The Temperature to Cook Over Easy Eggs

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Eggs, in their neat little packages, are appealing to most children. Quick and easy to prepare, they can be hard-boiled and slipped into a sack lunch, scrambled with ranch seasoning mix and diced veggies for brunch, or served as part of a nutritious breakfast. Wake up your family and brighten up a cloudy morning by cooking up some eggs over easy.

Start Off Right

Pull out your best non-stick pan for this meal. Eggs that stick will not cook over easy, and your kids will have to settle for scrambled eggs instead. Use a plastic or silicone spatula, as metal spatulas may scratch the nonstick surface of your pan. If you don't have nonstick cookware, add a small amount of oil to the pan and swirl it around until the bottom of the pan is coated.

Easy Does It

Set the temperature to medium-low. Resist the urge to rush things, no matter how hungry everyone is. Remind yourself that the easy in over easy eggs means "easy does it." The pan is ready when a few drops of water sizzle, but don't pop. Popping water means the pan is too hot. Remove the pan, let it cool down and try again.

Perfect Eggs

Tap the egg gently on the side of the pan, then move it over the pan and let the yolk drop to the surface. Don't hold the egg too high above the pan, or the yolk may break on the way down. Watch the egg carefully. As soon as the clear egg whites turn solid white, but the before the yolk is solid, slide the spatula under the egg in one smooth, gentle movement. It's easiest to turn the egg if you can center the yolk on the spatula. Then, roll your wrist so that the egg rolls off the spatula and slides yolk-side down onto the pan. Do not flip the egg -- these aren't pancakes! Season with a dash of salt and pepper, if you so desire, and then wait for the egg to finish cooking (between 15 and 60 seconds). Slide the spatula under the egg, flip it again to warm the other side, and transfer it immediately to a plate.

Smiles All Around

Presentation is the key to starting your day off right. Slide two eggs onto each plate, and add a low-fat turkey bacon "smile" -- which is sure to put a grin on even the pickiest eater's face. Grapes or strawberries make excellent "noses" and half slices of whole-wheat toast make fun-shaped "ears" to round out a nutritious breakfast.