On a number of menus I have breakfast hash. I had posted an earlier version of breakfast hash. That requires standing at the stove and frying the food over a period of time. This version requires a roasting pan and a hot oven. It’s an easy dish to prepare when you are doing other things.  Its also very flexible as to the ingredients you use. Use what you have on hand and your imagination. I don’t eat this every day but it is very flavorful and makes a wonderful brunch for a crowd just increase the amounts.Breakfast Hash

prep time 5-10 min

cooking time 20-30 min

Ingredients

bacon 2 slices per person

potatoes diced 1-2 per per person ( depending on size)

onion 1/2 small diced per person

other veggies ( mushrooms, peppers, etc what you have on hand)

eggs 1-2 per person

preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

dice the potatoes onions etc to approximately the same size and put them in the center of the roasting pan. Salt and pepper. If you aren’t using bacon toss them with a little olive oil.  Arrange the slices of bacon around the potatoes along the edge of the pan. The bacon becomes the fat used to fry the potatoes. It adds such great flavor. Put roasting pan in the oven and set the timer for 10 minutes. Check the bacon depending on how thick the slice it either should be flipped or removed to a plate with paper towel to drain. If the bacon is not finished flip it and stir the potatoes. Set the timer for another 10 minuets.

When timer goes off if you haven’t removed the bacon by now it should be done and remove it. Stir the potatoes again and the should be getting nice and golden crisp. Crack the eggs on top of the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Return to the oven for another 3-6 minutes depending on how runny you like your yolk. Remove from oven and serve.

If you don’t have bacon I have made this with cubed ham and leftover chicken. It is delicious either way. Just make sure you have tossed the ingredients in olive oil since you won’t have the bacon fat.

Most mornings on my menus I say have cold or hot cereal. Usually over the years I have purchased granola of one form or another. Good quality granola that is inexpensive is hard to find. I found a good one at a discount grocer but it was loaded with sugar. I have over the last few years given up sugar. If I have any sugar at all, its kept to under 4-8 grams per day. As such I was not eating cereal. I missed it and developed this recipe after trial and error.

Granola

prep time 5 min

cooking time 16-25 min

Ingredients

4 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (or both)

1 cup dried fruit ( I use banana chips unsweetened coconut  etc for their low sugar) if you don’t worry about that use your favorite fruits.

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

2 tbs honey. Add more if you want it sweeter

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Blend together in a bowl making sure everything is well coated and distributed. 

Pour out onto a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. Bake for 8 minutes at 340 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir to expose the uncooked grains. Cook for another 8 minutes and remove from oven. Cool on the baking sheet. It will continue to cook a little this way. I find ovens vary and tastes vary. You may want to leave it in the oven a little longer for a toasty flavor. I have found its a very short cooking time from toasty to burnt. Be careful.

Store in an airtight container. Will keep for weeks but its usually gone before I can test that theory. It’s great with milk yogurt and even on the top of ice cream. ( I make my own, more on that later) instead of a sugary cookie in the evening I have a small bowl of this with skim milk. Yes the honey has grams of sugar lots of them but when you break down two tablespoons to an entire batch it’s a few grams per serving.

I have been remiss in posting but will get you more information and menus. Let me know what works for you and what doesn’t . This winter I’ve been eating lots of roasted vegetables. My favorite food. Will post more about that soon.

It has been too long since I have posted on here–have changed some of my eating and purchasing habits since then. Will write more about that later. if you have ideas to share please let me know.

In reading others recipes you learn tricks. The one I picked up and use the most is from Nigella where you cook the peas with the pasta. It adds flavor to the water so if you are using it in this dish to thin it out you get that layered taste. This is a great dish for a quick meal but is elegant enough to serve to guests with a salad and crusty bread.

Pasta with Ham and Peas
prep time 15 min
cooking time 20 min 

Ingredients
1 13.5 oz pkg rotini pasta (I used the tri color)
salt
1 cups frozen peas
1 8 oz pkg mushrooms sliced
1/2 cup half &half or cream
1/4 – 1/2 cup cream cheese w/ chives
1/2 – 1 cup diced ham
2-4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

In a pot of salted boiling water add pasta. About 5 minutes into the cooking of the pasta add the peas. This should allow for approximately 5 minutes to cook the peas. Drain pasta and peas and set aside. In emptied pot add 1 tbsp olive oil or butter and saute mushrooms for approximately 5 minutes. Add ham and heat thru. Stir in cream cheese and cream blending until nice and smooth. Add Parmesan cheese and blend. Add pasta and toss to coat. The cheeses add salt so salt this dish sparingly. Add pepper to taste and serve .

