The Perfect Pantry®

Recipe for kale, mushroom and caramelized onion breakfast casserole

Oh, kale, I think I'm developing a crush on you. It must be serious, because now I'm enjoying your company first thing in the morning (and for the most part, I just like to sit and stare into my coffee mug at breakfast time). You must be something special. This breakfast casserole (which I also like to serve for lunch) with kale, mushrooms and caramelized onions comes together in 20 minutes and bakes for an additional 35, giving me time to whip up some mini muffins and fresh-squeezed orange juice, or a salad and crusty bread toasts. The slowly sautéed onions lend their sweetness to balance the bitter greens, and that's the flavor that makes this breakfast casserole a winner. Mushrooms and red pepper are one of my favorite combinations but not essential to the dish, so when you make this -- and you will, if you're falling in love with kale like I am -- substitute with any vegetables you have on hand.

Recipe for breakfast quesadilla with smoked salmon and brie

My maternal grandma, the one who taught me to make brisket and applesauce, lived the last years of her life in the Cardozo Hotel in Miami Beach, long before Gloria Estefan bought it, long before nightclubs, long before South Beach became... well, South Beach. In those days, the area was a magnet for snowbirds from New York, many of Eastern European background, who would come to Florida for the winter. A few blocks from the Cardozo, Wolfie's Delicatessen catered to the New Yorkers. The restaurant, which closed a decade ago, was kosher-style, not kosher, so while my grandmother didn't eat there, the rest of our family did. One of my favorite Wolfie's dishes, scrambled eggs with lox and onions, inspired this quesadilla with smoked salmon and brie, plus scallions and a little bit of creamed cheese. A cultural mash-up, somewhat like Miami itself, this is really a creamy and slightly salty frittata cloaked in a cheese quesadilla. Serve it with or without the tortilla and brie wrapping; it's perfect for brunch or a weekend lunch.

Recipe for egg and cheese casserole with chayote squash and green chiles

Your holiday weekend guests haven't gone home yet? Same here. They need a good meal before facing the inevitable traffic jams and airport delays. I don't have the heart to feed them one more leftover turkey sandwich, so I'm fortifying my guests for their journeys with an easy energy-laden, protein-rich egg and cheese casserole filled with chayote squash and green chiles. (Or, leftover roasted potatoes and green chiles. Or squash and green chiles. If you still have turkey from Thanksgiving, chop it up and throw that in. Use what you've got.) Chayote is a mild-flavored, green-skinned squash that looks like a pear, and tastes like a patty-pan. Peel and cube it, and give it a quick pre-cook with the other vegetables. This casserole comes together in minutes, and bakes for half an hour, which gives you just enough time to make coffee and toast.

Recipe for baked egg with bacon, spinach and mushrooms

Every morning for nearly 40 years, my father woke my mother by serving her juice and coffee in bed. Every day, even on school days and work days, on holidays and on nothing-special days. Breakfast in bed, however, only occurred on birthdays and their anniversary. For breakfast in bed, who wouldn't love a baked egg with bacon, spinach and mushrooms, and a bit of cheese? This recipe makes two servings, which means you and your sweetie can have breakfast in bed together. You can double or triple or make dozens at a time; pour the egg filling into ramekins, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Then, let the eggs come to room temperature while you preheat the oven. These eggs will wow a crowd, or one special someone. What a way to start the day.