cheesy, bacon, breakfast potatoes in 5 minutes

I love having a big breakfast on the weekends. My typical breakfast on weekdays is eat and run. It’s great to sit down and relax with a hearty breakfast.

My ideal breakfast would always include potatoes. Since I’m not so great at planning it out, either by precooking my potatoes or by getting up early to cook them, I don’t enjoy them as often as I’d like.

Until now.

 Frieda’s sent me a sample of potatoes from The Little Potato Company I had no idea just how cute they would be.

Not only are these potatoes cute, they cook up so quickly they were done before I knew it. They come pre-washed and there is no peeling required. One bag is 1 1/2 pounds. They do come in different varieties and colors. I used the Piccolo which are creamy and smooth yellow potatoes.

Would you believe that my Cheesey Bacon Breakfast Potatoes were done from start to finish in 5 minutes?

Cheesy, Bacon, Breakfast Potatoes

• 3/4 pound potatoes
• 1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon
• 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 2 scallions diced
• 1 Tablespoon oil

 I microwaved  half a package of Piccolo Potatoes for 2 1/2 minutes. I sliced them in half and added them to a heated pan with a tablespoon of oil with two diced scallions and bacon. I purchase a bag of this great bacon at Costco and love how I can add bacon quickly to any recipe. I then added on shredded Mozzarella Cheese, place a lid on it for the cheese to melt quickly quickly turn the potatoes over to brown the cheese a bit.

I love the crispy cheese on these potatoes and the great flavor of bacon and scallions. Freida’s told me these potatoes are available at Ralph’s. I shop at Ralph’s often and will be keeping my eye out for them.

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Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

•         ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
•          ¼ cup sugar
•          1 large egg
•          1 tsp pure vanilla extract
•          1 cup all-purpose flour
•          ¼ cup cocoa powder
•          ½ tsp baking powder
•          1/8 tsp salt
•          1 ½ cup chocolate chips, divided
•          ½ brown sugar

Directions

•          Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with baking paper. Sift together cocoa powder, salt, flour, baking powder in a small bowl.
•          In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar until the mixture is fluffy and tight (about 2-3 minutes). Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until mixed through.
•          Add in the flour mixture and beat until just mixed. Fold in 1 cup white chocolate chips. Using a small ice cream scoop, form table-spoon sized balls of cookie dough to place on the lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart and flattening them slightly.
•          Place baking tray in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are soft in the center but firm at the edges.
•          Remove and let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to the wire rack to finish cooling.
•          Put remaining white chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl and melt them in the heated oven for 20 seconds.
•          Remove as soon as chocolate is melted and stir until smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cool cookies. Ready to serve!

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/6809/Cholocate-Cookies.html 

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Apple Pie

Ingredients

Crust: 1 box refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling:

•          6 cups thinly sliced, peeled apples
•          3/4 cup sugar
•          2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•          3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•          1/4 teaspoon salt
•          1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•          1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

•          Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Place 1 pie crust in un-greased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against side and bottom.
•         In large bowl, gently mix filling ingredients; spoon into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge, pressing edges together to seal; flute. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust.
•          Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cover edge of crust with 2- to 3-inch wide strips of foil after first 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving.

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/6164/Apple-Pie.html

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Piñata Biscuits

Ingredients

•          5 cups flour
•          1 tsp cream of tartar
•          1 cup sugar
•          1 tsp salt
•          1 tsp baking soda
•          1 cup powdered sugar
•          1 cup butter, melted
•          2 eggs
•          1 cup vegetable oil
•          1 tbsp vanilla extract
•          1 tsp almond extract
•          Pink, yellow, purple, orange, blue and black food coloring
•          Colorful candies
•          Decorative frosting

