These little breakfast items crop up under a variety of names, but I learned to make them from someone who called them “egg bakes.” You can call them breakfast souffles if you like. They are actually very easy, and are good for a brunch or a special occasion or company breakfast.

Like practically everything we do here, these are susceptible to considerable variation, the only constants being egg, milk and a piece of bread. Plan ahead to do them, because they need to stand overnight in the fridge. And they are a good excuse to keep a bunch of old custard cups around, even if you aren’t making custard anymore.

The bread is best if it is a fairly soft sort, and you can use white, whole wheat or multigrain. The filling can be cooked sausage, bacon or ham crumbled. If you want to do vegetables instead, sauteed chopped onion, mushrooms, pepper or celery is delicious and add some chopped herbs such as chives or parsley to the egg and milk mixture. The cheese ought to have some character. I think aged cheddar, blue cheese, or an herbed chevre would be good.

I imagine after you make these two or three times, other wrinkles will occur to you. Feel free to experiment. At our house, one little custard cup of egg bake didn’t look like enough to Jamie; I ate one and he ate the other three. Unless your household has dainty eaters, you might want to use a larger baking cup or ramekin and double the recipe.

Egg Bakes

Makes 4 servings.

4 slices semi-firm bread, crusts removed if you wish

3 eggs

1 cup milk or half-and-half

Salt and pepper

4 spoonfuls cooked crumbled sausage, bacon, ham or vegetables

4 tablespoons grated or crumbled cheese

Grease the custard cups, and press a slice of bread into each to line the cup. Beat together the eggs and milk, and season with salt and pepper. Into each cup put a spoonful of the filling, then pour over the egg and milk mixture dividing it evenly among the four cups. Top with the grated cheese. Cover and set in the fridge overnight. In the morning, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place them in a baking pan to bake for 35 minutes until the custard is set and puffed and golden brown on top. Serve while still warm.

Looking for … Paula Page of Hermon is anticipating her daughter’s high school graduation party. She would like a good spinach and artichoke dip, and also a sweet, white dip for fruits. Anybody?

Send queries or answers to Sandy Oliver, 1061 Main Road, Islesboro 04848. E-mail: tastebuds@prexar.com.