Sooooo, in typical fashion, my ability to keep up with this column really came as a huge shock to my amazing fans (my grandma and mom). I was forced to edit every story to somehow make me look more like a Rhodes Scholar (impossible) and less like the sex-driven, wine-fueled degenerate I may be.
So I am reflecting on old habits in hopes of squashing the Evan of the past, and continuing to hone the young Bill Shakespeare I’m obviously becoming.
Past Evan was more of the lush and far less of the (slightly) refined foodie I’ve become in my 20s. “Sundays” used to have a far less serious focus, and typically involved mornings of dry, bloodshot eyes and resonating headaches that reflected the questionable antics of the night before.
On occasion, I’d have fun-filled mornings when I’d struggle to focus as my nose would pick up the scents of stale beer and smoke, and my eyes put into focus the silhouette of a girl I met the night before. Through the years, my random hook-up mentality began to fade under the maturing drive to get something more out of my life and days.
Now, instead of the fumble and awkwardness that ensues as both regretful parties awake, I get up fresh and wide-eyed (Lies. I still get that same damn piercing headache from the night’s shenanigans). But I now have a steady little lass in my life, and a new approach to my mornings.
A fun little breakfast dish I played with this past Sunday morning was the frittata. It’s an egg-based dish similar to a quiche (sans crust) that allows you to use any tasty egg-compatible ingredients your fridge may contain. I made my frittata with salmon and chive cream cheese spread (purchased from Carlino’s), that made for a delicate flavor that was sure to erase any doubts about my breakfast-making abilities.
Sunday morning’s breakfast was served up hot and steamy in my favorite cast-iron skillet. The benefits of a well seasoned cast-iron pan are endless, and this dish really takes full advantage of promoting a mixture of all ingredients. A frittata needs about 30 minutes of prep time and an hour in the oven, allowing a solid amount of time to showcase your cooking skills and get to know your company over a hot cup of coffee.
I hardly had anything planed out for the day, since the weekend’s activities left most people around me exhausted. Just before I waved my white flag, my phone buzzed and the proposition of fun with firearms and some fellow co-workers was just the “shot of excitement” my Sunday morning needed.
What was once my biggest fear now lay firmly in the grip of my twitching, puny hands, as I lay in a Downingtown field, squinting down the scope of a high-powered rifle. My finger began to draw back the trigger.
I was now in the midst of living down fears, crossing off bucket list items, and injecting a nasty dose of country boy testosterone. The intense kick against my shoulder resonated fast and hard, as the shock went through my feet. In the intense hour the followed, I was able to rip through every Terminator, Dirty Harry and Yosemite Sam fantasy that secretly plagued my quasi-liberal, tight-jean-wearing heart.
I had serious doubts about the excitement this Sunday would bring me. Dealing with the lingering hangover from the holidays, each of my previous weeks has been more of a re-coup than an overdrive kickstart. This past weekend proved to be the deal breaker, as the welcome spontaneity and firepower of this Sunday definitely put me back up on the horse.
Will this article redeem my standing with my Grandma? Hell, no! God help me, I will probably even not get the $20 holiday gift card to Precious Moments she always gets me. But I’m not gonna complain.
Sarah’s Best Frittata
1 small diced onion
2 tbsp. butter
one dozen eggs
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup of milk
smoked salmon, chopped (One package — not sure how many ounces)
5 ounces of herbed cream cheese
kosher salt
pepper
Preheat the oven to 350.
Saute the onion and butter in a 10-inch, oven-proof skillet (preferably cast iron), until
onions are translucent (about 5 to 10 minutes).
In a large bowl, using a whisk, beat up the eggs, heavy cream, milk, salt and pepper. Add
salmon.
Pour egg mixture over onions. Evenly plop little cream cheese dollops over the fritatta
mixture.
Place skillet in the center of the oven and cook at 350 for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife
inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Serve directly from the pan.
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