Weekends = Bacon and Eggs

I love weekends: sleeping late, taking a long, hot shower, coming downstairs and reading in my favorite chair by a sunny window. Okay, so I’m projecting into the future a few years.  That’s what I’m hoping for once my kids grasp the concept of “the weekend;” once Sam stops waking up at 4:30, still needing to sleep, but kicking and punching me for the next two hours while he lays in our bed; once Max understands that just because the sun is awake, we don’t have to be (I was never so happy for Daylight Savings Time to end!).  Right now, weekend mornings pretty much blend into the weekday mornings, with one exception: breakfast.

We’ve been stuck in a breakfast rut.  I’m not going to lie, Monday through Thursday; my kids’ breakfast is typically something that we can put in the toaster, along with some fruit or yogurt.  This is mostly due to the fact that my boys wake up early, and want to eat breakfast the moment they reach the bottom stair. (This morning I rose to the sound of claves being struck together.  “I thought this would be a nice way to wake you, Mom.”  It wasn’t.)  I satisfy myself with a bowl of cold cereal, or oatmeal if the morning has been going well.   Most weekends, my husband takes the lead on breakfast, which often translates to bacon and eggs.  Pancakes or toast might be involved too, but most likely there will be some fried or scrambled eggs, and a plate of perfectly baked (yes, we bake our bacon) bacon on the table.

I have a love/hate relationship with these big breakfasts.  I love to eat them, I hate cleaning up after them.  Edward is gifted at getting everything on the table while it is still hot, but in the process uses about six more dishes than I would.  Once breakfast is over and the table and dishes cleaned, the morning has pretty much 

been spent.

Oeuf Cocotte adapted from Home Made by Yvette Van Boven

I have found my new favorite way to have bacon and eggs.  In fact, you don’t have to make these with bacon, but can use any “filling” you would like.  Sautéed mushrooms, onions, ham, any leftovers from the night before, anything that strikes your fancy.  One of the best things about this dish is that everything is contained within the ramekin (unless you do have to fry up some bacon), so clean up is a breeze. 

Ingredients:

Butter

Salt and pepper

1 T heavy cream

1-2 T filling

1 egg

Chives, parsley, or other topping (I used some rosemary on mine)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Grease an ovenproof bowl or ramekin with butter and sprinkle it with salt and pepper

Add about one scant tablespoon of heavy cream to the bottom of the bowl. 

Add whatever filling you would like.  I used some bacon we had already cooked up

.

Crack an egg over the filling and add whatever spices, herbs, or topping you would like

Put the ramekins into a shallow baking dish.  Pour boiling water into the dish until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins.   Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the white is solid and the yolk is as firm as you would like.  Since my kids were eating it as well, I baked mine closer to 20 minutes.

Garnish and serve.