Last summer, I attended a “Southern Living at Home” party with a couple of friends. I am sure most of you have heard of SLAH, they sell home décor, kitchen items, and my favorite, cookbooks! While we were there, the consultant would show items and give us ideas of how we could use it in our home. Several times while showing different serving platters, she mentioned they would be great for serving “Sausage Balls” at a party. After hearing this over and over, I had to lean over to my friends and quietly ask, “What the HECK are Sausage Balls???”. I was told there a snack food/appetizer sort of thing made from sausage, cheese and Bisquick. I had never heard of them! I thought it must be because I grew up in the North, but the way they were talked about down here, I thought maybe EVERYONE had heard of Sausage Balls but me. So I asked several of my friends from the North…none of them had heard of them either. So, it wasn’t just me, WHEW!
This morning, I decided I would tackle the Sausage Balls and take them to my prayer group that I attend every Friday. I found the recipe earlier this week, and made sure I had all the ingredients to make them. They were relatively easy to make and made a ton.
Sausage-Cheese Balls - adapted from Bisquick
3 cups Original Bisquick mix
1 pound bulk pork sausage
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, or cheese of your choice (I used Mexi blend)
½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
½ teaspoon dried parsley
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray bottom and sides of a shallow pan with non-stick spray.
2. Use your hands to mix all ingredients together. (Trust me, a spoon just won't cut it) Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Place them in the pan so they aren't touching...they can be close, just don't have them touch!
3. Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown. Immediately remove from pan.
Makes: approx 7-8 dozen
These were extremely yummy, and very easy to eat, too easy actually. They were less greasy than I thought they would be, and really delicious with the barbecue sauce I served them with for dipping.
To make sure I made them all the same size, I used my Pampered Chef small scoop (looks like a tiny ice cream scoop) and scooped them all first and place them on a pan. Then I went back and used my hands to form them into a compact ball. They were a little time consuming, but super easy.
I did read that you can make these up, and freeze them (up to 1 month) before cooking and just pull out what you need when you want to cook them. I had already thawed the sausage, so I didn’t think that would be a good idea. I only cooked up around 30 of them this morning, and refrigerated the rest to cook up this weekend. They will be good breakfast finger food or football watching food. And with the Superbowl coming up next weekend, these would be great to take to a party since it makes so many!
So I am counting on my Northern friends to spread the word about Sausage Balls! Ok, so that doesn’t sound so great when I put it like that. But seriously, the Southern cooks know a good appetizer: anything that involves a little fat, a little grease, and biscuits!
I am looking forward to trying some more Southern food this year and sharing it with you!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Yummy Meatloaf
I am definitely in comfort food mode lately, maybe because it’s winter. Or maybe I always am in that mode. Either way, tonight is no exception: It’s Meatloaf and Mashed Potato night!!! As a young child, I don’t remember eating meatloaf. I think my mom made it for the first time for us when I was a teenager. I always remember thinking that it sounded awful. I mean just the name itself isn’t very appealing. But, I was sure glad I tried it that first time, because it is definitely one of my favorite things to eat now!
I like making Meatloaf for several reasons. You already know the first one: I can make it in advance! It’s also very easy, and most of the ingredients I always have on hand. You really can’t mess up a Meatloaf. So, if you think you can’t cook, this is a great recipe to start with.
I got this recipe from my mom, not sure where she got it, but I added the “Yummy” to the name!
Yummy Meatloaf
Meatloaf:
1 ½ lbs. ground beef
1 cup tomato sauce
¾ cup uncooked oats (quick or old-fashioned)
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
BBQ Sauce Topping:
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 tbsp. mustard
1. Mix topping ingredients and set aside.
2. Combine all meatloaf ingredients in large bowl.
3. Place in 9x13 baking dish and shape into 4x8 inch loaf.
4. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, brush sauce over top and bake 10 more minutes.
Now, as far as the mashed potatoes go, I love homemade ones! But, I also love instant ones. It seems like a lot of people are totally against instant mashed potatoes, but they are seriously one of my all time favorite foods. I won’t tell you how often I make them…I mean, they are good for a late night snack, or when you’ve had a bad day! Anyhow, that’s what I made tonight…good ol’ Hungry Jack's! Also a little side of frozen peas (cooked, of course…I have to specify because my daughter likes them right out of the freezer), and some canned green beans.
So, not the most difficult of meals, but certainly "yummy", at least in my book!
I like making Meatloaf for several reasons. You already know the first one: I can make it in advance! It’s also very easy, and most of the ingredients I always have on hand. You really can’t mess up a Meatloaf. So, if you think you can’t cook, this is a great recipe to start with.
I got this recipe from my mom, not sure where she got it, but I added the “Yummy” to the name!
Yummy Meatloaf
Meatloaf:
1 ½ lbs. ground beef
1 cup tomato sauce
¾ cup uncooked oats (quick or old-fashioned)
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
BBQ Sauce Topping:
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 tbsp. mustard
1. Mix topping ingredients and set aside.
2. Combine all meatloaf ingredients in large bowl.
3. Place in 9x13 baking dish and shape into 4x8 inch loaf.
4. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, brush sauce over top and bake 10 more minutes.
Now, as far as the mashed potatoes go, I love homemade ones! But, I also love instant ones. It seems like a lot of people are totally against instant mashed potatoes, but they are seriously one of my all time favorite foods. I won’t tell you how often I make them…I mean, they are good for a late night snack, or when you’ve had a bad day! Anyhow, that’s what I made tonight…good ol’ Hungry Jack's! Also a little side of frozen peas (cooked, of course…I have to specify because my daughter likes them right out of the freezer), and some canned green beans.
So, not the most difficult of meals, but certainly "yummy", at least in my book!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Italian Panini Sandwiches
For Christmas, I received a Panini grill from my parents! I don’t know why it makes sandwiches taste so yummy, but it does. Today, I made grilled Italian sandwiches for dinner and amazingly, everyone liked them! Frankie did decide to remove the tomatoes and peppers just prior to eating, but I won’t complain about that.
I also made some good old Ore Ida French fries as well. Not exactly the healthiest dinner, but a tasty dinner for an afternoon of watching football!
If you have a George Foreman Grill, you can also grill your sandwich on that. If you have neither, then you can cook it on an electric griddle or skillet.
