Zucchini Pepper Onion Frittata with Bacon

Here comes the zucchini! We’ve got it rolling in from all directions. Now, hold on — don’t think for a second that any of it came from my garden. I’d love to grow my own vegetables, but I haven’t quite figured out how to work that particular desire into my juggling schedule, never mind how to deal with the groundhogs, bunnies, and deer that are feasting on our flowers and plants. I may as well hang a sign that says FREE SALAD BAR. They’ve even decimated our large and precious crop of black-eyed susans — the only flower with any emotional value whatsoever in the entire yard. It kind of makes me wish our town still had a coyote problem 😉

Thanks to the generosity of friends, though, I’ve got plenty of home-grown zucchini to play with. Different gardens, geography, and fertilization methods lead to different results. Can you guess which one of these was grown in central Massachusetts and which in the rich farmlands of Vermont where there is a lot of manure lying around??

I think I’ll be grating and freezing a lot of it, so I can make the kids’ favorite Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins all winter long. But a portion of my spoils went into a quick and easy dinner over the weekend. If you love veggies and eggs together, like me, you will love this frittata. Bacon, Monterey jack, Vidalia, and peppers join our star player for a yummy poor-man’s omelet. A few minutes in the frying pan, pop it under the broiler, and your done! We served it up with our fave easy soup — creamy tomato soup with rice. Perfect for the rainy weather.

Zucchini Pepper Onion Frittata with Bacon
Serves 4

5 eggs and 2 egg whites
1/4 cup non-fat milk
3 strips bacon, cooked crisp
1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 small zucchini, chopped
1 orange pepper, seeded and chopped
1/3 small Vidalia onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

1) Over medium-high heat, add olive oil to a large, oven-safe pan. Add zucchini, onion, and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are softened (about 5 minutes).
2) While mixture is cooking, combine eggs, egg whites and milk in a bowl and whisk together. Once veggies are softened, add egg mixture to pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until bottom layer is set, about 3-4 minutes. While it is cooking, push the cooked edges towards the center a bit with a spatula to allow the uncooked egg to move toward the sides.
3) Turn on the oven broiler. Remove pan from stove (center of frittata will still be runny) put under broiler for 3-5 minutes. The egg will continue to cook and puff up a little. Do not allow it to over-brown.
4) Remove, add bacon and cheese over the top, and return to broiler for one more minute.
5) Cut frittata in 4-6 wedges.

ENJOY!