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Breakfast sandwichRemember the Egg McMuffin? The childhood staple of road trips and early morning breakfasts on the fly is actually a good idea in theory. In fact an egg-based breakfast sandwich similar (but better) than the Egg McMuffin is reasonably healthy, kid-friendly, and surprisingly easy to make at home. It's also quick to whip up, making it suitable for weekday mornings before school, even. How quick? If you give me three minutes I'll give you a hot tasty breakfast sandwich.

For this basic iteration, I put together the traditional semi-international combination of egg, English muffin, Canadian bacon, and American cheese, just like at that place with the golden arches. Of course in my version they're locally grown cage-free eggs, organic American cheese slices, and low-fat Canadian bacon. I originally planned on using whole-wheat English muffins, but Trader Joes was out of them when I was shopping, so the sourdough version stands in this morning. For equipment, you'll need a microwave, a toaster, and a microwave safe vessel in which to cook the egg.

Breakfast sandwich ingredientsHere's exactly what you'll need for one sandwich:

  • One English muffin, split
  • One egg
  • 2 tsp milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • One slice American cheese
  • One slice Canadian bacon

Unwrap your American cheese slice and put your English muffin halves into the toaster to toast.

Egg in containerWhile your toaster is doing its thing, take your microwave-safe container and crack the egg into it. Add the milk, salt, and pepper and beat lightly with a fork. For a container, choose something that's going to give you a sort of round flat egg patty that will fit on your English muffin. In this instance I used a 1-cup Pyrex measuring cup, but a ramekin or something similar will do, too. Put the container and egg into the microwave and cook for 45 seconds on high. Note that microwaves vary and you might have to vary the amount of time; I wouldn't go much over a minute, though—we want a nice fluffy egg, not a piece of rubbery yuck.

Cooked eggIf you've timed it right, your English muffin will be nice and toasty by the time your microwave is beeping to let you know the egg is done. Put the English muffin on a plate, top one half with the cheese, then ease the egg onto the other half (it should just slide out of the container). Top the egg with the Canadian bacon and then put the two halves together. Voilà! You know have your own delicious breakfast sandwich.

I'd be giving up what little foodie credibility I had if I didn't offer a couple suggestions for fancier alternatives. Instead of American cheese, try using sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, or fontina. Instead of Canadian bacon, you can use smoked ham (which is what we usually use), sausage, or even smoked salmon. Add some finely chopped fresh herbs to the egg, if you like. If you're not pressed for time, you can brown the Canadian bacon a little in a hot pan for more depth of flavor. For a vegetarian version, omit the meat altogether (vegans are out of luck here, unfortunately). For English muffin alternatives, try bagels, ciabatta rolls, or even just toasted bread. Whichever way you make them, they're a fun easy breakfast that everyone likes.