New free ebook: The Not Ketchup Burger Book

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This new free ebook is about to turn your summer grilling and entertaining up to 11.

(Yep, that's a Spinal Tap reference, I'm dating myself.)

Introducing The Not Ketchup Burger Book. This book has 10 of the most delicious burger recipes you've ever tasted. My sweet and tangy Not Ketchup sauces make every burger something truly special.

The recipes:

• Cherry Chipotle Breakfast Burger
• Citrus Crab Cakes with Tangerine Dressing
• Blueberry Bison Burger
• Cherry Chipotle Southwestern Turkey Burger Bowl
• Smoky Date Banh Mi Pork Burger
• Spiced Fig Lamb Sliders
• Spicy Salmon Burger
• Smoky Date Veggie Burger
• Classic Cherry Chipotle Burger
• Tangerine Shrimp Cilantro Burger

I was lucky to have my friend Laura Bashar, who writes the gorgeous blog Family Spice and is co-author of Cooking Techniques with Olive Oil, do all the styling, photography and graphic design. I'm telling you, these are some of the most beautiful burger photos I've ever seen. (If you're looking for an ebook for your business, I highly, highly recommend her and would be happy to put you in touch.)

Click here to get The FREE Not Ketchup Burger Book. I hope you enjoy it!

Buy Not Ketchup on Amazon.com - free shipping with Prime!

Creamy microwave scrambled eggs

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Perfect scrambled eggs in the microwave: It's all in the timing

Do you eat breakfast at work? I often eat breakfast at the office — I'm just not hungry before leaving the house. My favorite low carb breakfast: eggs. Which is why I've been experimenting with making scrambled eggs in the microwave in my office kitchen.

I've found the secret to making fluffy, moist scrambled eggs that aren't dry or rubbery. It's all in the timing. The trick is to undercook them, then stir briskly to break up the curds and use the residual heat to finish cooking the eggs. The result: creamy, dreamy scrambled eggs you'd think were made on the stove.

Here's a step-by-step tutorial with visuals:

I keep eggs, shredded cheese and butter in the office refrigerator

1. Keep a dozen eggs, a bag of shredded cheese, and a stick of butter in your office refrigerator. My office has salt and pepper, but if yours doesn't, bring that too.

Crack the eggs in a bowl

2. Crack two eggs into a bowl. We have real utensils and dishes in our office kitchen, but paper bowls work fine too. Add salt and pepper.

Add shredded cheese and butter

3. Add shredded cheese (optional) and a few bits of cold butter. Whisk it all together with a fork.

After one minute in my office microwave

4. Microwave on high for 30-60 seconds. I'm giving a range here because microwaves vary. Start checking after 30 seconds. The eggs should look liquid, with just the first solid curds forming around the edge. Stir vigorously with a fork, blending the curds into the uncooked eggs.

After a total of two minutes in my office microwave

5. Return the bowl to the microwave and cook another 30-45 seconds. It is very important not to let the eggs cook too long in this step. They should look like the photo above when you take them out: Cooked around the outsides, but liquid and raw in the center.

Stir again, breaking up the curds with your fork

6. Stir again, very vigorously, breaking up the curds with your fork and mixing the uncooked egg into the curds. The residual heat will cook the remaining raw egg without turning it dry and rubbery. You'll end up with a creamy bowl of perfect scrambled eggs.

Perfect microwave scrambled eggs

7. Sprinkle with more shredded cheese if you like and eat immediately.

Warning: Your coworkers may start asking you to make their breakfasts, too.

Deviled eggs with duck skin "cracklins"

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My younger son, a newly minted teenager, knows what he likes and wants what he wants.

And this week what he wants are deviled eggs.

I believe in turning out self-sufficient young men who can feed themselves - and a dozen of their friends, too. So I taught him how to make deviled eggs.

He has now made three batches on his own. Well, two and a half. The first time he didn't let the eggs come to a full boil and ended up with oozing yolks and wobbly whites. But the next two batches were terrific.

He's been seasoning his with herbs like chervil, chives and thyme. Truth be told, I like my deviled eggs a little more straightforward - mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. But I'll never turn down a bit of crunch on top, whether it's bacon, crushed croutons, or, as in this case, slivered duck skin baked to a crisp.

Admittedly, duck is a rare treat for us. I think the skin off chicken thighs would work - I'll try it and report back.

