Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Entertaining Royalty...

So...

I've been busy here.

And hot.

Yeah, definitely hot here.

But that is totally outside the focus of this post.

And, you know me, my blog posts are always brilliantly focused and not wandering here and there in various directions...

...and...

...what was I writing about here anyway?

Hmmm...

Hmmm...

Oh, yeah...

Entertaining royalty.

Mr. Jenny has a friend. He's been visiting us for years. Mr. Jenny calls him Sir
David and the first time I met him I was told Sir David's Father had been Knighted by Queen Elizabeth.

Apparently Sir David's Father was the “egg man” to the House of Windsor, starting in the 1930's. Wherever the King and/or Queen went, Sir David's Father would arrange to deliver fresh eggs from his farm in the Kent countryside to the Royal family.

See?

Royalty.

And since I was paying a little attention to the recent royal wedding, I realized I had been shirking my duties...

After all...

When you're entertaining royalty, you should make a bit of an effort.

So instead of my usual boring breakfast on Tuesday morning, I whipped together a gourmet Ham and Gruyere Breakfast Bake.



It was stunning.

Sir David and his wife dined sumptiously on the dish along with fresh Rainier cherries and cantaloupe.



Yum.

It was good.

Sir David and his lovely wife were pleased with the repast.




After they left the house to go sight-seeing (always a pleasure in triple digit heat advisory warnings), Mr. Jenny helped me clean up.

And told me...

"You know, he's not really a Knight, don't you? His Father, the Egg Man, won't pass the title on."

"Huh? What?" I sputtered.

Mr. Jenny repeated himself and added, "It's not the kind of Knight-hood that gets passed down through a family. I just call him that to be funny."

Hmmm...

Hmmm...

Okay.

So...I guess I technically wasn't actually entertaining royalty...

...but I was entertaining some lovely houseguests.

And perhaps if you are doing some entertaining, you might enjoy trying this recipe.

It is really different and delicious.

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole
serves 6-8

4 cups (loosely packed) day-old challah bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 pound ham, cubed
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup grated gruyere cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 cup grated swiss cheese (about 4 ounces)

Grease an 9-inch square baking dish and throw in the cubed challah.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over medium to low heat. Add the onions, salt, and sugar. Sauté until they are lightly caramelized (a medium golden brown color), about 15 minutes.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, dry mustard, nutmeg, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle the ham and onions over the bread cubes. Toss together lightly. Sprinkle grated cheeses on next, and then pour the egg mixture over the entire thing.

Press down on the top gently, so that all of the bread cubes get soaked a bit with the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (take the casserole out of the fridge while the oven is preheating). Bake, uncovered, for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and the top begins to brown.


...

...

You're welcome.

And think how boring this would have been if I would have just said, "Here's a good recipe in case you want to try it!"

Oh, go ahead.

I'll do it with you.

...

...

Sigh...

post signature

23 comments:

La Petite Gallery said...

Jenny, you are a card. The Egg man. What a story. That breakfast was fit for a king. Maine is cooling of this week in the 70's.
Getting some tree triming done on my cherry tree, and killing Jap Beetles.
yvonne

C. J. Smith said...

That dish sounds delicious! I think I'll have to try it this weekend. :-)

Cathy Kennedy said...

Lovely, lovely intro leading up to the recipe. I thought it was a tale fit for King or in your case a Knight.

Whether or not, Sir David's father will or can pass his knighthood done or not, I think this is smashing fun story.

Thanks for sharing or and of course the recipe! =D

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

You always (almost always) make me laugh, Matlock!

Loved your tale! Miss you much!

Unknown said...

Oh good golly! Suddenly, I have Beatle's music running through my head...you know the song: I am the Walrus. Why, you ask? Well, because of the lyrics of course:

"...Boy, you been a naughty girl you let your knickers down.
I am the eggman, they are the eggmen.
I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob..."

Rosalind Adam said...

Well I don;t care what Mr Jenny says, he looks like a Sir to me. What a substantial breakfast. It puts my fruit and yogurt in the shade.

Theresa said...

You have all the fun... Royalty? WOW, I am impressed:) Casserole looks yummy! Hope you have a wonderful day dear Jenny, stay cool! HUGS!

Unknown said...

This does look like a dish fit for a king or a queen.

21 Wits said...

Oh my such a yummy treat for sure...the photo really makes it! The all mighty egg seems to be quite alive in your life at present too! I had to laugh about their sight-seeing, I remember those visits to my grandfather's house, on the out skirts of Florence, AZ and we could never go out without taking lots of water for us...! just in case you know...the desert she's hot!

Pondside said...

Royalty once-removed is good too, Jenny. You'd better watch it or you'll have a whole passel of royals descending on you for that breakfast.
Have I ever told you about my tea with HRH Princess Anne? Now that's a story for another time.

Busy Bee Suz said...

That breakfast looks amazing!!!! I have a feeling that you treat all your friends like royalty!

Susan said...

They say I look like Princess Diana, can I come over and have some royalty breakfast?
Love the post and the egg dish looks wonderful.
Time to go bake cookies, the boys are camping this weekend and I am going to the craft fairs.
Stay cool...Susan

PeggyR said...

What a great story and I love what you prepared! Isn't this heat/humidity awful!

Bossy Betty said...

Well, I guess there's no way to take back the breakfast....so. Next time ask to see the Royal Credentials.

Susan Anderson said...

That recipe sounds delicious!

Which begs the question, "Why do I have to be too fat to eat it?"

"/

Sharon said...

Sounds yummy! Thanks for sharing.

Ms. A said...

Challah bread? What on earth is that? Guess I don't have any on hand... obviously.

Amy said...

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I am a distant relative to the Queen. I was a little miffed at not getting a personal invitation to the wedding, too! My grandmother is 8th cousins, so whatever that makes me, I am related to her. So, you could say, whenever I visit your blog, you are entertaining royalty, right? Because 8th cousins still makes me royal, right? Right? Sigh. At any rate, that recipe looks smashing. I will try it when I quit hatting pork. :)

Pat said...

That is a royal breakfast! You have rubbed shoulders with the son of a Knight - good enough in my book!!

Changing my name to Princess so I can have breakfast with you!

Cute story.

Dazee Dreamer said...

sounds delish. wish I were more the love to cook type of girl. I need a cook around my house

The Poet said...

Laughing...Jenny, you are too funny.
Royalty or not, that was definitely a feast for a king or should I say Knight! Looked scrumptious anyway. My wife and I love Challah bread with lots of butter.

Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

LOL.... love your recipe sharing skilz!

Sue said...

Well, it is nice to know that your guests get the royal treatment. Around here, those cherries carry a royal price tag! The recipe sounds wonderful. I love breakfast casseroles, even more so for dinner!