The Most Important Meal-Part Deux

In my last post I told you I would share how to make another 10 minute breakfast during a busy work and school week that you can take on the go.

This one is probably Miles' favorite. He likes to get the Breakfast on a Bun(BoB) at Whataburger. Toward the end of summer, when we were staying up late watching the John Adams series, we would watch the clock and when it was time for Whataburger to start serving their breakfast menu, we'd jump in the Mustang and go pick up some greasy deliciousness to feast on while watching a Hollywood recreation of how our country began. The fast food chain makes it on a hamburger bun, but you can make this on left-over biscuits or an English muffin, according to your preference and whatever you have on hand. I don't buy biscuits in a can anymore because it's just the two of us and only one of us likes biscuits.

My surprise for him next week is to go pick up some biscuits from Popeye's Fried Chicken(he has a private crush on them!) and make his breakfast on that. He won't know it until he unwraps it at work and maybe he'll smile, knowing how much he's loved.

To create this masterpiece, it's essential you own a poached egg pan. There are my different kinds, and they now make them for the microwave, although I haven't tried one yet. Here is what mine looks like:

You don't necessarily have to poach the egg for a breakfast on a bun/biscuit/muffin, but we're working on the 10-minute prep rule. You could certainly fry the egg, but it will take longer.

As with the breakfast burrito, get out all ingredients at one time: egg, cheese, meat, buns, poaching pan.

Unlike the burrito, this recipe will require starting the egg first. Take the cup shown in the picture and spray with Pam. Crack an egg in the cup and place back in the poaching pan. Fill with water just until the cup floats. Put the lid on it and set it over a high flame. The boiling water underneath the cup is what poaches the egg.

After starting the egg, cook the bacon(or your choice of meat-you can find Canadian bacon which fits nicely on an English muffin) in the microwave or reheat whatever meat you want.

Here's another choice: how to heat the bun. Miles likes his buns a bit toasted(and usually work does that for him) so I pop the two slices in a toaster oven. You could just warm them in the microwave or toaster or not at all! I turn my toaster oven to broil and stick the buns in for about 3 minutes, or until the inside of the buns look a little bit brown.

Once the buns are ready, place on a paper towel with a piece of foil underneath. Place a slice of cheese on the bottom of the bun. By now the bacon or meat should be ready. Miles likes to put bacon on his hamburger and breakfast bun in a criss-cross pattern. I take each strip and break it in half. I layer half the strips on top of the cheese going in one direction, the other half going in the opposite direction. He swears it's the only way to add bacon on a sandwich. I'm beginning to think this is more his recipe than it is mine!

The length of time you poach the egg corresponds to how you want your egg, with the white runny, with the yolk runny, or the yolk medium-done. For a sandwich like this it gets pretty messy if the yolk isn't mostly done, but you can have it your way. The way I test for doneness is lifting the lid and giving the pan a shake. If the white doesn't move, I know we're in good shape. If the yolk still jiggles, I know it's close to being done. All in all I would say about 6 or 7 minutes of cooking.

When the egg gets poached to your level of perfection, turn off the heat. Using a fork, hook and lift the cup out and place on a pot holder. Run the tines of the fork around the egg to make sure none of the egg has stuck. My poached egg cups are coated with a non-stick material, but eggs are tricky so the Pam is best for keeping it from sticking. Place the poached egg on top of the criss-crossed bacon or meat and top with the remaining bun. Wrap in the paper towel and then the foil.

The paper towel is for wiping your mouth and the foil seals in the heat for the ride to work or school.

You can modify this recipe according to your whim. It really does take only 10 minutes to make, and how difficult is it to get up 10 minutes early. You probably would make the same allowance to stop and pick up breakfast, but this way it omits lines and and encounters with grumpy employees and the extra money. 

Tell me how it works for you. TGIF!