simple presence
Recipe: baked eggs
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. I plopped my skis down on the snow and looked up at the sky: blue bird day. I could see clouds of my breath billlowing out in front of me, slowly expanding and gently swirling up into the frigid air, illuminated by shafts of sunlight. A calm, brilliant morning – Christmas morning and perfectly silent. Ice crystals plastered every surface, glistening. I flared my nostrils and took a deep breath letting the cold crackle through my nose down into my lungs. I love winter.
plenty of good skiing to be had in the national forests
the winter sun throws long shadows
Jeremy and I spent the morning and part of the afternoon skinning up into the local mountains and then skiing back down. The wilderness was entirely ours. I love hitting a stride and going into auto-pilot while my mind runs in seven different directions, pausing only to exclaim “gorgeous!” at every view of the snowy high peaks that opened before us. At the end of the year it’s natural to take stock of what has been and what is to come. To reflect on the influx of people in your life and those with whom you have parted ways. Thinking about what was good and what wasn’t so good and how to improve upon it before starting our next lap around the sun. My quads burned and my sunnies were fogging up from the heat and sweat off of my face. It felt great.
At home, I made a small batch of Chinese potstickers for dinner and we had oranges as dessert. Simple is good. There were no presents, just presence… presence of mind and heart and the occasional belly rub (for Kaweah). It works for us.
glowing halo of clouds over james peak (sunset)
I’ve completed a few of those rag quilt projects over the weekend. My friend just had a baby boy and I swore to myself that I would not go to see him until I finished his baby blanket (incentive to really get it done). Now I can finally visit with him and he’s not even in college yet! Flannel rag quilts are so soft and warm – perfect for a December Colorado baby, don’t you think?
i hope he’ll love it until it’s threadbare
Buried in my stash of fabrics was a small metric ton of dark flannel left over from other projects which I decided to turn into a flannel rag quilt for our own baby. Labor of love. All quilts are a labor of love.
kaweah is a sucker for soft and cushiony things
Lately, I haven’t been much for cooking elaborate dishes. I don’t know about you, but when I’m cooking and shooting for the blog, I feel as if we are always eating something new. That’s fine except for one problem – we love a lot of the old recipes. I actually like how quickly I can cook something when I’m not shooting every damn step and washing my hands over and over and over again. In an effort to move toward simplicity, I have been drawn to recipes like baked eggs.
a little kale, bacon, cheese, and herbs never hurt anyone
finely chopped herbs mixed with the cheese
Several passing mentions of baked eggs in the twitterverse and on the blogosphere always piqued my interest, but it wasn’t until I turned the pages to the first recipe in Shauna and Danny’s latest book that two thoughts materialized in my head: 1) this is really easy and 2) why the hell haven’t I made this yet?
pouring eggs into buttered ramekins
adding goodies
I omitted the cream since lactose doesn’t play nicely with my GI tract and I had no idea what Taleggio cheese was. I’m a little ghetto compared to Danny’s cheffy sensibilities, so I subbed some Parmesan cheese and called it good. Oh but wait, I also had leftover bacon, sautéed kale, and some fresh herbs on hand. Of course they’d go well with eggs – who doesn’t? The humble egg is the rock of every party. They aren’t volatile, they won’t get drunk and cause a row, they will stick with you through the night and walk you home. When you get to know the egg a little better, you discover that it’s really quite talented, a good listener, and won’t embarrass you in public. Reliable. Special. Delicious.
what a smiley egg!
It wasn’t clear to me that Jeremy would go for baked eggs because he has this fear of runny yolks, but he loved it. Gobbled it down. The versatility of this dish is due in large part to the eggs – because you could toss almost anything in there and it would be awesome. I mean, it’s like an omelette except it’s better because of the runny yolk and all! The greens and herbs really cinch it for me. It’s so ridiculously simple to throw together and yet elegant enough to serve to guests. And it’s not limited to brekkie food either. Serve it for lunch, serve it for dinner.
you can take eggs home to meet the folks
Baked Eggs
[print recipe]
a hybrid of Ina Garten’s herbed baked eggs and Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef‘s baked eggs recipe
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
8 eggs
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup kale, sautéed and chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oven to 375°F. Butter four ramekins. Combine the cheese and herbs in a small bowl. Crack two eggs into a bowl or cup, taking care not to break the yolks. Pour the two eggs into a ramekin and repeat until all four ramekins have eggs. Sprinkle bacon, kale, and the cheese-herb blend over the eggs. Finish with a dash of salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake the eggs for 10-15 minutes until the eggs have achieved desired doneness: less time for runny yolks, more time for firm yolks. Keep in mind that shallow ramekins will cook faster than deeper ramekins (uh, I found this out the first time around). Serve immediately.