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Deviled eggs with duck skin "cracklins"

by Erika Kerekes March-9-2015

Simple, traditional deviled eggs topped with slivered duck skin that's been baked until crisp. A luxurious treat for a weeknight dinner at home or the fanciest of cocktail parties.

Ingredients

• 2 duck breast lobes, skins only (use meat for another dish)
• 1 dozen eggs
• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• green onions, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.Slice the duck skins into 1/4-inch strips and spread them out on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Slide the pan into the oven and bake until crisp, about 20 minutes (start checking after 10 minutes - do not let the duck skins burn). Remove the duck "cracklins" from the oven and use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. Let cool, then chop roughly.While the duck skins cook, put the eggs in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring the pot to a rolling boil, clap on the lid, turn off the flame, and leave the covered pot sitting on the stove for 25 minutes.Drain the water from the pot, add cold water, and let the eggs cool for a few minutes. Peel the eggs and cut them in half horizontally.Carefully remove the yolks from the hard-boiled eggs. Put all the yolks in a small mixing bowl and add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Mash with a fork or whisk until very smooth.Use a small spoon or a piping bag to refill the egg white halves with the yolk mixture. Sprinkle with the duck "cracklins" and the chopped green onions. Serve immediately.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 35 mins Total time: 40 mins Yield: 24 pieces

Passover matzoh kugel with bananas and chocolate chips

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I can't seem to escape the combination of bananas and chocolate. Not even at Passover.

Then again - why would I want to?

Banana chocolate chip bread pudding is a favorite in our house. (By the way, there's a reason I named it Better Than Make-Up Sex Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding. Because it is.)

The matzoh left over from last night's Passover seder got me thinking: Could I make a Passover dessert with bananas and chocolate chips?

Here you go. You can thank me later.

P.S. I made this version dairy, but if you wante a pareve dessert kugel to serve after your seder meal, substitute coconut milk or almond milk for the half-and-half.

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Banana Chocolate Chip Passover Matzoh Kugel

by Erika Kerekes April-15-2014

Just like our favorite banana chocolate chip bread pudding - but made with matzoh for Passover. This delicious Passover dessert will get you through a week without bread with no problem at all.

Ingredients

• 4 squares matzoh
• 4 cups half-and-half
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 ripe bananas
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

In a large bowl, crush the matzoh into little pieces with your fingers. Warm the half-and-half in a measuring cup in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove until hot but not boiling. Pour over the matzoh pieces. Let sit 30 minutes.To the bowl, add the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the bananas, either slicing them or crushing them with your fingers as you put them in the bowl. Pour in the chocolate chips and stir again.Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.Spray a medium-sized baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour in the matzoh mixture and smooth the top. Let sit in the pan another 15 minutes.Bake the matzoh kugel for 45 minutes, until the edges and top are golden brown and the center is set. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream if you like.

Details

Prep time: 35 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour 20 mins Yield: 8 servings

California Sunshine breakfast sandwich with pesto and peppers

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For many years I made my boys a hot breakfast every single day.

But as they've gotten older and I've gotten busier, I've left them to their own devices in the mornings more and more.

They're pretty self-sufficient on school days. Neither kid loves cereal, but between leftovers, toast, smoked salmon (the elder), Nutella (the younger), and the Keurig, they do pretty well.

One morning not long ago, I saw my older son rummaging dejectedly through the refrigerator and took pity on him. While he got his stuff together, I threw together a quick open-faced breakfast sandwich: a Stonefire Mediterranean Pocket Pita with pesto, a fried egg, and a quick saute of colored bell peppers. It tasted great and looked even better.

Every time I see this photo it reminds me of mornings in our Santa Monica kitchen: sunny, bright, warm, and cheerful, with a pure golden light that slants in through the southeast windows. Thus the name: California Sunshine Breakfast Sandwich. May it bring sunlight and warmth to all of your kitchens too.

Disclosure: Stonefire sent me their flatbreads to try. I have to tell you - they're fantastic. The pita bread is soft, pillowy, with just the right amount of chew, and it's not dry at all. We also enjoyed the naan and pizza crust, but the pita was the hands-down winner. Other than the free bread, for which my family was very grateful, I got no compensation for this post. We ate the samples faster than I could photograph them. Luckily, Stonefire pita is now available at my local Costco, and possibly at yours too. 

