Mushroom and Spinach Frittata

It's that time again... time for the Secret Recipe Club!

This month I was assigned to India's blog, A Vegan Obsession. I'm not at all familiar with the vegan lifestyle so it was cool to peruse through her blog and see how she cooks and eats.

I chose her frittata to make, but adapted it to my likings a bit, and used eggs.

Mushroom and Spinach Frittata
adapted from A Vegan Obsession

• 16 oz baby bella mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 a yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 5 eggs
• salt to taste 
• sour cream, for topping

Preheat broiler.

Rinse mushrooms to remove dirt. In a large oven-proof skillet, saute mushrooms on high and stir, until water has drained from mushrooms and formed in skillet; drain. Add 2 tablespoons butter and continue to saute and stir. Season with salt and stir. 

Reduce to low heat, add onion and garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes. 

Add spinach and saute until wilted. 

Beat eggs in a bowl; add eggs to skillet. Cover skillet with lid and cook for about 15 minutes, or until eggs are nearly set.

Remove lid and put skillet under the broiler for 2-5 minutes until the top is nicely browned and eggs are set, watching so that it doesn't brown too much.

Slice and serve hot.

Top with sour cream, if desired.   

Printable Recipe








































This hearty breakfast or brunch is filling and tasty. And if you don't eat it all, just refrigerate and reheat for breakfast before work or school and you've got yourself an easy breakfast.


Check out what the other Group C members brought to the table!!


Linking up here.  
 
Peace, and bacon grease!

 

Southern Greens

My mama is from Hazard, KY and grew up in Harlan, KY. Yep, Harlan from the show Justified. It gets kindof a bad rep on there though. So we're all about good ole southern food. You know, things like cornbread, chitlins - don't judge us!, and collard greens. I grew up loving my mama's greens.

So when it came time to pick a recipe that started with G or H for the Eating the Alphabet Challenge, I knew I'd go with greens. As in collard, kale, mustard, or even Swiss chard. I found a recipe online that used all of them so I was drawn to it. Plus the reviews were pretty good. 

Don't let the amount of greens fool you. They shrink down when cooked.

Southern Greens
adapted from Michael Symon

• 1 lb bacon, diced
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lbs collard greens
• 1 lb kale
• 1 lb mustard greens
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 large pinch of salt
• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• sriracha hot sauce, optional 

In a large pot, add bacon and cook over medium heat until fat begins to render. When the bacon is almost crisp, add sliced onions and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Remove the tough stems of the greens and discard. Rinse greens. Roughly chop the greens and add them to the pot with the red pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes over low heat.

Remove the lid and add the vinegar and sugar. Put the lid back on and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add sriracha hot sauce if desired.

Printable Recipe

I sprinkled a little parmesan cheese on top. Just cuz.

Most recipes I've known for making greens involve a hamhock, but this one didn't so I was intrigued to see if it would have the same flavor.

And it did! PJ really liked them too. I think he said these were the best he's had. I dunno if that's an insult to my mama or a compliment to me (and Michael Symon). I'll pretend I didn't hear that.

Love me some greens. It's a southern thang.

P.S. It's so hard to make greens look good. But the taste.... the taste....  just make them and see for yourself.

Oh, and there's bacon :)

Check out my past Eating the Alphabet posts!

And check out the other posts in the blog hop below: 


Peace, and bacon grease!

Tequila Marinated Grilled Chicken + Guacamole Tacos

You know how I said I love avocados and I'm making up for lost time? 

Yeah, that's why almost all of my recent posts have included avocados. You're welcome. 

Well I'm also a sucker for almost anything grilled! Grilled meats. Grilled sides. Grilled desserts. I'm convinced grilling makes all things better.

Same goes for alcohol. Alcohol makes all things better. Desserts, my weekends, and even marinades.

So put it all together and we've got some of my fave things ever. Avocados. Grilled goodness. And alcohol. 

Have I sold you on this yet? If I haven't, it's also Mexican - tacos and guac. All those reasons are why I loved this dish so much.




































Tequila Marinated Grilled Chicken + Guacamole Tacos
adapted from Cuizoo

Marinade:

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• juice and zest of two limes
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped   
• freshly ground black pepper 

Guacamole:

• 2 avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• juice of half a lime
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

 For Tacos:

• soft flour tortillas
• sour cream
• shredded monterey jack cheese      
• diced red onions

In a large bowl or baking dish, whisk together the marinade ingredients except for the chicken thighs. Place the chicken thighs in the marinade and turn to coat. Marinade for at least an hour.

Grill chicken thighs over indirect heat for 15-20 minutes or until done. Remove, let rest, and slice into strips.

In a bowl, mash together the guacamole ingredients. Build your own tacos with grilled chicken, guacamole, sour cream, diced onions, and cheese.

Printable Recipe

Oh and in case you're wondering, the marinated grilled chicken alone is divine. So tender and so flavorful. I could eat that for dinner all on it's own.

I'm joining along in the Spiked! Recipe Challenge. You should too! We bake/cook with a different alcohol every two months. So naturally this is like, the best challenge ever!




Peace, and bacon grease!

Avocado Salsa

More avocados! See, told ya I was making up for lost time. I've still got a lot of making up to do, I mean, I went like 25 years of my life without it! 

Here's another Cinco de Mayo recipe to get your avocado fix.





































