Holiday Frittata

I should start off by saying that there is nothing "holiday" about this frittata except that we generally only eat this frittata on holidays.  Feel free to enjoy at any time of year.

I prefer frittatas to omelets in my house for a few reasons.  First, I'm not a fan of runny eggs (and this isn't possible in a frittata that is cooked properly). Secondly, it feeds a large group with ease.  Thirdly, it is easier to make a frittata appropriate for any meal (and convince people who aren't in the "breakfast for dinner" camp that is isn't breakfast food at all). Lastly, it is so easy! This recipe feeds 6-8. I always serve this with toasted bread of some sort and fresh fruit.

**Adding waffles, french toast or cinnamon rolls to the menu makes this a perfect brunch line-up.

10 large eggs, beaten

1/2 c. lowfat buttermilk

1/2 c. whole milk (heavy cream is an extra-indulgent substitution)

1/2 grated Parmesan cheese (use the Parmagianno Reggiano, it is so much better!)

1 c. shredded sharp cheddar, grated

2 small potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 small onion, minced

2-3 T canola oil

choose 2 of the following:

*a big handful of finely chopped broccoli or broccoli raabe

*1 small diced tomato

*a big handful of chopped mushrooms

*a big handful of chopped fresh asparagus (thin works best)

*1/2 c. chopped cooked bacon, ham, sausage or chicken

*large handful of chopped spinach

*1/2 c. diced, seeded zucchini

Preheat oven broiler to 450F (if you can't choose temperature, choose "high" or normal broil setting). Combine eggs, buttermilk, milk, and parmesan cheese thoroughly (a large batter bowl works great for this is you have one. If not, a large mixing bowl is fine). Set aside.  Over medium heat in oven-proof skillet, heat oil and add potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, and then add onions and rest of ingredients from list below (if adding spinach or tomato, wait a few more minutes before adding them, as they cook quickly). Sautee until potatoes are tender and onions are caramelized.  Add egg mixture, stirring constantly (a heat proof spatula works best) and pushing cooked portions of eggs to center as you go.  When about half the eggs are firm, place the whole skillet into the oven on center rack.  After 5 minutes, sprinkle cheddar cheese over the mixture and continue broiling until cheese is melted.  The eggs will puff up when baking, so make sure there are a few extra inches above the top of the skillet in the oven.  When the frittata is cooked through, eggs will not wobble when you shake the pan.  To serve, take a long heat-proof spatula and run it along the bottom and edges of the skillet.  You should be able to slide the whole frittata onto a large platter.  If it is stuck, inverting the frittata onto a plate is a second option.  Just garnish with cheese and herbs to to improve the presentation. Slice like a pie and serve.

Wild Wild Rice

In our house, carbs are a bit of a battle ground. (Not for me, I adore them all.) We have one resident who only eats fried or white rice (Chinese take-out style, very healthy), one resident who hates pasta with anything but butter, one resident who won't do potatoes except for baked, and the list goes on. 

My inner cook wants to say "Whatever, if they are hungry, they'll eat what I cook." There are times, however, when I just can't sit through another meal where the beautiful things on our table are picked at (by the teenagers) and then junk food is consumed at an alarming rate all night.

The compromise? Wild rice. Not a blend (brown rice is objected to by several constituents, even when in disguise), but just the actual wild rice.  It should be noted that wild rice isn't rice at all, but a variety of grass seed. Regardless, it's very healthy (full of fiber!) and everyone whom I regularly cook for enjoys it.  There are two ways to prepare it that are my favorite. I take a short cut and buy the Trader Joe's pre-cooked pouch.  It serves four hungry people and is ready to go in minutes.  I have also cooked it from it's dry state in my rice cooker, which works just fine but takes awhile.  Feel free to do either.

Wild Rice Provencal

1 pouch precooked Wild Rice (I like Trader Joe's brand)

3 T olive oil

1/2 c. orange juice

3 T minced onion

1 clove minced garlic

fresh parsley (to taste, added at the end)

1/2 c dried tart cherries OR cranberries

1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/2 T dried Herbes de Provence

salt

pepper

In a sauce pan, sautee onion on medium heat until it sweats (about 3 minutes), then add garlic. After another minute, add (cooked) wild rice and all ingredients except for parsley. Break up the rice with a wooden spoon and cover. Cook for 5-10 minutes, taking lid off if more moisture needs to evaporate.  It can stay in the pan covered for up to 30 minutes until the rest of dinner is ready.

Wild Rice with Vegetables

1 pouch precooked Wild Rice (I like trader Joe's brand)

3 T olive oil

3 T white wine or champagne vinegar

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. chopped carrot

1/2 c. chopped celery

1 clove minced garlic

fresh thyme and rosemary, chopped (to taste, added at the end)

Prepare as above. Cheers!

Twenty Tap

Beer flight

Monday nights are usually relatively uneventful. For Jeff and I, they usually mean a $3 pint at the Broad Ripple Brewpub and then some sort of easy dinner (out or on the grill). We were both craving burgers, and one of our friends mentioned that Twenty Tap had the best around. Twenty Tap is the relatively new brainchild of BR Brewpub Brewer Kevin Matalucci and his wife, Tracy, a caterer.  This concept is all about the craft brew, having (you guessed it) 20 draft options on any given night (and many from Indiana).

I was skeptical, as I had already heard plenty of mixed reviews. Walking in, I noticed a clean, bright, almost spartan eatery.  It could certainly use a little help in the ambiance department.  Our hostess was friendly and our server was great at recommending beer. Jeff ordered a flight of 3 (2 IPAs and a Pilsner for shock value), and Josh ordered an IPA.  Courtney and I decided to give the wine list a whirl. I drank the Angeline Pinot Noir (a steal for $7/glass) and Courtney had a Malbec. We were both pleased, though we wanted more selections. I know it's all about the beer, but a great wine list will go a long way to convincing the non-craft-beer crowd that this place is well worth it.

Oh holy cheese curds

What blew us all away was the food. I was instructed by the same friend to order the cheese curds. Even though I protested on account of calorie intake, he made us swear to order them. We did, and I must say they made the whole thing worth it even if everything else ended horribly.  They were the best cheese curds (possibly the best fried anything) I have ever eaten.  A la Brugge Brasserie, there is a plethora of homemade aiolis for dipping (we preferred the roasted garlic to the horseradish, but both were good). I also asked for grainy mustard, which I loved with the curds.

The Wrath with a side salad

Jeff and I split a burger called The Wrath (Bacon, Mushrooms, Onion, Lettuce, and Creamy Ale Bleu Cheese Sauce), and we chose a side salad instead of fries to go with it. At $9 it was a steal, and it's been a long time since I've had a better burger.  The bleu cheese ale sauce was terrific, and the beef (they use a combination of 3 cuts of beef) was juicy and full of flavor. The side salad that came with shockingly good, and featured romaine, shallots, fennel, mozzarella, and a punchy lemon vinaigrette.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Josh ordered the Grilled Chicken sandwich with prosciutto, arugula, provolone, and fig jam.  It was out of this world; the fig jam added just enough subtle sweetness to the peppery arugula and smoky provolone. The fries that came with it were tasty.  They weren't quite as addictive as Brugge, but they were definitely good. 

Ambiance.... ehhhh?

Twenty Tap gets a 4.5/5.  It scores extremely high marks for food quality, freshness, and taste, as well as great service.  I would love to see them kick up the ambiance a few notches and add more variety to their wine list.  I wouldn't trace any of that, though, if it meant sacrificing food quality or beer selection. I think Twenty Tap will do extremely well if they keep this up. Cheers!