Monday, January 25, 2010

Building A Dream and Tomato and Herb Frittata


I've been absent from my blog for a few days.

I've been dreaming.

For some years now TBHITW and I have talked about and dreamed about our (eventual) retirement. As our children grow older and one by one leave our nest we have discussed what we will do and where we will live and how..

It's fun to dream. There are so many possibilities.
Travel the country in an RV?
Work part-time in national parks?
Move out west and become "ski" ambassadors? (unpaid skiers who help tourists and notify ski patrol of problems)
Live abroad for a year?
Buy a small plot of land, build an eco-friendly house, plant the biggest garden ever, buy a goat, make cheese from goat milk, raise some chickens, get another dog...
oh wait... this last one actually has some definition to it. Hmm...

At some point you have to stop dreaming and start doing.

We are going to look at some land next weekend. Not a big piece, but not small. Enough acreage to do all the stuff in that last dream point..

I spent the better part of this morning looking at house plans... dreaming of what may be.

What do you think? A Contemporary??
Or a Log Cabin type?

If you're bored with the same old cereal or bagel for breakfast, try this Frittata. It only takes a few minutes to make and will brighten up your day. And who knows? Maybe it will start you to dreaming your own dreams.

Tomato and Herb Frittata (serves 2)

1/2 cup chopped plum tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped scallions
3 basil leaves, chopped
A few drizzles of olive oil
1 cup egg substitute (or 4 eggs, scrambled with a fork)

Turn your broiler on.

Coat an ovenproof 10 inch skillet with cooking spray or rub with olive oil. Place over medium heat until hot. Saute the tomatoes, scallions and basil in a drizzle of olive oil until tender. Reduce the heat to low and add the eggs. Cover and cook until the bottom is set and the top is almost set but still runny (about 5 minutes). Transfer the skillet to a broiler and broil until the top is set. Watch it closely. It will puff up and set quickly.

Slide the frittata off onto a serving plate and slice into wedges.

If you are using egg substitute the frittata has about 169 calories per serving. If you are using whole fresh eggs the calories count will be about 240. Dietitians recommend about 400 calories for a complete, nutritious breakfast - so go ahead and add a slice of whole wheat toast!

A Cook's Notes: What do you dream for your future? Among other things, I'm thinner in my future. That's why I keep posting lower calorie meal options! Bon Appetite!

9 comments:

  1. I stopped dreaming a long time ago, but I see glimpses of them now and again. I vote for Log Cabin type, because that's just what I would want. I sometimes think of living off the grid in Northern Minnesota, but then I remember how much I love my friends. Sigh. I love that you have this dream. Oh, and I'm going to try my hand at making queso blanco.

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  2. Kate - it's time to start dreaming!! Even if it's just about making queso blanco!! Let me know how it turns out and will you post it on your food blog?

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  3. Oooh! Those are all good dreams! I say you do them ALL! :o)

    I like both houses, I tend to gravitate more towards the contemporary just because the eco friendly homes seem to be built in that style more often, but I am thinking you could put solar panels on either one! Also there are lots of windows in both so that is awesome!

    I often think about raising goats and making cheese. I think it is because I love goat cheese so much that I honestly could see myself with a goat, spoiling them rotten and then milking them so I could eat their cheese!

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  4. Wow, that's a great dream. I LOVE the contemporary house in the photo. Of course, the log one would look better with more trees around it, too. What a great dream. And it seems to come with a frittata attached! :-)

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  5. Okay, yummy. I'm going to have to try this. It should be interesting as I've never attempted any egg dish more difficult than scrambled!

    I love the log cabin look, but I always have. I suppose it depends on where you are putting the house; which style will fit better? Or better yet, which one do you prefer?

    I do love the whole dreaming and planning phase. My husband and I spent a happy couple of years browsing design books to decide which style home we both agreed on and weekends looking at open houses. It was time well spent as we love our home. Plus, it's great to simply do something together, even if it's as simple as sharing joint dreams. Perhaps that's one of the more important things you can do together:)

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  6. Oh that's such a lovely dream. I feel excited for you, just thinking about it. I have a lovely little house and one day I'll have more time to spend on the garden... at the moment it all feels a bit much and I have some other priorities. (Plus it's winter, so even thinking about gardening is painful.) If I suddenly had a lot of money I'd love to build from scratch.

    Also, I love fritata :)

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  7. Jen - I like both too! Both floor plans are just what we are looking for... Goats = goat cheese, that's exactly why I want a goat!

    Blissed - The dream comes with a personal chef! What could be better?

    Whitney - frittata is great for a simple dinner, just add a salad. Get your hubby to make it, soon you will have your hands full.

    Rachel - I'm trying not to get carried away as we are just now starting to look at land.. but I do love to dream!

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  8. This Tomato and Herb Frittata sounds yummy. Think I'll make one right now! Nice dreams, I vote for the contemporary house!

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  9. fritatta is my go to comfort when I need a quick hearty and lo cal option meal... you can put anything in it!

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Wow. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I love feedback... what with being a cook and all. I will respond to your comments via email (if you do not have a "noreply" address or here, below your comment) As always, Bon Appetite!

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