Tara's Ultimate: Mac n Cheese

Cheese is love. Is there any dish more comforting than mac n cheese? You'd be hard pressed to find someone to dispute this and even harder pressed to find 5 people who are in love with the same mac n cheese recipe. It seems like there are hundreds out there...some similar, some very different, some with one type of cheese, some with at least 7 types (really though, why complicate one of the most basic comfort foods?), some with veggies, some with tuna, some with meat, some out of a box with cheesy powder, some out of a box with cheesy goop...overall, it really could be considered one of the world's most perfect dishes - dairy, carbs, protein, and veggies if one chooses to add them. What American doesn't love mac n cheese?? (oh and PS - I didn't arrange the cheese in the pic above in the shape of a heart; it just happened to fall that way as I was grating it.)

It's been at least 6 months since I've made my traditional mac n cheese. However, in that time, I did find a recipe for a more sophisticated mac n cheese; one that calls for prosciutto but when I decided to make my favorite version, I didn't feel like spending $20/lb on some extra protein for the meal. I was tempted to try Tyler Florence's Ultimate Mac n Cheese after oddly enough catching that specific show on Food Network yesterday (last week I put mac n cheese on the menu for last night) but decided that since I hadn't made mac n cheese in so long, I wanted to make sure that it was gonna be great - I passed over Tyler's recipe for fear of it being too different and not satisfying our craving for good mac n cheese.

Now, a little background on this recipe...it's not some secret family recipe that has been passed down through the ages. Simply enough, it comes from the back of the Mueller's elbow macaroni box. However, it's the only recipe my mom has used for years and as I was preparing to move out on my own (now nearly 6 years ago), the only thing I asked for was for my mom to write down the recipe. Instead, she cut it off the next box she used and slipped it in my Christmas stocking (I moved right after New Years). Growing up, she used to add tuna fish (canned) and peas to the dish to round it out as a full meal but I stick to the basics. So yes, if you're wondering, I'm still using the exact recipe mom cut out for me (although I do tweak the types of cheese I use depending on what I have in the fridge - see below). When I misplaced the recipe card once a couple of years ago, I cut another one out of the Mueller's elbow macaroni box and believe it or not, it wasn't the same recipe! I about died when I realized that I didn't have the "right" one and immediately got on the phone with my mom for some help. Luckily, the "right" one resurfaced a few months later and I now keep it in a very safe spot. So here's my Ultimate Mac n Cheese....

Mac n Cheese
source: Mueller's elbow macaroni box

• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard (optional
• 2 1/2 cups milk (I always use skim)
• 2 tbsp margarine or butter
• 2 cups (8oz) shredded American or cheddar cheese, divided (this time I used cheddar, fontina, and gouda)
• 8 oz Mueller's elbow macaroni, cooked 5 minutes and drained (I don't necessarily use Mueller's elbows and usually cook them for closer to 6-7 minutes)
• 2-3 tbsp ground-up cornflakes (not in the original recipe)

1. In medium saucepan combine corn starch, salt, dry mustard and pepper; stir in milk.
   Add margarine/butter. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat.
2. Stir in 1-3/4 cups (425 ml) cheese until melted. Add elbows.
3. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with reserved cheese.
4. Bake uncovered in 375 degree (200 C.) oven 25 minutes or until lightly browned. I bake for 15 then sprinkle the ground-up corn flakes to the top and continue cooking for 10 minutes.

Prep time: 12 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6

Fabulous Frittata

When life gets hectic, the last thing I want to do is be a slave to the kitchen trying to cook dinner. I had a feeling yesterday would be one of those days and I'm so glad I planned early to make frittata for dinner, because it really was one of those days.

I had a 5pm dentist appt after work to have what I thought was a small filling put in as a preventative measure, which didn't have me worried at all because I don't need any novacaine for these types of things. In fact, the last time I had novacaine was over 20 years ago. Well.....this procedure proved to be different. The dentist numbed me gum as soon as I got in the chair then came at me with the novacaine needle - ummm....what??? I thought this was a small procedure!! As it turns out, the "spot" they originally saw two months ago progressed to a full-blown cavity IN BETWEEN my teeth and the dentist ended up having to drill down damn close to the nerve ending. OK, so I felt nothing whatsoever during the procedure but the novacaine left me feeling weird and slightly disoriented. To make matters worse, when I got back in the car, I realized that I had broken my glasses when I made the tranisition from glasses to sunglasses earlier in the afternoon. GREAT. Alright, not so much of a big deal because I'm not totally blind without my glasses and it was still semi-light out so I could handle it.

