Okay, this is what I have going.

I need to feed four but not four that eat like me but rather four reasonable to smallish portion eaters.

I want to prepare something ahead of time in my medium sized cast iron skillet that I can finish, or reheat, (up to two more hours), in that skillet and in a convection oven.

I really do want to keep it on the not so difficult side but would like it to be something just a little bit out of the ordinary.

Eggs would be fine as this would be served mid morning while some of us do eat breakfast but also some of us lean toward lunch food.

Any good suggestions will be very much appreciated. If you don’t want to waste your time typing out a complete recipe, just hit me with the idea and if it catches me then I will hit you for the complete recipe. Or feel free to post the recipe as I don’t mind trying out some different ideas.

Oh and no mushrooms in the recipe please. Or at least make it so that I can omit the mushrooms.

Help a huddle brother out.

chili with cornbread

fritta (can make the egg mixture in advance..doesn't take too long to bake)

paella or creole


while most things cn be done in advance and then reheated... don know if i'd want to start something in the skillet. stop the cooking. then continue later.

Does it have to be in a skillet?

Because this is a perfect situation for a strata.

Chili with cornbread was/is on my own short list. I hate to admit this but I am not sure what a fritta is. Having said that, it sounds like it would be a good choice since it is an egg mixture and would not take long to pop in the convection oven and serve. Now as much as I did not want to say that I did not know what a fritta was, (I sort of think I might have a clue on the fritta), I really don't know what a paella or creole is. I will do a quick google on both and will know soon but I am willing to bet that I am going to ask for recipe before long as you always seem to have great ideas for me. I really wish I had my icq up and running.


Now it does not have to be in the skillet but I sort of want to do it in the skillet. If there was a great idea that would need me to get out of the skillet, then I would.

Now correct me if I am wrong, a strata is pretty much an omelet and in fact maybe a fritta is also pretty much an omelet. With a strata you pretty much fry off all the stuff that you would be putting in the omelet but mix it together with the egg and cheese and then cook?

Bier, is the fritta pretty much the same thing? Do you put potatoes in one or the other or even both?

You're welcome.

One of the four already eats those things so that idea is out.

You don't have to be ashamed. They're delish.

sorry..my typing is crap... frittata= italian omelette, but instead of folding it over moderate heat.... you cook it over lower heat and finish in over (or undr broiler) and is round vs flat. i usually do them with cream...mix in whatever ingredients and just let it ride.... also not best with a skillet, but it can work.

That's what I thought it was, Bier. I actually make a version of them all the time at home but I just call it an omelette. I think frittata's have potatoes or cubes of toast in them but I never made it that way.

If you have a good idea for frittata that may be different than the way I do them, please post and that may be what I will do.

This is a simple Strata recipe.

Are you willing to use a second pan in addition to the skillet? I have a recipe for a fluffly omelet topped with an asian garlic sauce containing tomatoes and peas.

I could Kid but really I don't think that I want to do the second pan. At this point I am leaning pretty much toward either a chili for a brunch food or frittata/omelet/strata.

I like to make an omelet that is made up of:
8 eggs
1 cup milk
half of a sleeve of crackers crumbled up
3/4 lb of cheese + or - but cubed or shredded. (I go a few different ways with the cheese depending on who is eating)
anywhere from 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound of good hard salami.

Cook off the salami and put aside.
In a large mixing bowl mix all the other ingredients together adding salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into a skillet and cook over a low heat until down.

That is our Sunday football omelet and it goes over pretty well in the Skippy house. If there are some neat tweaks that you Iron Chefs can see to do with that same omelet foundation then I am all ears. I guess I could do the potato layer and cubed bread layer with this same deal. Put it in the fridge over night and then bake in the oven???

method is right on skip. i go with cream or 1/2 & 1/2. mix that together.

flavor combos:
- tomato, basil, garlic (shreaded mozz or fontina)
- spinach, chevre or feta
- onion, bacon (shreaded cheddar or gouda....or asadero)
- carmelized onion (blue or gorgonzola)
- prosciutto with shaved parm
- grand marinier, cheddar, broccoli

You know the next time I see you I'm making that for ya even if we have to go invade some restaurant's kitchen.

Bier or anyone for that matter - have we ever tried one of these with a layer of potato on the bottom of the dish? I never have but I am really thinking about doing it that way. My day was to be tomorrow but it has been pushed back to Thursday and I have decided to do the egg dish. Not sure which combo just yet but leaning on the onion, bacon, cheddar combo at the moment.

i have not done it with potatoes, but have at it. i think if i were to do that, i'd use a mandoline and slice it very thinly.

Went with the onion, bacon, cheddar combo and left the potatoe's out. It was a hugh hit but I think I went a little overboard with the bacon as I just fell you can't miss with bacon.

Thanks for the help and suggestions. I will be having another round at this in a few weeks so fell free to pop in another idea if one strikes you.