Eggs are a versatile, protein rich food, packed in their own efficient container. It would be difficult to imagine trying to cook without eggs. From cake baking to mousse, to helping hold breading in place, eggs have a large role in the kitchen. But they truly shine as part of a good breakfast. Fried, scrambled, boiled, poached, or baked, eggs taste different depending on the cooking method. Accompanied by sausage, ham, or bacon, potatoes and toast, there are many variations on a classic breakfast.
Baked Egg Recipe
Quantities and directions are for 1 individual serving.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with a empty gratin (or other small ovenproof) serving dish in the oven. Crack 2 eggs into a separate small bowl. Salt and pepper the eggs. Have the other ingredients ready in order to work quickly when the oven is hot. When the oven and the dish are hot, quickly add the ingredients to the hot dish in the following order:
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 slice prosciutto or other thinly sliced ham (optional)
- salted & peppered eggs
- 2 TBS shredded Irish cheddar or other cheese
- Bake 5-8 minutes just until the eggs are set. This will vary depending on the size of the container and the size of the eggs. The eggs are set when the whites don't jiggle when the dish is moved.
- Sprinkle the eggs with chopped fresh chives and serve immediately.
- Potatoes
- Fresh chopped Rosemary
- Bacon grease
- salt & pepper
- The Microwave makes potatoes for breakfast fast and easy. Poke the potatoes with a fork and microwave until just tender. This works for everything from small new potatoes to jumbo baking potatoes, simply adjust the cooking time for the size of potato.
- Cut the cooked potatoes into cubes. Use an oven mitt to hold them, they will be very hot. They can be cooked in advanced and allowed to cool. Add to a frying pan with 2 TBS bacon grease and fresh chopped rosemary, turning until nicely crisped. Add salt and pepper and serve.
- If you don't like the sausage available in your area, it's easy to modify it to your taste. Sausage that is too lean is like eating cardboard. Too much fat makes sausage truly disgusting. Mixing the 2 together can solve the problem.
- Some sausage is overly salted or spicy, it can be modified by mixing with plain ground pork. Adding a little chopped fresh sage can make any sausage better, fresh sage is much milder than dried.
Mix sausage well and pack tightly into a plastic bag with no airspace. Experiment with small quantities until you find your favorite.
A good breakfast won't guarantee a good day, but it can't hurt. Weekends or other special days are great opportunities to try different ways to cook eggs and different meat and potatoes to go with them. Keep it from being predictable by adding fresh fruit in season. Also vary the menu by varying the bread - bagels, muffins or scones make a great addition to a hearty breakfast.
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