Sauteed Vegetable Frittata & My 1st Go With Pastry Dough

It has been quite a week for deliveries around here - amazing concert tickets for my husband's birthday, my copy of Dorie Greenspan's Around my French Table, a signed copy of Ina Garten's How Easy is That, and my new beautiful oval Le Creuset dutch ovens.   I have wanted these since I was a child.  I fell in love with them watching the Huxtables cook on The Cosby Show.  Then the Food Network came along - every single chef had them & in so many colors.  Now I have mine - is it sad to be this obsessed with cookware?

3 1/2 quart and 5 quart Oval Dutch Ovens

We typically only have 2 meals on Saturday and Sunday, with a great snack in between.  This weekend's snacks are a tiny cheese ball from our local steak shop & savory palmiers.  Last night I attempted Cleo Coyle's Italian Easter Pie Palmiers.  I say attempted because I need much more help with pastry dough!  They taste awesome, but they don't look anything like they are suppose to.

My 1st attempt at Savory Palmiers

These are worth getting right, because they will make an amazing Holiday appetizer. Please give them ago!

This morning I fixed a sauteed vegetable frittata inspired by Ina Garten's Roasted Vegetable Frittata.  Here is my quicker, lighter version. 

Sauteed Veggie Frittata, serves 6
1 zucchini, small dice
1/2 red onion, small dice
1 orange pepper, small dice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, pepper & red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon butter
6 eggs
1/2 cup 1/2 & 1/2, I used fat free
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Gouda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Saute onion, pepper & zucchini in olive oil for about 10 minutes over medium high heat. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.  Add minced garlic and saute for another minute or two.  Add butter and remove from heat, mix in melted butter. Whisk 6 eggs & 1/2 & 1/2 with touch of salt and pepper, stir in Parmesan cheese.  Add sauteed mix to the bottom of a pie plate that is coated with cooking spray, pour egg mixture over evenly.  Bake in oven for 25 to 35 minutes, until frittata is set (just move it gently in the oven, when it doesn't jiggle it is ready), remove and top with grated Gouda.  Put back in the oven for about 2 -3 minutes - just so cheese melts.  Remove from oven, slice as a pie and serve.

I am spending the rest of the day with my kindle reading Cleo Coyle's latest - Holiday Grind.  Her coffee house mystery series is wonderful - check them out.