Italian Panini Sandwiches (Yield: 4 sandwiches)
1 loaf soft Italian bread
½ lb. sliced provolone (I used Sargento Reduced Fat Provolone slices)
½ lb. thin sliced ham (not shaved)
¼ lb. salami
¼ lb. sandwich pepperoni
1 tomato, sliced
Mild Pepper Rings
Your favorite Italian dressing (I used Kraft Light House Italian)
Olive Oil
1. Heat your Panini or George Foreman grill according to the product manual.
2. Cut loaf of Italian bread into 4 equal portions. Slice each portion in half horizontally.
3. Turn the bread “inside out”, so the outsides of the bread will actually be on the inside.
4. Starting with the bread “bottoms”, layer in this order: 1 slice of cheese, 2 slices salami, 2 slices ham, 2 slices pepperoni, 1 slice cheese. Top with other slice of bread.
5. Brush both sides of bread with olive oil. Having the bread “inside out” will help the oil to seep into the bread.
6. Place 2 sandwiches at a time on the grill, and cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden. Watch sandwiches carefully! Your grill may require more or less time! Repeat with other 2 sandwiches.
7. Remove carefully and open sandwiches and place on 2 tomato slices, pepper rings, and spread with Italian dressing. Cut sandwiches in half and serve!
Happy Grilling! And GO COLTS! AFC CHAMPS!
I also made some good old Ore Ida French fries as well. Not exactly the healthiest dinner, but a tasty dinner for an afternoon of watching football!
If you have a George Foreman Grill, you can also grill your sandwich on that. If you have neither, then you can cook it on an electric griddle or skillet.
Italian Panini Sandwiches (Yield: 4 sandwiches)
1 loaf soft Italian bread
½ lb. sliced provolone (I used Sargento Reduced Fat Provolone slices)
½ lb. thin sliced ham (not shaved)
¼ lb. salami
¼ lb. sandwich pepperoni
1 tomato, sliced
Mild Pepper Rings
Your favorite Italian dressing (I used Kraft Light House Italian)
Olive Oil
1. Heat your Panini or George Foreman grill according to the product manual.
2. Cut loaf of Italian bread into 4 equal portions. Slice each portion in half horizontally.
3. Turn the bread “inside out”, so the outsides of the bread will actually be on the inside.
4. Starting with the bread “bottoms”, layer in this order: 1 slice of cheese, 2 slices salami, 2 slices ham, 2 slices pepperoni, 1 slice cheese. Top with other slice of bread.
5. Brush both sides of bread with olive oil. Having the bread “inside out” will help the oil to seep into the bread.
6. Place 2 sandwiches at a time on the grill, and cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden. Watch sandwiches carefully! Your grill may require more or less time! Repeat with other 2 sandwiches.
7. Remove carefully and open sandwiches and place on 2 tomato slices, pepper rings, and spread with Italian dressing. Cut sandwiches in half and serve!
Happy Grilling! And GO COLTS! AFC CHAMPS!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Semi-Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
This morning my husband mentioned that Chicken Noodle Soup sounded good to him. I am not sure why, because no one is sick in our house and it wasn’t cold today, but he said it just sounded good. I really didn’t have a plan for dinner today (can you believe it?) so I decided to make him some Chicken Noodle Soup.
Normally, I would make chicken stock after I roast a chicken, but I didn’t have any chicken, so I had to start with what I did have. And that was chicken bouillon granules. Not exactly what I think of when making soup, but it would work for a quick pot of soup. I did realize then that I did have chicken…canned chicken. Basically, I scraped together some semi-homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with items I had on hand. It turned out amazingly well. Everyone liked it and we still have leftovers for tomorrow!
Here is my quick and easy recipe:
15 cups water
5 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
½ small onion chopped
3 celery stalks, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
½ bag egg noodles, cooked according to directions on package
1 large can chicken, drained and broken up
Pepper, to taste
1. Bring water to boil in large stock pot. Add bouillon granules and stir.
2. Add onion, celery and carrot. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to directions on package.
4. During last 5 minutes of simmering soup, add noodles and chicken. Add pepper to taste.
Normally, I would make chicken stock after I roast a chicken, but I didn’t have any chicken, so I had to start with what I did have. And that was chicken bouillon granules. Not exactly what I think of when making soup, but it would work for a quick pot of soup. I did realize then that I did have chicken…canned chicken. Basically, I scraped together some semi-homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with items I had on hand. It turned out amazingly well. Everyone liked it and we still have leftovers for tomorrow!
Here is my quick and easy recipe:
15 cups water
5 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
½ small onion chopped
3 celery stalks, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
½ bag egg noodles, cooked according to directions on package
1 large can chicken, drained and broken up
Pepper, to taste
1. Bring water to boil in large stock pot. Add bouillon granules and stir.
2. Add onion, celery and carrot. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to directions on package.
4. During last 5 minutes of simmering soup, add noodles and chicken. Add pepper to taste.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Baked Macaroni & Cheese
The first time I had this mac & cheese, was right after my son was born when my friend Kim L. , her husband and daughter came to visit and see our new baby. She brought this dish ready to be baked and once I tasted it, I was hooked. It was delicious! And could be made in advance (which you know I love)!
I don’t make it much anymore, however, and here’s why: my daughter doesn’t like “homemade” mac & cheese, she only likes the blue box stuff with the powdered cheese mix; and my husband has recently become severely lactose intolerant, so a bunch of cheese and milk isn’t really going to help him have a good night’s sleep. My son, on the other hand, LOVES this, and asks for it all the time. So, I thought tonight would be a good night to make it since my daughter would be at a friend’s house and my husband had non-cheesy leftovers from last night he could eat. My son, his friend, and I had all the mac & cheese to ourselves.
Because this is such a heavy dish, I like to serve it with raw veggies or salad. Tonight I just served a bunch of fresh carrot and celery sticks with Ranch dressing. There is something about eating something cold and crunchy, with something hot and squishy. It just works. You know what I mean.
Baked Macaroni & Cheese – courtesy of Kim L.
2 quarts water
8 ounces elbow macaroni
4 Tbsp. Butter, divided
3 - 4 slices bread, cubed
1 small onion, minced (I use even less…maybe ½ of a small onion)
1 Tbsp. All-purpose flour
1 tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Dry mustard
1/8 tsp. Pepper
1-1/2 cups milk
8 ounces shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
4 ounces shredded swiss cheese
(these are the cheeses I like to use, you can use any combination of cheeses that you like!)
1. Cook macaroni. Drain and set aside. Grease 2 qt baking dish (or use cooking spray). Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. While cooking macaroni….In 2-qt saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter, add onion and cook until tender. (5-10 minutes).
3. Blend in flour, mustard, pepper and salt. Stir in milk. Cook, stirring until thickened. Add a little extra flour if needed. Remove from heat and stir in cheese
4. Place macaroni in baking dish. Pour cheese mixture over macaroni and mix well.
5. Using pan you cooked macaroni in, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add bread cubes and toss to coat.
