Baked Hash Brown Patties

If I were to ask you what your favorite breakfast side is, would the answer be hash browns? Yes? I knew it! Hash browns are pretty high on my list of favorite breakfast sides...in fact, I'm pretty sure they ARE my favorite side to eat for breakfast. Yes, yes they are, and now I know that you like them, too. So, do you want to make some? (Pshhh...like I really have to ask! I KNOW you do.) I found an awesome upgraded recipe for hash browns to share with you. These aren't your typical hash browns. Instead of frying the life out of those grated potatoes (and adding waaay too much grease), we bake them! They're not as crispy as the fried version, but these hash browns are still firm, non-soggy, and extremely satisfying, you won't even miss the crispies.  They have several bonus ingredients in them: onions, garlic, cheddar cheese, and even eggs! What? Oh, yes they do. But wait, there's more - the coup d'etat of this dish is a hint of sour cream and bacon to top off these baked hash brown patties. What more could you ask for? Nothing, really.

Ready to make them? Great! Let's get started:

Ingredients:
- 2 pre-cooked hickory-smoked bacon slices
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil, divided
- 3 cups of chopped frozen (thawed) onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or put through a garlic press
- 1 1/2 pounds of shredded peeled baking potato (about 2 large ones)
- 1/3 (1 1/2 ounces) reduced fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- cooking spray
- 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Make it like this:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and grate potatoes. Then, put potatoes in a clean dish towel and gently squeeze out the excess moisture. (super important step to avoid soggy hash browns)

Heat olive oil in a medium non-stick skillet. Add onion and cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow onion mixture to cool for 5 minutes. Combine onion mixture, grated potato, cheddar cheese, salt, black pepper, and eggs in a medium bowl, stirring well. Put pre-cooked bacon on a plate lined with paper towels and heat for 40 seconds or until crisp (assuming the bacon needs to be reheated). Set aside.

Divide the potato mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each portion into a 1/2 inch thick patty. Place the patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat tops of patties lightly with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Flip and cook another 10-15 minutes on the other side (or until patties are dark golden and set). Top with crumbled bacon and sour cream.

Eat and enjoy these baked hash brown patties and then repeat again the next day. :)

By the way, I found this recipe on the Shrinking On a Budget website.

Breakfast Pizza Recipe

Hey friends. It's been a while...ok actually about 2 weeks. I had plans to post some fun stuff last week...and then my kids decided to get me sick. I decided this would be a very appropriate time to take a break, especially since it was the Holidays and all. So basically I spent the Holidays sick. Good times. Or not. But there's always next year, right? So let's change the subject because I'm starting to feel sorry for myself...and that's never a good thing. ;) Let's talk about breakfast instead! Breakfast is really my thing. I know I've said it before, but I LOVE BREAKFAST. I don't know why, I just do. So I want to share this Breakfast Pizza Recipe that I came across on the Shrinking On A Budget Meal Plans a while back. We actually ate this for dinner, but this is totally appropriate for breakfast too. I will leave it up to you as to which meal you prefer to eat this at. Are you a breakfast fiend like I am? Yes? I also recommend Breakfast Cookies. You won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:

- 1 (8 ounce) can reduced-fat refrigerated crescent dinner roll dough

- cooking spray

- 12 ounces turkey breakfast sausage

- 1 cup frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

- 1 1/2 cup (5 ounces) shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese

- 1/4 cup 1% milk

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

- (8 ounce) carton egg substitute

To make this awesome pizza:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Cook sausage in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain

Separate dough into triangles. Arrange triangles to form a single round crust on a cookie sheet (arrange into circle). Press triangles together. The crescent crust will go all the way to the sides on the narrow ends of the cookie sheet. Crimp edges of dough with fingers to form a 1/2 inch - 3/4 inch high rim (this will hold in eggs). Top prepared dough with sausage, potatoes, and cheese. Combine milk, salt, pepper, and egg substitute, stirring with a whisk. Carefully pour milk mixture over sausage mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until crust is browned.