Everyday Omelet

Today I won a battle in my semi-perpetual war to make myself prepare homemade breakfasts for my kids. And I had a major ‘duh’ moment. I made eggs. DUH! The original convenience food. Why do I not break these out for breakfast more often?

Break eggs for breakfast. I crack me up. Oh someone stop me. I’ll have egg on my face if I don’t quit soon.

A nice plate full of high-protein eggs is just the thing these wiggly worms need to eat to settle them down long enough to get math, science, language and handwriting done. Their little bodies are so busy digesting all that lovely protein that it keeps them relatively calm. (Nifty trick to remember if you want to settle your kids for an outing, church, school, etc… )

The kids wolfed down the eggs. I went through –are you ready to hear this? Really ready?– 14 eggs this morning. That was just for the boys. If The Evil Genius hadn’t already been on the way to work you could  have bumped that total by about 4 eggs. And me? I’m not so much a breakfast person. High heresy I know, but I’m more of a “wide-open-IV-drip-of-black-tea” kind of person. Be what you is and not what you is not… But my kids? They require the breakfast on a daily basis. And they require it immediately upon waking. And that is where omelets come in handy.

Much has been written about ‘the perfect omelet’ and how elusive it is. I’m not talking about the perfect omelet here. I’m talking about a really good omelet that is done -start to finish- in five minutes or less. An omelet than can be made to suit the eater’s likes or dislikes. An omelet that can be a vehicle for grated cheese, leftover cooked meat and vegetables, or  served pure as the egg itself with just a sprinkle of salt. In short, it ain’t what I’d serve Thomas Keller if he was visiting -assuming he felt like visiting a house with five wild honyaks and their two nerd parents in Amish country- but it’s a darned good everyday omelet.

For a printable, non-picture laden version of this recipe, click here!

Everyday Omelet

Ingredients:

• 2 large fresh eggs
• 1 Tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• meat, cheese and vegetables for filling, optional
• minced herbs to sprinkle over the top of omelet, optional

Crack eggs into a medium bowl, add milk and whisk until evenly colored and loose. Set aside.

If you are making filled omelets, dice and gently heat any meat or vegetables you will be using as filling. If using cheese, make sure it’s already grated. Omelets, like stir-fries, go like a run-away train once started. If you don’t have something ready to go before starting to cook those eggs you’re better off leaving it out. Omelets wait for no man. Or woman.

In a  non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium-low to medium heat until bubbly but not brown. Add eggs and use a silicone spatula to gently push the egg around the pan, scraping the bottom, while swirling the pan to fill in the open spaces with liquid egg.

Do this just until there is not enough liquid egg to fill in any more spaces.

Use the spatula to neaten up the edges of the omelet…

…and allow to cook, untouched for about 1 minute. At this point you can go any of the following ways:

For a flat omelet that is firm all the way through: Slide omelet onto a plate and invert back into the pan. Continue to cook until desired doneness is reached.

For a folded, plain omelet that is firm, but not brown: Turn one third of the omelet into the center using the spatula. Slide the omelet toward the edge, so that the unfolded part is up against the lip of the pan.

Again, use the spatula to help turn the upturned part of the omelet toward the center. Slide the omelet, seam side down, onto a plate and tent with foil for 3 minutes. Remove foil and serve.

For a folded, filled omelet that is firm: Sprinkle desired fillings over the center third of the omelet. Fold the omelet using the instructions for the folded plain omelet that is firm.

For a folded, filled omelet that is slightly custardy in the center: Sprinkle desired fillings over the center third of the omelet. Fold the omelet using the instructions for the folded plain omelet. Slide onto the plate, seam side down, and serve immediately.

If you like, and I do, you can sprinkle the top of the omelet with minced parsley or other green herbs. My eldest boys like a little marjoram on top of their omelets. But this is strictly optional. Especially for that child who ‘hates the green stuff so much’.

Need some inspiration on what to use for filling in your omelet? Pick something from each category and experiment a little. It’s hard to go too far wrong with such a nice canvas…

Meats:

• Diced or thinly sliced chicken
• roast beef
• ham or turkey
• leftover taco meat
• leftover sloppy joe or loosemeat filling

Vegetables:

• Steamed or sauteed broccoli
• leftover small-diced homefries
• roasted potatoes
• asparagus-any-old-which-way
• caramelized onions
• wilted greens like spinach or kale
• shaved sauteed fennel

Cheeses:

• Cheddar
• mozzarella
• Parmesan
• Romano
• Stilton
• bleu cheese
• Munster
• Swiss

Some of my favorites:

• Ham, caramelized onions and Swiss cheese.
• Roast beef, fennel and mozzarella.
• Taco meat, avocado and Cheddar.
• Roast pork, broccoli and Munster.