Pita & Scrambled Eggs

Regular egg sandwiches are made with a fried egg; but what if you want scrambled eggs? Too messy, as scrambles eggs tumble into you lap as soon as you take a bite of your sandwich. Well the Chef has a solution, and it is to scoop your favorite scrambled egg recipe into a warm pita. No egg-spillage here!

It is safe enough to carry in the car. Now I would not normally recommend you eat and drive (just click here to see my precautionary PSA video on "Eating & Driving"), but my Pita & Scrambled Eggs is an exception. It is neat and deliciously portable.

I make my scrambled eggs with sundried tomatoes and sauteed mushrooms. Use your favorite ingredients - how about a little cheese in your scrambled eggs? Then stuff the pita with lettuce, tomato and mayo?

Looking for a laugh with your Pita & Scrambled Eggs? Click here and here for two Coffee Comedies of mine.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread has been turning up at my local 99c only Store, so I always have some on hand. It is a budget item you can get at any grocery. Warm them on the grill as you scramble your eggs.

Ingredients ( 2 pita pockets )

• 1 whole pita spit in half
• 2-3 eggs
• 4 whole button mushrooms - sliced
• Sundried tomatoes with oil - about 2 tablespoons, sliced.
• Salt and pepper to taste
• * 1 tbsp. oil for sauteing mushrooms if you are not using sundried tomatoes.
• Other options include: cheese, spinach, cooked bacon and sausage. Just use your favorite scrambled egg recipe.

Directions
For a mushroom/sundried tomato scramble: Add sundried tomatoes with oil to a medium hot pan and saute mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes. Begin to heat pita bread on grill or in a toaster - pita just needs a slight brown, it is thin so it will heat up quickly. And pita pockets will open easier (without tearing) when warm.

Next separate 2-3 eggs from shell and add to mushroom/sundried tomato mix. Scramble egg mixture until done.

Open each pita and fill with cooked scrambled eggs. You can add mayo, lettuce and tomato to your Pita & Scrambled Eggs.

Make the Chef's breakfast pita your own by cooking your favorite scrambled egg recipe!

Black Olives, Sundried Tomatoes & Salmon with Pasta

Those are a few of my favorite 99c Only Store things. For my latest budget recipe, I combine four prepackaged ingredients to create an earthy entree. Plus, this is a pantry-emptying meal.

Cans of tuna and anchovies along with pouches of salmon are on my top shelf; you'll find cans of plump black olives and jars of sun-dried tomatoes on my middle shelf; and further down are bags of every kind of pasta you can image. If you're lucky you'll find these packaged edibles at your local dollar store (or at least some of them), and the rest are inexpensive at your regular grocery store.

Pungent dried tomatoes in olive oil provide the base flavor, and the oil combined with pasta water, or 99 cent white wine, is the sauce. Very simple and quick to cook. I add the olives whole -- heated through, their flavor intensifies as they soften. Flake in cooked salmon or tuna including the water or oil. Mix and heat through and serve over pasta - it is ready in 10 minutes - no slicing, peeling or chopping!

This is a cheap, quick and starkly flavorful pasta dish you can serve to guests - they will be impressed.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 7 oz. pouch (or can) of salmon - okay to substitute tuna in oil or water.
• 1 can of black whole olives - chopped is okay.
• 6 - 10 sun-dried tomato halves - add 2 tablespoons of oil marinade, too.
• 1/2 cup of 99 cent white wine - okay to substitute broth or pasta water.
• Fresh Italian herbs, if you have any - or teaspoon of dried.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• 3/4 package of pasta - whatever type you have on hand.

Directions
Prepare pasta according to package directions - I usually cut cooking time in half for al dente. Drain and set aside. I like to drizzle in a tablespoon of olive oil or a pat of butter to keep it from clumping together. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, if needed.

While pasta is cooking, in a heating saute pan, add sun-dried tomatoes including 2 tablespoons of oil from the jar. After a couple of minutes the sun-dried tomatoes will be soft enough to break into bite sized pieces (unless they are already chopped). Add one can of drained black olives. Heat a couple more minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup of white wine, pasta water or broth. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat, then add packaged salmon or tuna with their water or oil. Mix and heat through for about 5 minutes. Serve over pasta.

Armenian Salad

The Chef picked up Feta Cheese at this 99c only Store the other day. As with most low/reduced fat cheese, some flavor is sacrificed and the cheese is a little dry;
but it's fine on a cracker or sprinkled on an Armenian salad.

Since moving out of Hollywood/Los Feliz, the Chef has noticed a dearth of Armenian mom and pop markets here in Baldwin Hills; I miss them. Most of all I liked their deli case selection of cured meats, briney olives and 3 kinds of Feta cheese -- including Helena Feta. An Armenian salad includes many Armenian market staples: Kalamata olives, bell peppers, lemons, Feta cheese and cucumbers.

The Chef has not seen Kalamata Olives in the 99c only Stores so sundried tomatoes in oil make a decent substitute; however if you have an Armenian market nearby, by all means pick up 99 cents worth of Kalamata olives (about a dozen

) and a 99 cent hunk of Helena feta for a real Armenian salad. By the way, another Armenian market Chef's favorite: a deli plate appetizer -- just get a selection of deli meats, olives and cheese for an evening snack.
All ingredients from the 99c only Store.

Ingredients
1/2 heart of romaine lettuce
1/4 cup or so of crumbled Feta
2 tablespoons of slivered sun-dried tomatoes
1 /2 tomato sliced
1/4 bell pepper sliced (any color)
1/4 cucumber sliced or diced
oil & lemon dressing: whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil and juice of one lemon

Directions

Heat sun-dried tomatoes in microwave for 15-20 seconds to soften.
Assemble salad ingredients.

The grocery store in the photo is the Royal and located at: 1710 Garfield Place in Hollywood (between Franklin & Hollywood Blvd., one block west of Western.)
phone: 323) 463-7576.