Friday, November 28, 2008

Crockpot Garlic Smashed Potatoes




Makes 14 Half-Cup Servings

3 lbs small red potatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chives and onion cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

Directions:

Wash potatoes--do not peel--and cut into quarters. Place in greased crockpot dish. Add garlic, oil and water. Mix well to coat potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and toss to cover evenly. Cover and cook on high for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours or until potatoes are tender. Mash potatoes and garlic and stir in cream cheese until melted and incorporated. Stir in milk until well blended. Serve immediately, or cover on keep warm or low setting for up to 2 hours. Before serving, drizzle melted butter on top and sprinkle with fresh chopped chives.



These potatoes are a nice twist on the traditional favorite. The flavor is amazing, and it's so much easier to pop these in the crockpot while you do the rest of your Thanksgiving cooking. I usually put them in the crockpot at around 7 or 8 in the morning, so that they are ready to eat by 2, when we eat. I have also prepared them the night before, then put them, crockpot dish and all, into the fridge overnight. Then I put them back into the crockpot cooker on low or keep warm for a couple hours until heated through. Just don't put the melted butter and chives on until right before you are about to serve them.

Apple & Onion Stuffing "Muffins"



Makes 12 "Muffins"

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 stick butter, softened
1 bay leaf
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 apples, chopped
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
8 cups cubed stuffing mix
2-3 cups chicken broth
salt
pepper

Directions:

Heat olive oil and 4T butter in a skillet until butter melts. Add the bay leaf and the vegetables and apples. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5 minutes until vegetables and apples begin to soften, then add parsley and stuffing and mix well. Pour in the chicken broth, just until stuffing is soft, but not wet. Use remaining butter and pastry brush to butter 12 muffin tin cups liberally. Use an ice cream scoop or soup ladle to place rounded mounds of stuffing in muffin tins. (Remove bay leaf when you find it!) Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes until set and browned on top.



I love a homemade stuffing, and this year we did a trial run of our typical cornbread stuffing but with apples in it. It was delicious! I also tried making them in muffin tins and that was great! On my trial run I used packaged stuffing, but on Thanksgiving we'll use real dried cornbread cubes, as well as some additional seasoning to taste, since we'll be losing some of that seasoning by not using packaged. We also love the taste of apples and sausage together. A nice Italian sausage would be delicious in this recipe! About 1/2 a pound of ground bulk Italian sausage would do nicely, or the same of sliced chicken sausage links.

Cherry Cranberry Sauce



Makes 8 Servings

1 12oz. bag fresh cranberries
1/3 cup dried cherries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons orange marmalade

Directions:

Mix cranberries, sugar and water in saucepan over high heat. Bring to boiling then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 10-12 minutes, uncovered, until cranberries have popped open. Stir in marmalade and let mixture cool for an hour. Spoon sauce into a serving dish and cover and refrigerate an additional hour until chilled.



I have never been a fan of the canned cranberry sauce, but fresh I can do! This is delicious, and the surprise of getting a bite of cherry here and there gives it a great flavor and newness to an old favorite.



Golden Green Bean Casserole



Makes 8 Servings

2 12oz bags frozen green beans or 4 cups fresh green beans
1 cup onions, diced
2 cans golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Dash pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 cups French's fried onions

Directions:

Microwave or boil on stovetop green beans for 4–5 minutes or until hot. Transfer beans to 4 quart greased casserole dish. Stir in onions, milk, soy sauce, pepper and soup until blended. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, then French's onions. Bake 10–15 minutes or until cheese melts, top is browned, and casserole bubbles around edges of the dish.



This is a slight twist on an old favorite that is delicious. The cheese goes really well with the green beans and the golden mushroom soup has a more unique flavor than the original cream of mushroom. Delicious!



Creamed Pearl Onions



Makes 6-8 Servings

3 bags frozen tiny onions (boiled according to package directions and water reserved)
2 1/2 cups half & half
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Melt butter over low heat. Gradually stir in flour with a wire whisk to avoid lumps. Stir in salt and pepper, whisking evenly. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Slowly stir in half and half and onion water, again, whisking constantly after each addition to avoid lumps. Cook on low heat and stir until the mixture boils. Boil and stir 1 minute, then stir in the onions. Let cool and give a quick stir before serving.



This recipe has always been my Papa's specialty, but now either my mom makes it or I do. It is simple and delicious, and even though my picky, onion-hating kids don't like it, us grown-ups sure do! All the more for the rest of us!

Southern Style Candied Yams



Makes 12 Servings

2 cans cut yams, drained and mashed -or- 4-6 fresh yams, peeled, cubed and cooked until softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup whipping cream
32 marshmallows

Directions:

Mash together all ingredients except marshmallows. Cut 12 marshmallows in half and mix in with yam mixture. Turn into buttered baking dish and top with rest of marshmallows. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until marshmallows are lightly browned.



