Potato and Bacon Breakfast Casserole

First off, I'm just curious to know if anybody even looks at this blog anymore, so if you do, leave a comment on this post so I know if I am alone or not.  

Secondly, I love most breakfast casseroles, but this one is my favorite.  I've made this for Christmas morning breakfast for the last couple of years and it's so good!  I think that thing that makes me like it more that other similar recipes is the pepper jack cheese.  It's just a little kick and I love it.  Plus, there's nothing wrong with bacon and potatoes.  The recipe says to use the cubed hash browns, but I've used both and they are great both ways.  

Easy Potato and Bacon Breakfast CasseroleRecipe by Our Best Bites

4 c. Southern/country-style hash browns (cubes), completely thawed (if they’re not thawed, they won’t cook correctly)
1 12-oz. package bacon
1 1/2 c. pepper jack cheese
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 eggs
1 c. milk*
about 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
about 10 turns freshly ground black pepper

*For high altitudes, reduce milk to 2/3 cup and sauté the potatoes in rendered bacon grease until partially cooked before baking.

Begin cooking bacon.  While the bacon is cooking, place the potatoes in a 9×13″ baking dish. Mix the cheeses together and sprinkle it over the potatoes. When the bacon is done cooking, drain it on a paper towel and reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings. Cook the onions in the drippings for 2-3 minutes or until they’re tender and fragrant. Spread the onions over the cheese mixture and then sprinkle everything with the crumbled bacon.  Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper and, whisking constantly, pour the egg mixture evenly over the potato mixture.  Cover and refrigerate overnight or for 7-8 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350.  Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly but not brown. Allow to stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

Moist Pumpkin Scones

In our monthly Relief Society newsletter there is usually a recipe from someone in the ward.  I haven't ever really paid attention to the recipes before, but this one caught my eye and sounded good and fairly simple, so I made them for FHE.  I loved them!  My little ones didn't care for them, so maybe it's a more sophisticated taste…or not.  Even with the glaze these are not super sweet, which I liked.  I thought they were a great breakfast with milk.  I also think the pumpkin flavor is mild, not too strong.

 I think these could be frozen and warmed whenever you wanted one.  I love recipes that can be frozen so you don't feel like you have to scarf them down before they get stale.

The most important thing with scones is to make sure the butter is super cold.  When they bake, the steam that the cold butter lets off while baking is key to making the scones moist and not dry and flaky.  Also, don't overwork the dough.  You might think it looks too dry and that it needs to be mixed longer, but don't do it!  It will make the scones dry and heavy.  Here's a quick tip:  grate the cold butter with a cheese grater.  It will incorporate much easier and you don't have to handle it too much, which would make the butter too warm.

One last thing…the picture at the top is just some random picture I googled, but the scones look exactly like this, and I like to see a picture with a recipe that I am considering trying.

Moist Pumpkin Scones

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold butter
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
3/4 cup milk, divided

Glaze:

2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  In another bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin and 1/2 cup milk.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10 times.  Divide dough in half.  Pat each portion into an 8-inch circle; cut into 8 wedges.  Separate wedges and place 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Brush with remaining milk.
Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove to wire racks; cool for 10 minutes.  Combine the glaze ingredients; drizzle over scones.   Yield: 16 scones.

Green Monster Smoothie

I've been wanting to try a green smoothie for a while now but never had the courage to put spinach into a perfectly good smoothie. But when I found this recipe on pinterest it said that It "doesn't taste healthy at all" so i decided to give it a try. I absolutely loved it and you literally cannot taste the spinach at all. So before you just push this aside and decide not to try it, just trust me and give it a try. I had one for breakfast and I wasn't hungry again until 2 when I got off work. It was awesome!

                                                 (Don't mind the mess)

Green Monster Smoothie

1 frozen sliced banana (peel and slice before you freeze or you'll be sorry)

1 Tbsp peanut butter

1/2 cup 0% or fat free vanilla greek yogurt (I use dannon)

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

4 cups spinach (or more, or less)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth

350 calories, 10 grams fiber, 21 grams protein.

Buttermilk Syrup

Sterling loves french toast, and I must say we make pretty good french toast. But this syrup take sit to a whole new level. It is a thing of beauty. One batch makes quite a bit. It keeps well in the fridge too. It won't be frothy when you reheat it, but it still tastes good.

Ingredients:
1 cube butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. corn syrup
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Directions
Bring first five ingredients to a boil. Remove from heat immediately and add Baking Soda. That's it!

Pumpkin pancakes

2 cups flour

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1 3/4 cups milk

3 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine flour and all other dry ingredients. In a second bowl, combine milk and remaining ingredients. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until slightly lumpy.

Heat a lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup batter onto griddle. Cook until golden brown, turn when tops are bubbly and edges are slightly dry. Makes 16 pancakes.

Rookie's Notes: I like mine with maple syrup. Jack prefers powdered sugar. And Van prefers a 6 oz. bottle of Good Start.

Baked Oatmeal

From melskitchencafe.com

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup applesauce

2 cups milk

4 beaten eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 9X13-inch baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve with milk and/or fresh fruit.

The recipe can be easily halved and baked in an 8X8-inch pan.

I have not tried this recipe yet, because at the moment it's waaaaaaay too carb-laden for me and Miss Olivia, but it is sounding quite delicious and I fully plan on making it as soon as I pop.  The reviews were all raving about how amazing it is.  Can someone please try it out and tell me what you think?  I'm thinking a huge dollop of whipped cream sounds like a perfect addition too.

Butterscotch Bundt Rolls

18 frozen dinner rolls

1 (3oz) pkg butterscotch pudding (non instant, and unprepared)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup melted butter

Arrange frozen rolls in a greased bundt pan. Sprinkle pudding, sugar and pecans over rolls. Drizzle butter over all. Cover pan with a dishtowel , plastic wrap or wax paper and let rise at room temp overnight, or about 12 hours. Remove dishtowel, bake at 350 degrees for about 25 min. Cool 5-10 minutes before inverting to a serving plate. Serve warm.