Introduction: Eggy in the Basket

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About: I love to cook and craft. I am also trying to declutter and decorate my apartment on the cheap in a green way. When I make something, I can also never seem to remember to take photos of it.


Do have screaming, hungry friends and/or children? Did you wake up next to someone you desperately want to impress? Do have empty cupboards and absolutely no culinary skills? With some eggs, bread and a few practice sections you can make an impressive meal in just minutes!

BUT WAIT! There's.... no more. But isn't that enough?

Eggy In THE Basket, otherwise known as Eggs in Toast, Toad in the Hole, and Sunshine Toast is a fun meal to make with your family and friends.  It's also a great meal to teach kids to make for themselves, or to eat after a night overdoing it with friends.  It's made with things often on hand, and no special equipment.

Step 1: Preparation & Ingredients


Makes 4 Eggys. Multiply or divide as necessary.

Ingredients:

4 Eggs
4 Slices of Bread (We prefer Rye, but any kind works. Wheat is pictured.)
4 Tbsp of butter (Or one Tbsp per slice)
Salt
Pepper (Fresh Ground makes a world of difference.)
(optional) Vegetable Oil, if you don't want to use butter. But you do want to use butter, no matter what the anti-butter trust wants you to think. Because butter is good.

Tools:
Non-Stick Fry Pan (use a coat of cooking spray if you don't have a non-stick pan)
Spatula
Fork, to help you get your Eggy on the spatula

Remember, you and your helpers need to wash your hands before handling the food!

Step 2: Bite Your Hole


Gently bite a hole into center of the bread. Have each of your little helpers or large helpers bite their own holes into thei pieces of bread they'll be eating. Food is Fun! If your bread is too stale, the bread may snap in half. That piece of bread is now useless. Dont' bother to mourn the bread, discard the pieces and try again. Or eat them, or toss them out for the birds.

Step 3: A Side


Heat your pan on Medium. Put 1/2 a Tbsp of butter into the pan and swirl it about to coat. Lay one slice of your bread down and let it soak up some butter and toast. Pressing down gently with your spatula may help this along.

Step 4: B Side....The Surprise Pop Hit!


When your bread is a little bit toasted, lift it up and add the other 1/2 Tbsp of butter and let that melt. Flip your bread over and toast a little bit more.

After your bread has a head start on browning; crack an egg into the center. Try and get the yolk right in the center. Don't worry too much about breaking the yolk; since your hole should be sufficient to contain it. A whole yolk works out better if you like your eggs Over Easy or Over Medium.  Cook your egg until the white is set.

When you lift up the edges of your bread you shouldn't hear any new fizzling. If you hear fizzling, that's egg white hitting the pan. Don't get overexcited, let it cook a little longer.

Step 5: The Precision Flip


Push any overlapping egg white onto the top of your bread. This makes thing neater, and keeps any egg white from flipping off into your tender vulnerable eye when you flip your toast.

Since the top of your egg isn't set yet; this is where your fork comes in handy. Use your fork to hold your toast steady while you slip your spatula fully beneath the toast.  Don't use your fork to push the bread onto the spatula, you may break the cooked side of the egg. If your toast is really sticking, use some cooking spray or vegetable oil on the spatula

Don't lift the toast too high, or you may lose the egg when you flip it. Flip it quick and don't hesitate and you won't lose your egg. The cooked side should be a lovely golden brown.

Let the second side cook based on how you like your eggs. Count to ten slowly for over easy, and count to twenty for over medium, and count to thirty for over hard. Experiment to find what you like best; but Eggy in the Basket seems to be traditionally done runny, and that's how I like them.

Step 6: Finishing Touches


Give your egg another flip to check it over. All the white should be set and your bread should be golden brown. Lift it onto the plate and turn the stove back to warm so you don't burn the butter for your next slice. Turn it back up to medium when you add your bread. Repeat until everyone has two delicious slices.

If you're making a very large batch for brunch, put the Eggys into a warm casserole and hold them in the oven on the lowest setting.

Serve as part of a balanced breakfast! Here we are eating it with fruit and bacon! It was cold by then because I kept taking so many pictures, but it was still delicious.

Alternatively make Eggy-In-A-Basket into a smorgasbord sandwich, eat as dinner with some veggies or baked beans, or cover it with a salad. Alone, it makes a lovely snack or hangover helper.

This is a very simple meal, but practicing the logistics makes all the difference. My roommate's been making it once or twice a week for ages, and she makes A-MAZING Eggy in the Basket. In less than ten minutes; you or your newly skilled child have a great meal!

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