Cottage cheese becomes a tender, tangy pancake when whizzed with egg and flour, a weeknight dinner that turns a few spoonfuls into a full meal. Serve topped with roasted tomatoes and garlic to turn breakfast into supper.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 360 calories a serving, 16 g protein, 29 g carbohydrate, 21 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Heat the oven to 425°F [220°C]. Halve 1 pound of tomatoes lengthwise, toss with 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper, and spread cut-side down on a baking sheet. Mince 2 cloves garlic and scatter over the tomatoes, then roast until the skins collapse, about 15 minutes; stir once halfway through.15 min
2. While the tomatoes roast, whisk 2 eggs in a bowl until pale. Fold in 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 3 tablespoons flour, salt, and pepper until just combined and thick; do not overwork.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drop 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake onto the hot skillet and cook undisturbed until the edges set and the bottom is golden, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is set and light brown, about 2 more minutes; you should have about 4 pancakes total.5 min
4. Slide the pancakes onto a serving plate and top with the roasted tomatoes and their pan juices.

Note Swap in fresh ricotta if you have it. Leftover pancakes and tomatoes keep cold for two days and reheat gently in a skillet. Serve with a salad dressed in oil and vinegar on the side, or top with a fried egg for breakfast tomorrow.

Savory pancakes made creamy with cottage cheese, topped with soft caramelized onions. This is the way to finish that half tub before it spoils, and the result is supper on one weeknight with almost nothing else to buy.

Serves 2. 35 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 490 calories a serving, 23 g protein, 32 g carbohydrate, 29 g fat. From USDA figures for 88% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Slice 1 medium onion into thin rings and set a skillet over medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of butter in it. Let the onions cook gently, stirring every few minutes, until they turn golden and soft, about 20 minutes. While they cook, make the pancake batter.20 min
2. Crack 2 eggs into a bowl with 1 cup of cottage cheese, 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Whisk until the flour is just mixed in, leaving small lumps.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a second skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Pour the batter in three heaps and let each cook until the bottom is set and pale gold, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook another 2 minutes until the second side is set.5 min
4. Slide the pancakes onto a plate and top with the caramelized onions. Taste and add more salt or pepper if the onions are mild.

Note Stir a handful of grated cheese into the batter if you have it, or fry a slice of bacon to crumble over the top. Leftovers keep two days covered in the fridge and reheat in a skillet. Serve with a sharp vinegar or hot sauce on the side, or a small green salad.

A crisp, thin pastry shell filled with herbed cottage cheese and baked until golden. You have the filling sorted, just need to wrap it in pastry. Use up that cottage cheese tonight.

Serves 2. 35 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 700 calories a serving, 17 g protein, 54 g carbohydrate, 46 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Mix 1 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl, then cut in 6 tablespoons cold butter until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add 3 tablespoons cold water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring until the dough just comes together. Press it into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill while you prepare the filling.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat, add 1 small thinly sliced onion, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 minced garlic clove and cook for 1 minute more, then stir the onion and garlic into 3/4 cup cottage cheese with salt and pepper to taste.5 min
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F [200°C]. Roll the dough into a rough 10-inch circle on parchment paper, spread the cottage cheese mixture over it leaving a 1-inch border, then fold the border up and over the filling in pleats.
4. Slide the galette on its parchment onto a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Let it rest for 2 minutes before serving.15 min

Note Swap the cottage cheese for ricotta if you have it. The galette keeps refrigerated for two days; reheat gently. Serve with a sharp green salad or roasted vegetables on the side to stretch the meal.