Do your kids like scrambled eggs? Chances are yes, most kids do. (If not, so sorry, this post is just not for for you.)  If they do like them, then this may be your ticket to introducing new flavors and ingredients.  Just like chicken, eggs are a great blank protein slate…guess it’s not so surprising, since they’re related.  Pretty much every culture has eggs in their cuisine, so you know that they are adaptable to all kinds of different seasonings.

This is a great place to let your kids get creative, too, in terms of making up their own recipes.  My younger son invented a recipe he called Charlie’s Olive Percenter (because it’s 100% good, says he).  It’s scrambled eggs with sliced green olives with pimentos mixed in, and after they are cooked up and put on the plate, they are covered with thinly sliced cool fresh cucumbers.  A lovely salty/refreshing/hot/cold medley.  We eat it all the time.

Need some pointers on basic scrambled eggs?  No problem. There are a few schools of thought on this.  One has to do with very long slow low cooking, but frankly in my house when scrambled eggs are being made, there are hungry kids at the table, and often an imminent school bell about to ring (if not literally, you get the gist).  So I go for medium-high heat, and lots of stirring.  But not too much, because I like the fluffy lumps that appear, and I don’t like them too broken up.

Here’s what to do:

First of all, don’t add anything to basic scrambled eggs except a tiny bit of salt, and some freshly ground pepper, if you like.  Crack open the eggs into a bowl, anywhere from 1-3 per person. You know your audience, season lightly with salt (and pepper if you like) and beat with a whisk or a fork until fully blended and a little frothy.

Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray if you have it (this just makes clean up easier) and heat over medium-high heat.  Add the butter (about 1 teaspoon per 2 or 3 eggs), let it melt, and swirl it around.  Pour in the eggs.  Using a spatula or a flat wooden spoon, keep scraping against the bottom of the pan, pausing every few pushes to let them set again,  Break apart any very large pieces large pieces as they form, and start flipping them to cook the running top parts.  Stop slightly before they are done to your liking and turn them on to the plates - they’ll continue to cook a bit off of the heat.  Season with more salt and pepper to taste, as you like.

So, now you have the basic recipe down.  What can you add?  Here are some ideas. The amounts are for 6 eggs, which usually feed 2-3 people.  For simplicity’s sake, just know that the following can be simply  stirred right into the beaten eggs before they are added to the pan.  You can get more elaborate with the way you add the these in, but then we’re talking omelets, and today, we are not talking omelets.

So alone, or in combination:

• 1/2 cup chopped cooked broccoli or spinach
• 1/3 cup shredded or crumbled cheese (like cheddar, feta, fontina, Swiss, Gouda, or goat cheese)
• 1/4 cup minced onion or scallion
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, cumin,or dried oregano, basil or thyme (or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh, if you have it)
• 1/2 cup chopped ham
• 1/3 cup chopped tomato
• 1 tablespoon slivered sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped olives

And after plain or more elaborate eggs are scrambled, try topping with:

• 1-2 tablespoons salsa
• 1-2 tablespoons chutney
• 1 tablespoon low-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chili

And by all means, when you think leftovers, think eggs — they are a great way to use things up.