Baked Eggs with Avocado

I am still in love with Baked Eggs. I made two new styles with avocado this weekend. I have been seeing all the pins on Pinterest about baking eggs in avocado halves. So why wouldn't avocados make a great baked eggs ingredients? Both styles were delicious! Very fresh tasting. The California style is veggie packed with spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms and creamy avocado. This one needs a bit more salt for some reason. So sprinkle to taste. It just helps to highlight all the fresh veggie flavor. The Bacon, Avocado & Tomato style was my favorite. It taste like a BLAT without the lettuce. It is so tasty! It has everything something fresh, crispy and creamy. Love it! The only con is the Avocado does brown little so the color is not as pretty as when it is first sliced. But I really like the warm creamy avocado. So you be the judge. Bake the avocado or add it as a garnish, just be sure to enjoy more avocado!

Cooking Method

Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly spray ramekin with cooking spray. Place veggies, bacon if using and avocado around the edges of the ramekin. Creating a small well in the center of the ingredients. Crack 1 egg into the well. Season eggs with Krazy salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes for a running yolk; 12 minutes to set the yolk. Ovens vary so adjust time to cook eggs to your liking. Garnish and serve immediately.

Bacon, Avocado & Tomato Baked Eggs

8 or 10 grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped

1 slice pre-cooked bacon, chopped

1 large egg

Jane's Krazy Salt and black pepper, to taste

California Baked Eggs

Handful of baby spinach leaves

6 grape tomatoes, halved

1 mushroom, sliced

1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped

1 large egg

Jane's Krazy Salt and black pepper, to taste

For more Baked Eggs check out this older post

Baked Eggs 8 Ways

Linking to:

Dizzy, Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday

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.

Pancake Tacos

This recipe was inspired by brown sugar bacon. I watched a few videos on the Brown Sugar Bacon BLT where they made this bacon. When I tried the bacon for myself it screamed pancakes to me. It has a sweet, salty, nutty flavor sort of like pecans. I knew it would be just delicious with pancakes. Well since I am taco obsessed right now I decided to use the pancakes for taco shells. All that was left was deciding on the rest of the fillings. Since it is pancakes and bacon then it should be breakfast right? So eggs? Maybe cheese? But what kind of cheese? And I can't forget the salsa! I decided on scrambled eggs, goat cheese and an apple salsa. After all goat cheese is mild and creamy and it goes well with eggs and apple. The scrambled eggs and goat cheese were so creamy, a great contrast to the crunchy bacon and apple salsa. The salsa turned out to be the biggest surprise, such a delicious combination. The honey, lemon, green onion, and cilantro really makes the apple salsa. It is the perfect crunchy topping for these pancake tacos. I can't wait to try it on a salad one day too. It is great with the bacon. I know both would make a great salad. Now believe me when I say this is a filling breakfast. Huge in fact, so get really hungry before you make it.

Pancake Tacos
Serves 2

Ingredients

Shake and Pour Pancake Mix

Apple Salsa:
1 pink lady apple, chopped
Juice of one lemon
1 green onion, sliced
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 tsp. honey
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste

8 slices low sodium center cut bacon
Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Butter, divided
4 eggs, beaten
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
Maple syrup, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

Prepare pancake mix according to package directions and set aside.

Combine salsa ingredients and set aside.

Place bacon in a pan over medium heat. Cook until you start seeing a little brown color on the bacon (see first bacon photo), flip and sprinkle with brown sugar. Cook the second side until slightly brown, flip and sprinkle with brown sugar. Watch carefully the bacon will brown (or burn) fast now that it has brown sugar on it. Flip one more time to caramelize the sugar. Remove from pan and set on paper to drain.

In another non-stick pan, melt a little butter over medium heat. Pour enough pancake batter to make a 6" pancake. When you see bubbles on the surface of the pancake check to see if brown and flip. Cook until second side is brown. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and put in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter until you have four 6" pancakes.

