Consider poached eggs.

Michel Roux has an excellent step-by-step guide to making perfect poached eggs in his Eggs (Wiley 2006) – a Super Chef favorite.

He recommends using a wide pan half filled with water and three tablespoons of white vinegar. When the water boils, he slips the eggs in, one at a time, from a ramekin. They cook only 1½ minutes and then he removes them with a slotted spoon. He follows with recipes for Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine, Poached Eggs with Shrimp & Confit Tomatoes and more. Clearly, poached eggs are wonderful and versatile.

But what if you have about a minute to get breakfast onto the table for a group of hungry kids? Can you serve poached eggs? Can the kids make the eggs themselves? Can you slip one into a pita to eat on the school bus? How about a poached egg in a sandwich for lunch?

Super Chef tried out Crackin’Eggs, a microwave egg cooker made by Australia’s Funtastic Ltd.

Crackin’Eggs are brightly colored plastic cups with a clear, perforated dome lid. You crack an egg into the cup, grab a handy toothpick and pierce the yolk, and then pop the top on. Then the egg cooker goes into the microwave and a poached egg comes out. The dome prevents any splatter (something that happens if you just use a tea cup), and the holes at the top allow steam to escape. The result is a soft yolk and a firm but tender white – not quite as good as the light Roux poached eggs, but not bad on a piece of toast. It slips out of the cup on its own, and the cup goes into the dishwasher. You may have to fiddle with timing to get the yolk just right. A larger cup holds two eggs for scrambled eggs. Super Chef tried Crackin’Eggs with feta and ham, with good results. Chopped the egg up and add a bit of butter or mayonnaise and you have a good egg salad.

There is no boiling water to deal with – so it’s safer for kids. And if you are worried about calories, a poached egg is a better bet then scrambled, fried, or omelet. Of course, if you have the time, get Michel Roux’s excellent Eggs, a carton of farm fresh eggs, and crack away.