Dining from the Dollar Store: Fritatta

In these tough economic times, eating well can seem like a challenge. To that end, I thought I would do a series of blogs on creating healthy meals and food from ingredients found at the Dollar Store. For these recipes, I would allow myself three outside ingredients as well as the full range of my personal kitchen equipment (many of which can be bought at the Dollar Store as well). I will also include possible variations, which can include outside ingredients.

The first recipe I chose was a frittata, which is a fried omelet. The beauty of the frittata is that it is possible to create so many variations. Should you have left-overs in the fridge you don't know what to do with, they can go into the frittata.

FRITTATA

Ingredients:

1 carton of eggs

1 carton of milk

1 bottle of garlic powder

1 bottle of onion powder

1 bottle of parsley

1 package of shredded cheddar cheese*

2 tablespoons butter*

2 packages of frozen vegetables (I chose cut leaf spinach and mixed vegetables)


Equipment:

Measuring cup
Whisk
Mixing spoon
Oven-proof pan 
 

Preparation:

Whisk the eggs (I used all eight) with 1/4 cup of milk in a bowl until smooth, then add a garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley to taste and whisk that also. If you don't have a whisk, a fork will work as well.

Open the packages of frozen vegetables. Break off small pieces of spinach and add that to the eggs, and add some of the mixed vegetables as well, then whisk them into the egg mixture. Put the rest of the vegetables in a microwave-safe container and reserve for later.

Turn the oven to broil. 

Turn the burner on the stove to medium, and melt some butter in an oven-safe frying pan.

Pour in the egg mixture into the pan, and stir the eggs until they begin to solidify. You will notice that the eggs will turn a brighter yellow as they begin to cook.

 Once the eggs begin to solidify, quickly sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the egg mixture and put the pan in the oven, setting the timer for five minutes.

While the frittata is cooking, add 1/4 cup of water to the container of frozen vegetables, and put them in the microwave for 2 minutes. When the microwave stops, remove the container of vegetables from the microwave, drain the vegetables in a colander, and return the vegetables to the container. Add garlic powder, onion powder and parsley to the vegetables, as well as some butter, and stir, then cook in the microwave for another minute. 

Remove the frittata from the oven and let rest for five minutes or less, then serve with the vegetables.

For $7.00 plus the cost of the shredded cheese and butter, this meal can serve a family of four with some leftovers for another meal. Best yet, the spices and butter can be used for other meals.

Equipment used in the recipe that can be found at the Dollar Store:


Measuring spoons
Measuring cups

Colander
Mixing spoons

Variations:

You can add fresh vegetables to the frittata as well. Chopped garlic, onions, potatoes, beans, carrots, peas, and other vegetables cooked in butter until tender, then mixed with the egg mixture can create a lovely meal no matter the season. Vegetables don't have to be the only additions to a frittata. Try adding sausage, smoked salmon, and more.

If you are interested in shopping locally for fresh food and don't have a garden or chickens, consider buying eggs from a local farmer and buying your vegetables from farmers markets.

*The cheese and butter were not purchased at the Dollar Store.

Disclaimer: The "Dollar Store" is the generic name I chose for stores where everything is a dollar.

Note: The date stamp is inaccurate.