Easy Gluten-Free Green Chile Egg Bake

This puffy golden egg bake is easy (and pretty enough for brunch guests).

Roasted Green Chiles + Eggs = Fabulous

This simple egg bake recipe flirts with being a souffle. She imagines herself in an Anais Nin novel, puffy and voluptuous, trembling on a sunlit, blossom strewn table, about to be devoured by a Henry Miller style character, an unknown writer, all bluster and Brooklyn guff, with a surprising, childlike glint to his laughter.


In a Kerouac novel she imagines herself liquid, a stream of golden beats syncopated in hot opposition to the heart's rhythm, strangely, vertigo defyingly more in tune with how the stars blink- on and off- cradling her humble, unassuming beginnings in feather injected hay, spinning cool and restless past the farmhouse windows lit yellow by a single lamp on the center of a wooden kitchen table strewn with cereal coupons and finger smudged newspaper and coffee cups stained not with lipstick but with infinite tiny cracks, scenting the air with morning that rushes into this author's highway memory like a distant train whistle crooning its tug toward reckless freedom, toward shed dreams and mockingbird awakenings that mimic the familiar just to confuse you, just to keep you anchored, just to clip you from flying in your own, crazy trajectory, your one chance at what might be possible.

Then again.

Maybe she's just an egg recipe.

With attitude.


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Gluten-Free Pasta Frittata with Kale

Cooked brown rice pasta makes a lovely little crust for the eggs.

An Italian Classic - Updated

It's crunch time here at Casa Allrich. Moving day looms. Packing has begun. I've been sitting on the floor like a cast-off princess in a fairy tale assigned to her individuating task, combing not through haystacks or mountains of tiny grain but musty boxes of thirty-five-year-old letters, stacks of faded photographs and yellowed clippings, evidence of another life allegedly my own. I am struck most by the persistent echoes, the parallels spiked with the quirky twists of fate that led me here, to now, the line between seeking and creating blurring into a narrative that persists in your life like an ache.

We seek what we need to become. We long for the parts of ourselves we discarded out of necessity or people-pleasing acquiescence. Accommodation is a common theme in many a woman's life. Mid-life sharpens this trend into focus in subtle ways. When you begin counting seasons, and fewer summers await you, each choice you've picked up to now- and every discarded loss- becomes bittersweet and ripe with meaning.

All this contemplation and dust as we recycle the last remaining things we carry.

Our life has been whittled and sanded and simplified these last six years. An empty nest has its gifts. From the east coast to the west coast we have pared down and let go with each move (five times in six years). No original furniture remains. We own a sofa (a floor model bought in Marina Del Rey). A bed. Two desks. The truckload of books and old paintings is now a carload.

My boxes of cookbooks have shrunk from twenty to two.

Our move to Studio City is a gesture toward community (writing and film). A move closer to family (both sons- and a new daughter-in-law- live closer to Studio City than Redondo Beach). A move away from the ocean, but toward sun. From fog to heat. Our new neighborhood is a quiet, leafy one, framed in well tended white fenced gardens that rival Provincetown. We walked the block last week. Waist high lavender bushes, roses, iris and honeysuckle feed me in ways concrete and steel cannot. Small town New England is in my bones, I guess. And forever will be.

Today I offer you a recipe spun from the magic of leftover brown rice spaghetti and eggs- a creamy, light frittata. Perfect for when you're simply too tired to cook. Or you have nothing in the fridge but a carton of eggs, half a bag of kale salad and last night's leftover spaghetti in eggplant marinara.

The "cheese" I used was a vegan "mozzarella" (my current favorite is Vegan Gourmet). But if you prefer using dairy- select one or two of your favorite organic cheeses.



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Elegant and Easy Pasta Frittata

Gluten-free pasta frittata made with brown rice penne.

An Elegant and Easy Pasta Frittata

Summer is officially upon us- allegedly. And by us I mean those of us calling the Northern hemisphere our home. See? I didn't forget you lovely readers from the topsy-turvy land Down Under, strapped to snowboards or skiing the snowy slopes of Victoria in need of steaming mugs of soup and plates of comfort food. I know it's winter for you. I get it. I do. I'm chilly, too. I've got Popsicle toes. And just so you know I'm not pulling your leg, Mate, I'll let you in on a little secret.

I'm not sporting a bikini these days, either.