6. Place bread cubes on top of macaroni & cheese mixture.
7. Bake in oven 20 minutes or until bread cubes are lightly browned.
I think this is a great recipe to make for a family you may be making a meal for. It is easy to double, and can be baked in a heavy duty disposable foil pan, so that you don’t even have to worry about getting your pan back. If you prepare it ahead and refrigerate it for yourself or someone else, be sure to add 10-15 minutes to the baking time!
Definitely experiment with different types of cheeses. I haven’t done this because we have been happy with it the way it is. But if you do, please let me know! I would love to know which cheeses you try!
One last thing, don't be ashamed if you are a "box" Mac & Cheese kind of family. I still buy the 12 pack of it at Sam's all the time. There are some nights when I grab a box of that to make for the kids because there was no plan in place for dinner. Plus, that is still my daughter's favorite...for now. Hopefully one day, she'll realize that mom's is the best! ;)
I don’t make it much anymore, however, and here’s why: my daughter doesn’t like “homemade” mac & cheese, she only likes the blue box stuff with the powdered cheese mix; and my husband has recently become severely lactose intolerant, so a bunch of cheese and milk isn’t really going to help him have a good night’s sleep. My son, on the other hand, LOVES this, and asks for it all the time. So, I thought tonight would be a good night to make it since my daughter would be at a friend’s house and my husband had non-cheesy leftovers from last night he could eat. My son, his friend, and I had all the mac & cheese to ourselves.
Because this is such a heavy dish, I like to serve it with raw veggies or salad. Tonight I just served a bunch of fresh carrot and celery sticks with Ranch dressing. There is something about eating something cold and crunchy, with something hot and squishy. It just works. You know what I mean.
Baked Macaroni & Cheese – courtesy of Kim L.
2 quarts water
8 ounces elbow macaroni
4 Tbsp. Butter, divided
3 - 4 slices bread, cubed
1 small onion, minced (I use even less…maybe ½ of a small onion)
1 Tbsp. All-purpose flour
1 tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Dry mustard
1/8 tsp. Pepper
1-1/2 cups milk
8 ounces shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
4 ounces shredded swiss cheese
(these are the cheeses I like to use, you can use any combination of cheeses that you like!)
1. Cook macaroni. Drain and set aside. Grease 2 qt baking dish (or use cooking spray). Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. While cooking macaroni….In 2-qt saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter, add onion and cook until tender. (5-10 minutes).
3. Blend in flour, mustard, pepper and salt. Stir in milk. Cook, stirring until thickened. Add a little extra flour if needed. Remove from heat and stir in cheese
4. Place macaroni in baking dish. Pour cheese mixture over macaroni and mix well.
5. Using pan you cooked macaroni in, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add bread cubes and toss to coat.
6. Place bread cubes on top of macaroni & cheese mixture.
7. Bake in oven 20 minutes or until bread cubes are lightly browned.
I think this is a great recipe to make for a family you may be making a meal for. It is easy to double, and can be baked in a heavy duty disposable foil pan, so that you don’t even have to worry about getting your pan back. If you prepare it ahead and refrigerate it for yourself or someone else, be sure to add 10-15 minutes to the baking time!
Definitely experiment with different types of cheeses. I haven’t done this because we have been happy with it the way it is. But if you do, please let me know! I would love to know which cheeses you try!
One last thing, don't be ashamed if you are a "box" Mac & Cheese kind of family. I still buy the 12 pack of it at Sam's all the time. There are some nights when I grab a box of that to make for the kids because there was no plan in place for dinner. Plus, that is still my daughter's favorite...for now. Hopefully one day, she'll realize that mom's is the best! ;)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Kristina vs. Chocolate Chip Cookies
I enjoy baking. I enjoy cooking, too, but I think I like baking even more. Over the years, I have had this battle with Chocolate Chip cookies. They never turn out very good. Seriously. I will admit, they are one thing I struggled with baking for a long time. It’s shocking, even to me, because Chocolate Chip cookies are such a common thing to bake. But it is true.
My mom always made the “Nestle Toll House” recipe that can be found right on the back of the bag of chocolate chips. They always turned out great, not to crunchy, not too soft, and just the right thickness. However, whenever I tried to make that recipe, my cookies came out flat, and I mean SO flat that they were just like pancakes, except super crispy, not at all looking like something you would want to give away, let alone eat yourself. The first time this happened, I figured I messed something up. But it kept happening over and over through the years. I started analyzing, OVER analyzing, what I was doing. Was my butter too soft or not soft enough? Should I use insulated cookie sheets or non-insulated cookie sheets? Maybe I should mix them by hand instead of using my mixer. Maybe I am over mixing. Should I chill the dough? Is the oven heating to the right temperature? And on and on and on. You get the picture. I would try something different every time I made them, and get the same results. I would be SO angry when I would peek in at the first pan I put in the oven and saw that they were flat, that many times I would just throw the rest of the dough in the trash (well, I’d eat some of it first).
Eventually, I started trying other recipes, and they would come out better, but I didn’t love the way they tasted. I kept searching and searching, and then I would think, I will try the Nestle recipe again…of course with the same results. Finally, I came to the conclusion that for whatever reason, it wasn’t meant for me to make chocolate chip cookies. I was very disappointed. How would my kids grow up normal without homemade chocolate chip cookies? I started looking for a therapist for them…they were going to need it, I was sure.
But one day, I bought some “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” Cooking and Baking sticks. They have 50% less saturated fat than butter and are supposed to be great for baking. On the back of that box, there was a recipe for One Bowl Chocolate Chip cookies. I was tempted. I really wanted to try them, but all those feelings of anger and disappointment from my previous attempts came back. I decided I had to try them. I had to overcome this feeling of failure when it came to chocolate chip cookies.
It turned out to be a happy day in my house. Seriously, I think I cried tears of joy when I realized that not only were they the thickness that I had been hoping for, but they tasted great, too! I highly recommend this recipe! I don’t think you will be disappointed! Even if you are one of those gifted bakers who have the ability to bake the “Nestle Toll House” recipe to perfection!
One Bowl Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Cooking and Baking sticks
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
½ tsp. baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Beat butter with sugars in large bowl with electric mixer or wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in vanilla, egg, and baking soda. Stir in flour until blended. Stir in chips.
Drop mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Remove cookies to wire racks and cool completely.
Pour yourself a big glass of milk and enjoy these cookies!!!!
