BUSY DAY ASPARAGUS FRITTATA!

I believe that everyone should have, in their files, a few recipes to pull out for those days when you are on the run, big time, but still want a decent homecooked dinner. Because as much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE eating out, I know for sure that eating at home is A) much healthier for us, and B) much less expensive. This week I am such a busy bee, as I am the "flower girl" for the club my husband manages, and I am either at a nursery buying copious amounts of Geraniums and Viburnum and Lavender and Licorice Plant and herbs galore, OR I am in the dirt, planting it all before the big Memorial Day weekend. So when I get home, I am bone tired, but still want to sit down to a nice dinner with the family (Little Miss Thing is finally, finally home from school!). Here's the meal I go to, time and time again, on nights like these: A Frittata!

Frittatas are great, because you can pull them together from just basic ingredients in your refrigerator, and they come together super fast. I also love them because you can be creative with your ingredients (I adore sundried tomatoes, so I added those this week), and Frittatas make excellent leftovers. For dinner, I serve mine with a nice salad, but you could also eat them for breakfast, brunch (perhaps with muffins or fruit?), or even lunch. You can make your Frittata vegetarian, like I did this week, or add ham, bacon or any other meat you desire. Be creative! Here's how I put my Asparagus Frittata together, just last night. First thing: round up your ingredients. I needed eggs, asparagus (cut on the diagonal, woody ends snapped off), julienned sundried tomatoes, sliced onion and some Swiss cheese..............

These are Sundried tomatoes, right from the jar......

In a 10 inch ovenproof skillet, saute onions over medium heat until soft. Add asparagus and steam, covered, for about 6 minutes, until the asparagus is tender. Pour in beaten eggs and cook until almost set (but still a little runny on top..............

Sprinkle cheese over the eggs and put under the broiler until cheese is melted and browned, about 3-4 minutes (keep your eye on it, or you'll be sorry!). Remove from oven and slide onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges.....

And suppah is served, baby! Here's the recipe:

ASPARAGUS FRITTATA

Serves 4

2 tsp. olive oil

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 /2 tsp. salt

freshly ground pepper

1 lb. asparagus, tough ends snapped off, spears cut diagonally into 1 inch lengths

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Heat olive oil into a 10 inch oven proof frying pan over medium high heat. Add onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until the asparagus are tender, about 6-8 minutes. Pour in eggs and cook until almost set, but still runny on top, about 2 minutes. While cooking, pre-heat oven broiler. Sprinkle cheese over eggs and put in oven to broil until cheese is melted and browned, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from oven with oven mitts and slide frittata onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges. Serve immediately.

TODAY I'M MOST GRATEFUL FOR:

* Our wonderful but very tired (post finals) daughter, who made it home safely after almost 24 hours of travel from the west coast.

* That our daughter's luggage showed up, at MIDNIGHT last night, after getting lost somewhere between Syracuse, Albany and Newark.

*My friend Shelly, who helped me more than words can convey today, with her gardening expertise! Thank you, dear friend!