Recipe #302: On-The-Go Breakfast Muffins

These were fun to make and eat!  Another one I found on foodgawker, from www.thecookingjar.com.  I had one less egg than the recipe required and it still worked out fine.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 large eggs, beaten  
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
• 6 slices bacon, chopped / ½ cup bacon bits
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix together all the ingredients and whisk until smooth
2. Grease a regular size muffin tin and fill each cup about ⅔ of the way full
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-23 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean
4. Cool for 5 minutes before prying muffins loose
5. Dish and serve hot

Recipe #301: Maple Sausage, Apple, and Sage Strata

I served this up for Christmas brunch.  I love the mix of flavors and textures.  I found this using foodgawker.com, which led me to thestayathomechef.com.

Ingredients 

6 English muffins, halved 1 lb ground maple sausage 1 sweet onion, diced 2 apples, cored and diced 8 sage leaves, minced 8 eggs 2 cups half and half 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 cup shredded provolone cheese  1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

 Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Line the bottom of the dish with english muffin halves, cutting them as needed to fit.  2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the ground sausage with the onion until sausage is brown. Add in diced apple and sage and cook another 3-5 minutes.  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, salt, and pepper. Stir in shredded cheeses.  4. Stir sausage mixture into egg mixture and pour over english muffins. ***At this point you can cover the dish and refrigerate it over night.  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until set.  

Recipe #266: Mushroom-Spinach Baked Eggs

Heres one from foodnetwork.com, another breakfast.  Very savory and filling.  I liked how the bread was crusty to complement the soft mushrooms and eggs.  The cooking time here will give you eggs that are fully cooked, including hard yokes (which I didn't expect).  If you'd prefer over-easy with runny yolks, cook for about 15 minutes instead of 25-30.  Also, I cut them apart through the overlap instead of trying to separate the 6 slices of bread.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 pound white mushrooms, sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 cups baby spinach (about 6 ounces)
6 slices potato bread, lightly toasted (no need for toasting)
6 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, until they begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 more minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Arrange the bread in the dish in a single layer with the edges slightly overlapping, then spoon the mushroom-spinach mixture on top. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Crack an egg onto each piece of bread; season with salt and pepper. Pour the milk evenly over the top and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the egg whites are set, 25 to 30 minutes

Recipe #265: French Toast Casserole

It's Christmas morning!  Had to step up the breakfast options today!  This is a Paula Deen recipe, and I forgot the pecans.... so here's what it looks like without pecans.  Still tasted delicious!

Ingredients

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup

Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Recipe #148: Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole

This is NOT for someone on a diet, but oh man was it delicious.  The leftovers are possibly even better than the original!  This was Christmas morning breakfast!

Ingredients

• 1 (32 ounce) package frozen hash brown potatoes (I used the shredded kind)
• 8 ounces cooked, diced ham
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of potato soup
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix hash browns, ham, cream of potato soup, sour cream, and Cheddar cheese. Spread evenly into prepared dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
3. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly brown. Serve immediately.