December 28th, 2010 at 3:23 am
I’m a huge advocate for simple food – food exactly like this. I love how the bacon and vegetables are unmixed into the eggs. Runny yolks are the bomb! Perfect for sopping up some good crusty bread.
December 28th, 2010 at 3:28 am
This year was the first time I made poached eggs so perhaps the upcoming year will be the one I make baked eggs for the first time. We’ll see!
Your quilts are amazing. Kaweah has a look that says ” this is mine and I’m not giving it away. I got my paws on it for good”.
December 28th, 2010 at 4:29 am
I love Kaweah. His eyes are so full of expression. Your blanket turned out great; it looks very comfy.
December 28th, 2010 at 6:20 am
Those blankets look awesome, even if I’m more of a knitter than a quilter. And baked eggs – thank you! I always go for poaching or frying, but tend to forget that baked eggs are wonderful too. Especially with bacon and greens.
December 28th, 2010 at 6:30 am
The quilts are beautiful! We trail blankets this time of year, & those would be much prettier than the ratty fleeces we wrap up in…which pick up every cat hair that’s not still connected to a cat.
December 28th, 2010 at 6:42 am
I love the ruffled edges on your rag quilts! What a great baby gift. I’ve seen a few recipes for baked eggs recently too. This looks like a wonderful version. I love the kale and bacon combo.
December 28th, 2010 at 7:15 am
That picture of Kaweah made me smile. Our yellow lab Whembley has been more and more interested in soft and cushy things as she’s gotten older.
December 28th, 2010 at 8:53 am
making this right now!! looks so good.
and kaweah looks so adorable, so happy and so young.
December 28th, 2010 at 8:53 am
I know what I am making for lunch now! I have also been curious about others’ posts about baking eggs. It is time to act on that!
December 28th, 2010 at 9:18 am
I love your first paragraph – really covers how I feel about Colorado and the winter. Beautiful!
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day too ;) I want to try this recipe :) xoxo
December 28th, 2010 at 10:22 am
These eggs look delish! I’m always on the look out for new egg recipes! :)
December 28th, 2010 at 10:37 am
This looks perfect for New Years monring, so simple but so many possibilities. Thanks and happy holidays!
December 28th, 2010 at 10:40 am
I love eggs in any form and these looks divine! I like the picture of Kaweah looking so happy and comfy laying on the reg. :)
December 28th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
whoa…….now that looks tasty. sooooo gonna make this one! Thanks for sharing-
December 28th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
This is some serious ski food – for before & after. Natures fast food girl. Crack open & egg & all is better in the world. Kaweah is such a sweetie, please give her a smooch for me. xo
December 28th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
I think of eggs as the little black dress of food. Simple, can be dressed up or down, and always appropriate. Yum. Was wondering what to have for dinner after our ski day today. Problem solved.
December 28th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
I made these for lunch shortly after reading your post. I had some good bacon and a little Tellegio cheese and flat leaf parsley. It was delicious.
December 28th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
With those puppy eyes, she could have anything she wanted from me!
December 28th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
I cannot believe I’ve never done this — and I have chickens! But what I really wanted to say was that I love you for fessing up on the Taleggio.
December 28th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
i, too, start licking my lips every time i see baked eggs posted somewhere but have yet to make them. i will, though; i will! with runny yolks :)
December 28th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
The blankets are beautiful!
I totally don’t judge about the cheese, but do give Taleggio a try sometime if you like stinky cheeses at all. It’s soft, very smelly, but not in a goaty way; and super delicious: one of my favorites right now.
I’ve never thought about making baked eggs. I liked that you mentioned Jeremy’s fear of runny yolks because I’m the same way–so if he liked it, there’s a good chance I will too.
December 28th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Mmm, those eggs look wonderful!
Love Kaweah’s quilt!
December 28th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
I make those delicious eggs often using Ina Garten’s recipe. You are right, they are simple AND elegant. So satisfying and easy. I will try them with greens next.
I really love those “rag quilts!” Anything made out of old flannel is good for me! Now I know why I saved an old flannel nightgown. I just could not part with it.
December 28th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Cutest dog ever on cutest quilt ever.