Well, I don't actually own a bikini, so that might not be terribly shocking news (I don't think I've even touched a bikini since 1982, and for that wise choice alone, countless thousands are grateful).

I'm still layering my long sleeved tees and thick fuzzy sweatshirts, you see. Here in Redondo Beach we have the annual weather effect (grumpily or fondly) known as June Gloom. Brushed velvet fog and low slung clouds hug the coast each morning and shower us with mist that would make Ireland proud.

It's a marine layer issue, so they say.

After three (long) sun baked years in Northern New Mexico, I rather like it. It's moody and hushed and inspiring in a rainy day spirit sort of way, transforming the technicolor blue of L.A. skies into wallflower introversion, softening and muting the usual exuberance and clamor that is Los Angeles. It's the kind of weather that makes you crave a good book.

And a lazy brunch.

Perhaps this light and easy frittata recipe will please both hemispheres.

Those in bikinis, and those snug in UGGs .

Fresh parsley, mint, chives, sweet red pepper and free-range eggs.

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Artichoke and Jalapeño Savory Pie

Gluten-free pasta pie, a savory and delicious frittata style dish.

A Spring Savory Pie

Happy first weekend in March! Spring is in the air. To celebrate, here's an eggy, savory pie for the coming greening season, spiked with the kicked-up heat of jalapeños. It's a hybrid of traditional kugel, quiche, and pasta frittata. Kinda postmodern eggilicious. And the best part is, it's a super easy recipe. Perfect for a light brunch, a weeknight supper, or any time you crave huevos. Which is less fraught with guilt, now that the Powers That Be have decided eggs are not the enemy they once touted. Especially if you use organic eggs from humanely raised, vegetarian fed free-range chickens. Happier eggs contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene and vitamins A, D and E, it turns out. Which makes this frittata pie idea a nutritious way to use up leftover gluten-free spaghetti. 

Your mother's pasta frittata, this isn't. Your mother didn't make you pasta frittata?

Babycakes! 

What are you waiting for?

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Gluten-Free Pasta Frittata Recipe with Goat Cheese

Tasty gluten-free pasta frittata.

Pasta Frittata Magic


Have I got a simple and flavorful Mediterranean inspired gluten-free pasta frittata recipe for you. It is perfect for the upcoming weekend. Throw it together for a lazy brunch, or a languid late summer picnic. But first, a logistical update. We are back from LA, safe and as sound as two people can be jetting from the oxygen saturated beach of Santa Monica to the rarefied (read- bone dry nosebleed inducing) air of Northern New Mexico. My "of a certain age" skin is not decidedly not happy. My razor textured Floyd's cut now looks like a highlighted squirrel on a tequila fueled bender. And to add insult to follicle injury, there's a technical snafu that despite daily phone calls, shameless begging and patient (I assure you) correction of our physical street address (corrected three times by three different customer service representatives eager to assist you). That's right.

No Internet.

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Santa Fe Huevos on Polenta aka Eggs Ranchero

Santa Fe Huevos on Polenta Recipe aka Eggs Ranchero

Huevos rancheros- a traditional Tex-Mex recipe featuring fried eggs, refried beans and salsa on top of warm corn tortillas- is a delicious brunch recipe, no doubt. But I decided to change up tradition. Just because.

Using a roll of pre-made polenta makes this a perfect weeknight supper or a quick and easy Sunday brunch. For the more ambitious cooks out there, stirring polenta from scratch isn't hard, it just requires a little patience. Kinda like motherhood. And meditation. And selling a house. For how to make make polenta from scratch see below.

Ingredients:

1 18-oz roll pre-made polenta, sliced

1 cup cooked black beans (rinsed canned beans are fine)

1 14-oz can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chiles

1/2 cup tomato sauce or your favorite salsa

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small red onion, diced

1 smallish zucchini, chopped or diced

1 small red, yellow or green bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced

2 tablespoons chopped jalapenos or roasted green chiles

1/2 teaspoon each: cumin, chili powder, oregano or cilantro

2-3 ounces goat cheese, or feta sheep cheese, cubed

4 large organic free-range eggs

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Lay the polenta slices in an oiled 8 x 8-inch baking pan or a 9-inch glass pie plate. I used an oven-safe skillet.