My mom always made the “Nestle Toll House” recipe that can be found right on the back of the bag of chocolate chips. They always turned out great, not to crunchy, not too soft, and just the right thickness. However, whenever I tried to make that recipe, my cookies came out flat, and I mean SO flat that they were just like pancakes, except super crispy, not at all looking like something you would want to give away, let alone eat yourself. The first time this happened, I figured I messed something up. But it kept happening over and over through the years. I started analyzing, OVER analyzing, what I was doing. Was my butter too soft or not soft enough? Should I use insulated cookie sheets or non-insulated cookie sheets? Maybe I should mix them by hand instead of using my mixer. Maybe I am over mixing. Should I chill the dough? Is the oven heating to the right temperature? And on and on and on. You get the picture. I would try something different every time I made them, and get the same results. I would be SO angry when I would peek in at the first pan I put in the oven and saw that they were flat, that many times I would just throw the rest of the dough in the trash (well, I’d eat some of it first).
Eventually, I started trying other recipes, and they would come out better, but I didn’t love the way they tasted. I kept searching and searching, and then I would think, I will try the Nestle recipe again…of course with the same results. Finally, I came to the conclusion that for whatever reason, it wasn’t meant for me to make chocolate chip cookies. I was very disappointed. How would my kids grow up normal without homemade chocolate chip cookies? I started looking for a therapist for them…they were going to need it, I was sure.
But one day, I bought some “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” Cooking and Baking sticks. They have 50% less saturated fat than butter and are supposed to be great for baking. On the back of that box, there was a recipe for One Bowl Chocolate Chip cookies. I was tempted. I really wanted to try them, but all those feelings of anger and disappointment from my previous attempts came back. I decided I had to try them. I had to overcome this feeling of failure when it came to chocolate chip cookies.
It turned out to be a happy day in my house. Seriously, I think I cried tears of joy when I realized that not only were they the thickness that I had been hoping for, but they tasted great, too! I highly recommend this recipe! I don’t think you will be disappointed! Even if you are one of those gifted bakers who have the ability to bake the “Nestle Toll House” recipe to perfection!
One Bowl Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Cooking and Baking sticks
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
½ tsp. baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Beat butter with sugars in large bowl with electric mixer or wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in vanilla, egg, and baking soda. Stir in flour until blended. Stir in chips.
Drop mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Remove cookies to wire racks and cool completely.
Pour yourself a big glass of milk and enjoy these cookies!!!!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Steak & Shake Chili
I have always loved chili, especially with kidney beans. It’s not something that I usually order when I go out to eat, though. But sometimes my husband will order it, and after he gets it, I will think, “Gosh, I wish I had ordered some of that, too”. Well, about a year and a half ago, I met my husband for lunch at Steak & Shake. I was having a miserable day, and almost didn’t feel like eating. But then I saw Chili on the menu, and I knew I had to have it. So for once, I actually ordered it. And at that moment, it was the best chili I had ever eaten. Sure, I think part of it was emotional, but it really was good chili!
When I got home that day, I knew someone had to have come up with a copy-cat recipe for it. So, I started searching on the internet, and came across this recipe, which I modified a bit. And it is now our favorite here at home! It has a couple of strange ingredients in it…believe me, I was shocked when I read the recipe, too. But, trust me, it is yummy and very simple. And the best part is, you make it in the crock pot!
Steak & Shake Chili
1 1/2 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
1/2 tsp salt
1 can (10 ¾ oz) Campbell’s condensed French onion soup
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp cocoa
2 cans (15 oz) kidney beans, drained
1 can (6 oz) Tomato paste
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup cola (not diet!) – I use Coke.
1. Brown ground beef and salt. Drain.
2. Put soup in blender. Blend for 1 minute
3. Add all to crock pot.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high 2-3 hours.
I promise, you will not taste this chili and think it tastes like chocolate or Coca-Cola. It’s not sweet, not spicy, but has a good flavor. We like to serve it with shredded cheese and sour cream on top. Occasionally (not today), we have Fritos to add in, too. But those are a rare treat, for obvious reasons!
Corn bread is always a must, too. Today it’s good old Jiffy Mix…it’s cheap, easy and yummy. One of these days I will branch out and try some corn bread with some mix-ins in it, like cheese, or peppers, or even broccoli! If you have a recipe you would like to share, please do!!!
When I got home that day, I knew someone had to have come up with a copy-cat recipe for it. So, I started searching on the internet, and came across this recipe, which I modified a bit. And it is now our favorite here at home! It has a couple of strange ingredients in it…believe me, I was shocked when I read the recipe, too. But, trust me, it is yummy and very simple. And the best part is, you make it in the crock pot!
Steak & Shake Chili
1 1/2 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
1/2 tsp salt
1 can (10 ¾ oz) Campbell’s condensed French onion soup
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp cocoa
2 cans (15 oz) kidney beans, drained
1 can (6 oz) Tomato paste
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup cola (not diet!) – I use Coke.
1. Brown ground beef and salt. Drain.
2. Put soup in blender. Blend for 1 minute
3. Add all to crock pot.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high 2-3 hours.
I promise, you will not taste this chili and think it tastes like chocolate or Coca-Cola. It’s not sweet, not spicy, but has a good flavor. We like to serve it with shredded cheese and sour cream on top. Occasionally (not today), we have Fritos to add in, too. But those are a rare treat, for obvious reasons!
Corn bread is always a must, too. Today it’s good old Jiffy Mix…it’s cheap, easy and yummy. One of these days I will branch out and try some corn bread with some mix-ins in it, like cheese, or peppers, or even broccoli! If you have a recipe you would like to share, please do!!!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Pork Chop & Potato Scallop
Every time I cook this meal, it reminds me of being a kid. My mom used to make this and it was one of my FAVORITE dishes. So, I guess this is a true comfort food for me, because it takes me back to when life was so simple, although I didn’t realize it then! Hopefully, someday, my kids will make this for their families, and it will remind them of simpler times…the time they are experiencing right now.
Tonight was no different than the other times I have made this: everyone loves the pork chops, and everyone, except Frankie, loves the potatoes. But he has to eat one bite of them every time. Faith complains about the cream of mushroom soup…she likes the flavor, but not the mushrooms! Faith did tell me that her two stuffed pigs were angry at me for cooking up some of their relatives. I told her they should be madder at her because she ate them and enjoyed them very much!
Here is the recipe:
Pork Chop & Potato Scallop – not sure where this originated…I got it from my mom!
