Recipe: Hash Brown Casserole with Bacon, Onions, and Cheese

I have to say I am not much of a morning breakfast person. I always have to have my hot cup of coffee in the morning to get my day started. One of my favorites is breakfast food for dinner. Whether it is just simple bacon, eggs, and shredded hashbrowns or breakfast burritos for dinner, I definately enjoy my breakfast food.

I came across this recipe and it has all my favorite things in it. When the potato casserole was in the oven cooking I wasn't sure just the best side dish to serve with this. All of a sudden I realized how yummy this potato casserole might as a filling with scrambled eggs, sour cream, salsa, and shredded cheddar cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla...a breakfast burrito.

Hash Brown Casserole with Bacon, Onions, and Cheese

6 bacon slices

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (32 ounce) package frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 (10 3/4 ounces) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

Cooking spray

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.

Remove bacon from pan, and crumble.

Discard drippings in pan.

Add 1 cup onion and garlic to pan; cook for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.

Stir in potatoes; cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine crumbled bacon, 1/4 cup cheese, green onions, sour cream, salt, pepper, and soup in a large bowl.

Add potato mixture; toss gently to combine.

Spoon mixture into an 11 x 17 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.

Cover with foil coated with cooking spray.

Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove casserole from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.

Bake casserole, covered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until bubbly around edges and cheese begins to brown.

Makes 6 servings

Cooking Light, November 2005

Korean Tofu Ssamjang Sauce

Using comercial ssam jang product, you can make your own better ssamjang.
When you don't have comercial ssam jang product, you can mix 1 Tbsp of red pepper paste and 1Tbsp of soy bean paste, this substitute might be even better.
This recipe makes multiple servings. You can store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

4-6 oz of medium firm soy bean curd (Tofu)
6 Tbsp. store bought Ssamjang
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded, chopped
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp chopped green onion
1 tsp sesame seed oil
1 tsp toasted sesame seed
1 tsp anchovy flavor soup stock (San Deul Ae myulchi)


Chop up the tofu and place them in the sauce pan (do not add any oil or water in the pan.) - cook about 5 minutes; then add onions, garlic, green onions, and jalapeno; cook 5 more minutes; stir often.
Add sesame oil, dwenjang mixture, and mix with soup stock.
Cook in med-low heat, covered for 10 minutes; stir often.

Korean Egg Custard (Gyeran Jjim)

Korean steamed eggs are similar to quiche, but without a crust, and these eggs are amazingly light and fluffy. Not only does this steamed egg recipe go well with just about anything, it's healthier than most egg recipes that call for frying or baking. Whenever possible, you want to steam and boil foods that require cooking, as low temperature cooking minimizes the production of harmful compounds like heterocyclic amines.

serve 4, Prep 10 minutes, Cook 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs


• 1 cup water


• 2 tsp fish sauce


• 1 Tbsp minced carrots


• 2 Tbsp minced green onions

Directions:

1. Break the eggs, whisk until the well,then sieve them; then add water, fish sauce; mix them well.


2. Pour the egg mixture into heat safe bowl (up to 80% of the bowl) and cover them with foil.
   When the water starts to boil from the steamer, add the bowl into the steamer.
   Cook the eggs at the medium heat about half way 10 ` 15 mins)
   Change to the low heat, add minced carrots, minced green onions and cover; then cook 10 more mins.


3. When the eggs are ready, you should be able to poke a chopstick right through to the bottom and come out with a clean chopstick.


4. Enjoy!
   

* instead of fish sauce, you may add 1 tsp. salt-pickled baby shrimps called "Sewoojut".
* Add any fresh vegetables, herbs that your taste buds are calling out for
* This quick and easy steamed egg dish (gaeran jim) can be made in the microwave. If using microwave, mix eggs, water, chopped vegetables, fish sauce: mix well; then cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and cook for 4 minutes or more.

