Use up the Fridge Frittata

I recently wrote an article for the upcoming South Sound Magazine (hits newsstands in February) on how to eat well on a budget. I hear it time and time again that to eat cheap, one must visit the drive thru. That simply isn't true. With a little planning and a little imagination, dinner can be homemade, on the table and delicious every night. There are many tips and secrets but one is, any food in the fridge can be made into a pasta, a soup or a frittata. No matter what meal was made earlier in the week, the remaining ingredients, can and should be used in one form or another. After one look into the fridge this week, I realized that I had ham, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and onion to use up. And although they would all be fantastic in a pasta dish, it was Christmas morning eggs that came to mind. Christmas morning eggs usually consists of eggs, cheese, sour cream, mushrooms, tomatoes, green onion and salami. Since our "Egg" dish this Christmas didn't turn out as planned, I couldn't miss this opportunity to try again. I sauteed up the onion with a little cooking spray, added the mushrooms to "wilt" and then tossed in the ham to get a little bit of color on it. Then I added some beaten eggs and whites with tomatoes and green onion and let them cook until set on the bottom of the pan. A quick bake in the oven, a good shake of the pan and dinner was on the plate in no time. Never throw out food. Try this recipe with anything from your fridge. It works, trust me.

Use Up the Fridge Frittata

4 large eggs
2 egg whites
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 onion, sliced root to root
4 large cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 oz deli ham, sliced
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 green onion, sliced

Preheat oven to 400F.

Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and egg whites until frothy; set aside,

Spray the skillet with cooking spray and add the onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season again and cook until mushrooms start to release their liquid, about 2 minutes more. Add the ham and cook for 1 minute or until lightly browned. Add the beaten eggs, the tomatoes and the green onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until beginning to set, about 3 minutes. Add the pan to the oven and cook until top is set, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, give the pan a good shake and transfer to a plate, using a spatula to help loosen if necessary. Slice and serve

Yields 3-4 servings