Easy Hash Brown Frittata

Finding happiness has so many layers and comes in so many shapes. For me, food is one way to make me happy. I don't mean I am stuffing myself with thousands of different flavors. This would be nice but at the same time also very unhealthy. Food gives me pleasure. Food gives me idea. I love food, and when I discover a new recipe or find two recipes and combine them to make my own creation I am the happiest girl alive. Last week I tried something new. I have been emptying our fridge and freezer lately {and pantry of course}, so naturally I wanted to create a new dish for our household with ingredients we already had handy. 

This hash brown frittata is so easy to make and can be used as a breakfast dish or lunch or dinner. Brinner has become so popular these days, so why not use this fun hash brown dish for dinner as well?! We certainly did and loved it.

Here's what you need:

• 1 pound hash browns
• 1 tsp salt & pepper & paprika
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup whole milk {or regular} or heavy cream
• 6 sliced bacon {I used 8}
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped {I have the pre-chopped one ready in the fridge, yes I'm lazy}

Here's what you do:

• Preheat over to 350F
• Season hash brown with salt, pepper and paprika in a medium sized bowl. Toss it so all is well distributed.
• In a medium skillet cook the bacon, and set it aside. Remove excess fat from pan.
• Heat oil in the same skillet. 
• Spread the hash browns in the skillet so the entire pan in covered in hash browns.
• Cook hash browns for about 7 minutes on medium. The bottom should become crusty.
• In a medium bowl whisk the eggs, milk, chopped bacon and cheddar cheese together.
• Pour mixture onto the hash browns in the pan. Spread evenly.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and eggs are cooked through.
• Sprinkle with chives and serve.

Add ketchup or hot sauce for an extra kick, but is absolutely optional. 

This hash brown frittata is so simple. Best part is that only one pan is used, and one bowl. Less dishes, less clean up and less stress. YAY. Will definitely make this again.

What have you been cooking lately!!??

xox

Blueberry Peach Cake

Part of my spring list is bake a cake/pie. I love most things that are sweet so it was a definite must for me to sit down and figure this whole baking thing out. Also, spring being such a lovely season what else could I do?! A cake bake day had to happen. I came across a few recipes that called my name, and when I found one that literally haunted me for about a year I knew I had to give it a try. I changed a few things because well, me living a gluten free food life it was needed. It did not disappoint so I made this blueberry peach cake twice in two weeks {yes, I am obsessed}. So here we go:

Here's what you need:

9x3-inch spring form pan
Parchment paper
1 1/2 cups gluten free flour {I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to1 GF baking flour}
1 tspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 stick softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 peaches, sliced into wedges {I used frozen ones}
6 oz blueberries {fresh is the better choice here}
1 tspoon sugar {extra sugar}

Here's what you do:

- Preheat oven to 350 F, rack in the middle
- Grease the side and bottom of the spring form
- Line the bottom of the spring form pan with parchment paper
- Grease that paper as well

- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda into a medium bowl
- In a different bowl beat butter, sugar and eggs until very light & fluffy about 2-3 mins on high speed
- Add vanilla and yogurt, continue beating until very creamy and light in color about one minute
- Mixing speed to low, mix in the flour mix until everything is combined. Don't over mix.

- Transfer the batter to the spring form. Top it with sliced peaces and scatter the blueberries evenly in the spaces between the peach slices. Sprinkle with the extra sugar.
- Bake for about 1 hour and until the cake turns golden and when you test the center it comes out clean.
- Let it cool in the spring form for about 40 minutes, release it from the form. You can then transfer the cake to a cake plate with the parchment paper. 

And here we go, my very delicious blueberry peach cake!! We all loved it. The yogurt makes it moist and not too dry. Leftovers were left outside the fridge and it was just as delicious the next day. Cannot complain and I will definitely make this again...maybe with another fruit...not sure which one though? Suggestions are highly recommended.