This week I found two great buys. One was a large package of sirloin pork steaks. Some of which I cut up into cubes to make a large batch of chow mien. I was feeling nostalgic about a dish I grew up with. This is great to feed a crowd or it freezes and re-heats so well. I then f  .

SUNDAY
Brunch scrambled eggs, toast w/ jam, orange juice
Dinner Chow mien w/ brown rice, steamed broccoli

MONDAY
Breakfast Cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch salami sandwich, carrot sticks
Dinner split pea soup

TUESDAY
Breakfast Cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch chow mein, fresh or canned fruit
Dinner roasted turkey breast, mashed potatoes gravy, frozen vegetable, fresh or canned fruit

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch split pea soup, fruit
Dinner pan fried sirloin pork steaks, salad greens, fresh fruit

THURSDAY
Breakfast Breakfast sandwich, orange juice
Lunch  turkey sandwich, carrots
Dinner chow mien w/ noodles, fresh or canned fruit

FRIDAY
Breakfast cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch PB&J sandwich fresh or canned fruit
Dinner  hot turkey sandwich (make a big bowl of popcorn and watch a movie)

SATURDAY
Brunch Breakfast hash, orange juice
Dinner turkey broccoli creamy pasta bake, salad, cookies

SHOPPING LIST

sirloin pork steaks, whole turkey breast, eggs, cereal (hot or cold), frozen vegetable, salad greens, celery, canned water chestnuts and bean sprouts, pasta ,bread, orange juice, milk, fresh or canned fruit

This quick and easy recipe is good old fashioned comfort food with a twist. Using the crescent roll dough for the topping gets rid of that heavy pie crust. Just open the package and spread on top. I didn’t even bother with an egg wash. If I was having company and served the dish at the table I might have. It just isn’t necessary.  If you use cream you need less flour to thicken the sauce, Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees to get a nice golden crust.

Chicken Pot Pie
prep time 15 min
cooking time 30 min 

Ingredients
1 breast and  both thighs from roasted chicken shredded
salt/pepper to taste
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk or cream
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
2-4 Tbsp flour for thickening
1 tube crescent roll dough

In a pot add shredded chicken to pot stir in frozen vegetables, spices and flour. (if you use cream use less flour) Add chicken broth and stir. As it thicken stir in milk or cream to desired consistency. Pour mixture into a square baking dish.Top off with dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until crust is golden and dish is bubbly.

This week I was short of time and decided to pick up a roasted chicken and see how many meals I could make with it. I count 5 meals. Wow I know that is a lot of chicken to consume in a week. I tried to have it mixed in with very different flavors. Chicken soup is wonderful and the taste is pure and simple. Also the chicken pot pie is so easy. What I like about this recipe is that the herbs and spices you use will determine it flavor. I used a mix of parsley and thyme. The topping of crescent roll dough is so easy and makes a delicate crust. Much better than a pie dough. I found a roll of dough for under a dollar at a national chain. Yes 5 meals is a lot of chicken but I did not have to cook the chicken first and the time I saved was worth it.

SUNDAY
Brunch scrambled eggs, toast w/ jam, orange juice
Dinner Salad with cubed chicken, tomatoes, cheese and hard salami

MONDAY
Breakfast Cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch egg salad sandwich, carrot sticks
Dinner chicken noodle soup

TUESDAY
Breakfast Cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch hard salami sandwich, fresh or canned fruit
Dinner grilled burger, lettuce and tomato, chips, fresh or canned fruit

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch chicken noodle soup, fruit
Dinner omelet, salad greens, fresh fruit

THURSDAY
Breakfast Breakfast sandwich, orange juice
Lunch  cold chicken sandwich, carrots
Dinner chicken pot pie, fresh or canned fruit

