If having adventures in the kitchen weren’t enough to keep a girl occupied, adventures with a very headstrong cat helps. You’ve met Drusilla (aka Noonie, Nooners) before and oddly enough this is a photo I took last week of her in the very same window she managed to fall out of. I am not sure what happened—I was taking a nap, terrible Cat Mom am I—but she somehow tumbled, or leapt, out of the second story window, marched right up to the front door, and meowed in no uncertain terms to let her the hell back inside. She’s fine; no sprains or broken limbs, and for that I am very thankful.

The LSC urged me to give her lots of pats and treats, which she reluctantly accepted. Such is living with a cat like Noonie.

One of my favorite things is breakfast for dinner. My mom’s a helluva cook, but I tell you what, when she used to make pancakes for dinner, there was nothing better.

Sadly, I usually get other people to make my pancakes for me nowadays—and an extensive restaurant-pancake review is probably way overdue—so that when I do have breakfast for dinner, I opt for savory instead of sweet. Nonetheless, the recipe below cries out for lazy weekend brunches with pitchers of mimosas or super duper extra spicy Bloody Marys.

I’d also like to point out that this “egg bake”—which I have taken the arrogant liberty of calling a “tart”—is fantastic refrigerator velcro; you can easily use whatever herbs/veggies/cheese you have on hand. You can even make it the night before so as to spend more time socializing with your brunch guests and having a fabulous eye-opener.

Fresh Asparagus & Herb Baked Eggs

7 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup AP flour

1 tsp. baking powder (though I subbed baking soda and honestly, I didn’t notice a difference)

2 tsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 dash hot sauce (your choice—I used Crystal, the fave of New Orleanians everywhere)

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tsp. dried chives

1 16 oz. carton cottage cheese

8 oz. cream cheese, cut into small cubes

2 cups shredded cheese, such as Gruyere or sharp cheddar

1 bunch fresh raw asparagus, cleaned, ends trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, pepper, and hot sauce until frothy. Stir in herbs, cottage cheese, cream cheese cubes, half the shredded cheese and the asparagus. Pour into a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 60 minutes. (If you prepped it overnight, then it will need those extra fifteen minutes.)  When the eggs are set in the center and the top is lightly browned, you’re all ready!