Produce with Amy

Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

I have to admit that my transition into fall has been difficult to navigate this year. While I love my career as an educator, it is a shock to my system to be cooped up inside all day. I miss being outside. Therefore, weekends in Autumn are all the sweeter. I find solace and healing energy in autumn’s bright blue skies and yellowing leaves. I am a vendor at the Skandia Farmers Market – which runs until the end of October – and I am thankful for the opportunity to extend summer and enjoy the harvest season with others. 

The past few weeks I have been busy canning tomatoes, beets, and freezing broccoli and kale for the winter. My stepson Lukas got a deer in the Youth Hunt so for the first time ever I will be canning venison. Next month, in addition to planting our yearly tulip and daffodil bulbs, we are putting in a garden bed for garlic. Next summer we will also be adding raised beds for onions, potatoes, and will be putting in a mini-hoop house with a proper culinary herb garden. 

This year I finally had luck growing peppers. I finally figured out the sweet spot for them in the garden. My jalapeno plants grew over four feet tall and were loaded with peppers. I canned ½ pints of Cowboy Candy (candied jalapenos) and cut and froze the rest in portions for meals. Or should I say that I froze the rest for the recipe that I am going to share with you today. Without a doubt it is my husband’s new favorite breakfast and he requests it often. 

I have shared before that breakfast is a major meal in our house. Since we raise our own pork we always have access to ham, bacon, and cudighi and our hens lay a steady supply of free range eggs. On weekends we have so many projects to complete that a big breakfast fuels us through the day and takes us into dinner time. Since we like variety, I am always trying to come up with different flavor combinations. Mid summer I bought jalapenos to make jalapeno poppers to air fry (fresh jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese and cheddar and wrapped in bacon) since my stepson and I love them. One morning I felt inspired to use a couple of the peppers to create a frittata that had the same flavor profile of poppers and the result was outstanding!

I would never have thought to add cream cheese to eggs, but it is an amazing combination. While the jalapenos do impart some heat, it’s not overwhelming. If you are watching your carbs, it’s a great lower carb option. However, my husband loves his served with crispy air fried potatoes and raisin toast. I am partial to a piece of sourdough with a light smear of grape or raspberry preserves (the sweetness of the jelly with the heat of the jalapeno and cream cheese is divine). 

JALAPENO POPPER FRITTATA
*This recipe serves 4

*6 eggs
*3 Tablespoons of milk
*2 chopped jalapenos (I remove the seeds, but you can leave them if you want more heat)
*4 pieces of bacon
*¼ cup of finely chopped onion
*¼ cup of finely chopped bell pepper (I used red)
*Teaspoon of minced garlic
*¼ of a block of cream cheese cut into small cubes
*½ cup of cheddar cheese
*Olive oil
*Salt and pepper

Start cooking the bacon and when it is about ½ way done, remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel and chop into small pieces.

While the bacon is cooking, start to saute the jalapeno, onion, and bell pepper in olive oil. I cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes. A few minutes into cooking I add the bacon and garlic. Turn your broiler on high.

Beat the eggs well with the milk and season with salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the pepper mixture. The olive oil and bacon grease keep it from sticking. Cook for a few minutes on the stovetop being careful that it is not burning.

Put the pan under the broiler to cook the eggs. After a couple of minutes take out the pan and add the cheddar cheese and distribute the cream cheese over the top. Return to the broiler until the cheddar cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

You can cut into slices or fold over the frittata like an omlette. Serve, enjoy, and be prepared to make again-and-again. 

Make sure you check out the tabs at the top of the page to try my other breakfast combinations. I have enjoyed meeting many of you at the Skandia Farmers Market this summer and it fills my heart with joy to learn that you enjoy my recipes. Have a beautiful Autumn season. Remember to take care of yourself and each other.