Quickie Friday and Variations on a Theme: Festive Frittata

I am not ashamed to admit that frittatas are my fall-back dish when I have very little in the house, in terms of groceries.  I used more south-of-the-border flavors this time around, and it did not disappoint.

2 eggs plus 6 egg whites
olive oil
one small white onion, diced
one clove garlic, minced
one half yellow pepper, diced
cumin, white pepper, salt, cayenne pepper (to taste)
Mexican cheese, shredded (or other cheese of your choosing)
one avocado, sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Beat the eggs together and set aside.  Saute the onion, garlic, and yellow pepper over medium heat until softened, about 3 minutes, then add the seasonings.  Saute for an additional minute, then add the eggs.  Stir gently until the eggs start to set, 3-5 minutes, then top with your cheese and pop in the oven for about 20 minutes.  Pull the whole thing out of the oven, top with avocado, slice like a big delicious egg pie and enjoy!!!

While I like to try trends on my feet (why not!) I don't like to spend a lot of money.  The flatform trend that is all over the spring collections isn't my cup of tea.

via

These wedges, however, are flatform adjacent while still having an actual heel, and therefore worth a try.  Have you tried flatforms?  Love them or leave them?  Tell us in the comments!!!

Variations on a Theme: Mexican Pasta

I have been known to re-make dishes in a way that suits my mood (seen here) and this dish is no exception, being a Mexican-inspired version of other baked pasta dishes I've made in the past.

(I have REALLY got to get a better camera.)  Anyway, I browned 1/2 pound of ground beef with one medium yellow onion, white pepper, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, and salt, then added 1/2 can of black beans, 1 can of rotel tomatoes with habaneros, and 1/4 cup of salsa.  While that was simmering away, I boiled 4 servings of extra-wide egg noodles according to the package directions.

I combined the beef and bean mixture with the egg noodles, topped it all with reduced fat Mexican blend cheese, and popped it in a 325 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Again, I apologize for the poor picture quality.  Eventually I will solve this problem.  This dish is super easy and has a nice kick to it.  If you don't like spicy, substitute the habanero rotel for the regular and leave out the spices.

Also spicy:

Yves Saint Laurent via Bergdorf Goodman

Orange python?  Yes please.  Even better that it's on a tribute.  I think I just drooled a little . . .

Variations on a Theme: Baked Pasta

As I see it, there comes a time (or twenty) in every girl's life (or month) where she must make a recipe that she's already made before, but with a twist.  I found myself doing just that last week.  You see, the BF and I are trying VERY hard to stick to a post-New Year, sort-of-related-to-resolutions-but-not-really diet (which is funny since, as I write this, the BF has just brought me a plate full of pizza rolls.  No judging, peeps.), and there really isn't a lot of room for my usual favorite things (macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, and pizza bread, anyone?).  So, with that in mind, I ended up doing a variation on this recipe.

I started by boiling EXACTLY 4 servings of mastaccioli, browning 1/2 a pound of ground beef with red pepper, oregano, salt, and pepper, and sauteing 1 bag of baby spinach with one large white onion and two cloves of garlic.  I combined the whole thing into a 9x9 square baker with one can of spicy red pepper marinara, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, and a sprinkling of parmesan.

After being baked at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes, the dish was hot, bubbly, and only about 500 calories for one HUGE serving (this recipe makes 4 servings).

Two of my favorite pairs of shoes are by Michael Kors.  While I'm not crazy about his clothes, his shoes are among the most comfortable I've ever worn, and that includes the pair in my closet with the 5 and 1/2 inch heel.  I would like to add these to my collection, I think:

Michael Kors via Nordstrom.


Hopefully they won't be a disappointment in the comfort department, because they sure are the perfect pair for me!