My readers surely know by now that it gives me great joy to cook for those I love. It is especially fun to cook for my granddaughter, Naomi, who eagerly eats whatever I make for her! Her dads love this recipe as it includes a vegetable and is easy for her to feed to herself. In fact, she loves it so much that the day before this column appeared in the Berkshire Eagle, Ben sent us a video of her finding and eating every last bit, and after each bite she let out a dramatic and satisfied “Aaahhh!”

NAOMI’S NOM-NOM

by Elizabeth Baer

The primary reason for retiring when I did was my two grandbabies! Neither of them lives in the area, I wanted not to be bound by a teacher’s calendar to make visits more feasible, and I do recognize how lucky I am to be able to have done this. (I am also lucky that I have other endeavors that I enjoy, including this column, which are much more flexible.)

For Thanksgiving, we drove out to Michigan where 4-month-old Beatrice lives, and 17-month-old Naomi came with her parents from New Jersey. Most of our children were there, too, and it was great to see them and to be together, but for the little ones, with whom we cannot yet converse on the phone, in-person time is so special.

While Bea is not yet eating solid food (although she stared intently when her cousin was eating), Naomi is a fantastic eater and likes most of what she tries! And what really makes me happy is that she likes everything I make for her!

Back during the summer, when Naomi and her dads, Ben and Brian, visited us, I made a frittata with zucchini and summer squash. Naomi liked it so much, that ever since, every Sunday, her parents make this recipe, cut it up, and keep it in the fridge for weekday breakfasts.

Known as Grizzy to my grandchildren – Gr(andma) (L)izzy, plus there’s also the connection to my last name, pronounced like the animal – I am reveling in my new role. I babysat a lot as a teenager, often for infants and toddlers, so I had experience before my own kids were born. In addition, my mother was something of a “baby whisperer” – she always had a way with infants, and until Naomi and Bea were born, I didn’t realize how much of her talents I had absorbed.

These days I’m always thinking ahead for what to make for Naomi the next time we see her. I’m also looking forward to babysitting for Bea in Michigan for a few nights in a couple months when her parents have overlapping work trips, something I could not have done if I had still been teaching. By then she will likely be experimenting with some solid foods, and I can make some things to leave in the freezer for her as she graduates to more and more different dishes!

ZUCCHINI AND/OR SUMMER SQUASH FRITTATA

Serves 2-4, or more servings for a toddler!

INGREDIENTS:

3 small-medium zucchini or summer squash or a combination of the two
¾ teaspoon kosher salt (less if using table salt which is saltier)
4-5 eggs
2-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Chopped parsley (optional)
Pinch ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed

DIRECTIONS:

Trim the ends off the zucchini. Using a box grater, grate on the big holes. If using yellow squash, grate the neck first and then grate the sides until you get to the seeds, turning until all you have left is the center section of seeds which you can discard. For zucchini, cut as needed to make it easiest to grate the sides. (I use a protective glove on my hand for this so I don’t have to worry about any scraped fingers or knuckles!)

Place all the shredded squash in a colander and sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and let sit for a while. It can sit in the sink, or if you need the sink, let the colander drain into a larger bowl.

After about an hour or so, take handfuls of the squash, squeeze out as much liquid as you can.

Combine the eggs, Parmesan, parsley, remaining salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk to blend well.

Preheat the broiler. Heat the olive oil (enough to generously cover the bottom) in a medium oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the squash and sauté for several minutes to allow more moisture to evaporate. Pour the egg mixture over the squash, and tip the pan as needed to distribute. Turn the heat down a touch, and cook until you see bubbles coming through in several places scattered around the pan, not just at the edges.

Place under the broiler and watch carefully, cooking until egg is fully set. I like it to get fairly browned (and a bit more Parmesan on top before broiling will enhance this if you want), but you can pull it from the broiler whenever you want as long as the egg is done. Remove from the oven and put a potholder over the handle to remind you it’s hot.

You can remove it from the pan right away if you’re hungry, though it’s easier to let it cool before cutting into wedges and taking out of the pan. The wedges can be kept in the fridge for several days or in the freezer for longer, and can be reheated in the microwave.

Blog

Eat Your Veggies! (Berkshire Eagle Column)