Cheesy Hash Browns

You know I love my weekend breakfasts.

I truly do.

I've even gotten MGG to eat breakfast on a regular basis.  He's usually a coffee only kinda guy.  Last weekend I was scouring the refrigerator deciding what to eat when I was inspired by the potatoes.


Mom used to cook country breakfast potatoes all the time.  I remember Dad had the cutest way of turning those potatoes into little half moon shapes.  They were so much fun to eat as a kid!  I'll have to make those soon and post them for you.  


So I decided to make some hash browns, and to jazz them up with some cheese.  YUM!  Kinda reminds me of the dish they serve at Cracker Barrel.  Now you can certainly buy pre-made hash browns, or pre-shredded potatoes, but making them yourself is super easy.


Let's do it.


Grate your potatoes on a cheese grater or in a food processor with a shredding blade.  Make sure to drain them on a paper towel, you want all the moisture out of them so they crisp up during cooking.  Meanwhile heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add a tablespoon of canola oil to the pan and heat. (This is important so they don't stick!)


Place them in a hot skillet and push them down with a spatula, compacting them so they bind together.  Add your shredded cheese over the top.  I used Monterey Jack cheese today, but any cheese will do.

 


Allow them to cook for about 5 minutes, or until they have browned on the bottom and the potatoes are crisping and a little opaque.  Time to flip them over.  Unless you have a mondo spatula it might be best to flip them in stages.  Half and half let's say.

Cook the other side for another 5 minutes or so.  See the melted cheese?  yummy!

Salt and pepper them to taste.  Remove from the pan and transfer to a platter or individual serving plates.  Viola!  Cheesy Hash Browns that go great with my Italian scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, sausage, buttermilk biscuits, or my Tomato and Chive Breakfast Melts.

What a breakfast!




Cheesy Hash Browns


1 large russet potato, peeled and washed
1 T canola oil
1/3 c Monterey Jack cheese, grated
salt & pepper


Grate potato using a cheese grater or a food processor.  Place on several paper towels and squeeze out any liquid.  It's important that they be dry to bind and crisp up.


Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add oil and heat.  Add potatoes to skillet and press down with the back of a spatula to compact.  Add grated cheese over the top.  Cook 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown.


Flip potatoes, in stages.  Cook on the other side for an additional 5 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove to a platter and serve warm.

Apple Cider Doughnuts

I've been on an apple kick lately.  You'll see...

I love them and look forward to when they are in season every year.  I grew up eating apples, and always try to find ways to include that flavor in our foods.

Today's post, while it doesn't follow the "healthy" food wave of the new year, it is healthier than popping a fried doughnut in your mouth!  They are baked.  That at least cuts down on the fat grams.  But the best part is the flavor, they have that great apple harvest flavor using a reduced cider.  Sooo tasty!

Using those new doughnut pans is really easy and allows you to bake them at home in no time at all.

Try some of the season's best fruits.  You know they way they say..."An apple a day......"

 

 

 

 

Apple Cider Doughnuts

Makes 12

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Apple Cider Doughnuts:

1 cup apple cider

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled, divided

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray doughnut pan with cooking spray.

Stir together cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.  Set aside

Place apple cider in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium-low heat. Let apple cider boil until reduced to 1/4 cup. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add apple cider, buttermilk, eggs and 2 Tbsp. of the melted butter.  Mix until combined. 

Spoon batter into a plastic Ziploc bag.  Push batter down to one corner by twisting the bag.  Snip off one corner making a small hole.  Fill doughnut pan 2/3 of the way full. 

Bake doughnuts 7-10 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch. Let them cool in the pan 5 minutes before removing.

Dip warm doughnuts in remaining melted butter, then in remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.

21 Ways to Top a Bagel

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all the best year yet!

When the new year begins I always think of a organization, eating healthy, and how to make budget friendly meals.


For the past few days I've been going through drawers and getting rid of items that are not needed, packing for donations etc....organizing shelves in the meantime, hence the organization.


Another quest is to eat more whole grains, fruit, and vegetables this year.  That should help the eating healthy goal!


And I have to admit, I have a little bit of a stock pile when it comes to food.  I buy on sale, and freeze.  Which is good right?  I'm also known to buy more food instead of eating what's in the freezer already....eeks!  Bad...Bad.


So I'm taking a new approach and planning my menus around items I have on hand, with a little help for the grocer.  This should save on the budget!

One way to get the most use out of your food is to utilize an item in different ways.  So I bring to you a post using bagels!  I love them, doesn't everybody?  They are so versatile.  You can use them to prepare breakfast or lunch, plain or all fancied up! Now I don't freeze these but who can buy just one bagel?  So buy several, or a bagful...they are perfect for a variety of toppings.  Here are some of my favorites.  

21 Ways to Top a Bagel

• Plain Butter. That’s it…enough said! 
• Strawberry or Grape Jelly
• Peanut Butter
• Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly
• Peanut Butter and Honey
• Cream Cheese
• Cottage Cheese, plain or with cucumbers and tomatoes 
• Tomato and Mozzarella, broiled
• Cream Cheese and Sliced Cucumbers
• Scrambled Egg and Cheese
• Scrambled Egg and Tomato
• Sliced Tomato and Grated cheddar cheese, melted
• Pizza Bagel - tomato sauce and grated Cheese, melted
• Chicken Salad
• Turkey Deli slices with mustard, tomato, and lettuce
• Pumpkin Butter
• Lox and Cream Cheese
• Apple Butter
• Cream Cheese with Pecans and Raisins
• Hummus
• Nutella

Enjoy a bagel tomorrow!