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California Sunshine Breakfast Sandwich

by Erika Kerekes April-9-2014

Pesto, a fried egg, and sauteed tri-color bell peppers top a soft pita bread for this delicious breakfast sandwich that looks like California sunshine.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup mixed color bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 pita bread round
• 1 Tablespoon basil pesto sauce
• 1 egg
• chives, for garnish
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

In a small nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers; cook until wilted and starting to brown around the edges, 3-4 minutes. Put the pepper mixture on a plate.While the peppers are cooking, put the pita in the toaster. Toast until warm and soft. Spread the pita with the pesto sauce.In the same skillet in which you cooked the peppers, crack the egg. Fry the egg until it is done to your liking.To assemble the sandwich, slide the fried egg onto the pita and top with the pepper mixture. Garnish with the chives and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 15 mins Yield: 1 sandwich

Swiss chard crustless quiche

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My family overdid the dessert thing during Christmas week. We were lucky to receive plate after plate of delicious goodies from friends and relatives. Meaning we all ate a ton of cookies, cake, candy, and other snack foods for days on end.

You too? Yep, I thought so.

I went to the farmers market this weekend and loaded up on greens. Beet greens, kale, and a huge bunch of Swiss chard that was so big it didn't fit in the refrigerator.

I stripped the green chard leaves from their ruby-red stems, chopped the leaves, and cooked them for just a few minutes with a little olive oil and garlic. When they were cool I mixed in eggs, crumbled feta cheese, shredded mozzarella, chopped green onions, and a little Bisquick to bind everything together before baking in a casserole dish.

The result: a firm, nutrient-rich snack my family loves. I've served this in squares for breakfast and lunch. I've cut it into small triangles or batons and put it out at parties. No matter what shape you serve it in, I guarantee good results.

P.S. What did I do with the Swiss chard stems? Stay tuned for the most gorgeous pickles you've ever seen....

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Swiss chard crustless quiche

by Erika Kerekes December-30-2013

This nutrient-rich snack is packed with healthy Swiss chard. Serve it at breakfast or lunch, or cut it into small triangles or batons as a healthy finger food appetizer for your next party.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 large bunch Swiss chard, washed, leaves only, chopped roughly (reserve stems for another use)
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 cup Bisquick (or another all-purpose baking mix)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup milk (optional)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x12-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chard and garlic and saute about 3 minutes, until chard is wilted but not mushy. Pour the chard mixture into a large mixing bowl and let cool 10 minutes.Add the eggs, cheese, green onions, dill, Bisquick, pepper, and salt. Mix thoroughly until well combined. Add the milk only if the batter seems dry or extremely thick. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.Bake about 40 minutes, until the quiche is set in the middle and the top is golden brown. Cool in the baking pan. Cut into squares, triangles, or batons to serve.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour Yield: 8 servings as a vegetarian main course, or 20+ servings as an hors d'oeuvre

Zucchini scrambled eggs with feta cheese

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A few years ago I realized that if I eat vegetables for breakfast, I'm more likely to satisfy my daily vegetable requirement.

My personal goal is "5 by 5" - that is, five servings of fruits or vegetables by 5pm.

Why 5pm? Because I'm often so tired by the end of the day that all I want is a bowl of cereal.

To that end, I have come up with a million ways to include veggies in my morning meal. This simple scramble uses up a lot of zucchini - a note for those of you with enthusiastic gardens.

Click here for more about "5 by 5"

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Zucchini scrambled eggs with feta

by Erika Kerekes June-25-2013

This vegetarian scramble gets your day off to a healthy start. My version goes heavy on the zucchini and light on the cheese, but feel free to add more cheese if you prefer.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups fresh zucchini, grated
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, zucchini, and green onions, and cook about 10 minutes, until the zucchini is soft, has released its water, and is starting to brown. If there is still excess liquid in the zucchini, pour it off before the next step.Add the garlic to the zucchini mixture and cook another 2 minutes. Pour in the eggs and cook, scrambling the mixture in the pan with a spatula or wooden spoon. When the eggs are almost set, add the feta cheese and cook until the cheese is melting and the eggs are cooked to your liking. Remember that the moisture in the zucchini will keep the eggs looking somewhat wet even after they're actually done.Tip the scramble onto a plate and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 25 mins Yield: 1 serving

Cheesy hash brown muffins with bacon

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Have you ever woken up in the morning with a powerful urge to make one very specific thing for breakfast?

That's how I ended up making these hash brown muffins.

I woke up last weekend and all I could think about were crispy hash browns mixed with eggs, gooey melted cheese and crisp bits of smoky bacon.

Why? No idea.

