Weekly Recipe Roundup

Calling all of you with a sweet tooth, this post is for you. I think I've become addicted to sugar and have to have a dessert now every night. The problem is, Wes and I have different loves when it comes to sweets. Wes loves anything chocolate, I don't. I love all things fruit related, Wes does not. I somehow feel less guilty about my sweet tooth if I can make him eat something too. Therefore, I've taken to either making 2 different desserts or just giving in and eating whatever he wants.

This week was one of those that I made 2 different desserts. For me, it was Peach Upside Down Cake. I've made many a Pineapple Upside Down Cakes but I think the cake on this one was one of the best. I've determined that I really like baking with buttermilk (or in my case, spoiled milk) because it really enhances the flavor and adds a depth that you just don't get with regular milk. The cake was not overly sweet and was moist but a little dense, which I love. This is a really versatile recipe and just about any fruit would work.

For Wes, although I did sample them as well, it was Marion Cunningham's Parker Brownies. If you love chocolate, these are for you. As the recipe says, they are thin, but that just means you can cut the squares bigger and not feel as guilty. This has to be one of the easiest brownie recipes I've ever made or read - one pot, that's it!

Second to sweets is anything breakfast related. I'm determined to make Bob-Evans-style-biscuits but I'm not willing to use Crisco or more than 1 stick of butter. I'm not thinking I'm going to be too successful based on those limitations but I continue to try. These Buttermilk Biscuits came with step-by-step instructions and although I had to make some adjustments, the flavor was really good. They still didn't rise like I wanted (darn it) but at least the flavor was there. I covered them up with gravy anyway, so I guess it really shouldn't matter. I just looked at her picture again and hers didn't rise much taller than mine. I'm still searching though.

To go with said biscuits, I made a frittata. I love quiche but I don't like the added calories of the crust or the limitations it puts on the rest of the meal in terms of additional carbs. A frittata is the perfect compromise for me because you can still dump the kitchen sink in there and it tastes just as good as a quiche. You really can't go wrong with your add-ins but for this particular one was a great medley of flavors and complexity. I generally go with whatever I have in the fridge and this time it just worked.

Breakfast Frittata

7 large eggs

1/4 whole milk (skim would work as well)

2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

5 button mushrooms, quartered

1 small red pepper, chopped

2 tsp butter

1 large shallot, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chopped red pepper and mushrooms and continue to saute until softened, about 4-5 minutes more.

In a bowl, whisk eggs with milk, salt and pepper. Pour into skillet and top with crumbled goat cheese. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, just until the edges begin to set.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and continue to cook for 18-20 minutes, or until the middle is set. Slice into 4-5 wedges.