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Quick-fix meals and savvy moms
Published: 5/9/2012 5:37 PM
Last Modified: 5/10/2012 11:35 AM


Used by permission of Workman Publishing Co., Photo credit Todd Coleman

What are your quick-fix dinners? You know, the kind you make when you are trying to avoid going to the grocery store on a weeknight.

Here are my top five…

1. frittatas with (fill in the blank with whatever vegetable you have)
2. pasta with red sauce and (fill in the blank with an appropriate meat, if you have it)
3. quesadillas (almost always includes black beans and peppers, plus assorted other vegetables)
4. tuna casserole or Pasta Puttanesca, because there is almost always tuna in the cabinet
5. breakfast or quiche (thank goodness for eggs)

Katie Workman, the founding editor of Cookstr.com and mother of two, has written a book for moms called “The Mom 100 Cookbook: 100 Recipes Every Mom Needs in her Back Pocket." The book features some quick-fix meals for the mom on the go, as well as some special dinners.

Her goal was to share some of her tried and true recipes and some tips on getting those picky eaters (who we all know and love) to eat.

The book features a frittata recipe that I thought I would share. To read more about Workman’s book, take a look at the SCENE section on Thursday.


Here is some of what Workman had to say about frittatas...plus the recipe, of course.


"A frittata is an Italian omelet to which the add-ins (potatoes, ham, cheese, veggies, rice, what have you) are beaten directly into the eggs. Generally it’s cooked first on the stovetop, then finished under the broiler. Some people cook a frittata entirely on the stovetop, flipping it during the cooking process instead of transferring the unflipped frittata to the broiler. Some people are also circus acrobats or professional skydivers.
Frittatas are great warm, or at room temperature, happily hanging out for a couple of hours before being cut up and served. Ideal for brunch, they are a subtle way of saying “I’m not making individual omelets for all of you.” A good potluck notion and, when cut into small squares, a lovely hors d’oeuvre.

Vegetable Frittata
Serves 6


2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 large waxy potato, such as white, red, or Yukon Gold, peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced
1 onion, quartered and very thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, oregano, or basil, or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, oregano, or basil
Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 large eggs
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley or basil (optional)
1/2 cup shredded or crumbled cheese, such as cheddar, provolone, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, feta, Parmesan, or goat cheese

1. Preheat the broiler with the rack set about 4 inches away from the heat source.
2. Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium-size (10-inch) broiler-proof skillet. Add the potato, onion, and the 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme, oregano, or basil, if using, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the skillet and cook the potato and onion until they are beginning to become tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat if it seems like the vegetables are starting to burn. Uncover the skillet and cook the vegetables until they are tender and turning golden, about 4 minutes longer.
3. Meanwhile, place the eggs, parsley, and 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme, oregano, or basil, if using, in a medium-size bowl and whisk to combine well. Season the egg mixture with salt and pepper to taste. When the vegetables are ready, pour the eggs into the skillet and stir to combine everything. Let the frittata cook until the eggs start to set on the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium-low and, using a spatula, gently lift the edge of the frittata so that the uncooked eggs run underneath those that are set on the bottom. Do this every couple of minutes until the frittata is pretty much set on the bottom but the top and middle are still a bit runny.
4. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the frittata and place the skillet under the broiler. Broil the frittata until it is set, the cheese is melted, and the whole top is lightly golden,
2 to 4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the broiler and let the frittata sit for a minute or two on a heatproof surface. Leave a dishtowel draped over the handle of the skillet to remind yourself that the handle is hot!
5. Run a spatula or knife around the edge of the skillet to loosen the frittata. You can cut it into wedges and serve it directly from the skillet. Or carefully slide the whole thing onto a serving plate, using a spatula to help guide the frittata out, then cut it into wedges.
Variation

Mini Frittatas
This is a kid-pleaser—frittatas in a muffin tin. It’s a bit more work to pour the mixture into the individual cups, but you actually save the hands-on cooking time on top of the stove, freeing you up to slice cantaloupe, or yell at the kids to set the table, or carve small swans out of radishes for garnishes.
To make miniature frittatas, transfer the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the whisked egg mixture and stir to combine. Butter the cups of a regular-size 12-cup muffin tin. Fill the cups of the muffin tin halfway with the frittata mixture and bake in a preheated 350°F oven until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.


Cooking Tip:
Frittatas are just as delicious served at room temperature as hot. So, if you are feeding a bigger group, whisk up two or more, making one quite simple and others much more adventurous.

Make Ahead:
You can make a frittata a day ahead of time and store it well wrapped in the fridge. Serve it slightly chilled, at room temperature, or warm. To rewarm the frittata, unwrap it and heat it in a 350°F oven for ten minutes. You can also let it sit out covered at room temperature for up to six hours.

What the Kids Can Do:
Kids can pick the add-ins and beat them into the eggs. If they are old enough they can help cook the frittata with supervision.

Excerpted from The Mom 100 Cookbook: 100 Recipes Every Mom Needs in Her
Back Pocket
Copyright 2012 by Katie Workman



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Food Writer Nicole Marshall Middleton joined the Tulsa World in May 1993 after graduating from Oklahoma State University. She has covered crime, city government and general assignment beats during that time - but mostly crime. But when she isn’t at work, Nicole is a devoted food hobbyist. She enjoys meal planning and cooking with her husband, Steve, every day of the week and on holidays it’s a family affair. When the opportunity to become the food writer at the Tulsa World presented itself in the summer of 2011, Nicole jumped at it. She is excited to explore a new side of Tulsa and make the transition from crime to cuisine. .

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