Egg Cups

Wow, it's been awhile since I posted a tasty treat here. But here's a good one! Especially if, like me, you are the proud owner of chickens, who are beginning to lay once again! Ah, all that fresh, truly-free-range eggy goodness deprivation gone for another year. Hurrah!

I sure wish I'd gotten a picture of these....they are so pretty, as well as tasty. They're pretty easy to make, though the philo is a bit tedious. Someone said that philo cups are available commercially, so that would be worth checking into.

Baked Eggs in Philo Cups with Lemon Sauce

Plan on one or two eggs per person...or more, if they're really hungry! Have as many ramekins on hand as you plan to make eggs. Melt butter and brush each ramekin with melted butter. Open up a package of philo dough and slice a strip off, about five inches wide. Cut this strip into thirds, to make squares (at least close). Brush each piece with butter as you work. Place a piece of philo into a ramekin, layering one on top of another overlapping, to cover the whole inside of the cup and sticking out a bit on top. Put at least 7 or 8 pieces in each ramekin...until it looks like enough, like a little philo cup. Repeat with all the ramekins. (Save the rest of the philo for another use.)

Put about 1 1/2 tablespoons of cream cheese or other soft cheese on the bottom of each philo cup. Then crack in one egg in each. Snip chives over the top (or you could use other herbs), drizzle with just a smidge of cream, and salt and pepper over the top. Place ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for oh, maybe 20 to 30 minutes? Depending on how done you like your eggs.

While the eggs are baking, make the sauce: melt two tablespoons butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add two tablespoons flour and stir and cook until the mixture is lightly browned. Add about 3/4 cup milk (honestly, I didn't measure--just keep adding it until it's the right consistency) and cook and stir until the mixture comes to a simmer and thickens. Add the juice from one lemon. Add more milk if it's too thick.

Drizzle sauce over the eggs at the table. Enjoy!