The Pioneer Woman Cooks (24 page)

1. Butter individual ramekins, and in each one place a piece of thinly sliced ham. Top the ham with tomato slices.

2. Or, if you’re feeling spicy, a couple of tablespoons of picante sauce instead.

3. Gently crack an egg over the top of each ramekin. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

4. Top each ramekin with ¼ cup grated cheese. Monterey Jack works nicely…

But crumbly cheeses such as Cotija or goat cheese are my personal faves.

5. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes, removing when the yellow of the egg is still soft but not overly runny.

6. If you have people in your house who are averse to runny yolks, just leave ’em under the broiler for an extra minute.

Serve with fresh fruit and breakfast potatoes (In the Morning).

I Love Hyacinth!

MISS MUSTANG

It’s time for the Miss Mustang Beauty Pageant!

Welcome to our show, ladies and gentlemen.

The girls have been primping for weeks, bathing in pure, unfiltered creek water, taking daily mud baths, and conditioning their hides with other substances we’d prefer not to discuss here at Miss Mustang International. We’ve got some familiar faces this year, along with some brand-new ones, and the buzz is that we’ve never had a more beautiful group of contestants.

Judges, get your scorecards ready!

This is Bernadette, our Miss Nevada. Her favorite food is oatmeal, and she believes strongly in world peace and sustained harmony between equine and man. Nice to have you with us, Bernadette!

This beauty is Stacey, Miss Arizona! Stacey’s favorite color is turquoise, and she enjoys eating native grasses from her host family’s flower garden. If she wins the crown tonight, she hopes to use her exposure to further the cause of women’s rights, both in the equine kingdom and beyond. Welcome, Stacey!

Showing us her breathtaking profile is Rebecca, our contestant from Utah! Rebecca loves knitting, scrapbooking, needlecrafts, and scratching her itchy back on fence posts. Oh, and Rebecca really loves people. She wants you all to know that.