Egg Blossoms

Egg Blossoms. These are a simple, inexpensive but make a great addition to any breakfast or brunch menu! (We have even had them on busy nights for dinner!) I have been making these since I was in junior high school. I can't remember if I saw this recipe in a magazine, 4H club or in Home Economics class....but it was something easy that I could make and everyone just loved them! I wasn't much of a cook back in junior high school but I could make these (and cookies which about summed up my cooking skills back then!)

I love these because they only call for 2 ingredients....ham and eggs! (You can substitute smoked turkey if you prefer). I generally get the Black Forest Ham at the deli (sliced on the thin side but not shaved) but this time I used the sliced Rosemary Crusted Ham from Trader Joe's. Although the flavor of the Rosemary Ham is one of my favorites...it wasn't as firm to work with and wanted to fall apart....therefore my egg blossoms are not very pretty in today's photo.

These are great because they go together quickly and you can serve them warm or chilled. Since there is minimal prep or cleanup...these are one of my go-to recipes for the busy holidays. I like to make them when I have a brunch or a bunch of house guests because you just put them in a muffin pan and toss them in the oven and they are done! It is like having ham with a poached egg. These are also great for people that are on low-carb diets, gluten free diets, and for those that just love breakfast food! Leftovers freeze great too! For those that prefer scrambled eggs, you can just scramble your eggs or use liquid egg whites (like Egg Beaters) instead of the putting the egg in whole. I serve them on a beautiful platter and garnish the platter with some fresh Rosemary or Basil from my yard.

Egg Blossom Recipe:
(You can adjust the recipe to the amount you need. 1 slice ham + 1 egg per blossom)

• 12 eggs (more or less depending on how many blossoms you want to make)
• 12 slices of gluten free ham or smoked turkey (more or less depending on how many blossoms you want)
• Muffin/Cupcake pan(s)

Lightly grease muffin pan (I did not use cupcake liners). I used a non-stick cooking spray. Fold the ham slice in the muffin cup and overlap edges if needed. It should be flat on bottom in the shape of the muffin cup. You will want the ham edges to stick out of the muffin cups on the edges a little bit. Unfortunately my ham was not flexible and it tore easily today so my blossoms aren't quite as pretty but they were still tasty! Crack each egg and put one egg in the center of each ham cup. (You can scramble your eggs or use Egg Beaters instead if you prefer). Sprinkle salt lightly if desired. (I also sprinkled a little bit of chopped Rosemary on top of mine today). I covered them lightly with foil so it "tented" up and wouldn't stick to my eggs. This keeps the eggs from getting rubbery and crusty when they cook. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the clear part of the egg has turned white and is slightly firm.

Before Bakine

Before Baking

Ready to eat!

Up close view

Inside of the yummy little blossom

The inside is similar to a poached or boiled egg

I will post some additional pictures in the future when I have better photos. In addition, I will make some with scrambled eggs in the center so you can see how that turns out also).
NOTE: Those with a gluten allergy, be sure to verify that the deli ham or turkey you get is gluten free. Not all lunch meat is gluten free!