Directions

•          To make a dough: combine flour, cream of tartar, salt, baking soda in a bowl. Mix well and set aside. In another bowl, combine sugar, powdered sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vegetable oil and beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition. Finally, add vanilla and almond extract and mix well.
•           To color the dough: divide it into six even-sized balls and add one color to each ball until desired colors are achieved.
•          Line a square or rectangular food container with plastic wrap. Spread black dough flat over plastic wrap at the bottom of container. Spread remaining dough one at a time to make flat layers on top. Cover dough and refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
•          To bake biscuits: preheat oven to 350F. Remove dough from refrigerated container and remove plastic wrap. Using a sharp knife, slice dough into desired number of biscuits.
•          Place sliced dough on baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place baking tray into preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes.
•          To shape biscuits: remove baked from the oven and immediately use burro piñata biscuits cutter to cut biscuits into striped burro shapes (the black dough forms the feet). Each piñata biscuits will be made of 3 burro layers. Cut each burro in half  the long way. For biscuits that will be used as the middle layer, cut off the ears and legs and cut out a small square in the belly so there’s room for candies later. Work as quickly as possible, as biscuits will crumble when cooled. Let biscuits cool in baking tray.
•          To assemble biscuits: take the bottom of layers and apply icing glue. Put the middle layer on the top of it, placing colorful candies in the open centre. Apply another layer of icing glue, then stick top layer on. Repeat with remaining biscuits. Let biscuits harden for at least 30 minutes then stand upright to serve.

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/6706/Pinata-Cookies.html

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Chocolate lava cake

Legend has it that this chocolate lava cake was the result of a major culinary disaster. The dessert was meant to be individual chocolate cakes, but a cook took them out of the ovens to soon, and the centers where still liquefied. Since there was no time to cook them further, the Chef simply introduced the dessert as chocolate “lava” cake.

Ingredients

•          5 tbsp butter
•          3.5 oz dark chocolate (this is one standard chocolate bar)
•          2 extra large eggs
•          1 extra large egg yolk
•          3 tbsp sugar
•          3 tbsp flour
•          2 tsp cocoa powder
•          pinch of salt
•          powdered sugar as needed

Directions

•          Melt the butter and chocolate together over a double-boiler, or microwave for a short time. Stir to combine. Whisk together the eggs and sugar until the mixture is light yellow in color, and the sugar is dissolved. About 3 minutes. 
•          Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and whisk until combined. Sift in the flour, cocoa, and salt. Fold in with a spatula until combined. Spoon into 4 buttered 5-oz ramekins, and tap on the table to settle any air bubbles. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
•          Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place ramekins in a baking dish and add water until it is halfway up the sides. Bake for 15 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm. The cakes can be turn out, or served in the ramekins.

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/4497/Chocolate-Lava.html

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Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• ·         200g caster sugar
• ·         200g softened butter
• ·         4 medium eggs
• ·         170g self-raising flour
• ·         30g cocoa powder
• ·         1tbsp baking powder
• ·         2tbsp milk
• ·         200ml double cream
• ·         50g butter
• ·         3tbsp clear honey
• ·         200g dark chocolate
• ·         Sliced almonds for decoration
• ·         Shaved chocolate for decoration
• ·         Cherries for decoration

Directions

• ·         Heat oven to 375F. Line cake tins with non-stick baking paper.
• ·         In a large bowl, beat butter and then add caster sugar, eggs, flour and cocoa powder and mix well until you have smooth, soft batter.
• ·         Divide the batter between the tins, smooth the surface with a spatula. Place the cake tins in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
• ·         Remove the cake and turn it onto a cooling rack. Remove baking paper over the cake and leave to cool completely.
• ·         For the fudge frosting, heat double cream until it just begins to boil then add butter, honey, and dark chocolate, stir it and leave mixture for five minutes so the chocolate melts, then stir it briefly to combine all ingredients, don’ over mix it or it will lose its shine.
• ·         To assemble the cake, cut the cake in 2 layers, horizontally on the plate. Using palette knife, spread fudge frosting over the top of the base layer of the cake. Carefully set second layer on the top and cove entire cake with the remaining fudge frosting.
• ·         Sprinkle sliced almonds on the side wall of the cake. Decorate with cherries, chocolate.

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/4253/Chocolate-Cake_s-Making.html

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Inside-Out Carrot Cake Cookies

For cookies

• ·         1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• ·         1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ·         1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• ·         1/2 teaspoon salt
• ·         1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• ·         1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• ·         1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ·         1 large egg
• ·         1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• ·         1 cup coarsely grated carrots (2 medium)
• ·         1 scant cup walnuts (3 oz), chopped
• ·         1/2 cup raisins (2 1/2 oz)

For frosting

• ·         8 oz cream cheese
• ·         1/4 cup honey

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 2 baking sheets.

Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Beat together butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in carrots, nuts, and raisins at low speed, then add flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Drop 1 1/2 tablespoons batter per cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are lightly browned and springy to the touch, 12 to 16 minutes total. Cool cookies on sheets on racks 1 minute, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

While cookies are baking, blend cream cheese and honey in a food processor until smooth.

