We are trying more with eggs this week. I think the menu is going to need more savory items to balance all the sweet. This recipe took more steps that I usually like to do, but they made a dozen at a time so I didn’t mind.
I did a few things this time that I would do differently next time. First, I bought hot sausage. It was a little spicy for my liking and other’s might think so too. It did give the nest more flavor though. I also bought frozen hash browns where the recipe called for refrigerated. I think the frozen might have been harder to work with, but maybe I should have tried thawing them first. And finally, there is a lot of changing the oven temperature in between steps. I missed turning the oven up to 450 degrees when I was supposed to and I needed to leave that part in the oven longer. I’m not sure if that made a difference.
Sam was completely uninterested in helping with these for some reason. He just watched. Always my faithful taste tester though, he gave these a thumbs down for being too plain - until he got to the hot sausage part that he said was too spicy.
I thought they were okay, but maybe if I follow my own advice above they will come out better next time. Oh well, I made a full batch so I guess we will be eating these for awhile no matter what.
INGREDIENTS
1 package Premium Pork Sausage
20 ounces refrigerated hashbrowns
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
12 medium eggs
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons chives, thinly sliced
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400F.
Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
Divide sausage into 12 equal patties and place on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to 450F.
In a large bowl, combine hash browns, one cup of cheese, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
Generously spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Scoop out a rounded one-quarter cup of hash brown mixture and press into each well of the muffin pan. Use a spoon or your fingers to pack the mixture in tightly. Spray with additional nonstick cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
Remove the muffin pan from the oven and use a spoon to carefully press hash browns down and up the sides of each hash brown cup to create a cup or nest shape.
Place a sausage patty in each hash brown cup, trimming the patties if needed.
Carefully top each sausage patty with an egg.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of each egg and season with additional salt and pepper.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until eggs are set. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before carefully removing with a spoon.
