Amanda Freitag's Favorite Easter Recipe Is An Ode To Spring - Exclusive

If there's anyone who can pull off a picture-perfect meal in a pinch, it's Amanda Freitag. The "Chopped" judge is an expert on making magic from limited ingredients, though her culinary skills extend far beyond The Food Network. Her cookbook, "The Chef Next Door," highlights several of her stellar home recipes, such as St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage. In a recent interview with Mashed for the 15th anniversary of "Chopped," Freitag discussed some of her favorite springtime dishes in-depth. "I actually devoted the [corned beef] recipe in my cookbook to my mom," Freitag told Mashed. "Because no matter what, even though the cookbook has been out for years, she still calls me before St. Patrick's Day and says, 'How long do I cook my corned beef? What do I put in it? Should I put beer?' I said, 'Mom, look at the recipe.'"

Of course, corned beef and cabbage is just one seasonal favorite that Freitag has perfected. If you're looking for more spring menu inspiration, the chef has another festive recipe that's practically guaranteed to wow your dinner guests. Seasonal produce like asparagus and artichokes are synonymous with spring, and Freitag whips them together to create one eggs-ceptional entree that's perfect for Easter. But perhaps best of all, this recipe is so simple that you'll never forget it — just add these beautiful spring vegetables to an omelet.

When we think of Easter, we think of all of our favorite dishes, from braided bread and hot cross buns to deviled eggs and bunny cakes. Such showy recipes are a delight for the senses, even if they do require a fair amount of preparation. That might explain why we're so smitten with Amanda Freitag's favorite Easter recipe. Not only is the chef's savory addition to the table a gorgeous celebration of seasonal spring ingredients, but it's also super easy to cook. For Freitag's Insta-worthy dish, all you really need to know how to do is make a classic omelet recipe. From there, you'll simply layer in some pops of green.

"I get really excited around Easter time when spring is upon us, and asparagus and artichokes and all of those things are out and about," Freitag told Mashed. "I usually like to go seriously green around that time of year. I combine it all; then I make a delicious asparagus omelet, right? Eggs always represent Easter. And that's my jam." Speaking of jam, there are several ways to jazz up this omelet aside from serving it with some classic toast and jelly. Try adding a handful of arugula or flavored goat cheese to the mix, or garnish your eggs with some verdant chopped chives.

Keep up with the latest from Amanda Freitag at her website.