Buttered Eggs

So, in my email this morning was a recommendation from Amazon that I might like a new book..."Outlander Kitchen" by Theresa Carle-Sanders.  It's a cookbook inspired by the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon!  Amazon was right...again.  I DO like this book.  I also like the website: http://outlanderkitchen.com/ 

As I was scrolling through the list of recipes (and being how we hadn't eaten breakfast yet), I decided to try the Buttered Eggs from The Scottish Prisoner.  I had all the ingredients...you probably do too...there aren't that many.  Eggs, Butter, Salt and Pepper.  A frightening amount of butter, actually. One full tablespoon of butter per egg!!

So, I made a few minor adjustments (namely a little less butter!) and cooked these up. Delicious!  A toasted English Muffin and teaspoon of homemade Blueberry Preserves are the perfect accompaniment.  We are now ready to hitch up the oxen and go plow the back 40!!  

Here's the recipe.

BUTTERED EGGS

3 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat.  While that's doing, season the eggs with a little salt and pepper and beat well until the white and yellow are well combined.  When the butter starts to get frothy, pour the eggs into it and stir often with a fork or spatula.  You want to incorporate the butter into the cooking eggs, so don't stop stirring!  Gently, though.  When the eggs are still moist, turn the heat off and and finish cooking and stirring until they are done. You don't want to overcook them...they should be done, but still moist and creamy looking.  Serve with toast.

The eggs tasted great, but even though I used less butter than the original recipe called for, I would decrease the butter to only 2 tablespoons if I made this again.  Or increase the eggs to 6 instead of 4!

Also, just in case you're interested in history, this dish was described in a cookbook as early as 1660 (The Accomplisht Cook by Robert May).  Here's the instructions for preparing it in 1822 (from The Cook and Housekeeper's Dictionary by Mary Eaton):

BUTTERED EGGS. Beat four or five eggs, yolk and white together; put a quarter of a pound of butter in a bason, and then put that into boiling water. Stir it till melted, then put that butter and the eggs into a saucepan; keep a bason in your hand, just hold the saucepan in the other over a slow part of the fire, shaking it one way, as it begins to warm. Pour it into the bason and back again, then hold it over the fire, stirring it constantly in the saucepan, and pouring it into the bason, more perfectly to mix the egg and butter, until they shall be hot without boiling. Serve on toasted bread, or in a bason, to eat with salt fish or red herrings.

Sour Cream Scrambled Eggs

5 eggs
1 heaping tablespoon sour cream
2 teaspoons water
Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon butter (or bacon drippings)
1/2 - 3/4 cup grated Cheddar or American cheese

In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs, sour cream, water, salt and pepper until the sour cream is fully incorporated and the eggs look fluffy.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a non-stick skillet.  Pour in the eggs and cook, stirring occasionally until curds form.  Stir in the cheese and continue cooking and stirring until eggs are of desired consistency.

Good eggs!!  From Paula Deen recipe on Food Network website.

Eggs Benedict Casserole

6-oz Canadian Bacon or Ham, cut into cubes
3 English Muffins, cut into cubes
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
Hollandaise Sauce, if desired

Butter a 9x9-inch casserole dish.

Combine the ham and English Muffin cubes and put them in the casserole.  Whisk the eggs, milk, onion powder, salt, pepper and paprika until well mixed and pour over the ham mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375^F.  Remove the plastic wrap and cover the dish with foil.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for 15-20 minutes more or until set.

Serve with Hollandaise Sauce, if desired.  Being the lazy cook that I am, I used a package mix for the Hollandaise.

Adapted from a couple of recipes found on Pinterest.

Deluxe Egg Salad

6 hard-boiled eggs
2 tablespoons softened butter
3-ounces softened cream cheese
1 tablespoon mayonnaise (more if needed)
2 tablespoons minced celery
1 teaspoon minced dehydrated onion (or grated fresh onion)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 - 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice, if desired
Paprika, if desired

Peel the eggs and chop finely.  Add the butter, cream cheese, mayonnaise, celery, onion, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir until well combined.  If the mixture is too thick add more mayonnaise and/or the pickle juice.  (I prefer the pickle juice).  Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Makes great sandwiches and is also good on crackers.

Adapted from a recipe found on Pinterest.

Swiss Chicken Quiche

1 (9-inch) unbaked pastry shell, pricked

2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey

1 cup (4 oz) shredded swiss cheese

2 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp instant chicken bouillon

1 cup milk

3 eggs, well beaten

1 Tbsp dehydrated minced onions

2 Tbsp minced green bell pepper

2 Tbsp chopped pimiento

Preheat oven to 450^F. Bake pastry shell 8 minutes; remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350^F.

In small bowl, toss cheese with flour and bouillon. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add cheese and remaining ingredients until well mixed. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until set.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

From Borden's Holiday Recipe Collection, 1987. This is a very tasty Quiche!