I call these the “best” baked eggs for two reasons. First of all, they’re delicious. Second, they free you up to prepare the rest of your breakfast or brunch while they bake.

Maybe a third reason to bake up this simple egg dish is that you can add whatever you have on hand to flavor up the eggs. While the recipe below is my favorite combination of ingredients, feel free to dig through the fridge and use whatever cheese or combination of cheeses you find. You can’t go wrong with crumbled goat cheese combined with the fresh herbs, and sharp cheddar would be delicious, too. Add some diced ham, crumbled bacon or browned sausage if you’d like a more substantial dish. The possibilities are limitless.

The eggs puff up when baking, but they deflate quickly. They’re delicious served immediately and leftovers reheat well in the microwave.

• 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
• 2 Roma tomatoes, cored and diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (basil, chives, thyme)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 12 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle cheese, herbs and green onions evenly in the bottom of the pan.

Beat eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Pour egg mixture on top of cheese.  Bake for 45 minutes or until firm.

Makes 6-8 servings.