I’ve written about Egg in a Nest before, but I decided it was time to revisit this breakfast classic just in time for Valentine’s Day. I felt like making something fun for breakfast this past weekend and since February is the month of heart-shaped food (at least in the world of food blogs), I decided to break out my heart-shaped cookie cutter to create Eggs in a Heart for breakfast!
The method is simple. Grab a piece of bread, an egg, a cookie cutter or a knife, some butter, and a frying pan. Cut a heart-shaped hole in the bread. Heat the pan over medium heat, add a bit of butter and swirl around. Place the slice of bread in pan (as well as the little heart-shaped piece) and carefully crack the egg into the hole in the bread.
Sprinkle egg with a bit of salt and pepper and cook until the bread is nicely browned on the bottom. Next, you can either carefully flip the slice of bread over to cook the other side, or you can slide the whole pan under the broiler and cook until the top of the bread is browned and the egg is cooked to your liking. If you use the broiler method, I suggest brushing the top of the bread lightly with melted butter (or a bit of bacon grease if you have some handy) before putting it under the broiler.
Serve with the little heart on top, or place it on the side. Would be perfect with a side of fresh-squeezed blood orange juice.
Enjoy with your sweetheart!
If this is your first time learning about Egg in a Nest, it might be fun to read my first post about it, especially the comments! There are over 80 comments on that post, most of them giving different names for this simple breakfast dish. And if you happen to call it something else, head on over and join the discussion!
Other Valentine’s Day Ideas:
- Blood Orange Salad
- Heart-Shaped Buttermilk Cranberry Scones
- Bacon-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Smoked Paprika Butter
- Double Dark Chocolate Beet Muffins
- Red Velvet Cake
- Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Naughty Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
These are adorable! I’ve made these my whole life, but my family calls them eggs in a basket. Same thing, plus equally delicious.
2:17 pm Feb 9th, 2009This is a great breakfast on the go. Send your loved one off with a piece of your heart!
2:33 pm Feb 9th, 2009This is wonderful. My hubbie will love this, I am totally going to do this for V-Day for him and the girls! A-Dorable!
2:46 pm Feb 9th, 2009Ha, I’ve always made them this way because the only cookie cutters I own are a star-shaped one and a heart-shaped one (came free with a mixer or something), and the heart gives more egg-room. Since Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday this year I can actually make the hubby breakfast, as he is up and gone to work before I even wake up most days.
3:29 pm Feb 9th, 2009Every family has a different name for this. My dad called it Spit in the Ocean!
4:29 pm Feb 9th, 2009cute idea and I have not made these in a while. thanks!
4:55 pm Feb 9th, 2009Very cute! And yummy, too!
6:08 pm Feb 9th, 2009This is perfect for those we love:D
6:30 pm Feb 9th, 2009What a great idea! Now you have me thinking that I should be doing a special breakfast since it’s on a Saturday this year.
12:22 am Feb 10th, 2009this is great! I’m doing Valentine’s Day on the cheap this year, and this will be a perfect addition…thanks!
2:15 am Feb 10th, 2009What a cute idea! I don’t have a valentine, but I do have a heart shaped cookie cutter….maybe I shall treat myself
7:06 am Feb 10th, 2009I love this! I will be making this Saturday morning : ) So simple! Great, pretty idea.
9:44 am Feb 10th, 2009My father-in-law always makes these for breakfast. We call them birds in a nest (or birdies for short). I made them for my daughter this weekend & she said that if I made them for her every day she would always get out of bed on time!
4:26 pm Feb 10th, 2009Wow… Your blog is amazing… and I love this idea with the cookie cutters.. I will be making these this week for sure…
8:54 pm Feb 10th, 2009Thanks
Here is Montreal, we make this in our famous bagels, cut horizontally. We call it Yoke Around the Clock. This was my little brother’s (one) culinary specialty when we were kids.
9:41 am Feb 11th, 2009I used to l-o-v-e egg in a nest for brunch. Your heart shaped version is absolutely too cute. I love it. Happy Valentine’s Day, Nicole! xox
9:55 am Feb 11th, 2009That is adorable! I love eggs-in-a-hole, and that is such a darling presentation. Stands to reason you could use any kind of shape to make it fun all year round. Stars for July 4!
10:01 am Feb 11th, 2009[...] Heart Shaped Egg in a Nest [...]
10:47 am Feb 11th, 2009Oh, this is too cute. I was going to fry eggs up for lunch today! It’s now going to be heart shaped. Love this!
