There are some recipes that prove to be very difficult [1]. One of them is Tyler Florence's gallina de madre, or mother hen toast. I found the recipe in Tyler Florence's Family Meal [2] cookbook and on the Food Network's website [3]. However, I was shocked by how distinct the two recipes were: the cooking temperature, technique, and béchamel sauce were all different.

I gave the online recipe a try, and to my disappointment, I had a runny egg-white mess. I experimented with the one in the book, and while the results were better, I knew this breakfast dish must be easier to make.

After my fifth slice of toast, I finally mastered a technique that created a perfectly cooked egg with salty jamón and creamy béchamel. Basically, I didn't make the jamón cup; instead I removed a little bit of bread in the center and nestled the egg inside. No one realized I cheated! Don't let this tasty toast scare you . . .