Hollandaise Times Two

     One dish I absolutely love is Eggs Benedict; all varieties!  Every time we go out for breakfast or brunch, that’s what I’m looking for.  I love every aspect of this dish; the toasted muffing, the salty meat, the runny egg, and the creamy Hollandaise sauce.  I've always been afraid to make my own hollandaise sauce.  You always hear that that’s a temperamental recipe that could fall apart at any moment.  The packaged kind is okay but doesn't really satisfy the creamy lemony taste that I crave.

     Most weekends, I try to make a real breakfast for me and Tory (and Maverick!).  Since our weekday mornings are usually early and busy, we don’t always eat a nutritious A.M meal.  On the weekends though, I've made everything from pancakes to French toast to omelets (check out my recipes …in the kitchen).  This particular weekend, I mustered up enough courage to make a real Eggs Benny….it actually turned out beautifully!  And it wasn't really that difficult.

     The only trouble I came into was what to do with the leftovers.  Hollandaise sauce is made with raw egg yolks so the shelf life is almost non-existent.  You really have to use the sauce instantly or it will spoil.  Below, you will find two recipes: my Turkey Sausage Eggs Benedict and a round-two egg muffin.  I made both recipes on Saturday morning.  The muffins were then saved for a reheat on Sunday morning.  These little bites would also be good to save and microwave throughout the week J

Turkey Sausage Eggs Benedict

Ingredients (per portion):

Two eggs (I actually preferred fried over-medium eggs…traditionally the eggs should be poached.  It’s your preference.)

One English muffin, toasted

4 oz. of cooked meat (I used pan seared turkey sausage.  I cut the links in half so that they will lay flat on the muffin.)

For the sauce:

4 egg yolks, at room temperature (Save the egg whites for your egg muffins.)

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons of lemon juice

12 tablespoons of melted butter (1 ½ sticks)

Directions:

In a blender, combine the egg yolks, salt and pepper, cayenne, and lemon juice.  Blend until smooth.  With the blender still running, add the melted butter.  The sauce should thicken.  Leave in the blender for up to an hour…until you’re ready to serve.

Assemble your Eggs Benedict, by toasting your English muffin halves.  Then top with the turkey sausage pieces and your fried (or poached) eggs.  Drizzle the hollandaise sauce on top.  Eat immediately!!!

Egg Muffins

Ingredients:

Any leftover hollandaise sauce

Leftover egg whites

Sauteed veggies (We love onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and spinach.  You could also add diced, cooked meat.)

Shredded cheese of your choice

Directions:

Grease a muffin tin and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Whisk to combine thoroughly.  Using a ¼ cup measure, divide your egg mixture into the muffin tins.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until the eggs are cooked through.   Top with cheese and tent with aluminum foil.  This will melt the cheese as they cool.  Once they are completely cooled, you can remove the muffins and place and an air-tight container.  They will last in the refrigerator for about a week.  I recommend eating them the next day.