Sunday morning

House guests ready to head home today so a hearty breakfast is in order. Vegetable frtatta seems perfect, since I have mushrooms, red onion. tomatos, and baby spinach on hand. Good crusty bread for toasting, and a side dish of basmati rice with black eyed peas. Hot coffee, orange juice---who could ask for anything more?

A fritatta is a simple dish to prepare, and highly adaptable regarding ingredients. Provided that eggs are acceptable, you can use your refrigerator as a guide and inspiration. I begin by heating my large stainless steel skillet {one with a very heavy bottom} over medium heat while I slice mushrooms, dice red onion, and sliver the baby spinach {and a little fresh parsley}. The tomatos need to be squeezed in order to remove as much of the wet innards as possible as well as the seeds. Just slice the tops off of the tomatos and squeeze the stuff out. First into the hot pan is a good drizzle of olive oil, and then the onion. Stir this around a bit so that the onion has a chance to start cooking before you add the mushrooms then stir this around, and cook over medium heat until the mushrooms release their liquid. Now add the tomatos, and the slivered baby spinach and parsley, stirring this mixture.

Depending on how many people you are feeding, crack the appropriate number of eggs into a bowl, using two eggs per person {and one for the bowl}. Beat the eggs with a whisk or a fork, season them with salt and pepper, and any other herb you might like. Add this mixture to the hot skillet. Turn the heat down to medium-low and watch to see that the eggs are beginning to set. At this pont you can use a spatula to lift the edges of the fritatta, allowing the wet eggs to slide under and begin to cook. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and slide the still slightly damp fritatta in for about five minutes to firm up. If you want, you may sprinkle shredded cheese over the fritatta before placing it in the oven. When the top is firm, and any cheese you may have added is melted, remove the skillet from the oven and serve the fritatta directly from the pan. So simple and quite delicious.

Fritattas are a wonderful addition to your cooking accomplishments, and they are the perfect meal to prepare at the last minute, even when you think that you have nothing for dinner. Check the refrigerator, see if you have eggs, and just start cooking! Your friends and family will be delighted.