Enjoy oven-baked frittatas from breakfast to dinner

Egg frittatas are quick, easy and fun meals for breakfast, lunch or dinner where you can be totally creative. Add leftovers, follow a recipe, or let your creativity guide you in the making. The frittata can be as simple or as complicated as you want. Frittatas make really good vegetarian dishes perfect for any time of day.

An avocado adds a lot to a frittata

The one food item that spells Spring to me is the plump green avocado. Let's face it. It looks a bit like a pear but the skin has the feel and texture of a crocodile. But the inside, that is something special: soft, creamy, and absolutely delicious, The avocado can make a meal.

What is it about the avocado?

Adding an avocado to my frittata brings forward relaxing memories. Whenever I go out to visit a friend of mine who lives in California, we always hit those big Whole Foods stores and bring a mountain of fresh food home so we don't have to bother with going out again. Avocados are at the top of my list. I love their taste and especially how they combine with other foods. They're rich and lush.

Each morning I would get up and fill a bowl with fresh strawberries, sliced apples, and one huge avocado. My mission? To eat it all while I sat and enjoyed their beautiful California weather, the huge pool, and the gorgeous view. It simply doesn't get much better than that. It was my early morning ritual. So avocados bring that spring burst of pleasure every time I eat one.

Read more about frittatas and this recipe

Keep reading to learn more about making these delightful open-faced omelets including a video by Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis who makes frittatas using a skillet pan the same way I usually do. Here she uses egg whites as well as some tips on how to make a truly fluffy frittata. You'll find variations including gluten free, and, of course, my Spring Frittata recipe and more photographs and videos.

• Image Credits:All Spring Avocado Spinach Souffle Frittata photos in article are by author, 2013 copyright Vikk Simmons

• Image Credits.By B.navez (Own work (own photographic work)) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Which way would you go?

While the egg omelet and the frittata are pretty similar, there are a few definite distinctions.

1. The frittata is made open-faced rather than folded.
2. The frittata is cooked much more slowly. You want the bottom more cooked than the top.
3. The frittata is often fluffier and the ingredients are added to the whipped egg mixture rather than placed on top once it's in the pan.
4. The frittata is served up like a pie slice and can be eaten hot or cold.

What makes up the basic frittata?

I am a fan of the frittata and the major difference is that the frittata is served open-faced rather than flipped or folded over. There are several traditional ingredients that make up the basic recipe for an egg frittata. From those items, you can raid your refrigerator and add any combination that you like.

Isn't a frittata an omelet with a funny name?

Essentially this is similar to a basic omelet, often with added fluffiness, that is popped into the oven to cook. It is then served more like a pie rather than folded over as you would an omelette. The frittata often looks a bit like an egg pizza pie.

What can I put in a frittata?

There are as many variations as you can create. Options include your favorite cheese, meat, vegetables, and, of course any leftovers you have. There is no limit to what type of ingredient you choose.

What about special diets? Can you still make a frittata?

In addition to the no limit on the type of ingredient you use, the frittata easily adapts to different lifestyles, cultures, and diets. Varieties include egg white only, gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian. That's the wonder of the frittata.

1. eggs
2. milk
3. cheese (your choice and optional)
4. vegetables (your choice)
5. salt, pepper to taste
6. vegetable, chopped (your choice)
7. meat, chopped (your choice)

Feeling like your frittata needs a lift? Check out this egg tip.

Vegetarian Frittata spotlighting the Avocado

Avocado on the inside and the outside delights the taste buds with its flavor and texture. Add a few Clementines on the side and you have a true bouquet of flavors with this easy vegetarian frittata recipe.

Note: This is a vegetarian dish not a vegan one but I'm sure the recipe can be adapted to a more vegan dish, too. You would probably want to remove the spinach souffle that I added because I had leftovers and also the dairy items such as cheese and use vegan appropriate alternatives.

• Image Credit Photo Credit: 2013 copyright Vikk Simmons

These are the main ingredients I used today to make my Spring frittata using avocado and spinach souffle. They include one avocado chopped and sliced, a little leftover spinach souffle, a chopped tomato, a couple of slices of American cheese diced and sliced, and a few sliced and sauted water chestnuts because i like their crunch.