Hope you're having a great day and week so far!!

xox

P.s. Adapted from Julia's Album

Chicken Pesto Bake

For months I have been following Tasty on Facebook. I love their creations. It always looks so easy, so delicious and so very inspirational. Guys, I gave in. I had to try a few things and hoped for the best. There is not much help there. Most recipes list every ingredient and step in detail, so with this I had to give my best and go with my taste buds and common cooking sense. In short, I ballparked it.

I did it.

I tried to create a Chicken Pesto Bake. It looked easy, and guys, it was so easy to make it made my day. Anyone can do this. Yes, even you believing the kitchen hates you or is after you for no real reason. The kitchen does not hate you by the way; you are always the boss! :)  It turned out so delicious we know for a fact that we'll be making this again and again and again.

Here's what you need:

- Chicken breasts {one per person is enough but you can use more}
- Pesto sauce
- Roma tomatoes {about four, cut in slices}
- Mozzarella cheese

Here's what you do:

- Preheat over to 400F {200C}
- Put the chicken breasts in a pyrex {or similar oven friendly dish}
- Optional: season with pepper and salt
- Cover each breast with enough pesto sauce {I painted mine green}
- Now put all the tomato slices on top of the chicken breasts; the more the better
- Add the cheese on top of everything {as much cheese as you would like; I used about 2 cups}
- Put in oven and bake for 40 minutes

Voila. Done. 
I served our chicken pesto bake with a small green salad on the side.
This is such an easy and very delicious dinner.

Yes, I know, my photos should be better BUT my man isn't helping me do this so cooking and taking photos at the same time requires four hands and sometimes I don't have that; well, I never have that. 

xox

Easy Broccoli Ham Bake

Have you ever been in a cooking funk?! I have. Easiest then is simply to get dressed and go. Let's be honest though, eating out once is fine. But eating out on a regular basis drains your account, and may even add a few pounds to your figure. As much as I love eating out I also learned to love to cook at home and explore new recipes and tweak them a bit. Today, I'm sharing with you my easy broccoli ham bake. It's so easy I want to make it once a week. It's a great breakfast dish, but I like it as a fun and different lunch or dinner idea.

Here's what you need:

• 5 cups of broccoli florets {I mainly use one big bag of frozen broccoli}
• 2-3 cups of diced ham
• 2 cups of mozzarella
• 1/3 to 1/2 cups of cut green onions {optional}
• 8 eggs, well beaten
• Spike seasoning {or similar}
• Black pepper
  

Here's what you do:

• Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil, cook the broccoli for about 2 minutes, drain well, set aside
• Heat oven to 375F
• Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray, or use butter/margarine/coconut oil {I used a 9x12'' dish}
• Layer your casserole dish as follows: Broccoli first, then the diced ham, then the Mozzarella cheese, and green onions
• Season with black pepper and Spike seasoning {about 1 tsp or to taste}
• Pour the beaten eggs over everything. It may look like there's not enough but it will be enough.
• "Stir" with a fork until all it coated with the eggs
• Bake for about 35-45 minutes {I usually end up with 40 minutes with my oven}

Once done, your broccoli ham bake is ready!

xo

Quick and Easy Dinner with Kielbasa

Making any kind of dish can be dreadful, especially when you believe you are not good at cooking. Trust me. I have been there. I thought I sucked the living life out of every kitchen tool and would ruin every meal by just attempting to read the recipe. Yes, I have failed. I have also succeeded. The minute I realized that I am no super human with super powers I learned to let go of fear and try what I wanted to try; with or without a recipe.

I started with easy dishes. Cooking pasta, rice, roasting potatoes, crockpotting {did I just make this up?!}, and salads. It cannot get easier than that. Crockpots are my best friends. Toss the meat in, add seasoning, water or broth or what not and hit buttons and voila, your desired dish will be ready in 4-8 hours. I have not failed at that once. I know people who failed, so yeah, that is that. Then, months ago I was craving meat. Yes, I eat meat. I may have a gluten intolerance and when I eat it I turn pregnant and rash-y {not a cute side effect at all}, but being gluten free doesn't mean meat-free. I try to limit our weekly meat intake but I am a meat lover. There you go, I said it. So, when I had that intense meat craving I wanted something easy. I know how to make meatloaf in all kinds of shapes and forms, and I might have tried myself with a turkey but when I cook I want it quick and easy. I don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. A quick and easy dinner had to be found. I walked through the meat aisles and found Kielbasa. I immediately knew that this was my meat, bought it and voila...I had myself a new dish at home, and a dinner ready with Kielbasa.

