I probably shouldn’t admit this, but sometimes I’m lazy in the kitchen. There have been many evenings when I tell my husband he is on his own, and I eat cereal for dinner. While standing at the counter.  Watching Gossip Girl. I know – yikes.

Other times, I’m only half-lazy. Sometimes I make a simple soup that just doesn’t seem like dinner on its own and I feel the need to gussy it up. Nothing turns a basic supper into something warm and cozy like a hot, eggy, airy, popover. They are divine with salted sweet cream butter, or butter and jam, or butter and honey – you get the idea. Go buy some butter.

I used to beg my mother to make these whenever she was making a holiday dinner – she was often resistant, because they need their own space and time in the oven. If you’re making anything else that needs baking time, things can get a little tricky. So they really aren’t that great for a fancy dinner, despite their glamourous appearance.

The perfect solution is to make them with a main dish that is easy, and cooked on the stovetop.

I am lucky enough to have a mini-popover pan – but you could make them in a muffin tin (a large muffin tin would be even better.) They may turn out differently shaped or not quite as tall, but they will be equally delicious.

This recipe came with my popover pan, and is pretty basic. But the results are heavenly.

Popovers

1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup milk
3 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 T unsalted butter, melted
2 T unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces

1) Lightly grease pan and preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2) Blend flour through melted butter in bowl, mix with an electric beater (or whisk vigorously) for about two minutes. Batter should be smooth and thin. You can make this ahead and store it in the fridge, but let it come to room temperature before using.

3) Place pan in hot oven for about 2 minutes. Remove, and put one piece of butter in each cup. Fill each cup about 1/2 full.

4) Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 300 degrees, and bake for 20 more minutes.

Popovers should be golden-brown and puffy. Enjoy steaming hot with…butter!