Eggs and Hashbrowns with Spinach Mornay Sauce

Sorry the picture isn't very good - I am definitely no photographer :o)

Ingredients:

4 large eggs

6 medium size russet potatoes

6 oz shredded cheese (Swiss or sharp white cheddar)

2 Tbs Butter, divided

1 cup milk

1 Tbs flour

3 Tbs vegetable oil

salt and pepper

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Directions:

Scrub the potatoes and poke a couple holes in them. Microwave them for about 15 minutes on high. (You want them to be cooked through before you put them on the stove). Allow to cool for 30 minutes before handling.

While the potatoes are cooking, squeeze the excess liquid out of the spinach by placing it in a clean kitchen towel (I have one that I specifically use for spinach only) and wringing it out over the sink. Set aside.

Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, pre-heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the vegetable oil. Shred the potatoes into the pan. Season liberally with salt and pepper (remember potatoes are bland all on their own). Allow the potatoes to cook for several minutes before stirring them - you want them to get brown and crispy. Cook for about 10 minutes - until brown and crispy all the way through.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt 1 Tbs butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add 1 Tbs flour. Whisk together and cook for about 30 seconds. Whisk in the milk and continue to whisk just until milk comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cheese until completely incorporated. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Break the spinach into smaller pieces and add to the cheese sauce. Stir until spinach is broken up and even distributed throughout the sauce. Set over low heat to keep warm, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs butter. Cook the 4 eggs in the pan to desired doneness (I like over-hard).

To serve, portion out 1/4 of the potatoes onto the plate. Top with 1/4 of the spinach cheese sauce, and top with 1 egg.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this meal, visit my other blog here.

Hazelnut French Toast with Cherry Compote

Ingredients:

1 Loaf of Bread (I use whole wheat)

4 large eggs

1 16 oz bottle Coffee Mate Hazelnut Biscotti Creamer

1 Tbs ground cinnamon

1 lb Cherries, pitted

Directions:

Pit the cherries and place them in the blender or food processor. Blend until mostly smooth (it will be a little chunky). Set aside.

Pre-heat a griddle to 350 degrees (or over medium heat if using the stove top).

In a large, wide bowl, beat together the eggs, creamer, and cinnamon. Once the griddle is hot, dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, turning to coat. Place on the griddle. Repeat for as many slices as will fit. Cook them until golden brown on first side (about 4 minutes) and flip to second side.

Once finished cooking, serve them with a dollop of cherry compote on top.

Serves about 8 (2 slices each)

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated Pizza Dough
1/4 cup corn meal
3/4 cup Marinara Sauce
8 eggs
1 Tbs Butter
1 Tbs Vegetable Oil
8 oz shredded Mexican blend cheese (I use one with pepper jack)
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 small jalapeno minced
6 oz Breakfast Sausage links
salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook Sausage according to package directions. Allow to cool before slicing it into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle a baking sheet with corn meal. Unroll pizza dough onto the pan. Bake for 5-7 minutes - until golden brown all over.

While the pizza dough is baking, pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs vegetable oil. Finely chop the onion and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly golden brown, about 5 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, finely chop the bell peppers and mince the jalapeno. Add them to the pan with the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook for only 1 minute so that the peppers maintain their color. Turn of the heat.

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs butter. Crack the eggs into a medium size mixing bowl and beat well. Season with salt and pepper. Add them to the pan and cook (scramble) until just set.

To assemble the pizza, spread the marinara sauce onto the pizza dough, scatter the scrambled eggs around, sprinkle with the shredded cheese, scatter the peppers and onions and top with the breakfast sausage slices.

Cook at 425 for about 5 minutes - just until cheese is melted. Slice and serve.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

We serve this with Smashed Maple Sweet Potatoes and Bananas.

This recipe is part of 5 Dollar Dinners $5 dinner challenge.

Bacon, Egg and Tomato Quesadillas with Avocado

Ingredients:

2 Tortillas

2 Eggs

3 oz grated cheddar cheese

1 Roma tomato

4 slices bacon (I use Turkey)

cooking spray

1/2 Tbs butter

1 Avocado, smashed

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook bacon in microwave according to package directions until crispy. Break each piece into 2, so that you have 8 small pieces of bacon.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add eggs to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the eggs medium hard - break the yolks so that they will cook through. Once the eggs are ready to flip, use a spatula to split the whites in half, down the middle of the pan - making 2 semi-circles. Cook on second side until the yolks are set.

While the eggs are cooking, spray a medium size skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Lay 1 tortilla in the pan and sprinkle with 1 1/2 oz cheese. Cover the pan so that the cheese will melt faster.

