Woven Bacon and Eggs

I decided today to attempt to make bacon baskets for brunch.  My plan was to make the baskets, fill them with scrambled eggs, and sprinkle them with cheese.  A nice, simple brunch. 

A few recipes I saw suggested putting the weaves over the backs of muffin tins (with a cookie sheet grease-catcher below).  I thought myself smart to use upside down ramekins.  Unfortunately, once I'd measured (OCD much?), and figured out I'd have to use about two pounds of bacon to make four of them, I quickly ditched that idea and chose to make a  woven bacon sheet instead.

I'd seen these made for "The Big Game BBQ'd Sausage and Bacon Coronary Rolls" (or some such similar yet appropriate moniker), but I had other ideas.  Plus, there's too much snow to dig out the bbq, and who bbq's breakfast anyway?

I wove a full pound of bacon on a cutting board and then flipped it onto a foil lined, non-stick sprayed cookie sheet.  

I cooked the bacon until it was crispy (Although the boys all prefer it chewy, I only eat it crispy, and since I didn't want raw bits on the double-thickness woven bits, Mummy got her way).  ;-) 

Once it was cooked I carefully drained it as one piece on paper towels, then placed it on a platter.  I topped it with scrambled eggs and grated cheddar, then put it in the microwave for a minute to melt the cheese.  A pizza cutter worked well to cut this into quarters.  

Unfortunately, I only have a photo of the bacon, woven and raw.  Once it was out of the oven and topped, it went like lightning.  Either my seven year old is again in a growing spurt, or he REALLY liked it, as he was first done (and usually he's the one still eating come next meal time!)

Ingredients

1 lb bacon

9 eggs
1/4 cup milk
cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Bacon-Weave

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil then spray with non-stick spray.  
3. Lay seven strips of room temperature bacon horizontally on your cutting board (or directly on your cookie sheet).
4. Starting from the middle, fold over every second horizontal piece of bacon from the middle, and place a strip vertically across, then fold everything back. 
5. Again, fold back bacon, but use the opposite pieces that laid flat last time.  Lay another vertical piece, then fold everything back again.  Continue until all bacon has been woven on one side, then repeat on the other side (left/right).
6. Transfer woven bacon to cookie sheet by gently flipping cutting board over.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until desired crispiness is reached.
8. When bacon is cooked, place bacon-weave on paper towels to drain any fat.

Eggs

1. While bacon is cooking, pre-heat a large non-stick frying pan to medium. 
2. In a large metal or glass mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes (or blend in blender for 20-25 seconds).
3. Pour the egg mixture into the pre-heated frying pan.
4. Do not stir immediately. Wait until the first hint of setting begins. 
5. Using a spatula or a flat wooden spoon, push eggs toward center while tilting skillet to distribute runny parts.
6. Continue this motion as the eggs continue to set. Break apart large pieces as they form with your spoon or spatula. 
7. You will come to a point where the push-to-center technique is no longer cooking runny parts of the egg. Flip over all the eggs. 
8. Allow the eggs to cook 15 to 25 seconds longer. 

Assembly

1. Place bacon-weave on platter.  Top with scrambled eggs and sprinkle with cheese.
2. Place in microwave for one minute (or if using an oven proof platter, under a broiler) until cheese melts.

Serves 4