Baked Eggs on Toast

My favorite comfort food breakfast! I mean, I love oatmeal, too, but there's something about this dish that just makes me feel really good inside.

Several times I asked my hubby if he wanted some, but he would always respectfully decline. He thought it was a bit bizarre for him. One day, he brought up maybe trying them. He's asked for them several times since then. My kids weren't excited to try them. This morning, my boys finally tried them - and I know one of them went back for seconds! My daughter will only have them a certain way, but I'll cover that later.

How I came up with this is that I came across a recipe that included cheese with it, and, in my own opinion, has a misplaced step. (HERE)

Since I love to post food pics of my breakfast when I make this, and I've had enough people ask how to do it, I decided to do a blog post about it. Plus? It's been a REALLY long time since I've done one of these posts! Crazy life, yo!

Here's what I did:

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BAKED EGGS ON TOAST

Ingredients:

* 2 slices sandwich bread of choice

* 2-4 (appx) Tbsp butter

* 2 eggs

* salt & pepper to taste

* pinch dried parsley (optional)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F

2. Take a baking sheet, cover with foil, and spray with cooking spray

3. Place slices of bread side-by-side on the foiled baking sheet

4. Using a spoon, take the edge of the spoon & lightly press inside the perimeter of each bread slice CAREFULLY! Do not tear the bread!

5. Lightly take your fingers to flatten inside the edge created to create a bit of a pit in the bread

6. Carefully butter the raised edges of the bread

7. Add a bit of salt & pepper to the bread pit

8. Crack an egg, then add the yolk & white to the bread pit

9. Repeat with other egg & bread pit

10. If you want a hard yolk, take the edge of the spoon & pierce the tops of the egg yolks (optional)

11. Add a bit of salt & pepper to the top of the eggs

12. Add a pinch of dried parsley for pretties (optional)

13. Place the baking sheet in the oven - 13-15 minutes for a runnier yolk, 20 minutes for hard yolk

14. Remove from the oven & enjoy


Yield: 1 serving

NOTES:

* After you've salted & peppered the eggs, you can add some shredded cheese to the buttered edges if you choose.

* My daughter has an issue with textures & doesn't like egg yolk together; you can scramble one egg at a time before adding to each bread pit - you can use a lesser baking time in this case.

* One time I accidentally picked up Kerrygold garlic & herb butter. I used it anyway, and it actually turned out pretty good. If you want some additional flavor, I suggest this.

* I use whole wheat bread, slivers of Kerrygold stick butter, I pierce the eggs & bake for 20 minutes. The outcome is what you see in the pic.

* Today, I made a dozen baked eggs on toast - the 20 minutes at 375° still worked well.

* If you use the longer baking time, you can do this in the morning while getting ready for the day, just prep it all, stick it in the oven, take your shower & get dressed, then get those suckers out of the oven. I mean, if you can do all of that in 20 minutes.

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Today we enjoyed brunch for our last day of vacation. My husband tried his hand at fried potatoes & onions, so I thought the baked eggs on toast was a great addition! We've been adding a side of fruit, like blueberries right now, to help balance out everything. Having bacon with it is yummy, too!

BOOM! A new go-to comfort food for breakfast or anytime.

ENJOY!

Scandinavian-Style Open-Face Sandwiches

Back in October, my daughter questioned me on what we'd be doing for Leif Ericksson Day. She asked me since I really get into off-beat holidays. However, I didn't realize it was really a day! Now I know that it is, I have been researching viking & Scandinavian foods, amongst other things, to add to our holiday & foodie repertoire. 

I've also been quite drawn to the Nordic designs on sweaters & things...so I began to look into the culture of their Christmastime rituals, too.

Quite some time back, I learned a cheater shortcut to making easy Danish-style pastries & added my own twist (recipe HERE), which I also recreated some Love Danishes to follow up my New Year's Ham & Beans (recipe HERE).

In my researching...I noticed that simple open-faced sandwiches are kind of a staple. And I've been wanting to try some. So I had hoped to serve some up for some company coming over...

One of the things I did not get to do, and had planned on for the non-pork/non-ham-&-bean eaters, was to make some Scandinavian-style open face sandwiches. I didn't get it done in time for the crowd that came over, but I still played with the idea later on New Year's Day. I only used hard boiled eggs for the test run. Here's what I did:

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SCANDINAVIAN-STYLE OPEN-FACE SCANDWICHES

Ingredients:

* sliced rye or other harder bread (even pumpernickel), crusts removed

* 2-4 hard boiled eggs, sliced

* mayo/mustard/honey-mustard

* ground mustard (optional)

* chives, fresh or freeze-dried (I used freeze-dried)

* dill weed, fresh or dried (I used dried)

* salt & pepper (optional)

Directions:

