Blueberry and Cream Breakfast Bake

 

This was just all too easy ya'll!  5 ingredients and a quick bake to a delicious holiday breakfast!  This is a high-end bakery quality product that is perfect for a holiday, brunch with friends or even a bake and take dessert!

You'll need:

2 cans of Pillsbury Blueberry Biscuits
1 quart heavy whipping cream
1 lb frozen blueberries
1/2 cup of melted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar

Grease a 9x13 baking dish and add all the blueberry biscuits.  Reserve the icing from the biscuit tin, you'll need that at the very end of this dish.  If you have additional biscuits that won't fit, just rear them into small pieces to fill in between your whole biscuits.  Add the heavy whipping cream about halfway deep up your biscuits.  This won't take the entire quart of cream but probably more than half a quart.  

Top the biscuits and cream with 8 ounces of frozen blueberries (more or less to your taste).  

Melt your butter and dissolve the light brown sugar into the butter and pour the mixture over your dish as evenly as you can.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350* for about 30 - 35 minutes.  Drizzle the icing that came with the biscuits and that's it!  This is absolutely delicious and presents like a magazine dream!

You can change up the fruit to suit what you like.  Cinnamon biscuits and apples come immediately to mind!  This is easy and very inexpensive for a quick bake and a delicious and impressive presentation.

Thanksgiving Casserole

 

I love green bean casserole, and I love stuffing!  This recipe brings you the best of both worlds with those savory green beans and the crunchy deliciousness of the stuffing topping!  This mixes in a single dish and will serve a crowd.  Done and on the table in under about 40 minutes!  What more can you ask for?

You'll need:

4 12 ounce bags of frozen green beans
1 family size cans of cream of chicken soup 
7 ounces sour cream
1 pound shredded cheddar cheese
1 large container of French fried onions
salt and pepper
onion powder
garlic powder

red pepper flakes
2 boxes of turkey flavor dry stuffing mix
1/2 carton chicken broth
1/2 stick of butter

Begin with 4 bags of frozen green beans in a greased jumbo size baking pan.  Top beans with both cans of cream of chicken soup.  Add 7 oz sour cream on top.  Add one pound of shredded cheddar cheese.  Add 1/2 a large can of French fried onions.  

Season with parsley, black pepper, salt, onion powder, red pepper flakes and garlic powder.  I used about 1/4 teaspoon of each but you can season to your taste. 

Mix all ingredients well and smooth out in the pan. Top the green beans with 2 boxes of turkey flavor dry stuffing mix. Spread stuffing mix evenly then pour 1/2 carton of chicken broth.  You want to wet the stuffing mix so that it bakes up crispy.  Dot with 1/2 stick of butter and add the remaining French fried onions.  

Bake at 350* for approximately 30-40 minutes until the center is well set.  

Notes:  You can use any cream of soup that you like - cream of mushroom, cream of bacon, etc.  You can also omit the red pepper flakes if that is too spicy for your taste.  If you need a smaller family serving, just cut this recipe in half.  I recommend serving this on the day you bake it.  If you refrigerate it overnight, your toppings may soften and loose their crunch factor.

Breakfast Spaghetti

 

Every now and then I find a recipe that just looks like it would be fun to make and fun to eat!  This was a very unusual recipe but with ingredients that I love so why not give it a twirl!

You'll need:

2 tbsp butter

1/2- 1 lb spaghetti pasta cooked drained and rinsed
8 large eggs beaten smooth
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

1/2 lb bacon cooked, drained and crumbled

sliced scallions (optional)

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Add the butter to a large skillet and heat it over medium heat until melted. Turn the skillet gently until the butter's completely coated the bottom.

Spread the cooked pasta out in the skillet, and the pour the beaten eggs evenly out over top of the pasta.

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Add the sausage, spreading it evenly out over the pasta. 

Top with the cheese and give everything a good stir to evenly combine it all.

• 1 lb breakfast sausage,

Continue cooking, stirring as needed, just until the eggs are cooked.

Salt & pepper the breakfast pasta, top with crumbled bacon and scallions.  Ladle onto plates and serve warm. 

Enjoy!

Cooks notes:

This is not recommended as a make ahead dish, however; you can prep your pasta and meats in advance and store them in the refrigerator in separate airtight containers.

Caramel Apple Crisp

 

I LOVE Fall and the cooler weather inspires me to fire up the oven and make something delicious!  I've spent some time in my vintage cookbook collection and found this Autumn goody!