Here's what you need and what you do:

1 Kielbasa {or any other sausage, but I have tried a few others and always return to K}

1 onion

2-4 potatoes of your choice

1-2 zucchini {optional}

1-2 bell peppers of your choice {I prefer green and red}

- Cut all the vegetables into junks, cut the Kielbasa into nice, medium-sized rounds.

- Cook/Roast the potatoes as they are taking longer.

- Cook/Roast the Kielbasa either separately for about 6 minutes on medium or add them a little later than the potatoes.
- Once almost done, add the onions, bell peppers, and zucchini. Stir well.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- If you feel adventurous add some paprika, cumin, or curry to the veggies.
- Roast everything together for a few more minutes. Stir once more.

Serve while it's hot.
Add a salad to the dish, or a fun yogurt sauce. Easy and quick.

This Kielbasa dish never fails us.

xo

One Pot Pizza Pasta Bake

When I don't know what to blog I always remind myself that my life is this blog. So, what I do and think could benefit someone else will be put up. Today, just like most Wednesdays for the past few months, I am going to share a recipe with you. It's a recipe I came across a while back and tweaked it just a tad bit. Not much at all. Here we go.

I wanted to make something easy. Something delicious and easy. Something that would not require a lot of pots, and still would come as if I used three different kinds. Guys, I have become a one pot anything cooker. I love it. It's not only easy, it has never disappointed any of us. Here's to many more. So, so glad I got into this one pot cooking phase!

Here's what you need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
• 1/2 cup pepperoni, divided
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil {I used those tiny frozen cubes}
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 8 ounces pasta {rotini pasta is best, but penne would work as well; plus remember I always use gluten free pasta}
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese {I used mixed Italian cheese as well}
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

The hardest to find were the pepperoni. I didn't want regular pepperoni. I wanted mini pepperoni because they are cute. Simple as that. I couldn't find them anywhere. I gave up. So I just halved the ones I found, and it turned out awesome! If you know where to get them, please help a girl out!! Thank you.

Here's what you do:

• Preheat oven to broil.
• Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. 
• Add Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes. Make sure to crumble it. 
• Drain excess fat. 
• Stir in 1/4 cup pepperoni until heated through, about 1 minute.
• Stir in tomato sauce, oregano, basil garlic powder, pasta and 1 1/2 cups water
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 12-14 minutes.
• Remove from heat; top with mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup pepperoni. 
• Place into oven and cook until melted and golden brown, about 2 minutes.
• Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

It was really all in one pot. I never thought I could cook it all in one pot, let alone, gluten free pasta. It worked out so well, I made it a few days later again. Easy, very delicious, and we had hardly leftovers. Gosh, I cannot wait to make it again. It was this good!!

xoxo

adapted from  here

Shakshuka

Okay, what? Yes, shakshuka. Another spelling could also be Shakshouka. Either way, it is delicious. I have had it before in a restaurant. It's believed to be a North African dish, known in the Tunisian cuisine, but also apparently found in the Israeli cuisine. Well, today it is found in my kitchen and my stomach, so to be honest, I don't care where it's originally from {well, I still want to fully know} I just love how easy it is to make and how delicious it is on top of it.

If you were wondering...it is basically poached eggs in a {spicy} tomato sauce. Simple as that. 

Really, that simple.

Here's what you need {for about 4-6 servings}:
1/4 cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped {optional, you don't need to use them but for an extra kind of gentle kick I recommend it}
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, crushed and sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, do NOT drain {I sometimes use diced tomatoes, works just as well}
salt to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm pitas, for serving {or similar bread; I used gluten free bread from Canyon Bakehouse}

Here's what you do:
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chiles and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes.
Add garlic, cumin, and paprika. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 minutes.
Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands {unless you use diced ones you don't need to do this step}.
Add tomatoes and their liquid to skillet.
Add 1/2 cup water and reduce heat to medium.
Simmer and stir occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
Season sauce with salt.
Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface.