1 can (10 ¾ oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup (I use Campbell’s Healthy Request)
½ cup sour cream (I use light)
¼ cup water
½ tsp. dill
4 cups thinly sliced potatoes
4 pork chops (or more if you need)
Salt/pepper
Blend soup, sour cream, water and dill. In a 2 qt. casserole, alternate layers of potatoes and sauce. Cover and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in skillet, brown chops; season with salt and pepper. Remove potatoes from oven after 30 minutes and place pork chops on top of potatoes. Replace cover and bake 45 more minutes.
This recipe is so easy! I love it. I sliced the potatoes up early in the day today, because that is the most time consuming part! If you do this, be sure to put them in a bowl of cold water that covers the potatoes completely. Just drain the water before using! Otherwise, everything else is pretty simple and can be put together in 15 minutes or less! There really isn’t much more to say about it! I served this tonight with a can of green beans…my kids' favorite!
If you like pork chops, potatoes, and cream of mushroom soup, this is a quick easy meal with minimal prep. If you have a bigger family and need to cook more pork chops, you may need to use a larger casserole dish. Mine fits the 4 pork chops in, just barely!
Happy Cooking, friends!
Tonight was no different than the other times I have made this: everyone loves the pork chops, and everyone, except Frankie, loves the potatoes. But he has to eat one bite of them every time. Faith complains about the cream of mushroom soup…she likes the flavor, but not the mushrooms! Faith did tell me that her two stuffed pigs were angry at me for cooking up some of their relatives. I told her they should be madder at her because she ate them and enjoyed them very much!
Here is the recipe:
Pork Chop & Potato Scallop – not sure where this originated…I got it from my mom!
1 can (10 ¾ oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup (I use Campbell’s Healthy Request)
½ cup sour cream (I use light)
¼ cup water
½ tsp. dill
4 cups thinly sliced potatoes
4 pork chops (or more if you need)
Salt/pepper
Blend soup, sour cream, water and dill. In a 2 qt. casserole, alternate layers of potatoes and sauce. Cover and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in skillet, brown chops; season with salt and pepper. Remove potatoes from oven after 30 minutes and place pork chops on top of potatoes. Replace cover and bake 45 more minutes.
This recipe is so easy! I love it. I sliced the potatoes up early in the day today, because that is the most time consuming part! If you do this, be sure to put them in a bowl of cold water that covers the potatoes completely. Just drain the water before using! Otherwise, everything else is pretty simple and can be put together in 15 minutes or less! There really isn’t much more to say about it! I served this tonight with a can of green beans…my kids' favorite!
If you like pork chops, potatoes, and cream of mushroom soup, this is a quick easy meal with minimal prep. If you have a bigger family and need to cook more pork chops, you may need to use a larger casserole dish. Mine fits the 4 pork chops in, just barely!
Happy Cooking, friends!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Tortitos
Yesterday was a crazy day for us, so I didn’t get a chance to post. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I was even going to cook yesterday. Our 9 year old son was having some minor outpatient surgery in the morning, (all is well now!) and we had to wake up at 4:15 am. UGH. Those of you who know me, know I like my sleep! Anyhow, what we were having for dinner wasn’t even close to be the first thing on my mind, and I wasn’t sure what my little guy would feel like eating by dinner, so I just didn’t make a plan!
By the time 5:30 pm rolled around, I was ready to decide. And for whatever reason, I decided to cook and make a mess of my kitchen. I know…I was not thinking clearly.
My son likes this one hot lunch at school called “Crispitos”. From what he has described to me, it’s some kind of taco meat mixture rolled up in a corn tortilla and baked until crispy. I have also had something called “Taquitos” years ago, which were sort of the same thing, but they were purchased from the frozen food section, and you just reheat them in the oven until crispy.
I had purchased the ingredients to make this last weekend, so I decided that tonight was the night. First, I browned the ground beef (I had 2 ¼ lbs. on hand), seasoned it with taco seasoning, and then I put all the beef into the food processor to grind the texture down really fine. It’s like the beef at Taco Bell (but better, of course.) After that, I had to assemble them. I had a package of 30 small round corn tortillas (not flour). I had a small skillet on the stove over high heat where I heated both sides of the tortilla for a minute or so until it was soft enough to work with. I would take that one out of the pan, put the next tortilla in, and start spreading the beef on the first one. I put a heaping tablespoon of the meat on the tortilla, spread it out thin, and left it about an inch away from the far edge. Next, I flipped over the tortilla that was in the pan. Then, I rolled up the tortilla I had been working with as tight as I could, and since I kept the meat away from the far edge, it didn’t ooze out all over as I rolled it up. Then, I placed it edge side down on an ungreased baking sheet, and took the next tortilla from the pan, and placed in another. Repeat for all the remaining tortillas. I ended up with 28 altogether when I was done.
NOTE: Watch the tortillas in the pan closely if you are heating one while working on rolling one at the same time. I tend to be uncoordinated, and was having trouble remembering to flip it and you don’t want to cook it so long it starts to get crispy; you just want it to be heated through so it’s very soft and easy to work with!
I baked them for 10 minutes at 400°F. I served them with a cheese dip I made from a block of Mexican White Dipping Cheese (it’s like a white “Velveeta” found in the Dairy section near the tortillas) mixed with a can of Rotel. I also made some Spanish rice (Knorr Fiesta Sides – not my favorite, but easy), heated up some refried beans, and had some leftover raw veggies from the night before to serve, as well.
When we sat down to eat, the cheese dip, while it tasted good, thickened up too quickly as it cooled and made it impossible to dip into, so next time we eat these, I think I will make a salsa/sour cream or salsa/ranch dip. But, everyone liked them! So that made the mess worth it. The best part, is we only ate about 10 of the 28 I made, so I put all the rest of them in a Ziploc freezer bag, and now I can pull out as many as I need whenever and reheat them in the toaster oven to make them crispy! They will be a great after school snack, or quick dinner when needed.
The dinner conversation revolved around what we were actually going to call these. Like I said, the school cafeteria refers to them as “Crispitos”, and I have seen them at the store called “Taquitos”, but I think my favorite name for them came from my son, when he couldn’t remember what to call them, and he said, “Can I have another ‘Tortito’, please?” We all burst out laughing! And then we knew we had our own name for them: Tortitos!!
As you can imagine, I used several pots, pans, baking sheets, food processor parts, etc. My kitchen looked awful, and the kicker was, my dishwasher was still full of clean dishes, which I would have normally emptied in the morning. I wanted to cry looking at my kitchen, but decided that I would just get everything rinsed off quickly, so that it wouldn’t “bake on” overnight, and I would deal with it in the morning (and I haven’t dealt with it yet). Which again reminds me, of why I like to “advance prep”…see my post from 1/14/2010, if you haven’t already, for more info on that!
