I love making breakfast dishes.  Pancakes, waffles, French toast, breakfast pizza, muffins, smoothies, breakfast burritos…the list goes on!  There’s nothing more comforting than a yummy breakfast drawn out around the breakfast table with the ones you love.  Add some jazzy background music and the sun shining through the breakfast room windows and the perfect brunch scene is set!

I’ve recently started learning how to use my cast iron skillets.  I grew up watching my Mom and Grandmother’s cook using theirs, but I have not really used my own very often.  I broke out my skillet not long ago in an attempt to learn how to properly cook and care for it.

The cast iron skillet I will be using for this recipe is a vintage, hand-me-down piece.  I LOVE hand-me-downs!  Like I mentioned previously, I received this one from my Mom’s Mom, my Nanny, who I absolutely adore!  She will be celebrating her 80’s birthday this month!  Fitting that I’m writing this post about her cast iron skillet, so I’ll dedicate it to her!  Some older cast iron is hard to identify, especially if it’s unmarked or has no company stamp or numbers anywhere.  Luckily, this one was not too hard to identify.  With a little internet research, I was able to determine that it is a Wagner brand cast iron skillet, and that it was made prior to 1959.  Wagner cast iron began in 1891, so this piece was made somewhere between then and the 1950’s.  I’m going to say that this piece was more than likely manufactured in the 40’s or 50’s.  Even though I don’t have a specific date, just knowing that this skillet has been around for 70+ years and no telling how many times it’s been cooked in just makes me feel like a part of history!

Look how pretty my skillet is!  It’s perfectly seasoned also!

Do you have a cast iron skillet or any cast iron cookware?  If not, this would be a great starter piece!  If you happen to have an old rusty cast iron piece laying around, don’t throw it out!  I can help you repair and re-season it!  Just shoot me a message or check back later for another how-to post on that topic!

Now back to this recipe.  I usually always have eggs or an egg dish with breakfast.  They’re a great source of protein and have so many other health benefits.  My kids eat them well and they’re just something that I feel good feeding to my family.  You can make any kind of frittata that you like, I happen to have fresh tomatoes and basil on hand from my garden, and mozzarella in my fridge so I chose to make a caprese version.                            

Look at all the yummy fresh tomatoes & basil from my garden! 

You can use any variety of veggies, cheese, and herbs that you have on hand or any combinations that you like!  Also, be sure to use full-fat dairy and not fat free or skim.  You will get a watery frittata if you use low fat options.  Also, make sure your cast iron skillet is well-seasoned!  You do not want your eggs to stick to the skillet.  If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can use any large skillet (at least 10” for this recipe) as long as it’s oven safe.

Ingredients:

• 12 eggs
• 3 tablespoons full-fat dairy (whole milk, half-and-half, heavy whipping cream, sour cream, plain yogurt)
• 1 /2 teaspoon salt
• 2-4 cups vegetables of your choice
• 1 cup grated cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Crack the eggs into a medium mixing bowl.  Add in the dairy and salt. (how cute is that flamingo salt shaker?   Thank you, Hobby Lobby, for all the cute things!)
3. Whisk until the egg whites and yolks are blended.
4. Whisk in the cheese and set the mixture aside.
5. In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, do not let it start smoking. Add in the vegetables, starting with the most dense (onions, bell peppers, potatoes, etc.).  Cook for a few minutes, stir, and then add any softer vegetables (tomatoes, zucchini, etc.).  Cook until tender, then add any greens or herbs and cook until fragrant or wilted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Whisk the eggs one more time and pour them over the vegetables in the skillet.  Stir with a wooden spoon briefly to mix everything together.
7. When the outside edge of the frittata starts to turn light brown (usually about 30 seconds to 1 minute of cooking). Carefully transfer the frittata to the oven.  Bake for 7-12 minutes.  You’ll want to keep a close eye on it and remove from the oven when the eggs are puffy and look cooked.  The center of the frittata should jiggle just a little bit when you give the skillet a shake (use a skillet holder!).  You don’t want under-cooked eggs or over-cooked eggs!
8. Remove from the oven and place it on a cooling rack to cool for a few minutes.  Use a sharp knife to slice.

This was the first breakfast recipe I tried making in my cast iron skillet.  It was such a success, that I have made it many times since then.  It’s quick, easy, and clean-up is a breeze.  Serve with fresh fruit and a side of bacon – what a delicious and perfect Sunday Brunch for your family and friends!

Do you have any cast iron cookware that you love? If so, I’d love to hear about them and learn some of your favorite recipes!

Until next time!

Love,

Jenn