Eggs, the perfect food any way they're cooked
Cooking on the Colorado
Leigh Pless

I'm a big fan of breakfast casseroles and omelets, so eggs are on the menu this morning. These recipes are delicious and will help get your day off to a great start.

Baked Chile-Cheese Omelet

2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (4 ozs. ) can chopped green
chilies, drained
2 C. shredded Monterey jack
cheese
1 1/2 C. milk
3 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 (8 ozs.) can tomato sauce

Layer cheese, chilies and Monterey jack cheese in a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Beat milk, flour, salt and eggs. Pour over cheese mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F until set in center and top is golden brown - about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Heat tomato sauce, and serve with omelet.

Mexican Jack Omelet

3 eggs
2 ozs. Monterey jack/pepper
jack cheese
1 Tblsp. water or milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in blender. Process on "Grate" for about 10 seconds. Over medium heat, melt a small pat of butter in a skillet. Pour omelet into skillet. Cook until just set; then flip over and cook until done. Fold and serve. Makes 1 omelet.

Eggs in Potato Hollows

4 C. mashed potatoes
1/2 C. crumbled, crisp bacon or
diced ham
1/4 C. minced onion
8 eggs
1/4 C. chopped, fresh herbs
(tarragon, dill, parsley)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Bacon fat or butter
1/2 C. dry bread crumbs
1 C. shredded cheese (or cheddar
or jack)

Combine mashed potatoes, bacon, onion, herbs and pepper, stirring until well mixed. Grease a shallow baking pan with bacon fat or butter, sprinkle with bread crumbs. Spoon 8 mounds of potato mixture into pan. With back of spoon, make deep depressions, large enough to contain eggs in the potatoes. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until potatoes are hot. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Break 1 egg into each potato hollow. Bake for 20 minutes or until eggs are set. Sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven until cheese melts and eggs are done.

Egg Entree

12 eggs
2 cans cream-style corn
4 C. grated, sharp Cheddar
cheese
2 (4 ozs. ) cans chopped green
chilies
1 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tblsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Put eggs into a large bowl and beat well. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Blend thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients and stir with a large spoon until well blended. Pour into a well-greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Cut into squares to serve. NOTE: Recipe can easily be cut in half. This may be prepared ahead of time, covered and refrigerated. Remove from refrigerator at least 2 hours before baking and remove the covering of the casserole. Place in a preheated oven and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until firm to the touch.

Breakfast Lasagna

1 large bag frozen hash
browns
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 container sour cream
1 diced onion
1 lb. cooked bacon, diced
2 C. Cheddar and mozzarella
cheese
Using a lasagna pan: first layer - hash browns; second layer - mix sour cream and mushroom soup together and place on top of hash browns; third layer - onions; fourth layer - bacon; and top with cheese.

Bake in oven covered with foil for approximately 1 hour at 325 degrees. Take foil off and let cook for another 5 minutes.

Breakfast Casserole

6 slices bacon, cut into 1-
inch pieces
1 small green pepper,
chopped
2 Tblsp. chopped onions
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
cheese
3 large potatoes, cooked
and cubed
6 eggs

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Fry bacon till crisp. Drain and set aside bacon, reserving 3 tablespoons of drippings. Add peppers, onions and potatoes to drippings. Cook 5 minutes till brown. Sprinkle cheese over mixture and stir gently till cheese melts. In a separate bowl beat eggs and pour over potato mixture. Cook over low heat stirring gently. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish, crumble bacon over the top and bake for 30 minutes.