Category: Breakfast

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Brunch amongst friends: Quick and Easy Frittata

frittata.TheCubanReuben.com I love the holidays for many reasons, but mostly because, for me, this season means lots and lots of visitors. This past weekend, my friend and editor of The Nosher, Shannon, came to visit. When she asked me what we could do that was fun and food-related, I suggested that there were few things more fun and food-related to me than cooking with friends! So, we made a date for brunch, and planned what we’d cook together.

I knew the main event would be our cooking adventures, but we would need some nourishment to get our creative juices flowing. Not wanting to stress too much about what to make, I decided to peruse my fridge for inspiration. Cue the frittata.

Frittatas are a fantastic breakfast/brunch food, because they take very little effort, can help you use up some of your leftovers, and easily impress. While many frittatas call for diced potatoes, I decided to use up some of my leftover potato latkes as my main filling. Leftover baked potatoes work great in here, too. After rummaging through my vegetable crisper that seemed filled to the brim with different types of lettuce, I found the crowning jewel of this dish in some cherry tomatoes. I was looking for an ingredient that offered both visual stimulation, as well as a taste boost, and loved the way that the cherry tomatoes contrasted with the yellow of the egg. Of course, no frittata is complete without fresh herbs, so I chopped up a bit of Italian Parsley, and called it a day.

Served alongside fresh fruit and some authentic Cuban-style cafe con leche, this was the perfect start to the “fun and food-related” day ahead.

Quick and Easy Frittata
 
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Recipe type: Brunch
Serves: 8-10
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Use up your leftovers in this easy brunch favorite!
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbs. butter
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 cooked russet potato, diced (can be a baked potato, but I used leftover latkes)
  • 10 large eggs
  • ¼ cup half and half
  • ¼ grated parmesan cheese
  • 10 cherry tomatoes, halved and seeded
  • 1 Tbs. chopped Italian Parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. In a large oven-safe skillet, add butter and olive oil, and warm over medium heat.
  3. Add the onions, and saute until light brown (about 5-7 minutes). Add the potatoes, and stir gently to fully incorporate. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and half and half until well-combined. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in parmesan cheese, and pour over onion and potato mixture in skillet.
  5. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until edges set.
  6. Add tomatoes, cut-side down, and bake frittata in oven until it sets completely (about 10 minutes).
  7. Remove from oven, and let rest for 2 minutes before unmolding from skillet and slicing.
  8. Can be served hot or at room temperature.
Notes
This recipe is easily adaptable and can include almost any filling you want. Feel free to experiment with last night's leftovers, and see for yourself!

 

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Breakfast for Dinner Pizza Party: Blueberry Muffin Pizza

BlueberryMuffinPizza.TheCubanReuben.comRemember that time I went to the Saly Cortile Cucina for a pizza party? Well, I’ve now become a regular at these gatherings, and this past weekend, I experienced my favorite one yet! In the past, all of the guests have shown great creativity when it comes to pizza toppings, but this was the first time that we had an official theme: Breakfast for Dinner. Anyone who knows me knows that I could eat breakfast any time of day. It’s my all-time favorite meal, and I feel strongly that most (not all, but most) foods are only made better by adding an egg on top. I’m pretty sure the hashtag #PutAnEggOnIt was created with me in mind. Needless to say, I was very excited when I got the invitation, and the wheels in my brain started turning  with recipe ideas right away..

Matt, David, and Jessie prep the tasty pizzas.
Matt, David, and Jessie prep the tasty pizzas.

First, I thought about traditional pizza toppings that are also regulars on the breakfast table, and breakfast meats came to mind. Sausage, ham, bacon… Although I don’t ordinarily follow the laws of kashrut, these toppings were not appealing to me at the time. Then I thought about my favorite breakfast items outside the confines of pizza toppings: omelets, pancakes, cereal. I was stumped, when all of a sudden, I had a moment of great clarity.

Some of the amazing pizzas featured (clockwise from top left: Bagel and lox pizza, cheese blintz pizza, asparagus and cheese omelette with brown butter pizza, chocolate croissant pizza).
Some of the amazing pizzas featured (clockwise from top left: Bagel and lox pizza, cheese blintz pizza, asparagus and cheese omelet with brown butter pizza, chocolate croissant pizza).

I love blueberry muffins, especially when they come with a crumb topping! Plus, I’d never heard of a blueberry muffin pizza before, but I was excited to try it. Fortunately, it turned out to be a big hit for the night! I was dubious, since I hadn’t practiced the recipe beforehand, but I thought,  “how bad could mascarpone, blueberries and crumb topping really be?” I’m so glad I took the gamble, because it could not have turned out any better. The blueberries withstood the heat marvelously, and plumped up right away. The crumb topping melted into the layers below, coating them with a kiss of sweetness. All together, this creation made one darn tasty bite!

Dana, surrounded by her former campers, Alisha, Jessie, and me.
Dana, surrounded by her former campers, Alisha, Jessie, and me.

There was so much happening that night that I was worried the party guests may not get the chance to really indulge in my new creation. We had cereal as a “snacketizer,” the bloody marys and spiked hot cocoas were flowing, countless ridiculously delicious pizzas were firing up in the oven, and we all had a blast catching up with old friends. But as soon as Matt pulled my blueberry muffin pizza out the oven, the crowd gathered for a slice.

Even the kids were in on the action. These two gave the chocolate croissant pizza two thumbs up!
Even the kids were in on the action. These two gave the chocolate croissant pizza two thumbs up!

I don’t know which I liked better, the food or the company, but all in all, it was another unforgettable experience, and I feel very lucky to have been a part of it.

The good news is that you don’t have to wait for a pizza party to make a blueberry muffin pizza. I imagine that this would make a perfect stand in for traditional coffee cake any day of the week.  In fact, it’s on my personal menu for tomorrow morning, when I entertain some out-of-towners before the big turkey feast… and my mouth is already watering!

Blueberry Muffin Pizza
 
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast
Serves: 4-6
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Dazzle your guests with this unique spin on an old favorite
Ingredients
  • 1 store-bought uncooked pizza dough (I like Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup cold butter
  • ⅓ cup mascarpone cheese, softened
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 12 oz fresh blueberries
Instructions
  1. Let dough sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  3. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
  4. Roll out dough on floured surface, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking pan.
  5. Spread mascarpone cheese over the dough, and sprinkle with lemon zest.
  6. Top the mascarpone cheese with the blueberries, and gently press them into the dough.
  7. Add desired amount of crumb mixture on top of the blueberries (*Note: You do not have to use all of it), and bake for 10-15 minutes or until pizza bubbles and crumb topping browns slightly.
  8. Let rest 3-5 minutes before slicing.