FRIDAY
Breakfast cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch PB&J sandwich fresh or canned fruit
Dinner  grilled cheese and frozen soup (make a big bowl of popcorn and watch a movie)

SATURDAY
Brunch Breakfast hash, orange juice
Dinner home made sauce and spaghetti, salad, cookies

SHOPPING LIST

ground beef, whole roasted chicken, hard salami, eggs, cereal (hot or cold), frozen vegetable, salad greens, tomatoes, canned tomatoes, pasta ,bread, orange juice, milk, fresh or canned fruit

This week I found fresh asparagus on sale and made three meals out of them. First was a delicious shrimp asparagus and pasta dish that started the week off. It made enough to have left overs for lunch one day. I had them as a fresh vegetable side dish and then in a creamy soup later in the week. So delicious and bright green. Just right for the beginning of spring. Home made pizzas concluded the week and I had chopped asparagus as one of the toppings.

SUNDAY
Brunch scrambled eggs, toast w/ jam, orange juice
Dinner Shrimp asparagus and pasta, salad

MONDAY
Breakfast Cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch egg salad sandwich, carrot sticks
Dinner carrot, yam and ginger soup

TUESDAY
Breakfast Cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch shrimp and pasta, fresh or canned fruit
Dinner pork chops, fresh asparagus, baked potato , fresh or canned fruit

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch carrot, yam and ginger soup, fruit
Dinner cucumber tomato salad with grilled chicken, fresh fruit

THURSDAY
Breakfast Breakfast sandwich, orange juice
Lunch  cold pork sandwich, carrots
Dinner hamburger, chips, fresh or canned fruit

FRIDAY
Breakfast cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch PB&J sandwich fresh or canned fruit
Dinner   creamy asparagus soup (make a big bowl of popcorn and watch a movie)

SATURDAY
Brunch Breakfast hash, orange juice
Dinner home made pizza, salad, cookies

SHOPPING LIST

pork chop, ground beef, chicken breasts or thighs, fresh asparagus, eggs, cereal (hot or cold), frozen vegetable,yams,carrots, salad greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, orange juice, milk, fresh or canned fruit

This week is all about comfort food. Starting with Sundays lets sit down with family and friends and have a nice dinner with all the trimmings. Save the left over gravy to make hot pork sandwiches on Wednesday. If you want you can make mashed potatoes on that night as well. Spring is coming and we change the foods we eat. As winter ends we are cooking foods where we like to be cozy and stay in. Soon fresh local and home grown foods will be available. But for now we are sticking with some favorite comfort food. The chow mein hot dish can be made with ground beef or turkey. I find a great healthy cream of mushroom soup for 59 cents a can at a national chain. At the same chain I get a pound of ground turkey frozen for $1.49. I buy my chicken legs when they are on sale and freeze them. Slow roast them and brush on your favorite BBQ sauce. I like to make my own. Cheaper and to me it tastes better.

SUNDAY
Brunch scrambled eggs, toast w/ jam, orange juice
Dinner pork roast w/ mashed potatoes , gravy,  frozen vegetable, salad

MONDAY
Breakfast Cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch egg salad sandwich, carrot sticks
Dinner old fashioned vegetable soup

TUESDAY
Breakfast Cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch pork sandwich, fresh or canned fruit
Dinner chow mein hot dish frozen vegetable , fresh or canned fruit

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch vegetable soup, fruit
Dinner hot pork sandwiches, salad, fresh fruit

THURSDAY
Breakfast Breakfast sandwich, orange juice
Lunch  chow mein hot dish, carrots
Dinner Vegetable soup, fresh or canned fruit

FRIDAY
Breakfast cereal hot or cold, orange juice
Lunch PB&J sandwich fresh or canned fruit
Dinner   tuna hot dish (make a big bowl of popcorn and watch a movie)

SATURDAY
Brunch Breakfast hash, orange juice
Dinner BBQ chicken legs and thighs, frozen vegetable, salad, cookies

SHOPPING LIST

pork roast ,chicken legs, ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, canned tuna, eggs, cereal (hot or cold), frozen vegetable,frozen vegetables for soup,carrots, salad greens, onions, orange juice, milk, fresh or canned fruit