You'll need: 

3 Large Granny Smith apples (peeled and sliced to1/4 inch)
3 Large Honeycrisp apples (peeled and sliced to 1/4 inch)

1 cup white granulated sugar

3 2/3 cups all purpose flour

3 cups old fashioned oats

1 3/4 cups unsalted butter (softened)

2 1/4 cups brown sugar

2 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup chopped pecans

2 Tbl  cornstarch

1 Tbl ground cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 bag (11 ounces) caramel cubes (unwrapped)

2 Tbl heavy whipping cream

In a large bowl, stir in apples with 1/2 cup white sugar.  Set this aside for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350*.  Line a 9x13 baking dish with heavy duty aluminum foil letting the excess foil fold over the sides of the dish. Spray foil with cooking spray.

In a large bowl beat 3 cups of flour oats and butter, 1/12 cups brown sugar,1/1/2 tsp salt and baking soda with a mixer at medium speed until well combined and crumbly.  Press 4 cups of oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Stir pecans into the remaining oat mixture and reserve.

Drain apples and discard the liquid.  Add cornstarch, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, remaining flour and remaining brown sugar, 1 tsp salt, and remaining granulated sugar to apples, stirring until well combined.

Bake crust for 20 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  Leave your oven on.

Spread apple mixture over the hot crust then lightly sprinkle with reserved oat mixture.  Return to the oven and bake for 40 minutes.  Let cool completely on a wire rack.  Refrigerate until firm (2-3) hours.  

Using the excess foil sides as handles, remove from pan and cut into bars.  In a medium microwave safe bowl - heat caramels and cream on high for 15 seconds, stir well and repeat until melted and smooth, stirring well after each 15 second interval.  This takes approximately 4 intervals to complete.  Drizzle caramel on the bars and let stand until set (about 5 minutes).  Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Summer Jambalaya

I found the coolest cookbook at my friend Robyn's garage sale!  This was such a fun read and a great inspiration to get me into the kitchen!  Hank Williams Senior Jambalaya! This is the song from movie "Steele Magnolias" in the dance wedding reception scene!  I just learned that!

While there is no evidence that Hank Senior ever made this dish, there was a recipe from the Carter Family!  This inspired me to make this a bit more modern and it was AMAZING!

You'll need:

2 boxes Zatarain's Jambalaya Mix
1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

4 stalks celery

1 bunch green onions (optional)

1/4 small red onion (optional)

1 stick butter

6 cups chicken stock

6 cups of water

2 cans diced tomatoes with juice

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

2 bags instant rice cooked

1 lb smoked sausage

1 lb diced ham

1 lb salad shrimp

1 lb of boiled chicken tenderloins

1 lb diced turkey

1tsp red pepper flakes

Tabasco Sauce to taste

1/2 cup chopped parsley or 1/4 cup parsley flakes

Salt and Pepper to taste

This all starts with your biggest stock pot you own or split it into to two medium pots. Make your trinity by dicing your celery, peppers and small red onion.  I'm not an onion fan so I only used 1/4 a small onion.  If you love onion, add the whole thing!  Add the trinity and one stick of butter to your stock pot with 1 cup of chicken stock and simmer until tender.  This takes about 15 minutes or so.

Add remaining chicken stock, the two cans of diced tomatoes (including the juice) and 4 cups of water - bring mix to a boil.  Add the Zartarians, cover and turn down to a simmer for 30 minutes. Stir frequently,  Watch your liquids and add additional water as needed.  The rice in the Zartarians will soak up a good bit of your base.  

Here's a secret, use hot water to rinse out your chicken stock box and your canned tomatoes to capture that extra flavor.  

While you are simmering your base, slice and brown your sausage and drain off excess grease.  Dice your ham, turkey and cooked chicken.  Cut the tails off your shrimp.  Keep your shrimp for the very last ingredient.  I used Salad Shrimp, and the work is already done for you.

After thirty minutes of simmer, add the tomatoes and meats (minus the shrimp).  Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Reduce to a low simmer for half an hour.  Stir frequently and keep your liquid levels up. 

Chop the green onions while your half hour simmer is going and set them aside for a final garnish.   

Add shrimp and turn the heat off for 15 minutes then serve. Make your rice in the microwave while your shrimp is tendering.  I like to serve my Jambalaya over a bed of rice and sprinkle the green onions on the top.  It makes a pretty presentation and is extra filling for my family.  

I have to confess that this recipe got bigger than my stock pot so I split it into two pots.  No big deal, just keep going and it'll all come out fine.  My house smells heavenly, and I am so happy to serve this to my family tonight.  

You can switch up your veggies as you like.  My hubs love okra but I drew the line on that addition. You can also change your meats to what you have on hand.  I just used what I had in the freezer!  Luckily our garden produced an abundance of peppers and tomatoes, so I was in good shape even before the grocery run.

I got all excited and tripled this recipe so that I can share it with friends and family.  This freezes well and will also make a yummy fall dinner! Serve this with cornbread and you will be a happy diner!

Corn Loaf

 

I've been helping a friend prepare for a garage sale and in the process, I hit cookbook gold! This particular cookbook title was so unusual that I had to read it twice "Being Dead Is No Excuse - The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral"!