 

Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. 

Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk.

Done. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with bread. 

Obviously I used three eggs and not six. Reason? We are two people in this household, so I don't want to cook too much. I always just go with half of what is said in this recipe. This was done so quickly, had a kick to it, and has become our easy-made dish when we don't know what to cook. We always have eggs, garlic, onion, and tomato something in our kitchen. Makes up a quick and easy dish that stuffs our empty bodies. :)

xoxo

My Cheesy Breakfast Casserole

It is time I am sharing one of my favorite dishes with you - the cheesy breakfast casserole. Easter is just around the corner, so I thought it would be time for me to share the dish I will be making on Easter Sunday. Yes, you are right, I will be adding lots and lots of cheese; because I simply can.

Here's what you need - it's for about eight yieldings:

• 2 or 3 small russet potatoes, diced
• 4 large eggs {I used 6 eggs in the end, it covered it all better}
• 1/4 cup milk {used 1/2 cup milk, because I added two more eggs}
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 Italian sausage links, casing removed
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided {or more if you prefer it very cheesy}
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves {optional}
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce {optional}
   

Here's what you do:

• Preheat over to 350 F.
• Lightly coat baking dish with a nonstick spray {9-inch is perfect}.
• Place potatoes and 1/4 cup of water in a microwave-safe dish.
• Cover and place into microwave for about 4-6 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and set aside.
• In a large bowl or whatever you have, whisk together eggs, milk {and the optional hot sauce; season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high.
• Cook Italian sausage until browned, about 3-5 minutes. Crumble the sausage. Drain the fat.
• Stir in the bell peppers and potatoes until tender, about 2 -4 minutes. Potatoes may crumble.

• Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup cheddar cheese {or more} until well combined.
• Place this sausage mixture evenly into the baking dish. 
• Pour the separate egg mixture evenly over the top and sprinkle with remaining cheese {or add more}.
• Place into oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the eggs are firm.
• Serve immediately, and garnish with parsley if desired.

So yes, my photos aren't fancy but hey, I had to take those photos while preventing my guy to start eating while standing right next to me. He was ready to dig in. It was one of those dishes we knew we were going to make more often. Also, add a little bacon to the sausage and it will blossom into a fantastic breakfast dish you will want to eat for dinner!

xoxo

Creamy Easy and oh so yummy Bacon Corn Dip

Superbowl is around the corner. Spring parties are around the corner. Date time is around the corner. For whatever reason a dip is always an easy way to break the ice, enjoy a great night out with your date, or just munch on something relatively healthy. I have a confession to make, if I hear bacon I am sold. So when I was looking for a bacon recipe I stumbled upon a bacon dip. I tweaked it a little and it turned out delicious. Our date night was saved, and our bellies filled. No dinner was necessary afterwards.

Here's what you need:

• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 3 cups corn kernels {frozen, canned or roasted}
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper{I used green and just a little red - what I had available}
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced {optional}
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 2 tablespoons milk, or more to taste
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon sugar, or more to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Here's what you do:

• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat
• Add bacon, cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes
• Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, drain excess fat, keep a little fat for the next step
• Add corn, onion, bell pepper {and jalapeño} to the skillet
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4-5 minutes
• Stir in cream cheese and milk until well combined, about 2-3 minutes
• If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached
• Stir in green onions and sugar; season with salt and pepper, to taste
• Sprinkle bacon or mix in the bacon
• Serve immediately

The dip came out less creamy and more liquidy but it was worth the extra shot of milk I added. I didn't want it to be sticky and we all know cream cheese makes things sticky. I think 4 slices of bacon wasn't enough. Next time I will use 8 slices of bacon. Remember, I love bacon! Plus, it is called bacon corn dip and not corn bacon dip. I also used green bell peppers instead of all red. It was a great dip though and we finished the entire bowl with and without chips, because to be honest, this dip was so good I just wanted to use my spoon and eat it all like that. Yes, that good!

