Potato Frittata with Italian Herb Blend (... a rant and a product review)

Hi friends, I have two things to share with you today:

(An admission, and a product review.)

First, the admission ~

I have a love/hate relationship with grocery shopping!

How about you?

photo credit: google images

I absolutely LOVE having fridge (and pantry) filled with good food, but I HATE the actual process of dealing with the grocery store experience, not to mention having to lug everything into the house and put it all away afterwards. 

To compound the matter, the nearest full-scale grocery store is about 13 miles from home, so there is no such thing as a "quick-run" to the store for me.

  

When I shop for food I SHOP. (I readily admit, sometimes I put off the dreaded task as long as practical.)

And second, the product review:

(and how the two dovetail together)

Recently I was offered the opportunity to sample and review a variety of AriostoHerb Seasonings.

I happily agreed!  Imagine my surprise when, just a short while later, a substantial package arrived from Northern Italy!  From Milan/Milano to be precise. 

Upon opening the package, I thought it was a book (how clever is the packaging?!) 

I can read guess a few words of Italian . . .

"The Book of Herbs"  "contains 3 shaker-jars, and 4 packets/bags"

and "Recipes"

But when I opened the package contained six generously sized containers of a variety of herb blends each for either meats/chicken, vegetables,

fish/seafood, and garlic-chili seasoning for pasta, vegetables or fish.

The specific combinations of each blend is what sets them apart, in my opinion. 

So far we have tried the meat seasoning on roasted chicken thighs ~ and it was a big hit at my house (it was late, and too dark for pictures.)

The seasonings already contain sea salt along with the herbs so all you do is sprinkle it on the chicken (or other meat), and roast or grill, and the food comes out perfectly seasoned.  The other one I have tried is the seasoning for potatoes ~ and I used it in the following recipe as described below.

I've got to tell you, I've been making roasted and sauteed potatoes for years, but yesterday was the first time Mr. OUaP  ever commented on the wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen as I cooked the potatoes. Score! (And they tasted fabulous, too.)

Photo credit:  Ariosto website

So, getting back to the fact that I dislike grocery shopping ~ sometimes I find myself in a pinch as far as what to serve up from what is on hand... 

One of the meals I make when it appears as if there is little to eat in the house is an egg based frittata (essentially a flat, baked omelet.) It's a great way to use up bits of vegetables, some cheese and/or meat (either are optional.) 

 Add a green salad and perhaps serve with toast, garlic bread, or warm rolls and you have a satisfying meal in minutes. It's budget friendly and perfect for times when the pantry and cupboards seem bare. I like the fact that they can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature ~ and a slice is a great snack any time of day or night. 

Frittatas are perfectly portable as well,  sometimes I'll make one to take along on a picnic, when it has cooled I cut and wrap individual portions ~ add some fruit, a baguette, your beverage of choice and you're all set for a nice al fresco treat.

  

You're probably familiar with how to make a frittata ~ but if not, or if you would like to learn how I make mine, you can find a printable version over on my recipe blog

'Once Upon a Plate ~ The Recipes' (click)

This time I had left over (cooked), whole potatoes and my new herb seasoning collection ~ so a Potato Frittata with Italian Herb Blend it was.

 I peeled the potatoes (optional) and sliced them about 1/4-inch thick. For extra flavor and texture I lightly browned them in a skillet with a combination of half olive oil and half butter.  As they were browning, I sprinkled them generously with

 Ariosto Seasoning for Potatoes*.

Alternately you could roast the potatoes; generously drizzle a shallow rimmed baking pan with olive oil and toss the potato slices in the pan to coat, then dot liberally with butter and place in hot oven until as crisp and brown as you like ~ turning once or twice so they brown evenly.  Sprinkle with  the herb blend when they are almost finished roasting. Then I continued on with the usual method for making the frittata. (see link above)

The verdict? We really like the combination of herbs in these products and I look forward to using them frequently, particularly during winter when the herb garden is resting.

* Ariosto seasonings contain:

Herbs, not spices, No preservatives.

Sea Salt, garlic, rosemary, sage, juniper, basil, marjoram, oregano, laurel (bay), coriander and parsley. 

Ariosto is the top herb seasoning in Italy, and has been in existence for over 47 years.


Products are currently available to the following countries:


Austria
Australia
Belgium
Canada
Germany
Guatemala
Holland
Japan
Luxembourg
Portugal
Spain
United Kingdom
USA


  Please go visit the colorful Ariosto website to learn more about the company and their great products, get recipes, etc.


You can also find out how order these products by e-mailing
Ariosto's Sales Manager, Saverio Lo Presti -- a very friendly and personable man.


Mr. Lo Presti's email address can be found by clicking here.

Thank you for stopping by today friends, and thank you for any comments you would like to leave.

Have a great week!

Full disclosure as required by the FCC: As mentioned in the body of this post, I was given the herb set to review. I received no other compensation.