Yum 1 - Baked Eggs

Baked Eggs.  It's savory, simple, and scrumptious. 















Before I post this recipe, I just wanted to say that I'm considering shifting completely back to Feisty - Like I ought to be.  My blog isn't uploading to other people's lists so easily, as far as I can tell from the bit of research I've done.  Additionally, there is already another "warrior wives" blog, and while they do not talk at all about military things, fighting against the hurt cause by experiencing infertility, or most of which I want to write about, I know that our blogs could get confused and I want to find a respectful way to make us distinct.  Also, I'm going through a lot of "blogger's block" right now, so that doesn't help. 

Anyway, here goes this recipe!

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, because I didn't have enough people for the full recipe (4-6) or leafy greens (1.5 pounds!).

Baked Eggs with Hollandaise Sauce - Serves 2

This is super easy, guys, and even if you've never maid hollandaise (I hadn't!), you will be able to whip this up, no problem. 

Baked Eggs

• 3 oz or a half-bag of baby spinach

• 1 small onion
• 1 T. of Butter, plus more for baking dishes
• 1 clove minced garlic
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• Dash of nutmeg
• 1/4 c. 2% or whole milk, or 2 T. of half & half or heavy cream

• 4 eggs

Hollandaise Sauce

• 5 Tb melted (but not very hot) butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 1-2 t. lemon juice
• a little salt and pepper (not sure if this is usually included, but it happened)
• Dash of hot sauce, or, if you don't have that, a good pinch of cayenne if you don't have

1. Chop the spinach into "ribbons," as in vertical strips.
2. Rinse the spinach and then throw half of it it into a pan, wet, on medium-high to wilt it.   If you use baby spinach, this will take about 2 minutes, 4 or 5 with regular.
3. Once it's wilted, take it off the heat and get rid of the excess liquid that is in the spinach.  I did this by putting it into a small strainer and pressed it with a spatula.
4. Chop the onion, melt the 1 Tb. of butter in a pan on medium, and sautee the onions until they are soft and golden brown, stirring frequently.
5. Add the garlic to the onions and stir for just under a minute, then add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and stir again until all incorporated.
6. Add the spinach and mix it with the onions, et. al.  Add the milk/cream and mix together completely. Remove from the heat.
Note - if you're using milk, let it thicken.
7.Heat your oven to 375.
8. Put half of your mix into one buttered baking dish.  This could be a ramekin, but I also have some high-lipped, flat bottom bowls that I used.  After the mix is in the two ramekins and flattened out, crack 1 or 2 eggs over each.  My bowls are pretty wide and flat, so 2 worked perfectly. 
9. Add a little salt and pepper to the top if you like.
10. Put these both into the oven on the middle rack for 15-18 minutes until the whites are just set but the yokes are still soft.

Hollandaise
1. While the eggs bake, melt the butter for about 20 seconds on full power in the microwave (I did this in a small liquid measuring cup for easy pouring).  When the time is up, take the butter out and stir it until it is all melted.  Don't let this boil.
2. Crack 1 egg and separate it from the yoke.  Put the yoke in a blender with the lemon juice.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper and a dash of hot sauce.
3. Start the blender on the lowest speed.  Slowly pour in a teaspoon of butter, then a little more than that, and then a steady stream until the sauce is thick and creamy.
4. Pour the sauce into a serving dish and keep warm.  I did this by putting the serving dish into a little water bath.  No worries if it gets a little solid - just stir it again.
5. As soon as the eggs are done, pour about half of the sauce onto each egg dish, or as much as you would like.

Serve with toasted bread (I toasted a sliced-up bun in the oven while the eggs were baking).

Enjoy!