Once I get my kitchen cleaned up today, my head will be clear enough for me to start thinking about tonight’s dinner and my meal plan for next week! Grocery shopping happens tomorrow!!!
Looking forward to sharing more kitchen adventures with you!
By the time 5:30 pm rolled around, I was ready to decide. And for whatever reason, I decided to cook and make a mess of my kitchen. I know…I was not thinking clearly.
My son likes this one hot lunch at school called “Crispitos”. From what he has described to me, it’s some kind of taco meat mixture rolled up in a corn tortilla and baked until crispy. I have also had something called “Taquitos” years ago, which were sort of the same thing, but they were purchased from the frozen food section, and you just reheat them in the oven until crispy.
I had purchased the ingredients to make this last weekend, so I decided that tonight was the night. First, I browned the ground beef (I had 2 ¼ lbs. on hand), seasoned it with taco seasoning, and then I put all the beef into the food processor to grind the texture down really fine. It’s like the beef at Taco Bell (but better, of course.) After that, I had to assemble them. I had a package of 30 small round corn tortillas (not flour). I had a small skillet on the stove over high heat where I heated both sides of the tortilla for a minute or so until it was soft enough to work with. I would take that one out of the pan, put the next tortilla in, and start spreading the beef on the first one. I put a heaping tablespoon of the meat on the tortilla, spread it out thin, and left it about an inch away from the far edge. Next, I flipped over the tortilla that was in the pan. Then, I rolled up the tortilla I had been working with as tight as I could, and since I kept the meat away from the far edge, it didn’t ooze out all over as I rolled it up. Then, I placed it edge side down on an ungreased baking sheet, and took the next tortilla from the pan, and placed in another. Repeat for all the remaining tortillas. I ended up with 28 altogether when I was done.
NOTE: Watch the tortillas in the pan closely if you are heating one while working on rolling one at the same time. I tend to be uncoordinated, and was having trouble remembering to flip it and you don’t want to cook it so long it starts to get crispy; you just want it to be heated through so it’s very soft and easy to work with!
I baked them for 10 minutes at 400°F. I served them with a cheese dip I made from a block of Mexican White Dipping Cheese (it’s like a white “Velveeta” found in the Dairy section near the tortillas) mixed with a can of Rotel. I also made some Spanish rice (Knorr Fiesta Sides – not my favorite, but easy), heated up some refried beans, and had some leftover raw veggies from the night before to serve, as well.
When we sat down to eat, the cheese dip, while it tasted good, thickened up too quickly as it cooled and made it impossible to dip into, so next time we eat these, I think I will make a salsa/sour cream or salsa/ranch dip. But, everyone liked them! So that made the mess worth it. The best part, is we only ate about 10 of the 28 I made, so I put all the rest of them in a Ziploc freezer bag, and now I can pull out as many as I need whenever and reheat them in the toaster oven to make them crispy! They will be a great after school snack, or quick dinner when needed.
The dinner conversation revolved around what we were actually going to call these. Like I said, the school cafeteria refers to them as “Crispitos”, and I have seen them at the store called “Taquitos”, but I think my favorite name for them came from my son, when he couldn’t remember what to call them, and he said, “Can I have another ‘Tortito’, please?” We all burst out laughing! And then we knew we had our own name for them: Tortitos!!
As you can imagine, I used several pots, pans, baking sheets, food processor parts, etc. My kitchen looked awful, and the kicker was, my dishwasher was still full of clean dishes, which I would have normally emptied in the morning. I wanted to cry looking at my kitchen, but decided that I would just get everything rinsed off quickly, so that it wouldn’t “bake on” overnight, and I would deal with it in the morning (and I haven’t dealt with it yet). Which again reminds me, of why I like to “advance prep”…see my post from 1/14/2010, if you haven’t already, for more info on that!
Once I get my kitchen cleaned up today, my head will be clear enough for me to start thinking about tonight’s dinner and my meal plan for next week! Grocery shopping happens tomorrow!!!
Looking forward to sharing more kitchen adventures with you!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Tuna-Noodle Casserole and Advance Prepping
I like to “prep” before I cook. I know we all have to do that, but I mean ADVANCE prep. Like maybe the morning of, or even the night before. It doesn’t work for everyone, and it takes the same total amount of time to cook whatever you’re cooking no matter when you prep it, but I find it just makes a difference in my state of mind. The reason I like to advance prep is because at my house, the after school hours are my “witching” hours. So the less I have to do in the 4:00-6:00pm time window, the better for everyone. Sometimes we aren’t even home during those hours, which makes prepping for me even more important. And sometimes my kids have a day where they need more help on their homework after school, or just need some one-on-one time with me. Whatever it is, knowing part of my work of cooking dinner is already done, I can relax, even if it’s just a little.
I am going to post the recipe now, and then I will tell you what I did to “advance prep” it! Even if you aren’t a Tuna-Noodle Casserole kind of person, I hope you will find my prep tips helpful!
Tuna-Noodle Casserole - adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
4 ounces egg noodles
1 cup frozen peas
¼ cup fine dry bread crumbs, or crushed Ritz crackers
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped onion
3 tbsp butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp dry mustard
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 – 5oz. cans of tuna, drained and broken into chunks
1. Cook noodles according to package. Add frozen peas during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, combine the bread or cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon of melted butter; set aside.
2.For sauce, in a medium saucepan, melt 3T. of butter and cook celery and onion till tender. Stir in flour and dry mustard. Add milk and chicken broth; cook and stir till slightly thickened and bubbly. Watch closely, you don't want to scorch. Combine sauce, tuna and cooked noodles in a 1 ½ quart casserole. Sprinkle with crumb mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until bubbly.
Ok, now that all that is out of the way, let me tell you about how I prepped it. Last night, after cleaning up dinner, I actually still had some energy (shocker, I know) and decided I would chop the celery and onion for tonight’s dinner. I put them together in a small bowl, covered it, and stuck it in the fridge. Then I measured out the bread crumbs into a small prep bowl, combined the flour and dry mustard into another small prep bowl, and measured out the noodles and put them into a small bowl. I covered all of them with plastic wrap and left them on the counter. Now, some people may not be ok with all that on their counter until the next day…you can stash it anywhere that works for you, of course! Or, maybe this prepping stuff isn’t for you, and that’s ok. Lastly, I filled a pot with the water I was going to use to boil the noodles, put the lid on it, and set it on the stove. Set another empty one on another burner that I would use to cook the sauce. And I was done for the moment.