~ hard boil your eggs in the best method that works for you - I did mine in the oven (usually 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes...but wanted to speed up the process & did 375 degrees for 15...wishing I used the 325, but it was still OK), peel & slice them; set aside

~ take a slice of your bread of choice (I used Pepperidge Farms Rye) & remove the crusts, leaving the bread in a rectangular shape

~ take your condiment(s) of choice & spread onto the bread - if using mayo & want some of the mustard, sprinkle a pinch of ground mustard on top or mix it in (I used French's honey mustard AND some Miracle Whip with olive oil)

~ sprinkle on some of the chive pieces

~ take a few slices of the hard boiled egg & arrange onto the bread

~ top the egg slices with the dill, salt & pepper (I did not use the salt & pepper this time)

~ serve

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As I researched these sandwiches, I know there's salmon & fish involved, even veggies. I look forward to adding some salmon on them & just play with the idea more, in general!

I used the eggs & honey mustard since my daughter, the non-pork eater, likes scrambled eggs with honey mustard. She isn't fond of hard boiled yolk, apparently, so I can try the egg white rings & egg ends for hers. 

If you noticed, I made designs with my condiments & egg arrangements. They were so mod & adorable! And the rye gave it a really great flavor background.

Along with the arrangement of condiments, I even used the olive oil Miracle Whip AND the honey mustard, too.

These are fun, adorable, EASY, kiddos can help assemble these things easily, and are perfect for a tea, luncheon, brunch, or part of a big ol' smorgasbord!

Pepperidge Farms also makes a rye/pumpernickel swirl sliced bread that I might want to try, too.

Oh the possibilities!!!

Side Note: My friend, Rachael, should be happy I posted this on Thorsday. hehe

ENJOY!

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Update:

Finally got some Rye & Pumpernickel swirl bread, along with some smoked salmon & shrimp...

It's the swirl bread with Miracle Whip, honey dijon mustard, pickle relish, a hard boiled egg (sliced), shrimp, smoked salmon, dried dill (sprinkled) & sprigs of baby dill. So pretty, amm-i-rite?

Served it up as a traditional-style Scandinavian lunch with strawberries.

So beautiful...

So yummy...

And I also tried this, too:

Pumperye (yeah...I just named it that) with Miracle Whip, honey dijon, pickle relish, kale (massaged in lemon juice & sea salt), smoked salmon, cocktail shrimp, freeze-dried chives, dried dill & a sprig of baby dill plated along with sliced strawberries & lingonberry fake-out pastry roulade pastry slices.

YUMMY!!

De[con]Structed French Toast

Lately, I've been looking for easier (lazier) recipes to fix. We have super-crazy schedules right now, so finding meals with a lot of steps to it is just nearly out of the question! But...what if I could just do something nice, tasty, but with very little work? Like maybe not even having to mix much of anything?

I came across some recipes in "deconstructed" form. Basically, it's your favorite meals/dishes that you just layer instead of mix together. And I'm game!

So, I'm thinking about starting a whole new category of recipes based on this idea. And, since I tend to tear things up & make them look demolished instead...I like the thought of having them "destructed".

Today, I bring you the first recipe in the De[con]Structed series...and it's breakfast!

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DE[con]STRUCTED FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients:

1 slice slightly-stale bread
1 egg
1/2 T cinnamon
1 T brown sugar
2 drops (1/4 t) vanilla extract
3 T milk
1/2 T sugar
1 pinch ground nutmeg


Directions:

~ preheat oven to 350 degrees F

~ in a small baking dish or ramekin dish, spray with cooking spray, then place your slightly stale bread in the bottom (may want to tear in half or into smaller pieces)

~ sprinkle with cinnamon & brown sugar

~ crack the egg, leaving the yolk in tact (if possible), on top of the bread

~ in a tiny glass (like a shot glass), pour in the vanilla & milk, then swirl to mix

~ carefully pour the vanilla milk over the eggs & bread

~ sprinkle it all with the sugar & nutmeg

~ place the baking dish into the oven; 20 minutes for softer yolks, 30 minutes for harder yolks

~ when the French toast is done, pull out of the oven

~ top it with powdered sugar &/or maple syrup, if desired

~ serve


Yield: 1

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I doubled this since I like having a couple of slices at once. Plus, I used slightly stale Pepperidge Farms brown sugar & cinnamon swirl bread. The brown sugar & cinnamon were already in it.

However, all of the measurements are approximate. Just eyeball it according to your taste!

Now then, if you are concerned that the 20-30 minutes is too long for you in the morning, just think: you can layer your stuffs, place it in the oven, go get ready, then have a hot breakfast ready to go!
TA-DA!

Also, this form of "deconstruction" is very elegant & minimalist...so it creates a gorgeous presentation.

Imagine doing a few of these for a brunch! YUM!!

ENJOY!