On the drive home, I decided to stop at Barnes & Noble to pick up my next book club book. I parked and got out of my car to put my jacket on and when I leaned back in the car to get my purse, I hit my head so hard on the top of the door jam that I literally saw stars. Woah!! Seriously, could the chain of events get any worse?? Thankfully it didn't and I was so happy to come home and only have to make frittata for dinner because if I had planned anything else, it would have been take-out for sure.

If you're still reading, this, I commend you...and if you're wondering, yes, I do still have an egg on the top of my head. But I digress...the frittata was fabulous!! I used up some thawed out frozen spinach, chopped red peppers, sliced roasted garlic chicken sausage and fontina cheese (my favorite!) and I couldn't be more pleased with how this turned out. Seriously, if you have trouble getting your kids to eat their veggies, put them (the veggies, not your kids) in a frittata! All of the flavors came together beautifully and not a single veggie screams out "I'M A VEGETABLE!!" I told Kyle that I was considering making this frittata again for dinner tonight! :)

Fabulous Frittata

source: Smells Like Home

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 eggs
• 2 tbsp heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black
• 2 chicken sausages, sliced
• 1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed, and drained
• 3/4 cup red pepper, diced small
• 3 oz fontina cubed small

1. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, cream, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Turn oven on to broil. In a 9 or 10 inch non-stick, oven-safe skillet, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Coat the sides of the pan with butter and oil mixture. Add spinach, peppers, and chicken sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender crisp and heated through. Reduce heat to medium-low and add egg mixture then cheese. Cover and cook for 2 minutes until eggs have set but the top is still runny.
3. Carefully move pan from stovetop to oven and broil for 4 minutes or until the top is browned and no longer runny. Remove from oven (handle will be hot!!) and let stand for 2 minutes. Loosen frittata with a non-stick spatula and slide onto serving plate.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2-3

Cheese and Spinach Puff Pastry Pockets

Oh Giada how I do love thee...how is that just about every recipe I've tried of yours turns out like perfection?? You are the epitome of a true chef -- and even though you do tend to bring in the male viewers of Everyday Italian for obvious reasons, no one can deny that your recipes are superb.

OK, enough babbling...I pulled this recipe off the internet (maybe my cooking board but I can't remember) at least 6 months ago and filed it away, waiting for the right time to make it. Kyle and I don't entertain all that much and this recipe really needed a group to make the most out of enjoying it. So my parents made the 2hr trip this weekend up to visit us and enjoy some of what New England has to offer in the early fall.

As my dad and Kyle sat out on the deck in the late afternoon/early evening enjoying what was left of a sparkling day, my mom and I got to work in the kitchen. We started with these pastry pockets - it was a no-brainer that I'd serve them for my parents because creations like this one always go over well with them. Overall, the pastry pockets were really easy to make and I used 18 mini puff pastry shells rather than 12 large ones that the recipe calls for. There was quite a bit of the filling left over but we baked it in a small baking dish and will have it with crackers reheated today - next time, I'll half the filling recipe. Oh...and rest assured...there will certainly be a next time for these - they were just fabulous!!

Cheese and Spinach Puff Pastry Pockets

• 12 frozen puff pastry shells, unthawed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 1/4 cups grated Fontina cheese
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 3 to 5 green onions, finely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the frozen pastry shells on the baking sheet and bake until they puff and become golden brown, about 20 minutes. (I baked them for 18 minutes.) Using a small knife, cut out the center of the pastry shells. (I just pushed the little pre-cut circle of puff pastry into the pocket rather than cutting it out.)
3. Meanwhile, stir the cream, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the spinach, Fontina cheese, Parmesan, and green onions. Spoon the spinach mixture (about 1-2 tsp each) into the baked pastry shells.
4. Bake until the pastries are golden brown and the filling is hot, about 25 to 30 minutes. (I baked them for about 25 minutes and they were perfect.) Transfer the pastries to a platter and serve.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Yields: 18 mini puff pastry pockets

Sophisticated Mac n Cheese

There's not much of a better way to describe this dish that a sophisticated version of mac n cheese. Don't get me wrong...I LOVED how this turned out but I think I expected something a little different from Giada than what the outcome was.

