[Cook] Potato Frittata

This recipe is from I Love Trader Joe's College Cookbook. I'm long gone from college years, but that doesn't mean I don't still love cheap, easy and fast recipes and meal ideas catering for the young busy crowds. This cookbook has 150 super easy and fast recipes using products from Trader Joe's. I made the Potato Frittata for breakfast. It was super easy to make. It's pretty tasty with the addition of some ketchup and Tabasco sauce on top.

A frittata is akin to an omelet, except the ingredients are mixed with the eggs instead of folded inside of them - and it's a heck of a lot easier to make.


Potato Frittata

4 hashbrowns from frozen Trader Joe's Hashbrowns
1 tablespoon canola oil <---- I didn't use it since the hashbrowns are already oily
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt <---- I used 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese Blend <---- I used Soy-Sation Shredded Cheese Blend 

My Hubby's Meals

I like cooking. Cooking for myself is fun, and cooking for others brings me even more joy. I cook for my husband everyday, not that I have to, but I want to. A few of my coworkers said to me, "Why do you do that? What is wrong with you? Why don't you just eat out like 'NORMAL' people do? It's cheaper eating out and save time."  I can't believe that is what people think! (Or is that just how Orange County Asian women think?) Cooking at home is not only way cheaper than eating out, it is also healthier and save more time.

Dr. P and I love going out to eat. But we enjoy cooking at home just as much. Now because of our busy work schedule, we cook at home most weekdays, and go out for dinner on weekends. On a weekday, I make breakfast in the morning, and also pack lunch for both Dr. P and I. If I know Dr. P has to work late for the day, I'll prepare dinner and pack it for him in the morning as well. Otherwise, I'll make a quick meal after I get home from work. Our weekday meals are always easy and fast to make. I like to limit cooking time to about 30 minutes.

Here are Dr. P's one day meals:


Breakfast

A simple pan fried egg, Trader Joe's potatoes, donut peach from my parents backyard, and leftover bread from CPK. Simple, filling, and yummy. Probably took me 10 minutes to make this plate.

[Cook] Chicken Noodle Soup

I love Costco's rotisserie chicken. We often eat 1/2 chicken on the day we buy it. Then I'll cut the meat off the bones, and use it to make fried rice, tacos, stir-fried dishes, scrambled eggs... etc. There are so many things you can do with cooked rotisserie chicken! And do not throw the bones away! I always use the bones to make chicken soup. The soup is easy, fast, nutritious, and tastes good. One night I made chicken noodle soup with leftover bones in 20 minutes.


Chicken Noodle Soup

Rotisserie chicken bones
Water
Asian style noodle
Chicken meat
Green leaf vegetables
Eggs
Green onion, chopped
Cilantro, chopped
Salt
Pepper

[Cook] Savory Cornmeal Waffles

I didn't like the Savory Cornmeal Waffles too much. I used coarse cornmeal, which was probably why the waffles had hard pieces of cornmeal in it. Hmmm.... I shall try this again with fine cornmeal.


Savory Cornmeal Waffles

1 cup multi-grain pancake and waffle mix
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup club soda
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon butter
1 chopped plum tomato
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/3 cup sliced spinach
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

[Cook] Feta-Beef Patties with Cucumber Sauce

Dr. P said this was the best beef patty he's ever had. I don't want to be conceited, but it was pretty damn good. haha.... And it was so easy to make with just a few ingredients. I served it with salad and pita bread. But of course you can serve it with hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato and onion.


Feta-Beef Patties with Cucumber Sauce

1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped cucumber
3/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

[Cook] Scrambled Egg with Green Onion

Very fast and easy breakfast. Green onion adds more flavor to plain scrambled egg.


Scrambled Egg with Green Onion

1 Egg
1/2 tablespoon chopped green onion
splash of milk, cream, or water
salt
pepper
Olive oil

[Cook] Turkey-Hummus Pitas

This pita sandwich was super easy and fast to make for a healthy and delicious lunch.


Turkey-Hummus Pitas

1/2 cup store bought hummus
2 whole-wheat pitas, cut in half
8 ounces thinly sliced deli turkey breast
1 tomato, sliced
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup baby spinach leaves (optional)

[Cook] Chicken Salad with Black Bean-Corn Relish

I love the corn black bean relish in this salad. The feta-mint yogurt dip actually makes a pretty good dressing for this salad.


Chicken Salad with Black Bean-Corn Relish

Olive oil
1 pound chicken tender
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/4 onion, chopped
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tomato, chopped
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Mixed spring salad
1/3 cup ranch dressing
lime wedges (optional)

[Cook] Feta-Mint Dip

Feta-Mint Dip is great with pita bread and fresh vegetables. I also use it as salad dressing and it tastes wonderful that way.


Feta-Mint Dip

1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 finely chopped English cucumber
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 sliced green onions
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

[Cook] Greek Beef Salad

This salad is delicious both warm and cold. So full of flavors!


