Green Eggs and Ham

OK, OK, I know they're not really green eggs. Or ham, for that matter. More like greens, eggs and bacon. But green eggs and ham was a much more interesting title, don't you think?

Last night was one of those times when I'd been working on a story all day and barely had time to feed the dogs and swab the decks (meaning clear some counter space in the kitchen) before Dave got home from work and some semblance of dinner would be called for. A glance in the fridge produced no ready solutions since we were low on just about everything. And the weather outside was yucky and dark enough that a trip to the store was a very unattractive prospect.

I was about to announce that peanut butter sandwiches would be the evening's featured entrée when I remembered a breakfast dish we'd had on a camping trip with friends, a simple one-dish meal of wilted greens topped with eggs. Though the original was made with bok choy, I'd seen a bunch of chard in the vegetable bin, along with a couple of slices of bacon left over from pasta carbonara a few nights ago.

A little chopping, a little sautéing and half an hour later we sat down to dinner. How simple is that?

Greens, Eggs and Bacon (or Green Eggs and Ham)

4 slices bacon, cut in 1/4" strips
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch chard, kale or bok choy, chopped in 1"strips
6-10 eggs, depending on how many you need
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté bacon until fat has rendered. Add olive oil and garlic, sauté briefly. Add greens and cook till wilted, tossing them around haphazardly. Break eggs over the top, trying to keep the yolks from running off the greens. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover, checking every couple of minutes and cook till yolks are at the desired level of doneness for your guests. (I like the yolks runny but the whites cooked.) These can be served as is or you can spoon them onto toasted slices of bread.