Use up a few eggs with crisp bread crumbs and wilted garlic greens, all in one pan in about twenty minutes. This shelf is bare, so we cook from staples and butter your way to something that feels like dinner.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 18 at the stove.

You need 3 tablespoons butter, a few left eggs, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1/3 cup [40g] flour, two thick slices hearty bread, a large handful bitter greens, arugula, or spinach.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Tear the bread into rough crumbs and toss them into the pan with a pinch of salt; stir often until they turn golden and crisp, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a plate.4 min
2. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and stir in 2 minced garlic cloves until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the greens by the handful, stirring until wilted; season with salt and pepper, then push to the side of the pan.
3. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into the cleared space and crack a few eggs into it, breaking the yolks if you prefer them set. Cook until the whites are firm and the yolks are as done as you like them, about 3 to 4 minutes.4 min
4. Slide the eggs and greens onto plates, scatter the warm bread crumbs over them, taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Note Swap greens for wilted cabbage or sliced zucchini. Leftovers keep for one day cold. Serve with a green salad dressed with vinegar on the side, or stretch it into three portions by adding more greens.

One egg goes a long way in fried rice, turning cold rice into a fast supper that tastes better than breakfast-for-dinner. This shelf holds almost nothing, so we fry the egg first, then build the dish around it with rice from the pantry.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 860 calories a serving, 17 g protein, 154 g carbohydrate, 17 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 egg, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 cups cooked, cold rice, 1 small onion, 2 cloves garlic, to taste salt, to taste pepper.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Crack the egg into the pan and scramble it roughly with a wooden spoon until it is set and golden, about 2 minutes, then push it to the side of the pan.2 min
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the empty side of the pan. Chop 1 small onion and 2 cloves of garlic finely and add them to the oil; stir and cook until the onion softens, about 2 minutes.2 min
3. Add 2 cups of cold cooked rice to the pan, breaking up any clumps with the back of the spoon. Stir everything together and cook until the rice is heated through and the grains are separate, about 3 minutes. Mix in the scrambled egg.3 min
4. Taste the rice and season with salt and pepper. Divide between two bowls and serve at once.

Note Swap the egg for two beaten eggs if you find more. Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days and reheat well in a pan with a splash of oil. Serve with a hot sauce or soy sauce on the side if you have it, or eat plain.

Six eggs poached in a quick tomato sauce, this is the fastest weeknight dinner when you have a carton to use up. Tender eggs, tangy sauce, and a slice of bread to soak it all up.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 310 calories a serving, 9 g protein, 40 g carbohydrate, 16 g fat. From USDA figures for 83% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 2 tablespoons oil, 1 medium onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, one 14-ounce can canned crushed tomatoes.

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Dice 1 medium onion and cook it for three minutes, stirring often, until it softens. Mince 2 cloves garlic and stir them in, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
2. Pour in one 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes along with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir well and bring to a simmer, then adjust the heat to keep it bubbling gently.5 min
3. When the sauce is bubbling steadily, create six shallow wells in the tomato sauce with the back of a spoon. Crack one egg into each well, spacing them evenly around the pan.
4. Cover the skillet and simmer until the egg whites are set but the yolks still jiggle slightly when you move the pan, about eight minutes. The whites should be opaque and firm.8 min

Note Swap the canned tomatoes for fresh ones if you have them; use six medium tomatoes, halved, squeezed of juice, and chopped. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for two days and reheat gently. Serve with toasted bread to soak up the sauce, or a simple green salad on the side.