December 28th, 2010 at 11:04 pm
I love eggs and this dish sounds so simple!
December 29th, 2010 at 12:28 am
Runny yolks for me please! Thanks for a reminder of the simple recipes – I love going back to old favourites. I admire your quilts they are beautiful. And the picture of the clouds over the skyline is great to contemplate while reviewing the year and making New Year resolutions.
December 29th, 2010 at 2:53 am
Oh no, it’s so delicious! I have to eat this or I can’t sleep tonight! And your quilts are beautiful!
December 29th, 2010 at 9:07 am
this looks yummy. may have to whip this up for breakfast!
December 29th, 2010 at 10:13 am
Yes!
Someone else doing baked eggs! So few people seem to know about these and yet they’re the simplest, most elegant breakfast (or dinner).
I recently tried to do these with a bacon ring in the ramekin (http://shutupandcook.wordpress.com/2010/07/03/slow-down-sally-baked-eggs-with-bacon-and-dill/).
It didn’t really work, but still tasted very yummy.
December 29th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
I have been meaning to try this technique. It looks great.
December 30th, 2010 at 6:36 am
Wow, the quilt, the eggs, the long ski/walks in the snow. Wow! Very inspiring here in old Brooklyn. I just had lunch at Momofuku and they are all about the poached eggs put on top of bowls of Ramen there. That and your recipe for baked eggs has me determined: I shall make the baked eggs. Thanks!
December 30th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
What beautiful quilts! You’re so talented. Photos! Cooking! Quilts! oh my!
I hope you, Jeremy and Kaweah have a wonderful new year full of good health and fortune.
December 30th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Do you have a size rec for the ramekin? I tried this and the edges were like rubber while the middle was still liquid. I used a ramekin that I use for creme brule. Maybe it needs to be bigger?
December 31st, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Baked eggs are gonna run wild, and soon! They look incredibly simple and seem like an answer to the over indulgences of this past month.
I love the babies quilts, both of ’em. Miss K. will be nice and toasty through winter, and the new baby boy will be comfy, for sure.
December 31st, 2010 at 7:24 pm
You’re right, it’s so simple but yet looks so yummy I’ve gotta try it at home. Thanks for the idea.
January 1st, 2011 at 4:37 am
What a beautiful quilt. How thoughtful of you!
January 1st, 2011 at 11:11 am
What a great breakfast for some leftover kale and bacon. I’m sure chard would work as well. Thanks for sharing and the quilts are lovely!
January 1st, 2011 at 1:05 pm
Lovely……I wonder if the bacon stays crispy…
I’m going to try a rag quilt. Thanks for the inspiration.
You know, Tom and I don’t do presents either, presence is perfect!
January 2nd, 2011 at 12:28 am
Thanks for the inspiration! Tomorrow morning I am going to make baked eggs with ham, gruyere, spinach and cream. Looking forward to it!
January 3rd, 2011 at 8:43 am
beautiful quilts!! someday i will try that.
January 3rd, 2011 at 10:52 am
I love a baked egg. If you really want to amp up the taste/heft of the dish, put everything on top of a layer of cheese grits!
January 4th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
What a perfect and beautiful breakfast dish!
January 4th, 2011 at 10:43 pm
Kristin – ah yes, all of our blankets pick up stray dog hairs ;)
Grant – it’s so true. Kaweah is very much into the cushions and pillows and soft things. We try to make her golden years as good as possible.
Marla – will do!
Linda – so true. Eggs are amazing and perfect!
Tamar – oh you know me… total hick ;)
Erina – well it sounds good!
Sam – you ate at Momofuku? I’m so jealous.
Christine – thank you, happy new year to you too!
Christi – are your ramekins deep? I think shallow is better for even cooking. Mine are 4-inch diameter (the round ones, the oval ones are similarly as wide).
Jill – if the bacon is on top, it is crisp, otherwise if it’s in the egg it gets soft.
January 6th, 2011 at 8:10 am
I made this recipe the MOMENT i got home and it was so effing good that I had another one for dinner yesterday.
January 9th, 2011 at 9:09 pm
I loved reading about your baked eggs! I love eggs at any time of day; I make Shirred Eggs, using a hybrid of Mark Bittman and Julia Child’s recipes. I love the idea of adding fresh herbs and bacon. Can’t wait to try it this week.
Also…as a fellow Coloradan, I LOVE your winter pictures. This was just the reminder I needed to dust off my snowshoes and get to the hills. Keep up the good work!