Sandwich flat sides of cookies together with a generous tablespoon of cream cheese filling in between.

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Baked Chicken

Ingredients

•         ¾ cup dry breadcrumbs
•          2 tbsp finely chopped chives
•          ¼ cup mayonnaise
•          ¼ cup whole grain mustard
•          2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
•          Salt
•          6 large chicken drumsticks
•          Olive oil

For serving:

•          Lettuce
•          Mayonnaise
•          Sauce

Directions

•          Preheat oven to 425F. Coat the baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil. Mix together breadcrumbs and minced chives in a medium bowl.
•          In another medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle salt on each chicken drumstick. One by one, mix each chicken drumstick in mayonnaise mixture, turn it to coat.
•          Place chicken drumsticks on the prepared baking sheet, place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, until just cooked through, and juices run clear.
•          Serve chicken drumsticks with mayonnaise, lettuce and sauce.

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/4808/Fried-Chicken-Delicious.html

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Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

•          1 cup icing graze
•          1 tsp baking soda
•          3 eggs
•          3 cups all purpose flour
•          1 vegetable oil
•          2 cups grated zucchini

Directions

•          Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour the loaf pan. Grate the zucchini, use a grater.
•          In the large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Add vegetable oil, sugar and beat together well. Then add zucchini, vanilla extract and stir it.
•          In another bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and chopped walnuts.
•          Add flour mixture to the zucchini mixture and beat until well combined. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
•          Place loaf pan in the oven and bake for 60 minutes or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
•          Remove zucchini bread from the oven and cool completely. Spread icing glaze over top of cooled zucchini bread. Garnish with chopped walnuts if desired.

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/5832/Zucchini-Bread.html

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Easter humpty biscuits

Ingredients

•          100g butter or margarine
•          100g caster sugar
•          1 large egg
•          1 cup ground cinnamon
•          225g plain flour
•          50g currants
•          A little milk to glaze
•          Melted chocolate
•          Colored icing
•          Extra currants to decorate

Directions

·         Add butter and sugar to the bowl. Use spatula to mix the content

·         Add egg and cinnamon to the bowl. Use spatula to beat the content

·         Add flour and currants to the bowl. Use spatula to mix the content

·         Pour the content to the spray and use spatula to squeeze

·         Use a glass to cut the content into circles. Place the biscuits in the baking tray

·         Dip the brush in milk. Brush the biscuits with milk and melted chocolate.

·         Do pink icing for the lips in the biscuits. Place the tray in the microwave at 190C

·         Take the tray out of the microwave to ready for serving.

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/813/Easter-Humpty-Biscuits.html

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Pecan Pie

Ingredients

•          1 unbaked pie crust
•          Pie weights
•          Aluminum foil
•          ¾ cup dark corn syrup
•          ½ cup brown sugar
•          4 tbsp melted butter
•          1 tsp vanilla extract
•          3 large eggs
•          1 cup pecans chopped
•          ¾ cup pecan halves
•          Maple syrup for serve

Directions

•          Line pie crust with aluminum foil and pie weights. Place pie crust in the preheat oven at 425ºF  and bake for 10 minutes. Remove pie crust from the oven and then remove the foil with the pie weights and bake again until it’s golden, about 10 minutes. Let it cool for few minutes.
•          Preheat the oven to 350ºF. To make pecan filling, whisk together dark corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, eggs, chopped pecans, pecan halves in a large bowl. Pour the pecan filling into the cooled pie crust.
•          Place the pecan pie into the oven and bake for about 50 minutes. Remove pecan pie crust from oven and transfer it to wire rack, let it cool completely, at least 1 hour. Serve with marsh syrup and pecans.

