Omelet

Mariah Bey was the first to arrive in the kitchen for our third cooking lesson. "Hellooooo," she crooned, throwing her arms wide open to announce herself. "What are we cooking today?" "Omelets," I said. "And you get to decide what to put in. I have lots of choices: mushrooms, peppers, greens, cheese, tomatoes. And we're also going to dye eggs for Easter. " "We're going to dye eggs!" she cried, her eyes filling with excitement. "This is the best cooking class ever!" I've been cooking once a week with fifth- and sixth-grade girls from St. Martin de Porres school in North Philadelphia, with the goal of improving not only their culinary skills but also their nutrition with easy meals they can make themselves.

The stuffed omelet is one of the most versatile quick and easy meals you can make. Unfortunately for the waistline watcher or cholesterol counter, the traditional omelet is off limits. If you're a veteran omelet maker, you know that conventional methods call for a layer of melted fat or oil in the omelet pan in order to keep the egg mixture from sticking while you do your shaking, tipping, rolling and flipping routine. But there are unconventional ways to make omelets without all the conventional fat and calories - using unconventional equipment.

There is a variety of classic ways to make an omelet. Some shake the eggs in the pan; others prefer to beat them. And then there are those who subscribe to the scramble method. One chef may tell you success lies in the particular omelet pan you use and the whipping action of a wire whisk. Another will testify under oath, left hand placed on Larousse Gastronomique, that only clarified butter will do. Principles aside, it seems to be increasingly difficult to find a light, soft and creamy omelet with good structure when dining out. And even at home, many cooks are stymied when it comes to creating this simple pleasure, which dates back in legend to a hungry king of Spain who asked a peasant to prepare some food for him - quickly.

Cooking spray, such as Pam 8 eggs 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups whole milk Dash of salt and white pepper 1/2 cup pesto 1 cup cooked chopped spinach, squeezed to remove excess water 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil 2 cups grated mozzarella or other cheese Hollandaise or cheese sauce (optional, for serving)   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15½-by-10½-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick aluminum foil.

It might not have the kick of Mom's home cooking, but it sure beats a mouthful of sand. Besides, says Bill Ernst, "when you're out in the sticks somewhere and hungry, everything looks good . . . " Even an MRE. That's military lingo for Meal Ready to Eat, tastier than a K-ration, yummier than a C-ration, smaller than a bread box. And in the past 2 1/2 weeks, Ernst's employer, the Defense Personnel Support Center, at 20th and Johnston...

The perfect marriage: meat and eggs! Yes, they are a harmonious couple; one complements the other, while each retains its own specific flavor and texture. They have no problem staying together, while looking and tasting good to boot. For those times when you have very small amounts of any kind of leftover cooked meat, fish, or poultry, think of adding eggs to make a complete and satisfying meal. There are many ways to do this, and here are a few of them: Add bits of leftover diced, chopped or shredded meat, cold cuts, frankfurters, sausage, poultry or fish to scrambled eggs or omelets.

If it's true that romance and food are closely related, then A Taste of Provence: Classic Recipes from the South of France (Little, Brown & Co., $19.95) could be called a love story. Leslie Forbes, a designer, illustrator and cook, takes the reader on an illustrated tour of one of France's outstanding food regions - a sunny place where the cuisines of both France and Italy, after centuries of blending, have reached a luscious harmony. Freshness and simplicity are the hallmarks of Provencal cooking, and Forbes has collected recipes representative of this theme.

It's Sunday morning. After a long week of grab-and-go breakfasts, treat your table mates to a hearty breakfast with staying power . . . based on eggs. Why eggs? Because two eggs - 160 calories' worth - have as much prime protein as a fast-food hamburger (250 calories, or more). Eggs are lower in cholesterol than before, and now the American Heart Association says we can have up to four a week (including those in cooking) without raising our risk of heart disease. If you can't eat the cholesterol in yolks, you can make these dishes with egg whites, or a frozen substitute.

Cousin Jerry missed Dear most of all. When the Towers Restaurant was Dear's Place, if Cousin Jerry had ordered a "dug-out bagel," Dear would have personally removed the doughy middle, toasted it gently, maybe even slathered it with cream cheese. She definitely would have breezed by later to see if it had been just the way Cousin Jerry wanted it. But our waitress was more brusque than brisk on a bustling Father's Day morning, and she wouldn't even bring Cousin Jerry the bagel to dig out himself.

What could be more pleasant than dining on the open porch of a 140-year-old inn on a summer afternoon or evening, surrounded by towering trees, watching ducks drift down the Wissahickon? Well, it would have been nice if the food and service had been good, or even decent. I really wanted to love the Valley Green Inn. I live on a street where roaring SEPTA buses are my daily wake-up call, and I love the idea of stealing away to a quiet place where anything with cars aren't allowed.

