Caprese Skillet Eggs

Tomato season is almost upon us.  That means after waiting and waiting for some homegrown tomatoes, all of a sudden, you have waaay too many! Actually, my home grown tomatoes look like crap; I guess they actually want regular watering?  Needy 'ole tomatoes...I got better things to do, like COOK!

I do love to buy tomatoes though, and my local H-Mart Asian market has tomatoes on the vine for .79 cents a pound, week after week!  Wow, forget buying them for $2.99 a lb, this price is amazing to me.  Which is why, I guess,  I buy more tomatoes than we actually need every time I go there.  I like being ready for any tomato inspiration, but I had so many tomatoes, I started  thinking "what next?".  This was the perfect recipe when I saw it in my September 2012 Sunset Magazine.

Ask my husband, ... if I'm asked what my Top 5 foods are, tomatoes are always in the Top 5.  He thinks having a Top 5 personal list of anything is laughable, but this is serious stuff when it comes to tomatoes for me.

This breakfast is my ideal; flavorful, high protein, cheesy, easy and one dirty pan.  We had this before we took a big 'ole hike the other weekend and we felt great for hours.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

2 slices bacon, chopped (optional, if vegetarian version)

1/2 medium onion, chipped

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs; basil, oregano, thyme, chives- - whatever you like!

1/2 tsp garlic salt and fresh ground pepper

4 eggs

1/2 cup cheese, grated (I used smoked cheddar)

Chop up the bacon, and cook over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes.  Drain off all but about 2-3 tsp of bacon grease.

Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened, about another 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.  Add the chopped tomatoes and cook another 5-7 minutes until the juices are released and the mixture starts to look more like a sauce.  Sprinkle in all but about a tablespoon of fresh herbs. With a large spoon, make 4 shallow indentations in the sauce, crack an egg in each one.

Cover the pan with a lid, and let the eggs steam set.  It took about 4 minutes, because I wanted to ensure that the egg whites were cooked. (see top picture).  Sprinkle with more cheese and cover again until it's melted.  Sprinkle with more fresh herbs and serve immediately with some yummy toast to help sop up the sauce and egg yolks.

It was a bit of a messy dish to serve, but that just added to the appeal of an easy going weekend breakfast.