Oven Bacon and Eggs for Two

It’s April Fools Day.

I never really understood what that was all about, but it sure scared me when I was younger. The very thought of being ridiculed was enough to make me cry into my bottle of school-mandated, government-provided milk. I was already singled out for still having to drink the mandatory school milk every day – long after most in my class had been allowed to give it up – all by virtue of being born in the summer. Arriving in this world while school was out for the summer holidays made me younger than everyone else in my school year, and we younger ones still needed our milk every day, apparently. There were a few of us bundled off to the milk lady at break every morning, and we huddled round the crate, slurping furiously, with “Only babies drink milk” ringing in our ears as our classmates ran out to play instead. Maybe that’s why I was never a real fan of milk once I was in a position to decide for myself what I was and was not going to eat. I guess you could call it emotional non-eating.  What and when and how much we eat is often inexorably linked to our emotions – the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Nothing like a spot of shame to make you not want to do something.

These days I celebrate my own ridiculousness, and heartily embrace external efforts to ridicule me.  I’ve found life is much less painful that way, and way more fun.  Plus it infuriates your would-be-tormentors.  Love that.

I decided it would be fun to publish a breakfast-for-two on April 1st given that I have been single for more years than I care to count.  Ok, it’s 6.  And a bit.  And maybe even a bit more.  I’m not counting – it’s been a fabulous time.

It further amused me that when I created this I then ate the whole thing…on my own.  I do have a {very} healthy appetite.  It wasn’t hard to to just finish it all up – especially considering that it contains three of my favorite things in the food department: bacon, cream, and leeks.  “Leeks?!”, I hear you cry.  “For breakfast?”  Yes.  I am always looking for ways to sneak some extra non-starchy veggies into the mix, and this gave me the perfect opportunity.  Leeks and bacon go together terribly well, as you’ll know if you’ve cooked up this Bacon and Leek Bake.  Besides, if you’re going to add non-starchy green veggies to your breakfast, leeks are one of the least obvious ways to do it.

This dish is super simple – it’s really more assembly than cooking.  Once assembled, you just pop it in the oven and wait for the magic to happen.  I love baked eggs.  There’s a couple of other baked egg recipes you can try – Turkey Tarragon and Smoked Salmon.  They don’t have the added veggies, but you can always add them on the side – a fresh, vibrant green salad, or a simple saute of your favorite things from the crisper drawer in your ‘fridge.  This recipe just bakes the veggies right on in.

So easy on Sunday morning.