Eggs abound at Easter time and with good reason. An ancient symbol of fertility and new life, the egg is easily associated with celebrations of spring, be they sacred or secular. But the traditions of decorating, giving, hunting and playing with eggs at Easter seem a little less obvious. And it turns out, all this playfulness came out of some very serious business.

The Catholic Council of Aix made Lenten fasting a law in 837, and since eggs were an animal by-product, they became forbidden along with meat. Charlemagne enforced the fast by beheading chiefs who didn’t observe it. Meanwhile, the chickens, oblivious to both religion and politics, went merrily along laying eggs. People could either let the eggs become hatchlings or gather them up, dip them in mutton fat or wax, and keep them in a cool place until Lent was over.

Enduring 40 days without eggs may have been especially difficult for children, so that may be why youngsters were given the surfeit of accumulated eggs on Easter Sunday. No one knows who first decorated the wax-covered eggs or why, but dyeing, painting and drawing on eggs became a rich and beautiful tradition in many parts of Europe. (Not to mention what happened when Faberge got into the act.) And it’s been said a pretty egg tastes better.

So what to do with all these pretty eggs? Peel ’em and eat is the simplest solution, and of course, there’s always egg salad. But to use more of the lovelies left by the Easter bunny in one shot, here’s a simple, expandable and make-ahead dish that can be popped into the oven for a holiday (or any day) brunch. It’s called Eggs Continental, and dates back to the days when “continental” was the catch-all phrase used to make dishes seem classy.

 Or maybe continental was the code word for high fat. But the good news is that this concoction still tastes great if you substitute reduced-fat versions of the dairy products and bacon called for. And even better, the pleasing combination of eggs, bacon mushrooms, and cheese can be baked in individual ramekins or combined into a casserole dish, giving you options for presentation.

Proportions listed are for one to two serving-sized preparation. Ingredient amounts in parentheses are for preparations in a 9-by-13-inch glass casserole. Amounts for the larger dish are given as a range, so you can determine for yourself how thick you want the respective layers to be.

Youngsters can be recruited to help peel the hard-cooked eggs the dish is based on. And if you’re peeling decorated eggs that sat in the dye a bit long, you’ll have the added bonus of some extra color to celebrate another spring!

Eggs Continental

¼ cup dried bread crumbs (¾ to1 cup)

1 tablespoon butter, melted (3 to 4 tablespoons)

4 hard cooked eggs, sliced (12 to16)

3 slices bacon, fried and diced (1 pound)

3 to 4 fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced (8 ounces), optional

1 cup sour cream (3 cups)

1 tablespoon low-fat or skim milk (3 to 4 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon minced onion (3 to 4 tablespoons)

½ teaspoon salt (1½ teaspoons)

¼  to ½ teaspoon paprika (1 to 2 teaspoons)

1/8 teaspoon pepper (a few grinds of the pepper mill)

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (1½ to 2 cups)

Combine bread crumbs and melted butter, spread in the bottom of a ramekin or casserole dish. Cover crumbs with a layer or two of sliced hard-cooked eggs. Then combine bacon, mushrooms, sour cream, milk, onions and seasonings in a bowl. Spoon this mixture over the egg layer. Top with shredded cheese and bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees, until cheese is melted and just starting to brown. If you’re making the dish ahead, cover, refrigerate and plan on about 35-40 minutes heating time.

Lynne Ireland lives to eat and welcomes comments and questions from others who do (or don’t). Contact her at savor@journalstar.com.