Best Spinach & Cheese Omelet - Video Recipe

Veggies wrapped in creamy scrambled eggs is a great way to start the day. And adding your fave cheese is over-the-top decadence. A Spinach and Cheese Omelet is one of my favorite breakfasts. Go ahead and dig in below.

Play it here. Video runs 1 minute 39 seconds.

It comes together quickly, as fresh spinach sauteed in a hot pan only takes a minute to become tender.

Click on any photo to see larger.

You can use thawed frozen spinach or spinach from a can, too. Just make sure to drain any packaged or canned cooked spinach, or the omelet will be too soggy.

Any cheese you have on hand can go into this omelet. I used a mild soft white French cheese, but go ahead and fill the omelet with good old American cheese, or even pungent Swiss or feta cheese.

For the eggs, I like to scramble them first in a bowl, then pour into a low to medium-hot pan. Not too hot because I want to catch the eggs while they are slightly moist before I fold the omelet over the sauteed spinach and cheese.

Of course, cook the omelet the way you like it; old-school truckstop or diner-style with a slight crusty brown on the outside and solid on the inside. It's all deliciously good!

I went all out and topped the omelet with a pat of butter, and chopped chives from my small garden.

All the ingredients are the right price for this penny-pinching egg-flipper. Lately, I get an eight-pack of eggs from my local Dollar Tree and fresh spinach from the 99c only Store. I get cheese from both budget stores.

This is an omelet filled with greens made quickly while the coffee is still percolating. So go ahead and start the day with this cheap$kate breakfast, a 99 Cent Chef Spinach and Cheese Omelet.

Ingredients (one large omelet)

• 3 eggs - okay to make it a 2 egg omelet. I used medium size eggs.
• Spinach leaves - about a handful or a packed cup. Okay to use frozen or canned spinach, just make sure to drain the spinach or your omelet will be very soggy. 
• Cheese - about a slice, but add as much or little as you like. Okay to use any favorite cheese, like: mozzarella, Swiss, Jack, string, cheddar, or plain American.
• Butter - about 1 teaspoon. Okay to use a favorite cooking oil.
• Salt and pepper to taste. I find that cheese is salty enough for me, so I just sprinkle on some pepper.
• I finished omelet with some fresh chopped chives - optional.

Directions

Prepare cheese if necessary. Slice or crumble cheese.

I just saute and stir spinach leaves in a medium-hot pan until tender. The leaves will collapse and moisten. As soon as the spinach is soft remove from pan. Wipe the pan clean if necessary.

Add 2 to 3 eggs to a bowl, I made mine with 3 medium-sized eggs. Whisk eggs to blend well.

Over medium heat, add a teaspoon of butter or fave oil to omelet pan. Spread oil or butter over bottom of pan.

Pour in beaten eggs into medium/hot pan. Lightly scramble eggs. Let the omelet cook until eggs are starting to firm up, but still wet. It takes a minute or two, depending on heat of pan and how many eggs you used.

Spread out eggs to cover bottom of omelet pan as eggs firm up.

Add cheese first so it will melt quicker, and lay on the cooked (and, if necessary, drained) spinach.

Gently roll the omelet to cover cheese and spinach. If you are cooking old school, just fold it in half. Cook omelet to desired doneness, about another 30 seconds to a minute. It's up to you how well done the omelet turns out.

Just slice into the thickest part of the omelet to check for preferred doneness. Of course, you can cook the omelet any way you like. A hot omelet will continue to cook until eaten.

I finish the Spinach & Cheese Omelet with a little black pepper, a pat of butter and fresh sliced green chives (optional.)

It's okay to use your fave omelet cooking technique, like just letting egg firm in the pan without scrambling. Adding cheese and spinach when the egg is firm, then folding it in half. Click here to see my truck stop diner-style omelet.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Avocado & Cheese Omelet - Video Recipe

We get some crazy sale prices on avocados out here on the West Coast, everything from a couple of dollars per large avocado, to six tiny ones for a buck.

Click on any photo to see larger.

I usually make a guacamole, or add sliced avocado to my burgers, sandwiches and of course salads. Sometimes I load an omelet with avocado and melty cheese -- what a decadent way to start the day!

You can see how easy and quick it is to make by watching my Avocado & Cheese Omelet recipe video right here:

Play it here. Video runs 1 minute 51 seconds.

My local Latin grocery has the best avocado deals closest to home. They come in all sizes, but the smallest ones are cheapest and just big enough for a single serving. I find large avocados just too much of a good thing, unless I'm throwing a taco party, where no avocado will go to waste.

I get cheese at my local Dollar Tree and 99c only Stores. You can use any favorite cheese you have on hand, or find on sale. The main thing is that the cheese is soft enough to melt. I've used everything from string cheese to cheddar and mozzarella.

Eggs aren't as cheap as they used to be, but are still a good value, at least nutrition-wise. And sometimes I can get a dozen, or half dozen, medium eggs at my local Dollar Tree.

For this recipe I made a damp, French-style omelette. First mix all the eggs, then you gently scramble until they just start to firm up.

Spread out the eggs to cover bottom of omelet pan, and while egg is still damp, add slices of avocado and cheese. Finally fold omelet to close it. At this point you continue cooking until omelet reaches desired doneness. I like mine a little damp in the middle, but you can cook it all the way through, too.

