Papa Kern's

Out to breakfast at Papa Kern's with Mom and Jacci.
Originally uploaded by BarbaraLN

We tried a new place for breakfast this morning, Papa Kern's at East 29th and Hubbel. It was pretty good.

Hearty Breakfast Casserole

Recently I have been experimenting with breakfast casseroles done in my crockpot.  I love the idea of waking to the aroma of breakfast cooking.  It works okay, but I have decided it doesn't compare to this recipe for an oven baked breakfast casserole.  It is very easy to prepare, then cover it and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight before baking it in the oven.

Hearty Breakfast Casserole 

1 1/2 pounds of bulk turkey breakfast sausage
3 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
8 eggs
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 cup evaporated or almond milk (I used almond milk)

Crumble sausage into a large skillet.  Cook over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Transfer to a greased 13 in. X 9 in. x 2 in. baking dish.  Sprinkle with hash browns and cheese.  In a large bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients;  pour over the top.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.  Yield:  8 servings

This is great for breakfast or any other meal and the leftovers warm up great in the microwave.

Black Tea Friday

The day after Thanksgiving is known as a great shopping day.  We started out the day by going out to breakfast to the Birchwood Cafe, buying studded tires for Lisa and Colin's bikes, and Going to the TeaSource for Black Tea Friday.

Breakfast

This morning I met Mom and Jacci at Village Inn for breakfast.  We hadn't done that in a while.  The AC was cranked up too high, but the food was good.  I was playing with www.picmonkey.com for the photo editing, special effects, and frame.  At this point it is free, but I suspect there will soon be charges to use at least some of this website.

Photo #114/365: Easter Breakfast

Michael was in Des Moines this weekend. On Saturday his room mate, Laura, was a model in the fashion show at the Hair Ball at the Art Center. Michael went to the ball to watch her and take photos.



Michael and I had breakfast together on Easter Morning. We went to IHOP in Ankeny before I drove him back to Ames. We had a delicious breakfast. I highly recommend the Multigrain and Nut Pancakes.

Photo #249: The 5 and Diner

Mom, Jacci, and I celebrated Labor Day by having breakfast at the 5 and Diner in Pleasant Hill. They have good food, and I love the 1950s decor. I snapped this photo of Betty Boop and the jukebox.

Photo #241: Sunday Breakfast

This morning, I turned on the oven for the first time in a long time. I have hardly cooked at all this summer. Besides the fact that it has been too hot, after parenting for all these years, cooking just for me is a very different experience. I decided to make my Denver Omelet Pie. This is a breakfast casserole that I used to make frequently. Not only is it delicious for the first meal, the leftovers are great warmed up in the microwave. I really enjoy a nice leisurely breakfast on a Sunday morning, with a pot of my favorite Absolute Almond tea, buttered toast, and the Denver Omelet Pie. It's a great way to start the week.

Here is my recipe. It is adapted from a recipe from Taste of Home's, Quick Cooking Magazine.

Denver Omelet Pie

Ingredients
• 6 eggs or 2 cups of Egg Beaters or other egg substitute
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup diced fully cooked ham
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper

Directions
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, salt and pepper. Stir in the potatoes, cheese, ham, onion, and green pepper. Pour into a greased 9-in. pie plate. Bake at 350° for 4 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Yield: 6 servings.