I hesitate to post simplistic recipes such as scrambled eggs with cheese, but I’ve been told that’s what people want, so here we are. I was further motivated last weekend by some bland, overcooked eggs covered with nearly plasticized cheese at a restaurant that proudly advertises its breakfast offerings. Seriously, there’s no excuse for that level of incompetence when cheesy eggs are so easy!

(For those of you who want a challenge, and I know by now that it’s not most of you, I’ve got a fairly involved recipe for a strawberry cream cake coming up.)

As you might imagine, Ella and Hailey came up with the moniker for this dish when they were little girls; “Mommy, can we have cheesy eggs?” became a common request. They’ve been making them on their own for a few years now, but I can still get them downstairs pretty quickly with a text stating “cheesy eggs.” Yes, I text my teenagers in the house; don’t pretend like you don’t do the same. It feels lazy, but I like to have proof of communication so they can’t say, “I didn’t hear you ask me to do the dishes!”.

My niece once asked why my scrambled eggs were so good, and I think it’s the granulated garlic. A little goes a long way, so be careful to add just the tiniest pinch, probably about one-sixteenth of a teaspoon, if you were to measure it.

Use this recipe as a base and sauté veggies and/or meats for a scramble. If you’ve got a crowd for the holiday weekend, make a big batch, doubling or tripling as necessary. Serve with blackberry or chocolate chip scones, oven-baked bacon, and fresh fruit. You’ll save a fortune, impress your people, and avoid disappointment in plasticized food.

Cheesy Eggs

(serves 3)

6 eggs

2 tablespoons milk or cream

good pinch of salt (1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon)

tiny pinch of granulated garlic or garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper (or black pepper)

cooking spray, oil, or butter to coat pan

1/4 – 1/3 cup grated cheddar (or your favorite cheese, pepper jack is great to kick up the flavor)

fresh or dried parsley (optional)

If you are grating the cheese manually, do that first and set it to the side so it’s ready.

Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and add the milk/cream, salt, granulated garlic, and pepper.

Whisk briskly to combine ingredients.

Coat a large sauté pan with cooking spray (that’s what I used), cooking oil or butter then place it over medium heat.

Pour the eggs into the pan and watch for thirty seconds to one minute, until you see the eggs begin to firm up on the edges of the pan. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the cooked edges away from the pan, moving on to the middle, and continuing to scrape up the cooked part of the eggs all over the pan. You can adjust the heat to either speed up or slow down this process.

Once the eggs are nearly fully cooked, add in the cheese. Gently stir the cheese into the eggs until they are fully cooked.

Serve immediately or transfer it to an oven-safe dish and keep it warm at about 200º F.

If you have company to impress or you’re photographing your food, garnish it with a little parsley first. 

I can’t even tell you how much I miss this 4th of July crew. The sweetest kids in the sweetest days. Now, Cooper has graduated from MSU, Vivienne and Isabella are at U of O, Aiden is going into his senior year of high school, and Ella and Hailey will be sophmores.

I really thought I could get through this post without tears. Nope.

Have a safe and happy Independence Day!

Independence Day: freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.

Dwight D. Eisenhower