way to prepare them. It also is a good way to clean out the refrigerator.

Frittata starts on the stove and is finished in the oven. This requires an oven proof cooking DIGITAL CAMERAvessel. Enter the cast iron skillet. I discovered my mother’s old skillet when we moved and it was the perfect size for a two person frittata. There was just one problem. My mother was a dish washing fanatic and the skillet was no exception to that rule. While it had seen its fair share of eggs, it had also seen a lot of dish soap. I gave it a quick seasoning in the oven that helped the sticking factor a bit. It is getting a formal seasoning as I write this and it should be ready for its next close-up soon; that is to say, now.DIGITAL CAMERA

I decided to go for an Italian flavor profile with a nod to healthy choices. The key ingredients would be chicken sausage and baby spinach. Things couldn’t be Italian without  a fair amount of onion and garlic.DIGITAL CAMERAI’m a big fan of the Chicken Sausage that Meijer sells. They have several varieties. The Garlic and Asiago is my favorite, but they have a spinach and mozzarella as well as a chipotle pepper version. They are lower in fat but big on flavor. They are also pre-cooked so prep time shrinks while the sausage doesn’t.

I added a roasted red pepper for a little color. A week or so ago I scored a huge bag of red bell peppers for 99 cents. I sliced and froze some and roasted a few more. I created little roasted pepper packets each holding a whole roasted pepper (peeled, skinned and quartered, of course).DIGITAL CAMERA It was just the amount I needed for color and flavor in my frittata. So, I chopped everything and threw the skillet on the stove with a good dose of olive oil.DIGITAL CAMERAI started with the onion since it needs a little more love.DIGITAL CAMERAThen I added the sausage, garlic, roasted pepper, and eventually, the spinach. Since a little olive oil is a good thing, I opted to add a bit of chicken broth to keep things moving and the fat content in check.DIGITAL CAMERAWhile all this deliciousness was going on, I cracked some eggs and beat them with some low-fat half & half and a shredded Italian cheese blend.DIGITAL CAMERAWhen the time was right I added the eggs to the pan and began the shimmy shake and lift process that is the basis for any omelet, Italian or not.DIGITAL CAMERAOnce everything was beginning to set up, I topped it with a bit more of the cheese blend along with some sliced tomatoes.DIGITAL CAMERAIt spent some time in the oven and a brief interlude under the broiler. The result was golden goodness that received a sprinkle of fresh basil before coming to the table.DIGITAL CAMERAI served it with some toasted  Rosemary Soda Bread that I made earlier in the week. A quick drizzle of olive oil and it was ready to eat.DIGITAL CAMERA

I chose a Barbera wine from Cooper’s Hawk that complimented the dinner beautifully. It had just the right body and flavor to bring out the best in the food.DIGITAL CAMERA

So here’s how Mama D does Frittata. It more or less follows the traditional process. I opted to let it bake in the oven before turning on the broiler. You know the drill by now…use this as a starting point and make it your own with the ingredients you love.

Frittata with Spinach and Chicken Sausage
Print Recipe
Servings
2
Servings
2
Frittata with Spinach and Chicken Sausage
Print Recipe
Servings
2
Servings
2
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a small oven proof skillet. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally 5 minutes or until the onion begins to soften.
  2. Slice the sausage links in half lengthwise then slice into thin half moons. Add these to the onions in the pan and cook for another minute or two.
  3. Add the garlic and roasted red peppers and cook for several minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant.
  4. If things seem dry, add the chicken broth and toss to coat. You could add a little more olive oil instead of the broth if you like.
  5. Add the chopped spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted.
  6. While the vegetables cook, crack the eggs into a bowl. Beat well. Add the milk and beat to combine. Add half of the cheese and stir to blend.
  7. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and reduce the heat to medium low. Give it a good shake to begin the setting and minimize the sticking.
  8. Continue to cook the eggs gently lifting and shaking to maintain even cooking.
  9. When the eggs are almost set, sprinkle a little of the remaining cheese on the top. Cover the top with the sliced tomatoes and the rest of the cheese.
  10. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes or so. Turn on the broiler and cook for another 2 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned. Remove the pan from the oven and let it to rest for 5 minutes.
  11. Sprinkle with the basil and drizzle with a little olive oil. Divide between two plates and serve.
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The frittata was wonderful, the bread and wine were a perfect compliment and we really did feel much better after we ate. Healing is another wonderful result of cooking with love.

