A Pan for Two

Brunch does not have to be an elaborate event; sometimes just getting together with a friend to share a simple late-morning meal is enough to make the weekend special.

This quesadilla with chorizo and scrambled eggs makes a delicious hot-weather brunch. At home, I use a large skillet that’s only about 1 inch deep--it’s essentially for pancakes. You could also cook the quesadilla in a pancake griddle.

Instead of using avocado slices, try mashing the avocado and seasoning it lightly with salt and pepper and a bit of lemon and lime juice.

Menu (30 MINUTES OR LESS)

Fresh-Squeezed Orange or Grapefruit Juice

Breakfast Quesadilla

Mango With Lime Wedges

BREAKFAST QUESADILLA

3 ounces chorizo

4 eggs

Salt, pepper

2 teaspoons butter

2 burrito-size flour tortillas

2 green onions, sliced

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon garlic oil or other oil of choice

Sour cream, optional

1/2 avocado, sliced, optional

Saute chirizo in small skillet over medium heat, breaking up with spoon until hot and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Lightly beat eggs with whisk or fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Melt butter in small skillet over medium-low heat. Add eggs and cook, stirring, as for scrambled eggs.

Spoon cooked eggs onto 1 tortilla and gently spread evenly to within 1/2 inch of edge. Spoon cooked sausage evenly over eggs. Sprinkle with green onions, cheese and cilantro. Top with remaining tortilla.

Heat garlic oil in shallow 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. When hot, lightly brush some of oil over surface of top tortilla. Place quesadilla in skillet oiled-side-up. Cook over medium-low heat until browned on bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until second side is browned and cheese in center is melted, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove from heat to chopping board and cut into 8 wedges. Serve with sour cream and avocado if desired.

2 servings. Each serving without sour cream or avocado:

749 calories; 1,327 mg sodium; 513 mg cholesterol; 54 grams fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 37 grams protein; 0.07 gram fiber.

COUNTDOWN

30 minutes before: Squeeze oranges or grapefruit for juice.

25 minutes before: Saute chorizo.

20 minutes before: Shred cheese. Slice onions and chop cilantro.

15 minutes before: Cook eggs.

10 minutes before: Assemble quesadilla and begin cooking.

8 minutes before: Peel and slice avocado. Cut lime into wedges. Cut mango from seed and score flesh of each half.

Just before serving: Garnish quesadilla and place mango and lime on dessert plate.

INGREDIENTS

Shopping List

1 avocado

1 (8-ounce) package Monterey Jack cheese

1 (12-ounce) package chorizo

1 bunch cilantro

1 mango

1 (12 1/2-ounce) bottle garlic oil

4 oranges or 1 grapefruit

1 (1-pound 7 1/2-ounce) package flour tortillas

Staples

Butter

Eggs

Green onions

Lime

Pepper

Salt

Sour cream