In another non-stick pan, melt remaining butter over medium low heat. Add beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper. Gently stir eggs until soft curds form, continue to cook until eggs are set and remove from heat.

To assemble the tacos, start with a pancake, place two pieces of bacon inside, add a fourth of the eggs, top with crumbled goat cheese and apple salsa. Drizzle with a little bit of maple syrup.

after first flip with brown sugar sprinkle

with maple syrup drizzle

Linking to:
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Tornadough Alli: Throwback Thursday Link Party
Reasons To Skip The Housework: STH Link Party
The Lazy Gastronome - Taco Tuesday Blog Hop

Alambre Chicken Tacos

Mom and I  usually schedule our hair appointments together and go out for a late lunch. A tradition that started when she had foot surgery and needed someone to drive her there. The other day we went to El Mariachi a Mexican restaurant in Bossier City, LA. I have told you about the Mushroom Enchiladas there, but this time I wanted to try something new. They had a plate on the menu called Alambre. It was so good! It was served fajita style with the tortillas on the side. I chose chicken but you can get beef too. I loved how smokey they were. The bacon must be responsible for that. I also loved all the veggies. It was so good I had to try making them at home.

It seems from searching around that Alambre translate to "wire". Many say it refers to shishkabobs. Although they have never been served the dish on a wire or shishkabob. It may or may not be cooked that way but it is usually plated off the skewer. Alambre is almost always composed of meat, onions, peppers, bacon, all grilled, on a tortilla, optionally with hot layer of cheese on top.

I have made my version of these tacos three times now. I have served them to Mom, Dad and dear sister. Everyone said they are really good! Believe it or not they are great as a make ahead meal too. The bacon and grilling add great smoke flavor. My guess that is why they reheat well. They are bulked up with onions, peppers and mushrooms; so it really stretches out the protein. It easily makes eight tacos and serves four. I highly recommend trying this for your Cinco de Mayo celebration. They are easy to make and you will crave more when they are gone.

Alambre Chicken Tacos
Serves 4; Makes 8 tacos

Ingredients

1 large (12 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tsp. olive oil
Sazon Seasoning, to taste
4 strips center cut bacon, cut into 1-1/2” pieces
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2” pieces
1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1/2” pieces
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
8 small flour tortillas
3/4 cup Monterrey jack cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat grill on high for ten minutes. Meanwhile drizzle chicken breast with olive oil and season with Sazon. Lower grill to medium high and grill chicken 6 to 7 minutes each side. Remove from grill and cover with foil to rest. Place bacon in a skillet over medium high heat, when bacon begins to brown push to one side and add onions and peppers. Saute until they begin to soften and onion starts to get translucent, add mushrooms. Season with a little sazon, salt and pepper; cook until mushrooms begin to brown. Meanwhile slice or dice chicken, add to the pan and stir in bacon. Top with cheese and cover to melt the cheese. To serve place a spoon of filling on each tortilla.

Or as a make ahead meal leave cheese off. Store chicken filling when ready to eat warm a serving of filling for 30 seconds in the microwave on High. Then place filling on two tortilla, top with cheese and place back into the microwave for 30 seconds.

Nutritional Information per serving*: Calories 366, Total Fat 15 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Monounsaturated Fat 2 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 56 mg, Sodium 1300 mg**, Potassium 312 mg, Total Carbohydrate 36 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 2 g, Protein 21 g.

*Information from the My Fitness Pal calculator. NI may vary depending on the brand or size of the ingredients used to prepare it.

**Sodium should be less if you make your own Sazon.

Print It

I used homemade Sazon Seasoning. 
Because I can control the sodium that way.

This is the color you are looking for on the bacon. 

When you see the bacon is not quite brown 

push it aside and add the onion and peppers.

See the bacon continues to brown.

I served a little light sour cream and store bought guacamole 

to garnish the tacos. I also served a side salad with 

Creamy Mexican Dressing. The restaurant serves rice and beans.

