Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2008

Bacon and egg bake with hash brown crust

Bacon and egg bake with hash brown crust

Vegetable oil spray

1 (24-ounce) package frozen shredded

hash browns, thawed and drained

8 ounces bacon bacon, cooked crisp

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

(about 3 ounces)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

8 eggs

1-1/2 cups milk (2 percent or whole)

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Crushed tomatoes or salsa (optional)

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with vegetable oil. Press potatoes firmly along bottom and up sides of pan, pressing with the bottom of a glass to distribute evenly. Spray with vegetable oil. Bake 25 minutes; potatoes will look barely done.

Remove pan from oven. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Crumble bacon over potatoes. Sprinkle tomatoes, parsley and cheese on top. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk and pepper, and pour over cheese. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until eggs are set and crust is nicely browned. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting. Serve with crushed tomatoes or salsa.

Nutritional information per serving: 337 calories (56 percent from fat), 21 g fat (10.1 g saturated, 7.8 g monounsaturated), 223.6 mg cholesterol, 20.8 g protein, 16.2 g carbohydrates, 1.3 g fiber, 794.3 mg sodium.