Whining and Dining in the Kitchen at this Old House

You've burst through the front door, and you are tired and hungry after work. Your family wants to eat now, and you are not in any mood for another round of toast and a can of soup. Redundancies aren't your favorite speciality, but something quick and satisfying is most important. And the fewer ingredients the better.

For each Person (or for 2 little persons to share):
1 8-1/2 inch flour tortilla
2 beaten eggs (add a little milk when scrambling them)
1/2 cup cubed ham or thin slices of deli ham - or -
any other combination of meat you would like
1/3 cup shredded cheese (choose your favorite)
Freshly grated black pepper - optional

You can also add any combination of the following:
Fresh or canned sliced mushrooms
Thin slices of Green or Red Pepper
Thin slices of tomato
Or your favorite vegetables combinations. Your vegetables can be fresh or stir fried before use.

You will need a 7 inch skillet (non-stick works best) with a lid, which should be buttered on the bottom and up the sides and warmed. Place the tortilla into the warmed skillet. It should fit the entire bottom of the skillet and arrange it so that it reaches up the sides as equally as possible.

Gently turn up the heat, but keep it low. The bottom of the tortilla needs to brown slowly and become nice and crispy. Pour in the two scrambled eggs, grate in some black pepper to taste, and arrange the ham, vegetables and sprinkle the cheese on top. Put the lid on and check progress in about 5 minutes and 2 to 3 minutes at a time after that. You can check the side of the tortilla to make certain the heat is not too high. The eggs with meat and vegetable mixture are usually done in about 12 minutes. Your tortilla bottom should be crispy, not burned, it needs to be cooked on low.

When you are ready to serve, a large pancake flipper can be used to flip one side of the filled tortilla over top of its other half and slide it onto a plate. Canned Pineapple rings make a nice side to this.

I suggest that you use two skillets to make two at a time. This is an easy and filling, satisfying meal. Once you feel confident, you might even decide to use more than two skillets. Just watch your timing on each one so that the bottom tortilla crust doesn't burn.

For those of you who are watching your salt intake, read the information on the package before you buy the flour tortillas. I have found that the sodium content varies significantly by brand. Check your shredded cheeses also, or just use a little less cheese. You can also ask at your local deli for a ham that has reduced salt.

Let me know if you found this recipe to be enjoyable.