Linking to:
Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Bacon
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Life Is Fantasmic: Saturday Dishes - Cinco de Mayo
Reasons to Skip The Housework: Skip The Housework Link Party
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday

Hayride Bean Soup

from FB page Remember in
Shreveport when...  

I was very young when I first heard about the Louisiana Hayride. I never had the opportunity to see or attend a performance at Shreveport's Municipal Auditorium. I did however frequent the Hayride Kitchen in Bossier City, Louisiana. In fact I thought that was the Hayride. We would go there for dinner and I would see the stage and the sign. That is what the Louisiana Hayride was to me. It was Hayride Kitchen, the restaurant where music played as you ate bean soup served in tiny cast iron kettles, BBQ (I remembered fried fish but the family said BBQ) and drank iced tea in mason jars.


It wasn't until I was in high school that I started to understand the amazing history of both the Louisiana Hayride and the Municipal Auditorium. In high school we learned the auditorium was built in the 1920s, and the architect who designed it was Samuel Weiner. It is admired for its intricate brickwork and as a fine example of Art Deco construction. It is significant for hosting the Louisiana Hayride radio program, from 1948 to 1960. It has been said, that the Hayride is where artists such as Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley, performed and possibly got their careers started. When the Hayride left the municipal, it was later broadcast and kept alive at the Hayride Kitchen until 1987. The municipal remained open all that time as a event venue. As a high school graduate, I like every senior in Caddo schools walked the Municipal's stage to receive my diploma. Still at that age I did not fully understand the importance of this auditorium. 

It wasn't until I got the opportunity to work on the renovations there that it started to sink in. Recently I worked with a team of architects who helped to preserve this fine old building. I got to walk the halls, dressing rooms, basement (not all of it, the basement is one of the haunted areas) and stage. The same areas all those stars began their careers. The halls are lined with photos of all the performers that performed there. There are little closets that have been turned into exhibits showing what it was like in those hay days. 

My little part of the renovations was helping to select new seating to replace some old 60s seating that had seen better times. We choice something that looked more like it had been there from the very beginning. There are still two sections left that are the original wood seats and backs. The municipal staff did an excellent job of restoring these areas with all the original components available. This was one of those jobs or projects that I will always remember. It was an honor to work on a little part of history.

Old 60s Seating

New

Original

Well I kind of got side tracked didn't I? This post was suppose to be about the Bean Soup recipe from Hayride Kitchen. But I had to tell you about the history of the Hayride and the name sake of the soup, right? Anyway, if you want to know more about the Municipal Auditorium and the Louisiana Hayride check out these great links.

Shreveport's Municipal Auditorium

Louisiana Hayride

Ghost Hunters visit Municipal Auditorium

Back to the soup. I really have no way to know for sure if this is the actually soup recipe. I got the recipe a few years ago from a Facebook page Remember in Shreveport when... Since then I have seen other recipes using cans of beans and even soup that claim to be the Hayride recipe. So don't hold me to it. I am more of a foodie and not a historian. I can tell you this soup was delicious. It did bring back great memories of the restaurant. It made me want to go buy some little iron soup kettles. I did make a double recipe and substituted some low sodium ingredients so I could share it with the entire family. Everyone seemed to really enjoy it. The only thing I might add next time is a bay leaf. I just love bay in beans. Oh and I really really want those little iron kettles! It just made this soup special as a child. Thanks for letting me ramble on. I hope you enjoy this soup and the history.

Hayride Bean Soup

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

2 pound Navy Beans

1 package low sodium bacon, chopped

2 onions, chopped

4 ribs celery, chopped

2 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning

4 tablespoon parsley

Directions

Rinse and sort beans. Cover with 12 cups of water and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat and let stand, covered for 1 hour.

Return beans to a boil and reduce to a simmer; cook beans until tender. Sauté bacon until brown, remove bacon and add to the pot. Remove all but one or two tablespoons of bacon fat. Saute onions, garlic and celery in bacon fat. When veggies begin to soften add to beans. Add more water at this time to desired soup constancy (I added about 5 cups). Cook 2 more hours. Add other ingredients and cook another 20 minutes, then take 1 cup of beans out, mash and return to pot. Cook 10 minutes longer.

