Blessings From My Kitchen: An omelette dressed up as a muffin~ the Omeluffin.

I know and I admit to it. I hung in the undesirable phase of lag and slack, a bit after that last post. Where you probably knocked at the door, but was left to turn back for lack of a new showing. I am sorry. I missed you too.

For those who swung by those past ~~few~~ 8 days (and even for those who didn't) I'll try and elucidate. The picture right above explains my reason of absence for a few short days and is partly to blame for the resulting hanging thereafter.You see, subsequent to my 60th, a respite I thought was due, a mini family excursion where I, for sure would be be lifted and recharged to the better, hop back right into this seat, and, yes reach my optimal state of bright idea'd frenzy.

Did not happen. In it's stead I was brought into a lackluster, retired tizzy. A lackadaisical-ness that had me, listless and less than enthusiastic (alliteration at it's best). To restart seemed Herculean. Almost to the Point of No Recipe Conjuring Return.

Almost.

Where I knew that all it took was just the visit to my abundant overflow of cookery reads and collectibles - read books, magazines and torn out pages piled throughout my home, on bookshelves, baskets, populating desks, tables, bed and even tucked away in the bathroom. Inspiration lived everywhere, seeking my attention.

Yet, it took my better half to pluck the bounty for me. Where a deep wedged food fondness prodded him on a recipe wafting journey. The search that rewarded him and me duly with an overwhelmingly awesome fried egg.

With half a book turned over and pages bent to reveal the One, JZ urgently ~~begged~~ declared that this would be it, the recipe that would mobilize my getting from kitchen to camera and onto computer in a few hours' time. Seeing to where this was heading, had me smirk, "seriously?"and him go on and over, his mouth conveying what was going on in his head, touting how wonderful (?) it would be to fry up almost a whole carton of eggs. Well, thought I, having not much of a where to go on this one , why not?

My eyes walked through Ingredient List, twice. Yes, it was gem and yes, it won me over. Thus, my inspiration came from some serious, flowing into madness egg love and two freshly turned pages of Madhur Jaffrey's "Indian Cooking". I had arrived.

Chef sophisticate, she is. Mrs. Jaffrey is one of the Greats in the Eastern cooking genre that made the Indian kitchen glamorous and Chana Masala famous. So, if Madhur thinks spice studded "Vegetable Omelette" is rank, I was up to breaking a few eggs.

Eight to be exact. Though my eggs had a very different ending. And that pretty much is the beauty of recipes that belong to the versatile class. This is one of those skeletal blueprints which you can interchange, to your liking, similar style ingredients, yielding still beyond caliber results. Not only did I add in a slew of additional vegetables, but this was going nowhere without hitting it up some flavorful ginger/garlic notes. And instead of using frying pan tactics in doling good egg, my decided upgrade took the dressed up medley into some nonstick muffinware.

This is where egg beating reaches it's finest. Yellow silk frothiness, owing to the complementing tang of yogurt, tastefully repositioned to marry healthful meal making elements. A harmoniously blended and baked outcome.

An omelette, a muffin. Omeluffin. Sounds fab, right?

Herewith, goes the outrageous checklist of omeluffin serve options to consider, thus finding you, as it had me, in a frenzied visit to Local Supermarket's dairy aisle.

Wholesome breakfast ✓
After school snack/ finger food ✓
Snap quick lunch/ paired- up- with- a- side dinner ✓
Casual appetizer ✓

Plentiful reason to believe omelette/muffin consumption/serving options can take you to about anytime of day, or night, even both.

( Inspired by Madhur Jaffrey's vegetable omelette recipe, published in "Indian Cooking")
Ingredients:

1 medium sized zucchini, grated
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp oil
½ medium onion, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp grated ginger
1 serrano pepper (deseed if preferred), sliced into thin rings
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 tsp cayenne (Indian red chili powder)
½ tsp coriander
1 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
1 medium tomato, diced
1 c fresh chopped spinach( if frozen, thaw and drain of liquid)
8 eggs
½ c plain nonfat yogurt
¼ tsp baking powder
Salt for flavor, if needed

For my kids, eating eggs is the equivalent of penance. But eggs costumed up in the role of a muffin had them in overawe, doubled over in joy, and reaching out for more than one.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Place grated zucchini in a bowl and sprinkle with salt (aids in draining moisture). Set aside for 15 minutes, squeeze excess water from pieces and separate with fingers so they don't bunch up.
In a skillet, over medium flame, heat 2 tbsp oil. Saute onions until wilted.
Add garlic, ginger and pepper, heat through for an additional minute.
Add potatoes and zucchini, stir until both become tender, about 5 minutes.
Add in cayenne, coriander, black pepper and tomato pieces. Stir until spices cook through and pieces are soft.
Add spinach, stir till wilted.
Allow to cool.
Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, yogurt, and baking powder. Mix in the cooled vegetable mixture to the egg mixture. Taste for salt, add accordingly. Combine all ingredients well.
With remaining oil, brush 12 wells of a muffin tray. Divide mixture and spoon into wells.
Bake for 20 minutes or until eggs are set.

Sidenote~ With 12 wells to a standard muffin pan, you will need to have the extra pan to seat an additional three, making a total of 15 omeluffins. Or with the reserve, you could fry up an actual omelet, medium sized .