Monday, December 12, 2011

Things I've Learned about Making An Omelette

For the last four months, I've had the same breakfast most days. I'm a big believer in the maxim that you should standardize one of your meals, especially if you are trying to lose weight or monitor your intake. My two-egg and cheese omelette has 220 calories, and it staves off hunger for hours. I reached my goal weight last week (GOOOOAAAAL!), but I'm still eating the same things, pretty much. Now I'm making this breakfast for Matt every day, and all modesty aside, I have gotten really good at it.

The Lord laid it on my heart to tell you this. Honestly, I was just now standing in my kitchen, and I thought, "I need to speak to my people of these things." Now that I remember, my dad tells a story of the only time he thinks God spoke to him, and it was to tell him to get my mom to eat a good breakfast every day. For real.

So:

1) Use a small pan. I have some kind of "green" nonstick pan. I hope this means that the nonstick coating isn't killing us.

2) I put a little olive oil, like not even a teaspoon, in the pan first.

3) Let the pan get hot before pouring your beaten eggs in. I did this wrong for about two months and the whole mess stuck like crazy. Hot pan.

4) Use a soft silicone spatula to nudge the cooked edges in and let the runny egg take its place.

5) Add your sprinkling of cheese to one half of the omelette, or a little chopped tomato if you go that way.

6) Use your soft spatula to fold the omelette over, lightly and gently, like you're covering up a baby.

Enjoy in health.

I had some other post for you but OBVIOUSLY this is more important, as it concerns eggs and cheese.

Happy Monday.

19 comments:

Elizabeth said...

How many eggs?

Hootie said...

Perhaps it was a chicken that laid this on your heart.

Becky said...

Bawk BAWK!

Elizabeth: two eggs.

Michele said...

GOAL!!!!!

I have a love affair going with eggs these days. JR was pining for waffles this weekend. I made them under duress.

Becky said...

Waffles. WAFFLES! One of my more insufferable moments recently involved waffles. Matt was lifting a fork full of freezer waffles to his mouth, and I said, "Is that the best way you could be nourishing your body right now?" He just looked at me. That look said a lot.

Aimee said...

Absolutely! I had to read & see if you do it the same way I do, and you know what...we're OMELETTE TWINS!

Okay, or not. We both make them "correctly," but that's not nearly so fun and twee.

Yay for GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAL!!!!!!! Yes, keep eating that way, just add in a little more cheese to help balance it out and keep you maintaining, rather than losing. Or a gingerbread man every day or two. 'Tis the season.

Veronica said...

My technique is a little different. I say, "Patrick, will you make me an omelette?" And then one appears, and I eat it.

Amy said...

Heh! I forgot that story about Dad. Also there's the one where he was trying to put out the fire in the empty lot and he asked God to help him even though he didn't believe in God. That's a REALLY good story.

I'm gonna try this omelette. I need to change things up a bit. Jason is a bit advocate of the silicone spatula but I'm not feeling the love yet. I think it leaves too much egg behind. NO EGG LEFT BEHIND! Your thoughts?

I can't believe you said that to Matt. Who are you and what have you done with my sister?

Beth said...

My husband would say something like that to me when I was eating a Zinger or something.

Hmmm, now, I had heard the old adage, "hot pan, cool oil." That is, heat up the pan, but not *with* the oil, then pour the oil in and immediately the egg, without letting the oil heat up. Any thoughts on this?

I am happy and envious of your goal weight. I haven't even started working towards mine.

Becky said...

V, your method is way better. Don't know if it will work from here.

Amy, that IS a good story. Somebody needs to tell that story.

Beth said...

The NY Times on the temp of oil and pan issue:

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/harold-mcgee-responds-part-2/

Becky said...

Beth, we were commenting at the exact same time. Didn't mean to seem like I was ignoring you! You with your provocative oil in pan issue!

Hmm, I was taught that if you put fat in the pan while they're both cold, you're oiling the pan. If you put it in later, you're oiling the food. What he is saying makes sense for high heat/long cooking time, but I don't know if that applies to the omelette situation. Maybe someone can clarify (heh, like butter, get it??)There are some situations where you want to be oiling the food, I would think.

Beth said...

Hmmm, very interesting. The intricacies! I must ask some of my foodie friends and see what they think. Alternatively (although with a green pan this may not be an issue) someone suggested that you shouldn't heat up a non-stick pan without oil in it.

Michele R said...

I usually use a pat of real butter (well, hello, Paula Dean) but today I took your advice and used olive oil. But added torn up fresh spinach. And a little chopped green pepper. Where's the vegetable love??

Lisa Lilienthal said...

I love that you eat eggs every day. My parents/inlaws are of the generation that was scared away from eggs by their "high" cholesterol but I agree with you - they will keep you full for a long time! I sometimes do one "jumbo" egg with a generous splash of egg whites (I buy the little carton of whites at Trader Joe's) and it is very satisfying!

Rebekah said...

Congratulations on reaching your goal. I think I have a goal in mind, but I haven't actually really put forth effort to reach that destination. Thanks for the inspiration and the egg cooking technique tips too!

Laurie from Laurie Jones Home said...

Everything is good when you add cheese to it! Sadly, I suck at omelette making! Luckily my husband doesn't!

Hootie said...

Remind me not to tell my children any stories about my inner life. Not without a non-disclosure agreement, anyway.

I did have a friend whose mother asked God to help her find her lost diamond earring and then she found it. I was l little disappointed in The Man Upstairs... how will we ever learn to keep up with our own stuff?

Star said...

For an authentic Italian version, called a "frittata," instead of folding over half of the flat-cooked egg mixture, you turn the whole thing over like a pancake.