Since I reluctantly became a house dad to my three children two years ago, I have discovered there are many things to loathe abut the role (washing, cleaning, vaccing, ironing) and pretty much only one thing to love: cooking.
I have always been a passionate cook, but now as my family's live-in domestic, I have both the time and the reason to explore, experiment and get excited.
On my blog I feature recipes aimed firmly at my adult audience, but here on Parentdish each month, I'm going to roadtest the best of the family chefs out there – cooking their recipes, and trying them out on my children.
To kick off is the daddy of dad cooks, Nick Coffer – author of the brilliant family cookbook, My Daddy Cooks.
And the recipe I've tried – chosen by my four-year-old son – is Nick's BAKED EGGS IN HAM CUPS
Nick says: "Here's a fun twist on your morning eggs. These baked eggs are less heavy that fried eggs, less unpredictable than poached eggs and make a pleasant change from scrambled eggs.
"They are extremely easy and fun to assemble, and the added cheese and cherry tomatoes make this dish a really filling and satisfying start to any day."
Well, it's quite a claim! My wife cooks poached eggs on toast for our kids every morning, but for today's breakfast, she let me loose with Nick's recipe.
Serves 4
You will need 4 ramekins
Ingredients:
4 slices of ham
4 large eggs
8 x 1cm cubes of Cheddar cheese
4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
A little butter
Salt and pepper, to season
Wholemeal bread, to make toast
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Use your fingers to butter the ramekins.
2. Put a slice of ham in each ramekin, pressing it against the side to create a 'cup'.
3.Crack an egg into each ramekin.
4. Add a couple of chunks of cheese.
5.Then a couple of halves of tomato. Season.
6. Bake in the oven for 12-15 mins, until the whites have set but the yolk is runny.
7. Remove the ramekins from the oven and leave to cool for a couple of minutes. Scoop the ham cups out of the ramekins and onto a piece of toast (I forgot to butter ours, which is why it looks dry).
Kids' Verdict: Fantastic. Tasty and savoury and very filling. This is a dish to keep both kids and adults going until lunchtime – packed with protein for slow-release energy, and quick-hit carbs from the toast. And better than Mum's poached eggs? Eggs-actly!