The perfect beginning and ending to the day...

Does the first picture look a little familiar? Like you maybe saw it on the cover of Food Network Magazine last month? Ok, theirs was much more professional looking, but don't let that fool you into thinking that they invented this egg-cellent dish. Oh, no they sure didn't. I'm not claiming that I invented it, either...not even close. We call it the egg baskets (I don't remember what they called it), and Dick first introduced them to me while we were dating. It's definitely not the fanciest breakfast, but one of champions nevertheless. Ever seen the movie Moonstruck with Cher & Nicolas Cage (before his terrible hair/awful movie lifestyle choice - don't argue...you know you can't with Ghost Rider in your back pocket!)? Well, if you haven't you should Netflix it this weekend. You'll love it! Cher's mother in the movie makes egg baskets! So, I have yet to learn who the founder of the Egg Basket is, but let's all take a moment to give thanks anyway.

Egg Baskets

Ingredients

1 egg

1 piece of whole wheat toast

1 Tbsp butter or margarine

2 Tbsp shredded cheese

Salt & pepper

Directions

1. Using a cookie cutter or small drinking cup, cut a hole out of the middle of your bread.

2. butter both sides of your bread.

3. place your bread in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.

4. crack your egg into the hole in the bread, season w/ salt & pepper, & cook it to just under your liking.

5. use a spatula to turn the bread/egg over for 45-60 seconds.

6. sprinkle with cheese and place on a plate.

What is the perfect ending to the perfect day? Or even the worst day? My answer to that question will probably always include chocolate, and on most days it will specifically be a chocolate eclair. I've always loved them, but only if they're filled with custard. You can just forget it if it's filled with that whipped cream garbage. No thanks. Tell me, what is the point of that? It's just a tease, and totally unsatisfying. When we got home from NYC, I was craving pastries...which makes complete sense when I remember that we had some every single day we were there! I'd try to defend myself, but really there's not a lot I can say. So, of course I turned to FoodNetwork.com and found exactly what I was looking for. Shout out to Paula Deen - because of her you're all getting this sensational chocolate eclair recipe! And might I also add that this was so much easier than I'd imagined it would be?! I made my sister some for her birthday, and then I made more the very next day. We took some to friends, but we saved two big ones for ourselves. Like I would make and then not partake...come on, you know me better than that by now. There was icing that went with the pastry itself, but I didn't like it very much, so I ended up going with a can of chocolate frosting. If you have a great chocolate icing recipe use it, if not, just swing by the grocery store. Have fun indulging, my friends. I know I did!

Chocolate Eclairs

Paula Deen of the Food Network

Ingredients

Pastry:

1 c. water

1 stick margarine or butter

1 c. sifted all-purpose flour

4 eggs

Filling:

3 c. milk

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

1. preheat oven to 400.
2. heat water & margarine to boiling point. add flour & stir constantly until mixture is smooth & forms a ball when tested in cold water. remove from heat & let cool.

3. beat in 4 eggs, one at a time. for small eclairs, drop dough from teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. for larger eclairs, spoon dough into a pastry bag and pipe onto the cookie sheet. bake for ~30 minutes or until light brown. set aside to cool.

4. prepare filling by combining milk, sugar, salt & flour; cook slowly until thickens.

5. add 3 beaten eggs & continue to cook until mixture is even thicker. remove from heat, cool & add vanilla.

6. with a serrated knife, slice pastry puffs lengthwise, but not all the way through.

7. pipe custard mixture into the center.

8. frost the eclairs & serve.