Eggs in Clouds Recipe

I just heard about eggs in clouds (or egg clouds) and supposedly they have been a thing on social media recently (according to one email that I got). I don't know about that, but I like to have fun with food and just happened to have most of the ingredients in the fridge to make them. Plus, they are really easy to make in small or large quantities and could be fun for kids (who are willing to eat runny yolks).

I chose a recipe from Rachel Ray's magazine site and made half the recipe to try it out. I also substituted Parmigiano Reggiano for Pecorino Romano cheese since that's what I already had.

Since I already had the oven on to bake the eggs, I cooked some applewood-smoked bacon in the oven at 450º for 15-18 minutes.  But to cut down on cooking time, the bacon can be cooked in the microwave for a few minutes.

Unfortunately, living in the city means space is precious, and I don't have a stand mixer. So, I used a hand mixer to beat the egg whites to (semi-) stiff peaks.

 

I sprinkled the cheese, bacon and chives over the egg whites, vs. dumping them in, so I didn't have to fold the egg whites too much and cause them to deflate. I only folded the ingredients into the egg whites a few times .

 

Since egg whites puff up some while baking, I would make even deeper wells next time.

Before baking

After baking for 3 minutes

Everything was looking really good and the first yolk went into the well perfectly. And then, the second yolk almost made it in perfectly until it stuck to the edge of the dish and broke. (wah wah) When I separated the eggs, I really didn't leave any egg white on the yolks which is why I think one of them stuck to the dish.

I baked the eggs for another two minutes but I wanted more color on the egg whites and left them in for another minute. (Total of 3 minutes after adding the yolks.)

Other than the small snag, this recipe was fun to make and looks fun. The whipped egg whites give them an airy, light texture. Just like clouds! And they also have lots of flavor from the cheese and bacon with just a little bite from the chives.

Definitely would make these again for brunch or when I could use some whimsy.

My Rating (out of 5): 4

I usually don't have cooked bacon sitting around, so I accounted for making bacon with an adapted recipe based on Rachel's.

Eggs in Clouds Recipe

Adapted from Rachel Ray Every Day

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 22 to 25 mins

Total time: 27 to 30 mins

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

3-4 strips of bacon
1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
4 large eggs
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
Freshly-ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place bacon on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and cook in the oven for 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer bacon to paper towels and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, pat with paper towels to remove any excess grease. Crumble or finely chop bacon and reserve 1/4 cup. (Snack on any leftover bacon.)

While bacon is cooking, finely chop chives.

Separate eggs, putting whites in 1 large bowl and yolks in 4 separate small bowls. Whip whites until stiff peaks form.

Lightly fold in cheese, chives and 1/4 cup of bacon. Spoon into 4 mounds on parchment-lined baking sheet and make a deep well in the center of each. Bake for 3 minutes.

Remove from oven and add 1 yolk to each well. Season with freshly-ground pepper. Bake until yolks are just set, another 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Notes:
- To up the presentation, serve on toast or with toast on the side for dipping into the yolks.
- Bacon can be cooked in the microwave according to package instructions instead of the oven.
- If chives are not available, scallions can be substituted.

Sour Cream & Bacon Deviled Eggs

I haven't made deviled eggs in what feels like forever, and I decided to make some to bring to a party. Most recipes have traditional ingredients like mayo, mustard, and/or vinegar, but Trisha Yearwood's recipe with sour cream, bacon and chive caught my eye. 'Cuz everything's better with bacon.

So, I didn't plan ahead on making this and had to buy eggs the day I made them. I've heard suggestions that using older eggs are better for peeling hard boiled eggs, and this is suggested in Trisha's recipe. But, I lucked out in using this Epicurious suggestion for peeling eggs. Only two eggs ended up peeling ugly. (Swirling didn't do much for me to crack the shells, but cracking the shell and peeling under cold running water helped the filmy membrane separate more easily from the egg white.)

Peeled hard boiled eggs (you can see one of the ugly ones)

Egg white halves

Since most of the bacon is mixed into the filling, I cooked my bacon on the crispier side to help keep the bacon from getting too soggy. I like the flavor of applewood smoked bacon and used that in this recipe. Because the slices are on the thicker side, I usually finely chop the bacon because it doesn't really crumble by hand. And if you're like me and can't resist eating the bacon, make extra!

