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?

Chicken Wild Rice Soup with Mushrooms

At Thanksgiving a family friend asked if I had a wild rice soup recipe. I didn't but it has been on my to do list for a while. So after the holiday I started experimenting. I wanted to use leeks instead of onions, but the first time I tried to make it I could not find them. I used onion instead. I also wanted to use a box wild rice blend. The first pot was delicious but the wild rice blend was not "wild" enough. The first attempt was so good. Dear sister loved it. But I really wanted to try it with leeks and more wild rice. The second time I was able to find leeks and a "wilder" rice blend. I really couldn't tell much difference. So if you can't find leeks don't worry about it. I suggest finding a rice blend with as much wild rice as possible. It will just have more texture and chew the more wild rice there is in the blend. This may not be the healthiest of soup recipes but it is really, really, creamy and tasty. So worth the calories! I think the decadence of butter and half & half makes it very filling. I love the mushrooms, leeks and the wild chewy rice too. A great twist on chicken soup. I am so glad I finally tried making this soup. I will definitely make it over and over again. I can't wait to try it with leftover turkey one day.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup with Mushrooms

Serves 6

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 leeks, chopped and rinsed thoroughly (or 2 small onions)       

2 carrots, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/8 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

1 dash red pepper flakes

1-1/2 tsp. Italian Herb Rub

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups unsalted chicken stock

1 cooked chicken breast, diced

1 (4.3 oz.) box long grain and wild rice mix (save seasoning for another use)

1 cup half and half

Directions

In a Dutch oven, saute the carrot, celery and leeks(white and pale green parts) in butter for 5 minutes or until tender. Season with salt and peppers. Add garlic, mushrooms and Italian herb rub continue to cook until mushrooms begin to brown and soften. Stir in the flour until blended. Continue to stir constantly until no longer smells like flour. Gradually add broth, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken, return to a boil. Add the rice; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until rice is cooked. Add half and half and continue to cook until warm through. Taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary and serve.

Notes: Try to find a rice mix with more wild rice or use 1/2 cup of royal blend wild rice blend.

Wild Rice Blend and "Wilder" Rice Blend

Linking to:

Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky

Peachy Crisp Yogurt Jar

Here is another meal prep idea for those fruit cups and wide mouth mason jars. I made yogurt with a "peachy" crisp topping. I bought a quart of vanilla Greek yogurt and made 5 jars. The yogurt went into the bottom of the jars. Then I used a mix of dried apricot pieces, vanilla almond granola and cinnamon in the fruit cup for the topping. The cinnamon and crunchy oats in the granola is what gives these yogurt jars that crisp or cobbler topping. Such an easy and delicious breakfast to go! I made one with dried berry fruit blend too, also very tasty. I hope you find this meal prep idea helpful next week.

Peachy Crisp Yogurt Jar

Serves 1

6 to 8 oz. vanilla non-fat Greek yogurt

3 Tbsp. vanilla almond granola (I used Bear Naked Brand)

3 dried apricots, chopped

3 shakes of cinnamon

Place yogurt in a pint size wide mouth mason jar. 

Place granola, dried fruit and cinnamon in re-cycled fruit cup. 

Place cup in the top of mason jar. Secure with mason jar lid and ring.

Looking for more meal prep ideas? 

Try these other ideas using mason jars and that little fruit cup here.

Linking to:

