I used to turn to omelettes as an emergency dinner. Then I learned to make frittata, and I don't bother with omelettes any more.
They are basically the same idea, eggs with stuff, but you don't flip a frittata. Instead you cook whatever stuff is going into the eggs (if it needs cooking) then pour your egg/milk mixture into the hot pan - well-greased or nonstick - and leave it be for a few minutes until the egg is set on the bottom. Then you pop the whole pan (make sure it is ovenproof) into a 375F oven to finish cooking (usually 10-15 minutes). It's done when the eggs don't wiggle anymore. Use a potholder to take it out - the handle won't look hot, but it is!! While it is baking, you make a salad or toast to go with it, pour the drinks, set the table. Easy. Protein, fat, vegetable with only one pot to wash.
I'm not embarrassed to say that I learned this technique from Rachael Ray. It is both a 30 minute meal and another great way to use up bits of leftover meat and veg from other dinners.
Here are some suggested fillings: potatoes, mushrooms, onion, and cheese (that's what we had tonight); broccoli and cheddar; bacon, spinach, and onion; zucchini, onion, sausage, and sun-dried tomatoes. See the pattern? Anything that you might put into a quiche or omelette works just the same here. No flipping, no crust to make, and it is done in no time flat.
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Mmm. I used to do frittate a lot. It's been a while, maybe this spring when the veggies get better I could start up again.
Around here the favorite egg-based emergency meal is chilaquiles. It does take a bit more stirring than a frittata, but is one-pan. I make it in a wok. First we cook onions and peppers and maybe zucchini or spinach, and dump those in a bowl. Then we scramble the eggs and dump them in the same bowl. Then we pour into the pan about half a jar of salsa, thin it with a little water, and when it comes to a boil, mix in a few handfuls of tortilla chips, lightly crunching them up with a spatula, until they soften just a bit (think al dente). Mark likes to add a half-can of refried beans at this point. Then the eggs and veg go back into the pan to be warmed up and topped with cheese.
It makes an ugly mixed up mess, but yummy. The vegetables are optional. It's our standard Sunday breakfast, and we often have it for dinner the night we come back from camping or are otherwise busy all weekend. Suitable for vegetarians too.
Another egg thing I make a lot is this 1950s-ish egg bake. Did people eat canned green chiles in the 1950s? I don't know.
I think I'll make this for dinner tonight. I have some eggplant and zucchini I need to use up. That would work, right?
Problem: I don't have a pan that can go in the oven.... I'll have to improvise!
The issue for a pan to put in the oven is real - the concern is if the handle might melt! The actual temperature for baking is no hotter than the pan part would experience on the stove, but the handle isn't used to it. Well-seasoned cast iron could be a good bet.
I DO have a pan that can do stovetop and oven: a ceramic casserole dish. It worked out okay. I added zucchini, eggplant, and onions. Katie likes eggs and enjoyed this dish (even the eggplant!). Sophie and Camie took a few nibbles. So I ate the rest! Yum.
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