In a bowl combine the beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, onion, zucchini, bell pepper, jalapenos, and spices. Spoon this mixture over the sliced polenta and place the pan in the pre-heated oven.

Bake for twenty minutes until hot and bubbling.

When the polenta is bubbling and almost cooked, scatter the cubed feta or goat cheese over it; and continue to bake while you...

Fry the eggs.

Remove the polenta from the oven. Lay the cooked eggs on top of the polenta. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, if desired.

Serves four.

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

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How to make polenta from scratch:

You'll need:

1 cup gluten-free corn grits polenta
4 1/2 cups light broth
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

You can also add chopped fresh herbs or grated cheese or non-dairy cheese, if desired.

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, bring the broth to a high simmer and pour the cornmeal into the simmering broth in an even, steady stream, whisking as you go. Keep stirring. When the polenta has thickened and is pulling away from the sides of the pot a bit, add in herbs or shredded cheese and season with sea salt and pepper, to taste. This takes about 20 minutes, or so. Remove the pot from the heat.

If you make your polenta ahead of time, you have the option of spooning it evenly into a pie plate or cake pan and letting it cool. This makes a firm polenta you can later slice into wedges, brush with olive oil, and broil.

More fabulous egg recipes for Spring from favorite food bloggers:

Southwestern Egg Casserole from Kalyn's Kitchen
Chorizo and Eggs from Elise at Simple Recipes
Best Basic Deviled Eggs from Nicole at Pinch My Salt
Huevos alla Amy at Cooking with Amy
Fried Eggs and Collard Greens Over Polenta at The Kitchn
How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs from Elise at Simple Recipes

Note: As always check ingredients and product labels for 100% gluten-free status- especially with cornmeal and polenta.

 

What I miss? My Blue Corn Chip Frittata

Frittata - an easy, gluten-free supper.

There are nights when tossing together breakfast for dinner is the sane thing to do. It's easy. It's fast. And yes, even delicious. A well done frittata is bliss, pure and simple. Here is one of my old favorites.

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Savory Gluten-Free Vegetable Kugel

This gluten-free kugel is Jewish soul food.

From Hollywood to Kugel

What the heck is a kugel, you ask? Jewish comfort food. And if it's done right- with handfuls of roasted vegetables, fresh herbs, and crunchy toasty gluten-free breadcrumbs- it can make you weep, Bubela. Because kugel is soul food - wrapped in love. But first- as with any good family recipe- a story. 

Traveling gluten-free is a challenge. You know this. I know is. And if you are driving to your husband's first movie set you'd be wise to pack a cooler. And a rice cooker. And an electric tea kettle. All of which I did. Every gluten-free goddess deserves safe food, after all. And sometimes you have to be proactive and plan ahead and not be afraid to look like an old school gypsy when you unload your car at the hotel, dragging said appliances and trailing electric plugs down the hall to your room. 

Hey. It beats getting sick. And it beats going hungry in a town where everything is deep fried and washed down with Coors.

There was Craft Service on the set, of course. And kudos goes to the fabulous caterer, Chad, who actually knew what gluten was [and apparently makes gluten-free Po' Boys back in LA for a certain zaftig blond movie star [with the initials Katherine Heigl- oops- I guess I spilled the beans].

All I dared to eat from his array, per his advice, was bananas, fresh watermelon and a strawberry or two (and okay, some mini peanut butter cups). I lived on peppermint tea and rice cakes and my Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins.

The last day on set (after standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon holding Dear Husband's hand) I conjured a new invention in the rice cooker I'm calling Pizza Rice. Note to self: always bring bottles of herbs and a jar of gourmet pasta sauce, because you never know when you'll be craving something hot and Italian (and no, I don't mean Giovanni Ribisi).

But after all the excitement and lack of sleep and kick-ass creativity and a long ride home snuggled in your Honda Fit admiring your husband's pensive profile against a Southwestern sky, all a gluten-free goddess wants is some old school comfort food while she hefts heaps of laundry past the sweetest newborn bunny holed up in the pinon wood pile and sifts through all those red Netflix envelopes scanning titles and muttering, What was I thinking?

It's comfort you need. The kind of comfort browned and golden and crunchy on top and melty-creamy inside. You know what I'm talking about. It was time for kugel.

And the movie? It's called The Canyon. Listen to a podcast with screenwriter Steve Allrich on Casting Couch Radio.

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