Mushroom, Cheese and Toast Frittata | Recipes (2024)
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Mushroom, Cheese, and Toast Frittata
One of my goals for last year was to tighten up spending on the grocery/household line in our budget. Thanks to some good ol’ fashioned discipline (and avoiding Target like the plague), I have shaved off over $300/month.
Here are some of my favorite ways to save money on food:
Cook your own beans. Eat more simple rice-and-beans dinners.
Roast whole chickens (or buy at Costco). Use the bones to .
Bake your own bread. I haven’t bought store bread in months. Big savings!
Eat more meat-free meals.
Stop wasting food. Best way: keep your fridge cleaned out. Fried rice, Fresh Juice, and Vegetarian Frittatas are great ways to re-invent leftovers.
Basically, I’m forcing myself to avoid the path of least resistance as much as possible: processed food, eating out, pre-packaged food. Putting in some effort in the kitchen yields huge results in the budget.
Start small! Pick one new habit and practice it until it’s no big deal. Then add another one. Soon you’ll have lots of new skills in your frugal homemaking toolbelt, which will translate to noticeable savings in the grocery store.
RELATED: How to save money by stockpiling the basics in your pantry
Today’s frittata recipe combines three of these tips! Can’t finish your loaf of No-Knead Bread? No problem! This recipe transforms those stale leftover pieces into toasty cubes,tucked into a soft bed of eggs, cheese, and vegetables.
Even with the rising price on eggs, frittatas are still a very economical meal. This is a fast, frugal, filling option that can stand on its own. Kind of like a deconstructed egg sandwich. Add some fruit or a green salad and you’re still serving 4-6 people for around $10.
And the best part about frittatas is the ability to customize them to suit your own tastes. Don’t like mushrooms or onions? Substitute asparagus or spinach or whatever vegetable is in season. Frittatas give you the ability to clean out the fridge and still put something delicious on the table.
10 eggs, lightly beaten 1/4 c. milk salt and pepper 2 T.unsalted butter, divided 2 slices bread, cut into 3/4″ cubes (about 3 cups) 1/2 lb. button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 c. chopped onions (sweet or green) 1/2 c. shredded cheese
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a 10″ oven-safe skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Add bread and cook, turning, until golden on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Clean out bread crumbs with a paper towel and return skillet to medium heat. Add remaining tablespoon butter, mushrooms, and onions; cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Season. Scoop 1/2 of this mixture out of the skillet and onto a plate; set aside. Add egg mixture to skillet.To help cook the eggs, slide a metal spatula around the outside and lift up, tilting the pan to allow the uncooked eggs to run underneath and cook faster. You don’t want the underside of the eggs to get too brown, but you also don’t want to scramble the eggs.
Press bread cubes into eggs and sprinkle with reserved mushroom mixture and cheese. Place the skillet under a broiler set on low for 1-2 minutes (watch carefully!), or until the top of the frittata is slightly puffed and golden and the eggs are completely cooked.
Remove from the broiler (sprinkle with chopped chives or green onions, if desired). Serve warm or at room temperature.
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I’m kind of crazy about cast iron pots and pans. For skillets, I own a 12″ Lodge cast iron skillet and a 10″ LeCreuset enamel-coated cast iron skillet. This 10.25″ Lodge Cast Iron Skillet is around $15, which is an awesome price. It is a heavy-duty kitchen workhorse that comes pre-seasoned, ready to cook pretty much anything you throw in it.
Dairy, like milk or cream, is a crucial component of frittatas. This is the ingredient that gives frittatas their signature creamy, fluffy texture. Without this important addition, frittatas cook up flatter and a bit more dense. Follow this tip: After whisking the eggs together, be sure to whisk in some milk or cream.
One reason your frittata is soggy, is that an ingredient you used had water or other liquid that was released when cooking the frittata. One solution, is to drain all ingredients first before mixing, or to reheat the ingredients seperately, until the liquid is removed.
But unlike omelets, egg frittatas can serve a family fast. And unlike most egg recipes, a four-serving frittata cooks all at once without any flipping or fuss. Plus, since there's no crust (like quiches), it makes it a healthier breakfast option.
If the center is still liquid, you've got to cook longer. If it's almost set, cook the frittata a few more minutes, then remove it. As long as the frittata is still in the hot pan, it will continue to cook. That's why it's important to pull the dish from the oven as soon as it reaches that "set" stage.
Cook the frittata in the oven just until the centre is no longer wobbly and the edges are golden-brown. If still unsure, place a knife into the centre of the frittata. If raw eggs run out, keep cooking. You want the eggs to be just set as the frittata will keep cooking while it's standing.
For a standard 12-egg frittata, stir in about one cup (shred it first). Want to top the eggs with cheese, too? Shoot for ¼ to ½ cup more. If it's an oozing texture you're after, pick cheeses that have superior melting quality: "This is your cheddar, gruyère, and fontina," says Perry.
Keep an eye on your frittata and only leave it in the oven until the center is just barely set. It's okay if it jiggles just a bit in the center, carryover cooking will finish the job in the first few minutes after the frittata is removed from the oven.
The best choice for making frittatas, cast iron skillets can safely go from stovetop to oven, and they conduct heat well and evenly. Seasoning a cast-iron pan gives it a non-stick quality, so a well-seasoned skillet will result in the easiest slicing & serving.
The frittata originates from the Mediterranean region, and a very similar dish with eggs, cheese, and vegetables was known in ancient Rome. All the efforts of tracing this dish to a particular Italian region defies attempts, as it is popular all over Italy.
Cheeses like feta, cottage cheese and swiss cheese are healthy sources of protein and calcium. So, ditch processed cheeses and opt for these healthier alternatives. Similarly, add boiled and shredded chicken or turkey to your omelette, instead of going for red meat additions like bacon bits.
While often compared to quiche, a frittata is a healthier option because it doesn't have a crust. The benefits are a lot like those of an omelet. At home, you can pile on vegetables and control the amount of oil you use to make it even healthier.
Tough vegetables like potatoes, squash and onions need to be pre-cooked since they will not have time enough to soften before the eggs are done. Raw meats such as bacon and sausage also need more time and heat to cook through safely, so get them prepped before your other ingredients.
Not only do you want to make sure to season your beaten eggs with a hefty dose of salt and pepper, but sprinkle the stuff on whatever fillings you pre-cook, too. More seasoning = maximum flavor.
One rule of thumb is when the top is golden brown the inside is overdone. You can achieve the golden brown top by shredding cheese on the top of your fully cooked frittata and place it under a broiler for just a few minutes.
Whisking incorporates air, which produces fluffier scrambled eggs, and fluffy eggs are the end goal. These eggs are whisked twice: once to blend the eggs together and a second time once you add the milk. For best results, whisk until your wrist is tired! The mixture should look pale yellow and frothy with bubbles.
It can leave the dish soggy, keep it from holding its shape, and may even prevent your eggs from firming up entirely. To avoid falling into the "too much moisture" trap when prepping your next frittata, always completely drain any fresh ingredients before adding them to your pan.
What Makes a Frittata Rise? Milk or cream is the essential ingredient that will make your frittata rise. Cooked without either milk or cream, the frittata will be flatter and less puffy. Add the milk or cream to the eggs and whisk them together until they are fluffy.
Introduction: My name is Jonah Leffler, I am a determined, faithful, outstanding, inexpensive, cheerful, determined, smiling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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