Easy Incredible Eggs

Eggs are magical. Really. They have such power and only use it for good--they bind, smooth, fluff, soften. AND they taste pretty good on their own, especially in the recipes below.
Eggs for dinner are so fast and easy--and they don't have to be part of a breakfast combo plate. Maybe I'm behind, but I didn't know that. These recipes could make you a believer too.



photo by sir chalky

Southwestern Eggs

2-16-ounce jars salsa
8 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 avocado, diced (optional but so good!)
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
1/4 cup cilantro leaves (optional)
8 ounces tortilla chips

Pour the salsa into a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cover and heat until warmed through.

Break 1 egg into a small dish and slide it gently into the salsa. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Season with the salt and pepper. Cover and cook to the desired doneness.

Divide the eggs and salsa among individual plates. Top with the avocado, sour cream, and cilantro and serve with the chips.

Makes 4 servings
recipe from Real Simple magazine; find it online here.
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Lynne Rossetto Kasper of "Splendid Table" shared this recipe by Sally Swift from their book The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories, and Opinions from Public Radio's Award-Winning Food Show in one of her weekly newsletters. I highly recommend the newsletter--thanks Whitney! More info here.
The rest of these notes come directly from her newsletter.

Crispy Tortilla Eggs with Avocado and Lime

The recipe for this dish, at its most primal, begs for variations, so follow your heart: add shrimp, roasted chiles, olives, fresh herbs - you get the idea.

• 3 tablespoons good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed
• 4 stale corn tortillas, cut into long narrow strips
• 2 tablespoons chopped mild onion
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup good-quality salsa
• 1/3 cup crumbled mild cheese, such as Monterey Jack or Brick*
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 lime, halved
• 1/4 cup Mexican crema, sour cream, or plain whole-milk yogurt (optional)

1. Film a large saute pan with the olive oil, and heat over medium-high heat until the oil looks wavy. Add the tortilla strips and fry until they are beginning to crisp, about 1 minute. Don't move them around too much; let them crisp on one side and then turn them.

2. Add the chopped onion and continue frying until the tortilla strips are crispy and nicely browned. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and spoon off any extra fat, reserving 1 tablespoon in the pan.

3. Return the pan to the burner, reducing the heat to medium. Move the majority of the strips to the edge of the pan, leaving about 3 inches clear in the center. Pour the eggs in the center and partially over the strips. Allow the eggs to set, and then gently pull them apart, letting the uncooked egg reach the surface of the pan. Once the eggs are firmly set, turn them in large pieces to finish cooking.

4. Serve with the salsa, cheese, slices of avocado, a squeeze of lime, and if you wish, the crema or sour cream.

Makes 4 servings.

LYNNE'S TIPS

Look for organic sprouted-corn tortillas in your supermarket freezer case. They are toothy and rustic and very delicious. We like the Food for Life brand out of Corona, California (www.foodforlife.com).

A nonstick pan works well here. If you are using a conventional pan, be generous with the oil.

*Brick is a semi-soft, cow's milk cheese that melts into a smooth, gooey wonderfulness. It's the one to pick for grilled cheese sandwiches and burgers, quesadillas, stratas, and all kinds of egg dishes.