Berry Delicious Frosting

Sometimes I struggle between healthful ingredients and "celebration" food.Many things slide on special occasions, but I prefer artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup not to come from my kitchen. So, what do I do when it comes to my kid's' birthday cake? I take a Costco cake, strip the frosting off and make my own. Then I spread it back on the cake! It's tastier and semi-homemade. And I can still enjoy the party and the cake! 

Berry Delicious Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package freeze-dried berries Note: Dried fruit WILL NOT WORK  Prefer mixed berries from Target or blueberries and/or raspberries from Trader Joe's. Strawberries work and have not tried cranberries yet.

2 blocks cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 stick butter, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar, plus 1/2 cup for berries


Equipment needed: Food processor

First, process berries and 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar in food processor for almost one minute, or until a uniform fine powder is achieved. Remove from work bowl. Process cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in clean food processor work bowl until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add confectioners' sugar and berry mixture and process until smooth, about 30 seconds.

This frosting is SO GOOD!

You say potato; I say potatoes for breakfast...

I didn't always love Mac 'n' cheese. One great thing about having young kids is they usually like it, so  a parent by default eats quite a bit of it. Eliminating gluten has made it harder to find cheese sauce carriers. Just when I was feeling sorry for myself, we went to Mission BBQ in Laurel, where I spied cheesy potatoes as a side. Yum! A new comfort food. It got me thinking about breakfast and how good potatoes can be. Here are two breakfast/brunch recipes. One of my favorites is skillet hash. Instead of ham, I make mine with smoked turkey or turkey bacon from the Amish market. 

Skillet Ham and Potato Breakfast Hash

Serves 4

Be sure to substitute sweet potatoes for just half of the potatoes here. If you try to replace all of the potatoes with sweet potatoes, the hash will have a very soft, mushy consistency. You will need a 12-inch skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is traditional, but we prefer a nonstick skillet—the nonstick surface leaves little chance of anything sticking and burning. Try flipping the hash with a stiff plastic spatula.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound russet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 small), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 4 ounces bacon (about 4 slices), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 12 ounces thinly sliced deli ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 large eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Toss the potatoes with the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl and microwave on high until the potatoes begin to soften, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring the potatoes halfway through cooking. Drain the potatoes well.
   2. Cook the bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the fat begins to render, about 2 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
   3. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the drained potatoes, cream, and hot sauce. Using the back of a spatula, gently pack the potatoes into the pan and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip the hash, one portion at a time, and lightly repack it into the pan. Repeat the flipping process every few minutes until the potatoes are nicely browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
   4. Stir in the ham and lightly repack the hash into the pan. Make four shallow wells (about 2 inches wide) in the surface of the hash.
   5. Crack 1 egg into each indentation and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and continue to cook until the eggs are just set, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

BREAKFAST POTATO SKINS

24 small red potatoes (about 2-1/2 pounds)

1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon, divided
1/4 cup sour cream
3 eggs, beaten
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika

• Scrub potatoes; place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
• When cool enough to handle, cut a thin slice off the top of each potato. Scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell. (Cut thin slices from potato bottoms to level if necessary.) In a large bowl, mash the potato tops and pulp with butter. Set aside 2 tablespoons each of cheese and bacon for garnish; add remaining cheese and bacon to potatoes. Stir in the sour cream, eggs, salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into potato shells. Top with remaining cheese and bacon; sprinkle with paprika. Place in an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 12-18 minutes. Yield: 2 dozen. Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/stuffed-baby-red-potatoes#ixzz3Qcp3yKZ1