10:47 am Feb 11th, 2009It’s Perfect! This is just that special something that will top off V-Day for my special someone.
Of course, these are “eggs in a pane”, like a window pane, in our house. Maybe that also extends to “pain” like bread…hmmm
12:51 pm Feb 11th, 2009this is so cute! i love eggy in basket!!
1:28 pm Feb 11th, 2009Totally charming, Nicole! Kind of a distant relative of the shaped pancakes my mother used to make for me. Nothing beats food obviously made with love.
7:50 pm Feb 11th, 2009In my home, we avoid grains unless they’re traditionally prepared (sprouted, soaked, fermented). And, even then, we rarely eat them.
BUT — and this is a big but — this is one of my all-time favorite breakfasts. Particularly if it’s grilled in a mixture of pastured butter and bacon grease from foraged pigs.
Thanks for the heart idea! I need to figure out what I’m doing special for my hubby!
Cheers,
7:52 pm Feb 11th, 2009KristenM
I remember that my Dad made this for us often on weekends. We called it “Egg in a Basket.” As an adult, I don’t think that I’ve ever made it. That will change Saturday morning, though.
8:46 am Feb 12th, 2009Thanks.
What an interesting way to make toast and eggs! I like the heart shaped egg.
7:58 pm Feb 12th, 2009That is on the menu, along with heart shaped pancakes!!
8:09 pm Feb 12th, 2009ooooh, i love eggs in a nest…and heart shaped? even better! so sweet!!
11:02 pm Feb 12th, 2009Looks great…here’s an idea I’m going to try: use 2 slices of bread instead of 1 and after cutting the heart shape, placing some cheese in between the bread…grilled cheese egg in a nest!!!
3:05 pm Feb 13th, 2009How cute is that??? I love eggs in the middle, too!!
I also love Valentines Day. I just blogged about an aphrodisiac infused Valentines Day picnic at home here, should you be interested.
Happy V-Day!!
~ Paula
7:35 pm Feb 13th, 2009This is perfect for me because I just can’t make a fried egg to save my life.
9:43 am Feb 14th, 2009What a way to feel “hearted” first thing in the morning, on any day!
6:54 pm Feb 14th, 2009Yummy!
4:25 pm Feb 15th, 2009Don’t forget – Tuesday, February 24th is Shrove (Pancake) Tuesday!
We make these at least once or twice a week! My favorite breakfast ever! The heart shape is a great touch. Thanks! We go heavy on the salt & fresh pepper and salt & pepper the cut out as well and it really is great!
10:28 pm Feb 15th, 2009That’s a brilliant idea… got to try that sometime soon!
12:10 am Feb 16th, 2009[...] was yummy thanks to the fun and delicious Valentine’s Recipe I got from Pinch My Salt. [...]
10:59 am Feb 17th, 2009Just like Roahl Dahl’s Hot House Eggs…the only way my boy will eat egg for brekky! It certainly is a great idea!
7:36 am Feb 18th, 2009Love your site.
Unfortunately the link for Heart-Shaped Buttermilk Cranberry Scones goes to the Tenderloin with Smoked Paprika Butter recipe.
Eager to try your scones!
12:57 pm Feb 20th, 2009Those are so cute!! I love eggs this way.
6:37 pm Feb 21st, 2009this is awesome! the next time my girl comes over — which hopefully will be soon — i’m making this for dinner … even though V day is long gone.
6:37 pm Feb 23rd, 2009Interesting. I grew up with that as a weekend treat, but we always called them one eyes. My favorite part was using a glass to poke out the “eye” holes…. It was also the dish that got my boyfriend to eat eggs – now he loves them.
7:41 pm Feb 23rd, 2009that is very interesting. i wish i read this Blog before valentines day! kudos for your creativity!
11:21 am Feb 25th, 2009They look so m-m-m YUMMY! good idea! I’ve been planning to do a breakfast date with my date, now thats a good idea to make haha.
Though what you mean with “you can slide the whole pan under the broiler” as in putting the bread in the oven?
Sorry am from Iceland, dont really understand that part
please do answer
7:03 am Mar 11th, 2009Aw that is so cute! The last time my sister and I made these, we used a cookie cutter too. Its such a cute effect!
1:43 pm Mar 30th, 2009My grandmother did not speak much English, and she just called them eggs with bread. And we have been dong these a lot lately since I have been baking my own loaves. We’ve stopped buying store bread completely.
12:25 am Apr 11th, 2009