Shorter sleeves, longer hours; less fuss, more fun...

This is summer... With the weather perfect for al fresco dining anytime of the day, meals need to be quick and easy with minimal ingredients. On lazy mornings when we can open our eyes at later hours, brunch seems to be the more appropriate meal, as breakfast becomes a distant memory. Today happened to be one such morning we were lucky enough to enjoy. With only three ingredients and a muffin baking pan, I slipped this quick and fuss-free meal into the oven to bake while we showered and dressed. In less than twenty minutes, we were out on the deck fueling up for the rest of the busy afternoon. These are actually great for any meal, accompanied by a tossed veggie salad for supper or some crusty foccacia for lunch. 

Bakin' Egg Cups

6 eggs

12 slices of ham (thin sliced)

1-cup of shredded cheese (I had some Swiss and cheddar in the fridge)

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven 350*. In a trusted muffin pan (the one I used had six wells, thus the recipe for 6 eggs), line each muffin well with two slices of ham. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese divided evenly in the bottom of each well on top of the ham. Just eyeball it. Crack one egg into each well on top of the cheese. Salt & pepper a little to taste on top if you prefer. Sprinkle the remainder of cheese on top of all six eggs. Bake at 350*  for about 15 -17 minutes according to your oven or until the eggs are set and not giggly. The ham "cups" crisp up and flavor the egg as it bakes with the melted cheese... They smell divine...

We devoured two egg cups each with a cup of coffee for me and chocolate milk for Brenna. Then we were on our way! The egg cups travel well too... a great protein pick-me-up snack on the go. 

Summertime is finally here! So many things I want to do, have to do... but to simply relish in the splendor of this laid-back sultry season is my deepest desire. Here is some inspiration, wishful anecdotes, all compliments of Pinterest, to set the mood for a memorable summer... Enjoy!

 

Delicate mystical fairies of onion skin dance through the air above while light filters through from the cathedral windows...
Peter Gentenaar is a visionary artist who has a fond passion for working with paper. Featuring over 100 of his majestic paper sculptures in the Abbey Church of Saint Riquier in Northern France, the church’s grand ornate ceilings perfectly complement Gentenaar’s whimsical and heavenly inventions... An illusion of angels gracefully gliding through the skies.

Rosy reds, mellow creams, piercing blues, rich golds and regal purples float high above in a captured perfection of movement. The paper structures start out as two-dimensional colored sheets of pulp. After a long pulping and drying process, which will cause the paper to undergo shrinking afterwards, the intricate curves and folds are reinforced with very thin ribs of bamboo to illuminate the overall exquisite structure.














"Gradually I found that the single sheet of paper, which had not dried yet, had all the possibilities I needed. A paper sheet is thin and strong and can be compared to the leaf on a tree or plant. Reinforced with very thin ribs of bamboo that look like the ribs of a leaf, the analogy between the sheet of paper and the plant form is emphasized even more."

The exposition of paper sculptures in the Abbey Church of Saint Riquier lasts until September 19th.

Heavenly, ethereal elevations, buoy the spirit through artistry and skill... xoxo-Sonya