The Best Breakfast Casserole

Inspiration:
My sister Ellen made this over Thanksgiving, and we made it again for Christmas morning. It's hands down the best baked breakfast we've ever had. You must try it!
Recipe from Johnsonville.


Ingredients:

• 1 package (12 oz.) Johnsonville® breakfast sausage links
• 6 English muffins, cut into 1-in. cubes
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (omitted)
• 1/2 cup chopped red pepper (omitted)
• 12 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 cup bacon bits (omitted)
  

Instructions:

1. Cook sausage according to package directions. Cool slightly; cut into ¼-in. slices.
2. In a greased 13in. x 9 in. baking dish, layer half the English muffin cubes and half the cooked sausage. Repeat layers.
3. Drizzle with butter and top with the cheese, onion and red pepper.

   In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over casserole. Sprinkle with bacon. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
   
5. Uncover and bake at 350˚F for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Let stand 5 minutes.

Liz's Rating: 10/10
Tim's Rating: 10/10

Product Rave: Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

YOU MUST BUY THESE.
That's all.

Enjoy!

Breakfast Tacos with Homemade Corn Tortillas

Inspiration:
This week, my friend Brooke declared it's easy to make corn tortillas and that they're delicious.

I immediately headed to Amazon to order a tortilla press and to my co-op to search for Masa Harina. They had it, but if you can't find it, you can order it online.


Ingredients:

• 1 cup Masa Harina (will make approximately 6 6-inch tortillas)
  
• Eggs
• Shredded Cheddar
• Hot Sauce
• Optional: cooked sausage, vegetables, other taco ingredients

Instructions:

1. Mix Masa Harina with scant 1 cup hot water and a dash of salt. Once combined, cover and set aside for one hour.
2. When dough is ready, roll into 2-inch balls. Press in a tortilla press lined with wax or parchment paper.
   
3. Heat griddle to hot. Cook tortillas approximately 1 minute on each side. Keep warm in towels until other ingredients are ready.
4. Scramble eggs and season with salt and pepper.
   
5. Assemble tacos and enjoy!

Rating:
9/10

Notes: Very easy to make! I don't know what took me so long to try it, but I don't think we'll ever purchase tortillas again.

Lemon Frittata with Leeks and Goat Cheese

Inspiration:
Food alla Puttanesca, recipe originally from The Kitchn


Ingredients:

• 7 eggs
  
• 1 Meyer lemon, zested
  
• 3 ounces goat cheese
  
• Olive oil
  
• 2 large leeks, cut lengthwise and rinsed
  
• 1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped
  
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat the broiler. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until slightly bubbly and well-mixed, then stir in the lemon zest. Crumble in the goat cheese.

2. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. It can be cast iron or another metal; just make sure it can go in the oven. Trim the leeks of any dry or browned edges on the green tops, then slice the remaining stalk into half moons. Toss everything into the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, for about ten minutes or until the leeks are softened. Stir in the parsley and cook just until wilted. Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool for just a minute or two, then pour the cooked leeks into the bowl with the eggs and stir.

3. Put the skillet back on the heat and film lightly with just a bit more olive oil. Pour the egg and leek mixture in and cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until the frittata has mostly set. Use a spatula to lift up the edges and make sure it's cooking evenly, letting the uncooked eggs run down into the bottom of the pan.

4. When the frittata has set, put under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and slightly puffy. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Flip out onto a platter and serve immediately.

Notes: I thought this was missing something-- if I make it again, I would add some garlic and maybe some red pepper flakes. I liked the flavors together, but it didn't wow me.

Liz's Rating: 8/10
Tim's Rating: n/a

TWD: Blueberry Crumb Cake

Inspiration:
Sihan of Befuddlement chose this week's recipe!


I thought it was tasty and not too much of a production. It is definitely a step up from the Betty Crocker Blueberry Streusel Muffins I have so enjoyed over the years. :)


Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 8/10


Next week on TWD: Coconut Butter Thins

TWD: Lemon French Yogurt Cake

Inspiration:
Liliana of My Cookbook Addiction chose this week's recipe and will be posting it on her blog.

I skipped the optional marmalade glaze because I didn't want it to be too sticky. It was a simple, delicious bread, sort of like a lemon pound cake. It would be a nice thing to take to a friend's home or to serve to overnight guests.

This was easy to make. I used a dark metal pan, and my loaf didn't seem to rise as much as others. It was also done earlier than the recipe described.

I am a little late posting this because... I am lazy. I baked this on Sunday but didn't get the photo uploaded in time. Whoops!


Tim's Rating: 8.5/10
Liz's Rating: 8/10


Next week on TWD: Blueberry Crumb Cake (!)

Katie's Bagel Dip

Inspiration:
My friend Katie makes great dips, and she knows Tim LOVES them. When we recently met up for a weekend, she brought along some of her bagel dip. She serves it at breakfast, but it would be a fine appetizer or afternoon snack with a group.


Ingredients:

• 16 oz. sour cream
• 16 oz mayonnaise
• 1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
  (Katie's note: do not use the dip mix)
• 6-7 oz of chopped corned beef or regular beef
  
• bagels
  

Instructions:

1. Mix all together and serve with bagels or pita chips.

Tim's Rating: 10/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Ham and Gouda Strata

Inspiration:
Food & Wine

Ingredients:

• 8 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 cups Italian bread cubes (1 inch)
• 6 ounces Virginia ham, cut into 1/2-inch dice (1 1/2 cups)
• 6 ounces Gouda cheese, cut into 3/4-inch dice (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon snipped chives
• 1 cup coarsely grated Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, salt and pepper. Stir in the bread until evenly moistened, then stir in the ham, Gouda cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and 1/4 cup of the chives.
   
