BREAKFAST: French Toast

I love breakfast (for breakfast, lunch or dinner) and I ESPECIALLY love french toast. Here are two french toast recipies that I fell in love with (I can't claim neither as my own).

Banana Carmel French Toast
by Andrea Dawson

1 Loaf Texas Toast
1 Box Honey Bunches of Oats cereal
8 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
butter
bananas
whipped cream
maple syrup
Alternate syrup: caramel syrup (see Buttermilk Carmel Sauce recipe online)

Beat eggs and milk together.
Crush up 2 cups of the Honey Bunches of Oats in a ziplock bag.
Dip bread into egg mixture and then into crushed cereal to coat.
Fry in butter on pre-heated skillet.

Serve with sliced bananas, syrup and whipped cream!!

Stuffed French Toast
by Andi Stones

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
18 slices of sourdough bread
1/2cup raspberry preserves (or any other flavor)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 eggs
1/4 cup half and half cream
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream. Spread about 3 tablespoongs on each slice of bread. Combine preserves and vanilla; spread over cream cheese mixture on nine slices.
Top with remaining bread, cream cheese side down, to make a sandwich. In a shallow bowl combing the eggs, cream and cinnamon. Dip both sides of bread into mixture. Cook on a hot greased griddle for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden brown. Cut in half diagonally. If desired sprinkle with confectioners sugar (powdered sugar) and garnish with raspberries. Serve with syrup.

I hope you all enjoy these as much as I have. Thanks Andi and Andrea for the great recipes!

Breanne's Visit

Brea and Ben came and stayed with us over the weekend and I made both of these for them. Brea requested that I post the recipes.

The first is a really easy and different way to use pancake mix. The second is also a super easy cookie recipe that you use store bought sugar cookie dough but they are so good no one would ever know.

Ricotta Pancakes

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

2 cups water

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup honey

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups pancake and waffle mix (recommended: Krusteaz)

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

2/3 cup frozen blueberries

Melted butter

Directions

Stir 1/3 cup of water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stir in the honey. Set aside and keep the honey syrup warm.

Using a rubber spatula, stir the remaining 1 2/3 cups of water and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the pancake mix and stir just until moistened but still lumpy. Stir in the ricotta into the pancake mixture, then stir gently to incorporate the ricotta but maintain a lumpy batter. Fold in the blueberries.

Heat a griddle over medium heat. Brush with the melted butter. Working in batches, spoon 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Serve with the honey syrup.

Dulce De Leche Bars

INGREDIENTS

2rolls (16.5 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies

1 3/4cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats

2/3cup packed brown sugar

2teaspoons vanilla

1bag (14 oz) caramels, unwrapped

1/2cup butter

1can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

DIRECTIONS

1 Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, break up 1 roll of cookie dough. Stir or knead in 3/4 cup of the oats, 1/3 cup of the brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla until well blended. With floured fingers, press mixture evenly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan to form crust.

2 Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown.

3 Meanwhile, in same bowl, break up remaining roll of cookie dough. Stir or knead in remaining 1 cup oats, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until well blended. In large heavy saucepan, heat caramels, butter and condensed milk over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth.

4 Spread caramel mixture evenly over crust. Crumble remaining dough mixture evenly over caramel. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool 1 hour. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen bars. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store in refrigerator

Green Chile Stew

I went to the farmer's market the other day with some friends in Dillon. I bought some fresh fire roasted chilies so I made some green chili today for dinner. I have tried several recipes for green chili before and this one is my favorite. I have changed the recipe to a crock pot recipe which makes it super easy. It is great just to eat like a stew with tortillas to dip in it or it is also excellent to use to smother burritos or chimichangas.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lbs. boneless pork, cut into chunks to fit into crockpot

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup flour

2 (14oz) cans diced tomatoes

2 (7oz) cans green chilies chopped, or 2 cups roasted, peeled and chopped green chilies

1 Jalapeno pepper, chopped and seeded

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp sugar

1 cup chicken or beef broth

Heat olive oil in frying pan and add onion and garlic. Once softened add flour. Stir for 1 min. Put onion mixture in crockpot and add all other ingredients. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Before serving take out pork chunks and shred add back to pot and serve.

