Potato Breakfast Casserole

This breakfast casserole is something I have been making and taking to work for years. I usually double the recipe and make it in a 9 x 13 baking dish. It serves an army of hungry co-workers. Not this time, this time it was for my sister. My dear sister had a birthday a few weeks ago. She had to work a late shift, so we had a delicious brunch together before she left for work. I made a single recipe for Mom, dear sister and I. It was so delicious and very easy. You just throw all the ingredients together the night before and bake the next morning. It is cheesy and substantial. The potatoes make this casserole a nice and hearty breakfast. I also love that the onions and peppers come in the O'brien potatoes. There is so much flavor in that blend. The bacon doesn't hurt either. A casserole is such a great way to serve your eggs. We made a fruit salad of strawberries, cucumbers, orange juice/zest and mint as a side. Perfect brunch food for any celebration, including birthdays. I hope it will become a new favorite in your home.

Potato Breakfast Casserole
From Pots, Pans and Pioneers III
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

6 oz. frozen hash brown potatoes(O'brien), with onion and peppers
1 qt hot water
5 eggs
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 green onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper  
4 drops of hot sauce
6 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
Paprika

Directions

Cover hash browns with hot water; let stand 10 minutes. Drain well. Beat eggs; add potatoes and remaining ingredients, except bacon and paprika. Pour mixture into buttered 10 inch pie pan (I used a 8 x 8 pyrex dish); sprinkle with bacon and paprika. Cover dish and refrigerate overnight. Place cold pie pan, uncovered, in cold oven. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender and eggs done (I had to cook another 20 minutes). 

Click here for the Strawberry Cucumber Salad recipe.

Butterfly Cheesecake Muffins

Dear sister just had a birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! She wanted to bring something to share at work since she had to be there on her birthday. I said I would make mini cheesecakes for her to bring. We have been making cheesecake muffins for years. You can make so many variations. I have shared a few on the blog already. These I wanted to make special so I set out to make them "springy". Sister loves butterflies so I wanted to use this cute pretzel idea I saw all over Pinterest. But I needed to find a way to make a green topping or field for them to sit on. That is when it came to me I could tint the sour cream topping from the Ultimate Cheesecake recipe. It worked perfectly. It also makes a great flat top on each muffin. This little technique is going to make for tons of other cute cheesecake muffins. Sister said the sour cream topping balances the other sweet ingredients. These little cuties are sweet because hidden inside is an Oreo and a Snickers bar. So with the pretzel and the candy inside and out this little muffin is salty and sweet. They are cute and tasty too! Perfect for any birthday or Easter event. I hope you will find a way to celebrate spring with this recipe.

Butterfly Cheesecake Muffins

Makes 24 to 28 muffins

Ingredients

1 pkg. Oreo thins

1 bag mini Snickers bars

3 (8oz.) pkg. Cream Cheese

3 eggs

1-1/4 cup Granulated Sugar, divided

1-1/8 tsp. Vanilla, divided

16 oz. light sour cream

16 drops green food coloring

1 bag Flipz white fudge covered pretzels

1 bag Easter M&Ms

1 bag peel and eat Fruit Punch Twizzlers, peeled

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Place 1 Oreo thin in paper lined cupcake pan. Place a Snickers on each cookie and set aside. Cream the cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and beat until well mixed. Spoon cream cheese over each cookie until cup is 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile mix sour cream, remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/8 tsp. vanilla and green food coloring adding drop by drop until desired green color is achieve and sugar is dissolved.

Remove muffins from oven and top with green sour cream mixture. Bake for 5 more minutes, remove from oven and let cool completely. Top each muffin with two pretzels spread just far enough apart for a row of M&Ms in between. Place one color of M&M to make the head of the butterfly. Place three of a different color below for the body. Poke two pieces of Twizzler string near the head for antennas. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Note: Be sure to let the muffins cool completely before decorating. Heat and moisture will affect the candy. Heat will make the coating melt. Moisture will make the candies caulk. For perfect muffins you may want to decorate just before serving.

Linking to:
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday

Avocado, Tomato and Cheese Melt

Well...A lot has happened since my last post. My dear Daddy has gone before us. After a long battle with a blood disorder he was just tired of being sick and tired. My Mom, dear sister and I take comfort in the fact that he was ready to go and he will not have any discomfort any longer. I thought I might be ready to share more and tell you some of the things I think I have learned, but I am not quite ready yet. Instead I will keep sharing recipes.

While Dad was in the hospital Mom stayed with me. This is a quick breakfast Mom and I enjoyed in the mornings before running out the door to go see Dad. It was something that did not take a lot of time but was delicious and fresh. This Avocado, Tomato and Cheese Melt has everything. It is warm, toasty and cheesy. Then it is fresh with the tomato and avocado. I love how the avocado is buttery and adds a creamy element to this breakfast. Then there is the Jane's Krazy salt! That stuff is an avocado's best friend. It just seasons it perfectly. It is also great on the tomato too. You need to get some if you haven't already. It is not required to make this melt just recommended. You can use salt and pepper and it will be delicious. Just give it a try one morning. I know I am going to continue to make it for years to come. In fact, I just put all the ingredients on my grocery list for next week. More morning melts in my future!

Avocado, Tomato and Cheese Melt
Serves 2

Ingredients

2 English muffins, split
4 slices of tomato
1 avocado; pitted, peeled and sliced
Jane's Krazy salt and black pepper to taste
4 slices Colby jack cheese

Directions

Slice muffins in half and toast. Season tomato and avocado slices with salt and pepper to taste. Place one tomato slice, 1/4 avocado and one cheese slice on each muffin half. Place under a broiler or in a toaster oven until cheese melts.

Linking to:
Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?