Eggs are major staple in our family’s diet. As long as we’ve got eggs, milk, and flour and a handful of fruits and vegetables we are set. Not only are they an important ingredient for baking, which is especially prevalent in our house this time of year, but they are one of our favourite quick sources of protein. Whether it’s eggs and toast for breakfast, boiled eggs in a salad, or bibimbap for dinner, eggs are my go-to when we’re starving and don’t have much time on our hands.
This month Egg Farmers of Canada is celebrating fresh, local, high-quality eggs with their #BeEggsquisite holiday campaign. Canadians enjoy some of the freshest eggs in the world, when you’re shopping in your neighbourhood grocery store you can be sure that the eggs you are buying are both fresh and local – I think that is definitely something to celebrate! This month they’re featuring holiday recipes that use eggs to inspire people to “get cracking” and celebrate your local farmers. As part of their campaign I’ve come up with a fun way to serve up one of our favourite ways to enjoy eggs – breakfast sandwiches!
Hosting can be stressful this time of year which is why I like to keep things as simple as possible while still making it special. These Holiday Wreath Breakfast Sandwiches are a great way to spruce up a regular breakfast sandwich while ensuring there are no frazzled hosts/hostesses. After all Christmas is about spending time together, not trying to make everything perfect right? These can easily be made to feed a crowd so they are well suited to any holiday table, big or small, and I think they are just as suitable for lunch as they are for breakfast.
These start off with a toasted bagel base that gets a light spreading of mayo, top that off with a slice of ham and a gorgeous sunny side up egg, arrange some baby lettuce around the egg, along with some diced tomatoes, and your breakfast sandwiches are Christmas ready! I think these look super cute with a sunny side up egg, but if that intimidates you no worries, I’ve got some tips to share to help you get the perfect sunny side up eggs.
Tips for Making Perfect Sunny Side Up Eggs
- Cook them at a low temperature. You don’t want to heat the bottom of the eggs too fast or they will get too brown before the whites are set. Cook over medium-low heat, depending on your stove top. A little bit of practice and you’ll find the perfect temperature for you and your stove.
- Add just enough oil to coat the pan, the eggs should not be sizzling when they hit the pan, if they do the pan is too hot. If the eggs need a little help cooking on the top, spoon some hot oil just over the whites to help them cook faster.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Give them room to breath so they can cook evenly.
- Cook just until the whites are set on top. Touch them lightly with your finger to ensure they’re set. Don’t cook them too long because you don’t want the yolks to set!
- To get perfectly shaped eggs, use a circular cookie cutter to cut a round from the eggs, after they are cooked. Make sure it’s large enough that you don’t have much waste.
Now no more excuses, go out and “get cracking”! ;)
What are your favourite ways to use eggs during the holidays? Recipe links welcome!
- 2 cheese bagels, split and toasted
- Mayonnaise
- 4 slices deli ham
- 4 eggs, cooked sunny side up
- 1 large handful baby lettuce (our favourite is arugula)
- 1 small tomato, diced
- Spread a small amount of mayo over each bagel half. Top with a slice of deli ham. Place the egg on top with the yolk in the centre. Arrange baby lettuce around the yolk to form a wreath. Sprinkle with diced tomatoes or any other colour veggies that you like. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
This post is part of the #BeEggsquisite campaign hosted by Egg Farmers of Canada, to encourage people to support and celebrate Canadian farmers this holiday season. I was compensated for developing this post, but all thoughts, opinions, and recipes are my own.
