Seems I am on a potato kick this week, so I might as well share my recipe for
Mexican Hash Browns. This recipe will add a little kick to your breakfast or can be added to dinner as a side dish.
Mexican Hash Browns
4 medium potatoes, sliced like hash browns
*note, you can use frozen, thawed hash browns if you prefer
1 small can of green chilies, drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained
3 Tbsp. Salsa (fresh made or store bought)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. Oregano
1 Tbsp. ground Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
Cooking Spray
Spray bottom of 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Press hash browns into the bottom of the baking dish. Dot with butter and bake for 10 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. Remove. (This starts the cooking process for the hash browns so they don't get mushy when you had the toppings.
Drain the Rotel tomatoes and green chilies completely. Dump both cans into a bowl and add salsa. Add oregano, pepper and salt. Stir well and then spread evenly over top of the hash browns. Top with mozzarella cheese. Put back in oven for an additional 18 to 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and starting to crust at the edges.
Remove and serve with Sour cream.
On occasion I scroll through Pinterest and look for ideas for recipes. I am not one to copy a recipe, for the most part, so I get an idea and run with it. I saw something similar to this on Pinterest and came up with my Crescent Chicken Bake. I wondered if the crescent rolls would get done, but they did and it was fabulous!
Crescent Chicken Bake
1 can refrigerated flaky Crescent Rolls
1 can Cream of Chicken
1 skinless large chicken breast
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp. Basil
1 Tbsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp. Ground Pepper
2 Tbsp. real butter
Slice chicken breast into short, thin strips. In saucepan, add 2 Tbsp. butter and chicken breast. Saute' until chicken is almost done. Add 1 can of Cream of Chicken, 1/4 cup sour cream and seasonings. Mix well, heat through and remove from heat.
Spray a small, round, baking dish (9x9) with non-stick spray. Place one open croissant at a time in the baking dish. Put a Tbsp. of the chicken mixture on the side part of the crescent and roll it up over the mixture, pushing it to the side. This is sort of a messy process, but well worth it. Continue with the next crescent roll until they are all used up and positioned in the baking dish. You should have a good bit of the Cream of Chicken mixture left over. Pour it evenly over the top of the croissants.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crescent rolls are browning on the top. Serve.
Optional: when you remove these to serve, you can top with a small amount of shredded mozzarella.
These potato wedges are simple and easy, but the taste is better than any potato wedges I have picked up in the deli at the supermarket. They have a light crisp to them with a savory blend of spices and light flour coating. Give these a try with your next steak or burger.
Best Potato Wedges
3 medium potatoes peeled (or not, up to you) and cut into thin wide strips
1 cup flour
1 tsp. Seasoned Salt
1 Tbsp. black pepper
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Italian Seasonings
2 Tbsp. real butter
Cooking Spray
Bring 1 quart of water to a boil and add potato wedges. Boil for ONLY 3 minutes. Just enough time for them to start getting tender, but not done. Remove immediately and drain. Lay the potatoes out on a sheet and spray both sides with cooking spray.
In a paper bag or plastic baggie, add flour, seasoned salt, garlic powder, Italian Seasonings and pepper. Shake well to mix. Place a few of the potatoes at a time in the bag and shake gently to cover them completely in the flour mixture. You can also use a bowl to coat them if you prefer, the bag just seems to get the job done quicker. Remove and place on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Once all wedges are coated and on the baking sheet, put in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove and turn the wedges gently over. Continue to bake for another 15 minutes until they are browning on top. Remove from oven and pour 2 Tbsp. melted real butter over the potatoes and gently toss with a spatula to coat. Adding the butter at the end keeps them from being dry and adds a fantastic flavor.
Hint: If I need these done quickly for dinner, I put my oven on low broil and broil the potatoes. It works just as well, but watch them closely so they don't burn. It reduces the time by at least 10 minutes. Let me know what you think of these Potato Wedges. Enjoy!