Here is the recipe as copied from Facebook:

There is something about the colors in these photos 

that reminds me of my Maw Maw (Dad's Mom). 

Specifically her kitchen or maybe her coffee cups? 

That has nothing to do with this recipe but I just had to share.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
The Chicken Chick: Clever Chicks Blog Hop
Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky
Memories By The Mile: Treasure Box Tuesday
Stone Cottage Adventures: Tuesdays with a Twist

Tomato and Breakfast Bacon Pizza

Dear sister and I have always liked to order pizzas with fresh tomato slices and breakfast bacon. It is such a different combination for pizza. I love the fresh and cooked tomato flavors together. The tomato and cheese reminds me of the broiled tomatoes Mom use to make when we were growing up. Delicious!

Today I decided to make this flavorful pizza at home. I used a flour tortilla for the crust like I did for my Breakfast Pizza. It worked beautifully. I added a lot of freshly ground black pepper which was so good with the bacon. Definitely a quick meal using simple ingredients.

Tomato and Breakfast Bacon Pizza

Serves 1 or 2

Ingredients

2 - 6" flour tortilla

2 Tbsp. pizza sauce

3 - 4 Tbsp. Italian cheese blend

1 tomato, sliced

2 slice precooked bacon, chopped

2 tsp. Parmesan cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place a sheet pan upside down on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place tortillas on a piece of aluminum foil. Spread a tablespoon of pizza sauce on each. Top with 1 tbsp. or more of Italian cheese blend, tomato and bacon. Sprinkle the top of each pizza with 1 tsp. Parmesan cheese and fresh cracked pepper. Place your tortilla and foil on the sheet pan in the center of the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the foil and enjoy!

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday
Memories by the Mile: Treasure Box Tuesday
My Pinterventures: The YUCK Stops Here!
It's Your Life: Tuesday with a Twist
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Turnips 2 Tangerines: Four Season Blog Hop
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Creative K Kids: Tasty Tuesdays
Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Pizza

Breakfast Pizza

If you love thin crust pizza and over easy eggs you are going to love this breakfast. This is the brain child of my favorite person in the world. He started making pizza at home using store bought ultra thin pizza crust or flour tortillas. He told me he made one with precooked breakfast sausage and egg. I had flour tortillas and tried it myself. It was delicious! He is such a smart guy! Since then, I have made all kinds of individual pizzas. It is so easy and there is almost nothing to clean up. This morning I made a Breakfast Pizza with bacon and egg. It was so good! The tortilla gets really crispy on the edges and the egg perfectly over easy. Definitely a great new breakfast or breakfast for dinner option.

Breakfast Pizza
Serves 1 or 2

Ingredients

2 - 6" flour tortilla
2 Tbsp. pizza sauce
Mozzarella cheese
1 slice precooked bacon, chopped
2 large eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place tortillas on a piece of aluminum foil. Spread a tablespoon of pizza sauce on each. Top with half of the cheese and bacon; arranging the bacon around the edge. Carefully break an egg in the center of each tortilla. Place the pizzas on the aluminum foil in the center of the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the foil and enjoy!

**UPDATE**

For an even crisper crust place a sheet pan

upside down in the oven before you pre-heat the oven.

Place your tortilla and foil on the sheet pan.

The tortilla will be evenly crisp from center to edge.

Linking to:
My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
My Kitchen Escapades: Super Saturday Link Party
My Mixing Spoon: Random Recipe Roundup
Ms.enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Pizza

Mushroom Cheeseburger Soup

You already know I love soup. What you don't know is that one of my favorite burgers is a bacon, mushroom and Swiss burger. Well years ago, I found a Cheeseburger Soup recipe in my apartment newsletter. I have had the recipe for years. It was loaded with beef, potatoes and american cheese. This week I had the idea to turn that recipe into a Mushroom Cheeseburger Soup. It turned out great. Rich and thick almost like a chowder. I love the cheesy mushroom and beef flavors. The Swiss is so different. How many times do you see Swiss cheese in a soup? That being said I am sure there are many melting cheeses that would be delicious in its place. This is a soup worth experimenting with over and over again. Don't be worried about the jalapeno, the soup is not hot and spicy. It is just right, very warm and comforting. So yummy! I hope you will give it a try.

