Potato Egg "Cups"

Ingredients

4 small russet or Yukon potatoes, rinsed clean

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

¼ stick unsalted butter, melted

8 poached eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

8 tsp chives, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Poke the top of each potato with a fork and place on a baking sheet.  Bake for 60-70 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.

Cook bacon on stove over low heat, about 10 minutes.  Remove, drain on paper towels, then crumble into small pieces.

Once potatoes are cool, cut in half lengthwise, so that each potato will yield 2 skins.  Carefully scoop out center of the potato, while still leaving some potato in the boat.

Poach the eggs

Heat broiler to high.  Brush melted butter on the inside and outside of the potatoes.  Season each side with salt and pepper.  Place under the broiler for 8-10 minutes to allow the insides to get crispy.  Remove from oven and place cheese and bacon on each skin.  Return to the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Remove from oven  top each half with an egg, a dollop of sour cream and a tsp of chives. Serve hot

Bacon, Egg and Spinach Breakfast Stacks

Ingredients


6 cup(s) uncooked bliss potatoes, baby-variety (about 12 oz)
9 oz fresh spinach, baby-variety (about 1 1/2 cups after cooking)
1 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
2 large egg(s), beaten
2 Tbsp chives, fresh, chopped
6 slice(s) uncooked Canadian-style bacon, quartered
1 cup(s) low-fat shredded Cheddar cheese


Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place muffin liners in a 12-hole muffin tin.

Wash and steam potatoes until just done or slightly underdone, about 10 to 15 minutes; cool immediately. Slice each potato into four rounds; set aside.

Wash and steam spinach until just wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes; cool, drain well, squeeze out any remaining water and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs and chives.

Place a middle slice of potato in the bottom of each muffin hole so it lays flat. Top each with a quarter-slice of bacon, 1 heaping teaspoon of ricotta cheese mixture, about 2 tablespoons of spinach, about a tablespoon of cheddar cheese, another bacon quarter, and another heaping teaspoon of ricotta mixture. Finish stacks by placing remaining potato slices on top and sprinkling with a few remaining shreds of cheese.

Bake stacks until fully set and ricotta is cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in muffin tins for about 10 to 15 minutes and then transfer to racks to continue cooling. Yields 1 stack per serving