For those of you not familiar, let me introduce you to the fritatta.  A frittata is an Italian-style omelet and, in my opinion, is much easier to make than the traditional French version.   Like omelets, frittatas can be made with endless combinations of cheeses, meats, and vegetables.  The ease of preparation for the frittata is two fold.  First of all, a fritatta is made in a skillet, and as long as the skillet is large enough, can feed a group.  (Those of you who have ever tried to serve omelets to order for a crowd know its not the easiest or most efficient way to serve brunch to a group.  And I certainly don’t recommend it!)  Second of all, the frittata does not need the constant attention of an omelet, and finishes baking in the oven.  You get the best of both worlds with frittatas – ease of preparation and it still tastes as great as its cousin, the omelet. (more…)

I first tried this dish in a small restaurant in NYC while visiting friends for the weekend.  My friend Amy recommended the scrambled eggs with asparagus and feta – how could I pass that up?  I was hooked.  The crisp, clean asparagus is a sweet contrast to the faint tang of the feta – all enjoyed against the background of fluffy, creamy eggs.  While I am not as fortunate to live in the city and order up these delectable eggs every weekend, I decided that something this simple should be easy enough to duplicate at home.  Turns out – it is.

Scrambled eggs are probably one of the most traditional breakfast options.  Ranging from a over-cooked rubbery mess, to heavenly fluffy melt-in-your-mouth creamy, scrambled eggs can mean several things.  Once you learn a couple of simple tricks, it is easy to produce those creamy eggs every time.  With a good technique for creamy eggs, the possibilities are endless to “spice them up” and turn a simple dish into a true breakfast. My first “perfect egg tip”: Don’t forget to season. After you have cracked your eggs, don’t hesitate to add a good amount of salt, pepper and even some fresh herbs.  I also like to add a splash of heavy cream to my raw eggs.  Whisk the eggs and the seasonings until well incorporated.  (One of my biggest pet-peeves is scrambled eggs with distinct chunks of whites and yolks.)  Tip 2:  For those perfectly smooth eggs, don’t be afraid to give those suckers a good beating. You know your eggs are properly beaten when you lift the whisk and the eggs run off smoothly – you should not have any remaining clumps of egg white.  Now to the cooking process.  Tip 3: Eggs are often ruined because they are overcooked – either too long a stay on the stove or too high of a temperature. Low and slow is the way to go (more…)

This recipe has been in my repertoire for some time now, but I recently realized that Scott had never sampled it.  We couldn’t have that, now, could we?  Now that I work at a Kosher grocery store, I find myself with an abundant supply of freshly baked challah, which means we find ourselves eating French toast often.  I grabbed a loaf on my way out the door on Friday and decided that following morning (looking at my bananas sitting in the fruit bowl) that I would make the banana nut French toast.  I had forgotten how great this version of the breakfast classic really is! (more…)

Because I work on Sundays, Saturday mornings are my special time with Scott.  We used to love to go to brunch, but since most local restaurants do not offer a Saturday brunch, I decided to create my own.  I try to think ahead and grab a couple of ingredients on Friday at the grocery store, but I have to admit, a lot of mornings I am trying to create something from our pantry.  Luckily, there are a lot of breakfast foods that can be “thrown” together to create quick, delicious breakfasts.  I love cooking in my pjs, sitting down to a real breakfast, and then relaxing after in those same pjs (can’t do that at a restaurant brunch, now can you?)

Usually presenting pancakes, scrambles, or french toast for our Saturday brunches, I was looking for a change.   I had half a bag of left over spinach that I needed to use up.  Browsing the internet for breakfast recipes that included spinach, I came across this “spin” on eggs benedict.  (Florentine refers to dishes that are presented on a bed of spinach and topped with morney sauce – a cheesy white sauce.)  While this particular breakfast choice is not the quickest of preparations – relax, enjoy the cooking process, and create a luxurious breakfast for yourself – it’s the weekend after all.   (more…)