It seems the most popular recipes I write are those that anchor the dinner table and take literally less than 10 minutes from start to finish. And I understand that. 

Those meal delivery companies that tell you their meals take less than an hour to cook seem to have missed the boat. For many of my readers, if they can’t envision getting the meal on the table in less than half an hour, they’d rather order delivery dinner. In the middle of the week, when everybody is working and doing, the best meals are those that take literally no time and cost next to nothing. Save the spendy, trendy recipes and meals for the weekend—when you have time to savor and develop flavors.

My favorite recipe for a fast, filling dinner in the middle of the week is a frittata. 

What, you ask, is a frittata?

A frittata is like an open-faced omelet or a crustless quiche. A frittata uses eggs and cheese to bind together all manner of ingredients into a filling, interesting entrée. 

Think about it. You come home from a long day, you open the refrigerator and all you see are a few veggies, a bit of cheese and a carton of eggs. With a frittata in your mind, you can pull together a decent entrée in no time. 

My standby favorite frittata used to be a Spanish style frittata which used leftover cooked potatoes, chorizo or ham and onions. 

But I am thoroughly convinced now that during Lent and with spring headed our way, veggie frittatas can save many a weeknight dinner. All it takes is four to five eggs, a few leftover or fresh veggies and the cheese of your choice. Use a non-stick skillet with a little cooking spray and your frittata can even be a diet dinner. 

Here’s my recipe for a fast frittata anytime. You can change the ingredients up pretty easily, to take advantage of whatever you have in the pantry or refrigerator that mixes well with eggs. And it literally will only take 10 minutes start to finish!  

Fast and Fabulous Frittata

4-5 eggs
2 Tablespoons water
½ teaspoon herbs
dash of salt and pepper
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced zucchini or yellow squash (or sliced cooked potatoes or butternut squash)
½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
½ cup shredded cheeses—gruyere, cheddar, swiss or any other hard cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking spray or butter

Beat the eggs with the water, salt, pepper and herbs until the whites and yolks are completely incorporated. Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray or melt a pat of butter in the skillet and heat it over medium-high heat for two minutes. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook them until the onions are golden and the mushrooms have lost most of their moisture (3 minutes). Add the squash and tomatoes and cook them another 2 minutes. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables in the pan, tilting the pan to be sure the eggs cover the entire pan and are fairly evenly distributed. Let the eggs cook another 2-3 minutes, then sprinkle the cheeses over the top. Cover the pan until the cheese melts, or cook it under the broiler for a minute or two. Slide the frittata onto a platter, portion it and serve immediately or let it rest for a few minutes while you gather your guests.