Sunday morning's here and nobody's around. What will I do to start my day? Preparing an omelette sounds intimidating to some, but it's one of the quickest and easiest routes to a hearty, happy breakfast.

With a little imagination, virtually anything left in the refrigerator can serve as filling to be combined with eggs for a satisfying meal.

BASIC OMELETTE

2 eggs

1 tablespoon water

Pinch salt

Pinch each ground nutmeg and white pepper

1 tablespoon butter (or margarine)

1. In a large bowl, beat eggs with water, salt, nutmeg and white pepper until well-blended (about 30 seconds).

2. Heat the butter in an 8-inch omelette pan over medium-high heat until it begins to foam. Pour in the egg mixture.

3. At first, slide pan back and forth to keep omelette from sticking. As the bottom begins to set, slip a thin spatula under eggs, tilting pan and lifting cooked portion to let uncooked egg mixture flow under it to the centre.

Repeat until most of the omelette is set, but centre and top are still moist and creamy.

4. For a filled omelette, spoon filling across centre in line with handle and cook. Have a warm serving plate ready. Loosen one side of the omelette with spatula and fold it about a third over the remainder. Then hold pan over serving plate so the other side begins to slide out. Flip omelette so the previously folded side folds over, producing an omelette folded into thirds with centre third on top. Makes one individual omelette (for two, double the recipe).

FRESH SPINACH AND MUSHROOM OMELETTE

¼ pound mushrooms, thinly sliced

? cup finely chopped red onion

1 tablespoon butter (or margarine)

? teaspoon grated lemon rind

Pinch each dried tarragon and ground nutmeg

Pinch salt

1 cup lightly packed fresh spinach leaves, washed, stems removed

Basic Omelette (recipe above)

1 ½ ounces cream cheese, cut in ½-inch cubes

1. Cook mushrooms and red onion in heated butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are lightly browned.

Mix in salt, lemon rind, tarragon and nutmeg. Then add spinach, stirring over medium heat just until leaves are coated with mushroom mixture and beginning to wilt. Remove from heat.

2. Immediately prepare Basic Omelette. Fill with spinach and mushroom mixture, dotting it with cream cheese cubes.

3. Fold as directed and serve at once. Makes one individual omelette (for two, double the recipe).

QUICK SPANISH OMELETTE

2 teaspoons butter (or margarine)

2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper

1 tablespoon chopped pimiento

1 tablespoon chopped onion

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

¼ teaspoon salt

1. In a nine-inch-diameter microwave-safe pie plate, combine 1 teaspoon of the butter, the pepper, pimiento and onion. Microwave on high until vegetables are crisp-tender (two to three minutes). Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2. Add the remaining one teaspoon butter to pie plate. Microwave on high until butter is melted (30 to 60 seconds). In a small bowl, combine eggs, milk and salt; pour into pie plate.

Microwave on high until edge of omelette begins to set (30 to 60 seconds). Stir, allowing liquid portion of omelette to run to outside of dish. Microwave on high until omelet is set (1 ½ to 2 ½ minutes).

3. Spoon reserved vegetables over half of omelette. Slide omelette onto a serving plate, folding omelette in half to cover vegetables. Serve hot. Makes 1 individual omelette (for two, double the recipe).