Half Assed Kitchen

Spaghetti Frittata

Please welcome Kristy, of Sassy Molassy and Book Worm Food Blog as she describes how to make a luscious spaghetti frittata.

Years ago, in one of those standard old cookbooks—Betty Crocker or Good Housekeeping, I can’t remember which, I saw a recipe for a frittata made with leftover spaghetti. I thought it sounded….interesting, kind of strange, and although I never made one, the idea lingered in the recesses of my mind. Until yesterday. Who knew something that sounds so odd could be so delicious! 

This recipe makes a great breakfast/brunch for two adults after the kids have had their cereal and gone off to play. I’d eat it for dinner if I didn’t have so many people at my table.

This recipe is for using leftover, unsauced spaghetti, because that’s what I had, so if yours already has sauce of some kind, you can skip right to the part where you pour the eggs over the pasta.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 tbsp butter or olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, lightly drained

Smidge of crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper to taste (I used sea salt)

6 eggs, beaten

Leftover pasta–about 6 ounces worth

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil, if you have it

Parmesan

Heat butter or oil in a large-but-not-deep-sided skillet. Add garlic and sauté about 30 seconds (never brown garlic). Add tomatoes with about half their juice, season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Simmer for about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have broken down some and juice is reduced. Add pasta and stir to coat. Give it a minute or two to heat through, then reduce heat to low and pour beaten eggs over. Quickly stir things around so you have a somewhat even distribution of egg and pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan and chopped basil, then just let it heat slowly so the eggs can cook without scorching.

When the eggs have mostly set, you have two options: flip or broil. I set a plate over the skillet, flipped the whole assembly over, returned the skillet to the flame, and slid the frittata back in, uncooked side down. Alternatively, if you have an overproof skillet, you can stick the whole thing under the broiler to finish cooking. Once both sides are done, flip it (if indeed you are flipping) back right-side-up. You will need to run a thin spatula around and underneath before doing this. 

Cut into wedges and serve!

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Ravioli with spinach and bacon

Another Real Simple recipe? you ask.

Well, yes. That's what happens when Real Simple is delivered to our house every month. We see the recipes. We drool a little. We buy the ingredients and cook them up.

We blog about them.

This is a tasty little number that takes about 20 minutes to pull together (and we really mean 20 minutes. None of the 10 minute meals that, in actuality, require an hour.).

We used Rising Moon's Butternut Squash ravioli (though you can use whatever variety you prefer) and the sweetness of the squash contrasted nicely with the tangy lemon and salty bacon.

If you buy pre-cooked bacon, which we highly recommend, the prep time goes that much faster.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 pound ravioli, fresh or frozen

6 slices bacon

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon garlic (or 2 cloves, sliced)

5 to 6 cups fresh baby spinach

Salt and pepper

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Cook ravioli according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Cool and crumble (or use pre-cooked and microwave for 30 seconds then chop into small pieces).

Using the same skillet (wiped clean), heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden. Add spinach, salt and pepper. Cook until just wilted.

Stir bacon and lemon juice into the spinach. Mix with ravioli.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Cornish pasties

Image courtesy of Our Cornish Pasty Shop.

Pronounced with a short A, pasties originated in Cornwall, England. Despite their name, they are not the sexiest food in the world. But they are hearty. And tasty.

Pasties (not paaaasties, people), are meat pies that are also very popular in Northern Michigan, where Cornish ex-pats turned-copper-miners used to take them underground for meals.

The traditional recipe for pasties is good, but, in our opinion, a little dry.

In honor of our upcoming trip to our homeland of Michigan, we whipped up a batch, but added...(plug your ears you purists)... gravy.

This version we like a lot. A whole lot.

Here's what you need and how you do it

4 rounds of prepared pie crust (we buy the rolled, frozen kind)

1 pound ground beef or cubed steak

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1-2 cups potatoes (any kind), cubed

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper

Gravy:

Drippings from cooked meat

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup flour, whisked into a small amount of water or broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

Splash of white wine (?) (Which is not at all traditional, but sure adds something.)

In a large skillet, brown meat, onion and carrots. Pour off drippings into a separate sauce pan.

To the drippings, add broth, flour (mixed with water to keep it from getting lumpy), salt and wine (?). Heat until warm and thick.

Add potatoes, parsley, salt and pepper to meat in the skillet. Pour in gravy and stir until well mixed.