Most of the recipes I found for hash brown muffins call for frozen hash browns, which, as my friend Don Odiorne at the Idaho Potato Commission informed me, are par-cooked and therefore drier than grated fresh potatoes. I only had fresh potatoes in the house. Don advised me to grate them and then squeeze the moisture out by wringing them in a clean towel.

Sound advice, I'm sure. Which I ignored. Because it was Sunday morning and I was just plain lazy. Guess what? Didn't matter. They turned out just right.

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Hash brown muffins with bacon

by Erika Kerekes January-14-2013

Crispy shredded potatoes, gooey melted cheese and crispy bits of bacon, all bound together with beaten eggs - that's my idea of a good breakfast.

Ingredients

• 2 large large Russet potatoes, skin on, scrubbed and grated
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated, divided (substitute mozzarella, Monterey jack, or pepper jack)
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.In a large bowl, mix the potatoes, eggs, 1 cup of the cheese, bacon and green onions. Add salt and a healthy dose of ground pepper.Divide the potato mixture evenly among the 12 muffins cups. Bake 25 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and divide the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the tops of the muffins. Return the pan to the oven and bake another 10 minutes.Cool the hash brown muffins in the pan 5 minutes. To unmold, use an offset spatula or butter knife to loosen each muffin and gently lift it out of the pan.Serve hot or warm. Can be reheated in the oven or microwave (although the muffins will get a little soggy in the microwave - don't overdo it).

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 35 mins Total time: 50 mins Yield: 12 muffins

Chinese cabbage and onion omelet

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I am on a mission to eat more vegetables for breakfast.

The fact is, I don't always feel like eating vegetables at dinnertime. By then I'm tired and crabby and often a nice bowl of Cheerios will do me just fine. I have more discipline in the morning. And more energy.

Plus, the earlier in the day I start eating vegetables, the more likely I am to meet my "five servings a day" requirement. I strive for 5 by 5 - that is, five servings of fruits and vegetables by 5pm. That way, even if I end up eating cereal for dinner, I know I've gotten the healthy stuff in.

I took this simple breakfast omelet with cabbage and onions a little Asian by adding soy sauce. Bean sprouts would be a nice addition, although I never seem to have them when I want them.

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Chinese omelet with cabbage and onion

by Erika Kerekes October-19-2012

Get your veggies at breakfast with this Asian-inspired omelet. Use green or Napa cabbage, and don't skip the soy sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp grapeseed or canola oil
• 2 cups green or Napa cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp soy sauce

Instructions

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, cabbage and onion. Saute the vegetables about 5 minutes, stirring often, until they are wilted but still crunchy and you see brown around the edges. Add the garlic and stir 30 seconds.While the vegetables are cooking, crack the eggs into a bowl, add the soy sauce, and whisk with a fork.Flatten the vegetable mixture and spread it around the skillet so it is evenly distributed. Pour the eggs over the vegetable mixture, then tilt the pan to make sure the eggs go all the way around the vegetables. Cook about 3 minutes, until the eggs are mostly set and the bottom of the omelet is brown. Use a spatula to cut the omelet into quarters right in the pan, then carefully flip each wedge. (As you can see from the photo above, my cutting and flipping did not go exactly as planned.) Cook another 1 minute on the second side. Slide the omelet wedges onto a serving plate. Serve immediately.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 15 mins Yield: 2 servings

Breakfast quesadilla with smoked salt guacamole

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Every summer I spend a few days in Vermont while my older son is at music camp. Sometimes I stay with friends, but this year I stayed at the very historic Rowell's Inn in the very tiny town of Simonsville.

Rowell's was a safe house on the Underground Railroad in the 19th century, and one of the third-floor guest rooms opens onto the attic where the owners hid runaway slaves. The inn was also featured on the Ideal Tour, a three-week trip around scenic New England, early in the 20th century. Hanging in each room are century-old pages from the inn's guest books, complete with the number of horses and servants guests brought with them.

Inns like Rowell's take you back in time. You can't mind a little dust - there's just no way to get a historic, relic-filled place like Rowell's really clean. But the overwhelming presence of the past makes up for the dust bunnies and cobwebs.

Sadly, Mike, the owner of Rowell's, told me he's just about ready to hang it up. The recession slowed Vermont tourism for a few years, and then Hurricane Irene took it out completely in 2011. I hope whoever ends up with Rowell's finds a way to keep its history alive.

