We made lamb for dinner last night which was delish, made christmas tree ornaments with Annie, and watched Elf on a Shelf, White Christmas, Miracle on 34th street, The Holiday, and Frosty all by the fire with a cup of tea. Delightful.
Today we had Annie's party. We had Ella, Malia, Catherine, Kendall, and Annie. They all brought along their Moms which was a lot of fun for me. Getting to know so many families from Annies school has been wonderful.
I cannot BELIEVE the havoc that 5 such small creatures can bring to a house. They "reorganized" all of Annie's toys.
A great time was had by all, but, I am so happy Annie only has a birthday once a year.
We will celebrate with Grammy Cathy and her So Cal family in the desert. This girl really knows how to milk a birthday.
At the park with Grammy and Gramps.
We have lots of presents from Grammy Cathy to open but we are saving them for next week on her actual birthday.
Sunday rolled around too quickly. Annie had a full blown MELT DOWN while getting dressed. She refused to get dressed in what we wanted her to wear. (a red sweater and jeans) and insisted on wearing her tweety bird tshirt one size too small.
After an hour of crying, pleading, and more crying (me that time) we compromised on a lovely gray/glitter top.
Frittata:
3 cups crustless brioche cubes (1-inch cubes)
10 eggs
1/4 cup half-and-half
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and light green portions
3 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
8 oz. mild Italian sausage, removed from casings
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, roasted, seeded and sliced
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Place the brioche cubes on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper. Gently fold in the brioche cubes, cheese and green onions. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
In the deep half of a frittata pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling with a spatula, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
In the same pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the sausage. Reduce the heat to medium and warm 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the bell pepper, sausage and mushrooms to the pan and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute.
In the shallow half of the pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 tsp. olive oil. Pour the egg mixture into the deep pan and stir to evenly distribute the sausage and vegetables. Place the shallow pan upside down on top of the deep pan and cook until the center is beginning to set, 4 to 6 minutes. Uncover the pan and run the spatula around the edge of the frittata. Re-cover with the shallow pan and flip the frittata into the shallow pan. Cook, covered, until the eggs are set, 4 to 5 minutes.
Gently slide the frittata onto a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into slices and serve. Serves 8.
Salad
Ingredients
Dressing:
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot or red onion
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons quality walnut oil, (see Cook's Note)
Salad:
8 cups baby spinach leaves, stems trimmed, washed, and dried
1/2 cup whole or chopped toasted walnuts
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
1 cup sliced strawberries
Directions
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, shallot, mustard, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil to make a creamy dressing.
Put all but a large handful of the spinach in a large bowl. Toss with most of the dressing. Add remaining spinach and continue tossing until well coated.
Serve immediately topped with goat cheese and walnuts.
