Three slices of American cheese melt into eggs for a fast, rich supper. This is the moment to use that half stack before it hardens. Serve it warm and runny, or let it set depending on your mood.

Serves 2. 12 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 230 calories a serving, 19 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 16 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Crack 4 eggs into a bowl and whisk with a pinch of salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until foaming.
2. Pour the eggs into the skillet and let them sit for 20 seconds before stirring gently. Tear the 3 slices of American cheese into pieces and scatter them over the eggs as they begin to set.3 min
3. Stir slowly, folding the cooked edges toward the center, until the cheese melts and the eggs are creamy and just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Slide onto plates immediately.2 min

Note Swap American cheese for any melting cheese you have. Leftovers keep two days in the fridge and reheat gently. Serve with toast and a pinch more salt, or a side salad if you want to stretch it.

Half a pack of American cheese melts into rich, salty pools inside a crisp flour tortilla when you pair it with deeply browned onion. This is the best use for that cheese sitting in your drawer, ready in twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 470 calories a serving, 21 g protein, 53 g carbohydrate, 19 g fat. From USDA figures for 71% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Mix 1 cup flour with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/3 cup water until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on the counter for one minute until smooth and let rest while you cook the onion.
2. Slice 1 medium onion thin, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook stirring often until it turns deep golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Divide the dough in half, shape each piece into a ball, then roll or press each one flat into a thin 8-inch round.
4. Wipe out the skillet, add 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat, lay one dough round in the pan, and cook until it just begins to brown underneath, about 1 minute.1 min
5. Lay half of the American cheese slices on the browned side, top with half the caramelized onion, then fold in half and cook until the cheese melts and the outside is deep golden, about 1 minute per side; transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining dough, cheese, and onion.2 min

Note Swap the onion for thinly sliced jalapeño if you want heat. Leftover quesadillas stay good in a covered container for three days and reheat in a dry skillet. Serve with salsa or sour cream, or eat plain.

A thin slice of american cheese melts into bread and holds a runny egg and fresh tomato. This is the kind of quiet supper that turns a remnant into dinner, built on what you can make in one pan in less than ten minutes.

Serves 2. 10 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 290 calories a serving, 11 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate, 19 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Set a skillet over medium heat and warm 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil. Lay 2 slices of bread in the pan and toast them until pale gold on the bottom, about 2 minutes, then flip.2 min
2. Tear the single slice of american cheese into two pieces and lay one piece on each slice of bread while the second side toasts, about 1 minute, until the cheese begins to melt and stick.1 min
3. Push the toast to the sides of the pan. Crack 2 eggs into the center and let them fry, tilting the pan so the white runs around the yolks, until the whites are set but the yolks still jiggle, about 3 minutes. While they cook, slice 1 medium tomato into 2 thick rounds and season them with salt and pepper.3 min
4. Slide one toast onto each plate, lay one tomato slice on top of each, then lay one egg beside or on top of the toast. Season the eggs with salt and pepper and serve at once.

Note Swap the tomato for thin slices of pickled onion or a handful of greens wilted in the pan. Leftovers do not keep. Serve with a cold drink and a simple salad if you want to stretch it.