Passover Friendly Easter Brunch: Broccoli and Leek Frittata

This may be a problems that only we face, but my inlaws find it absolutely impossible to find any Passover friendly foods for Easter.  On the off chance that there are others out there facing the same conundrum, I thought I would share some amazing Easter brunch foods, that also work for Passover.

In truth, it seems like the easiest thing - I mean, Easter is all about the eggs, right?  And eggs for breakfast is a very Passover thing. 

Let's be honest, eggs for everything is a very Passover thing.  We make good use of those hardboiled eggs we dye for Easter!

The best part about this frittata?  It doesn't really matter if you celebrate Easter or Passover.  Filled with green veggies that seem to just bridge the gap between winter and spring, this is really the perfect breakfast for any group gathering.  Or - since we're not supposed to be gathering in groups right now....this works really well to give you breakfasts (or lunches) for a couple days.  The vegetables inside are hearty and withstand a day or two in the fridge.

Broccoli and Leek Frittata

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, sliced thinly (white and light green parts only)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 head broccoli, chopped

2 Tbsp water

10 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large pan over medium-low heat.  
2. Add the leeks and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the broccoli and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
4. Add the water, cover the pan, and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Add remaining Tbsp of oil.
6. Whisk the eggs, milk, and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl.
7. Add the egg mixture to the cooked veggies and cook for 5 minutes.
8. Sprinkle the cheese on top and place the pan in the oven for about 17 minutes, or until set.  Serve warm.

Happy New Year: Tomato, Feta, and Dill Frittata

My absolute favorite way to start of the year is with my annual New Year's Brunch.  I love how laid back and easy it is, both from the standpoint of entertaining, and getting it together the day before.  I love having all my friends come to me, so we don't have to go anywhere but I still get to see my favorite people.  And I love brunch food.

This year I wanted to keep it really bright and cheery, so I fell into the latest trend of balloon garlands.

 It actually took less time than I was anticipating to put this together and I was able to do it a couple days in advance.  Which means, 2019 is officially the year of the balloon garland for decorations in our home.

Everything else I kept simple with arrangements of brightly colored flowers on every surface.  The night before we let the kids have confetti poppers for midnight, and they added a festive touch to tables, chairs, the floor - anything flat.

As for the food - I always try to keep it easy.  And really the hardest part is planning the prep - figuring out which places are closed on what days, and what needs to be made when.  There's never a shortage of food - my table is always overflowing.

While normally I buy muffins and breakfast pastries, this year my go-to bakery was closed for several days leading up to New Years.  So I made my own!

I also threw in some cookies, lemon poppyseed cake, and french toast to fill in that sweet gap left by the bakery.

For more savory fare there were bagels and lox, roasted garlic potatoes, and a golden beet salad.

But the sleeper hit of the brunch was a very random fritatta I came across when surfing the internet.  I love feta with eggs, which is what sold me on it, even though the rest of the ingredients were a little unusual.  Dill?  Capers?  In and egg dish?  But I figured there was plenty of other food and I might as well forge ahead.  And it was amazing.  Everyone who tasted it found me to tell me how delightful it was.   And so I'm sharing it with you.  Not a fan of dill or capers?  That's how most of my guests felt, but for some reason the both just added the right amount of salt and flavor without making the dish taste like either.   So make it and enjoy - the perfect way to start off a new year!

Tomato, Feta, and Dill Frittata (From Real Simple)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

6 scallions, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp capers

1 Tbsp dill, chopped

8 eggs

1 cup crumbled feta

1.  Preheat oven to 425.  Combine oil, tomatoes, scallions, capers, dill, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a medium oven proof skillet. Bake for about 14 minutes. Lower the heat to 375.
2.  Whisk the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir the feta into the eggs.
4.  Add the eggs to the skillet and bake until the frittata is set in the middle - about 12-15 minutes.