Frittatas are like quiches without crusts, and that makes them an ideal fast and simple weeknight dinner. They also are the ultimate have-it-your-way meal, and that makes it easy to feed a family of - inevitably - picky eaters. You all get to enjoy the same meal at the same time, but you aren't all wedded to the same ingredients.

To make multiple variations of frittatas for the same meal, I just break it down into multiple pans.

So rather than cook one large frittata as described in this recipe, I divide the recipe between a handful of small skillets, allowing me to customize each - sausage for my son, vegetables for myself, etc.

You can add any combination of vegetables and meat to a frittata. The trick is to make sure everything is cooked before the eggs go in the pan. So if you want mushrooms and onions, they go in the skillet first and cook until nicely browned. Then you season the veggies and add the eggs and any cheese you want. If you skip this step, the vegetables will be undercooked and watery.

Pepper steak frittata

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Servings: 6

12 eggs (or 2 1/4 cups liquid egg whites)

1/4 cup milk

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 large green bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced

5 ounces sliced mushrooms

1 pound shaved steak (also called minute steak)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Hot sauce, to serve

Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Season with about 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Coat a large, deep oven-safe skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high, then add the onion, pepper and mushrooms. Saute until lightly browned and the mushrooms have released their liquid, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the steak and brown for another 6 to 7 minutes. Season with garlic powder and thyme, then spread the steak and vegetables evenly in the pan.

Pour the eggs into the pan, tilting it gently as needed to distribute them. Cook, without stirring, for 3 minutes, or until the bottom begins to set. Sprinkle the cheese over the eggs, then set the skillet on the oven's middle rack. Bake for 10 minutes, or until puffed and browned.

Turn off the oven and let the frittata rest inside it for 4 minutes. Drizzle with hot sauce, if desired, then slice into wedges and serve.

Nutrition information per serving: 320 calories; 140 calories from fat (44 percent of total calories); 16 g fat (6 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 485 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 35 g protein; 740 mg sodium.

J.M. Hirsch is the food editor for The Associated Press.