These days, I’m standing in line, very early, for eggs. I usually consider fridge space to be precious, yet I dedicate one whole shelf to a couple flats of eggs from the farm. Certainly, the rising costs of eggs tipped the balance of how far I’m willing to drive, and the quality of the eggs keeps me coming back. While we wait in line at 7 a.m., customers chat and compare miles traveled. Things run efficiently, and we get through pretty quickly. I’ve learned my lesson to get there right when they open because they do run out of my preferred size.
Eggs are one of the very few healthy proteins I can confidently put on the menu for everyone in my house. We have breakfast burritos once a week without fail, eggs for breakfast plenty, and a boiled egg or two go in lunches regularly. There are still some specific requests — only I can make scrambled eggs the right way for my youngest.
Commercially prepared sous-vide egg bites are common these days. I’ve picked these up plenty of times for a convenient breakfast. While a sous vide egg bite is quite a hassle, this steam in the oven method will get you pretty close to the original. You can make them with any additions that suit you. I personally like veggies and meat together, rather than choosing one over the other. I’ve also found that the cheese-only version comes closest to the real thing, and it’s the only way my little one will eat them.
Oven-Steamed Egg Bites (makes about 10)
Ingredients:
• 2/3 cups of add-ins, cooked (e.g. spinach, bell pepper, sausage/bacon crumbles)
• 1/2 cups cheese, shredded (e.g. cheddar, Swiss)
• 5 large eggs
• 3/4 cups whole milk cottage cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit and place a baking sheet on the bottom rack. Spray 10 cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin with oil.
In a blender, combine the eggs, cottage cheese and salt. Blend until smooth. Once the oven is heated, start boiling a few cups of water on the stovetop.
Pour the egg mixture into the oiled muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full to leave space for add-ins. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of your add-ins and a heaping teaspoon of cheese to each muffin cup. Gently stir the top portion of each cup without disrupting the base. Leave a little room at the top to allow for expansion.
Once water is boiling, place the muffin tin on the middle rack in the oven. Wearing oven mitts, carefully pour the boiling water into the baking sheet on the bottom rack. Close the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
Once baked, turn off the oven and open the door just a crack to let the steam escape. Let cool briefly before removing the muffin tin.
Using a spoon or a small spatula release the egg bites from the muffin tin.
