With eggs in the forefront as Easter approaches, here are a few ideas to make your next breakfast (or dinner) extra special. Eggs are high in protein, nutrient-dense and free of sugar and carbohydrates found in many other breakfast options.

With hundreds of egg recipes out there, these recipes provide something for every type of egg lover.

Sausage Tortilla Breakfast Bake

Ingredients

8 ounces bulk lean turkey breakfast sausage

1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes and green chilies

6 corn tortillas (6 inches)

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

2 green onions, chopped

6 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

3/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Reduced-fat sour cream, optional

Salsa, optional

Additional chopped green onions, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in tomatoes.

Coat in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray. Line the pie plate with half the tortillas. Sprinkle with half of each of the following: sausage mixture, cheeses and green onions. Repeat layers.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, paprika and cumin. Pour slowly over layers. Bake uncovered until set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into wedges. If desired, serve with sour cream, salsa and additional green onions.

— Recipe from tasteofhome.com

Breakfast Burger

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided

3 tablespoons butter, softened and divided

4 buns or 8 pieces of toast

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 1/2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

4 large eggs

1/4 cup seedless blackberry spreadable fruit

4 slices American cheese

8 cooked bacon strips

Directions

Combine ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, steak seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Grill burgers, covered, on a greased grill rack over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes on each side until a thermometer reads 160°F.

Meanwhile, spread 2 tablespoons butter over one side of toast slices; grill with burgers until golden brown. Remove burgers and toast from heat; keep warm.

Increase heat to high. In a large skillet on grill rack, heat oil. Drop hash browns by 1/2 cupfuls into oil; press to flatten. Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper. Fry, covered, until golden brown on each side and crisp, 12-15 minutes, adding oil as needed. Remove and keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium. In same skillet, heat remaining butter. Add eggs; fry over easy.

To assemble, spread blackberry preserves over four slices of toast. Layer each slice with one hash brown patty, one burger, one fried egg, one cheese slice and two bacon strips. Top with remaining toast slices.

— Recipe from tasteofhome.com

Sausage Polenta with Nestled Eggs

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 1/4 cups milk

1 cup quick-cooking polenta mix (grits)

1 1/4 cups shredded Mexican-style four-cheese blend (5 ounces)

1 4-ounce can diced green chiles

1 cup finely chopped onion

8 ounces bulk pork sausage

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

Nonstick cooking spray

8 eggs

Ground black pepper, optional

Snipped fresh cilantro, optional

Bottled hot pepper sauce, optional

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, bring broth to boiling. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together milk and polenta. Add polenta mixture in a slow, steady stream to broth, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Cook and stir until bubbly; cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes more until polenta thickens. Stir in cheese and chiles; set aside.

2. In an extra-large skillet, cook onion, sausage and mushrooms over medium-high heat until meat browns and onion is tender. Drain and discard liquid. Stir in polenta mixture.

3. Spread polenta-meat mixture in a greased 3-quart oval or rectangular baking dish. Cover with greased or nonstick foil; chill overnight.

4. While oven preheats to 375°F, use the bottom of a 1/3-cup measuring cup coated with cooking spray to make eight indentations in the polenta-meat mixture. Bake, covered, for 35 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Remove dish from oven; remove foil. Break 1 egg into a small, shallow bowl. Slide egg into an indentation. Repeat with remaining eggs. Return to oven.

5. Bake, uncovered, in the 325° oven for 25 minutes or until the eggs are almost set. Let stand on wire rack 5 to 10 minutes (eggs will continue to cook). If you like, sprinkle with ground black pepper and cilantro and serve with hot pepper sauce.

Makes 8 servings.

— Recipe from Midwest Living magazine

Eggs Benedict

Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients

12 eggs, well-beaten

1 tablespoon butter

2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls

1 (.9-ounce) package hollandaise sauce mix

2/3 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

3 cups diced cooked ham

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour in eggs, and cook to desired degree of doneness, stirring constantly.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Unroll crescent dough, and place rolls on an ungreased 12-inch pizza pan with points toward the center. Press seams together and press up sides of pan to form a crust.

Prepare Hollandaise sauce according to package directions, using 2/3 cup milk and 1/4 cup butter. Pour evenly over crescent roll crust. Spread scrambled eggs evenly over sauce, then top with cubed ham. Sprinkle lightly with shredded cheese.

Bake in preheated oven until bottom of crust is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

— Recipe from allrecipes.com

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

12 large hard-boiled eggs

1 ripe avocado

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon salt

Dash tobasco sauce

Directions

Cut hard-boiled eggs in half length-wise. Spoon out yolks and place in a re-sealable bag. Set egg white halves onto a plate.

Add avocado, sour cream, salt and tabasco to bag of yolks. Seal bag and mash together with hands until completely mixed.

Snip one corner of the bag and pipe into the egg white halves, creating a small mound.

Garnish with 1/2 piece of tortilla chip and drops of salsa and serve.