Memories of the Wine Country and a Quick Pasta Dish

Note: This is a post from 9 years ago. I brought it up because I made the recipe this week and as it is almost Mothers Day, this dish reminds me of my sons. As the pictures show they were young, They are grown up now with homes and sons of their own ( about the ages they were in these pictures). When I made this I felt that I had to share it with them, photographically speaking. So as any good mother would I sent them a picture. They remembered it all, the trips, the good times, and the dish. A perfect Mother’s Day gift, in my opinion.

Another Note: I must give credit for this recipe to one of my favorite cookbooks, The Frugal Gourmet by Jeff Smith. His recipes featured on the television show of the same name were always tasty, easy, and yes, frugal.

Finally: Happy Mother’s Day to all the women who proudly share the title and job description of Mother. Hope you enjoy this post and your special day.

We were fortunate to live in Northern California for almost 20 years. We took advantage of all the things that the area offered, Trips into San Francisco, camping in the Redwoods, exploring tide pools and of course the Wine Country. All of this, and there was no snow to shovel…Why we came back to the Midwest is complicated. Suffice to say we had our reasons and we have not regretted it.

My sons were born and raised in California. We had no family around so our adventures were always immediate family affairs and that included trips to the Wine Country. Scan_Pic0013Sonoma County was about an hour and a half away. It was a great day trip destination. Back in the 80’s Sonoma was pretty rural. There were a few big wineries and lots of small ones. The small wineries were more like family run farms with the crop being grapes. That actually makes them vineyards, and Sonoma still has some of the best.Scan_Pic0017

Every few months we would take a day trip up to Wine Country. We always did this on the cheap. Back then tastings were free and a bottle of wine was under $10.00 (if we splurged and bought one).  We would visit 3 or 4 wineries and have a picnic lunch overlooking the vineyards.  Lunch was often salami, cheese and crackers; some fruit and cookies for dessert (parent and child friendly and easy to carry in a cooler).

Our sons always found something to do on these trips. They were very adaptable and quickly learned to make their own adventures. Sometimes we even joined in their fun. The time we rented a canoe and paddled the Russian River was memorable for all of usScan_Pic0012

Left to their own devices they always seemed to find something to do. Being treated toScan_Pic0011 some fresh grape juice, skipping stones, playing with the wine maker’s children or playing with the requisite “Vineyard Dog” that seemed to hold court at every winery. Looking back, they mostly remember the adventures and not the waiting for Mom and Dad to finish their wine. At least that’s the way I prefer to remember it; they may have a slightly different take.

The trip home was quiet. The boys would sleep and I would most likely doze off, Jeff, ever the good husband and father got us back across the bridge in one piece (He also took these amazing pictures of the Wine Country). Once home everyone was hungry and getting supper on the table was job number one. That’s how Salami and Zucchini Pasta came to be. It was quick, hearty and everyone liked it. The salami was left over from lunch and the zucchini was usually in the fridge. Pasta, olive oil and garlic…I’m Italian, of course it was in the house.

The most recent time that I made this dish we had been out running “errands” that included picking up our wine at Cooper’s Hawk Winery, so the wine tasting component was there. I used salami that I received in a gift basket from my son. It was made with Chianti so it seemed to fit right in with my the wine tasting memories. Still being Italian, the rest of the ingredients were, once again, already in the house.

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The salami and zucchini get cut into match sticks, the garlic gets minced and it all goes into the pan with the olive oil.DIGITAL CAMERA

While the pasta is cooking the cream gets added to the pan, simmering to velvety thickness. DIGITAL CAMERAThis coats the pasta, salami and veggies, resulting in a rich and tasty supper. A little freshly ground pepper and some Romano cheese are all that it needs. We may be far from the Wine Country, but this pasta dish always brings back memories. It also is still a favorite and fast way to create a delicious ending to any busy day. 

 

Linguine with Salami and Zucchini
Print Recipe
A quick and easy pasta dish that you can whip up after a day in the (Wine) country or a long day of work.
Servings
4
Servings
4
Linguine with Salami and Zucchini
Print Recipe
A quick and easy pasta dish that you can whip up after a day in the (Wine) country or a long day of work.
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Cook linguine in salted boiling water until Al Dente. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large frying pan and add the salami, zucchini, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until the zucchini is soft and the salami is slightly frizzled. 7 minutes or so
  2. Add the cream and capers and bring to a hard simmer, stirring frequently. This will prevent scorching. Continue to simmer and stir until slightly reduced. 5 - 8 minutes.
  3. Reserve 1-2 ladles of the pasta water then drain the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the fry pan. Toss to combine the pasta and sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes until the sauce comes together. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems tight.
  4. Add pepper to taste and serve topped with the grated cheese.
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The past holds so much for us. It got us to where we are now and in some small way it colors where we will go next. Reflecting on the memories leads to rediscovering good things, like pictures of happy times and pasta that still tastes like love. Mama D