Instructions: Step up to a new cooking challenge: Make dinner with whats on hand Every year at this time, I play a game with myself in the kitchen.

With both wallet and waistline hurting from too much holidays, I challenge myself - for as long as possible - to make dinners using only whats on hand.

No planning a week ahead. No stopping at the grocery on the way home. I merely check my stockpile the night before and see what inspires me.

The only planning I do is to make sure that whatever needs defrosting is ready when I am.

Its amazing how much fun this self-discipline is and how many good meals Im able to wing. This is how cooking should be - letting our inspiration and creativity take us by the hand, instead of relying on recipes, cookbooks and nightly stops at the market.

I also find it immensely pleasurable to rediscover a simple tuna sandwich, a macaroni and cheese casserole or a homemade chowder.

Once Im into the challenge, the fact that it also saves money becomes almost irrelevant.

I am flexing my cooking muscles while also using up frozen and canned foods hoarded over the past months - not to mention holiday food gifts fighting for space on my pantry shelf.

On the first night of this years challenge, I pulled from the freezer a package of smoked, diced prosciutto and what was left of a bag of frozen peas.

While half a pound of pasta cooked, I melted about 2 tablespoons butter in a saute pan. I added half a cup of the frozen prosciutto, browning it lightly. I gave the mixture a few shakes of red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons fruity olive oil, then the peas, which I simmered lightly until they lost their crunch.

When the pasta was done, I drained all but1/2 cup of the cooking water, which I added to the peas and prosciutto, stirring well. Then I poured the hot mixture over the pasta, combined everything, and served it with a shake of parmesan.

Some nights I feel like a Food Network chef whos been handed five oddball ingredients and asked to turn them into a gourmet dinner in 20 minutes.

The game usually ends when my supply of rice, beans, pasta and eggs is gone.

With those staples, even the smallest amount of seafood or meat can be stretched into a meal.

It was during one of these challenges that I learned to make eggs in a wok.

Done this way, they look like spaetzle and taste like a cross between scrambled eggs and an omelet.

What a good way to stretch a few sausages, leftover ham or vegetables. Add a side of roasted potatoes and youve got dinner.

The trick is to use room-temperature eggs and keep them moving in the wok until theyre done. Its something I learned from an old cookbook called

"10-Minute Cuisine," by Henrietta Green and Marie-Pierre Moine.

Just about anything in your crisper is fair game for wok eggs - a leek, green onions, parsley or chives, a few sliced mushrooms. And dont forget cheese. A few shavings of gruyere could improve anything.

When you run out of ideas, try taking a classic to a new level. At my house, this means Tuna Boats - a sandwich I borrowed from a Midwest pizza chain. The combination of ingredients sounds horrid, but wait till you taste it.

To regular tuna salad, add chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives to taste.

Heap the tuna salad on the bottom half of a roll. Drizzle with marinara sauce, thinly sliced mozzarella and more chopped olives, then cover with the top roll.

Wrap in foil and bake in a 450-degree oven until hot and bubbly. Serve with piles of chips and spicy pickled peppers.

Here are the simple directions for making wok eggs, followed by a few more recipes - calling for common pantry staples - to inspire you in your own kitchen challenge.

Basic Wok Eggs: Beat the eggs with a little extra liquid (water, milk, chicken or vegetable stock), season, then pour into heated oil or butter in a wok. Using a whisk or chopsticks, keep the eggs on the move. The result is delicately flavored golden strips of lightly cooked eggs.

Ham and Leek Wok Eggs: Heat 1 tablespoon sunflower, grapeseed or light olive oil in a wok and swirl around. Add the finely chopped white of 1 leek and stir-fry 1 minute. Lightly beat 4 eggs with 2 tablespoons water or stock, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and seasonings. Snip in a slice of cooked ham, pour into the wok and stir-fry until the eggs are set.

Makes 2 servings.

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