Ingredients – Sauce:

One 4-ounce can tomato paste

1/4 cup water

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon basil

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Ingredients – Butter Poached Eggs:

8 half-pats of butter

16 eggs

Salt and pepper

Sauce:Combine sauce ingredients in sauce pan and simmer for 30 minutes. For best results, make sauce night before serving so the flavors will marry. Reheat the next morning and adjust seasonings to taste.

Butter Poached Eggs:Put pat of butter and a dash of salt and pepper in the bottom of 8 ramekins. Place ramekins in large shallow pans of simmering water. When butter is melted, break 2 eggs into each ramekin. Cover and continue simmering until done.

Assembly:Invert eggs onto individual serving plates and surround with warmed Tomato Basil Sauce. Garnish eggs with fresh sprig of thyme. Accompany with your favorite breakfast potatoes.

Serves: 8 (2 eggs per person)