The Fritatta

This is one of the easiest ways I know of to use up leftovers. You’ll need an oven safe skillet for this- your standard 10 inch cast iron is best.

You need 4-6 cups of vegetables and starches. Choose a variety. Possible selections include:

• 1 onion, diced
• leftover grilled onions
• corn, cut off the cob
• baked potatoes, cut into thin chunks
• a cup of already cooked rice
• bell peppers, diced

…and on and on. I usually end up going through my leftovers for good candidates, then adding enough fresh ingredients to fill out the batch.

You’ll also want something a bit meaty (though it doesn’t have to be meat), such as:

• cooked beans
• sliced mushrooms
• leftover chicken, cut into chunks
• pepperoni slices, cut into quarters

You don’t need much, but it should already be cooked (unless it’s mushrooms, those don’t have to be)

You’ll need:

• Oil or butter for cooking
• a cup or two of shredded cheese
• 8-10 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• Salt, pepper, and some other spices

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Warm up the pan to medium high heat and cook your raw veggies first in a little oil or butter and a bit of salt until they’re tender. Add in anything that’s already cooked at that point and cook it until it’s all hot, and then add your seasonings.

Season it HEAVILY. It should be just salty enough that you’d eat it, but if it were any more, you’d send it back. Same with your other spices.

Once it’s all cooked and seasoned, spread the ingredients evenly in the pan and sprinkle the cheese on top. Let it just begin to melt while you beat the eggs and milk together.

Pour the eggs over the veggies as evenly as you can. Wait until a few bubbles come up through the eggs, then pick up the whole pan and place it in the oven. Careful not to spill!

Bake 15-20 minutes, until you can stab it with a butter knife halfway between the center and the edge and the knife comes out clean. Let it sit a few minutes before serving. Can be eaten hot or cold.