Basted Eggs

Basted eggs are part of my family's culture and heritage.  There is nothing like the memories of waking up at my parent's cabin to the smells of the thick-sliced, smoked bacon from Meat on Mille Lacs and Foldgers coffee in the pot. Either of these distinctive odors will produce a memory of the cabin for me.  Mom makes certain the bacon is cooked very slow.  Once the bacon is finished, it is time for the eggs to be cooked.

When she is cooking eggs for a large crew at the cabin, Mom likes to use an old stainless steel 12-inch fry pan and will cook about 8 eggs at a time.  A non-stick fry pan will also work. A smaller pan with a lid would be appropriate for fewer eggs.  After the eggs have started to set up, she pours a small amount of water into the pan, turns the heat down, covers the pan with a tight lid and steams the tops of the eggs.  The steam helps to cook the entire egg white so there won't be any of the uncooked whites jiggling about on the top.  Of course, cooking the eggs over-easy will also cook the tops of the eggs, but too often flipping the eggs will break the yoke and create a less attractive egg.



INGREDIENTS

• 8 eggs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/8-1/4 cup of water

DIRECTIONS

1. In a 12-inch fry pan with a tight-fitting lid gently melt the butter over medium-low flame being careful not to let the butter brown.
2. crack the eggs into the pan and allow the whites of the eggs to set up.
3. When the egg whites start to form large bubbles, cut a slit in the bubbles with a spatula.
4. having the lid at the ready, pour the water into the slit bubbles and around the edge of the pan.  Cover immediately. and turn the heat down to low.
5. The eggs are ready when the tops of the egg yokes have turned a shade of pink.  The amount of time needed is dependent on the height of the pan's lid from the surface of the eggs.  If the eggs are not done after you open the lid and release the steam, add some more water, cover and continue cooking.