• Image Credit Photo Credit: 2013 copyright Vikk Simmons

Today's frittata is pretty much a vegetarian recipe. (Not vegan but vegetarian.) You can easily add the meat of your choice if you like.

Also, frittatas can be made in skillets and in ovens like today's recipe. I always use the broilier to top off any frittata I do whether it's in the pan or the oven.

• Image Credit: 2013 copyright Vikk Simmons

Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Serves: 4 - 6

If you're new to cooking or making a frittata, here's some detailed instructions after you've gathered the ingredients and prepared them. Now it's time to make the frittata egg mixture, prepare the skillet, and peheat the oven.

1. Crack eggs into bowl and whip with fork.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of water and whip.
3. Add 3 tablespoons of milk and whip.
4. Add chopped tomatoes.
5. Break up spinach souffle and pour into frittata mixture.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add small pieces of cheese (I used American) to egg mixture.
8. Add a teaspoon of oil to hot skillet (I use coconut oil).
9. Add sliced water chestnuts to pan and lightly saute.
10. Once the egg mixture is made and the water chestnuts have been sauted, it's time to pour the mixture into the skillet.
11. Place the thin slices of cheese across the frittata mixture in the skillet so it lays on top and allow the frittata to cook for about 3 minutes on the stove.
12. Transfer the frittata in the skiillet to the preheated 350 degree oven and cook for 15-20 minutes.
13. After the frittata has cooked, top it off by broiling it for about 3 minutes. Just enough to get the cheese and top lightly golden brown (to taste).
14. When finished allow the frittata to rest for about 10 minutes before serving hot. (Or, you can serve it cold or reheated later.)

Plenty of green in this frittata with avocado and spinach souffle. Bright, cheerful, and delicious.

• Image Credits: All photos of Spring Fritatta 2013 copyright Vikk Simmons

My mom has always been a healthy eater but with her current heart condition (she's 98), we cook use these products a lot. (I am thinking about getting one of the avocado trees if it will grow well in my area.)

De Laurentiis grew up in a household where frittatas were the norm. Her mom would use whatever leftovers she had in the refrigerator to make the day's frittata. De Laurentiis also uses a skillet rather than the oven to cook the frittata, which is how I originally learned to make frittatas -- and still do.

Feeling a bit unsure about your choice of cooking pan? Check out these tips and let your stress float away.

Want a more classical breakfast or brunch where your open-faced egg pie features more than veggies. Why not add the traditional ham for an extra special slice of breakfast pie? Serve a slice on the plate with a few extras and you're on your way to having a delightful meal.

• Image Credit: Image credit: Photo Fir002 | taken by Flagstaffotos.com.au

Check out this video for simple and clear directions on making the frittata Italian style. Easy to do with this basic recipe and a few vegetables along with a nice list of options.

Watch how easy it is to make a southwestern style frittata using simple ingredients. This recipe uses salsa and fresh ingredients for a fluffy, tasty dish.

Want a different way to serve a frittata? Why not use ramekins. Ramekins are those wonderful small bowls that you can use to pour in your frittata mixture. Once filled, pop the ramekin into the oven to cook. Each person will have their own little frittata. Great for kids and great for something different.

• Image Credit: Photo by Rachel F (originally posted to Flickr as a bit of paradise) [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

In this video, you'll see how you can take one frittata mixture to serve up frittita cupcakes as well as a regular style frittata for the family and make them at the same time. Fresh and fun food at your fingertips.

How many types of frittata are there? As you've read, there are as many ways to make a frittata as there are stars in the sky to count. Are there any here that have raised your curiosity enough to give them a try? What about your own style of frittata? Share your thoughts here and take this fun poll.

The photo is of another frittata I made the other day. This one, an avocado only frittata, is one I cooked in the skillet and then topped it off in the broiler. I was playing around with the idea of making a frittata with avocados. We had it for lunch earlier this week.

• Image Credit: 2013 copyright Vikk Simmons