Spinach and Mushroom Frittata with Fresh Thyme

Frittatas are like summer's soup. They are cheap to make, low-fuss, and you can toss whatever you want in them. Really. Anything. Some leftover stir-fry veggies taking up room in your fridge? Throw em' in! Leftover rotisserie chicken? Sure! Chopped bacon or ham? Perfect frittata fodder! I've found with frittatas it really is as easy as mixing your ingredients with egg, pouring the mixture in a skillet, and then popping the skillet in the oven for a quick bake. If you keep an eye on how long you bake your frittata, they are practically foolproof. And as for that leftover chopped bacon- I just happened to have a couple of tablespoons leftover that I sprinkled over the top of my frittata, but that would be a totally optional call. This recipe can stand on its own, with or without the bacon.

Frittatas are just one of the amazing things you can make with egg. I like the frittata, which is similar to a quiche but without the trouble of making a crust. They make a lovely light meal, all you have to serve on the side is a light salad or some fruit. If you have family members with large appetites, you could serve this with bacon and English muffins as a breakfast for dinner. Or heck, just make this for breakfast. I'm not much of a morning cook, so we make this for dinner.

The recipe I used called for ground thyme so, of course, I swapped that out for garden fresh thyme. I love the smell of fresh thyme. Actually, you'd be hard-pressed to find an herb I don't like the smell of.  It's pretty normal for me to walk by my herb garden, grab a mint leaf, and rub it between my fingers just to enjoy the scent. Mmmmm. These were the first of the thyme sprigs I've harvested, and I was not disappointed. I don't know what I'm going to do this winter when I don't have fresh herbs anymore. I'm going to be really sad, I'll tell you that much. And cranky from having to spend money on them :)

This recipe makes a fairly large frittata. I'd say it would serve 6 people with large portions, 8 if you are serving this with side dishes. Normally, I quite enjoy eating leftover frittata cold. However, I don't always put spinach in my concoctions. I found I wasn't overly thrilled with the texture of the spinach in the frittata when it was cold. I'd recommend covering the frittata with a damp paper towel, and gently heating it back up in the microwave if you are eating it the next day. 

Wanting to re-purpose some leftover frittata? I didn't get a chance to experiment with this frittata, but I was inspired by an idea for the leftovers I read about online. Fried rice! Take some leftover rice, chop up your leftover frittata, and toss it with the rice. Easy, peasy fried rice. Something I plan on experimenting with sooner rather than later.

Happy Friday! And start of a 3-day weekend for most people. We're due for a gorgeous weekend here. Sunny, but not too hot. No rain. No humidity. I'm most excited. The hubby has to work nights all weekend, so we won't be doing much. I am going to Columbus on Sunday with a girlfriend for a girl's day. Brunch and shopping at an outdoor mall. And Memorial Day sales? Yes, please! As for today, I'm going to be baking Mixed Berry Cupcakes, which I'm hoping I can get baked and photographed in time to post on Monday. I've actually got a couple of desserts on tap for soon, including Chocolate Malts with Caramel Cream, and Dark Chocolate and Fresh Mint Cookies. Heck yeah!

Have a great Memorial Day weekend everyone! Stay safe :)

Ingredients (serves 6-8):

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

3 sprigs fresh thyme, minced

3 cups spinach, roughly chopped

10 eggs

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 strip bacon, crumbled (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add onions. Sauté 2-3 minutes. Add garlic to the pan. Sauté 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and thyme. Sauté for 5 more minutes. Add spinach to the pan, sauté for 1 minute or just until wilted. Remove from heat, and allow to cool a few minutes. 

3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, salt, pepper, and feta cheese. Whisk briskly to combine. Add slightly cooled vegetable mixture to egg mixture, stir. 

4. Wipe skillet out with a paper towel. Spray liberally with cooking spray, you don't want your frittata to stick to the pan. Place skillet over medium heat, and allow pan to heat. 

5. When warm, pour egg mixture into pan. Sprinkle bacon over pan. Place in oven, and bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or just until the center of the frittata is set and doesn't jiggle anymore. 

Remove from oven, slice into sections, and serve immediately.

Printable Recipe

Recipe adapted from Food Reference.

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday, Treasure Box Tuesdays