Hearty Scrambled Eggs Over Toast

This makes a sweet egg dish that my family enjoys for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Use a good-quality, crusty bread here to really make this dish pop (I like to use the artisan crusty bread rounds from Costco).

Serves 4.

8 large eggs
1/4 cup half-and-half
salt and pepper
6 tablespoons salted butter
several pieces of a good-quality, dense, crusty artisan bread
1 onion, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
1/2 pound thick-cut ham steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I buy the Kirkland Signature ham steaks from Costco)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 scallions, sliced thin (optional)

Whisk eggs, half-and-half, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Set aside.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bread and cook until golden on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. (I like to use my panini press for this step instead. I butter both sides of the bread and put them in a hot panini press for a couple of minutes. The bread crisps up beautifully and gets those lovely grill marks on it). Transfer bread to plate and tent with foil.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in empty skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and ham and cook until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl.

Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel (or else the browned bits will get in to the eggs and discolor them, which adds flavor, but doesn't look very pretty). Melt remaining tablespoon butter in empty skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture and cook, using rubber spatula to stir and scrape bottom of skillet occasionally, until large curds begin to form, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, gently fold in onion mixture, cheddar, and scallions. Spoon eggs over toast. Serve.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.