Asparagus Bacon Swiss Ricotta Frittata

The leftovers:

cooked asparagus, cut into 1" pieces, about 10 stalks
cooked bacon, rough chop, about 3 slices
Swiss cheese, finely grated, about 1/2 cup
cooked minced onion, about 2 Tablespoons, warmed in microwave for easy mixing (the oil solidifies in the fridge)

Mix with:

6 large eggs
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
pinch of nutmeg (freshly grated if you've got it)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a pie plate--better yet, use some of the left-over bacon grease. It adds great flavor, and seemed to make the frittata come out of the pan better!

1. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the ricotta and Swiss and beat to combine. Add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and beat to combine.

2. Toss in the leftovers! Mix well.

3. Pour mixture into the prepared pie plate then put it in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until it's golden on top. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Asparagus with Lemon Butter

Ingredients

• one bunch (about 1/2 pound) fresh asparagus
• salt
  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Rinse asparagus. Trim asparagus by picking up each stem, holding it in the middle and at the bottom end. Bend until it snaps.

In a large skillet, bring about 1/2 inch of salted water to a rapid boil. Add asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes or until bright green and just tender. Drain the asparagus by pouring into a strainer. Add butter to the skillet to melt. Stir in the zest and juice. Return the drained asparagus to the skillet and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Notes:

If you don't have the patience for bending each stem, here's a shortcut for trimming asparagus. Or just cut a couple of inches off the bottom.

How long you cook asparagus really depends on how thick it is. Use a fork to test for doneness. Underdone is better than overdone. Overdone is slimy.

Variation: After the asparagus is drained, stop the cooking by submerging it immediately in a bowl of ice water. This will help the asparagus to retain the bright green color. Serve the asparagus cold with a vinaigrette instead of lemon butter.

Asparagus with Lemon Butter