Frittata-A-Go-Go's

Ask most doctors and nutritionists and they'll tell you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But what do you do if you have to eat breakfast on the run every day? Oatmeal, dry cereal, and scrambled eggs are hard to take with you. Dry cereal is often full of ingredients you can't even pronounce, and energy bars are often loaded with sugar.

As I explained yesterday, organic free range eggs are actually pretty good for you. So on weekdays, my husband and I enjoy a breakfast of our own creation - Frittata-A-Go-Go's. We've tweaked this recipe at least six or seven times over the last year and every time it keeps getting better. So if you feel like giving these a whirl, feel free to experiment to your heart's content.

Frittata-A-Go-Go
Makes 10 servings

• 6 slices local, organic, bacon (from Skagit River Ranch or Sea Breeze Farms)
• 1 local and organic onion (from Anselmo Farms)
  
• 1 red bell pepper
  
• 8 free range, organic eggs
• 1/4 cup fresh, raw milk cream or raw milk (from Sea Breeze Farms)
  
• 2 tablespoons pureed chipotle chilies in Adobo sauce or 1-2 dried jalapenos from Tonnemakers Orchards
• 3-4 ounces Samish Bay Feta cheese, crumbled
  

1. Dice the bacon and cook in a cast iron pan. When it is crispy, remove with a slotted spoon. Do not discard the rendered bacon fat.
2. Thinly slice the onion (a mandoline works well for this). In a fry pan, add a generous tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat and cook the onion on low for about 45 minutes, until caramelized. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. 
3. Divide the caramelized onions among 10 muffin cups.
   
4. Dice the red bell pepper and cook in the rest of the rendered bacon fat until the skins of the pepper pieces have started to pucker and brown slightly.
   
5. Preheat the oven to 375.
   
6. Crack the eggs in a large bowl. (a stand mixer works best for this)
7. Beat the eggs for at least 7-8 minutes. You want them well and truly foamy.
   
8. Add the cream or milk and beat for another 2-3 minutes.
   
9. Mix in the pureed chipotle chilies or the crushed, dried jalapenos along with the chopped bacon and pepper.
   
10.  Divide the mixture among the 10 muffin cups, covering the caramelized onions, and bake for 7 minutes. 
11. Remove the muffin tin from the oven and divide the crumbled cheese evenly among the muffin cups.
    
12. Bake for another 27-30 minutes.
    
13. Cool and refrigerate in a ziplock bag lined with paper towels. 

Patricia's Notes: You can easily add the crumbled cheese at the same time as you add the pepper and the chipotles. I like to add the cheese after the frittatas are partially cooked because it keeps the cheese near the top of the frittatas. When you pull the muffin tin from the oven, the frittatas will look a lot like mini-souffles. They will deflate quickly as they cool.

I've made these with a variety of cheeses and feta really works best. The sharpness of the feta is a perfect combination with the salty bacon and sweet onions and peppers. You can also add sauteed mushrooms or replace the caramelized onions with green onions. You can use any type of pepper you want. I think Banana peppers would be excellent here.