Eggs in a Basket
Today I wanted to share with you my favorite breakfast to make. It's quick, easy, and very filling. I first learned to make eggs in a basket my sophomore year of college. My best friend and I were starving one night while staying up late to study for an exam and she suggested we make eggs in a basket, and that was when I got hooked on them. Seriously, I probably ate them every day for two weeks after she showed me how to make them. So yummy! So here is how to make quick and easy eggs in a basket:
Ingredients: Bread (I used white bread from a local bakery but whole wheat would work well also)
Eggs
Black Pepper
Paprika
First spray a skillet with olive oil spray and set to medium heat. Next cut a whole in the middle of the bread. Back in sophomore year we just used a butter knife and cut around the perimeter, but now I used a heart shaped cookie cutter to make a pretty diamond-esque shape. Whatever you use, just be sure not to cut too close to the edges or they'll break and all of the egg will run out. Butter the edges of the bread on both sides (you can omit this step if you want to cut extra calories, I just like doing it so the bread has a buttery crispness to it). Once the pan is warmed, put the bread in and crack an egg in the middle whole you cut out. Be careful not to break the yolk. Now, the next part is up to what you prefer. For true eggs in a basket (the kind I like), you cook it over easy so the yolk is runny and creates a little sauce for everything, but if you don't like runny yolks then you can cook it through. I've overcooked them before and they are still tasty with fully cooked yolks, so just cook to your preference. For over easy, cook for about 2-3 minutes on the first side then flip and cook another 1-2 minutes on the other side. You can tell where the yolks are at in the cooking process if you poke them with the corner of your spatula. If it looks like a waterbed then they're runny. Once they're cooked to your liking on both sides, take them out and sprinkle with black pepper and paprika. Voila!
Ease: 4/5
Taste: 5/5
Comments: As I said above, you can sub whole wheat for the white bread to make this healthier. Also, this isn't a dish to use farm fresh eggs in if you're wanting to make the eggs runny. I'd recommend using pasteurized eggs (the kind you get at the store) versus fresh eggs straight from the chicken. You're safe using pasteurized and eating runny yolks, but farm fresh eggs would be iffy.
