Overnight French Toast Casserole

I have tried making these 'overnight' type of things quite a few times, and have never really liked them.  They are usually too mushy for my taste.  This one turned out perfect and I'm wondering if it's because it's using the thick texas toast?  Anyhoo, it's easy and delicious!!!  It worked out perfectly to put it in the oven first thing in the morning and let it bake while the kids were hunting Easter eggs!



Overnight French Toast Casserole
Recipe from Mommy's Kitchen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
12 slices Texas toast or any leftover bread
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk

Directions:

Melt butter and pour in a 9x 13 pan. Mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and nuts if you are using them. Whisk eggs, milk & vanilla together. Layer bottom of pan with half the bread pieces Sprinkle half the brown sugar mix over the bread. Layer the second half of bread. Pour egg mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove from the refrigerator and cover with a new piece of foil. Preheat oven to 350 and bake the casserole for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 20 more minutes. French toast should be browned and set. You can also remove it from the oven and pour some maple syrup on top and place back in the oven to caramelize for about 5-7 minutes.

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

Brown Sugar Meatloaf
Recipe from Allrecipes


Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup finely crushed saltine cracker crumbs


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan.
Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.
In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.


*What I did differently - I used probably only a 1/4 cup ketchup (yuck), NO ONIONS (hate onions!), and panko crumbs instead of cracker crumbs. I also mixed the ketchup and sugar together instead of just layering it.

** Now I just use barbecue sauce instead of ketchup.  I also make it in muffin tins, and cook it at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.  Yum.

Baked Potato Soup

I had to make a quick and easy dinner yesterday because MY OLDEST HAD TO GO TO HIGH SCHOOL ORIENTATION. What? Really? It doesn't seem possible. One minute he was the tiny 3 pound baby we brought home and were clueless how to take care of (as evidenced by the not one, but TWO times he rolled off the couch when he was only a few months old, yikes!!) and the next minute he is literally 5 inches taller than me! 5 inches!! Anyway, since my mind was busy being blown away due to the whole high school thing, I made my easiest, yummiest, go to meal that I reserve for hectic days (in other words, I'm pretty sure I made this soup 15 times in December. Crazy month, that December was).



Baked Potato Soup


2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
7 cups milk
4 large potatoes; baked, cooled, peeled and cubed
4 green onions, sliced
12 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 1 /4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper


In a large kettle, melt butter. Stir in flour. Stir until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Add the potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. You're done!! Yes, it was that fast and easy!!

Caleb's Birthday Cake

So Caleb is what some would call a foodie.  He loves to eat.  He loves to try new foods.  He loves to cook.  He loves to peruse cookbooks.  In addition to being a surgeon, he wants to own a restaurant one day, and plans on going to cooking school in France.  He looked long and hard through my cookbooks until he found the perfect cake for me to make him for his birthday and darn it, he picked a good one!!! 


Sandy's Chocolate Cake

1 cup butter, softened
3 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tbsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups sour cream
1 1/3 cups boiling water
Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
3 squares unsweetened chocolate
3 squares semisweet chocolate
5 cups powdered sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition.  Beat on high speed until light and fluffy.  Blend in vanilla.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add alternately with sour cream to creamed mixture.  Mix on low just until combined.  Stir in water until blended.  Pour into three greased and floured 9 in. round baking pans  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
For frosting, in a medium saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat.  Cool several minutes.  In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, sour cream and vanilla.  Add chocolate mixture and beat until smooth.  Frost cooled cake.



Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home, Grandma's Favorites.

Glenn's Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Candied Ginger

This recipe is from Molly at Orangette.  Just the way she described it forced me into making it.  It is amazing.  There is a distinct possibility that I ate the entire giant loaf BY MYSELF in ONE DAY.  I ate it for breakfast, lunch and morning/afternoon snacks.  I'm not even sorry either.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup well stirred whole milk plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup finely chopped candied ginger


Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray, and set aside.  Melt the butter.  In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  Add chocolate chips and ginger and set aside.  In Medium bowl beat eggs.  Add banana, yogurt, butter and vanilla.  Pur banana mix into dry ingredients and stir.  Pour into loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes.
Allow to cool for a few minutes; then remove bread from pan and cool on a wire rack.


