The Newest Cook and Her Super Frittata

Maria was the chef, and I was the sou chef, and dinner was super! And it's all thanks to her cooking class after school... what a boon! Thanks to Make and Take Dinner, Maria spent the afternoon in the school kitchen learning all the steps for making this frittata with broccolini and potatoes. All the cooks were invited to sit down to a hot and tasty sampling of their work before they took home insulated bags with the recipe, all the ingredients, plus the pan, to make dinner at home.

Seriously? Yup.

Even the eggs? The delicious Parmesan cheese, too? Yup. Even the cooking oil, and broth. All of it neatly packed and ready to go.

We got home, and Maria went straight to work. Apron on. Hands washed, and chopping potatoes. I loved listening to her recall little details from class, "Ms Snacky said 'slice it eight ways,' like this." As much as possible I hung back, and stayed clear, until I was called in to assist. But she was definitely running the show. Here is the recipe she followed:

Fall Broccollini & Potato Frittata
8 small red potatoes
1 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup olive oil
7 pieces broccolini, trimmed and halved lengthwise, and chopped into 2 inch pieces (Maria opted to chop them further... chef's prerogative!)
1 small onion diced (I was impressed to see her take on this part, too!)
8 eggs
1 cup (100g) grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
Spray 8x8 pan with cooking spray
Wash potatoes and broccolini

Put the potatoes in a 10" skillet, and add stock. Bring the stock to boil, and cook for ten minutes, turning potatoes often.

Add the olive oil, broccolini, and onion to the pan and cook for one minute, turning the vegetables to coat in the oil. Cover and cook to soften the broccoli, 2-3 minutes. Check to make sure the vegetables are as soft as you would like them. If they are not, add 1/2 cup of water and cook until they are the desired firmness.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl lightly beat the eggs with half cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Add vegetable mixture to the bowl, and stir to combine all the ingredients. Pour entire mixture into the greased pan, and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, until the eggs are puffed and set.

We served our frittata with smoothies: A banana, mixed frozen berries, extra frozen blue berries, two cups of green cabbage, and apple juice... like a chilled salad in a glass!

Well, all four children cook, now. This means I must be pretty close to retirement, to a life of ease and luxury, and super dinners!