February 19th, 2011 at 9:05 am
just served these as first breakfast as part of a geeky lord of the rings marathon. everyone LOVED them–the only complaint was that there wasn’t enough for seconds. once again, a recipe i found through you is a solid WIN! thanks!
March 1st, 2011 at 8:19 am
making this again today!! LOVE IT.
March 5th, 2011 at 10:47 am
diane & todd – you guys crack me up!
March 15th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
I will try it… looks delicious!
April 28th, 2011 at 10:26 am
Thank you for this, this is a perfect dish for my Atkins diet!
July 9th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
Made these for lunch this afternoon…the perfect treat for a lazy Saturday afternoon. So yummy!
September 29th, 2011 at 10:09 am
[…] had never made them beforebut I ate them in one form at Bouchon in Las Vegasand then came across this post about […]
January 7th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
This is a great alternative to a savory souffle! I can’t wait to try it!
January 30th, 2012 at 6:18 am
We make baked eggs from time to time and put What’s-this-here (Worchestire) sauce in them. It’s really good!
February 20th, 2012 at 1:53 pm
[…] inspiration had struck again, and I had big plans – for kale chips from Smitten Kitchen and baked eggs found on Pinterest – with kale chips instead of sautéed kale. Luckily, both recipes were a […]
May 15th, 2012 at 6:14 pm
I can’t wait to try this…should be a quick and easy breakfast for rushed mornings (with the stuff prepared, on hand). Oh, and don’t forget, this is low-carb too!!!
July 11th, 2012 at 6:27 am
[…] the deconstructed omlette? Well this link is to Baked Eggs…which is another way you could go about the deconstruction thing, and I am […]
July 30th, 2012 at 10:11 am
WOW… I love this idea. So many Sunday brunch meals turn get me frustrated because the eggs stick to the pan or I over cook them. And the time I would have to stand over the pan babysitting them can now be used to get the much needed coffee into me! Thanks for making this look so mouth watering and easy!!
August 17th, 2012 at 6:00 am
[…] Baked EggsBy Pintester on August 17, 2012 in Food & Drink I haven’t had the greatest luck baking eggs. Combine that with the fact that I’m not a huge fan of eggs-as-breakfast and you have a disaster waiting to happen. But the picture looked so good! (said every Pinterest devotee ever at one point or another) Image from Use Real Butter […]
August 18th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
[…] so I just hosted a big family breakfast, and I just had to share this with you. I found this on a blog (via Pinterest) and decided to try it. The result was fantastic, not to mention there was minimal […]
September 7th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
[…] you’re not a bread person, rock out some baked eggs. I eat these all the time, especially in the cool months. One other excellent thing about this meal […]
September 13th, 2012 at 2:39 am
[…] at improving my culinary skills. I’ve been wanting to make a cast iron skillet (inspired by this post) for a while. It was surprisingly easy and I was pleased with the results. Check it […]
September 17th, 2012 at 10:10 am
N Susan M J ( seniornewbie )ever tried this and now I will. Love to cook and love breakfast foods.
October 1st, 2012 at 3:55 am
[…] these ‘breakfast’ ramekins and of which ingredients to include. So when I came across this blog post I knew I had found the ideal combination to start […]
November 7th, 2012 at 1:10 pm
I’m going to try this with spinach and smoked salmon instead of kale and bacon, like baked eggs royale!
November 10th, 2012 at 8:31 am
Trying this NOW!!!
November 16th, 2012 at 7:14 am
[…] photo & recipes from : https://userealbutter.com/2010/12/28/baked-eggs-recipe/ […]
December 6th, 2012 at 11:52 am
Question, I don’t have the bowls you mentioned is there something else I can use?
December 6th, 2012 at 11:26 pm
Steph – anything oven-proof should work.
December 12th, 2012 at 12:16 pm
[…] Baked Eggs Recipe […]
December 21st, 2012 at 3:06 pm
[…] about–where soccer moms and bloggers bake bread, bacon, and an egg inside muffin tins). This recipe really peaked my interest with its use of roasted kale. Not having kale on hand, I replaced the […]
December 25th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
I really, really, really loved this recipe! I’ve made it several times, but with roasted broccoli, spinach, and any other green I can get my hands on. Kale is *by far* one of my favorite greens, but I haven’t had it on hand yet when making these baked eggs. Until next time!