Spoon some meat mixture into one-half of each pie crust half circle, leaving a generous margin. Fold over and crimp edges. (You can use a fork for this, or just roll with your fingers.) Continue until each crust is filled and crimped.

Place pasties on cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for about a half hour.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Zucchini pie

We're pretty much suckers for anything containing the word 'pie'. It conjures comfort food and country windowsills.

Zucchini pie is no exception, except that it's actually more quiche than pie.

Still, we love it. It's simple, delicious and filling in the way only egg, cheese and pie crust can be. And, at 6 to 8 servings, it can feed a small group or be saved for another night.

This recipe came from The Six O'Clock Scramble, which we highly recommend if you want your weeknight meals on auto pilot. We changed it up a little (though not much) and love the results.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 Tablespoon butter

2 large Zucchini, sliced thinly

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 9-inch pie crust (do yourself a favor and buy them ready made)

2 Tablespoons dijon mustard

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups shredded swiss cheese or mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the zucchini, onion and garlic until soft. Add salt, pepper and oregano.

Press pie crust into a pie dish and spread dijon mustard evenly over the crust.

Combine the eggs, cheese, zucchini mixture and basil in a large bowl. Spread evenly into pie crust.

Bake for 30 minutes, until lightly browned.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Chicken skewers with orzo salad

This is the perfect summertime meal: Not too much effort; it can be eaten warm or cold; and the flavors are sensational. Our friend Cindy helped us piece this together when we were foiled by a woman who made something similar but would not divulge her secrets.

For this recipe, you're required to marinate the chicken for several hours ahead of time, so be forewarned that some up front prep is necessary (the orzo can be made ahead of time too), but the results are so worth it.

Here's what you need and how you do it

3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

Chicken marinade:

8 ounces plain yogurt (dairy or soy)

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 Tablespoons sherry or chicken broth

Orzo salad:

4 to 6 ounces uncooked orzo (in the pasta aisle)

1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped

1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and seeded

1/2 cup feta

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup fresh, flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Juice from a 1/2 lemon

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper

Mix first 7 ingredients (yogurt through sherry). Add chicken and marinate in refrigerator for several hours to overnight.

Cook orzo in boiling water for 7 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain. Combine with olives, cucumber, feta and onion.

In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour into orzo and stir to mix.

Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. Then thread chicken onto skewers. Grill until chicken is done (10 minutes or so). Serve over top of orzo salad.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Tuscan pasta

Our one and only experience in Tuscany was on a train. Sitting on the floor between two cars and just outside the bathroom door. Not the most appetizing voyage of our lives. Still, we saw a little of the countryside through the windows and continue to have romantic notions of renting a villa there someday.

So what makes this pasta Tuscan? We have no idea. It just sounded right. 

The recipe actually came from our Californian friend Vanessa, who  made it for us back in 2000. Her instructions read more like a stream of gastronomic consciousness (Add a hunk 'o butter...splash in some beer if you like...etc.). Which we adore. But, which we did not imagine you'd appreciate as you're standing in your kitchen thinking, 'okay, what exactly is a hunk?'

We've figured out the proportions for you. You're welcome.

This combination of ingredients is truly inspired (thank you Vanessa). It makes a rich, extremely flavorful sauce that is not quite red but dances across your palate in all its Mediterranean complexity.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1/2 – 3/4 pound pasta, cooked to almost al dente and drained

Olive oil

1 Tablespoon garlic, minced

1/2 cup portobello mushrooms (black gills scraped out, mushrooms diced)

3/4 cup roasted red peppers (plus some liquid)

2 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon anchovy paste

1/2 cup beer

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes (with liquid)

1 can artichoke hearts

1/4 cup fresh, flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (optional)

1/4 cup red wine (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Romano or parmesan cheese, grated

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Dump in rest of ingredients and let simmer for about an hour.

Combine mostly cooked pasta with sauce and let simmer another five or ten minutes.

Top with grated cheese.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Asian lettuce wraps

Okay. Technically, you're supposed to wrap these up like a burrito and eat them. But we've never had any luck making a lettuce leaf behave like a tortilla. Even lettuce wraps we've tried at Asian-fusion restaurants end up losing most of the filling. We call them "wraps", yes. But they're more like, oh, salads. That should be eaten with a fork.

