We had a Christmas party/brunch potluck for my MOMS Club today, and I signed up to bring a casserole. When I looked through what I had on hand, I realized that I didn't have the usual ingredients for my "go-to" egg casserole dish. So, I had to do some quick thinking and improvise something to bring. I threw together this dish, and it turned out very yummy. Luckily, everyone else seemed to like it, too; the whole thing disappeared pretty darn quickly!
Jen's Sausage Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients:
cooking spray
1-2 Tablespoons of canola oil
1 lb. of bulk breakfast sausage, without casings
1 onion, diced
1 small can of sliced mushrooms, drained (or 1 package of fresh sliced mushrooms)
2-3 handfuls of frozen shredded hash browns (approx. 1/2 of a large bag or 1 small bag)
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
12 eggs
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
2/3 cup of skim milk
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread 2 OR 3 handfuls of frozen hash browns evenly in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, over hash browns and set aside.
In a separate large bowl crack 12 eggs and combine with baking powder, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Beat eggs with an electric mixer until eggs are frothy (I used a handheld mixer with a whisk attachment). Fold in shredded cheese and stir to combine. Set aside.
If using canned sliced mushrooms, drain out the excess can liquid and discard it. Then, dry the mushrooms on some paper towels to get as much of the remaining moisture out as possible. (If using fresh mushrooms, skip this step.)
Heat canola oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Saute onions and mushrooms with a generous pinch of salt. When onions and mushrooms start to brown slightly, add sausage. Make sure to break up all large sausage chunks with a large wooden spoon and incorporate them in with the mushrooms and onions. When sausage is cooked and no longer pink, the mixture is done.
Scoop the contents of the skillet into the casserole dish, spreading evenly over the hash browns with the back of the wooden spoon. Pour egg mixture over the sausage layer and spread evenly. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until eggs are set and the top of the casserole is starting to turn golden brown.
Jen's Notes:
Sorry, I forgot to take a photo of my finished dish.
For an extra kick, spicy sausage would be a good substitution for the regular sausage. Also, I think a diced green pepper (sauteed with the onions and mushrooms) would have been really tasty, too. I might try that next time.
Ohhh...I just thought of another version to try! Use chorizo sausage and green chiles mixed in with the onions and mushrooms for a Mexican inspired dish. Instead of cheddar cheese, substitute Monterrey Jack or Pepper Jack. There are tons of ways to tweak this recipe to suit your individual preferences.
Showing posts with label hash browns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hash browns. Show all posts
December 12, 2009
January 2, 2009
Grilled BBQ Steak, Jen's Potluck Potatoes, and Glazed Carrots
I totally forgot to post today! It just slipped my mind completely! I finally remembered after we were finished eating, so I guess this post is better late than never. Nothing really exciting going on in our house for dinner tonight. We just threw some steaks on the grill, then I made a batch of my potluck potatoes, and some glazed carrots to go on the side. Nothing noteworthy to report, other than I used shredded hash brown potatoes and added a can of cheddar cheese soup...just to see what would happen. The potatoes came out great as usual, just a little cheesier and a little soupier (but not runny). I do hate myself for loving (and using) canned, condensed, 'cheese' or 'cream of' soups...but in my defense, I try to make them a once in a while thing. I understand that they are the nutritional equivalent of junk food (look at the food label sometime and you will see what I am talking about), but there is something so homey about them. Also, they are easy. Sometimes, easy wins at our house. Oh well, I will just continue to live with condensed soup guilt. Here is the link to the potatoes and the photo. Overall, this was an easy and yummy dinner.
Jen's Potluck Potatoes
Jen's Potluck Potatoes
September 28, 2008
Breakfast for Dinner
I swear I will start cooking real meals again soon...I have just been in a rut lately. I am pretty uninspired and just in an overall mealtime funk. My only requirements have been cheap and easy...fairly pedestrian. I am too lazy to try anything new, and I don't want to spend any extra money on specialty ingredients. My pantry is fairly well stocked, but I have just been unimaginative. I don't want to put forth the effort.
Well, tonight is no different. We are having breakfast for dinner. Eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast...diner style. I am not even the one doing the cooking! The husband is literally the breakfast guru in our house, so he is picking up the slack. He can make any breakfast item you ask for...biscuits and sausage gravy from scratch, chorizo, potato and egg burritos, the above-mentioned diner breakfast, pancakes, etc. He is a serious self-taught breakfast cook. Anyway, as I am typing this, he is busily preparing our breakfast for dinner. I will post a photo, but no review.
I hope to be out of my funk by tomorrow; and come up with a fabulous meal plan for the week. So far, I have no ideas. My friend Claire expressed the same sentiment earlier today on her blog. I guess I can take comfort in the fact that I am not alone in my dinnertime woes.
