The Wow Factor.

There are days when I plan posts for you to read, but then I bump into an idea or recipe that trumps that planned post and I have to share with you.  Immediately. The planned post usually gets archived and slowly buried away from thought or recollection.  But that's okay, right?  Sort of what summer is all about?  Rolling with it?  Today I wanted to tell you all about the European Market in Athens, Georgia (and I will get around to it, hopefully) but then I saw a rockin' recipe that you will want to eat (immediately) and when I saw it  I turned into this little guy:

[photo via le love]

Dang-It!  Now, not only do I have usurped plans, but I must make this recipe and go get a dog.  Immediately.  NPR did it again.  And the best part is that you can head on out to the Farmer's Market and buy your eggs, tomatoes (that might be a little stretch... unless you are lucky), spinach (most definitely) and possibly even feta cheese, depending on where you live.  So, here it is, the big usurper of plans:

[eve turow for npr]

  Feta.  Spinach.  Eggs.  Baked in a tomato.  Would it be weird if I stole a tag line off one of my older posts?  I don't know any other way to say it: you should be drooling.  You should have heart shaped glasses over your face and a look of longing in your eyes.  Even if you don't like the ingredients, the wow factor of the presentation should be enough for you to start getting excited.  Come on.  You know you want to make them.    Even if they sort of look like fish roe, you will ignore that fact and get to work anyway.  (Sprinkle some chives on top and maybe they'll look less like watery yellow eyes.)  This dish is one for the ages, so stop drooling and take your dog to the market already.

Eggs Baked With Spinach And Feta In Tomato Shell

Recipe from NPR

Makes 4 servings
4 large ripe tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium eggs
4 tablespoons feta cheese
1 pound spinach

   Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut off tomato tops and set aside (may be used later as garnish). Run a paring knife around the inside edge of the tomato and scoop out insides, creating a tomato shell. Sprinkle the insides with salt and pepper and turn the tomatoes upside down on a towel to dry and drain out any excess liquids.
   In the meantime, steam or sautee the spinach. To steam, fill a pan with a thin layer of water and bring to a boil. Turn off the burner, add the spinach and cover the pan until the spinach wilts. Drain out excess water once the spinach is cooked. Stand the tomatoes right side up in a pan, and place approximately 1/4 cup spinach into the bottom of each, pressing down to make room for other ingredients. Break an egg inside each tomato shell. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and feta cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Do not let the yolks become too firm.  Serve IMMEDIATELY.