Tornadough Alli: Throwback Thursday Link Party

Sheet Pan Jalapeno Shrimp Tacos

Sometimes I think I must live under a rock. I recently discovered Sheet Pan Suppers for the first time; only a year behind the rest of the world. I saw the Domestic Geek make 3 meals in one of her YouTube videos. I was very excited and immediately made the Chicken Fajitas. I loved it! I started telling friends like James at Aim'em and Claim'em Smokers. He made his twist and posted a video for Sheet Pan Tacos (Pork). I continued to talk about it with my Mom and jot down recipe ideas. Well last night I made my own twist. I have been wanting to try shrimp tacos made like the Mexicana Beef Tacos I already posted. So I adapted the idea to the sheet pan technique. It turned out so good! Sheet Pan Suppers are so easy! I covered the sheet pan with foil for easy clean up. I bought the peppers and onions already sliced. The only thing I had to do was slice the jalapeno and peel the shrimp. The vegetables cook perfectly, tender but still very fresh tasting. The tomatoes slump and release some of their juice so the tacos are messy in a good way. Now these are spicy, that is why I called them Sheet Pan Jalapeno Shrimp Tacos. I left the seeds in the jalapeno and they do pack some heat. But you could remove the seeds or leave out all together if you do not like spicy food. I really enjoyed the jalapenos with the tomatoes, lime and cilantro. Such a great flavor combo for the shrimp. The shrimp cooked perfectly on the sheet pan too. They have that snap or pop you look for in properly cooked shrimp. It was so good! But you know what? There was something familiar about this dish or pan. They reminded me of a dish I made years ago from Real Simple called Roasted Tomatoes with Shrimp Feta. It was made in a baking dish but very similar to the sheet pan suppers. So maybe I don't live under a rock after all? I hope you will give this sheet pan supper a try. I hope you love the flavors and easy clean up as much as I did.

Sheet Pan Jalapeno Shrimp Tacos

Serves 4; Makes approx. 8 Tacos

Ingredients

3/4 lb. of sliced bell peppers (red, green and orange) and onions (red and yellow) blend

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. garlic powder, or to taste

1/4 tsp. cumin, or to taste

3/4 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp. black pepper, or to taste

1 lb. 26/30 shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2 Tbsp. lime juice

8 small flour tortillas

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange bell pepper, onions, grape tomatoes and sliced jalapenos on a sheet pan. Season with olive oil, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss everything together so it is evenly coated. Place on middle rack of oven and roast for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl season shrimp with more olive oil, cumin, garlic powder and pepper. After the 20 minutes is up; remove sheet pan from oven and arrange the shrimp, cilantro, and lime juice on top. Place back in oven for another 10 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked. Serve with warm flour tortillas. 

Linking to:
The Lazy Gastronome: Taco Tuesday

Santa Fe Chicken and Rice Soup

Here is another copycat soup. I was inspired yet again from a can of Progresso soup. This soup is sort of like a light version of taco soup. Or maybe the soup version of Santa Fe Rice and Beans. It is all the yummy ingredients of tex mex in a savory broth. I love the snap of the corn and the creamy black beans. The tomatoes and chilies really add great flavor to the broth too. I made this soup twice once with can tomatoes and hatch chilies I roasted myself. It was good and spicy. The next time I used a can of tomatoes with green chilies and it had a milder heat. So you can choose your perfect spice level. Both are delicious. Now I had no intention of adding cheese to this soup, but dear sister did. It is totally optional but really good. It taste even more like Santa Fe Rice and Beans with the cheesy garnish. Now let me tell you the best part about this soup. The leftovers! There is something about that time in the frig that makes the broth addictive. I would definitely consider making it ahead of time if you can wait that long.

Santa Fe Chicken and Rice Soup

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. chicken fat, olive oil or butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

6 cups unsalted chicken stock

15 oz. diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained*

15 oz. no salt added corn, undrained

15 oz. low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

2- 2-1/2 cups cooked chicken diced

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. oregano

1/2 cup instant rice

Kosher salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste
Mexican blend cheese, shredded (optional)

Directions

Place 3-1/2 quart soup pot on medium high heat, add olive oil and onion. Saute until onion is translucent and begins to brown. Add garlic, salt and pepper saute 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients except rice; bring to a boil. Add rice lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until rice is cooked. Taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary. Serve garnished with cheese (optional).

*Note: For a low sodium or spicier version; substitute 15 oz. no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained and 2 roasted hatch chilies, deseeded and chopped for the can tomatoes with green chilies.

Linking to:

Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky