Omelet With 3 Variations

Break the eggs into a bowl, add half-and-half, season with salt and pepper and beat lightly with a fork.

Melt butter over medium-low heat in a small nonstick skillet. Add eggs and cook 12 minutes mixing constantly with a wooden spoon to ensure the bottom cooks without browning. Cook 2 minutes more without mixing. The omelet is ready when it begins to dry around the edges but is still soft in the center.

Remove pan from heat, top with filling (see below) and fold in half.

u Sausage and Tomato Omelet: Add 1/4 cup crumbled cooked sausage and 2 tablespoons diced tomatoes to the above recipe. Cook them in a pan with the melted butter until hot; add the egg mixture, and proceed according to above directions.

u Spinach and Feta Cheese Omelet: Warm 1/4 cup chopped, cooked spinach with 1/4 teaspoon dill weed in a separate pan, with 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese. Prepare omelet as indicated above, adding the warmed spinach mixture just before folding in half.

u Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Omelet: Make omelet as indicated in basic recipe above, adding 3 teaspoons of cream cheese and 2 tablespoons chopped smoked salmon just before folding. Garnish with chopped chives.

This recipe yields 2 servings.