Easy Breakfast Burritos

I am a total breakfast person. I could eat bacon every day. I've never turned down an omelette. Waffles, pancakes, crepes? Yes please! And don't even ask me about my all-time favorite, eggs Benedict... just bring me a plate and I'll be your best friend for life.

But I'll also eat just about anything wrapped in a tortilla.

Especially if it includes crispy bacon, crunchy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside potatoes, and fluffy scrambled eggs. (Oh, and cheese... can't forget about the cheese.) What's not to love?

These burritos are (yet another) knock off of a restaurant favorite, this time from Dane's hometown of Kimberly, Idaho. Burritos so good that we always have to make a trip to Fiesta Ole whenever we go to visit. And they couldn't be simpler! And the best part is that this is totally just a base recipe. You could, for instance, use frozen tater tots like Fiesta does, or you could add salsa, cilantro, scallions, olives... the possibilities are endless! Make 'em yours, any way you want... just make 'em! Your tastebuds will thank me.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Cristina Ferrare is a woman after my own heart. As you may remember, I have a serious addiction to pasta. And apparently so does she, because there are 15 pasta recipes in her cookbook. Pasta has it's own section... like it its own food group or something. Does anyone else think it ought to be?

I also have a serious mad on for bacon. So of course I got a little excited when I saw the ingredients list for this recipe. My two favorite things in one dish... I knew it had to be good. And oh boy was it. So good the boy didn't even complain about the peas (which were actually a very nice complement to the salty bacon and tender pasta). And so good that everyone at work the next day was a little envious of my leftovers when I took them for lunch... always a good sign, right? Plus, for a creamy sauce, it was surprisingly light and didn't make me feel like I needed to throw my sweatpants on when I was done. An all around winner in my book.

So thanks, Cristina, for feeding my pasta addiction. I love you. :)

Bacon-Pancetta Potatoes

The gym I go to has these lovely televisions attached to about half of the cardio machines. Being able to watch TV definitely makes those half-hour cardio workouts a bit easier, especially for someone like me who doesn't get broadcast television at home. And I bet you'll never guess what my favorite channel to watch while I'm on the treadmill is... hmm... yup, Food Network. Yes, it's a bit ironic, but that's part of the fun for me. There's something especially masochistic about watching Ina Garten make cheesecake while I run my guts out, tehe. Plus, it gives me great inspiration sometimes... like this amazing potato recipe.

Yes, these babies are fried.

Yes, I used the grease from the bacon and pancetta.

No, these are not healthy.

But... these are quite possibly the best potatoes I've ever eaten.

See, I, like, Jessica over at How Sweet It Is, have an obsession with bacon. No, I don't have four packages of bacon in my fridge right now like she does, but when I see a recipe that includes bacon I simply can't resist. And while, yes, the potatoes are the center of attention in this dish, the bacon and pancetta should definitely get awards for supporting roles. And if you so desired, you could easily double the amount of bacon and omit the pancetta, but to me, the combination of flavors takes these potatoes from ordinary to damn-near gourmet.  

Trust me, once you try these you'll never go back to ordinary fried potatoes. You'll be finding all kinds of excuses to make these for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. So what if you'll need to run an extra mile on the treadmill when you're done? It'll be nice excuse to watch more Food Network. :)

Italian Club Sandwiches

I wasn't planning to post about these.

No, my next post was going to be about the butternut squash soup I'm going to try my hand at tonight.

These were simply supposed to be an easy weeknight dinner, with a little something different for a change of pace.

But after one bite out of these savory... flavorful... heavenly sandwiches... 

...I knew I had to share.

This is quite possibly the most delicious sandwich I have ever eaten. Chewy focaccia, light, fluffy egg crepes, salty, crispy bacon, savory, thin-sliced turkey,sharp provolone cheese... and all with that distinctive zing of pesto. The only problem I have with this sandwich is that I can't stop eating it. 

I got the recipe from Giada De Laurentis on the Food Network website while I was looking for appetizers. She recommends cutting them up and serving bite-sized portions as finger foods... and they would be perfect for any kind of get together. But trust me, once you take one bite of these delicious sandwiches... you won't want to share.