Kidding Around

My nieces are visiting. As exhausting as that may sound, I am looking forward to it. For one week, I don't own my time, my living room and computer.

They have been coming to my house since they were little and I can't help but to feel nostalgic about it. They are now in their early stages of womanhood.

I always thought I was going to be the cool uncle they visit in the city. But it gets harder when boys around them can't keep their eyes focused. Nonetheless, I am here to try to keep them as my "little girls" as much as they care to be.

My silliness comes out in full force when they're around. I just can't help myself. When they giggle, It's the only time I really get to see the "kids" I use to have tea parties with.

Keeping them away from Facebook and Twitter is like taking a soother away from an infant, It makes them very cranky. So I have to jump through hoops to make sure they are attentive enough to decide what kind of juice they want.

I usually wake them up by putting on loud music and start to tickle them, while I dance. Who wouldn't wanna wake up with a laugh?

Today, I am making a frittata and rosemary home fries. This should make up for yesterday's bad brunch at a highly recommended restaurant.

Someday when I have kids on my own, I hope, I never forget, that I was an uncle first. They simply take me away to a place that is much more colorful and full of light. For that, I will cherish, endure every second of frustration and exhaustion. Because I'll never grow tired of these weekends...

Rapinni and Roasted tomato frittata 

Ingredients

• 12 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups rapini leaves and flower, chopped
• 2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cup swiss cheese, grated
• olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp dried chives
• seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. On a baker's tray lined with aluminum foil, place tomatoes and drizzle olive oil. Season with pepper.
3. Roast for 10-15 minutes or until tomatoes start to soften and slightly brown on the edges.
4. Mix beaten eggs and milk together. Season to taste.
5. In a skillet, melt butter.
6. Saute rapini until it wilts.
7. Throw in the chives.
8. Add egg mixture.
9. Evenly distribute rapini and roasted tomatoes onto the egg mix.
10. Add cheese and spread evenly.
11. Put skillet into the oven.
12. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked.
13. Check after 30 minutes by sticking a fork into the frittata. If the tines comes out clear then it's cooked.

Rosemary Homefries

Ingredients

• 3 medium-large potatoes, cubed
• olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried rosemary
• Seasoning
• Parmigiano Regianno cheese, to garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. In a baking tray lined with aluminum foil, place potatoes.
3. Coat potatoes with olive oil.
4. Mix in rosemary.
5. Season to taste.
6. Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked.
7. Sprinkle with cheese when serving.

Make it a great one!