This book gives you all kinds of advice from what not to wear, floral intentions, hymn selections and a ton of good ole southern recipes.  I picked this one for you as I have fresh corn, tomatoes and bell peppers in the garden, so I had very little to purchase.

The cookbook introduction to this recipe is "One of our non-cooking friends makes this, but only when someone has passed".

You'll Need:

2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 cup chopped yellow onion (I omitted this)
3 minced green onions
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped tomato (seeded and drained)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese grated
2 eggs beaten

1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sour cream

Preheat your oven to 375*.

Combine corn, onions, green pepper, tomato, salt, cayenne, cornmeal, and cheese.  Allow this to rest for 30 minutes.

Combine beaten eggs with evaporated milk, water and sour cream.  Be sure that the eggs are well incorporated into the wet mix then add to your vegetable mixture.   Bake in a well buttered loaf pan for 1 hour.  Let this dish sit for 20 minutes after baking before you serve.  Serves 6-8 slices.

 

Pina Colada Pie

It's almost summer and I don't want to heat up my kitchen for any reason! This is without question one of the best things I've made in years and it could not be more simple!  30 minutes and you're done!   This is a great make ahead for your summer picnics and special occasions!  This easily makes a dozen and a half take and go or two 8 inch pies.

You'll Need:

1 1/2 cup of shredded sweetened coconut

2 sleeves of graham crackers crumbed

1 cup white sugar

1 stick of butter

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

2 8-ounce bars of cream cheese softened to room temperature

1 airline size bottle of rum (2 teaspoons) or 2 teaspoons of rum extract

16 ounces of crushed pineapple well drained

6 ounces of chopped berries of your choice (raspberries, strawberries or maraschino cherries are recommended)

1 large container of whipped topping

1 cup of coconut cream (found in the bar mix section of your grocery or wine store)

Begin by toasting your pecans with 2 Tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup of sugar in a skillet over medium heat.  Stir frequently, this takes 2-3 minutes max.  Don't over cook them.  As your pecans cool in a bowl, add your coconut to the skillet and brown for 3-4 minutes stirring constantly.  Remove coconut to a bowl to cool.

You'll need to reserve a 1/2 cup of your graham cracker mix, 1/2 cup of your toasted coconut and a 1/2 cup of nuts for toppings after assembly.

Prepare the crust by placing the crushed graham crackers in a mixing bowl. Then pour the remainder of your butter (melted) on top, add the remaining sugar and stir until the crumbs are mostly moist. Press the crust into a 9-inch pie pan with your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup.  I opted to make mine in individual servings using small jars. You could easily use clear plastic punch cups for a take and go serving.

Make the Pina Colada filling by beating the cream cheese and coconut cream together until they are smooth and fluffy. Then add the rum (or rum extract).

Add the whipped topping, pineapple, berries, and nuts into the cream cheese mixture. Mix this together by hand to avoid crushing your berries. Spread Pina Colada filling into the pie pan or your individual serving containers. Top with a sprinkling of graham cracker crust, a pinch of toasted coconut then a sprinkle of extra nuts.  Cover well sealed and refrigerate for several hours.

This dish is best left to chill overnight and must be refrigerated until serving.  This is a make and take dish, it's not for freezing.

 

Marinated Green Bean Salad

 

• I needed a recipe that was quick to prepare and had just a handful of ingredients.  This green bean salad fit the bill perfectly!  15 minutes to prepare it and then put it in the fridge!  On a busy day, what more could I want!  This is the perfect summer side for grilled dinners or even a cool quick lunch!

• You'll need:
• 2 pounds trimmed fresh green beans
• ▢⅓ cup olive oil
• ▢3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ▢4 cloves minced garlic
• ▢1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ▢2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ▢¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢1 small red onion thinly sliced or 3 green onions chopped
• ▢1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• ▢¼ cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

Place the green beans in a large stock pot. Cover the green beans with water 2 inches above the beans. Place on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, Dijon, salt, and pepper.

Add the warm green beans and onion, toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 4 hours or longer if you can.

Before serving add the tomatoes and cheese.

Toss to combine and serve immediately.

Veggie Stuffed Shells

 

Looking for a hearty dish for Meatless Monday or a terrific side dish that will wow a crowd?  If you are this will be a unique and immediate hit for you!  Vegetarian stuffed shells; made with roasted peppers, carrots, cauliflower, and spinach in a cheesy red sauce!

You'll need:

Shells: you’ll need large/jumbo shells for this recipe.

Parmesan & Mozzarella: these two cheeses will be used for the filling and melting over top the shells.

Marinara: a quality marinara is always recommended.

Fresh herbs: using fresh basil and oregano adds bright flavor to every bite or you can opt for Italian Seasoning.

