The best part of my job is my R&D budget - some call it Research & Development. At AMOB, we call it Rob & Duplicate. I even robbed that definition from a competitor – right Caryn? Or did you rob that from Ed? Anyway, a national restaurant consultant said there hasn’t been an original idea in our industry in years; we just eat something in another restaurant, return to our own, tweak the recipe a little, change the name and voila, a new menu item. Insert fish name here, a la AMOB.

So take us forward to adding breakfast to our menu when we open on the Historic Bridge Street Pier next month. Where are we going to get ideas for a meal we’ve never served at any of the Oyster Bars? Why through R&D, how else? So we listed all the restaurants that served breakfast in the region and split them up between everyone on our pier transition team. I don’t think Tim will ever eat breakfast again after his research assignments.

We looked for different omelets, hash browns, benedicts, mimosas and bloody Marys (I told you it’s a tough job all of this R&D), pancakes, waffles, skillets and even yogurt. OK, it’s not all fun and games. Granola? Really? I’m an omelet man. There’s nothing better than finding things in the fridge and putting them in a fluffy omelet and having it for breakfast. If that doesn’t make you feel like a human again, nothing will – especially with a cold glass of chocolate milk.

Speaking of omelets, Amanda and I were in New Orleans a few months ago. What a great town for foodies. We walked to Café du Monde for a beignet like all the other tourists one morning only to find the line wrapped all the way to Jackson Square. So we opted to bypass the tourist staple and walk on down the street. We passed a diner and decided to try that instead. After a short wait, we were seated right next to the griddle. I couldn’t have picked a better seat than right there with one of the best short-order cooks I’ve ever seen. We had a delicious bloody Mary and watched a master at work. What was his secret for fluffy omelets? A stick blender for the eggs – you’ve seen stick blenders before, but you probably only saw it used to make milkshakes. Well guess what else they’re good for? Fluffy omelets, the fluffiest I’ve ever had. So guess what I brought back from the Big Easy? That’s right, Fluffy Omelets a la R&D.

I can’t wait for you to come try an original AMOB idea, or a variation of one. Speaking of which, you have to try our Hash Brown Casserole. See if you’re the first one to tell me where this R&D took place.

Here’s a great omelet you can cook at home after a fun night out.

The Morning-After Omelet Ingredients:

• 2 eggs

• Some diced onions

• Some peppers

• Some salsa

• Some bacon (or any other swine you have in fridge)

• Some leftover meat from your to-go box from last night (steak, pork chop, fish all work)

• Some veggies that were in to-go Box from last night

• 2 slices cheese - the cheaper the better…melts better…seriously, Velveeta slices are best

Directions:

Put eggs in mixing cup and your stick blender on medium. Too high and you’ll be cleaning egg off the ceiling and all over the counter. Saute onions, peppers and any veggie you’re using in omelet pan. Add meat, veggies and salsa. Heat all, then pour eggs in pan. Let cook, lifting sides so eggs can get under and keep lifting. Once set, get ready to flip. Give it your best Chef Boyardee and flip the omelet. If you’re successful and most ended back in pan, spread out what made it and cover with cheap cheese. Let cook through.

Put on plate next to bacon slices and the leftover potatoes from last night that you warmed up in another sauté pan, throw away the yogurt and dig in…you’ll feel better in no time!