Peaches!!

Peaches are in season right now and relatively inexpensive. We should be making things with peaches. Here is an easy recipe.

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

4 cups peeled, sliced peaches

2 cups sugar, divided

1/2 cup water

8 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/2 cups milk

Ground cinnamon, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.

Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Feta and Vegetable Rotini Salad

I have been trying to make a menu at the beginning of every week so that I only go to the store once a week. I find this cuts down on my grocery bill becuase I am less likely to buy unneeded junk. I also have been able to plan meals that might use similar ingredients that I do not usually have on hand and that are so expensive for me to get a lot (i.e. cheeses).
This is what I made tonight- super easy and super fast!

Feta and Vegetable Rotini Salad
3 cups rotini pasta, cooked, drained and cooled (I just used that pasta I already had)
1 cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (I just chopped a normal tomato- cherry are more expensive)
1 cup chopped cucumbers (I peel mine first- just preferance)
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions

Combine all ingredients and cool in fridge. (We didn't have time so we ate it warm and it was still delicious.)

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

Ben has an old friend from when he was growing up who is a gormet chef. Last Wednesday he was invited for dinner and I was STRESSED about what I was going to make! This is what I decided and it was delicious. I served it with french bread and salad.


Cheesy Stuffed Shells

1 Container (16 oz) Cottage Cheese- I had some leftover Ricotta so I split this half and half
1 Pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella cheese
3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp Italian Seasonings- I forgot this...oops
1 jar (26 oz) Spaghetti Sauce- I don't think I used that much
1 large tomato, chopped- I didn't have one so I used 1 can of Italian Stewed Tomatoes
20 Jumbo Pasta Shells, cooked and drained- I used manicotti becuase it was cheaper


Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook Pasta.
Mix cottage cheese, spinach, mozzarella, parmesan and seasonings; spoon into shells
Mix 1/2 sauce with tomatoes; spoon into bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Add filled shells; top with remaining sauce. Cover.
Bake 25 minutes to until heated through. Top with mozzarella and cook 2 more minutes or until cheese is melted.


Thank you Kraft Foods!!!

Breakfast for Dinner (or for Breakfast)

We love breakfast at our house but never seem to have time in the mornings to make something really yummy. I really enjoy this recipe because it is a little healthier and my kids love to help make it. I also included my favorite homemade turkey sausage receipe. It is much better than any store bought stuff and easy to assemble.

Crunchy Bran French
Toast

Ingredients

8 slices whole-grain bread

4 tablespoons light cream cheese

4 teaspoons low-sugar orange marmalade

2 large eggs plus 2 egg whites

Zest and juice of 1 orange

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups bran flakes cereal

1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions

Spread 4 bread slices with 1 tablespoon cream cheese each; spread the other 4 slices with 1 teaspoon marmalade each. Combine to make 4 sandwiches.

Whisk the whole eggs, egg whites, orange zest and juice, and vanilla in a shallow bowl. Place the bran flakes in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or your hands. Pour the crumbs onto a plate. Dip both sides of each sandwich in the egg mixture, then in the crumbs, gently pressing the crumbs onto the bread.

Heat 1 tablespoon each oil and butter in a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add the sandwiches in batches and cook until the outsides are golden and the insides are melted, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (Add more oil and butter, if needed.)

Slice the French toast sandwiches into triangles. Let cool before serving to little ones, as the cream cheese can get quite hot. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired, and the kids won't even ask for syrup!

Turkey Sausage

1 lb ground turkey

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sage

1 teaspoon fennel seed

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice

Directions:

1 Combine all ingredients (use less pepper if you don't want a spicy taste) and blend well.

2 If time permits, refrigerate overnight to let the meat absorb the flavor of the spices.

3 Form into patties and cook as needed, freezing leftovers.

4 Don't overcook or they will dry out--remove from the heat as soon as they're no longer pink inside, but still juicy. (if you prefer a moister texture, you add a splash of olive oil or an egg to the mixture just prior to cooking).