Tomato Scallion Shortcakes with Whipped Goat Cheese

Six weeks ago, JP and I had a truly delicious summer meal: tomato scallion shortcakes with whipped goat cheese.  Doesn't that just make your mouth water thinking about it?  Trust Smitten Kitchen to come up with such a wonderful way to serve tomatoes.
Start out with some flaky, buttery scallion biscuits/shortcakes, then marinate some grape tomatoes with tangy red wine vinegar, and top with savory, light whipped goat cheese.  It is just as delicious as it sounds.  This recipe should make 6-8 shortcakes.
We served it with sausages, but it would be great for brunch with scrambled eggs, or some grilled lamb at a cookout.  Just be sure to make it while the tomatoes are still in season!

Tomato Scallion Shortcakes with Whipped Goat Cheese (from Smitten Kitchen, 2012)
2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. baking powder
3/4 t. table salt
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
3 scallion, thinly sliced
1 c. buttermilk, well-shaken
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of sugar
1/2 lb. grape tomatoes
3 Tbsp. whipping cream
4 oz. goat cheese, softened

1. Preheat oven to 425, line baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together.  Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Stir in 1 sliced scallion, add buttermilk, and stir until dough just comes together.
3. On a floured surface, pat or roll dough to 3/4" or 1" thickness and cut into 3-inch rounds, reforming scraps as needed.  Arrange on prepared sheet, and bake 15 minutes, until golden on top.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Halve or quarter tomatoes (depending on size), then toss in dressing.  Allow to sit while you finish goat cheese.
5. In another medium bowl, combine cheese and cream.  Whip on high until peaks form.
6. Split each shortcake in half, and spoon each portion with tomato mixture.  Top with goat cheese and remaining scallions.  Enjoy!

Quick Broccoli-Red Pepper Frittata

Think of this frittata as a crustless quiche: all the deliciousness of a classy egg dish without the hassle of pre-baking a pie crust!  I've made this recipe from Eating for Pregnancy, by Catherine Jones and Rose Ann Hudson, RD, LD, several times over the last couple of months, and am totally satisfied each time.  You're getting lots of good protein from the eggs, plus it's packed with veggies: onions, bell pepper, broccoli, and tomato.  It's kind of like throwing a salad into an omelet and making it look pretty.
Feel free to substitute another quick-cook veggie for the broccoli; I'm looking forward to making this with summer squash when the weather gets warm enough!
Last week I served this with a green salad and some bread with a bell pepper/eggplant spread.  Heavenly.

Quick Broccoli-Red Pepper Frittata, from Eating for Pregnancy, Catherine Jones and Rose Ann Hudson, RD, LD, 2009
Supposedly serves 4-5, but I've been hungry lately, so let's say 2-3

5 large eggs
1/4 c. whole milk (I used soy)
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 c. very small broccoli florets
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
1 small tomato, thinly sliced, with seeds removed
1/3 c. grated cheese (I used Gruyere; the recipe recommends parmesan)

1. Combine eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk until well blended.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil and all of the butter in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat (this is a good time to break out the cast iron).  Add onions and bell pepper, and sautee until light golden, about 4-5 minutes.  Add broccoli, 2 Tbsp. of water, and continue to cook until broccoli is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.  Stir in parsley during last minute of cooking.
3. While broccoli is cooking, preheat broiler to highest setting.
4. Add remaining olive oil to skillet, then pour egg over veggies.  Don't stir at this point!  Cook for 2 minutes, until the eggs are set on the bottom.  During this time, arrange tomato slices on top and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Move skillet to broiler for 4ish minutes, until top has set and cheese is golden.  Serve warm.

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

I'm back, lovelies!  You'll have to excuse my absence last week, although I certainly appreciate the phone calls from my dad and mom making sure everything was okay throughout the lack of postings.  We finally moved in last Monday, and I spent the rest of the week unpacking boxes.  It's all done now, and looking more like a home than just an empty house.  Yay!  There is so much to share on here, so come back on Friday for a full update on the life of Abbi as a new Georgia girl.
Momentous occasions like the last cardboard box being cleared from the kitchen deserve some sort of celebration.  Yesterday morning, our first Sunday in the house with our copious amounts of stuff, I broke out my favorite pancake recipe.  Of course it comes from Joy the Baker, and is light, fluffy, and delicately flavored with lemon sugar.  These lemon poppy seed pancakes are a perfect foil for lots of syrup and a side of melon.  If you're truly celebrating something, you should probably serve these with a mimosa or bellini; alas, I had just a side of orange juice.  Still delicious!

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes from Joy the Baker

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon zest

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 c. buttermilk (in a pinch, combine 1 Tbsp. white vinegar with 1 c. milk, stir, and let sit for 10 minutes.  This will give you 1 c. buttermilk)  

2 large eggs

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Butter or vegetable oil for frying

Maple syrup for serving

1. In a large bowl combine granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers until sugar is fragrant.  Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk to combine.  

2. In a separate bowl (or you can use a large liquid measuring cup), whisk together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients all at once into the dry ingredients. Add the poppy seeds and stir to combine. If a few lumps remain, that’s no problem.

3. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes while the griddle heats.

4. Place a griddle, or a nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add a bit of butter or vegetable oil to the pan. A teaspoon of fat will do for a nonstick saute pan, a bit more fat may be necessary for a griddle. 

5. Dollop batter onto hot pan. For small pancakes, I use about 2 tablespoons for each pancake. For larger pancakes, I use about 1/4 cup of batter. Cook until golden brown on the bottom and and bubbling on top. Flip once and cook until golden brown on each side.

6. Place cooked pancakes on an oven-proof plate and place in a warm (about 150 degrees F) oven until all pancakes are cooked and ready to serve. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup.