Week of August 16

Loaded Baked Frittata

Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:
8 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup finely diced bacon
1 cup diced onion (from 1 small onion)
2 cups diced red or orange bell peppers (from 2 peppers)
1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
4 ounces fresh goat cheese

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, milk, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth. Set aside.
Put bacon in a 10- to 12-inch cast-iron or oven-safe nonstick skillet. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add onion, peppers and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the spinach a handful at a time, stirring after each addition, to wilt.
Reduce heat to low and pour in the egg mixture. Stir well to evenly distribute the vegetables, then smooth the top. Drop small nuggets of goat cheese evenly on top. Transfer to the oven.
Bake until the top is golden brown and the eggs are set, 20 to 25 minutes. When you shake the pan, the eggs shouldn’t jiggle. Cool on a rack for about 10 minutes.
Cut into wedges to serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:
To make into sandwiches, slide the frittata onto a cutting board. Cut to match the dimensions of your bread, trimming the rounded edges if needed. Sandwich between the bread and serve immediately or wrap tightly in foil, plastic wrap, or wax paper to pack for lunch. A sandwich assembled in the morning should be eaten by lunch.

Frito Pie

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef, preferably 20-percent fat
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 (1-ounce) packet taco seasoning (or 3 tablespoons of a homemade taco seasoning)
2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (19-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (or 2 1/2 cups of homemade enchilada sauce)
2 (9-ounce) packages or 1 (18-ounce) package Fritos, 1 cup reserved for serving (8 to 10 cups)
8 ounces shredded Cheddar (about 2 cups)
Diced white onion, sliced scallions, pickled jalapeños, sour cream or pico de gallo, or a combination, for serving (optional)

Directions:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the beef and onion, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned and the onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Lower the heat if the meat is browning too quickly.
Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat mixture and pour in 3/4 cup of water; mix well. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid thickens and coats the pan, scraping up any browned bits, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beans and enchilada sauce, stirring until combined. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Assemble the pie: Sprinkle half of the Fritos in the prepared baking dish, followed by half of the Cheddar. Cover with all of the meat filling. Finally, add the remaining Fritos (minus the reserved cup) and Cheddar.
Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes, then add the desired toppings to the casserole, or spoon into individual bowls and have eaters top as they please. Add reserved Fritos for more crunch, if desired.

Heads up- this makes a lot of frito pie.

I could only find 9 1/2 oz (?) cans of enchilada sauce, so I used two and after I poured them into the pan, I had a moment of doubt where I thought for sure it was 2X too much. But it all worked out. I'm also very much pro-frito, but 2 bags of fritos is next level. You may want to scale back a bit.

Broccoli-Quinoa Soup with Turmeric and Ginger

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup white quinoa
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
Salt and pepper
4 to 5 cups vegetable stock
1 head broccoli (about 12 ounces)
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
Handful of cilantro, for serving
Chile oil, for serving

Directions:
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onion and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and stir until fragrant and soft, about 2 minutes. Add the quinoa, turmeric and 1 teaspoon of salt; stir to coat the grains.
Stir in 4 cups of vegetable stock, bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce to medium-low. Cover and cook until the quinoa is swollen and tender, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the broccoli head into small florets. If there is a stalk, remove the woody skin and then slice it into disks.
Add the broccoli and coconut milk to the soup and stir. Simmer until the broccoli is just tender but still bright green, 4 to 5 minutes. This is a thick soup, but you can add more stock to thin it out to taste, if desired. Season with salt and lots of pepper.
Ladle into bowls, top with cilantro and drizzle with chile oil. Serve immediately.

I occasionally solicit opinions from Mrs. Treats while planning weekly menus, and she initially poo-pooed this recipe when I mentioned it as a possibility. But sometimes meal planning requires a certain degree of perseverance in the face of nay-sayers, and I forged ahead with this on the schedule. Well, Mrs. Treats wants you to know that this now has her full throated endorsement, and encourages you to try it as well.

The cooking time allows for a flatbread, and I paired this with African muufo. Before your start the soup, get the batter mixed and yeasted, and it should work out perfectly.

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Chicken (Super-Savory Grated Tofu)

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 to 1 1/2 cups/190 to 285 grams uncooked white or brown rice (or 3 to 4 1/2 cups/425 to 650 grams cooked white or brown rice)
1 (10- to 12-ounce/280- to 340-gram) package super-firm tofu
1 1/2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil of choice
4 scallions, sliced at an angle (reserve dark green tops for garnish)
1 to 2 Thai chiles (or 1 small serrano pepper), thinly sliced (optional, for spicy!)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon roasted black or white sesame seeds
3 tablespoons/52 grams tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
1 teaspoon organic cane sugar, pure maple syrup or agave nectar
1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chile flakes)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 handful cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

Directions:
Start by cooking the rice using your preferred method, or get out your leftover cooked rice.
Make the tofu: Wrap the tofu in a thin dish towel and gently squeeze with your palms to remove some water but don’t squish it. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the tofu. If small pieces break off, slice them very thinly.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. After a minute or two, add the scallions, chiles (if using) and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is slightly golden and the scallions are softened, about 2 minutes.
Add the grated tofu to the pan and toss to coat it in the oil. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then stir. Cook, stirring every 2 minutes, until the tofu is golden brown in some spots, a total of 10 to 14 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, vinegar, sugar, gochugaru and sesame oil until well combined.
Pour the sauce into the pan — it will bubble rapidly — and stir with a silicone spatula to evenly coat the tofu. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
Serve over cooked rice and top with the reserved scallion tops and cilantro. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

Well, I actually can believe it's not chicken, but thats not a bad thing.

This is somewhat rare (imo) good use of super-firm tofu. Super firm is usually the best match when you're trying to directly replace for meat.

There is some weird stuff in here, but a couple of subs:
-Gochugaru: sriracha is fine.
-Chinese black vinegar: 2 parts rice vinegar and 1 part aged balasamic.

Ginger Chicken with Crisp Napa Salad

Cook Time: 30 minutes | Servings: Yield 4 servings

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), patted dry
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely grated ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
1 garlic clove, finely grated
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon ground cayenne
6 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grape seed or canola
1 lime
½ small head napa cabbage, cut lengthwise (about 1 pound)
1 seedless cucumber (Persian or English), thinly sliced
½ cup sliced chives (1/2-inch lengths)
½ cup mint leaves
2 tablespoons rice vinegar, distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or a bottle, pound each to an even ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt.
In a small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, cilantro, cayenne and 4 tablespoons oil. Finely grate the lime zest directly into the bowl; reserve the lime. Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with the marinade. Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the cabbage lengthwise, core it, then slice crosswise into ½-inch-thick strips. Transfer to a large bowl and toss in the cucumber slices, chives and mint leaves.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Cut the reserved lime in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken; slice the chicken. Transfer the chicken to serving plates and slice.
Toss the cabbage mixture with the vinegar and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season to taste with salt and serve alongside the chicken.

The chicken here is fine, but the real keeper is the napa salad. I make this as a side dish all the time. Depending on the amount of napa cabbage I end up with, I oftentimes double up on the dressing.