Tana Ramsay’s Family Kitchen: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Every Family

100g/4oz mature cheddar cheese, grated

Serves: 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 7 minutes

1 Preheat the grill on high.

2 Bring to the boil a large deep saucepan of water and carefully add the eggs. Remember to set the timer for 5 minutes – I easily get distracted so always work by my timer! Toast the wholemeal bread and cover with the cheddar. Place under the grill until the cheese is bubbling.

3 Remove the eggs from the pan, place in a sieve and run under the cold tap to stop overcooking – eggs that are too hard-boiled are not the same!

4 Crack the top of the egg and remove the shell on the top third. Place into an egg cup and slice off the white to reveal a lovely runny yolk.

5 Cut the cheesy toast into soldiers and dip into the yolk! Serve.

Tip

• If you keep your eggs in the fridge, allow them to reach room temperature before boiling – this helps prevent them cracking as they boil.

It’s only when you taste boiled eggs that you remember how good they are.

field mushrooms on toast

This may sound like a very grown-up breakfast for children, but I find if I am eating it my children are always hanging around for a taste.

1 loaf ciabatta

4 tbsp olive oil

400g/14oz portabellini or other large mushrooms

20g¾oz bunch of basil

25g/1oz parmesan, finely grated

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

1 Cut the ciabatta in half vertically and again horizontally. Drizzle with a bit of the olive oil and place on a baking sheet.

2 Cut mushrooms into thick slices.

3 Heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan until shimmering, then throw in the mushrooms.

4 Cook on a fairly high heat, stirring regularly until the mushrooms start to release their natural liquid.

5 Turn off the heat, add a few torn basil leaves and put the lid on. Leave to infuse while you grill the ciabatta on a fairly high heat for about 5 minutes until it is just browning and going crunchy.

6 As soon as the bread is ready, place on plates, divide the mushrooms between them and sprinkle with the remaining basil leaves and parmesan.

Tip

• Dice two or three really ripe, sweet vine tomatoes and sprinkle on top.

poached eggs on wholemeal toast

285ml½ pint water

4 medium eggs (free-range/organic if possible)

4 slices wholemeal toast

butter

Serves: 4 children

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

1 Put the water into a small pan and bring to the boil. Crack one egg into a cup. Using a spoon, stir the water in the pan very quickly to create a ‘whirlpool’. Slide the egg into the water then simmer for 3 minutes until the egg is firmly set. Remove with a slotted spoon.

2 Repeat with the remaining eggs.

3 Serve the poached eggs on hot buttered toast.

Tips

• Fantastic served with a slice of ham underneath the egg, or grated cheddar cheese on top.

• It is even easier to make this if you buy little egg poachers that clip onto the side of a saucepan.