I think the reason I never get tired of omelets is the same reason I love pizza; the topping possibilities are endless! I always open the refrigerator and make an omelet out of whatever we have but sometimes I like to take a little time to build my cold pantry. By spending 30 minutes on the weekend preparing a few incredible ingredients I am then ready for a last minute, quick, amazing omelet or egg dish anytime with almost no effort.Today’s ingredients are caramelized onions and roasted mushrooms. Caramelized onions sound like a big deal but they are one of the simplest, least expensive and tastiest ways to stock your refrigerator. Slice the onions thin and cook them with a little olive oil and butter over the lowest heat for about thirty minutes (stirring occasionally). The sharp firm onions become soft and sweet with a creamy texture and deep, rich roasted onion flavor. The mushrooms like med-high heat and a touch of olive oil You can sear them like a steak for about ten minutes and then turn the heat down to low for a couple more minutes (stir them occasionally). Both of these ingredients will hold nicely for several days in your refrigerator. You can use them for scrambles, omelets, frittatas, sandwiches, anything!

The basics of omelet making never change. Med-low heat, a touch of butter, and a non stick pan are the tools of perfection. Two eggs whisked with about a TB of water to keep them light and fluffy. A pinch of salt brings out the best flavor of the egg.

In this omelet I am using fontina cheese. It melts quickly and has a mild, rich cow’s milk flavor that goes beautifully with the earthy flavor of the mushrooms and the sweetness of the onions. You can use any cheese you have on hand as well.

Use your scrapper to “paint” the bottom of the pan allowing more of the wet egg to fill the space you created. Each time you drag the scrapper across the bottom of the pan your create light fluffily folds of tender egg. No stirring please. When you have just a touch of liquid left turn off the heat and fill your omelet. The residual heat will finish cooking the eggs. Fold the omelet over using your scraper and tilt the pan so gravity does the work for you. Once folded over you can then tip the pan and roll the omelet onto the plate. Top with herbs or spice of your liking or eat as is. Enjoy!

America’s egg farmers are searching for the next Incredible Person! You can share videos of you and/or your child’s extraordinary mind/body talents and skills on www.incredibleegg.org. The winner will have a chance to appear in an incredible edible egg ad along with other great prizes, including a year’s supply of eggs and a donation of 10,000 eggs to the winner’s local food bank of choice! On top of that, America’s egg farmers will match every video uploaded by donating one egg to Feeding America!

Eat Well, Enjoy life, Be happy

I still remember vividly being a kid and going to Sunday brunch with the family. It was always a big deal to get dressed up. The idea of the buffet was so grand and something to really look forward to. All I can eat and an entire dessert table!! One of my favorites was, and still is eggs Benedict. It is such a perfect balance of flavors and textures. The first thing that would catch my eye would be the two perfectly poached eggs perched proudly on top of the crispy English muffins. The gown of Hollandaise was protecting the yolks until I was ready. A gently push with my fork and the luscious egg yolk would run out and combine with the Hollandaise to create the perfect sauce. The slightly crisp asparagus added the perfect bit of resistance to the otherwise silky texture. The slices of ham made it a balanced meal adding a touch of salt and that wonderful pork flavor.

We don’t do many buffets now but we do like to enjoy a great brunch at home on the weekends as a family. If you keep a couple hard-cooked eggs in the refrigerator this recipe is even quicker. My quick and much healthier version of a Hollandaise is as follows.

Puree two hard-cooked egg yolks in a blender with 1 Tb of lemon juice, 1 Tb water, a pinch of salt and a couple drops of mustard. Puree to smooth. There is no butter like a traditional Hollandaise so it is a much easier, quicker process yet the result has the same luxurious mouth feel.

Toast your English muffins. Top with your choice of ham, asparagus or whatever you like, then the poached eggs(you can absolutely use fried eggs as well). Waterfall your “hollandaise” over the top and enjoy! If you want instructions on how to poach eggs check out my blog on poaching eggs www.jeffreysaad.com . I just saw a Modern Marvels episode on the History Channels. They did an entire piece on the incredible egg. Not only was it very interesting but they recommended 4-7 eggs per week per person as part of a balanced, healthy diet. There is nothing better than being told what I love to eat is also good for me. Enjoy your eggs.

New News – America’s egg farmers are searching for the next Incredible Person! You can share videos of you and/or your child’s extraordinary mind/body talents and skills on www.incredibleegg.org. The winner will have a chance to appear in an incredible edible egg ad along with other great prizes, including a year’s supply of eggs and a donation of 10,000 eggs to the winner’s local food bank of choice! On top of that, America’s egg farmers will match every video uploaded by donating one egg to Feeding America!

Eat Well, Enjoy life, Be happy