Maple-glazed bacon, fresh thyme and yukon potato frittata

We had such a fresh and fun frittata tonight (say that three times quick) that I wanted to post it.

What I loved about it--it wasn't the usual meat and potatoes dinner that left you feeling stuffed. It was so good. Even my meat-loving man Brandon liked it. Ava, well, that girl is just downright picky.

Anyways, here it is. I adapted the basic recipe from the Joy of Cooking, but the recipe is pretty classic. I used bacon glazed with a maple syrup, fresh thyme and yukon potatoes that were parboiled to make cooking a snap. It really took less than 4 minutes to cook in all.

Try it out and let me know how you like it.

Maple-glazed bacon, fresh thyme and yukon potato frittata
Serves 4
Delicious warm or room temp.
2 TB butter
5 eggs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, plus, 1 TB for potatoes, plus 1/4 cup for garnish
1 TB fresh thyme
8 strips, maple-glazed bacon (see recipe below)
2 parboiled yukon potatoes
1/4 cup parsley, garnish
red pepper flakes, garnish optional


Preheat broiler to high.

In a skillet, melt 2 TB butter on medium heat.
Beat eggs, salt, pepper, cheese, thyme together and add to mixture when butter is melted. Reduce heat to low and add potatoes, bacon. Add a little more salt, pepper to potatoes as well as cheese.
Without stirring, cook until bottom is set.
Be careful to keep heat low and not burn bottom.
When bottom is set, place under broiler for 30-60 seconds to finish cooking top.
Loosen frittata by swirling skillet in a clockwise motion. The butter should allow the frittata to move easily.
Slide to cutting board and cut into 6 slices.
Finish garnishing with cheese, parsley and red pepper flakes for heat. I also added a swirl of olive oil to the top to meld it all together. And a little more salt, pepper.
Flavor as you go!

So good. I mean, so good.

Enjoy!

Maple-glazed bacon
Maple-glazed bacon makes me happy. The smell is so comforting and it makes me feel loved. Amazing what bacon can do to you huh! I brought this out on a rough day and it literally made Brandon smile.
And it's so easy.

1 lb bacon
1/4 cup maple syrup
small pastry brush
Broiler pan
(Broiler pan allows grease to escape)

Preheat oven to 365.

Place bacon on top of pan, overlapping edges slightly so the bacon will not curl up.
Brush maple syrup on bacon with brush.

Bake until done and fat is rendered (cooked off).

Serve to your husband and daughter and have them fight over the last piece.

You are my sunshine. Sarah's project.

Okay, I love have creative and artistic friends -- so many cool things I have to try! I love Sarah's new toy box on her blog site. Check it out! How cool is that?

It's snowing again

It's snowing again outside~so crazy how much snow we have had this winter. We got a huge snowstorm that lasted a couple of days about two weeks ago and then last week we got snow and then today it's snowing 8-10 inches.

The last time i remember snow this high was when we were little. And why does it always snow on or around Valentine's Day and my birthday (Jan. 13). It always snows on vday. Always.

What have you been doing to combat cabin fever?

Today we built a sweet tent, my best yet I must say, in the living room and had story time for almost 30 minutes (landmark if your kids sit more than 4 minutes), made potato soup (so good since I used the tops of the celery too) and chili with cannelini beans (Ava helped), did laundry, cleaned, workout out twice, read a little of "Little Women" and put up picture frames and put a bookshelf in Ava's room.

Ava was so excited about the bookshelf in her room that she sat and read to herself for 30 minutes and then told Brandon, "Daddy, do you want to see my bookshelf?"

I keep thinking about summer and what I would be doing if it was warm outside.

I would be playing outside with my girls, drinking some sweet tea, and grilling.

But, until then. What do you do during this weather to pass time?

My nemesis

Lately our laundry has been so hard to keep on top of. I have been really good about it one or two days and then it sneaks up on me, like today. I go and gather the clothes from our rooms and ava and sophia's and notice that there are again four loads of clothes.

Does the laundry just multiply overnight? It's a simply crazy thing how fast it piles up. I feel so good one day and a couple of days later it's backkkk!

It doesn't help that our little Sophia and Ava go through two or three outfits per day.

I do about four loads on heavy days and one or two every day. How many do you do? Is that a lot? Does it get better as your kids get older?

Sump pump and shoveling snow off curb

Who knew? I didn't know you had to shovel at your curb where the sump pump drains. Did you?

Small group

Our Life group has split. It's the result of 40-plus people attending and what a great thing! We are growing, growing, growing. In honor of our recent split into two groups (possibly three in the fall), I thought I would post our picture from December. We actually had another couple start their own group so we were missing two couples, plus the Blunks who were getting ready for their baby!

Love it. Isn't God so cool?

When in France

February is the month of love. What better month to talk about France!

I visited France during college for a five-week, cultural enrichment program and mission trip. We studied french history and culture, language and helped a seminary in Brussels with several projects.

It was here that I fell in love with the food and people. I mean, how can you not love french fries in gravy? And sitting in a cafe for two hours to eat lunch and talk?

One of my favorite sandwiches, which was basically street food, was a baguette (fresh of course) slathered with rich, french butter and layered with ham. It was so delicious. So simple and so good. The butter helped the baguette not be so dry and the ham was salty and fresh.

We would sometimes have an afternoon snack and sip on espressos along with a fresh pastry. The pastries in the boulangrie were beautiful topped with blueberries, strawberries and chocolate. I later learned they got that shine from an apricot jam glaze.

I want to go back. For our ten-year anniversary, Brandon and I want to visit. I can't wait to show him everything.

Do you know the chocolate man? His name is Dave Lebovitz and his blog site is like food porn. It's seriously beautiful and so packed full of good ideas. I love his ten ordering mistakes tourists make in France. View it this weekend!

im so hungry I could eat...drip beef sandwiches

Do you ever watch diners drive-ins and dives on the Food Network? If you have, you understand the weird sensation of being totally starving after watching the show for 15 minutes. You watch the greasy goodness being put on plates, the hungry look Guy gives the plate and then him eating the mammoth sandwich or entree.

It's mindless, food-gorging entertainment. And it always makes me and Brandon hungry!

I just had to post this sandwhich how-to from the Pioneer Woman's site. It's for drip beef sandwiches and it looks so good. I mean, my sweet goodness, I love banana peppers or anything spicy like that. I put them in my salads, pizza, you name it. She uses pepperoncinis, which are like the cousins of banana peppers.

Let me know if you make it. My sweet mountain man, (instead of Marlbolo Man) is going camping this week and will not be here to consume it. With just two little girls and me, I think we will be better suited to chicken and broccoli cheddar soup from Panera.