Applewood smoked bacon

I decided to use a light sour cream and it actually worked fine in this recipe and didn't lack flavor or creaminess.

Light sour cream, egg yolks, & mayo

I followed the recipe but added 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard and 1/2 teaspoon of rice vinegar to add some acid and tanginess. (Ok, and I only used 5 slices of bacon because I ate one.)

The recipe says to reserve 1 tablespoon of chives to garnish, but I thought it was a lot and a 1/2 tablespoon (or 1-1/2 teaspoons) is plenty.

I wanted to use a star tip to pipe the filling, but my star tip was not large enough for the bacon to pass through. So I removed the tip from the coupler and piped round swirls.

I thought they turned out pretty good and are an easy variation on deviled eggs. Definitely would make this again! A friend even asked for the recipe so she could make it for an event she was having.

My Rating (out of 5): 4.5

Note on egg tray: I usually don't like to buy serving ware or kitchen tools that have limited use and take up storage space. Transporting deviled eggs can be tricky but possible with disposable DIY trays using egg cartons or assembling at the party host's place. But I found a inexpensive, reusable tray for $3.99. And it comes with a lid! So I splurged and went for it. It holds 24 deviled eggs, but eggs in the center can tumble during transport. And if it cracks or breaks, I won't be too upset.

Meat Pupcakes Recipe

This year, I decided to make turkey pupcakes (i.e. cupcakes) for my dog's birthday. I did a scan online for similar recipes but essentially made a variation of the recipe I use for this puploaf.

I basically used ingredients I had or that were available at the store. I used ground turkey because it's accessible, inexpensive, and a lean protein. But different ground meats can be used instead like beef or lamb. Same goes for different veggies like kale or zucchini.

To test that the sweet potato frosting would stand and not run, I piped a few swirls on a plate and scraped the swirls back into the bowl with the rest of the mash. This also helped me practice my swirl technique.

I also had turkey bacon so I cooked one strip in the microwave and chopped into pieces to top the pupcakes.

These are fun for any gatherings with other pups (assuming they have no dietary restrictions or allergies).

Meat Pupcakes Recipe

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 to 25 mins

Total time: 35 to 45 mins

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Always check with your vet about which foods are appropriate for your pet and any pre-existing condition, medication, or planned surgery affecting your pet.

This recipe does NOT contain all the nutrients necessary for complete nutritional health and is NOT intended as a dog's regular diet. This recipe is for special occasions. 

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 cup rolled oats, uncooked

1/2 cup spinach, chopped

1 small carrot, shredded

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

2 large eggs, beaten

2 large sweet potatoes

Special Equipment
Standard-size cupcake/muffin tin
Cupcake liners (optional)
Piping bag or large plastic ziploc bag
Round or star piping tip (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a standard-size cupcake/muffin tin with nonstick spray, or line with cupcake liners.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients EXCEPT sweet potatoes. Mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the mixture will end up dense. 

Form into 12 large meatballs and place into cupcake tin. Lightly press the meatballs into each cup. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F and the cupcakes are cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly for about 5 minutes. Because of the vegetables, there may be a bit of water that cooks out of the cupcakes.

While cupcakes are cooking, wash the sweet potatoes and prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender, turning the potatoes once. Let cool enough to handle. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh into a bowl.

Mash sweet potatoes with a fork or masher until smooth. The potatoes should be smooth enough to pipe so the frosting is not clumpy. The mash should also be thick enough so it stands when frosted and doesn’t run. If the mash is too wet, try to drain excess water by letting the mash sit in a fine mesh sieve or strainer lined with cheese cloth. Or mix in some plain, cooked Russet potato to thicken mash. Set aside.

Fill a piping bag or ziploc bag with the mashed sweet potatoes. Snip the tip of the piping bag or corner of the ziploc bag to create a 1/2-inch opening. If using a piping tip, assemble before filling the bag with the sweet potato mash. Pipe the sweet potato in a swirl over each cupcake.

For extra decoration, garnish the cupcakes with bacon, blueberries, or any dog-friendly food of your choosing.

Refrigerate or freeze any leftover cupcakes.