Leftovers Tip #1: Leftovers Omelette

Trying to figure out how to get rid of those leftover veggies before they go bad? Make a breakfast omelette! With only a couple of eggs, some veggies, and a few spices, you can make a delicious breakfast for yourself.

This morning, I greased up a stainless steel frying pan with some oil I had left over from frying up falafel balls yesterday. As I let the pan warm up over medium-high heat, I lightly beat two eggs in a bowl, added a little milk (to give it a little more substance and to add fluffiness), and set it aside. I then scrounged through my tiny fridge for leftovers. I found a clove of garlic and a quarter of a zucchini (left over from my easy Tuscan chicken), some chopped onions and grated cheddar cheese (left over from taco night), and half a can of chopped tomatoes in sauce (left over from my Sicilian chicken thighs - recipe coming soon!). I threw the garlic, onions, and zucchini in the frying pan and sauteed them until the onions were translucent and the zucchini soft. After making sure the veggies were evenly distributed in the pan, I poured the egg mixture over top of the veggies. As the eggs cooked, I sprinkled the grated cheddar over the omelette, to allow it to melt in with the rest of the ingredients.

After a minute or so, I used my spatula to loosen the bottom of the omelette. Now the "flip" is notoriously difficult. (If you don't know how, this guy can teach you!) But I always try to work on my pan-flipping skills, so I tried to flip the omelette with one circular motion. It was pretty successful, and the omelette looked good. (Note: If you mess up the flip, or you don't want to bother flipping, you can make scrambled eggs instead of an omelette.)

I seasoned it with salt, pepper, and paprika, and added some of the tomato sauce to top it off. It was very delicious and I got to get rid of my leftovers in the process!

Easy Chicken "auf toskanische Art"

I had some fun adventures in cooking last week, culminating in both satisfaction and mild disappointment. At the farmer's market last Saturday I bought a couple of incredibly tender organic chicken breasts, which ended up being a bit expensive, but well worth it. I also picked up a lot of fresh, organic veggies. I had thought about making a chicken stir fry with everything, but then I came upon this Tuscan chicken recipe in my German cookbook. This was the first time I followed a German recipe, so it was quite an adventure. I was also limited to what was in my kitchen. For example, the recipe called for cherry tomatoes and brandy. I used regular tomatoes (chopped) and white wine vinegar. I also decided to add zucchini, since I had one in the house that was about to go bad. Turns out, it was a great addition.

This dish is quick and easy to prepare (about 20 min), and you can improvise, based on what you happen to have lying around your kitchen. A great meal for during the week!

Ingredients:
1/8 c of butter
1-2 chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
2 tsp brandy/white wine vinegar
4 oz (cherry) tomatoes
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 zucchini, cubed
1/4-1/2 c white wine (if you use white wine vinegar, I'd stick with 1/4 c)
pepper, to taste
1 sprig fresh rosemary
fresh parsley (for garnish, optional)

Melt the butter in a frying pan or wok. Add the chicken and saute until the meat turns white, about 4 minutes. Add the brandy (or vinegar), followed by the tomatoes, mushrooms, and zucchini. Stirring frequently, cook for about 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the wine, and season with rosemary and pepper. Let simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced somewhat and the mixture is slightly more concentrated. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving (optional).



P.S. I mixed the leftovers from this dish with the leftovers from my experiment with pesto pasta to make a really tasty combo-dish.