Oh, and I gave your recipe a small shout out here: http://www.clearlydeliciousfoodblog.com/2012/baked-eggs-with-bacon-and-thyme/
January 20th, 2013 at 9:48 pm
OMG!! This is a must do. I improvised and placed a rice cake a
the bottom,after spraying with a nin-stick coating. DEEEELICIOUS!
January 25th, 2013 at 12:44 am
can i bake this recipe in a microwave? for how long?
January 25th, 2013 at 7:14 pm
Tried this out in the morning, while wife and children were asleep, perfect Breakfast, not to mention, was healthy too
January 27th, 2013 at 11:03 pm
[…] Recipe taken with inspiration from Use Real Butter via Pinterest here. baked eggs […]
January 29th, 2013 at 2:06 pm
Jessica – you could try. I’ve never done it, so I have no idea how long.
January 30th, 2013 at 1:15 pm
I have learned to love and prepare baked eggs. This is a yummy recipe.
February 5th, 2013 at 10:39 pm
[…] For a quick solo breakfast I put a single egg in a cheese-lined ramekin with some cream and seasonings and cook it in the microwave for 2 minutes. The version below is a good brunch or supper dish. Photo credit: Jennifer Yu of “userealbutter”https://userealbutter.com/2010/12/28/baked-eggs-recipe/ […]
March 17th, 2013 at 1:08 am
[…] Cheesy Baked Eggs with Bacon and Avocado (adapted from Use Real Butter) […]
March 22nd, 2013 at 11:11 am
[…] week, but we’ve got a favorite from Use Real Butter that has stood the test of time. Her Baked Eggs, dressed up just enough, are perfect. And […]
June 6th, 2013 at 7:53 pm
[…] Inspired by: Use Real Butter blog […]
August 5th, 2013 at 3:11 pm
Such simple food but so tastefull done. Love your photography. Love breakfast recipes.
August 14th, 2013 at 11:15 am
[…] Baked Eggs; here and here – you can do almost any combo you want with a stocked pantry, just add some herbs, […]
September 19th, 2013 at 1:36 pm
[…] Baked Eggs by Use Real Butter […]
March 2nd, 2014 at 8:12 pm
[…] Adapted from Use Real Butter […]
April 19th, 2014 at 11:32 am
I’m wondering, would it work ok to prepare night before to make breakfast easy in the morning?
April 21st, 2014 at 12:09 am
Mary Ann – you can prepare all of the ingredients (bacon, sautéed greens, etc.) and then just assemble in the morning and crack fresh eggs into each ramekin. Should be quick and easy!
May 13th, 2014 at 8:29 am
I love this recipe! I make it all the time for breakfast- it’s delicious!
Kristen
May 5th, 2015 at 2:36 am
There are several things I noticed when I made this recipe: it needed no salt & pepper due to the inherent saltiness of the ingredients, I should have used a bit of water in the pan to saute the kale since it was somewhat tough & slightly burned without & the baking time was twice as long. The baking time may have been extended because I left out the bacon & topped it with shredded cheese. Verty tasty recipe!
January 9th, 2016 at 1:38 am
Hi Jen, Always always loved my Grandpa’s baked eggs in oven on hob too when a young girlie, he look me out and then we’d have eggs and cheese for lunch or dinner tog he melted the cheese with butter and a little milk on the hob poured it onto a dish plopped on the eggs into oven “wowser ” brown chunks of bread the juice was good too
February 8th, 2016 at 9:28 am
Do you think I could put everything together in the ramekins and put in the refrigerator and cook them several hours later. We are going to a concert and everyone is coming to our house for breakfast afterwards, so I wanted something that I could have prepared and stick in the oven when I get home. Also, if I am making about 14, do you think I would have trouble cooking them in the oven at the same time? The dish looks fabulous.
February 8th, 2016 at 9:32 am
Joyce – Hrmmmm, I don’t refrigerate my eggs, so I don’t know how well they will bake if chilled. Is it possible to get all of your ingredients prepped ahead of time, butter the ramekins ahead of time, and then assemble (get someone to help you) all of them and pop them in the oven? If you are assembling and cracking eggs it should take 5 minutes tops. Depending on how big the ramekins are, you should probably be able to fit 14 (use 2 racks if you have a good oven – my oven doesn’t do well baking 2 racks as the lower rack doesn’t brown nicely). Hope it works!
February 9th, 2016 at 10:53 am
Thanks for the information. I keep my eggs in the refrigerator because I buy them from the store and they are already refrigerated. I think i will do a test run and see what happens. Sounds delicious and thanks again.