Mushroom Cheeseburger Soup

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 lb. lean ground beef

Kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

1 Tbsp. sherry

1-1/2 cups water

2 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

2 small carrots, finely chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped fine

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp. beef bouillon granules

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2-1/2 cups 2% milk, divided

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

8 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions

Heat a 3 quart Dutch oven to medium-high heat, drizzle in 1-1/2 tsp. olive oil and crumble in ground beef. Season with kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook beef until brown and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove beef from pan and set aside. Drizzle in remaining olive oil and add mushrooms. Season with kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook mushrooms until they begin to soften and begin to brown. Add sherry to deglaze the pot. Remove from pan and set aside with the beef.

Add next nine ingredients (water through salt) to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in beef, mushrooms and 2 cups milk; heat through. Combine flour and remaining milk until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce the heat; add cayenne and cheese stir until melted. Serve in soup bowls, garnished with bacon.

Linking to:
Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky

Mommy on Demand: Create it or Bake it

Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays

Turnips 2 Tangerines: Four Seasons Blog Hop

Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Horrific Knits: Fall Into the Holidays

My Personal Accent: Blog Strut Owl Style

Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo

Breakfast Nachos

This deliciously different breakfast was inspired by my favorite person in the world. I was talking to him one night and he said he had just made Breakfast Nachos. Immediately I could vision the dish, even before he told me his recipe. Well his recipe was a bit different from the picture I had already created in my head. His nachos were just sausage and cheese. Yesterday I brought my recipe to life. I love the soft cooked eggs with the crisp tortilla chips. The eggs are almost creamy and of course cheesy. I enjoyed all the garnishes, but I think my favorite was a little sour cream, salsa and cilantro.It was really very easy and I could see more variations in the future. Maybe some sausage to replace the bacon. Or maybe some re-fried beans even. Definitely a great new breakfast option.

Breakfast Nachos
Serves 1

Ingredients

2 slices of bacon
2 eggs, beaten
Dash of Sazon
1-1/2 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1-1/2 Tbsp onion, chopped
1-1/2 Tbsp bell pepper, chopped
4 grape tomatoes, quartered
salt, black pepper, red pepper flake, to taste
7 round corn chips
2% shredded Mexican cheese blend

Optional toppings:
light sour cream
salsa
cilantro
pickled jalapeno slices
lime, cut in wedges

Directions

Cook the bacon. When cool enough to handle chop into 2" pieces and set aside. Beat eggs in a small dish, season with a dash of Sazon and set aside. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add butter and olive oil. When butter is melted add onion, peppers and tomatoes. Season with salt, black and red pepper. Saute until onions are translucent. Lower the heat to med-low and add the beaten eggs. Cook stirring the eggs until soft cooked. Remove from heat. Place corn chips on a microwave safe plate. Top each chip with a portion of egg mixture and a good pinch of shredded cheese. Microwave for 30 - 45 seconds until cheese is melted. Remove from microwave and top each nacho with a piece of bacon and the optional toppings of your choice. Serve!

Linking to:
My Mixing Spoon: Random Recipe Roundup Linkie Party
The Chicken Chick: Clever Chicks Blog Hop
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays
Ms. enPlace: See Ya the Gumbo
The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen: Show Me Your Plaid Mondays
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Cassidy's Cooking Collection: Linky & Drinky
Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays
Memories by the Mile: Tuesday Trivia-Delaware and Link Party
Love Bakes Good Cakes: All My Bloggy Friends
Buns in My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday