Egg Nests

An ordinary breakfast for me consists of some cottage cheese or greek yogurt, maybe some fruit...so I revel in the times when there are guests over and I can make something extra delicious...like a breakfast quiche or casserole...or a sweet cinnamon-roll like treat. So when I found this very easy yet totally cute-on-the-presentation recipe from Simply Recipes, I was sold on trying it. A weekend at my mom's house was the perfect time. It's a recipe easily doubled, or tripled, or however big you need to make it. Or you can make it for one...either way, you'll enjoy it, and it will only take you a bit to put together.


Ingredients
4 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup grated cheese (anything will work...but I like cheddar, gruyere or parmesan the most for this one)


Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
*Note: this is essential. Otherwise, these little suckers will stick.
2. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Place the egg whites in a medium mixing bowl and keep the egg yolks in a half of their broken shells. I found setting them aside in the egg carton they came in to be the best way to keep them "safe" from breakage.
*Note: be very gentle here not to break the yolks, or your final product won't look as pretty. If it happens, you can still use it, because it's certainly going to taste just fine!

3. Add the salt to the egg whites and whip with a stand- or hand-mixer on high speed until the mixture forms stiff peaks.

4. Meanwhile, grate the cheese. When the egg whites are whipped into stiff peaks, gently fold in the cheese.
*Note: do this very gently to avoid deflating the egg whites. Start by putting the cheese in the center and, with a spatula, gently turning the egg whites into the center from the bottom up, outside to inside. This will ensure that the egg whites stay fluffy.

5. Divide the mixture into four equal piles on the baking sheet and, with a spoon, create a hole in the middle (but don't go all the way through to the baking sheet).

6. Bake for three minutes.

7. Remove from the oven and place one egg yolk in the center of each mound (they'll look like little fluffy clouds).

8. Return to the oven and cook for three more minutes, or until the egg whites are browning on the top.
*Note: your egg yolks should still be runny, and the whites will be much stiffer.
9. Sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper.
10. Serve with some bacon and hearty bread or bagels to soak up the extra yolk.
*Note: next time, I'll set them on top of a sausage patty and sliced tomato to serve for a more well-rounded option and an even prettier presentation.