Still, the flavor is rich, suffused with ginger, sesame oil and honey. And if you buy precooked chicken from your grocery store's deli, these "wraps" are ready in about 20 minutes.

Here's what you need and how you do it

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

3 to 4 ounces rice sticks (found in the asian section of your supermarket, they look like flat, white spaghetti and usually come in a cellophane bag)

Several large lettuce leaves (Boston, Romaine or Red Leaf), washed

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 can water chestnuts (optional)

Sauce:

4 Tablespoons sesame oil

2 Tablespoons cooking sherry

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

4 Tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced

Whisk all sauce ingredients together.

Heat several cups of water to boiling in sauce pan. Turn off heat and add rice sticks. Leave to soften while you shred the chicken.

Lay a lettuce leaf on each plate. Fill with chicken, rice sticks, cilantro, green onions and water chestnuts.

Drizzle sauce over the top or pour into individual bowls for dipping. (We drizzle and place small bowls on each plate in case anyone wants extra.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Meatloaf

Meatloaf, we're sorry to say, is not going to win any beauty contests.

But we like meatloaf. We like that it's relatively healthy (especially if you use ground turkey), that it's fast and easy and that you can throw almost anything you want into it.

This is our version. We start with the basics, then make suggestions for ingredients to add if you have them on hand.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 pound ground meat

1 cup crushed or diced tomatoes

1/2 cup oatmeal

4 to 5 Tablespoons worchestershire sauce

1 cup onion, minced

1 cup celery, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon dried thyme

Ground black pepper

Ketchup

Optional additions:

1/2 cup red bell pepper

1/4 cup fresh, flat leaf parsley

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except ketchup in a large bowl. Transfer to a loaf pan, drizzle with ketchup.

Bake for one hour.

(Keep in mind that if you go too crazy with the veggies, you'll want to add breadcrumbs to soak up excess liquid. In which case, the egg would probably be a good idea to help hold it all together.)

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Chicken with tarragon and leeks

Would you believe this was our first time cooking with fresh tarragon? It's true. Not that we've been avoiding it, but we're more accustomed to dishes that call for fresh parsley or cilantro.

It was a pleasure to discover what fresh tarragon can do.

This is a recipe adapted from a Real Simple slow cooker meal. We do not heart our slow cooker. We want to heart it, but we haven't been able to make it work for us.

But this chicken, with the cream and the wine and the leeks...this works for us.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 pound baby new potatoes (red skins work too)

8 small skinless chicken thighs or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 leeks (white and light green parts), sliced

1 cup dry white wine

Salt

1/8 cup flour whisked into a few Tablespoons of water

1 cup frozen peas or frozen edamame (soy beans)

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped

Place the potatoes on the bottom of a dutch oven or large saucepan. Add the chicken, leeks, wine and 1 teaspoon salt.

Cook on medium-low heat until the chicken and potatoes are tender (about 45 minutes).

Transfer the chicken and most of the potatoes to a plate. Using a fork, smash the remaining potatoes into the cooking liquid. Then add flour/water mixture to thicken.

Add the peas or edamame and cream. Add chicken back to pan and cook until heated through.

Sprinkle with tarragon and serve.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Bromley Hot Dish

Apparently Bromley is a last name. And Hot Dish is some sort of Midwestern casseroley concoction. Though the person who introduced us to this recipe is a west coaster through and through. (And is a friend of the Bromleys, whoever they are.)

Also, we have no photo of this recipe for you. But we can assure you that this casserole hot dish is perfectly savory and delicious. In a cream of mushroom soup sort of way.

(Seriously, we love this hot mess).

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 large onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 pound ground beef, turkey or pork

8 to 10 fresh mushrooms, sliced

8 ounces pasta

1/2 teaspoons salt

Ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup green olives, sliced

1 cup grated cheddar

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 soup can of milk

3/4 cup cashews, chopped (or, if nut allergy is a concern, use chow mein noodles)

Sauté onion, butter, mushrooms and bell pepper. Set aside.

Sauté the ground meat. Add all to a large bowl.

Cook the pasta. Drain and add to bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Then, add salt, pepper, olives and cheese.

Mix well and spread in a buttered 9 x13-inch baking dish.

Mix the soup and 1/2 can of milk and pour over the noodle mixture.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until heated through. During the last fifteen minutes, top with cheese and cashews.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.