Now, some of you may be thinking, “Wow, that’s a lot of work to do that…she could have just measured out the flour and dry mustard right when she was ready to add it to the sauce!” or, “Getting the pots out isn’t that hard to do right before you start”! And that’s true, that might be a little easier. But trying to grab all those things, measure them, get them in the pots all at the right moment all the while my kids are asking me questions, telling me they are hungry, and the pets are chasing each other around…it doesn’t always work for me.
Today, around lunch time, I cooked the noodles, made the sauce, and assembled all of it, so now all I have to do is put it in the oven and bake it. I will have to extend the cook time 10-15 minutes since it will be coming out of the refrigerator. We are also going to have some raw veggies and dip as a side dish. Carrots, celery, orange and yellow bell peppers are all some of my kids faves. And it’s easy. That is something I can do while they are working on homework, or asking me a thousand questions.
Well, I need to wrap this up so I can go wash all the dishes that I used in making this dinner. That is the other nice thing….then after dinner, the only clean up is the dishes we ate off of! Not a huge pile of pots/pans/utensils!
Happy prepping!!!
I am going to post the recipe now, and then I will tell you what I did to “advance prep” it! Even if you aren’t a Tuna-Noodle Casserole kind of person, I hope you will find my prep tips helpful!
Tuna-Noodle Casserole - adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
4 ounces egg noodles
1 cup frozen peas
¼ cup fine dry bread crumbs, or crushed Ritz crackers
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped onion
3 tbsp butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp dry mustard
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 – 5oz. cans of tuna, drained and broken into chunks
1. Cook noodles according to package. Add frozen peas during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, combine the bread or cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon of melted butter; set aside.
2.For sauce, in a medium saucepan, melt 3T. of butter and cook celery and onion till tender. Stir in flour and dry mustard. Add milk and chicken broth; cook and stir till slightly thickened and bubbly. Watch closely, you don't want to scorch. Combine sauce, tuna and cooked noodles in a 1 ½ quart casserole. Sprinkle with crumb mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until bubbly.
Ok, now that all that is out of the way, let me tell you about how I prepped it. Last night, after cleaning up dinner, I actually still had some energy (shocker, I know) and decided I would chop the celery and onion for tonight’s dinner. I put them together in a small bowl, covered it, and stuck it in the fridge. Then I measured out the bread crumbs into a small prep bowl, combined the flour and dry mustard into another small prep bowl, and measured out the noodles and put them into a small bowl. I covered all of them with plastic wrap and left them on the counter. Now, some people may not be ok with all that on their counter until the next day…you can stash it anywhere that works for you, of course! Or, maybe this prepping stuff isn’t for you, and that’s ok. Lastly, I filled a pot with the water I was going to use to boil the noodles, put the lid on it, and set it on the stove. Set another empty one on another burner that I would use to cook the sauce. And I was done for the moment.
Now, some of you may be thinking, “Wow, that’s a lot of work to do that…she could have just measured out the flour and dry mustard right when she was ready to add it to the sauce!” or, “Getting the pots out isn’t that hard to do right before you start”! And that’s true, that might be a little easier. But trying to grab all those things, measure them, get them in the pots all at the right moment all the while my kids are asking me questions, telling me they are hungry, and the pets are chasing each other around…it doesn’t always work for me.
Today, around lunch time, I cooked the noodles, made the sauce, and assembled all of it, so now all I have to do is put it in the oven and bake it. I will have to extend the cook time 10-15 minutes since it will be coming out of the refrigerator. We are also going to have some raw veggies and dip as a side dish. Carrots, celery, orange and yellow bell peppers are all some of my kids faves. And it’s easy. That is something I can do while they are working on homework, or asking me a thousand questions.
Well, I need to wrap this up so I can go wash all the dishes that I used in making this dinner. That is the other nice thing….then after dinner, the only clean up is the dishes we ate off of! Not a huge pile of pots/pans/utensils!
Happy prepping!!!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Make Ahead Oven-Baked French Toast
We like having breakfast for dinner at our house. Especially my 7 year old daughter. Every couple of weeks I ask the rest of the family to think of a couple meals that would like to eat so I can work them into my menu and grocery shopping plan. And EVERY time, my daughter says, “Pancakes”. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love pancakes, but I also love to mix it up a little. So this time, she and I compromised with this Oven-Baked French Toast. For her, it’s still a breakfast food that you can eat with syrup on it, but for me it’s different enough than pancakes, and WAY easier.
I made it up this morning before 9 am, and will probably put it in the oven today between 5:00 and 5:30pm. This is great, because it’s Wednesday: piano lesson night. So when we get home dinner will just be waiting for me to pop it in the oven!
Ok, about the recipe….the most important part (to me) of this recipe is the bread. I mean, that is the main ingredient to French Toast. Without the bread you just have…well, scrambled eggs, I guess…sugary ones. Anyhow, where I live in Alabama, we don’t have “top-notch” grocery stores with gourmet bakeries and deli’s. Let me put it this way, in the other 3 states I have lived in, Wal-Mart was my least favorite store. Here, it is my favorite store. Where am I going with this? Well, I have found that Wal-Mart actually HAS a decent bakery. Really. They make lots of delicious breads that cost a lot less than what I used to pay for them at a “fancier” grocery store. For this recipe, I like the large, soft French Bread loaf (not the hard crusty baguette), which at Wal-Mart costs $1.00 for a 16oz. loaf. I think that is a great deal! And a lot of times, it is still warm when you buy it. Bottom line: if you haven’t checked out the Wal-Mart bakery, do it…I think you may be surprised. I know I was.
Along with this French Toast, I plan to serve bacon. We LOVE bacon! Crispy bacon. I buy the Center Cut bacon because it says it has 25% less fat, but seriously, who are kidding here, it’s bacon. I do not like cooking bacon on the stove-top, though, because of it’s mess-factor. So, I cook it in the microwave. I do this using a 9x13 or 10x15 glass (Pyrex) dish. Line the bottom the dish with 2 layers of paper towels. Put as many slices of bacon on top the paper towel, that will fit, without over lapping them (or they will be stuck together when they are done cooking). Put one layer of paper towel on the top and put the dish in the microwave. MAKE SURE you find the setting on your microwave to “Turn Off” the turntable, if your microwave has one. You don’t want it to try spinning this dish around. Set the microwave for 4 mins – 5 mins on High. I always say less time is better, you can add more time at the end to get it to the crispy-ness you want. Once you do it a few times, you’ll know how long to cook it. Once it is done, carefully remove your dish from the microwave. It will be very hot. Carefully move the bacon to a plate to cool, and take the grease filled paper towels and put them in the trash!!! Yes, it’s that easy.
