Tag Archives: tomatoes

Roasted Veggie Gratin Recipe

This has been a week of celebrations for those in the Judeo-Christian faiths and a big part of those celebrations is the food! Easter dinner for me growing up in Texas was almost an identical repeat of Thanksgiving. We would gather, eat turkey, ham, stuffing, green bean casserole and we would watch the Texas Longhorns play.

A few weeks ago I was looking to make a fun side dish to accompany an otherwise unremarkable dinner at home when I stumbled upon a recipe for a Veggie Tian (whatever that means). It was a mixture of veggies and potatoes baked with parmesan so I took a few ideas, created my own version and called it a roasted veggie gratin. Last week, I had the pleasure of joining my person at a Seder for the first night of Passover and I decided to bring this as a side dish.

As most great dishes do, this one began with garlic and onions.

Vegetable Tian, Veggie recipes, vegetarian recipes, tomatoes, zucchini, potato

First I sautéed garlic and onions in some olive oil.

I greased a square baking dish and spread the garlic and onion mixture along the bottom of it.

Vegetable Tian, Veggie recipes, vegetarian recipes, tomatoes, zucchini, potato

Then I cut tomatoes, potatoes and zucchinis.

I cut the vegetables about a quarter of an inch thick and pre-heated the oven to 350 degrees.

Vegetable Tian, Veggie recipes, vegetarian recipes, tomatoes, zucchini, potato

Arrange in a spiral fashion and sprinkle with salt, pepper, etc.

The “etc” here can be whatever you’re into. I’m a cumin-cayenne kinda gal so I added those. I think the original recipe called for thyme and rosemary, so whatever taste you’re going for ought to do just fine. Bake for 35 minutes.

Vegetable Tian, Veggie recipes, vegetarian recipes, tomatoes, zucchini, potato

After 35 minutes add parmesan cheese and pop that baby back in!

Let it bake for another 25-35 minutes or until the cheese has browned.

https://leacraftspencer.com/2012/04/10/a-passover-seder/

Serve immediately and enjoy 🙂

I hope everyone had a wonderful Passover and Easter!!

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Frittata a la Mary

chef, cooking, recipe, homemade

This is Mary, Queen of Blue Eye.

I had the good fortune of spending last weekend with my family just outside Blue Eye, Missouri. I had heard my father gush for months over my Aunt Mary’s cooking, so you can imagine my delight not only to be able to eat her food, but to be able to record it. She was kind enough to let me invade her kitchen with my camera to capture a few gems for this blog. Today I’ll be sharing a brunch recipe I’m calling Frittata a la Mary. Her spin on this egg-based dish includes a bottom layer of shredded potatoes.

potatoes, frittata, eggs, breakfast, brunch, tomatoes, cheese, recipe, homemade

She began by browning some shredded potatoes.

 

After she browned the potatoes, Mary mixed 6 eggs with 1 cup of half & half and 2 tablespoons of butter and added that to the pan right on top of the potatoes. Then she added about 4 ounces of cheese, which needs to be gruyere or some kind of good melting cheese. She then added a special seasoning we call “the essence.”

 

potatoes, frittata, eggs, breakfast, brunch, tomatoes, cheese, recipe, homemade

She added the eggs, tomatoes and cheese.

potatoes, frittata, eggs, breakfast, brunch, tomatoes, cheese, recipe, homemade

Then baked it at 350 for 30 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After laying the tomatoes across, she added a little more essence and into the oven! Adding some final flourishes, this is what was served:

potatoes, frittata, eggs, breakfast, brunch, tomatoes, cheese, recipe, homemade

Frittata a la Mary

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An Urban Garden Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, in a cozy apartment on a quiet street in Astoria, there lived a woman. She watched all summer long as the older man living next door to her tended to what appeared to be quite the garden. Without exception, he would leave his house early and tend to his plants. He would garden all morning long and then, in the afternoon, he would sit in the sun surveying his day’s work.

She then watched in the fall as he harvested what she learned were tomatoes from his backyard garden. As she longed for a backyard of her own, she wondered if the man would ever know how enchanted she was by his dedication to those plants.

The whole winter long, she stared out her window waiting for the man to return and by the time he did, she had resolved not to wait for a backyard, but to begin her garden inside.

These are my wittle tomato plants!

Inspired by the man next door, she bought three little tomato plants and an herb garden to start her on her journey.

Chives, oregano, cilantro, parsley, menorah

This spring, she watches the man faithfully tending to his plants as she smothers hers with love. She wonders how he’ll ever know the impact he had on her.

She knows.

As the joy of watching something grow washes over her, she knows, and she is grateful.

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