Mike hails from San Francisco and turns out solid Cal-Mex food, an uncommon treat in the Green Mountains. He served me a breakfast quesadilla like this in the Rowell's Inn dining room, the same room where elegant ladies in bustles and big hats no doubt took their tea and crumpets a century ago.

About smoked salt: Buy some and put it on everything.

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Breakfast quesadilla with smoked salt guacamole

by Erika Kerekes October-8-2012

A thin omelet studded with cooked bacon and sandwiched between flour tortillas with melted cheese. The smoked salt adds an unusual note to simple guacamole.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 lime
• a large pinch of smoked salt
• 3 eggs
• 4 slices bacon, chopped and cooked
• 4 medium flour tortillas (soft taco size)
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, or a mixture

Instructions

Make the smoked salt guacamole: Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a small bowl. Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice from both halves over the avocado. Mash with the tines of a fork until you get the consistency you want. Season with the smoked salt. Set aside.Make the omelettes: Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into a bowl and whip them with a fork. Spray the skillet with cooking spray and pour in half the beaten eggs, then sprinkle over half the bacon (you're making very thin omelets, which will go inside the quesadillas). When the eggs are set, flip the omelet with a spatula. Slide it onto a plate when it's cooked, then repeat with the other half of the beaten eggs and bacon. Keep the skillet on the heat.Assemble the quesadillas: Lay two tortillas on the counter or a cutting board. Sprinkle each with 1/8 cup grated cheese, then lay an omelet on top. Sprinkle each with the rest of the grated cheese, then put the remaining tortillas on top. Lift one quesadilla into the skillet and grill it until both sides are golden brown and the cheese inside is melted and gooey. Repeat with the second quesadilla. Cut the quesadillas into quarters and serve with the smoked salt guacamole.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 20 mins Yield: 2 quesadillas

Postcard from Simonsville: Vermont country breakfast

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One of the joys of staying at a traditional Vermont bed and breakfast is, well, the breakfast. I will definitely be making my own version of this Italian Garden Omelette, served to me at the historic Rowells Inn in Simonsville, Vermont. Crispy sopressata, zucchini, portabello mushrooms, onions, and peppers, with mozzarella, provolone and parmesan cheeses.

Zucchini potato frittata

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Still drowning in zucchini? Me too. Here's a way to use up two normal-sized zucchini. If you've let things go in the garden and have baseball bats to deal with, I can't help you.

This is a variation on the classic Spanish frittata, an omelette with potatoes and onions often served at room temperature. In the summer, everything's better with a little zucchini thrown in.

Although I normally hate multi-step recipes, in this case you do need to cook the zucchini down first to get rid of some of its water. And you need to fry the potatoes before adding in the eggs. If you happen to have leftover oven-roasted potatoes, this is an excellent way to recycle them.

Serve this frittata with a salad for a light lunch or dinner.

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Zucchini potato frittata

by Erika Penzer Kerekes August-12-2012

A summertime variation on the traditional Spanish frittata. This egg and potato omelette with shredded zucchini is a great way to use up the ever-present pile of summer squash.

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1/2 pound potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled, cut into small chunks
• about 1/2 tsp sea salt, divided
• freshly ground pepper
• 2 medium zucchini, washed and grated
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 6 eggs

Instructions

Preheat the broiler. Set the oven rack about 4 inches below the broiler.In an ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat 2 Tbsp of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the potatoes, a healthy pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Fry the potatoes, shaking the pan often, until they are cooked through and golden brown around the edges. Remove the potatoes to a plate and set aside.Add another 2 Tbsp olive oil to the skillet, then put in the zucchini and onion, adding another pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook the vegetables about 8 minutes, until the zucchini is wilted and the onion is softened and starting to brown around the edges. Remove the zucchini mixture to the plate holding the potatoes. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.Put the skillet back on the stove and add the last 2 Tbsp olive oil. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat them lightly with a fork. Stir the potatoes and zucchini mixture into the eggs, then add the whole mess to the skillet. As the eggs start to set, lift up the edges with a spatula and let the uncooked egg run underneath. Cook the frittata another 2-3 minutes, until it is golden brown and set on the bottom (lift up an edge with a spatula to check). Put the skillet into the oven under the broiler to cook the top. Start checking after about 4 minutes; you need the top to cook through and brown, but it can go from "browning" to "burning" very quickly. Be alert.When the frittata is done, slide it out of the pan onto a cutting board. Let cool to room temperature before slicing into wedges and serving.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 6-8 servings

Zucchini frittata with herbs and feta

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When the zucchini plants take over the summer garden, cooks must get creative.