Whenever I make mashed potatoes, I try, intentionally, to make too many so that I have plenty of leftovers. I do so, just so I can make a batch of Mashed Potato Patties for breakfast! These are so yummy and you can add a variety of ingredients to them to make them your special blend of good! Try these, they are buttery and oh so tasty!
Mashed Potato Patties
2 cups left over (cold) mashed potatoes
1 green onion, finely diced
2 to 3 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. ground pepper
1/4 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
2 heaping Tbsp. flour
Real butter for frying
Remove mashed potatoes from fridge and place in a large bowl. Add diced green onion, cooked and crumbled bacon and egg. Mix well. Stir in salt and pepper and cheese. Once mixed well, stir in the flour.
Butter a skillet or flat griddle and drop mashed potato mixture by heaping tablespoon onto the hot skillet. Let cook for about 2 minutes and then flip over and mash down with a spatula. Cook until lightly browned on each side.
Additional butter will need to be added as you fry these in batches.
Serve immediately. I love these with a soft, runny egg. You can dip the potato in the egg yolk! Amazing!
For variety, you can add cooked and crumbled sausage or smoked sausage instead of bacon.
Hint: Do a small batch first because if your patties don't seem to be sticking together well enough, you may need to add another teaspoon or so of flour.
If you want a hearty meal that packs a punch, try making these Beef and Noodles. I always make them with some mashed potatoes and a vegetable. They are definitely comfort food perfect! Enjoy!
Beef and Noodles
1/2 pkg. wide egg noodles
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. round steak or other quality beef, cut into 1" cubes
1 can beef broth
1 Tbsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. Basil
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup Soy Sauce
4 cups water
1/4 cup water + 2 heaping Tbsp. Cornstarch (for thickening)
*Do not mix this until at the last minute*
Boil egg noodles in 1 tsp. salt until tender
In deep skillet, melt butter and add sauté beef for about 4 or 5 minutes. Add beef broth, seasonings, Worcestershire and Soy sauce. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover the pan. Cook for approximately 1 1/2 hours (or until beef is tender). Note: You may need to add an additional cup or so of water here and there to avoid sticking. You want about an inch of water over the beef at all times.
Once the beef is tender, thicken the broth into a gravy consistency by adding the water/cornstarch mixture. Stir quickly. Remove from heat and stir in the precooked egg noodles.
Serve with Mashed Potatoes for a hearty dinner.
Like Pizza Rolls? Well these little Won Ton Pizza Pockets are similar to a pizza roll only they are crispy and so easy to make. You can put whatever ingredients inside them that you want, but here is the way I like to fix them:
Won Ton Pizza Rolls
1/4 lb. seasoned turkey sausage
2 large green onions, finely diced
1 small piece of bell pepper, finely diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup pizza sauce or marinara sauce
1 package of Won Tons
Oil for deep frying
Saute' turkey sausage, onions and bell pepper in a skillet until cooked through. Drain on a paper towel. Put back in to the pan and add in the marinara sauce. Heat back up for about 2 minutes and remove from the heat. Set aside while you prepare your Won Tons.
Open package of Won Tons and separate into individual squares. Place about 1/2 tsp. of sausage mixture on the Won Ton and add a pinch of the cheese. It doesn't take much because you are going to fold these over like a triangle.
Wet 2 sides of the Won Tons with water using your fingertips, so that when you fold them over they can be pinched together. Use a fork and lightly mash the edges together to form a triangle. Make sure they are closed up well or your ingredients will leak out into the oil and make a real mess.
Drop Won Tons gently into Oil about 3" deep over medium heat. Make sure the oil is HOT before you drop the first one. Turn once to get both sides lightly browned and remove to a paper towel to drain. Serve!
These are crispy and my grandbabies love them! You can put whatever ingredients you want in these, pepperoni, red onion, etc. You can also make these like Breakfast Pockets and add egg to the sausage.