Mariah Bey was the first to arrive in the kitchen for our third cooking lesson. "Hellooooo," she crooned, throwing her arms wide open to announce herself. "What are we cooking today?" "Omelets," I said. "And you get to decide what to put in. I have lots of choices: mushrooms, peppers, greens, cheese, tomatoes. And we're also going to dye eggs for Easter. " "We're going to dye eggs!" she cried, her eyes filling with excitement. "This is the best cooking class ever!" I've been cooking once a week with fifth- and sixth-grade girls from St. Martin de Porres school in North Philadelphia, with the goal of improving not only their culinary skills but also their nutrition with easy meals they can make themselves.

D EAR HARRY: I was invited to a free seminar on how to avoid probate and other death costs. It was well-attended, and they served a fine breakfast, to boot. Two presenters pointed out the advantages of living trusts. The second guy was as sharp a salesman as I have ever seen. He smoothly moved into a pitch for their services in creating such trusts. The fees quoted were based on the total of the assets transferred with a minimum of $1,000. He also said that the rates are going up by 20 percent next week.

OMELETS ARE ONE of my favorite foods - delicious, nutritious and a real bargain, too. I make them with a whole egg and 2 egg whites or with all egg whites if I'm eating super clean. I mix it up with these topping choices: VEGETABLE 1 egg, 2 egg whites 1/2 cup fresh spinach 1/4 cup mushroom slices 1/4 cup red onion, chopped 1/4 cup skim mozzarella cheese 1 tablespoon spicy salsa   SALMON &  ASPARAGUS 1 egg, 2 egg whites 1/2 cup chopped asparagus 1/4 cup smoked salmon 1/4 cup cheddar cheese (optional)

Cooking spray, such as Pam 8 eggs 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups whole milk Dash of salt and white pepper 1/2 cup pesto 1 cup cooked chopped spinach, squeezed to remove excess water 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil 2 cups grated mozzarella or other cheese Hollandaise or cheese sauce (optional, for serving)   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15½-by-10½-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick aluminum foil.

For 14 years, Maccabeam restaurant at 128 S. 12th St. has been an oasis of glatt kosher cuisine. On any given weekday, customers, many wearing traditional yarmulkes, crowd the small eatery between Walnut and Sansom streets to share platters of barbecued turkey shawarma, creamy hummus, char-broiled kebobs, and the "Maccabeam special": eggplant layered with fried onions, chickpeas and tomatoes. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner only (closed for Shabbat, the sabbath, from 3 p.m. Friday through Saturday)

There is a variety of classic ways to make an omelet. Some shake the eggs in the pan; others prefer to beat them. And then there are those who subscribe to the scramble method. One chef may tell you success lies in the particular omelet pan you use and the whipping action of a wire whisk. Another will testify under oath, left hand placed on Larousse Gastronomique, that only clarified butter will do. Principles aside, it seems to be increasingly difficult to find a light, soft and creamy omelet with good structure when dining out. And even at home, many cooks are stymied when it comes to creating this simple pleasure, which dates back in legend to a hungry king of Spain who asked a peasant to prepare some food for him - quickly.

Amazon Juice on the move Not even a year old, Amazon Juice, 103 S. 18th St., is branching out. The lease is already signed for a second location at 19th and Market streets, and co-owners Alan and Larry Kabinoff hope to open two others - one at Penn and another in the Jefferson Hospital area around 11th and Walnut streets - by June. "We want to dominate the Philadelphia market and capture the good locations," said Alan. Brother Larry, an optometrist, founded Philadelphia Vision Centers with about 20 locations in the Philly area before HMOs drastically cut eyeglass reimbursements.

It's no wonder Green Bay, the town in the time capsule, has captured the imagination of football fans everywhere. The innocence of the crowds, the retro-cool stadium with its "frozen tundra," the resurrection of Vince Lombardi in Jerry Stiller's eerily realistic TV appearances - it all comes as a breath of fresh 'n' frosty air to fans disgusted by the arrogant, cynical reign of the Dallas Cowboys. At the risk of blasphemy, it may be worth pointing out that Lambeau Field was quaint and Wisconsin was cold throughout the 1970s and 1980s, too. Cheese was the state's best-known product back when Stiller and his wife, Anne Meara, were a comedy team, and the Packers were community-owned when they were 4-12 and 5-9-1.

Some people who make it big in the NFL forget where they came from. Not Howie Long. The former Raiders Pro Bowl defensive end from Villanova has established a scholarship at the Main Line university for inner city students from Boston. Long grew up in the Charlestown section of Boston, which is as tough as any neighborhood in Philadelphia. "I'm living proof that you can make it," Long said. The scholarship is named after his grandmother, Elizabeth "Ma" Mullen. Mullen lives in a nursing home near Boston.

Frittata, an Italian-style omelet, makes a simple and comforting meal after a busy day, especially when you have some roasted vegetables on hand to use as the filling. Actually, there are two ways to approach this menu. The first is to roast the vegetables specifically as a filling for the frittata. The second, more efficient way for the busy cook is to serve half of the vegetables as a side dish at one meal and to save the leftovers for this frittata. Serve the frittata warm, cut into wedges, and accompanied by a platter of paper-thin slices of salami and ragged chunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.