Korean Sweet Black Beans (Kongjaban)

Black bean is a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, black beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, Black Beans Give You Energy to Burn While Stabilizing Blood Sugar. In addition, they are a very good source of dietary fiber and folate.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups black soy beans, washed
• 3 ~ 4 cups filtered water
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 4 Tbsp Corn-syrup
• 2 Tbsp Maesil Extract
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• Pinch of salt
  

Note: To shorten cooking time and make it easier to digest, washed black beans should be presoaked - simply soak the beans in drinking water for 6 hours or overnight, placing the bowl in the refrigerator so that the beans will not ferment.

Directions:

1. In a pan add the black beans and presoaked water & add salt. (add more water if needed).
   Boil them on high for about 20 to 25 minutes – until the water is reduce in half.
2. Add soy sauces and reduce the temperature to medium high, then cook them for 10-20 minutes until the sauce is reduce in half. Then add 4 Tbsp of corn syrup and 3-4 Tbsp of sugar depending on your taste. You can skip the corn syrup and use sugar or honey instead. Add sesame seed oil.
3. Cook them for 20 to 25 minutes – until the liquid is almost gone. Watch carefully not to burn them.
4. Sprinkle 1 tsp of sesame seeds in them, and cook them 5 more minutes on low. Turn off the heat.

Smoked Chicken Strata

Serve: 6 Prep: 25 mins Chill: 2 hrs Bake: 25 mins Stand: 1o mins

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 cup cut-up trimmed fresh asparagus or chopped broccoli
• 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped red or yellow sweet pepper
• 3 whole grain English muffins, torn or cut into bite-size pieces (4 cups)
• 2 cups shredded smoked chicken or cooked chicken breast (10 oz.)
• 3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese ( Gruyere cheese is better )
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup milk

Directions:

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, mushrooms, and pepper; cook about 3 minutes or just until vegetable are crisp-tender.


2. Lightly coat casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Divide half of the English muffin pieces in the dish. Top with the chicken, asparagus mixture, and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Top remaining English muffin pieces.


3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Pour egg mixture evenly over the layers in dish. Using the back of a large spoon, press muffin pieces down. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Cover; chill 2 to 24 hrs.


4. Preheat oven to 325 degree. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in centers comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Bread

Serve 16 slices
Prep: 30 minutes Bake: 40 minutes Cool: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour


• 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour


• 2 tsp baking powder


• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spic


• 1/2 tsp baking soda


• 1/4 tsp salt


• 1/2 cup light sour cream


• 2 eggs, lightly beaten


• 1/4 cup sugar


• 1/4 cup fat-free milk


• 1/4 cup canola oil


• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla


• 1 cup mashed cooked peeled sweet potatoes


• 1/4 cup chopped pitted dates


• 1/4 cup chopped pecan, toasted
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree. Lightly coat 8x4x2 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. set aside.


2. In a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt.


3. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, egg, sugar, milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir in sweet potatoes.


4. Add sour cream mixture to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fold in dates and pecans. Spon batter into pan, spreading evenly.


5. Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely.

Steamed kabocha squash is a favorite of mine — it’s one of the most flavorful squashes around, and is chock full of nutrients like beta carotene (especially when you eat the thin skin).

I mashed the cooked kabocha with a fork and bake the bread substituting mashed squash for the mashed sweet potatoes. It came out so good! Try it!

Recipe: Caramel Cups

I absolutely love caramel! When I came across this recipe my mouth started to water as I imagined the smooth, sweet, taste of the caramel and couldn't wait to try these little desserts out. These desserts are quite sweet. I whipped my own cream using heavy whipping cream and left it unsweetened, which evened out the sweetness.

1 (1.9 ounce) package mini phyllo shells

about 20 soft caramel candies, unwrapped

1/4 cup half and half

whipped cream

1 (1.4 ounce) Heath candy bar, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange phyllo shells on a baking sheet.

Bake phyllo shells at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or until crisp; cool slightly.

In a glass microwave safe bowl, add caramels and half and half.

Heat for 1 minute; stir, and continue to heat until mixture is smooth, 30 seconds at a time.

Spoon caramel mixture into each phyllo cup filling about 3/4 full.

Add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of Heath candy bar.

Serve immediately.

Makes 15 phyllo cups.

Recipe revised from Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast Weeknight Meals