I feel like omelets don't get the respect they deserve.  For many people, an omelet is something that is served at an omelet station for Easter brunch, with your mother in law nagging at your elbow about the high cost of cheese, or heaven knows what.  The omelet has an undeserved reputation for being difficult, and most people think they simply can't be bothered.

The truth is that an omelet is only slightly more trouble than making scrambled eggs.  And as we all know, it doesn't get much easier than scrambled eggs!  I find that omelets are also a great way to use up leftover ingredients, all those little bits and pieces that you didn't use for dinner last night, but aren't enough to make a meal with themselves.

An omelet is the perfect blank slate for just about anything.  Off the top of my head, I have used chives, green onions, alfalfa sprouts, cheese (everything from ricotta to your basic cheddar), ham, turkey, bacon, swiss chard, asparagus, salsa, bell peppers, mushrooms, and fresh basil.  Tougher ingredients (like leeks, onions, greens, and garlic) should be sautéed separately until brown.  

Be sure to have all of your fillings at the ready, because once you start cooking, it will go quickly.  Heat your pan and use a bit of oil or butter as grease.  

Crack the eggs into a bowl (usually two or three eggs per omelet) and add about a teaspoon of water per egg.  Add a bit of salt and pepper while you're at it.  Beat the eggs until they are nicely blended, and maybe a little on the frothy side.  Adding milk or cream is unnecessary, and constitutes a culinary urban legend.

Once the pan is up to temp, pour in the eggs.  As the eggs start to cook, your job is to keep moving around the bottom (cooked) layer to let the top (runny) layer pour down to the surface of the pan.  Using the edge of a spatula, push the cooked layer aside and jiggle or tilt the pan to let the runny eggs seep in there.  Keep doing this until the egg is all pretty well cooked - too solid to run around anymore.  

At this point, most recipes and guides take you through an elaborate explanation of how to flip the omelet in the pan.  Don't be ridiculous - this is breakfast, not Show Off Time.  Let's be honest, unless you're trying to impress house guests, I'm guessing you're more interested in cooking an edible thing than in dropping your omelet on the stovetop while trying to look flashy.  If you want to learn how to flip an omelet, there are plenty of tutorials available.  

Instead, I'm going to be super boring and suggest that you use the spatula to flip the omelet.  It will be pretty solid by now, and turning it over is just like flipping a pancake.

Add your fillings immediately, piling them up along the center line.  The opposite side will cook quickly, in 30-60 seconds tops.  Fold your omelet, then slide it gently out onto the plate.  And there you have it - a delicious, "fancy" breakfast in about five minutes.