It's okay to use any favorite omelet cooking style you like. If you are worried about damp egg omelet, then just cook it firm, like an old school truck stop diner. This omelet is more about the yummy avocado and cheese embellishments.

When avocados come on sale, do try my delish Avocado & Cheese Omelet.

Ingredients (one large omelet)

• 3 eggs - okay to make it a 2 egg omelet. I used medium size eggs.
• 1/2 avocado sliced - I used half an small avocado per omelet.
• Cheese - about a slice, but add as much or little as you like. Okay to use any favorite cheese, like: mozzarella, Swiss, Jack, string, cheddar, or plain American.
• Butter - about 1 teaspoon. Okay to use a favorite cooking oil.
• Salt and pepper to taste. I find that cheese is salty enough for me, so I just sprinkle on some pepper.

Directions
Open and remove avocado seed. Slice into avocado halves and scoop out flesh. It is up to you how thick to slice avocado.

Prepare cheese if necessary. Slice or crumble cheese.

Add 2 to 3 eggs to a bowl, I made mine with 3 medium sized eggs. Whisk eggs to blend well.

Over medium heat, add a teaspoon of butter or fave oil to omelet pan. Spread oil or butter over bottom of pan.

Pour in beaten eggs into medium/hot pan. Lightly scramble eggs. Let the omelet cook until eggs are starting to firm up, but still wet. It takes a minute or two, depending on heat of pan and how many eggs you used.

Spread out eggs to cover bottom of omelet pan as eggs firm up.

I sprinkle on the cheese first so it will melt, then add slices of avocado.

Gently fold the omelet in half. Cook omelet to desired doneness, about another 30 seconds to a minute. It's up to you how well done the omelet turns out.

Just slice into the thickest part of omelet to check for preferred doneness. Of course, you can cook the omelet any way you like. A hot omelet will continue to cook until eaten.

I finish the Avocado & Cheese Omelet with a little black pepper and fresh sliced green chives (optional.)

It's okay to use your fave omelet cooking technique, like just letting egg firm in pan without scrambling, adding cheese and egg, then folding it in half. Click here to see my truck stop diner-style omelet.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Cream Puffs from Dollar Tree - Cheap$kate Video Review

What dessert do I bring to a patio BBQ? Well, I took a chance with Dolce Tuscano Miini Vanilla Cream Puffs that I bought for $1 at the Dollar Tree, down the street from my place. These confections reside in the frozen deli case, along with ice creams and frozen dinners. They are described as "Delicious creamy filling inside a flaky European-style pastry" - hey, they gotta be good enough for a party, right?

They needed defrosting, first, although I ate one that was semi-frozen, and liked it that way - the outer pastry was soft and the vanilla pudding inside was slightly frozen.

My neighbors were just starting to barbecue when I got there, so there was time for the Cream Puffs to finish defrosting.

BBQ Crew

Normally I would not subject friends to my filming (yeah right,) but Bob and Anne were game and I thought it would be a nice change of scenery to let them share screen time with me, plus it's always interesting to show how tastes vary. But overall I was not too surprised at the Cheap$kate Dining rating numbers given in the range of 1 to 9, 9 being best.

Cheap$kate guest reviewers: Anne & Bob

Bob and I were on the same page with an above average rating, while Anne liked the cream but dissed the pastry (see her revised rating* at end of this post,) thus dropping it a few points. I know what she means. The advertised flaky crust was not flaky, but slightly soggy -- that's the problem with frozen pastry desserts.

So I can't really blame purveyor Dolce Tuscano too much for that, they're handicapped right off the bat.

The pastry part was fine with a bread crust texture and taste, although slightly damp from defrosting. Maybe a solution is to make sure the pastries defrost out of the box so the moisture evaporates and the crust dries out.

Everyone agreed that the creamy filling was the best part of this cheap$kate dessert. It's light and fluffy, not too heavy. The filling is very sweet with strong vanilla flavor. And the cream is a nice contrast to the pastry.

You get 8 ping pong ball size pastries, so that's great value for a buck. The ingredient list is heavy on sugar, but it is a dessert.

Click on any photo to see larger

I have a comment on my YouTube channel that states they don't carry food items in their local Dollar Tree. I think for Los Angeles the competition is fierce for 99c and dollar stores, so Dollar Tree has to up it's game here and stock more food items. My local one carries all manner of frozen veggies, chilled eggs and cheese, dried pasta, canned beans and pasta sauce -- all for a buck each.

So how does my latest Deal of the Day rate to my guests, Bob and Anne? Well you will have to watch the video below to get their Cheap$kate Dining rating of 1 to 9, 9 being best.

But I will give you my rating right now. I thought Dolce Tuscano Miini Vanilla Cream Puffs are a decent Deal of the Day and give them a rating of 6! I, too, take of a couple of points for the non-flaky crust, and blandness. Maybe a better defrosting technique is needed to improve the rating? But for a buck this is a good deal and I would serve them again for my next patio BBQ gathering.

Cream Puffs from Dollar Tree - Video Review

Play it here. Video runs 2 minute, 7 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Dolce Tuscano is part of Smart Price food products.

*Anne and I have exchanged a few Facebook posts and she actually has upped her Cheap$kate rating by a couple of points when I mentioned the pastries are kept fresh frozen in the deli case - not just set out on the grocery shelf forever, jacked up on preservatives.