Basic Egg Sandwiches with a New Cooking Technique

Some days I enjoy a nice, warm, fried-egg sandwich for breakfast.  For me, it's a comforting start to the day and keeps me full and satisfied longer than a bowl of cereal.  I know, frying foods are almost never a good idea. (Ok, they're never good, but some foods just need the grease!)  But I do enjoy indulging myself every now and then.  I've also learned that farm fresh, cage-free, free range eggs contain a significant less amount of cholesteral then the normal store-bought, so I'll allow let that to be my excuse for now!  Also, I'm not really into the fluffy, mushy scrambled eggs.  I like the crisp edges with the soft, fluffy yolk surrounded by melty cheese and toasty bread...mmmm.

I learned a great trick for the perfect fried egg from Alton Brown of the Food Network.  It may sound a bit strange, but it really works!  These sandwiches are great immediately, but a whole bunch can be made ahead and frozen for a quick work week breakfast-on-the-go.

Basic Egg Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 Tbsp. butter

bread, toasted (sliced bread, bagel, english muffin, etc.)

favorite melting cheese ( I prefer American)

salt and pepper

Cooking tools:

small fry pan and lid

flexible spatula

Place the tablespoon of butter in the frying pan and turn heat to medium.  Heat the pan until butter is melted and starts to sizzle.  Swirl butter to coat pan.  Crack the egg into the pan.  (You will know the pan is hot enough with the egg starts to sizzle immediately instead of just sit and spread in the pan.)  Season with salt and pepper and cover the pan with the lid.

At this point, you must be very, very careful.  The egg is not only going to be frying, but steaming, as well.  The cooking time depends on how well done you like your egg.  I like mine well done, so the egg must cook for at least 2 minutes.  This technique requires no flipping of the egg, but because steam is being created in the pan, if the lid is lifted and the condensation drips into the hot grease, it can splatter. To check the doneness of the yolk, carefully lift the lid vertically, being careful not to allow the condensation to drip, and poke the yolk.

Even though this technique is a bit tricky, it creates the perfect fried egg- a fluffy, soft yolk surrounded by a crispy "crust".

I like to place my cheese on the toasted bread, then put the hot egg on top to melt.  But, you can also turn off and remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, place the cheese on the egg, and replace the lid.  Once melted, carefully use the spatula and place the egg on top of the toast.

Yummy Cornbread

Now that cooler weather has returned, I have started using my oven more frequently.  While I enjoy grilling in the Summer, I enjoy cooking in my oven even more.  Roasted meats, hot pies, and warm breads with their delicious smells filling my house, warm my insides along with my home.  One bread that I make quite often is cornbread.  It can be made in several forms; dry and crumbly-great for mixing in soups and sopping up juices, light and slightly sweet-wonderful side for most meals, and sweet and cakey-very tastey with fried chicken and coleslaw but also as dessert.

My father's favorite is dry and crumbly with little butter and uses it to thicken his pinto beans and sop up juices.  He even demonstrated to my husband his "techniques" for mixing and sopping (my husband had a good laugh later)!!  While he may claim to be a cornbread "expert", he and I do not share the same taste for kinds of cornbread.  I really like the light and slightly sweet version with a bit of butter and honey.  Occasionally, I enjoy the really sweet bread.  Anyone remember Hardee's and their extra-sweet cornbread?  It was so fantastic but so sweet you hardly needed any extra butter or honey.  But I couldn't eat it all the time.

The recipe I'm sharing today is my own!  I took two recipes I own and combined the ingredients I liked from each to create a light and slightly sweet cornbread.  It's great with chili, Slow Cooker Enchiladas (I'll share this recipe soon!)...anything!

Doesn't it look even yummier with the honey drizzling on it?  mmmmm



Cornbread

Carol Badaracco

2 cups AP flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal (not self-rising)

1/4 sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup plain, low-fat yogurt

milk* see note

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9" X 9" square or 10-inch round baking pan.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.  In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, and yogurt.  Mix into the dry ingredients, adding milk until batter is wet and well-combined.

Pour into the baking pan, spreading batter into an even layer.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

* The exact amount of milk is between 1-2 cups of milk.  I alternate between pouring and stirring until the batter is wet and well-combined.