Am hosting the neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt and brunch this Sunday for about 16
adults and various munchkins. The grownups sip Mimosas and Bloody Marys while
the kids do their thing. Thought I'd do an easy buffet with muffins, fresh
fruits, and a couple of frittatas - one with mushrooms, chives, and Asiago and
another with apple smoked bacon & Gruyere. For a little variety I thought I'd
throw in one I saw on Rachael Ray's 30 Minute meals this week. Did a test run
on it last night. Glad I did - it was just awful. For any among you tempted to
try her Egg Pasta Frittata using the recipe on the Food TV website, try at your
own risk...following her recipe exactly, I ended up with a barely edible
rubbery hockey puck...think noodle casserole thats been reheated one too many
times.

TV recipe called for 12 oz. of fettuccini, cooked al dente, 1C cream, 1 C
grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and 12 eggs - it looked awfully dry going in.
She called for cooking it at 425 for 10 minutes - isn't that awfully hot for
eggs? I do my other fritattas in the oven in a large cast iron skillet for
10-15 min at 350 and start out with a soupier egg/cream mixture with great
results.

Anybody have a good frittata recipe to balance out my menu?

NT

Tortilla Española

2 lbs (or a little less) potatoes, quartered and sliced thin
1/2 medium onion, diced
6 eggs

Heat a 10" skillet/omelet pan (ie rounded sides) over low heat and add some
olive oil.
Cook the potatoes slowly in the oil (don't brown them) 10-15 minutes
Add the onion to teh potatoes, and some salt and cook another 10-15 minutes
until teh potatoes are tender

Meanwhile beat the eggs with a little salt.

When the potatoes are done, add to the eggs and mix well

Make sure the pan is clean and slick, add some oil, and heat to medium. Add
the potato-egg mixture, and shake the pan occasionally to keep it from
sticking; cover the pan to help cook the egg through. run a spatula under
the eggs to make sure they haven't stuck. When the egg has set (5-8
minutes), cover the pan with the cover or a plate, and flip it over (so that
the stuff in teh pan is now upside down on the plate. Add more oil to teh
pan if necessary and slide the tortilla back into teh pan to cook the other
side (3 minutes or so). Do the plate flip thing again. Let it rest a
awhile and serve warm or room temp (great for picnics).

The original recipe from Janet mendel's _My Kitchen in Spain_ is just
potatoes, onions, and eggs. I like to cut back on teh potatoes, and add
some color with diced bell peppers and/or parsley. You can probably also
get more eggs into a 10" pan, but getting it to set well enough to flip can
be tricky.

--
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Louis Cohen
Living la vida loca at N37° 43' 7.9" W122° 8' 42.8"


"NTANTIQUES" wrote in message
...
Am hosting the neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt and brunch this Sunday for
about 16
adults and various munchkins. The grownups sip Mimosas and Bloody Marys
while
the kids do their thing. Thought I'd do an easy buffet with muffins, fresh
fruits, and a couple of frittatas - one with mushrooms, chives, and
Asiago and
another with apple smoked bacon & Gruyere. For a little variety I thought
I'd
throw in one I saw on Rachael Ray's 30 Minute meals this week. Did a test
run
on it last night. Glad I did - it was just awful. For any among you
tempted to
try her Egg Pasta Frittata using the recipe on the Food TV website, try at
your
own risk...following her recipe exactly, I ended up with a barely edible
rubbery hockey puck...think noodle casserole thats been reheated one too
many
times.

TV recipe called for 12 oz. of fettuccini, cooked al dente, 1C cream, 1
C
grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and 12 eggs - it looked awfully dry going
in.
She called for cooking it at 425 for 10 minutes - isn't that awfully hot
for
eggs? I do my other fritattas in the oven in a large cast iron skillet
for
10-15 min at 350 and start out with a soupier egg/cream mixture with great
results.

Anybody have a good frittata recipe to balance out my menu?

NT

"NTANTIQUES" wrote in message
...

