Shut down, Eat Up! Italian Fritatta

OK folks. So, this first shutdown recipe costs $17.60 at my local Harris Teeter, and that is before I use my store discount card. It is also super-duper easy, and good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Think of a fritatta as a quiche without a crust. Puffy, cheesy, and delicious. here we go!

• ~10oz thick cut bacon ($5.49 for 20oz package)
• 8 eggs ($2.99/dozen)
• 1 pint light cream ($2.89)
• 3 Tbs tomato paste with garlic and oregano ($0.89 for 6oz can)
  
• ~6oz shredded mozzarella cheese ($2.69 for 8oz package)
• ~1/2 bag frozen Italian vegetable medley ($2.65 for 12oz bag)

Not included in price (aka pantry staples):

• 2 tsp Garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• Nonstick cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut bacon into lardons (for what a lardon is, click here). Spray oven-safe saute pan with nonstick spray and heat over medium flame. Add bacon and cook until crispy and fat is rendered. Remove bacon with slotted spoon, leaving fat in the pan.
3. Add vegetables to pan and saute in bacon fat until starting to brown.
4. Meanwhile, crack eggs and combine with cream in bowl. Add tomato paste, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk thoroughly to blend.
5. When vegetables are ready, reduce pan to low. Spread the vegetables evenly in the pan. Pour in ~1/2 of the egg mixture. Sprinkle all bacon and 1/2 cheese on top and let cook for ~1 minute to set the eggs slightly, then pour on the rest of the egg mixture and top with remaining cheese.
6. Turn off stove and place pan in oven for 10-15 minutes, or until your fritatta has gotten puffy and golden brown. Let cool slightly, slice like a pie, and serve.
   

So, about that bread line...

Aren't our bowler hats stylish?!

Well faithful readers, it looks like the US government is about to shut down until the crybabies (ahem, or one crybaby in particular) on Capitol Hill get their acts together and pass a continuing resolution for the budget for fiscal year 2011. Being a life-long DC-area resident and avid policy wonk, I know many, many Federal government workers who will be, in effect, furloughed (aka, vacay without pay).

Now, while one of my friends (a staffer for a House member from the Midwest, and who shall remain anonymous for fear of the guillotine), laughed heartily and said "LET THEM EAT CAKE", I'm thinking that many of these Federal employees are living a fairly meager existance in DC, the city with the third-highest cost of living in the country (behind Manhattan and San Francisco).

I feel for you, my friends. Having been, until recently, among the long-term unemployed, I understand the feeling of having a depleted savings and paying for groceries in spare change. Thus, I have decided to bring you some inexpensive edibles, all tasty, and all costing less than 20$ for 2 servings at DC supermarket prices.

Now, I will not be providing my recipe for my world-famous gruel (that's a joke, folks), but I will be exploring some great food staples that are also inexpensive (for example: eggs, chicken thighs, flank steak, and rice). And don't worry, I promise everything will be tasty!

N.B.: I will not include spices in the pricing of my meals, so if I use one you don't have around the kitchen, write me, and we'll work out another option!

Please sir, can I have some more?

PS: None of these recipes will involve tea in any way, shape, or form. I promise.