In Giada's Everyday Italian cookbook, she highlights a Bechamel sauce and then uses it in her Baked Rigatoni recipe. I guess I didn't realize what the sauce really was because for some reason because before reading the recipe for the sauce, I had been intimidated to make it - it sounded too fancy. However, Giada's recipe for Bechamel is practically the same sauce I use for my homemade mac n cheese recipe (I don't add nutmeg to my sauce though). It's the prosciutto that makes this a fancy mac n cheese, in my opinion. So really, the sauce was very easy - and it can be made and refrigerated for up to 3 days before using it (even better!). I halved the sauce recipe and made about 3/4 lb pasta for the two of us (main course) and for leftovers.

Baked Rigatoni

• 5 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk, warmed (I used skim and it turned out perfect)
• Pinch fresh nutmeg
• Sea salt and white pepper
• 1 cup grated fontina
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
• 1 pound dry rigatoni
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I added some on top before baking but the original recipe doesn't call for it)
  

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bechamel sauce: In a 2 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Always stirring, gradually add the milk and constantly whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon - do not let the sauce boil. This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg, 1/2 cup fontina, prosciutto and season with salt and white pepper. Set aside.

In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add the rigatoni and cook 8 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander. Return pasta to the pot and pour in bechamel sauce. Using a wooden spoon, mix well until all the pasta is coated with the sauce.

Into a greased 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pour the pasta with cream sauce. Smooth out top and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup fontina. Dot the top with diced butter and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Prep time: 20 minutes (including cook time of Bechamel sauce)

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6 side dish servings

Another idea for abundant summer zucchini

I always hear a lot of "What can I make with all the zucchini I have from the garden?" during the summer. Here, thanks to Giada (yes, again) is another option for zucchini lovers (and any other vegetable you would want to toss in the dish as well).

I am really getting my money's worth out of my two Giada cookbooks so I'm more than happy to share my reviews of what I make. This one was just great. Its probably a little on the fattening side as it's made with heavy cream, but you could definitely swap it out for half n half, light cream, or a combo of half n half and skim milk. The combo of the cream and the cheese made almost a mac n cheese sauce and it was just delicious! The recipe calls for zucchini - I added one yellow squash in the center layer to change it up a bit. Giada says that this will make 4 side servings but really 6 is more realistic - we have lots of leftovers! Paired with a nice NY strip steak and a baked potato, these veggies really round out the meal.

Vendure al Forno

• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 medium zucchini, (about 1 1/2 pounds) cut crosswise into 1 inch thick slices (I used 2 zucchini and 1 yellow squash and cut them 1/2 inch thick)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• 1 cup grated fontina
• 6 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano
• 1 cup plain dried bread crumbs
• extra olive oil for drizzling* (I drizzled about 1 tsp on after about 38 minutes of cooking)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Coat the bottom of an 8 inch square baking dish with extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange zucchini slices on the bottom of the dish in a single layer to cover. Sprinkle with one third of the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour 1/3 cup of the heavy cream and sprinkle with 1/3 cup each of mozzarella and fontina cheese.

Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of Pecorino Romano cheese, then with 1/3 cup of the bread crumbs. Repeat layering the indredients two more times. (The vegetables can be assembled 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.) Place baking dish on the baking sheet and bake uncovered until golden brown on top and sauce bubbles, about 40 minutes. Serve immediately.nding with the bread crumbs. Place the baking dish on top and bake for 40 minutes until bubbling and the top is golden brown. (*I turned the broiler on for the last 1 minute to let the top brown)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6

A mistake turned great!

