Creamy Poached Eggs

I don't like to cook for breakfast so we usually eat stuff like eggs for dinner. This is an easy, tasty dinner or brunch dish. For dinner this tastes really good with sliced tomatoes or roasted asparagus on the side.

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar or American cheese
3 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 eggs
4 slices of toast or English muffin halves

In a skillet combine shredded cheese, cream cheese, milk, and pepper over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until they combine into a creamy sauce. Remove from heat and carefully crack the four eggs into the pan, leaving space in between each one. Cover and cook over medium-low heat about 3-5 minutes until eggs are cooked. Serve each egg on a piece of toast with some of the sauce on top.

Peach French Toast

1 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. butter
2 tbsp. water
2 (15 oz.) cans sliced peaches, drained
12 (3/4 inch thick) slices day-old French bread, cubed (if you only have fresh bread, cube it and then dry it out in a warm oven for a few minutes. This really helps to avoid soggy bread.)
6 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 pinch cinnamon
1 1/2 C. milk

In a saucepan, stir together the brown sugar, butter and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Pour the brown sugar mixture into a 9x13 baking dish, and tilt the dish to cover the entire bottom. Place peaches in a layer over the sugar coating. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Dredge bread in milk and egg mixture, then put bread on top of peaches and pour remaining mixture over it. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove the dish from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking to come to room temp. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Uncover and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and egg mixture isn't goopy anymore. Spoon out portions to serve.

This is very sweet, so you can cut the brown sugar, butter and water mixture in half and it still tastes great. This is great with tart apples, too.

Julia

Crispy Potato Quiche

Okay, YES, I have too much time on my hands. But I love sharing tried-and-true recipes, so here is yet another post from me (and it is SO GOOD):

30 oz. bag frozen shredded potatoes (thawed)
1/2 C. (or less) melted butter
1 C. shredded pepper jack cheese
2 C. shredded Swiss cheese
2 C. diced cooked ham
1 C. Half & Half
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt

Press thawed potatoes into a greased 9x13 pan. Pour melted butter over and bake at 425 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and put cheese and ham on top. Pour beaten eggs, cream and seasoning salt over the top (do not mix in) and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 350.

Sometimes I cook the potato and butter part the night before and refrigerate it, and then add the cheese, ham, eggs, etc. on in the morning. I can't quite remember, but it might need to cook a little longer if you do that, since it's coming from a refrigerated state.

Julia

crEpEs!!

Okay, this is one of our favorite breakfasts. There is SO much you can do with a crepe. Actually Cat, maybe we should have a section devoted to crepes. Anyway, they can take some time to make because you have to do them one at a stinkin' time, but they freeze BEAUTIFULLY... so make a ton and freeze some for later!

1 C flour
1 1/2 C milk
2 eggs
1 tbs cooking oil (though, I don't always use any)
1/4 tsp salt
(when I am making a crepe for a sweeter meal, I'll also add a dash of vanilla and a tablespoon or two of sugar)

Combine all ingredients in bowl until blended. Heat skillet on med. high and melt butter to coat bottom of pan when ready to pour in batter. Remove pan from heat and pour in just enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan by tilting the skillet around. Pour in enough so that there are no holes or gaps in the crepe. It should just thinly cover the pan. Return pan to heat and flip when bottom side of crepe starts to brown.

Now, what to do with your crepe?

Our favorite thing to do (it may sound weird, but we LOVE it) is to lay the crepe on our plate, put a couple of tablespoons of cottage cheese down the center of it, and roll it up like a burrito. Then pour some hot maple syrup on top and ENJOY!

My husband's family likes to put their hot crepe flat on their plate, rub MORE butter all over it, then sprinkle powder sugar all over it and roll it up and eat it.

They are also good filled with fruits and jams.

TO FREEZE:
Lay crepes flat on wax paper. You can separate each one with paper, or save on the wax and separate by servings (3-5 crepes usually). Then lay flat in freezer. Easy to reheat in a microwave whenever you crave 'em!!