“Food can be expressive and therefore food can be art” ~ Grant Achatz

In a frittata, the eggs are the canvas. The vegetables make up the color palate, and this is where you as the cook can add your own touches of brightness as well as a multitude of vibrant flavors. In our kitchen no two leftover meals look or taste the same and that is a welcome thing. Opening the fridge or the pantry and making the choice to cook with items that are close to their end date allows us to apply our creativity in delicious ways. With leftover makeovers, we can arrive at a divine and artful plate of food without overthinking it.

Vegetable, Goat Cheese and Bacon Frittata

The amounts listed in this recipe can be adjusted based on how many people you are feeding and what you have on hand. The bacon, kale, squash and goat cheese were leftover ingredients from a winter salad that I served the evening before.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 large eggs (locally sourced eggs were from Lakewinds Co-Op)
• 1/3 cup of milk (I used whole)
• 1 teaspoon teaspoon of salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 yellow pepper, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 vidalia onion, diced
• 1 cup of roughly chopped kale
• 1/2 cup of previously roasted butternut squash cubes
• 2 strips of cooked, crispy bacon, crumbled
• 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 ounces of honey goat cheese, crumbled
• Chiffonade of fresh basil, optional

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat olive oil in a 10 inch size ovenproof skillet (make sure the pan/handle are oven safe).
3. Whisk eggs, salt and pepper in a medium size bowl, set aside.
4. Add peppers, onion, kale, squash, bacon and thyme leaves to the skillet and saute until vegetables are soft and all ingredients are heated through.
5. Position ingredients evenly over the bottom of the pan and slowly pour the egg mixture over.
6. Gently top with tomatoes.
7. Cook over low to medium heat without stirring for approximately 5 minutes, or until the edges begin to set.
8. Top with crumbled honey goat cheese and place pan in oven. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes or until the frittata is close to set in the center. Watch closely as individual ovens heat differently and can affect the timing.
9. Allow frittata to cool slightly before sliding it out of the pan and serving.
10. Top with chiffonade of fresh basil if desired.

Please comment and let me know what your favorite frittata add-ins are!

“Farm to Table…Ocean to Fork…and Vineyard to Glass.  We cast our votes in favor of the planet one bite, one sip at a time” ~ Lisa Patrin

You can follow my culinary & travel experiences and my farm to plate/field and vineyard to glass sustainability initiatives via my Instagram and Twitter pages.

Be sure to check out my new book, Eat Your Words: 125 Food & Beverage Themed Puzzles for Hungry Minds. It truly is an educational feast for those looking to expand their culinary knowledge regarding kitchen tools, ingredients, cooking techniques, global cuisines, and more.