Enjoy!
I have always loved noodles. In fact, when I was little, my dad called me "Noodle" as a nickname. I still love pasta. This is such a quick and easy side dish that you can add to almost any meal. Even though it has a chicken flavor, I have served it with steak, hamburger, etc.
Easy Egg Noodle Side Dish
2 cups wide egg noodles
1 tsp. salt + 1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 can Cream of Chicken soup
4 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. basil
Boil egg noodles in 1 tsp. salted water until done, but not mushy. Drain water and put noodles back into the pan - reducing heat to low. Stir in milk, butter, 1 tsp. salt, ground pepper, basil and Cream of Chicken Soup. Stir lightly until heated through.
Remove from heat and serve immediately. Garnish with a little shredded parmesan cheese if desired.
Enjoy!
My husband loves pepper. I like pepper, probably more than salt. This recipe for Pepper Steaks is my favorite way to cook a good steak. It is rich and hearty and depending on what cut of steak you use, soooo tender. I personally use Ribeye steaks when cooking this recipe. Give it a try, you will love it.
Pepper Steaks
2 thick cut, quality, Ribeye steaks
2 Tbsp. real butter + 2 Tbsp. real butter more or less
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 c. fresh ground pepper
Rub butter on both sides of each steak and put into a plastic bag. Add soy sauce into bag and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour. Ground fresh pepper into a small cup. Remove steaks from the bag and press as much pepper as desired on 1 side ONLY of each steak.
Over medium heat in skillet (I use cast iron), add 2 Tbsp. real butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Once butter melts, sear your steaks on the non-pepper side first, until close to desired consistency (rare, medium rare, well done, etc.) then turn over once and sear the other side. Remove from heat and let rest on a plate for about 5 minutes before cutting. This will allow the juices to remain in the steaks.
Serve!
Sometimes I like breakfast for dinner. This sandwich is a combination of French Toast and a Grilled Cheese and is fabulous! It is buttery, cheesy, I add bacon and dip the croissant in egg like French toast before I fry it. You will love it!
Grilled Cheese - French Toast Croissant-wich
Makes 4
4 large pre-baked croissants from the local grocery
4 slices of mozzarella cheese
4 slices of American cheese
8 to 10 slices of bacon or turkey bacon (your choice) - precooked
3 eggs + 4 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
*optional: 1 fried egg (precooked)
I side bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Slice croissants in half long-ways and dip both sides into the egg batter. Fry one side on a buttered a griddle or flat skillet until lightly browned. Flip and place one slice of mozzarella cheese on one side and one slice of American cheese on the other slice. Top the American cheese side with 2 slices of bacon and flip both pieces together like a sandwich. The entire process won't take more than 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from pan and slice across the middle.
* A Fried egg can be added to make this more of a breakfast sandwich.
I don't add cinnamon and sugar to these like French Toast because I want them to have a more savory flavor. Thus, the salt and pepper.
I hope you enjoy these sandwiches!
These potatoes are similar to a scalloped potato, but with an Italian twist you will love. They are creamy and full of garlic and Italian seasonings. They go great with some garlic bread and a hearty meat like roast or pork chops.
Creamy Italian Potatoes
4 medium potatoes - do not peel, slice into thin rounds
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
4 to 6 Tbsp. soft butter
1 Tbsp. ground pepper
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Italian Seasonings
2 cups evaporated milk
2 Tbsp. flour
In a medium saucepan, whisk evaporated milk, flour, garlic and butter. Heat, but do not bring to a boil.
Blend the seasonings together in a small bowl: Italian Seasonings, salt and pepper.
Butter the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish. Put 1/2 of the potatoes as the bottom layer in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the seasoning mixture. Add another layer of potatoes and the rest of the seasoning mixture.
Pour the warm milk mixture over the top and dot the top with additional butter. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 35 to 40 minutes. Should be bubbly and slightly browned on top.
Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.
