Baked Eggs with Cheddar & Potatoes...

"No matter how experienced a cook you are, you eventually come to believe that simple is best." I have no clue who said that, but this recipe shows it's true. Simple, easy to throw together for a hearty and impressive breakfast. Oh and it's a one-pot meal!

I cut this in half since it was just two of us eating and eight eggs seemed excessive, but I'll include the full recipe for you.

3 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 lbs red-skinned potatoes, diced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper, to taste
8 large eggs
1 cup shredded good quality medium or sharp cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Melt butter in a cast-iron skillet or other oven-proof pan.
3. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender.
4. Add onions, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook until potatoes brown and onions are soft. Remove from heat.
5. Push potatoes aside, creating 4 little spaces or nests.  Crack 2 eggs into each nest.
6.  Bake until egg whites are cooked and the yolks are still runny, about 10 minutes.
7. Sprinkle cheese over eggs and potatoes and bake until cheese melts, 2-4 minutes.

*Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchens Cookbook.

Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

When the weather gets cold, you  need to warm the house up by baking cookies.  These are a smash hit.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped into 1/4-inch chunks

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (about 2 ounces), toasted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flours, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add egg and vanilla; mix until combined. Mix in banana. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chunks, and walnuts.

2. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 12 to 13 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers up to 2 days.

*Thanks Martha Stewart!