OK, so I forgot to pick up frozen spinach BOTH times I was at the store this weekend and thus my intention of making my new Giada recipe, Chicken Saltimbocca, was thwarted once again - next week, I promise! What's the phrase, "out of the ashes rises the Phoenix"? Yes, I just finished Harry Potter 7 so this phrase has been on my mind but alas, it holds true with tonight's dinner. Since I had everything except the spinach to make the saltimbocca, I improvised a little...and was SO pleased with the result: chicken breast stuffed with prosciutto, basil leaves, and fontina (as if you can't already tell from this blog, Kyle and I are BIG fans of fontina cheese) with a creamy tomato sauce (using some of the spaghetti sauce I made yesterday) on top and side of spaghetti (which orginally was supposed to be Giada's basic risotto). HOLY MOLY was this good!!!

I'm not going to write out the recipe for this because it really is so straight-forward. Pound out 2 chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper. Lay prosciutto, fresh basil leaves and shredded fontina (about 2 tbsp of cheese for each cutlet) out on top of the flattened chicken breast. Carefully roll up and secure with toothpicks. Heat olive oil in a saute pan (medium-high heat) and cook chicken until fully cooked, turning to brown all sides. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook down 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce until thickened. Turn heat to low, add 1/3 cup heavy cream and stir until well-combined. Add some pasta water (or regular water) until the sauce is to your desired thickness. Serve with pasta, rice, veggies, etc.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cheese

I love it when a "light" recipe doesn't taste "light"! I've found a number of recipes on the Cooking Light website (yes, just like the food/lifestyle magazine) that have fulfilled this desire and this one I didn't have to do any searching to find. This was the first cooking (as opposed to baking) recipe that my cooking board (on The Nest) voted on for the Recipe of the Week on our board's blog, graciously hosted by nestie adamswife.

Now, you ask, how could a recipe with sausage, pasta, and cheese be on the lighter side? Easy. The recipe calls for turkey sausage and the total calorie count for one serving is 418 kcal. Not bad for a whole meal. There are ways, of course, to lighten it even further, some of which I applied this time (used roasted garlic chicken sausage rather than turkey, for example), and one which I will apply the next time I make the dish - see modifications below.

So get on with it, right? OK OK!

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 lb package uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta)
• 1 pound hot turkey Italian sausage links*
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cans (14.5oz) petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese*
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the pasta, and set aside.
Remove casings from sausage.* Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble.* Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture, and basil.* Place half of the pasta mixture in a 4-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Repeat layers.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes* or until bubbly.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Serves: 8 (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 413(26% from fat); FAT 11.8g (sat 6.1g,mono 2.2g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 24.1g; CHOLESTEROL 49mg; CALCIUM 265mg; SODIUM 941mg; FIBER 4.5g; IRON 7.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 53g
Source: Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2003

*Modifications

1. Rather than turkey sausage, I opted for pre-cooked roasted garlic chicken sausage (140 calories per link).
2. I always have extra cheese in the fridge so I used 1/4 cup shredded fontina and 1/3 cup part-skim mozzarella (instead of fresh mozz to reduce calories a little further).
3. Because the sausages were pre-cooked, I sliced them into bite-size pieces rather than "de-casing" and browning.
4. I cooked the onions down for a couple of minutes before adding the garlic, and then added the sliced sausage and browned them for a couple of minutes before adding the tomato paste, S&P, and diced tomatoes.
5. To ensure that the flavor of the fresh basil really came through, I sprinkled it on each layer along with the cheese instead of combining it with the hot pasta and sausage mixture that would surely wilt the basil and take away some of its "freshness".
6. I reduced baking time to 20 minutes so as to not overcook the now twice-cooked chicken sausages.
7. And lastly, I halved this recipe (except the garlic which remained at 2 cloves) without an issue but feel like it needed more tomatoes - maybe even just half a can more (including the tomato juice).

Vegetable-Stuffed Chicken Breast with Roasted Red Pepper Basil Sauce

So I finally made the second dish for my first NTWC Platinum Chef Challenge hosted by Cara and I am so glad I waited to really figure out what I wanted to make before I just threw a few things together and called it a day.