The Result: Here is our dinner...
Ha! Did I fool you??? Okay, okay...obviously this is NOT our "breakfast for dinner", but a picture of my three mangy mutts, instead. I was not quick enough to get a picture of our final 'breakfast for dinner' plate, so I thought I would give you a peek of the three world's worst behaved canines ever created. Oh, and to answer your question...YES...my boxer DOES have a tongue that is too large for his mouth. (He is very sensitive about it, so I would not mention it too his face).
Well, tonight is no different. We are having breakfast for dinner. Eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast...diner style. I am not even the one doing the cooking! The husband is literally the breakfast guru in our house, so he is picking up the slack. He can make any breakfast item you ask for...biscuits and sausage gravy from scratch, chorizo, potato and egg burritos, the above-mentioned diner breakfast, pancakes, etc. He is a serious self-taught breakfast cook. Anyway, as I am typing this, he is busily preparing our breakfast for dinner. I will post a photo, but no review.
I hope to be out of my funk by tomorrow; and come up with a fabulous meal plan for the week. So far, I have no ideas. My friend Claire expressed the same sentiment earlier today on her blog. I guess I can take comfort in the fact that I am not alone in my dinnertime woes.
The Result: Here is our dinner...
Ha! Did I fool you??? Okay, okay...obviously this is NOT our "breakfast for dinner", but a picture of my three mangy mutts, instead. I was not quick enough to get a picture of our final 'breakfast for dinner' plate, so I thought I would give you a peek of the three world's worst behaved canines ever created. Oh, and to answer your question...YES...my boxer DOES have a tongue that is too large for his mouth. (He is very sensitive about it, so I would not mention it too his face).
September 12, 2008
Jen's Potluck Potatoes
Not much commentary on this one; except to say that these potatoes are so good they feel wrong!
Jen's Potluck Potatoes
Ingredients:
2 lb. bag of diced, frozen, country-style potatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 yellow onion, diced finely
1 Tablespoon of dried, minced onion
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 stick of melted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking Spray
For topping:
1/2 cup of crushed corn flakes
1/2 cup of crushed plain, potato chips
4 Tablespoons of melted butter
Directions:
1) Coat 9 x 13 glass casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2) In a large bowl, combine diced potatoes, sour cream, 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, soup, yellow onion, dried minced onions, garlic powder, paprika, melted butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
3) Once thoroughly combined, spread in an even layer in the casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese on top.
4) For topping: In a separate bowl, combine crushed potato chips, crushed corn flakes, and melted butter. Sprinkle mixture evenly over top of potatoes and cheese.
5)Bake at 350 degrees, for 1 hour (uncovered).
Jen's Potluck Potatoes
Ingredients:
2 lb. bag of diced, frozen, country-style potatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 yellow onion, diced finely
1 Tablespoon of dried, minced onion
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 stick of melted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking Spray
For topping:
1/2 cup of crushed corn flakes
1/2 cup of crushed plain, potato chips
4 Tablespoons of melted butter
Directions:
1) Coat 9 x 13 glass casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2) In a large bowl, combine diced potatoes, sour cream, 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, soup, yellow onion, dried minced onions, garlic powder, paprika, melted butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
3) Once thoroughly combined, spread in an even layer in the casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese on top.
4) For topping: In a separate bowl, combine crushed potato chips, crushed corn flakes, and melted butter. Sprinkle mixture evenly over top of potatoes and cheese.
5)Bake at 350 degrees, for 1 hour (uncovered).
August 1, 2008
RR's Spanish Burgers with Manchego & Chorizo Hash Browns
This is the recipe that we were supposed to try last night. I saw it demonstrated last week on Rachael Ray's show, 30 Minute Meals, on the Food Network. It looks interesting, but I have not had good luck with any of RR's recipes in the past. Typically, they take way longer than 30 minutes to assemble and sometimes the flavor combinations are strange. With that said, and for reasons unknown, I am compelled to watch her. I think I may even like her; despite the fact that she annoys me. Go figure!
Well, we will try this one with some moderate changes. For example, the husband does not like cucumbers so we will leave them out. Also, I have dried herbs today...I will use those in lieu of the fresh herbs that the recipe calls for (such as parsley, thyme, etc.). I could not find piquillo peppers, so I will make due with roasted red peppers. I will use regular paprika, instead of sweet, smoked. Finally, I found Manchego cheese at Trader Joe's but I did not purchase it. Why, you ask??? Well, it was $11.49 per pound! Now, I do not mind splurging on expensive cheese, but I read the reviews and a few people indicated that the Manchego really did not do that much to help the recipe. Most reviewers suggested the use of regular jack cheese instead. So, that is what I bought...regular jack cheese...and I am okay with that.