Anybody have a good frittata recipe to balance out my menu?

Something green soundsgood for balance. I like Marcella Hazan's zucchini
frittata from Essentials of Italian Cooking...lots of fresh basil and
parmesan. It has gone over very well the times I've served it to guests.
Of course, an asparagus frittata would be nice for spring. I don't have a
particular recipe, though.



Chris

On 10 Apr 2004 00:45:18 GMT, oQspam (NTANTIQUES)
wrote:

Am hosting the neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt and brunch this Sunday for about 16
adults and various munchkins. The grownups sip Mimosas and Bloody Marys while
the kids do their thing. Thought I'd do an easy buffet with muffins, fresh
fruits, and a couple of frittatas - one with mushrooms, chives, and Asiago and
another with apple smoked bacon & Gruyere. For a little variety I thought I'd
throw in one I saw on Rachael Ray's 30 Minute meals this week. Did a test run
on it last night. Glad I did - it was just awful. For any among you tempted to
try her Egg Pasta Frittata using the recipe on the Food TV website, try at your
own risk...following her recipe exactly, I ended up with a barely edible
rubbery hockey puck...think noodle casserole thats been reheated one too many
times.

TV recipe called for 12 oz. of fettuccini, cooked al dente, 1C cream, 1 C
grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and 12 eggs - it looked awfully dry going in.
She called for cooking it at 425 for 10 minutes - isn't that awfully hot for
eggs? I do my other fritattas in the oven in a large cast iron skillet for
10-15 min at 350 and start out with a soupier egg/cream mixture with great
results.

I would also cook the pasta past al dente. I doubt it would cook much
more in the oven under those conditions.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

On 2004-04-10, Roy Batty wrote:

And I have really become annoyed with some of the things....

Chill, Roy ...it's only tv.

nb

Roy Batty wrote:

I have noticed that
everytime she goes to turn on the oven, she will place her hand on the
oven thermostat but it doesn't move. She fakes it.

I will have to watch for that next time!

When she goes to the
fridge or pantry everything is right there waiting for her.

Just makes me shake my head. Open the refrigerator, the two things
she needs are front and center. Then she does that annoying, save
a trip and pick up the stuff out of the pantry, open the door, there's
the spice and the beans (whatever) sitting there front and center.

I don't know about anyone else, but I have to look for the
ingredients/spices/etc.

And I have really become annoyed with some of the things she says. "How
cool is that, huh?" She brags way too much, and she comes off very
unpolished with some of her boastings. "COOL!" "NIIIIIIIIIIIICE!" for
example.

She's extremely repetitive. Doesn't someone with the show's producers
(this is true of other shows, as well, that I can think of) have her
sit down and watch her show and say, do you realize you said
EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil eight times in one episode, and why do
you say both, just pick one?

I wouldn't mind if she didn't say garlic overboard!! (giggle giggle)
ever again, either. Eh, I would just think they'd have production
meetings where it would be someone's job to occasionally mention
what she could change.

nancy

Nancy Young wrote:

Roy Batty wrote:


I have noticed that
everytime she goes to turn on the oven, she will place her hand on the
oven thermostat but it doesn't move. She fakes it.


I will have to watch for that next time!


When she goes to the
fridge or pantry everything is right there waiting for her.


Just makes me shake my head. Open the refrigerator, the two things
she needs are front and center. Then she does that annoying, save
a trip and pick up the stuff out of the pantry, open the door, there's
the spice and the beans (whatever) sitting there front and center.

I don't know about anyone else, but I have to look for the
ingredients/spices/etc.


And I have really become annoyed with some of the things she says. "How
cool is that, huh?" She brags way too much, and she comes off very
unpolished with some of her boastings. "COOL!" "NIIIIIIIIIIIICE!" for
example.


She's extremely repetitive. Doesn't someone with the show's producers
(this is true of other shows, as well, that I can think of) have her
sit down and watch her show and say, do you realize you said
EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil eight times in one episode, and why do
you say both, just pick one?

