Setting:  Our kitchen, this morning

Sophie:   I do not like Green Eggs and Ham.

Mom:  Try them, try them – I’ve got the cam.

Sophie:  Say – I do like these Green Eggs and Ham! (especially the ham)

Dr. Seuss’s birthday is getting a lot of play this year (thanks to “The Lorax” release today), so I expect there will be quite a few green eggs and ham on breakfast menus this weekend. Food coloring’s one way to go, but this morning I thought I’d capitalize on all the marketing to help sneak some spinach into my kids’ diet. Auntie Jo’s famous spinach frittata was the perfect, all-natural Green Eggs vehicle. It also happens to be a great lunch, brunch or open house dish, because it can be served hot, cold or at room temperature. This recipe is sort of a hybrid between a frittata (open-faced omelette) and a strata (casserole made with bread & eggs); I think it’s easier to make than both. Auntie Jo’s frittatas always seem to taste a little better than mine – most likely because recipes that are passed along from person to person sometimes suffer from the “telephone game” fate. (That, or she has accidentally omitted a secret ingredient . . . ) Nonetheless, this is an easy and tasty recipe worth trying.

Auntie Jo’s Spinach Frittata

• 1 10-oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 3-4 slices bread, torn or processed into crumbs (about 1 ½ cups)
• 3 large (or extra large) eggs
• ¼ cup grated kasseri or romano cheese (I used romano; can never find kasseri)
• ¼ cup grated Monterrey jack cheese or cheddar/jack mix
• 2 Tablespoons cottage or ricotta cheese (I used a single-serve container of cottage cheese)
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• Few grinds black pepper
• Additional grated cheddar, parmesan, romano or jack for topping

[For a spanakopita-flavored variant, sauté 1/2 cup chopped onion in a little olive oil; add spinach and 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill. Substitute feta for the cottage cheese.]

Heat oven to 350ºF. Squeeze most of the water out of the thawed spinach. Pulse bread slices in a food processor, or tear into small pieces.

In a mixing bowl, beat 3 eggs.

Stir in breadcrumbs, cheeses, salt and pepper.

Then stir in spinach.

Pour mixture into a 9”x9” baking dish or small casserole. (Auntie Jo says to heat casserole with oil first; I don’t do this and don’t have any problems getting the fritatta out of my Pyrex baking dish.)

Sprinkle a small amount (less than ¼ cup) of grated cheese on top; this gives the frittata a nice golden brown color. (I used the cheddar/jack mix with a little bit of additional romano.)

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting into squares or shapes.

This morning I used a biscuit cutter to cut a few pieces into circles; you could also get crazy and scoop some into cleaned out egg shells. [The ham is Canadian bacon, quickly warmed/browned in a nonstick skillet.]

Serves 4 for a main course or 8-10 as an appetizer or side dish. Can be refrigerated for several days.