A cheesy vegetable frittata for a weeknight, made from the pantry

The dishes I reach for most on a busy night are the ones that ask the least of me. This frittata is one of them. It came out of a night when I wanted something warm and filling and didn't want to run to the store, so I built it from what was on the shelf. It worked well enough that I stopped thinking of it as a backup.

Everything that carries this dish comes off the pantry shelf. Freeze Dried Mixed Vegetables and Powdered Vitamin Eggs do the heavy lifting. You get real flavor and real nutrition without keeping fresh eggs and vegetables on hand.

It works for breakfast before a full day, for lunches you portion out for the week, or for supper after a long shift. If your table wants meat, a little breakfast sausage turns it into something heartier.

What the pantry ingredients buy you

The point of this dish is that shelf-stable staples do the job here without fuss.

• The Freeze Dried Mixed Vegetables rehydrate in five minutes and come back with their color and texture. Give them a quick sauté after they soak and they stay firm in the bake instead of going soggy.
• Powdered Vitamin Eggs, Butter, and Milk give you the rich custard base with nothing that spoils. The Vitamin Eggs bring 13 grams of protein, the Vitamin Butter adds richness, and the optional Vitamin Milk makes it creamier and adds another 3.5 grams of protein.

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Cheddar and veggie frittata, with optional sausage

This serves 4 to 6 and is ready in about 40 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Freeze Dried Mixed Vegetables
• 1 ½ cups Powdered Vitamin Eggs
• 2 tbsp Powdered Vitamin Butter
• 1 tbsp Powdered Vitamin Milk (optional, for extra creaminess)
• 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese (divided)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper
• Optional: 1 store-bought breakfast sausage roll, sliced or crumbled

Instructions

1. Bring the shelf-stable ingredients back first. Soak the freeze-dried veggies in warm water for 5 minutes, then drain them well. Whisk 1 ½ cups Powdered Vitamin Eggs with 2 cups of water until smooth. That is the same as 12 eggs. Stir 2 tbsp Powdered Vitamin Butter with 1 tsp of water until it softens into butter. If you are using milk, mix 1 tbsp Powdered Vitamin Milk with ½ cup of water until it dissolves.
2. In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet, sauté the rehydrated veggies in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes to cook off any leftover water. If you are using sausage, add it here and cook it with the veggies.
3. While the veggies cook, whisk the rehydrated eggs, butter, optional milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until it goes lightly frothy. That froth is what gives you a light, fluffy finish.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the sautéed veggies and sausage evenly in the skillet. Sprinkle 1 cup of the Cheddar over them, then pour the egg mixture on top. Set it over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes, just until the edges start to set.
5. Move the skillet to the oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the center is set but still has a slight wiggle. In the last 5 minutes, add the remaining ½ cup of cheese for a golden, melted top.
6. Let it rest in the skillet for 5 minutes before you slice it. That rest is what gives you clean wedges. Garnish with fresh chives or parsley and serve it warm or at room temperature.

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A few ways to change it up

• It keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days, which makes it good for meal prep. Skip the freezer, since freezing makes it watery.
• Swap the cheddar for Gruyère, Manchego, feta, or goat cheese if you want a different flavor.
• Add other vegetables like cooked potatoes, spinach, or mushrooms. Sauté them first so they don't add water to the bake.
• Cooked bacon or diced ham works in place of the sausage.

Comfort that keeps on the shelf

This is the kind of proof I like: Freeze Dried Mixed Vegetables, Powdered Vitamin Eggs, Powdered Vitamin Butter, and Powdered Vitamin Milk can turn into a warm, real meal with almost nothing wasted. Make it once from the shelf and you will know you can make it again any month of the year. That is the whole idea.