Baked Cheddar Eggs and Potatoes

We had this dish for dinner the other night and it was FANTASTIC!  Baking the eggs makes them the same as soft boiled, which is divine.


It takes longer to cook the potatoes than you think, so I'm not sure I would ever make this for breakfast.  Maybe brunch, since I'm not a morning person. :-)  The next time I made it, I used red potatoes, as the recipes says, and the timing was more accurate.  I've also added cooked bacon to it when you add the cheese and it is even better!

This recipe comes from the December/January 2013 issue of Taste of Home.  Since it was just for the two of us, I halved this recipe.  It was so filling, even for dinner, neither of us could finish all our potatoes!

Baked Cheddar Eggs and Potatoes

3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, chopped (I used Idaho, which might be why it took so long for them to cook!)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (I used dried)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
8 eggs
1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1.  In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat.  Add potatoes.  Cook and stir until golden brown and tender. Stir in the parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.  With the back of a spoon, make four wells in the potato mixture.  Break two eggs into each well.

2.  Bake at 400 for 9-11 minutes (I think I baked mine for at least 15) or until egg whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake 1 minute longer or until cheese in melted.

Bacon Egg Breakfast Cups

The boyfriend found this recipe mentioned on lifehacker.  I tried to make it on a regular morning before work, and it does take longer than regular bacon and eggs, so it's more of a weekend treat type of dish.  Especially since I have to partially cook the bacon first before I can put it in the muffin cups.  The first time I forgot to spray the pan and I'm still working on cleaning that pan of the stuck on egg, so don't forget!!  And I cooked them for longer than the eight minutes that Kirbie recommends, as neither of us care for runny yolks.  This would make a cute dish to serve if you have breakfast company and don't want to be stuck at the stove making eggs for everybody; and if there are kids, it's finger food!

Bacon Egg Breakfast Cups

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients:

4 eggs
4 slices of precooked bacon (if you are using raw bacon, make sure to heat it up so it is cooked about 50% before placing it into the molds)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray muffin tin with pam spray.
2. Line muffin pans with bacon so that it circles each mold.
3. Break an egg into the center of each mold. Bake for about 8 minutes or until egg is cooked to the doneness of your liking. Serve while warm.

Fluffy French Toast

The boyfriend found this recipe on allrecipes.com a few months ago and made it before I went to work one morning. I thought the holiday weekend would be the perfect time to have it again! Although it's originally pictured with strawberries, raspberries were what I found at the farmer's market yesterday. And it says 12 slices of bread, but I only got nine out of it. Do keep whisking up the egg mixture as the flour starts to settle.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 12 thick slices bread

Directions

1. Measure flour into a large mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk. Whisk in the salt, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat.
3. Soak bread slices in mixture until saturated. Cook bread on each side until golden brown. Serve hot.

Potato Basil Frittata

I first saw this on Ina Garten's show "Barefoot Contessa" on the Food Network.  I immediately looked it up online and made for breakfast the next weekend.

It is unbelievably good!  Probably the BEST frittata I have ever had.

Don't subsitute another cheese.  The gruyere is key to this recipe.

I half the recipe for just me and Chris.  The whole recipe would easily feed eight.  Serve it with fresh squeezed orange juice and grapes for an extra special touch.

Potato Basil Frittata

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

2 cups peeled and 1/2-inch diced boiling potatoes (4 potatoes)

8 extra-large eggs

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3/4 pound Gruyere cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch ovenproof omelet pan over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes and fry them until cooked through, turning often, about 10 to 15 minutes. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a small dish in the microwave.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, then stir in the ricotta, Gruyere, melted butter, salt, pepper, and basil. Sprinkle on the flour and baking powder and stir into the egg mixture.

Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake the frittata until it is browned and puffed, 50 minutes to 1 hour. It will be rounded and firm in the middle and a knife inserted in the frittata should come out clean. Serve hot.