   
2. Butter a 9-by-12-inch baking dish and pour in the strata mixture. Sprinkle the Cheddar cheese on top. Bake for about 20 minutes, until puffed and golden. Let cool slightly, sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve.

Notes: Easy to make ahead for when you have guests!

Tim's Rating: 8.5/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Easy Eggs Benedict

Inspiration:
This post on Weezer Monkey's blog had me craving Eggs Benedict. But it was freezing outside! I didn't want to leave the house. What's a cook to do? I dug through my refrigerator and pantry, headed to allrecipes.com, and I found that I was able to whip them up at home.

Blender Hollandaise Sauce

Enjoy!

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10

Easy Ham and Spinach Quiche

Inspiration:
allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup biscuit baking mix
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  
• 1 large bunch spinach, washed, stemmed, cooked, and chopped
  
• 1 cup cubed cooked ham
• 8 ounces shredded Cheddar or Swiss cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease am 8 x 11 glass baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, beat together milk, eggs, baking mix, butter and cayenne. Batter will be lumpy. Stir in spinach, ham and cheese. Pour into prepared dish.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes, until eggs are set and top is golden brown.

Notes:
The eggs got a bit brown, but it tastes great!

Tim's Rating: 8.5/10
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Breakfast Scrambler

Inspiration:
Yukon Gold potatoes sitting in my potato bin and this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 5 medium Yukon Gold or red potatoes, diced with peel
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 8 eggs
• 8 T whole milk or half and half
  
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Arrange the potatoes and onions in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish so that they are evenly distributed. Season with garlic powder, salt and chili powder. Drizzle with olive oil. Stir to coat potatoes and onions with oil and spices.
3. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until potatoes are fork tender and slightly crispy. Stir every 10 minutes.
   
4. Meanwhile, beat eggs with milk, using a wire whisk or a fork.
   
5. When potatoes are tender, pour egg mixture into pan and stir. Return to oven, stirring every 2-3 minutes or until eggs are cooked to your liking.
   
6. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. Wait about 5 minutes for the cheese to melt before serving.

Notes: You could scramble the eggs separately, if desired. This was not as spicy as I thought it would be, but that is not a complaint. It was really good.

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 8/10

Bittman's Mini "Quiches"

Inspiration:
Mark Bittman

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cream (or half-and-half, milk or a combination) gently heated just until warm
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup grated Gruyère
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• Butter as needed

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees and set rack in middle of it. Combine all ingredients except butter and beat until well blended.
2. Pour into 4 to 6 buttered ramekins and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until almost firm; it should still jiggle just a little in middle. Cool on a rack, then serve warm or at room temperature.

Suggested beverage: grapefruit or orange juice, espresso

Tim's Rating: 10/10 ("This is the best quiche I've ever had. It's much better than the big quiches.")
Liz's Rating: 10/10

Raisin Bran Muffins

Inspiration:
Everyday Food

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for tin
• 1 1/2 cups raisin bran cereal
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Lightly oil a 6-cup standard muffin tin. In a medium bowl, combine cereal and milk; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Stir oil, egg, and sugar into cereal mixture. Fold in flour mixture. Divide batter among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in tin 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack; let cool completely, or serve warm. Store up to 5 days at room temperature in a resealable plastic bag.

Notes: I think that they're good, and healthier than most muffins, but they don't really taste very much like raisin bran. I think I will add more raisins next time!

Suggested beverage: hot black tea

Tim's Rating: 9/10 ("These were supposed to be raisin? I don't think I had raisins in mine.")
Liz's Rating: 8/10

Broiled Grapefruit

Inspiration:
Williams-Sonoma
Ingredients:

• 2 large grapefruits, well chilled
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 4 small fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Instructions:

• Preheat a broiler.
• Cut each grapefruit in half crosswise. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each half, if necessary, so that it will stand upright.
• Using a serrated grapefruit knife or a small, sharp knife, loosen the grapefruit segments in each half by first carefully cutting between the fruit and the peel and then by cutting along either side of each segment to free it from the membrane. Leave all the segments in their shells. Place the halves upright in a baking dish.
• In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, butter and cinnamon. Using your fingers, sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the grapefruit halves. Slip under the broiler about 4 inches from the heat source and broil until the sugar is uniformly bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer each grapefruit half to an individual dish and garnish with a mint sprig. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Notes: Next time, I will do as instructed and cut the grapefruit before sugaring and broiling it.

Tim's Rating: 10/10
Liz's Rating: 10/10

Banana Bread Muffins

Inspiration:
Tim's request for banana bread with walnuts and this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place muffin cups in muffin tin, or grease with a little butter.
2. Mix sugar, oil, and egg until creamy and light yellow. Add bananas and walnuts. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until completely smooth. Spoon the batter into the muffin tin.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until toothpick poked in center muffin comes out clean.

Notes: Makes one dozen muffins

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 8/10

Spinach Frittata

Inspiration:
The frittata recipe in Joy of Cooking, but modified.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 4 ounces fresh spinach (2/3 of a bag)
  
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onions, and cook, stirring, until golden brown.
3. Add spinach and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
4. Transfer vegetables to a strainer to drain off the excess oil. Let cool completely.
5. Preheat the broiler.
6. Meanwhile, beat eggs, salt, and pepper together until smooth.
7. Add cooled vegetables and Parmesan.
8. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil (or butter) in skillet over medium heat.
9. When hot, pour in the egg mixture. Reduce the heat and cook until the bottom is set, then place under broiler for 30 to 60 seconds to finish cooking.
10. Loosen the frittata with a spatula and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges.
    

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10