…elephant, elbow, elf, eagle, mail…  (Okay, not mail, but that’s what all my three year olds say when I hold up a flashcard with a picture of an envelope.)  And most importantly, E is for egg.  Which is what’s for breakfast and/or dinner at least three days a week.

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Parker LOVES eggs.  He was eating two large ones for breakfast at like nine months or something.  (Yes, yes I’m aware that you’re supposed to wait until they’re at least 12 months before introducing eggs.  But I’m also a shitty mom, and I didn’t really ask you anyway, did I?)  Since eggs fall under the fast, cheap, and easy catergory, I figured out early that they can do double duty as dinner.

Frittatas are killer toddler food.  Not only is it harder for them to pick out things they think they don’t like, but they’re perfect for dipping into that ever present pool of ketchup.  (In case you didn’t know, ketchup is a food group when you’re 18 months old.)  Plus you can pretty much throw in whatever is slowing dying in your fridge.  I’ve made several big frittatas in my day, but they just don’t do it for me.  While tasty, they always seems a bit dry to me.  I really don’t think that an hour in a hot oven is necessary to bring everything together.  This recipe makes a relatively thin frittata, but I feel like it keeps things a lot more tender and moist, and the portion is perfect for the two of us.  If you want it thicker, add another egg.  Timing wise, it shouldn’t take much longer.

Frittata, My Way

2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup cannelini beans
1 tablespoon pinenuts, toasted
1/3 cup frozen spinach, thawed and finely chopped
sprig of thyme, leaves removed
3 sundried tomatoes, finely chopped (I used the dehydrated ones, but if you have the oil packed ones no matter)
4 eggs
Parmagiano Reggiano

Preheat broiler.  If you have one, a toaster oven is perfect for this.

Melt butter in 8-inch, nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Once it starts to foam, add all but the last two ingredients.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Reduce heat to the high side of medium low, and add the four beaten eggs.  Using a rubber spatula, slowly stir things to combine, and continue to stir as the eggs start to set up.  After 3-4 minutes, the eggs will be mostly set, but still be quite loose along the sides and top.  At this point, grate over a bunch of Parm and stick it under the broiler for another couple of minutes, or until it starts to puff up and ever so slightly brown.

Using a clean spatula, scrape under the sides to loosen and slide out onto your cutting board.  Slice into wedges and, if dining with a toddler, serve with ketchup.  Otherwise, eat over the cutting board while contemplating whether or not you should wash your hair or watch nip/tuck.

Other popular fillings around here are black beans, green onion, spoonful of salsa, and sliced green olives topped with Cheddar; diced cold cut ham, mushrooms, broccoli, and swiss; cooked pasta, halved grape tomatoes, basil, and grated string cheese (gross I know but I don’t keep fresh mozz in the house or will eat it all); or just simply bacon.  Generally, it’s a whole open-the-fridge-and-dump kinda thing.

With the obligatory ketchup.

Funnily enough, I had toasted the pinenuts in the skillet first and set them aside while I readied the rest of the stuff.  I forgot to add them back to the pan and didn’t realize it until it was all already under the broiler.  At this point, Parker was getting a little restless, so I popped one in his mouth, fully expecting him to spit it out.  Except my weirdo kid ate it and started whining for more.  So he had a lovely little appetizer of toasted pinenuts.  (Seriously, sometimes I think about his favorite foods and just go wtf?)

If it’s just you eating and you end up with leftovers (I realize some of you actually have self control), it reheats beautifully for a speedy-quick breakfast out the door.  Or you can just invite me over.