Egg in a Whole

I was baffled the first time my husband announced one of the childhood food staples he most missed was egg in a hole. Huh? I grew up with some crazy combo casseroles, but this took cheesy childhood dishes to a new level...until I saw a Food Network chef whip up a modern and wholesome version of this classic breakfast snack. The very next weekend I found myself in the kitchen taking in a lesson from my husband, and the result was whimsical and worthy! Here's how we built ours.

Ingredients:

1/2 day-old baguette, sliced on the diagonal 3/4" thick
4 to 6 organic eggs, depending on how many you choose to make
Garlic white cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
1 roma tomato, thinly sliced
3 sprigs of fresh thyme, de-stemmed
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat a griddle to 350º or over medium heat.

Lightly butter both sides of the sliced baguette. Cut or tear (or use a small biscuit cutter) to make a 1 1/2 to 2" round cutout in each slice of bread. Place the slices on the griddle; flip over once lightly browned.

After flipping, crack one egg into each hole of the bread. Allow to cook until almost over-medium. Layer with a slice of cheese until it melts. Top with sliced tomato, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Eat while hot with a small arugula salad tossed with fresh lemon juice, olive, salt and your favorite nuts.