Greek Beef Salad

1 pound ground beef
1 1/4 cups water
1 package toasted pine nut couscous (such as Near East)
2 lemons, divided
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 chopped English cucumber
1/2 chopped red onion
1 chopped tomato

[Cook] Shrimp and Summer Vegetables Saute

I bought these super fresh giant shrimp from Sprouts. The key to a delicious seafood dish is simply the freshest seafood you can find.


Shrimp and Summer Vegetables Saute

4 turkey bacon slices
Olive oil
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 chopped tomato
1/2 chopped onion
1 1/4 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped spinach
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Lemon wedges (optional)

[Cook] Mediterranean Breakfast Sandwich

Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast 24/7: 5 Ingredient, 15 minute recipes is my favorite cookbook currently. All the recipes are fast, easy, light, and very very flavorful. I want to share what I've made from this cookbook this week. I didn't make the dishes exactly as the recipes in the book. I tried to utilized what ingredients I have on hand and to our own taste. I'm going to post my own version of recipes. If you would like to see the original recipes, you would have to purchase the cookbook.


Mediterranean Breakfast Sandwich

Olive oil
1/2 chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped jarred artichoke hearts
1 egg
1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
Bread

[Cook] Avocado Hot Dog Sandwich

I received a package in the mail. It was delivered via overnight express shipping. I had no idea what was inside the package.



Inside the brown box, there was another box inside. Hand grown avocado in California?

[Slow Cooker] Chicken Braised with Ginger and Star Anise

This slow cooker recipe is really easy. An Asian household should have all the ingredients already. It looked like just nothing special chicken, but it was full of flavor. The sauce was delicious over rice. It only takes 2 hours in the slow cooker to make. Easy, fast, and tasty!


Chicken Braised with Ginger and Star Anise

Preparation time:  15 minutes
Cooking time:  2 hours
Serves 4

[Bread Machine] Dried Cranberry Tea Bread

Dried Cranberry Tea Bread recipe came from The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook.  This was more like a cake in my opinion.  The tea bread was moist and so delicious.  Perfect with a cup of tea (is that why it's called tea berad?)


Dried Cranberry Tea Bread

From the cookbook:
Raw cranberries have a definite astringent, yet refreshingly tart taste.  Now that Ocean Spray offers dried, sweetened cranberries, commercially called Craisins, you can enjoy their delightfully tangy flavor as a great alternative to raisins.  This is a recipe adapted from one of my favorite food writers, Jeanne Jones, known for her development of lowfat spa recipes.  The combination of apple juice concentrate and almond extract permeates the entire loaf.  It has a most intoxicating aroma while baking.  Serve this fantastic bread thinly sliced, with sweet butter or whipped cream cheese.

[Teddy & Twinkle] Coral's Caribbean Treat

I made food for Teddy & Twinkle from The Healthy Dog Cookbook.  Once again, they loved it.



This recipe called for chicken, cantaloupe, sweet potato, pasta, and yogurt.  I omitted the pasta because I thought they don't really need it.

[Cooking] Star Anise-Ginger "Braised" Whole Chicken

This recipe of Star Anise-Ginger "Braised" Whole Chicken is from Simply Ming One-Pot Meals: Quick, Healthy & Affordable Recipes.  After reading the cookbook, that was the first dish I wanted to make.  Plus I saw Ming Tsai making the dish on Today's Show, and it looked so good.  This was the best chicken soup I've ever made.  The soup was full of flavor, and the chicken was so moist and tender.  I think EVERYONE should try making this soup!



4 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 large carrots, peeled and roll-cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or cut conventionally
2 large onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 star anise
2 tablespoons minced ginger

Birthday Treats from Sister

My sister came to visit me the day before my birthday, and she brought me a lot of goodies.


八寶飯 Eight Treasures Rice

Homemade eight treasures rice with all organic ingredients.  It looked so good, and tasted even better!  I was like "wow you made this?!?!" when I saw it.  My sister's pretty talented at making dessert.

Sea Pak Shrimp Scampi

Dr. P had to work late last night.  I want to fix something simple and easy for dinner by myself.



I had a pack of Sea Pak Shrimp Scampi I bought from Costco in my freezer, and a package of pasta in my pantry.  I can't really remember how much the Shrimp Scampi was at Costco.  Maybe $12 for a box enough to feed 8 people?

Caramel Apple Tartlets

Caramel Apple Tartlet

The Caramel Apple Tartlet is from the Omaha Steak pack my sister got me for Christmas.  They can be stored in freezer for quite a while.  I had one yesterday.  Just heated up in the microwave for 1 minute, and done!  It was sweet enough, but not too sweet.  Lots of apple.  Very very good.  Even better with a scoop of ice cream.  I love eating warm dessert with ice cream.  Yum!