What's For Dinner: Ham, Broccoli, and Cheddar Frittata

This Ham, Broccoli, and Cheddar Frittata is a crowd-pleaser and perfect for sharing at a weekend brunch or summertime picnic. 

Our hens are laying eggs like whoa lately. As in more than a dozen a day. As in, I have a fridge full of eggs and plenty more waiting in queue on our countertop.

Basically, we need to eat a lot of eggs. Quiches and frittatas are an easy way to use up a bunch of eggs in one go, and make for easy-to-reheat leftovers. Plus, the flavor combinations are endless, which means we don't have to eat the same thing day in and day out. (Not that we eat quiche every day, but we probably do eat it at least once a week.)

This frittata recipe features diced cooked ham, broccoli, and cheddar cheese along with the aforementioned eggs. To make it slightly healthier, for about half of the eggs I just use egg whites. Our dogs get to snack on the extra yolks, or I'll pop them in the freezer for later use in a different recipe. (Custard, anyone?)

Ham, Broccoli, and Cheddar Frittata (printer-friendly version)
makes 4-6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 cup chopped cremini mushrooms
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup small diced cooked ham
5 whole eggs
4 egg whites
1/4 cup 1% milk
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
dash of red pepper flakes
pinch ground oregano
1/2 cup shredded aged white cheddar
Hungarian paprika

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9- or 10-inch pie dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and mushrooms and saute until softened and the onion is golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Add the chopped broccoli and continue cooking until the broccoli turns bright green and is just tender, about 2-3 minutes more.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, and milk. Stir in the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and oregano. 

4. Spread the cooked vegetables onto the bottom of the prepped pie dish. Then carefully pour the egg mixture over the vegetable mixture. Spread the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over top. Sprinkle with Hungarian paprika.

5. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the center of the frittata has just set. 

6. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

What's For Dinner: Asparagus, Ham, and Goat Cheese Frittata

This Asparagus, Ham, and Goat Cheese Frittata is a springtime favorite for the whole family.

The downside of baking a whole bone-in ham is that, if you're not cooking it to feed a crowd, there's a good chance you're going to have leftovers for days. As in, many days. Many many days.

While of course repeating the ham dinner for a night or two is not a terrible thing, nor is ham sandwiches for lunch. But after awhile, you might run out of ideas. And let me just say, if you're in a super time crunch, there's nothing wrong with chopping some of the leftover ham into bite-size pieces and stirring it into a big ol' pot of macaroni and cheese. (I call that a Scout dinner, as it reminds me of a traditional Girl Scout camp meal of cut up hot dogs in mac & cheese. Very classy.)

However, one of the easiest (and tastiest) ways to use up leftover ham is in a frittata or quiche. This recipe for Asparagus, Ham, and Goat Cheese Frittata is no exception. It's like the epitome of springtime in one simple dish.

And while it may look like you sweated over the stove for hours to make it, it actually only takes less than 30 minutes to make it. That makes this meal a perfect option for any night of the week.

Asparagus, Ham, and Goat Cheese Frittata
makes 4-6 servings

4 large eggs
4 large egg whites
2 tablespoons 1% milk
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound asparagus, rinsed and ends removed, then chopped into 1" segments
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup diced cooked ham
2 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Place a rack at the top setting in your oven and set the oven to broiler.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped asparagus and sliced scallions. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the cooked ham. Continue until warmed through, 2-3 minutes. Remove most of the asparagus tops and set aside.
3. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetable mixture and cook gently for 5 minutes until the edges are set, but the center is still loose. Place the asparagus tops onto the top of the frittata in whatever pattern you choose. Sprinkle with the crumbled goat cheese.
4. Place the frittata in the oven and broil until the eggs are just set (watch it closely!), 1-3 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.