I wouldn't mind if she didn't say garlic overboard!! (giggle giggle)
ever again, either. Eh, I would just think they'd have production
meetings where it would be someone's job to occasionally mention
what she could change.

nancy

Perhaps they have. However, despite your comment, do you still watch it?
That is the point.


jim

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 12:52:10 -0400, Nancy Young
wrote:

Roy Batty wrote:

I have noticed that
everytime she goes to turn on the oven, she will place her hand on the
oven thermostat but it doesn't move. She fakes it.

I will have to watch for that next time!

When she goes to the
fridge or pantry everything is right there waiting for her.

Just makes me shake my head. Open the refrigerator, the two things
she needs are front and center. Then she does that annoying, save
a trip and pick up the stuff out of the pantry, open the door, there's
the spice and the beans (whatever) sitting there front and center.

I don't know about anyone else, but I have to look for the
ingredients/spices/etc.

One of the most amazing things about my new refrigerator is that I
open the door and what I'm looking for is right there. I think it's
because the fresh food compartment is shallower than my old one
whereas the door shelves are deeper. The net result is that things
don't get lost. Also, it's a side-by-side so I can put stuff right
at eye level. My old refrigerator was a "freezer on top" and the
fresh food area was a deep cavern that I had to bend over to mine for
stuff.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

JimLane wrote:

Nancy Young wrote:

She's extremely repetitive. Doesn't someone with the show's producers
(this is true of other shows, as well, that I can think of) have her
sit down and watch her show and say, do you realize you said
EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil eight times in one episode, and why do
you say both, just pick one?

I wouldn't mind if she didn't say garlic overboard!! (giggle giggle)
ever again, either. Eh, I would just think they'd have production
meetings where it would be someone's job to occasionally mention
what she could change.

Perhaps they have. However, despite your comment, do you still watch it?
That is the point.

No, not really, but it is on in the background sometimes. But you
could watch a show from any given time and it's the same thing, over
and over. That's how shows die. If I was in the producer's place,
I'd try to keep it fresh. Whatever show that might be.

nancy

Curly Sue wrote:

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 12:52:10 -0400, Nancy Young

Just makes me shake my head. Open the refrigerator, the two things
she needs are front and center. Then she does that annoying, save
a trip and pick up the stuff out of the pantry, open the door, there's
the spice and the beans (whatever) sitting there front and center.

I don't know about anyone else, but I have to look for the
ingredients/spices/etc.

One of the most amazing things about my new refrigerator is that I
open the door and what I'm looking for is right there. I think it's
because the fresh food compartment is shallower than my old one
whereas the door shelves are deeper. The net result is that things
don't get lost. Also, it's a side-by-side so I can put stuff right
at eye level.

That was a requirement when I replaced my refrigerator. I want to say
my new refrigerator, but it's gotta be going on three years old now.
Side by side, big, and *clear* drawers. My old side by had smoked
drawers, I lost stuff in there all the time. Managed to find them
when they had liquidized.

I wouldn't have anything but a side by side, assuming I had a choice,
for a miriad of reasons. So I can't spell miriad, so what!? (laugh)
Cannot stand top freezers, the stuff would just get all jammed in
there and slide out onto me just to **** me off.

nancy

Nancy Young wrote:

I wouldn't have anything but a side by side, assuming I had a choice,
for a miriad of reasons. So I can't spell miriad, so what!? (laugh)
Cannot stand top freezers, the stuff would just get all jammed in
there and slide out onto me just to **** me off.

We had a side by side and hated it. I have to admit that it was easier to
find things, but that is likely because it just wasn't big enough for some
things. I prefer a top or bottom freezer because the shelves are wider and
you can pack more into them.

Dave Smith wrote:

Nancy Young wrote:

I wouldn't have anything but a side by side, assuming I had a choice,
for a miriad of reasons. So I can't spell miriad, so what!? (laugh)
Cannot stand top freezers, the stuff would just get all jammed in
there and slide out onto me just to **** me off.

