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These mini frittatas are super simple and a great way to spend a little weekend time preparing for the busy work week. I feel like I’m always running short on time in the mornings, so whenever I can make breakfast in advance, I go for it.

Frittatas are also a great way to use up extra eggs and vegetables that you don’t want to spoil. They’re a flexible recipe, so you can change them up depending on which ingredients you have around. Spinach, tomatoes, peppers, onions, even sausage or chopped up bacon will all work well as fillers.

You can also bake them a number of different ways–I like to use my silicone baking cups, but they work just as well in a buttered muffin pan (or even a pie/tart pan, if you’re having company over and want a regular frittata). Use them for a quick breakfast, or serve them as an appetizer or brunch side.
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Mini Veggie Frittatas

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• pinch of black pepper
• pinch of kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons of milk or cream
• 1 medium tomato or 4-6 cherry tomatoes, diced
• two green onions, thinly sliced
• a bell pepper (any color), diced
• a handful of cheese (I used goat cheese)
• a generous pinch of chopped herbs (I used basil)

Set your oven at 370º F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs with the kosher salt and black pepper until smooth and frothy. Whisk in the milk (or cream), then add the veggies, herbs, and cheese and stir until well mixed.

Use a 1/4 measuring cup to fill your baking cups (or muffin tin) so they are 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 15-20 minutes (until the egg is firm and just slightly browned on top).

Allow to cool, then place in a resealable bowl or bag and keep in the fridge. They’ll be good for 3-4 days (if they make it that long–I made these Sunday and they’re already gone, with a little help from Mr. Jones and his midnight cravings). To reheat, just place in the oven or a toaster oven for 2-3 minutes.

Growing up, my absolute favorite meal was my Mom’s Chicken Enchiladas. It was my go-to choice for birthdays, good report cards, and other “you get to pick dinner” events. Gooey cheese, tortillas, amazing sauce–the beginning of a combination that majorly excited my picky appetite.

I’ve made it a number of times since leaving home, and discovered that not only do I still love it just as much, but it’s a great make-ahead meal. You can get everything ready and in the casserole dish, then just refrigerate it until you’re ready to pop it in the oven. It also reheats really well, so it can be a great dish to take to a sick friend or new mom.

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients
• 2 or 3 chicken breasts, boiled and diced
• 2 diced medium tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 6 – 8 flour tortillas
• 10 oz. grated Monterey Jack cheese
•  4 oz. sour cream
• 1/2 cup homemade cream of mushroom soup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute the onions in a tablespoon of olive or coconut oil over medium heat until clear. Add the chicken, tomatoes, cumin and garlic salt and heat until warmed through. Place a few tablespoons of the mixture on a tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. Roll up the tortilla tightly and place in a buttered casserole dish.

Combine the sour cream and cream of mushroom soup. When all the tortillas are in the pan, spread the sauce over top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly (20 to 25 minutes).

I love goat cheese. I love it on soups, I love it on crackers, and I really really love it on wraps. So when we started getting raw goat milk from a local source, I knew that making cheese was somewhere on the horizon.

But it had to be complicated, right? When I read about cheese-making, there’s enzymes and rennet and special molds and all sorts of other crazy words.

Thankfully, cheese is only complicated if you want it to be. I discovered this when I had a quart of goat milk left after a busy week and I knew it would start turning into buttermilk if I didn’t do something with it soon. I had a few hours before I was heading to bed, so I decided, “Hey, I’m making goat cheese.”

The internet is a wonderful thing. After some googling, I found this wonderful recipe. Goat milk? Check. Fresh lemon juice? Double check.

It was easy—and by easy, I mean really really easy. I did most of this in while watching LOST. And it is oh so delicious. In fact, you definitely need to have crackers (and maybe a baguette) so you can do some instant sampling once you’re finished.

Homemade Goat Cheese

Ingredients:
• 1 quart goat milk (you can use pasteurized, but raw is the best—check here or at your local farmer’s market)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 clove freshly grated garlic
• coarse salt, to taste
• optional: freshly chopped parsley or other herbs (rosemary, chives, etc.)

Method:
Slowly bring the milk to 180 degrees (use a candy thermometer to check the temp). Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, then let stand until the milk begins to curdle (about 20 seconds). It won’t be super lumpy, but you’ll see the texture change (note the small curds on my spoon in the picture).

Line a colander with several pieces of cheesecloth (you can get this at any grocery store) and set inside a large bowl. Ladle the milk into the colander, allowing a moment for the liquid (whey*) to drain through.

Once all the milk has been ladled into the cheese cloth, gather the four corners of the cheesecloth and tie to the middle of a wooden spoon. Set over a stockpot or deep bowl and allow to drip for about 1.5 hours.

Remove the cheese and place in a bowl: fold in salt, garlic, and herbs (if using). Your cheese is ready! It will last up to a week (refrigerated) in an airtight bowl, although if you’re using fresh herbs you’ll probably want to use it in the next three days. Of course, it’s so tasty that ours is usually gone after a day or two.

*Save your whey in a glass container—it will last for three weeks and is great for soaking grains so that they are easier to digest and better for your system.