Ramekin, son of Rumplestilskin.

Like everything else in life, I don’t place too much emphasis on owning every kitchen tool that ever was. I still think back on that grinding stone in my grandfather’s house that made the best curries. Basic and beautiful, with a sound that I miss.

The kitchen is one place where I spend a lot of time trying to save the world and some dinner. I shy away from electrical appliances only because we have a mid-level manager’s office-sized kitchen and I wouldn’t know where to put them. I’m happy we have an oven (that’s sucking at life right now but at least it exists) because I try to bake everything I see these days (including my knuckles). I ignore the dishwasher. The crock pot is my soup BFF. The coffee pot keeps me sane and the toaster is overworked but oh so generous. The ice-cream maker and I have conversations about how it’s just him, Snickers and me against the world.

It really is.

I’m a lucky girl. I live with a man who came with a stocked kitchen. Fancy knives, a crock pot, baking supplies, a coffee pot and very nice tableware — it’s a little impressive. You wouldn’t think of that as a prerequisite but trust me, it is. You can tell his dinner is not a spoonful of peanut butter and he uses plates for plate purposes. The rest of the house be damned. I’m a borderline food snob. I like knowing where my food comes from. The “borderline” comes into the picture when I allow myself certain liberties of the deep-fried, french variety.

With fancy dip. Classy.

Two ramekins joined the family recently. Thank you Goodwill or I’d never pick them up without have a 10-minute debate with my inner Uncle Scrooge. I even got two for Gayle as a “be my slave” bribe. Every time I see a ramekin I think of buying them for her. She makes the best creme brulee and acts like it’s no big deal. I’m no dessert expert, but I can make some stress-free baked eggs. Yay me.

Thanks to cheap ramekins and an oven that’s currently testing my patience, awesomepantsface is one step closer to losing me to the kitchen and I am right here, singing a lullaby to a small ceramic bowl.

Eggs in a ramekin

I first put some bacon on the stove and cooked it to an almost crisp. I buttered the inside of the ramekin while it was cooking and started the layering process. I chopped a few leaves of spinach and half a tomato and put it in the ramekin. I then crumbled the bacon and put some of it on the top. I added a tablespoon of half and half (you can add cream or milk) and seasoned this with pepper. I broke two eggs on the veggies and bacon and put the remaining bacon on top. The ramekin was placed on a baking tray and baked for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.

YUM.

The egg yolks are a bit runny so if you want the yolk to cook firmer, leave it in for 25 minutes instead. Season with pepper, salt and fresh cilantro. After this, you’re on your own because I have no recollection of what happened next.

I must’ve died.