Huevos Rancheros

I based these on the recipe from Melissa D'Arabian from Ten Dollar Dinners on FoodNetwork.com.

• 8 flour tortillas (5-inch) (I used whole wheat flour tortillas)
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• Salt and pepper
  
• 1 cup prepared chunky salsa, divided
• 3/4 cup cooked black beans
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar, pepper jack would be good, too)
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the outer edge of each tortilla and remove so that the tortillas fit snugly into the muffin tin cups. Brush both sides of the tortillas lightly with the melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Press the tortillas into the muffin tin, creating little tortilla cups. (I had larger tortillas and cut each into quarters, fitting two quarters into each muffin section. I did not brush with butter or sprinkle with salt, but did spray each tin to prevent sticking.)

In a small bowl, mix half the salsa with the black beans and season with salt and pepper. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the mixture into each tortilla cup. Crack an egg into each of the eight cups. Bake until barely set, about 8 minutes. Top with cheese, cover with aluminum foil (I did not cover), and then bake for 6 to 7 minutes more. To serve, spoon sour cream and remaining salsa on top of the eggs.

We ate this with cornbread (I use the recipe on the Quaker yellow corn meal container) and orange slices.

Cooking Tip: Hard Boiled Eggs

There are probably as many ways to make hard boiled eggs as there are people cooking them. Here's how I do it:
Bring water to a boil--enough to cover eggs.
When water is boiling, add eggs and return to boil.
Cover and remove from heat.
Set timer 14 minutes.
Put eggs in ice water to stop the cooking process.
Refrigerate.
This gets me perfectly cooked boiled eggs--not too soft in the center, none of that ugly green around the yolk.

Egg in a Green Pepper Hole

I heard about this alternative to Egg in a Hole when I was listening to Martha Stewart radio on Sirius.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 bell pepper (any color), cut into four 1/2-inch-thick rings
4 large eggs
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan (I forgot the Parmesan this time)
4 slices multigrain bread, toasted
8 cups mixed salad greens (We did not have salad with ours, just fresh fruit)

1. In a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. Add bell pepper, then crack 1 egg into the middle of each pepper ring. Season with salt and pepper and cook until egg whites are mostly set but yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently flip and cook 1 minute more for over easy. Sprinkle with Parmesan and place each egg on a slice of toast. Toss salad greens with 1 teaspoon oil and season with salt and pepper; serve alongside eggs.

Ham and Swiss Quiche

From Parenting magazine

1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust
4 eggs
2 T. olive oil
3/4 cup half and half
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup grated Swiss cheese (about 4 oz.)
3/4 cup cooked ham, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
Pinch of ground nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place the crust in a pie pan, according to the package directions.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over low heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until the onion is lightly browned. Season with the salt and the nutmeg. Set onion aside to cool slightly.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and the half and half.
4. Spoon the onion mixture evenly over the crust. Sprinkle in the cheese and ham. Pour in the egg mixture.
5. Put the quiche in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, or until just set. Allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.

Sunshine Toast

Raina really likes it when Barry makes her "drippy eggs" for breakfast. She found this idea in a Summer Activities book we have and wanted to try it.

1 slice of bread
Butter
1 medium egg
Large cookie cutter

• Heat your oven to 400 degrees.
• Dip a paper towel into some butter and rub it all over a baking sheet.
• Spread butter on one side of the bread. Press the cutter into the middle of it.
• Lift out the shape you have cut. Put the pieces of bread onto the baking sheet, butter side up. Break the egg onto a saucer. Then, carefully slide the egg into the hole you have cut.
• Bake them for seven minutes at the top of your oven, or for a little longer if you don't like a runny yolk.
• Use a spatula to lift the pieces of bread carefully onto a plate. Eat them while warm.