Dining In

Egg Dishes
By Nancy Finch, Food Columnist

Emergency meals. Unexpected guests? Get home late? No time to shop?

Regular readers know that I will do nearly anything to keep from making an emergency run to the grocery store. I will substitute ingredients, create new recipes or rummage through the pantry for rescue but I, for some reason, won’t dash off for a missing ingredient to put together an "emergency meal."

People who look in my pantry are usually aghast. Once one asked, "Are you expecting a war?"

Consequently, I may keep more items on hand than most. In fact, this is often a problem — I keep them too long. But better that than a run to the store.

A staple that we always have on hand is eggs. I could eat them three times a day and probably would if we hadn’t had all that advice to limit egg intake. So, eggs make a great rescue item.

With other regular staples — English muffins (in the freezer), smoked ham (vacuum-wrapped), tomato sauce, cheese, tortillas, sausage links and salsa, we came up with two quickie but attractive and good entr�es. Only one of these items wasn’t on hand — salsa conqueso dip — and that could easily be replaced by any grated cheese.

Breakfast, brunch, fast supper — Eggs Alfonso or Portable Egg Burritos will be on the table in a jiffy and no one need know you threw the meal together with scrounges from the fridge and pantry.

Portable Egg Burritos

Ingredients:

	6 sausage links
	1 t cooking oil
	6 eggs, beaten
	4 T thick, chunky salsa
	4 T salsa con queso (salsa with cheese dip)
	6 flour tortillas (6- or 8-inch), warmed salsa

Directions: Cook sausage links in skillet (or use ready-cooked links). Set aside. In medium bowl, beat eggs and salsa well until blended. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour egg mixture into skillet. Stir eggs gently to form soft curds. Stir in con queso dip. Cook until no visible liquid remains. Do not stir constantly. Divide egg mixture among the six tortillas. Place one sausage link on each. Roll to form burritos. Serve with additional salsa. Makes six servings.

(For "portable" burrito, wrap each in foil and "carryout.")

Eggs Alfonso

Ingredients:

	1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce (plain or seasoned)
	1/2 t Italian seasoning, crushed
	4 eggs
	2 T butter or margarine spread, softened
	1 clove garlic, minced, or 1/2 t garlic powder
	2 English muffins, halved
	1 package (4 oz.) smoked ham
	1/2 c (2 oz.) shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions: In large skillet over medium heat, bring tomato sauce to boiling. Reduce heat to keep sauce gently simmering. Break eggs, one at a time, into the hot tomato sauce. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until whites are firm and yolks beginning to thicken. In small bowl, blend butter and minced or powdered garlic, spread evenly on each bread slice. Broil about 6 inches from heat until lightly brown, about 1 or 2 minutes. Watch carefully! Remove from oven and top each muffin half with sliced ham. Spoon tomato sauce over ham. Top with poached egg and two tablespoons of the cheese. Serves 4.