While the eggs and cheese are working, slice the tomato into 6 slices. Smash the avocado and season with salt and pepper.

Once the eggs are done and the cheese is melted, assemble to quesadilla: Lay 3 slices of tomato on one half of the tortilla. Lay 4 small slices of bacon on top of the tomatoes. Top with one egg. Fold the tortilla over and press down with the spatula. Remove from pan and serve with avocado.

Heat the 2nd tortilla and cheese in the medium skillet. Once cheese is melted, finish building the 2nd quesadilla.

Serves 2

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here

Egg Nog French Toast

Ingredients:

1 loaf of bread (I used wheat)

5 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, divided

1 1/2 tsp rum extract, divided

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup maple syrup

Directions:

Pre-heat a griddle to 350 degrees (or over medium heat, if on the stove top).

In a wide bowl beat together the eggs, milk and salt until completely blended. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp rum extract and 1 tsp nutmeg.

Once griddle is warm, dip bread into egg mixture, turning and coating completely. Place on griddle and repeat for remaining slices of bread. Cook until golden brown (4-5 minutes) then flip and finish cooking. Remove from griddle. Repeat as many times as necessary to finish cooking the loaf of bread (depends on your griddle size).

While the french toast is cooking, place syrup in a small saucepan. Stir in 1/2 tsp nutmeg. Heat over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp rum extract. Serve over french toast

Serves 8 (about 16 slices total, 2 slices each)

We make this whole batch because there is nothing my husband loves more than breakfast food that he can snack on at all hours of the day.

Deviled Egg Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:

8 slices of bread, toasted

8 large eggs, hard boiled

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried mustard

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried dill

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 Roma tomatoes

4 leafs of lettuce

Directions:

Hard boil eggs: Place eggs in a single layer in a pot large enough to accommodate. Cover the eggs with cold water. Place a lid on the pot. Heat on high until water comes to a boil. Turn the heat off and allow eggs to sit for 15 - 18 minutes (depending on altitude - the higher altitude you are, the longer they will take to cook). Drain the water and put cold water back in the pan to stop the cooking process, let sit for a couple minutes. Put eggs in fridge to cool.

Peel eggs. (Note: eggs are usually easier to peel the older they are. It has something to do with the pH inside the egg.) Slice eggs in half. Remove the yolks, place in a small mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise and mash the yolks with a fork until mostly smooth (it will be a little lumpy and that's just fine).

Add the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika, mustard and dill to the yolk mixture. The flavor will be very strong, but when you add the whites and put it on a sandwich the flavor is much more mild.

Chop the egg whites into 1/4 - 1/2 inch pieces and mix in to the yolk mixture.

Slice tomatoes and wash lettuce. Toast bread.

Assemble the sandwich by placing 1/4 of the egg mixture on a slice of bread, top with lettuce and tomato. Repeat for remaining sandwiches.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe and to read the story behind it, visit my other blog here.

Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 Frozen Kashi 7 grain waffles

1 oz sliced Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 Egg

4 slices of deli Ham

1/2 Tbs Butter

1 Tbs Maple Syrup

salt and pepper

Directions:

Toast waffles until crisp (making them crisp will help prevent them from getting soggy while you enjoy your sandwich)

Melt butter in small skillet, add egg and sat and pepper to taste. Cook egg to desired doneness. Add cheese while still cooking and cover to help it melt.

Place egg w/ cheese, and ham on bottom waffle. drizzle with syrup and top with second waffle.

Serves 1

To see how I made this recipe frugally, see the post on my other blog here.

Blueberry Waffles with Lemon Curd, Hashbrowns and Cheesy Eggs

Ingredients:

8 Frozen Blueberry Kashi Waffles

~20 oz Frozen Shredded Hash brown potatoes

8 Eggs

3 oz shredded pepper jack or Mexican blend cheese

3 green onions, thinly sliced

3 Tablespoons Vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon Butter

salt and pepper

Lemon Curd - I used Alton Brown's recipe here. (there will be extra)

Directions:

Prepare Hash browns according to package directions. When I cook them, I put a bunch of salt and pepper in the pan with the oil, add the potatoes, and add more salt and pepper on top. Potatoes are bland and they need lots of seasoning. When the potatoes are golden brown, stir in 2 sliced green onions.

Scrabble eggs in 1 Tablespoon butter. Salt and Pepper. Once eggs are almost set, add the cheese and stir until melty and gooey. Stir in 1 sliced green onion.

Heat waffles according to package directions. Serve waffles with a spoonful of lemon curd - it is very flavorful, so go easy on it (you want to be able to taste the blueberry flavor too). Serve with hash browns and eggs.

Serves 4

To see how I made this meal frugally, see the post on my other blog here.