I also like to serve some fruit with our “breakfast” dinners. Tonight, it will be some frozen mixed berries that I am thawing out now. That way they can be eaten by themselves, or used as toppings for the French Toast!
Oven-Baked French Toast - adapted from Pampered Chef
1 loaf (8 oz) French Bread
6 eggs
1 ½ cups milk
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
Ground cinnamon
Powdered sugar
Coat 9x13 dish with non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil. Cut bread into 1” thick slices, placed in single layer in dish. Beat the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt with a whisk; pour over break. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle bread with cinnamon. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
If you have never had the Pampered Chef Korintje Cinnamon, you really need to try it! It has a richer taste than the store brand cinnamon that I use for most things. It's pricey, so I save it for special things that have cinnamon as one of the important ingredients! Check it out...
http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=13845&catId=12&parentCatId=12&outletSubCat=&viewAllOutlet=
Two last things….1) I double this recipe for my family of four. One batch is not enough, two will leave us some leftovers. 2) I just realized I was typing the recipe, that I forgot to spray my dishes with non-stick cooking spray before I put everything in. UGH. Oh well, I tried….and isn’t that what it’s all about anyway!?
Happy Cooking!
I made it up this morning before 9 am, and will probably put it in the oven today between 5:00 and 5:30pm. This is great, because it’s Wednesday: piano lesson night. So when we get home dinner will just be waiting for me to pop it in the oven!
Ok, about the recipe….the most important part (to me) of this recipe is the bread. I mean, that is the main ingredient to French Toast. Without the bread you just have…well, scrambled eggs, I guess…sugary ones. Anyhow, where I live in Alabama, we don’t have “top-notch” grocery stores with gourmet bakeries and deli’s. Let me put it this way, in the other 3 states I have lived in, Wal-Mart was my least favorite store. Here, it is my favorite store. Where am I going with this? Well, I have found that Wal-Mart actually HAS a decent bakery. Really. They make lots of delicious breads that cost a lot less than what I used to pay for them at a “fancier” grocery store. For this recipe, I like the large, soft French Bread loaf (not the hard crusty baguette), which at Wal-Mart costs $1.00 for a 16oz. loaf. I think that is a great deal! And a lot of times, it is still warm when you buy it. Bottom line: if you haven’t checked out the Wal-Mart bakery, do it…I think you may be surprised. I know I was.
Along with this French Toast, I plan to serve bacon. We LOVE bacon! Crispy bacon. I buy the Center Cut bacon because it says it has 25% less fat, but seriously, who are kidding here, it’s bacon. I do not like cooking bacon on the stove-top, though, because of it’s mess-factor. So, I cook it in the microwave. I do this using a 9x13 or 10x15 glass (Pyrex) dish. Line the bottom the dish with 2 layers of paper towels. Put as many slices of bacon on top the paper towel, that will fit, without over lapping them (or they will be stuck together when they are done cooking). Put one layer of paper towel on the top and put the dish in the microwave. MAKE SURE you find the setting on your microwave to “Turn Off” the turntable, if your microwave has one. You don’t want it to try spinning this dish around. Set the microwave for 4 mins – 5 mins on High. I always say less time is better, you can add more time at the end to get it to the crispy-ness you want. Once you do it a few times, you’ll know how long to cook it. Once it is done, carefully remove your dish from the microwave. It will be very hot. Carefully move the bacon to a plate to cool, and take the grease filled paper towels and put them in the trash!!! Yes, it’s that easy.
I also like to serve some fruit with our “breakfast” dinners. Tonight, it will be some frozen mixed berries that I am thawing out now. That way they can be eaten by themselves, or used as toppings for the French Toast!
Oven-Baked French Toast - adapted from Pampered Chef
1 loaf (8 oz) French Bread
6 eggs
1 ½ cups milk
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
Ground cinnamon
Powdered sugar
Coat 9x13 dish with non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil. Cut bread into 1” thick slices, placed in single layer in dish. Beat the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt with a whisk; pour over break. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle bread with cinnamon. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
If you have never had the Pampered Chef Korintje Cinnamon, you really need to try it! It has a richer taste than the store brand cinnamon that I use for most things. It's pricey, so I save it for special things that have cinnamon as one of the important ingredients! Check it out...
http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=13845&catId=12&parentCatId=12&outletSubCat=&viewAllOutlet=
Two last things….1) I double this recipe for my family of four. One batch is not enough, two will leave us some leftovers. 2) I just realized I was typing the recipe, that I forgot to spray my dishes with non-stick cooking spray before I put everything in. UGH. Oh well, I tried….and isn’t that what it’s all about anyway!?
Happy Cooking!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Leftovers!!!
I love leftovers....thankfully, for the most part, my family does, too. The best part about the leftovers we are having tonight, is that I didn't have to cook them the first time! We went out for Italian food at Ricatoni's in Florence for Frank's birthday and ended up with LOTS of food to bring home!
So tonight's dinner will consist of, 2 different kinds of brick-oven pizza, some pasta dish that I couldn't pronounce, but has chicken, sundried tomatoes, and lots of garlic, chicken wings (yes, I am aware that doesn't go with the "Italian" theme, but they were VERY yummy).
I will put together a Caesar salad to add to all that - which at our house means a bag of pre-washed and chopped Romaine lettuce, some parmesan cheese, and what we think is the best Caesar dressing ever, Girard's Light Caesar (it comes in the triangle shaped bottle).
Of course, there is some delicious Reese's Peanut Butter Cup cake leftover from last night's celebration as well. I am sure we will be able to finish that off.
Like, I said...I love leftovers....it will be easier to get all that ready, than it was for me to type about it! :)
Ciao!
So tonight's dinner will consist of, 2 different kinds of brick-oven pizza, some pasta dish that I couldn't pronounce, but has chicken, sundried tomatoes, and lots of garlic, chicken wings (yes, I am aware that doesn't go with the "Italian" theme, but they were VERY yummy).
I will put together a Caesar salad to add to all that - which at our house means a bag of pre-washed and chopped Romaine lettuce, some parmesan cheese, and what we think is the best Caesar dressing ever, Girard's Light Caesar (it comes in the triangle shaped bottle).
Of course, there is some delicious Reese's Peanut Butter Cup cake leftover from last night's celebration as well. I am sure we will be able to finish that off.
Like, I said...I love leftovers....it will be easier to get all that ready, than it was for me to type about it! :)
Ciao!
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