We had a side by side and hated it. I have to admit that it was easier to
find things, but that is likely because it just wasn't big enough for some
things. I prefer a top or bottom freezer because the shelves are wider and
you can pack more into them.

Oh, I can pack anything into my shelves, and it wasn't much worse
when I only had a 19 whatever cubic sf side by side. A turkey, no
problem. Stacks of tilia'd meat, no problem. Then there is the
appearance of those huge doors on top/bottom freezers with those huge
doors, and how far they swing into the room.

I had plenty of top freezers in my life and I still don't see how one
can fit more in them. I'm not being argumentative or annoying or
anything, I'm just saying, no looking back for me.

Also, as Sue said, the newer models, I can't believe how much you
can fit into the doors. Woah.

nancy

NTANTIQUES said:
Am hosting the neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt and brunch this Sunday for about 16
adults and various munchkins. The grownups sip Mimosas and Bloody Marys while
the kids do their thing. Thought I'd do an easy buffet with muffins, fresh
fruits, and a couple of frittatas - one with mushrooms, chives, and Asiago and
another with apple smoked bacon & Gruyere. For a little variety I thought I'd
throw in one I saw on Rachael Ray's 30 Minute meals this week. Did a test run
on it last night. Glad I did - it was just awful. For any among you tempted to
try her Egg Pasta Frittata using the recipe on the Food TV website, try at your
own risk...following her recipe exactly, I ended up with a barely edible
rubbery hockey puck...think noodle casserole thats been reheated one too many
times.


Possible reasons:

1. your oven is mis calibrated - or you didn't preheat it long enough.
Also the thermometer if you used one was in the wrong position.
2. The eggs you used are larger or smaller than the ones she used on the
show.
3. Your pan is of a different thickness than the one she used.
4. You placed the pan in a different position in the oven than she did -
i.e. the oven shelf., etc.
5. Your stove top is mis calibrated - or you cooked at the wrong
temperature/heat setting.
6. You used a different amount of ingredients that she used.
7. Your ingredients were at a different temperature when you started
cooking than hers were at.
8. being at a different altitude than she is at.
9 You didn't cook for the proper amount of time based on the above
variables.


Any one or more - possibly all - of the above are possible reasons for
what you experienced.

On 2004-04-11, Roy Batty wrote:

She is NOT above reproach!

What part of tv isn't?

nb

Possible reasons:

1. your oven is mis calibrated - or you didn't preheat it long enough.
Also the thermometer if you used one was in the wrong position.
2. The eggs you used are larger or smaller than the ones she used on the
show.
3. Your pan is of a different thickness than the one she used.
4. You placed the pan in a different position in the oven than she did -
i.e. the oven shelf., etc.
5. Your stove top is mis calibrated - or you cooked at the wrong
temperature/heat setting.
6. You used a different amount of ingredients that she used.
7. Your ingredients were at a different temperature when you started
cooking than hers were at.
8. being at a different altitude than she is at.
9 You didn't cook for the proper amount of time based on the above
variables.


Any one or more - possibly all - of the above are possible reasons for
what you experienced.

Reaonable thoughts, but none seem applicable to my situation...I know my way
around a kitchen & think the recipe was either incorrectly transcribed to the
FoodTV website or just a dud.

Ended up doing a third frittata with blanched fresh asparagus & gruyere...all
three turned out beautifully & went over like gangbusters with the Easter
Brunch bunch. Made them last night, wrapped 'em in parchment paper and served
them up this morning sliced in wedges over an herb salad mix from Trader Joe's
lightly dressed with my version of a dijon vinagrette. Even the kids scarfed
'em up - which I considered the ultimate compliment considering each of the
little ones was hauling around a basket filled with about 12 pounds of
chocolate easter eggs. The weather was fabulous & we served in the garden
where the lavender is in full bloom and the first of the roses have popped. A
grand day - good food & good company...it doesn't get any better...
Thanks to all for your suggestions & Happy Easter!
NT