If you're looking for a zucchini recipe that uses up a lot of zucchini all at once, this is it. It's also a light lunch, a delicious breakfast, a quick dinner, and a healthy snack.

If you don't like zucchini (hello, husband), you will not like this. If you like zucchini, it will become your new best friend.

Note: This is not so different from a traditional Persian kuku, a vegetable-heavy omelette or frittata. Zucchini is just one possible option for kuku; there are many other variations using eggplant, spinach and green herbs.

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Zucchini frittata with herbs and feta

by Erika Kerekes July-2-2012

This omelette with zucchini and green herbs is a great way to use up an abundance of garden zucchini. Serve it with very cold white wine for a refreshing summer lunch.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup mixed fresh herbs, chopped finely (basil, parsley, mint, chives, cilantro, dill, etc.)
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups zucchini, shredded or grated
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

Preheat the broiler. Put a large ovenproof nonstick skillet on the stove over medium heat.Crack the eggs into a medium-sized bowl and beat with a fork. Add the chopped herbs, a good pinch of salt, and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.Add the olive oil to the skillet and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the zucchini and cook about 5 minutes, until the zucchini is wilted and most of the water has evaporated. Add the egg mixture and cook about 5 minutes more, lifting up the edges of the frittata with a spatula and tilting the pan to let the uncooked egg run underneath.When the frittata is mostly set but still wet on top, scatter the feta cheese over the top of the frittata and stick the pan under the broiler. Check after 2 minutes; it will probably take 3 minutes for the top of the frittata to brown and for the cheese to melt. Remove the pan from the oven and slide the frittata out onto a cutting board. You may need to slide the spatula under the bottom of the frittata to loosen it from the pan before turning it out.Let the frittata rest at least 10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 4-6 servings

Bacon and egg salad for my mom

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Bacon and egg salad: Yet another way bacon and eggs were meant to be together

Mother's Day is coming right up, and to get in the mood our local food blogger posse (Food Bloggers Los Angeles) had a potluck brunch where members brought dishes inspired by their moms.

It took me a while to figure out what to bring. My mother is not the world's greatest cook. She never baked cakes. No homemade bread. No elaborate Julia Child-inspired anything. My mother made baked fish sprinkled with paprika, frozen vegetables, and reservations.

However, my mother does like to eat. And one of her favorite meals, day or night, breakfast or dinner, is egg salad.

She's also spent the last few years on and off the Atkins diet. Which means there's been a not insignificant amount of bacon in her world.

Bacon and eggs go great together in every form. So I made a big bowl of egg salad, cooked a pound of bacon, and slapped them together. No meat-eater on the planet will object to this egg salad. It's just plain fantastic.

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Bacon and egg salad

by Erika Kerekes April-29-2012

If you like egg salad and you like bacon, you'll love everything about bacon and egg salad. The secret ingredients: bacon fat and pickle juice. Don't laugh! I know it's over the top. Just splurge and thank me later.

Ingredients

• 1 dozen eggs
• 1 pound bacon
• 3 large ribs of celery, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 3 Tbsp dill pickle juice (from a jar of dill pickles)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Put the eggs in a pot in which they fit snugly. Cover the eggs with cold water, put the pot over medium-high heat, and bring the pot to a boil. When the water boils, cover the pot, turn off the heat, and leave the pot of eggs sitting on the stove for 15 minutes - they will cook in the hot water even though the stove is turned off. After 15 minutes, dump out the hot water and run cold water into the pot until the eggs are cool enough to handle. Peel under running water and dry on a paper towel. Put the eggs in a large mixing bowl.While the eggs are boiling, cook the bacon until crisp. I cook my bacon in the microwave, laying the strips in a single layer between layers of paper towel. The time to cook the bacon depends on how thick it is; thinly sliced bacon can cook in as little as 3-4 minutes, while thick-cut bacon can take 7 minutes or more. Check it every few minutes to make sure it's not burning. Or, if you find it easier, cook your bacon in a skillet or in the oven. When the bacon is cool, crumble it into little pieces, reserving a few slices to garnish the top of the bowl if you wish.Use a potato masher to crush the boiled eggs until all the whites are in tiny pieces. Add the celery, green onions, mayonnaise and pickle juice. Mix thoroughly, then add the crumbled bacon and mix again. Taste and add salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper.Scoop the bacon and egg salad into a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved slices of bacon, if using. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 35 mins Yield: 8-10 servings