When your parents are busy working and you are therefore forced to become a latchkey kid, you make due. You come home to an empty apartment, your t.v. becomes your best friend and your older sister is no longer your sister, but a free babysitter. And food? Food is another issue. After-school hunger is only cured by what is leftover in the fridge, any snacks hidden in the cupboards, or if you are adept with a fork and a skillet, an easy, meager dish of scrambled eggs.

This was the first meal I ever made for myself. It required two eggs, a skillet, a slab of butter, and a fork. No bowl was necessary to mix the eggs beforehand. I whipped those babies in said skillet, eliminating the need to wash out yet another dish. I believe Kenny Shopsin calls eggs made this way a ‘Country Scramble’. I think I was just too lazy to deal with eating and then having to clean up afterwards.

Now, I know the idea of making scrambled eggs is not a profound one. But when you are six years old and dealing with a stove top you are not allowed to touch, the feat of serving yourself something to eat was a thrill. It was new and exciting like receiving something you always wanted and not having to ask for it. The whole process of cooking, the heating of the pan, the slow melting of butter, and the sound of eggs sizzling, was somehow fascinating to me. And like many kids my age, I was a pyromaniac in training, except my fascination with the stove proved more useful than deadly.

I felt like a mini-adult with the skill to handle not only a gas-powered appliance, but the ability to cook myself a simple meal. And at that moment, there seemed to be endless possibilities when it came to after-school snacking. Give me a frying pan and I could give you eggs in a matter of minutes. Give me white bread and I could turn out a plate of french toast with a heavy coating of syrup. The whole world was my culinary experiment and apparently the kitchen was my own reputable diner serving the best of the best in breakfast foods. My next feat? Passing the first grade without feeling like a complete weirdo, a task that proved a lot harder than a plate of ‘Country Scramble’.

Grown-up Potato Frittata with Tomato and Scallion

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Cut two medium sized potatoes (any variety will do). Drop into cold, salted water and boil until fork tender, about eight to ten minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Whip four eggs in the blender with a bit of water and milk until doubled in volume. Chop about a 1/2 cup of scallions and add to egg mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add boiled potatoes to oven proof skillet with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Cook until evenly browned on all sides. Add egg and scallion mixture. Top with ripe, chopped tomato.
• Bake in oven for 10 -15 minutes. Enjoy!

Note: If you like spice, add a bit of red chili flakes to the egg mixture or pan-fry your potatoes in chili infused oil. Or, since it’s a fairly free world, do both.