Recipe courtesy of Orangette.

Divine Breadsticks

I know the name is goofy, but heck, they ARE pretty great (I can't bring myself to call hardly anything divine.)  The kids went CRAZY for these, they really are really d..., nope, I can't do it.

Ingredients:

1-½ cup Warm Water
1 Tablespoon Instant Yeast
2 Tablespoons Sugar
3-½ cups Flour
½ teaspoons Salt
3 Tablespoons Butter, For Melting In The Pan


Mix all ingredients (except melted butter) in a large bowl or electric mixer and knead for three minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread melted butter onto an 11×17-inch baking sheet. Roll out the breadstick dough about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick and cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Twist slightly if desired and place about 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic salt, herbs of choice (I vary this depending on my mood, but it usually consists of rosemary, basil, or thyme in some form and crushed finely) and parmesan cheese. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.
Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees until golden brown.


Recipe courtesy of Tasty Kitchen.

Chewy Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies

Hmmmm. Let's see.  I love coconut.  I love lime.  I love sugar cookies.  Yep, it's official, these cookies are AWESOME!!!!


Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of one large lime, finely minced
3 tbsp lime juice
½ cup unsweetened toasted coconut
½ cup sugar for rolling cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. If you haven't already toasted your coconut just put a layer of coconut on a cookie sheet and bake it at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes. Watch out. It goes from white to burnt really quick if you aren't watching closely.
In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and very fluffy.
Beat in egg, vanilla extract, lime juice and lime zest.
Gradually blend in the dry ingredients and toasted coconut.
Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and roll in sugar. Place on lined cookie sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. I made mine too big and they ran together. These do spread quite a bit.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned.
Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

 
Recipe courtesy of My Baking Addiction.

Pulled Chicken Suiza Sammies

This is so good.  It reminds me of the tortas place Mom and Dad took me to last time I went to Phoenix, Los Reyes de la Tortas.  To make mine more like their sandwich I sliced an avocado on it.  I LOVED this sandwich.


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped (of course I skipped this ingredient)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups salsa verde
1/2 cup sour cream
1 rotisserie-style chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded
4 sandwich rolls, split
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Preheat the broiler. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and honey, then stir in the salsa and heat through. Mix in the sour cream. Add sauce a little at a time to your bowl of shredded chicken. YOU MAY NOT NEED ALL THE SAUCE depending on how much shredded chicken you have. Stir in the sauce to coat.

Pile the chicken mixture on the roll bottoms. Top with the cheese and broil to melt. Set the roll tops in place and serve with potato chips like Los Reyes.
 
 
 
Recipe courtesy of Taste at Tell.
  

Muffins That Taste Like Donuts

Yummy plus easy plus fast equals perfect snack!!!



Ingredients:


1-¾ cup Flour
1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoons Nutmeg
½ teaspoons Cinnamon
⅓ cups Oil
¾ cups White Sugar
1 whole Egg
¾ cups Milk

FOR THE TOPPING:

¼ cups Butter
⅓ cups White Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Combine oil, sugar, egg and milk. Add dry ingredients and stir only to combine.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl. Combine the white sugar with the cinnamon in another bowl.
Shake muffins out while still hot. Dip muffins in butter, then into the sugar/cinnamon mix. Let cool.


Recipe courtesy of Tasty Kitchen.

Sugar Cookie Bars

These babies solve a lot of problems for me.  I don't really have the patience to roll out cookies and all that jazz, but wow, do I LOVE sugar cookies.  How brilliant for someone to think of making them in bars!  I never would have thought of that!  Thank you, someone!


Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. lemon zest (optional)

Cream butter and sugar until flully.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg.  Add vanilla and mix well.  In seperate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and stir.  Add to creamed mixture and mix until just combined.  Spread on a greased baking sheet (13 X 18 or jelly roll pan).  Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown or until toothpick is clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, room temp
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla OR almond flavoring
1/4 tsp. salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 tbsp. milk
food coloring, if desired

Combine butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Add vanilla and salt.  Add powdered sugar in 1 to 2 cups increments until combined, then add milk a little at a time (you may not use all of it) until smooth and spreading consistency.  Spread over cooled bars.

Cheesy Bacon Penne

I saw this recipe while standing in line at the grocery store, in one of those recipe books they have there by the magazines, above the gum.  And mints.  It was a long line, I was bored and the theme of that month's recipe book was bacon - it was a no brainer.  This recipe looked good to me so I thought, hmmm, I don't want to spend the money and buy this thing, I wonder if I can find it on the internet?  I went home and googled the recipe name plus Taste of Home, and shazam, there it was!!  I love the internet!!  The kids loved this.  It is basically homemade mac and cheese with bacon.  Again, a no brainer.


Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups 2% milk
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon


Heat oven to 350*F

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, saute garlic in butter for 1 minute. Stir in flour and pepper until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in 2 cups of cheese until melted. Remove from heat.

Drain the pasta; add pasta and 1/3 cup of bacon to cheese sauce. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon.

Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

My changes:  I used the two cups of cheese to make the sauce, but I sprinkled the top with only about 1/4 cup, not 1 cup.  That is way too much cheese for me!!  Also, I used the real baconbits things like I always do, instead of frying up some bacon.  It's faster, and lower in calories.  (As if that matters!!  This was probably 20,000 calories and 400 grams of fat!  Oh well, it was really good!!)

Also, I will have to double it next time, Caleb and Cam were trying to lick the empty casserole dish.  They were mad because they 'only' got seconds.


Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home and some way cool lady who bought the magazine a couple of weeks ago and posted the recipe on a labrador chat room site.  Random!

Moroccan Style Tilapia with Cumin, Mango and Cilantro

Let me just get this out there right off the bat.  I DO NOT like fish.  I just don't.  I think I have made fish maybe twice in 16 years.  That being said, I know that fish is good for you.  I feel bad that the kids aren't eating it often like they should.  And then there's the little fact that THOM LOVES IT.  That makes me feel really bad.  So, I'm trying.  My first attempt was a hit with everyone.  Carter, Mr. Picky, had 3 helpings.  Everyone, including ME, ate it all.


4 (5-ounce) tilapia fillets
Salt and ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ripe mango, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves


Season both sides of tilapia fillets with salt and black pepper. Rub cumin and coriander all over both sides of fillets. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tilapia fillets and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, until fish is fork-tender. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine mango and cilantro. Top tilapia with mango right before serving.  Serve with cous cous.


Recipe courtesy of Robin Miller, Food Network.

Chilaquiles

I have to admit I am pretty much addicted to this.  I make it for lunch for me and whichever kids are my favorites that day (ha, despite what you claim children, I DO NOT HAVE FAVORITES!) a couple of times a week.  It's a perfect use for those chips in the bottom of the bag that are all broken and too small for salsa!!

2 cups oil frying
1/4 cup chopped onion (you know I don't add this, right?)
30 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp. salt (way too much, just do it to taste, I also add pepper)
1 (7.75 oz) can mexican style hot tomato sauce (el pato, baby!!)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup shredded jack cheese (or cheddar.  or cheddar jack.  whatever)

In a large skillet, heat the oil to 350 degrees.  Carefully stir in the onion and tortillas.  Fry until tortilla strips are crisp.  Remove rom heat and drain on paper towels.  Drain the skillet, leaving only a thin residue of oil.
OR you could do what I almost always do, just use the broken chips from the bottom of the bag.  Waste not want not!  Chop chop!!
Over medium heat, return the tortillas to the skillet, and stir in the eggs.  Season with salt.  Cook and stir until eggs are firm.
Mix tomato sauce and water into the skillet.  Reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Top with cheese.  Serve when cheese is melted.
Welcome to the best scrambled eggs EVER.


Recipe courtesty of Allrecipes.