LITMIR.BIZ

       Serves 1

      Olive oil (to coat the bottom of the pan, may need to add again after the flip)

      1 slice good-quality whole-grain bread

      1 egg

      Sprinkle of salt and pepper

      Coat the bottom of a good nonstick or, even better, a cast-iron skillet with olive oil. Heat over medium heat.

      Use a biscuit cutter or just free-form tear a hole in the center of the bread.

      Place holey bread in skillet and crack the egg in the hole. Let the egg set up and the bread get toasty on one side and then flip to toast the other side of the bread for roughly 2 minutes per side, depending on preference for how well done the egg should be. I believe it is best though when the yolk is runny and can spread over the plate so the bread can soak it all up!

Belle Chèvre Scrambled Eggs with Shiitake Mushrooms

      Who doesn’t love scrambled eggs? If there is some one out there who doesn’t, I haven’t met her. This recipe is a hearty and earthy way to dress up the standard fare.

       Serves 4

      3 tablespoons butter, unsalted

      6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced

      Salt and pepper

      8 large eggs, well beaten

      3 tablespoons chives, snipped

      3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) mild goat cheese, crumbled

      Toast, for serving

      In a large nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

      In a bowl, season the eggs with salt and pepper. Melt the remaining butter in the skillet with the mushrooms; add the eggs. Cook over moderately low heat without stirring until the bottom is barely set, 30 seconds. Add the chives and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs form large soft curds. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the cheese on top; let stand until softened, 30 seconds. Gently fold the cheese into the eggs; serve with toast.

Belle Chèvre Baked Eggs

      I first fell in love with baked eggs at my friend Lyn Aust’s wonderful gourmet bistro in Huntsville, Alabama. Hers were ultra-yummy, as I recall, with ham and spinach. This is a simple yet very elegant version. What I especially like is that it is remarkably easy to feed a crowd with this dish.

       Serves 6

      2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs (parsley, basil, thyme, mint, tarragon), chopped

      Clove garlic, minced

      2 tablespoons butter, melted

      2 tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half

      6 eggs

      3 tablespoons goat cheese, finely crumbled

      Sea salt

      Cracked black pepper

      Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine herbs and garlic; set aside. In a glass measuring cup, mix butter and cream. Place six 4-ounce ramekins or ovenproof cups on a baking sheet. Pour butter mixture evenly among ramekins. Bake in oven until bubbly hot, about 1–3 minutes.

      Remove from oven. To avoid breaking yolks, carefully crack 1 egg into a separate cup and gently slide it into a heated ramekin. Top eggs with herb and mixture and crumbled cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining eggs.

      Return to oven and bake 3–5 minutes. Eggs should look not quite done; they will continue to cook after removed from oven. Place each ramekin on a plate. Serve immediately with toast.

Cornmeal Pancakes Topped with Honey-Pecan Butter

      I wholeheartedly agree with Mark Bittman, author of How To Cook Everything, when he said that we must have, as Americans, lost our connection to the kitchen when we stopped making pancakes from scratch. This recipe calls for an incredibly easy mix of ingredients, and I am sure you will love experiencing the result. The fromage blanc makes it especially pleasing.

      I adore this recipe!