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/4789/Cook-The-Pecan-Pie.html

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Ice cream pie

Ingredients

•          1 package waffle cones
•          5 tbsp butter, smelted
•          1 tbsp granulated sugar
•          2 containers premium vanilla ice cream, divided
•          1 container fresh strawberries
•          ¼ cup powdered sugar, divided
•          1 pint fresh blueberries
•          2 ripe banana, mashed

For Garnish:

•          Fresh whole strawberries
•          Fresh blueberries

Directions

•          Preheat the oven at 350ºF. Add waffle cones, smelted butter, granulated sugar in a food processor until finely crushed. Then firmly press mixture onto bottom of pan.
•          Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from oven and cool completely in pan on the wire pack.
•          Add strawberries and powdered sugar in a food processor until pureed, stopping to scrape down sides and set aside.
•          Then add blueberries and powdered sugar in a food processor until pureed, stopping to scrape down sides and set aside.
•          Then mash banana with a folk in a large bowl, stir in remaining powdered sugar and set aside.
•          Fold a quart of vanilla ice cream into strawberry mixture until blended. Place strawberry mixture in freezer until slightly firm.
•          Divide remaining quart of vanilla ice cream in half, fold half vanilla ice cream into blueberry mixture and half into smash banana mixture. Put both in freezer
•          Assemble ice cream pie. Spread half of strawberry mixture evenly into prepared crust in pan. Put pan in freezer for 30 minutes or until strawberry layer slightly firm.
•          Remove the pan from freezer and spread banana mixture evenly over strawberry layer, return pan into freezer for 30 minutes or until banana layer slightly firm.
•          Repeat the procedure with blueberry mixture and spread the remaining the strawberry mixture over. Freeze for 3 hours or layers are firm. Remove ice cream pie and garnish with strawberries and blueberries.

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/5264/Ice-Cream-Pie.html

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Lemon Cake

Ingredients

•         2 cups all-purpose flour
•          1 cup lemon curd
•          4 tbsp lemon juice
•          2 tbsp baking powder
•          Zest of 1 large lemon
•          4 large eggs
•          1 cup unsalted butter
•          1 cup Confectioner’s sugar
•          1 cup Granulated sugar
•          Lemon slices
•          ¼ tsp salt
•          1 tsp vanilla extract
•          Cake frosting pipe

Directions

•          Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a cake pan with a non stick cooking spray. Sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest in a bowl.
•          In a large bowl, add butter, sugar and beat until light and fluffy and pale in color. Then add vanilla extract, eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Then add the flour mixture, alternately with the lemon juice and mix until you have a smooth batter.
•          Pour batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with a spoon. Place cake pan in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
•          Remove the lemon cake from the oven and place on the wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes.  
•          Place confectioner’s sugar in a small bowl, then add lemon juice and stir until you have a thick and smooth glaze. Then gently remove the side of the pan. Pour glaze over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the side. Spread lemon curd over the top of cake.
•          Decorate lemon cake edges with frosting pipe and top with lemon slices.

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/5644/Lemon-Cake-Cooking.html

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Pavlova

A Pavlova is a meringue cake with a light, delicate, crisp crust and a soft sweet marshmallow center.

Ingredients

•          Whites from 3 medium eggs
•          1 ½ cups caster sugar
•          1 tsp cornstarch
•          1 tsp white vinegar
•          ½ qt whipped cream
• Toppings
•          1 orange, segmented
•          1 kiwis, sliced
•          6-8 larges strawberries

Directions

•          Preheat the oven to 170ºF (75ºC). Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peak form. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat well. Add the remaining sugar, the cornstarch, and the white vinegar, and continue to beat until meringue mixture is very stiff and shiny.
•          Grease the flat baking sheet with butter and cover with parchment paper. Make sure that the edge of pavlova is slightly higher than the centre so you have a very slight hollow in the middle.
•          Bake the pavlova for 40 minutes or until the outside is dry and a very pale cream color. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely. Gently remove from parchment paper and place on the serving plate. Spread the whipped cream over the pavlova and decorate with plenty of fruit, serve.

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/5807/Pavlova.html

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Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

For cookies

•          1 cup butter, softened
•          1 package cream cheese, softened
•          1 cup sugar
•          1 egg yolk
•         ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
•          ¼ tsp almond extract
•          2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
•          ½ tsp salt
•          ¼ tsp baking powder
•          Tinted frosting or colored sugar

For glaze

•          1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
•          1/8 tsp salt
•          2 ½ tbsp half-and-half cream
•          Cake decorating gel and sprinkles, optional.

Directions

•          In a bowl, mix butter, cream cheese and sugar. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla and almond extract. Combine the flout, salt, baking powder and gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until easy to handle.
•        On a lightly flour surface, roll out dough. Give desired cookies shape to dough. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 350ºF for 8-10 minutes or until edges begins brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pan to wire racks.
•        Combine glaze ingredients until smooth, spoon over cookies. Decorate as desired.

http://www.dressup24h.com/game/3037/Sugar-Cookies.html

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