Mushroom, Cheese and Toast Frittata | Recipes (2024)
Shared on This post may contain affiliate links which means I make a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. See the disclosure policy for more information.
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.
**********************************************
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.
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.
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.
But if you're starting from scratch, it's best to fully cook any addition that might release moisture into the eggs—mushrooms, tomatoes, and summer squash or zucchini are common "wet" culprits than can water down your eggs. Sauté them separately.
Adding a bit of dairy, whether it's cream or thick yogurt, is essential for getting the moisture and creaminess of the frittata just right. For every dozen eggs, use a half cup of dairy.
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.
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.
A frittata is partially cooked in a skillet on the cooktop then finished in the oven. It also has a lower egg to dairy ratio making it closer to an open faced omelet than a pie. Quiche has a creamier, custard-like texture due to more dairy and is cooked entirely in the oven.
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.
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.
Pre-seasoning the eggs with salt helps them retain moisture during cooking. Cooking the vegetables in batches gives us more control over their texture. Keeping the cheese in large chunks gives us oozy pockets in the frittata. Flipping the frittata ensures a creamy, dense center.
The best side dishes to serve with frittata are mixed green salad, garlic bread, waffles, cinnamon rolls, bagel bites, biscuits, potato rosti, roasted vegetables, fresh fruit salad, grilled asparagus, tomato and mozzarella salad, home fries, and quinoa tabbouleh.
But besides the nutritional benefits there are a few other good reasons to use egg in breadmaking. It makes the bread lighter and fluffier. The reason for that is the fat in the yolk that inhibits gluten formation just as any other fat would. This results in a looser dough that can expand and puff up more.
This is the key to making fluffy omelettes, just whisk the egg yolk and egg white separately. This helps in giving that perfect restaurant-like texture to the homemade omelettes. Also make sure you whisk the egg portions in a way that they turn frothy, this will add on the fluffiness of the omelettes.
Adding water to eggs essentially steams them, as the water evaporates during cooking, and this yields a fluffier scramble. If you add too much water you can dilute the eggs, and that will result in a bland mess, so stick to a tablespoon per egg and no more.
Introduction: My name is Horacio Brakus JD, I am a lively, splendid, jolly, vivacious, vast, cheerful, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
Follow Frugal Living NW on Pinterest!
