Sparkle Kitchen

Sparkle Kitchen: Eggs in a Poke

On the seventh day of Martin & Sylvia's Audio Advent Calendar, in the story “The Tree,” Martin and Sylvia wake up to the first snowfall. The pair quickly bundles-and-boots-up to play in their backyard and explore what the snow has done to their favorite apple trees.

But then, on a high branch, Martin spots an advent card with a Christmas tree on it. Is it a clue about what the family will do that day?

It's always so cozy on the morning of the first snowfall, and in this story Daddy makes Martin and Sylvia's house even cozier with a hearty breakfast of “eggs in a poke.”

Also called “eggs in a hole,” “eggs in a basket,” and (in Great Britain) “toad in a hole,” eggs in a poke is simply an egg cooked in a piece of toast with the center cut out. While the hole in the toast is traditionally cut with a biscuit cutter, because we're in the midst of the holidays it's just as easy — and pretty fun — to use a holiday cookie cutter to make a shape.

Another fun holiday touch? Serve up your eggs in a poke on a big platter of sliced avocado and canned tomatoes. Not only does it make this breakfast heartier, it's a lovely dose of red and green, too.

Christmas Eggs In a Poke

(serves 2-4)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter

4 slices bread

4 eggs

1 avocado

1 14.5 ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Melt the butter on a large griddle or skillet. Slice the avocado, wring out and chop the tomatoes, and spread them each onto the sides of a large platter.

Then, use your favorite Christmas cookie cutter to cut out the center of each slice of bread, reserving the inside shape for dipping. Lightly toast the bread (both outer ring and insert) on one side, then flip it.

Working quickly, crack one egg into the center of each toast. Cook until the whites are set.

If you like an over-easy egg, remove your eggs in a poke from the heat, and arrange them on the platter. If you want your eggs a bit more cooked, flip the toasts once more—with confident conviction to keep the eggs from coming apart — and let the toast cook on the first side for about thirty more seconds. Again, plate your eggs up with the avocado and tomatoes.

Serve family style with a big spoon for scooping bits of avocado and tomato onto each person's portion.

In you enjoyed this recipe, here are some others you might try:

• Skirlie
• Mother's Day Egg Scramble
• Deviled Eggs

Not yet a subscriber? Try a free trial HERE.