Lamb’s Quarters Frittata, Or Spinach’s Hillbilly Cousin

Medically reviewed by Christiana George Updated Date: June 8, 2023

First, a confession: this frittata was merely a convenient way for me to consume my latest discovery, lamb’s quarters.

I picked up lamb’s quarters from the Union Square Greenmarket last weekend completely on a whim. I’d simply stood in front of a row of bins of greens and picked the one with the most appealing name. Lamb’s quarters is a pretty cute name, isn’t it? Apparently, it’s also known as pigweed. If I had seen that on the sign, well, you wouldn’t be reading a blog post about pigweed.

Lamb’s quarters is my introduction to the world of wild edibles… otherwise known as weeds. Hahaha. But seriously, I actually really love the idea of eating the stuff because I see them as just another form of heirlooms. Because they’re considered noxious, they’re underrated, local, not mass-farmed, not cultivated in any way… and the properties about them which make them unique are preserved. The purity of their taste, smell, feel, appearance is retained.

I intend to explore this plant realm more fully.

Lamb’s quarters actually grows like crazy. Apparently it’s all over Central Park, although it’s easily confused with epazote, which is toxic if eaten in large quantities. It’s incredibly healthy, full of beta carotene, calcium, potassium, iron. It even leaves behind that same chalky feeling on your teeth after you eat spinach. Coincidentally, it’s often referred to as wild spinach and is said to taste like it. I wouldn’t agree exactly; it’s definitely more of an acquired taste, especially when eaten raw.

But in a frittata, it’s excellent. Its lovely, fuzzy, silvery leaves turn a bright green when sauteed, and it shrinks dramatically, just like, yup, that’s right, spinach. But it’s hardier, with sturdier stems, so less can go a longer way than its domesticated cousin. Because we’re talking frittatas here, you can throw in just about anything to accompany the lamb’s quarters. I decided to throw in some bacon at the last minute, which sort of clashed with the romano cheese—perhaps cheddar might be a better complement. Whatever the case, treat the plant like spinach and you’ll be eating it like a pro!

LAMB’S QUARTERS FRITTATA

Basic recipe adapted from Alton Brown’s frittata recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

6 large eggs
5 Tbsp grated cheese (I used romano)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion
3 strips bacon, cooked and roughly chopped
1/4 lb. lamb’s quarters, with tough stems removed (you can substitute spinach, but you’ll need more, 1/2 lb. or so)

Directions:

Turn oven on to broil. Whisk together eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, then set aside.

In an oven-safe 12-inch skillet (I used my cast-iron), saute onions until translucent (2 to 3 minutes), then add bacon and saute another minute. Add the lamb’s quarters and cook until wilted, 2 minutes or so. Spread out the contents of the pan so it’s even across the pan. Pour the egg mixture in, and spread it across the pan with a spatula. Cook for a few minutes until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and is beginning to set on top.

Transfer the skillet into the oven and broil for 3 or 4 minutes until top is lightly browned.

Have a Great Day!

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Chocolate Peppermint M&M; Fudge

Recipes

Christiana George

Updated Date:
June 8, 2023

So what do you do when you have a bag of broken M&Ms? You make fudge! I was so excited to find Peppermint M&M’s this year, but then my butter fingers acted up again and I dropped one of the bags. So when I went to open it, I cried a little seeing my pretty M&Ms dented, chipped, and cracked.

I could have just eaten the bag and drowned my sorrows, but I may have ended up with peppermint overload. I do love peppermint, but it needs to be mixed with other flavors. The Peppermint Cheesecake Rice Krispie Treats I made before Thanksgiving are a perfect example of mixing up the flavors. This time, I mixed it up with chocolate. Peppermint and chocolate always go well together.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I spent it with my family up north. The kids did very well on the 14 hour drive up. Thank goodness. I got to catch up with friends and family. Had a few date nights with the hubby since mom was available to watch the kids. It was fun, but the cold weather wasn’t. I was glad to come back to my new home down south. I don’t regret the move. I even drove by my old house to see if I missed it and I didn’t. I certainly don’t miss the kitchen, my new one has so much more room to work in.

Even though the M&Ms were a bit broken, I broke them up a little more to make more bit sized pieces.

I love how easy and fast this recipe is to put together. Just melt the chocolate with the condensed milk, then add the M&M’s and Peppermint Pigsy Dust.

Ahh..peppermint…the smell of Christmas. I know not everyone loves peppermint, but those that do will love this fudge.

I dressed up the top of the fudge with additional M&Ms. I think it looks pretty festive. I do like the combination of the white chocolate and peppermint in the M&Ms with the chocolate. This fudge would be great all dolled up in a box and given as a gift to a fellow peppermint lover for the holidays.

Chocolate Peppermint M&M Fudge

by The Sweet Chick

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5-10 minutes

Keywords: no bake stove top dessert chocolate chips Peppermint M&Ms sweetened condensed milk Christmas fudge American winter

Ingredients (36 pieces)

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup crushed Peppermint M&Ms
2 teaspoons Peppermint Pigsy Dust

Additional Toppings

36 Peppermint M&Ms

Instructions

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips and milk until smooth.

Remove from heat, stir in the M&Ms and Pigsy Dust until completely incorporated.

Then spread the mixture evenly onto a parchment paper lined 8″ x 8″ pan or glass dish.

If you wish, place additional M&M’s evenly across the mixture, pressing gently to make sure they adhere.

Place the container in the fridge and chill until set (about 2 hours).

Remove from fridge and gently lift the parchment paper to remove the fudge from the pan.

If the fudge is too hard to remove, let it sit out a room temperature for about a half hour and then remove it from the pan and slice it into squares.

Note: If you want straight edges, use a sharp knife and clean it after every cut. I also slice off about a quarter inch around the entire perimeter to get better squares. But don’t waste the slivers, keep them in the fridge and add them to your coffee or hot cocoa.