baked eggs
Who doesn't enjoy a weekend brunch?! As much as I love a great meal out, brunches requires me to get dressed. And to put on makeup on the weekends. And be around people. Ugh.
This dish is one of those super simple recipes that looks way fancier than the actual amount of effort that goes into it. It also gives me a chance to use those Le Creuset ramekins I bought for the sole purpose of making creme brûlée (that I still haven't exactly made yet, four plus years later).
One of the best things about these eggs is that they're completely customizable for the person. I made the Man Friend's with bacon and spinach and mine with spinach and mushrooms. The recipe below is a serving for two people. You can use whatever vegetables you want.
baked eggs
prep time: 20 minutes | cook time: 12-16 minutes
experience level: easy peasy | specialty: vegetarian* (depending on topping choices)
- 2-3 large eggs per person
- 4 pieces of bacon, crumbled
- 6 baby bella mushrooms, stems removed and sliced thin
- 1 1/2 cups packed spinach, washed and chopped finely
- 1 tsp olive oil, divided
- 2 tsp milk or half & half
- 1/8 cup grated Parmesan (powdery stuff in the green can)
- 1/8 cup shredded Parmesan
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit / 190° Celsius. Mist ramekins with nonstick cooking spray and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
In a small skillet, fry bacon slices until crisp. Set aside to cool, then crumble into bite-sized pieces. Drain pain of grease, wipe clean, and return to stovetop. Heat olive oil in the pan and add the mushrooms, cooking just until they start to brown. Set aside. Heat the remainder of the olive oil and cook the spinach until it just starts to wilt.
While the veggies and bacon cook, combine the cheeses and the herbs in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
Divide the "toppings" on the bottom of the ramekins. Crack the eggs on top of the goodies, then drizzle the milk or half & half on top of the eggs. Evenly sprinkle the cheese mixture on top of the egg filled ramekins.
Bake for 12-16 minutes, depending on how well you want your yolks. Remember: the deeper the ramekin (like mine), the longer they will take to cook. And also, a word of caution: sometimes the tops look done but the whites are still runny underneath. Break the cheese "crust" with a fork to check the whites, then either bake them a little longer at the existing temp OR pop the oven up to boil and allow to cool for an additional few minutes.
Serve with fresh fruit and crusty bread for dipping into the runny yolks. These also go great with mimosas or a Bloody Mary...like any good brunch.