I will make the Chorizo Hash Browns and a vegetable side dish; maybe I will use up some leftover green beans. I like the idea of an unusual, Spanish twist on a hamburger. I will review the results after dinner tonight.
Spanish Burgers with Manchego and Chorizo Hash Browns
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray, 2007
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 pound chorizo, chopped
1 onion
2 pounds ground sirloin
4 to 5 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, 1/2 of a 26-ounce bag
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and chopped
Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
2 cloves garlic, grated
Salt and pepper
8 thin slices manchego cheese
8 piquillo peppers, drained or 3 roasted red peppers
1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce, to taste
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
1/4 seedless cucumber, very thinly sliced on an angle
1 large vine-ripe tomato, sliced
4 crusty rolls, split and toasted
Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat then add chorizo.
While chorizo is rendering and browning, peel onion. Place meat in a mixing bowl. Grate a few tablespoons of onion directly over the meat. Quarter the remainder of the onion and thinly slice.
Add potatoes and onions to the chorizo. Season the hash browns with salt and pepper and fresh thyme. Once the potatoes are lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes, flip them and press them down with a spatula to crisp them, continue to cook 7 to 8 minutes more.
To the sirloin, add parsley, smoked paprika, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix the burgers to combine and form 4 large patties. Create an indentation in each burger using the heal of your hand to counter the bulge at the center that happens to burgers as they cook - your burgers will be nice and flat for topping if you use this trick!
Heat the remaining extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers to the skillet and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare burgers and up to 6 to 7 minutes on each side for well done. Melt cheese, 2 thin slices on each burger, the last 2 minutes they are in the pan. Tent the skillet with loose foil to trap enough heat to melt the cheese.
Place piquillo peppers in food processor and add hot sauce, salt and pepper. Process the peppers into a smooth paste.
To assemble, place burgers on bun bottoms and top with sliced red onion, cucumber and tomato. Slather the bun tops with pepper paste and set into place. Serve crispy hash browns with chorizo along side.
Episode#: TM1624 Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved.
Well, we will try this one with some moderate changes. For example, the husband does not like cucumbers so we will leave them out. Also, I have dried herbs today...I will use those in lieu of the fresh herbs that the recipe calls for (such as parsley, thyme, etc.). I could not find piquillo peppers, so I will make due with roasted red peppers. I will use regular paprika, instead of sweet, smoked. Finally, I found Manchego cheese at Trader Joe's but I did not purchase it. Why, you ask??? Well, it was $11.49 per pound! Now, I do not mind splurging on expensive cheese, but I read the reviews and a few people indicated that the Manchego really did not do that much to help the recipe. Most reviewers suggested the use of regular jack cheese instead. So, that is what I bought...regular jack cheese...and I am okay with that.
I will make the Chorizo Hash Browns and a vegetable side dish; maybe I will use up some leftover green beans. I like the idea of an unusual, Spanish twist on a hamburger. I will review the results after dinner tonight.
Spanish Burgers with Manchego and Chorizo Hash Browns
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray, 2007
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 pound chorizo, chopped
1 onion
2 pounds ground sirloin
4 to 5 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, 1/2 of a 26-ounce bag
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and chopped
Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
2 cloves garlic, grated
Salt and pepper
8 thin slices manchego cheese
8 piquillo peppers, drained or 3 roasted red peppers
1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce, to taste
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
1/4 seedless cucumber, very thinly sliced on an angle
1 large vine-ripe tomato, sliced
4 crusty rolls, split and toasted
Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat then add chorizo.
While chorizo is rendering and browning, peel onion. Place meat in a mixing bowl. Grate a few tablespoons of onion directly over the meat. Quarter the remainder of the onion and thinly slice.
Add potatoes and onions to the chorizo. Season the hash browns with salt and pepper and fresh thyme. Once the potatoes are lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes, flip them and press them down with a spatula to crisp them, continue to cook 7 to 8 minutes more.
To the sirloin, add parsley, smoked paprika, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix the burgers to combine and form 4 large patties. Create an indentation in each burger using the heal of your hand to counter the bulge at the center that happens to burgers as they cook - your burgers will be nice and flat for topping if you use this trick!
Heat the remaining extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers to the skillet and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare burgers and up to 6 to 7 minutes on each side for well done. Melt cheese, 2 thin slices on each burger, the last 2 minutes they are in the pan. Tent the skillet with loose foil to trap enough heat to melt the cheese.
Place piquillo peppers in food processor and add hot sauce, salt and pepper. Process the peppers into a smooth paste.
To assemble, place burgers on bun bottoms and top with sliced red onion, cucumber and tomato. Slather the bun tops with pepper paste and set into place. Serve crispy hash browns with chorizo along side.
Episode#: TM1624 Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)