Hash Brown Baskets with Egg, Bacon, and Cheese

This pregnancy has completely changed my taste buds, and perhaps that’s a good thing.  I used to eat oatmeal, yogurt, and smoothies for breakfast.  Now the thought of something sweet in the morning is completely unappetizing.  Most mornings, I’m craving something more savory.  Eggs.  Bacon.  Breakfast Sausage.  Hash browns.  I’ve never been a big egg-lover, but that has certainly changed in recent months.  I’ve had eggs for breakfast more often than not.

The trouble with eggs is that they can be tough for an on-the-go breakfast.  Eggs and bacon are more a leisurely weekend type of meal.  And it seems like no matter how early The Littlest Apple and I wake up (it’s been around 5:15 for the last two weeks), we always have trouble getting out the the door on time.  So when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I thought it would be just perfect for a make ahead, grab-and-reheat savory breakfast, full of all those savory things I’m craving these days.  To make these little beauties, you layer shredded hash browns in the bottom of a muffin tin to create “nests” or “baskets” for your eggs and other toppings.  Then you simply crack an egg into each basket and top with bacon, cheese and whatever else your heart or pregnancy cravings desire.  These turned out great!  The only thing I might do differently next time is scramble my eggs first….I prefer scrambled eggs to having the yolk all in one big yellow clump.  But maybe that’s just me.

Hash Brown Baskets with Egg, Bacon, and Cheese

recipe from The Domestic Mama & The Village Cook

Ingredients:

• 24 ounces frozen shredded hash browns, thawed (or grate your own!)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 12 eggs
• Toppings (bacon, shredded cheese, parsley, anything else you can think of!)

Take a bag (24oz) of thawed hash browns, mix in 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper, 2 tbs oil and about 1/3 c shredded cheddar cheese. Put then in a well greased muffin tin, and make a well in the center.

Bake at 425°F for 15-18 minutes, cover with foil if the edges appear to be getting too brown.

Now, lower the oven to 350°F. Crack a medium egg into each “nest” and top with bacon bits, cheese and parsley flakes or whatever else you’d like!

Bake for about 13-16 minutes.

Gentle slide a knife along the edges, and gently pull up with a fork.

What’s your favorite savory breakfast?