The remainder of my challenge ingredients were basil, tomatoes, and zucchini. Sounds easy enough? Sure. But I made a resolution this year to move away from being tied down to cooking with recipes and start coming up with my own creations. More than creativity, it was about my feeling confident with my abilities to combine ingredients and experiment with flavor. And the result here was so satisfying!! In the vegetable stuffing, I used the zucchini and I used the basil and tomatoes in the sauce that topped the chicken, which sat atop a bed of orzo (my new favorite pasta!). More than I amazed Kyle that this wasn't from a recipe or cookbook (which he did ask me), I amazed myself...and found a great new "go-to" meal both for an easy weeknight dinner and to serve to guests alike.

Vegetable-Stuffed Chicken Breast with Roasted Red Pepper Basil Sauce

• 1/2 large zucchini, diced small (1/4") and divided
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced and divided
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, split open horizontally to form a pocket
• 2 oz fontina cubed (small)
• 1/2 to 3/4 of a roasted red pepper
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces orzo pasta
• reserved pasta water

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium-sized oven-safe saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add half of the zucchini and cook for 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium then add spinach and half of the garlic and cook until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and set aside and allow to cool in a separate bowl for a couple of minutes.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken. Stuff pockets of the chicken breasts with vegetable stuffing, adding fontina far enough into pocket so that it won't fall out while cooking.
3. In the same saute pan from the vegetables, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Carefully place stuffed chicken breasts into pan and saute for 6 minutes, flipping once. Cover and move to oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked through.
4. Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil and cook orzo according to package directions. Drain, reserving a little water for the sauce.
5. While chicken is in the oven, add roasted red pepper, basil, the remaining garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a blender or food processor (I used my mini food processor - perfect size for this). Blend until almost smoothe.
6. In a small sauce pan heated over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and add remaining zucchini; cook 3 minutes. Add red pepper mixture and tomato paste; stir until heated through. Turn heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Stir to combine into a sauce, adding pasta water if sauce needs to be thinned out. Add parmesan cheese and cook until sauce thickens and then add salt and pepper to taste.
7. With pot holders remove pan from oven and serve.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25-30 minutes

Serves: 2

Breakfast for dinner?

Oh yeah!! What's easier than a frittata? Not much...and it was so good that Kyle ate 3/4 of it!! Before last night, I had only "attempted" frittata once and since it came out so well the first time, I decided to modify the original recipe (tomato, asparagus and fontina frittata from Giada De Laurentiis, see below) to better suit our...err, Kyle's...tastes.

Broccoli and Fontina Frittata

• 6 large eggs
• 2 tbsp heavy cream or half-and-half
• 3 ounces cubed fontina cheese
• 1 1/2 cups broccoli, chopped
• 1/3 cup bell pepper (red, orange or yellow), diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, cream, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Turn oven on to broil. In a 9 or 10 inch non-stick, oven-safe skillet, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender crisp. Reduce heat to medium-low and add egg mixture then cheese. Cover and cook for 2 minutes until eggs have set but the top is still runny. Carefully move pan from stovetop to oven and broil for 4 minutes or until the top is browned and no longer runny. Remove from oven (handle will be hot!!) and let stand for 2 minutes. Loosen frittata with a non-stick spatula and slide onto serving plate.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves 4-6

Tomato, Asparagus & Fontina Frittata

There's a first time for everything, right? After having had numerous types of frittatas while growing up, I never attempted to make one myself because I never had a frying pan that could be alternatively used in the oven.....until the other night.

I ventured back into my new favorite cookbook, Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes by Food Network star, Giada De Laurentiis, and came across this...

Tomato, Asparagus and Fontina Frittata

• 6 large eggs
• 2 tbsp heavy cream or half-and-half
• 3 ounces cubed fontina cheese
• 1 cup asparagus, chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, cream, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Turn oven on to broil. In a 9 or 10 inch non-stick, oven-safe skillet, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender crisp. Reduce heat to medium-low and add egg mixture then cheese. Cover and cook for 2 minutes until eggs have set but the top is still runny. Carefully move pan from stovetop to oven and broil for 4 minutes or until the top is browned and no longer runny. Remove from oven (handle will be hot!!) and let stand for 2 minutes. Loosen frittata with a non-stick spatula and slide onto serving plate.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves 4-6