Oh, and best part? It was done in less than 30 minutes and is of course, gluten free!!

Yummy Stuffed Pepper Soup

Guys, I made a stuffed pepper soup and it was oh so delicious. I was more than just thrilled because B doesn't like bell peppers that much and I love them. I always had to sneak a few slices into dishes or just eat them separately. Not this time. He devoured this delicious, quite healthy and easy soup. Best part? It's gluten free and you don't have to go overboard to make it that way because it's already gluten free.

Here's what you need:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion chopped {about 1 cup}
• 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper 
• 3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans petite diced tomatoes
• 1 {15 oz} can tomato sauce
• 1 {14.5} can beef or chicken broth
• 2 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup rice {white or brown}
• Cheddar or mozzarella cheese, for serving {optional but it is so yummy}

Here's what you do:

• In a large pot heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat
• Once hot add beef, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned
• Drain beef and pour onto a plate {lined with paper towels}, set aside
• Heat 1 Tbsp oil in the same pot {don't want to use too many pots here}
• Add onions,  and bell peppers and saute for about 3 minutes
• Add garlic, mix together
• Pour in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, broth as well as parsley, basil and oregano
• Then add the beef, season with salt and pepper to taste
• Bring to a light boil & then reduce the heat to low, cover & simmer for about 30 minutes
• In a separate pot or rice cooker prepare the rice
• Once the soup is done add rice to the soup, slowly mix it all together
• Serve and garnish with cheese or/and fresh parsley {or none}

If you want your soup to be more soupy do not add all the rice. I added all the rice and it still felt soupy but we loved it. It was even better the next day. It didn't turn into mush at all. We mixed in cheddar cheese and it tasted great, not at all cheesy if you are worried about that. I used chicken broth because that is what I had handy. I didn't want to go out and buy beef broth and it still worked. 

Loved this dish on a cold day in January! We so deserved this healthy dish. ;) 

Any soups you love to eat during this time of year?!

My Favorite Homemade {southwestern} Meatloaf

Excuse my very boring image above...but I made meatloaf and was hungry. I even forgot to add the broccoli with almonds to the photo. It was a hectic day. Next time. I am only human and no food blogger, but I made my very own homemade meatloaf and let me tell you it was very delicious.

For months I wanted to make meatloaf. I was craving it but then also admitted to myself that making a dish like that during hot summer days wasn't ideal. So I waited until temperatures dropped. Colder temperatures ask for warmer and somewhat heavier dishes. This meatloaf isn't even "heavy" but definitely worth a try during colder days.

Here's what you need {for about 4 servings}:

- 1lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves {I used parsley instead}
- 1 can {4 ounces} mild green chiles, drained {optional}
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can {8 ounces} tomato sauce, divided
- 2 tablespoons ketchup

Here's what you do:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Spray 13x9 baking pan {or use something else you think would work}
- Combine beef, onion, cornmeal, egg, cumin, salt, pepper, half the tomato sauce, cilantro and peppers
- Mix well
- In a separate, smaller bowl, combine the rest of the tomato sauce with ketchup
- Shape the meat mixture into your pan, then top the ketchup mix on top.
- Bake for 55 minutes or until cooked through
- Wait five minutes before you cut the loaf
- Enjoy

Once it comes out of the oven the ketchup pretty much looks the same. I had no idea. Again, I'm no pro and never thought that ketchup stayed the same...I mean, it never crossed my mind. I just thought something would happen to it but clearly it looked the same. Needless to say we ate this dish in no time, hence the halfway eaten loaf photo. LOVED it.

This dish was one of the easiest and one of those I dreamed of later. I don't need to do this all the time but we needed something homemade and meaty. It was a great meatloaf and I will certainly make it again. And maybe then I have an updated photo to post on this post that actually is perfect...with spinach or carrots or peas. :) I swear, we ate veggies that day too.