Last year I learned about or discovered a lot of yummy new things.  I am such a good e-friend that I decided to share with you some of these lovely discoveries. 

One day I was looking through a recipe.  I can’t recall what right now but one of the ingredients it called for that I not only did not have on my shelf but never heard of was smoked paprika.  The only thing I’d ever used paprika for was to sprinkle over deviled eggs for color (I thought.  I don’t know why for sure ‘cause it’s just what my mom did so I did, too). 

I didn’t think too much about it – who needed it? But one day while wandering through T* Maxx in the food aisle, there sat a jar of V Gourmet Smoky Paprika Chipolte.  I grabbed it to try it out. 

Yes, there is a difference between smoked paprika and smoked paprika with chipotle but E-GIRLFRIENDS!  You must not hesitate to go out immediately – or go online to http://www.vgourmet.com/ (which is what I had to do) – and get this amazing flavor!! (All natural ingredients, to boot!).

I’ve sprinkled it over chicken before baking or grilling.  Alpha Hubby adds it to his steaks – well, any meat he’s devouring.  Victoria Gourmet’s blurp goes like this: 

Our Smoky Paprika Chipotle Seasoning is the first from Victoria Gourmet to offer a smoky mesquite flavor.  This blend is recommended with chicken dishes, tacos, chili, pork, fruit salsa, shrimp and beans and rice.

All I can say to that is AMEN.  Victoria Gourmet has so many delish seasoning blends  that you must go check them out!  Other places I found Spanish smoked paprika and smoked sweet paprika (to use with quiches, omelettes, lamb, added to mayo for sandwich spread, and frittatas).

And speaking of frittatas!!  OH MY GOSH. I’d never heard of them (I know, I know. I am a Philistine).  But I read about them one day and it sounded so amazing, I decided to give it a try.

May I just say that this was THE best idea EVAH?  Not only does it make a huge lovely egg dish perfect for breakfast company, but it is also magical!  It is sort of like pizza dough.  Only you limit what sorts of toppings you put on top of a pizza.  You can add anything into a frittata – red peppers, ham, mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, chicken, hot peppers, cheese, onions, potatoes, goat cheese… I think the only limit is your taste buds!

I had some Gruyere cheesed saved back for my French onion soup and decided to sacrifice it to a delish sounding recipe for smoked ham, Gruyere and caramelized onion frittata by Tyler Florence on the (recipe link) Food Network website.  I also had some baked red potatoes I needed to do something with.

I didn’t have any smoked ham or Canadian bacon so I just made it without meat.  Alpha Hubby loved it.  I used a 10” cast iron skillet so it was nice and thick.  The taste was truly magically delicious!  YUM.

If you’ve never made a frittata, I encourage you to – experiment and discover.

One more my precious.  Since I began going… *ahem* white… in some places on my head – white sounding so much better than grey.  Anyway, since that time, I discovered that white hair can be very, very dry.  Then my stylist decided we could begin curly waves with a perm again and the hairs that were white wanted to fry on me.  I needed – desperately – an amazing hair oil. 

I have Moroccan and Argan and various (expensive) oil sprays (all good in their way) but truly the absolutely most amazingly BEST I’ve ever used is one I tried from the place I purchase my organic virgin coconut oil – Tropical Traditions! 

They have an organic coconut oil hair oil that is out of this world.  I use unscented but it also comes in rosemary and lavender.  I have fine hair so a lot of oils almost make it greasy.  I don’t know what it is but instead of just sitting on my hair, it soaks in without making my hair oily or greasy.  I use a little warm water on my hands, sprinkle on a few drops of this amazing oil, run my hands through the very dry parts of my hair and my curls are shiny without oil and especially NOT frizzy.  Very healthy looking, too.

If you have dry, frizzy or chemically treated hair, give this organic hair oil a try!  It really is pretty amazing.  Tropical Traditions Organic Hair Oil

I think that is enough for this issue of My Fave Things.  Please try smoky paprika chipotle (order some from Victoria Gourmet – spice up your life!  I’d like to help keep them in business for their wonderful concoctions!).  The flavor is just so enhancing and your taste buds will thank you.  And if you have a good frittata recipe, please share it with me.  And you can’t go wrong with organic hair products – start with this wonderful product from a reputable company – Tropical Traditions.

Until next time (oooo, wait until I tell you about dry shampoo spray!), why share some your fave things with me!  I love discovering new things!