No cooking required at all, definitely my kinda simple. 
































Avocado Salsa
slightly adapted from Right at Home (half the original recipe)

• 2 ripe avocados, diced into large chunks
• 1 lime
• 1 roma tomato, diced into large pieces
• 1/2 a red onion, diced
• 1/2 of a jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1/8 cup cilantro leaves, chopped finely
• salt and pepper to taste

Place avocado in a large bowl. Squeeze lime juice over the avocados. Add diced tomatoes and onion, jalapeno, and cilantro to the bowl. Stir all ingredients well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap to keep avocados from turning brown. Refrigerate until served.

Printable Recipe
 

And yes I served them with Cool Ranch Doritos. I love them way more than plain tortilla chips.

What are your plans for Cinco de Mayo? Any fun parties you're attending? I'll be at home posted up on the couch eating Mexican foods and drinkin margaritas.

That is all.

Peace, and bacon grease!

Bacon and Roasted Garlic Guacamole

Welp, this stuff is pretty amazing.

You know about roasted garlic, right? It's soft, it's a bit sweeter, it makes all things better. 

Except your breath. 

 
And you already know my thoughts on bacon.

It too makes everything better.
































Except scallops. That is the one thing I don't like wrapped in bacon. I'm weird.


But roasted garlic and bacon make this guac oh-so-special. I dare you to try it and not like it. Double dog dare you.





















Bacon and Roasted Garlic Guacamole
adapted from Fabtastic Eats

• 1 head of garlic
• olive oil
• 2 strips of bacon
• 4 tablespoons red onion, minced
• 3 avocados, seeded
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice off the top of the head of garlic to expose some cloves inside. Place the heads on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and wrap in the foil. Roast until cloves are lightly browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and unwrap to cool.

While garlic is roasting, chop bacon and cook in a skillet until crisp. When bacon is almost done, add in minced red onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and drain off grease on a paper towel and set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss in avocados and squeeze in all of the roasted garlic. Add the lime juice and cayenne pepper. Mash together roughly.  Stir in the bacon and onion mixture, and cilantro. Add salt to taste.


Printable Recipe

Would you believe I didn't like guacamole until I was an adult? 

I said I was weird! And now I'm making up for all that lost time.






































Linking up here.  


Peace, and bacon grease!

Roasted Jalapeno Margarita

Hola, amigos!

It's time to get Cinco de Mayo up in here. And what better way to prepare than with a margarita? There isn't any, is there?

This here margarita is special, you see. It's the perfect blend of sweet, salty, and spicy!

 
Here's the pretty fruits and veggies you'll need. Can we count this as healthy since there's fruits and veggies involved?

Yep, it's a Roasted Jalapeno Margarita! 

Intrigued? 









Ever since I fell in love with this Cilantro Jalapeno Limeade I made last summer, I've been obsessed with the idea of jalapeno in my drinks to add that perfect little bit of spiciness. This margarita, no exception. 
























Roasted Jalapeno Margarita
from Food Network 

• 1 jalapeno
• ice
• 3 ounces Homemade Sour Mix, recipe follows
• 2 ounces tequila
• 1 lime, cut into wedges and/or slices
• salt for rim, if desired

Over a hot grill or stovetop burner, roast the jalapeno until lightly blistered and fragrant. Slice into 1/4 inch thick slices.

In a cocktail shaker, add 2 (or more) slices roasted jalapeno, ice, Homemade Sour Mix, tequila, and juice of 1 lime wedge. Shake. Rim a glass with the wedge of a lime and dip in salt. Serve with ice. Garnish with lime slice and jalapeno slice.

Homemade Sour Mix

*Yields: 3 and 1/2 cups

• 1 and 1/2 cups sugar 
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh lime juice

Combine the sugar and 1 and 1/2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and cool. Add the lemon and lime juice. Chill until ready to use.  

*Note: You will not use all of the Homemade Sour Mix for one margarita, as the recipe for Homemade Sour Mix yields 28 ounces and you only need 3 ounces per margarita. You will have some leftover for more margaritas :) 

Printable Recipe
 





























Don't forget the salt for the rim! What's a margarita without the salt?

More Cinco de Mayo recipes to come this week! Stay tuned :)

Linking up here.  

Peace, and bacon grease!

Proof That Hard Work and Dedication Pay Off!!!

Guys!!

I am literally jumping for joy!

After 15 rejections and thoughts of giving up.... 

FOODGAWKER FINALLY ACCEPTED ONE OF MY PHOTOS!!!

AHHHHHH!!!! This is like the highlight of my life right now. Ok, maybe just the highlight of my year, so far. But you can see my excitement. Exclamation points galore!!!!!!!

This is a major accomplishment for a food blogger like myself. I had been so discouraged when they rejected some of what I thought were my best photos.

But finally, my Mini Almond Tarts were good enough to make the cut.

And now my life is complete :)

It just goes to show that dedication, time and practice do pay off. If you are/were feeling like me and were discouraged for not having any photos accepted, just keep trying, for real! It's really subjective and what may get rejected by one moderator may be accepted by another. I almost gave up, and if I had I wouldn't be this happy right now.

Ok, now only to figure out how to have another one accepted lol.

But for now, I'm doing my happy dance. And enjoying a margarita that I'll be sharing with you guys soon.

Happy weekend to you.




Peace, and bacon grease!