Vegetables: for the filling, I chose carrots, cauliflower, baby peppers for a sweet flavor, and spinach for some greens.  You can also use any veggie you love for this recipe.

Garlic: to sauté with the spinach! I added Sun Dried Tomatoes, and they were a great add on. 

First, preheat the oven to 425F and roast carrot sticks, baby peppers, and cauliflower florets for 20 minutes with 2 teaspoons of oil and a sprinkle of salt.

While the veggies roast, cook the shells as the packaging instructs until al dente in texture. Remove and let sit in a shallow dish with a little water to prevent sticking.

In a saucepan, cook minced garlic in 1 teaspoon of oil for 30 seconds, then add spinach and cook with garlic until the spinach is wilted. Set aside.

Remove roasted vegetables and let them cool for a moment.  Add the vegetables to a cutting board, remove the stems from the peppers, and chop all the veggies into small pieces.

In a bowl, combine cooked spinach, chopped roasted veggies, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, chopped basil & oregano, and 1/3 cup marinara sauce. Mix together.

Add 1 1/2 cups of marinara to a large casserole baking dish. Then fill cooked shells with veggie filling and arrange in baking dish.  Spoon additional marinara over each stuffed shell and cover with remaining parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25 minutes at 400F.

Coconut Raspberry Poke

 

This is a beautiful fresh look for Spring and a lovely compliment to your Easter Table!  My cousin Becky recommended this to me and I'm oh so glad she did!  This is fresh, tropical and delicious!

You’ll need:

1 (16.25-ounce) box of white cake mix (Betty Crocker Super Moist brand)

Plus 1 cup of water, ½ cup of vegetable oil, and 3 eggs, and baked according to cake mix box directions

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And:

1 cup of seedless raspberry preserves

3-ounce box of raspberry Jello

⅔ cup of boiling water

⅓ cup of ice water

8-ounce tub of Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed

For The Garnish:

1 cup sweetened coconut

12 oz fresh raspberries

Shaved white chocolate is optional to garnish

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To Make:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with baker’s spray. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the cake (water, oil, and eggs) according to the package directions. Bake for 30 minutes or until well set in the center. 

Once the cake has baked, remove it from the oven and let the cake cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the surface of the cake. Be careful not to poke to the bottom, just 2/3 through the cake. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, Jello, and boiling water. Whisk until the Jello powder has fully dissolved. Add the ice-cold water and whisk again until the mixture has slightly cooled.

Slowly pour the raspberry Jello mixture over the top of the cake, being sure to get the Jello into the holes. Set aside for 10 minutes.

When set, put the raspberry preserves in a thin layer on top of the cake.  Allow that to set for 10 minutes.

Spread the whipped topping mixture evenly over the surface of the cake.

Top with sweetened coconut and fresh raspberries.

Store in the refrigerator for 4-24 hours before serving.  Wrap well with Saran Wrap during the chilling process.

Breakfast Cookies

From my childhood of being a dairy farmer's daughter, being up every single day at the crack of dawn to feed my calves, to now being retired and mastering the art of sleeping late, things sure have changed!  I've had the pleasure of keeping most of my grandchildren recently and they wake up like little angles, all sweet and refreshed and HUNGRY!  I don't wake up with the energy that I once did so being a short order cook at 7:00 am is not my strong suit.

I knew that there had to be a better option for those sweet faces.  I had to find something that wasn't frozen, cereal or squares of pure sugar.  After a little digging, I found these breakfast cookies.  The wheat flour and coconut oil were firsts for me but they mix easily.

You can customize this with the add on ingredients of your choice.  I did the oats, coconut, apple, carrots, raisins and craisins.  You can do as you wish.  I think banana chips and dried pineapple would make some yummy Hawiian cookies!

You'll need:

• 2 cups (227g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon table salt

• 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 3/4 teaspoon ginger

• 1/2 cup (113g) coconut oil

• 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, softened

• 2/3 cup (142g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed

• 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract

• 1 cup (89g) quick-cooking oats

• 1 1/2 cups (149g) carrots, peeled and grated

• 1/2 cup (113g) apple, peeled, cored, and grated

• 1/2 cup (27g) shredded coconut, unsweetened or 1/2 cup (30g) large-flake coconut, unsweetened

• 1/2 cup (57g) walnuts, chopped

• 1/2 cup (71g) raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Set aside.

3. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat together the coconut oil, butter, and sugars until pale and creamy.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth and scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl after each one; then beat in the vanilla.

5. Stir the dry ingredients then the remaining add-ins into the wet mixture just until evenly incorporated.

6. Drop the dough in 2" balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2" apart; a jumbo cookie scoop is the right-sized tool for this job.

7. Bake the cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, until they're just set at the center.

8. Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a rack to cool.

9. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Store in the freezer, wrapped airtight, for up to 1 month.