FBT

A few weeks ago, we went out for breakfast at my #1 all-time, most favorite place to eat in all the world: Ruth's Diner. It's a converted trolley car located up Emmigration Canyon east of Salt Lake City (just beyond the zoo). Besides serving fabulous food (and by fabulous I mean super-scrumptious) the place has atmosphere. In the summer you can dine on the back patio under maple trees strung with tiny white lights. The sound of a river rushing by provides background music. In the winter you snuggle into one of their newly upholstered booths and sip hot chocolate that has a mountain of whipped cream on top.

So it had been a while since I was last there and I noticed something new on the menu: baked eggs. Being adventurous in my culinary tastes, I decided to give them a try - and wow - I have been addicted ever since. I came home and re-created them as best I could. I think I did all right. If you love delicious eggs. And these are delicious. If I do say so myself.

You can bake them in individual ramekins if you have them, but I don't, so I baked them in a shallow 4X8 baking dish.

Ingredients:
6 TBS butter (melted)
12 TBS cream or half and half (I think that's about 1/4 cup)
6-8 large eggs
1/2 box grape tomatoes
feta cheese (as much as you like)
freshly torn basil (as much as you like)

Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and place the top rack 6 inches below the broiler.

Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle (I love that word) with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Stick them under the broiler until they get all blistery and begin to burst.

While you're waiting for the tomatoes, pour the melted butter and cream into the baking dish. Carefully crack the eggs into the dish. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and add the feta cheese and basil. When the tomatoes are done, add them to the dish. Place the whole thing under the broiler for 6-7 minutes. Depending on whether you like your eggs firm or runny, you may have to adjust the cooking time. Mine were a little too runny on the bottom so I baked them for about 3 more minutes at 350.

Get ready for a party in your mouth and enjoy!

By the way, I'm on a whole feta, basil, and tomato thing lately. Try 'em all chopped up with some leftover salmon on toasted whole-wheat bread. DE-LISH!