Can't beat Southern-style candied yams! I prefer fresh yams to the canned ones, but if you're in a hurry--which, who isn't on Thanksgiving--canned will do just fine.



Pumpkin Meringue Pie with Ginger Crust



Makes 1 Pie - 8 Servings

1 15oz can pumpkin
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup finely crushed gingersnaps
1/2 cup finely crushed graham crackers
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 egg whites
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In large bowl combine gingersnaps, graham crackers and sugar. Mix in melted butter. Spread evenly on bottom and up the sides of 9" pie plate. Bake at 375 for 4 minutes and let cool. In a large bowl, mix pumpkin, sugar, ginger, salt and cinnamon. Add whole eggs and combine with fork. Gradually stir in milk and maple syrup. Pour into crust-lined pie plate. Cover edges of pie with foil and bake 50-55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. *While pie is baking, prepare meringue topping: In large bowl let egg whites stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Add vanilla, cream of tartar and salt. Beat on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add brown sugar, beating on high speed until mixture forms stiff peaks. When timer for pie goes off, uncover edges and reduce oven temp to 350. Carefully spread meringue over hot filling and seal to edge. Bake 15 minutes until golden brown. Cool and refrigerate to chill before serving, if desired.



Yet another twist on an old favorite, the meringue on top is a great change from regular old whipped cream. We like to sprinkle additional nutmeg on ours before serving it. It's delicious both warm or cold, however you prefer it.

Amber's Chocolate Cashew Pie



Makes 1 Pie - 8 Servings

3/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup cashew halves

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat until chocolate is melted. Pour into a crust-lined 9" pie plate. Bake at 325 for 45-50 minutes.



It is a tradition in our house for me to make a Chocolate Pecan Pie every holiday. But it is not the easiest recipe to make, unlike this one. My good friend Amber brought this pie to one of our family get-togethers and it was an instant hit! The saltier version of cashews mixed with the classic chocolate flavor was amazing and considering how easy this pie is to make, we just couldn't NOT make it this year. So I am off the hook...for Thanksgiving this year at least, we will have Chocolate Cashew Pie in place of Chocolate Pecan Pie. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving Menu




Thanksgiving Menu

Fried Turkey

Gravy

Garlic-Smashed Potatoes

Apple & Onion Stuffing Muffins


Cherry-Cranberry Sauce


PW's Butternut Squash

Golden Green Bean Casserole

Creamed Pearl Onions


Southern Candied Yams


No-knead Yeast Rolls


Ginger-Pumpkin Meringue Pie

Chocolate Cashew Pie


Apple Pie




Once again, it has been awhile since my last update. I am having a hard time getting motivated to post with everything else that has been going on in my life. And since this was supposed to be a hobby, something fun for me, I decided just to take a little break. But I couldn't let the holidays go by without posting some of my favorite holiday recipes! There's a few new versions of old favorites, as well as some of the traditional recipes. I hope you'll try and enjoy these this Thanksgiving holiday.


Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Reader Poll


Light & Tasty Biscuits




Makes 12 Biscuits

2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening with a fork until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and blend lightly with fork only until flour is moistened and dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead lightly for 30 seconds and roll 3/4 inch thick. Cut out with 2" round biscuit cutter and place on lightly greased pan. Brush tops with melted butter and bake at 475 for 12-15 minutes until golden brown on top. Brush with additional melted butter if desired.



These have been in my family for years. Good old-fashioned biscuits are one of my favorite comfort foods and if it's hot with butter on it, even better. Paired with chicken noodle soup and you can't help but feel better no matter what ails you. We like to cut hearts out of ours and have biscuits and sausage gravy on Valentine's Day. You can use any cookie cutter if you want, or any size round cutter. We've been known to do Christmas tree shapes on Christmas as well. Yummo!

Chocolate Pudding




Makes 4 Servings

2/3 cup sugar
3 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions:

Combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan. Whisk in milk. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until pudding begins to thicken and coats the spoon. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Refrigerate until firm. Serve with whipped cream and additional cocoa powder if desired.



Another basic recipe that is oh so good. I am one of those weird ones that likes my pudding still slightly warm and with the whipped cream starting to melt. I also like the lumps and the weird "casing" that accrues on top of the pudding. But this is just me! Make sure to whisk well when stirring in milk if you aren't weird like me and prefer no lumps!

Chicken Noodle Soup




Makes 8-10 Servings

8 cups water
8 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
4 chicken breasts, cubed, or one whole fryer chicken, cut-up
1 package egg noodles
4 carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
1 onion, chopped
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Put chicken in a large sauce pan and cover with the 8 cups of water and add the bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil and continue boiling 10-12 minutes until chicken is cooked through. (If you used a whole chicken, remove the chicken, de-bone and cut-up and put it back in the pot). Add vegetables and seasonings and continue boiling another 5 minutes until veggies are almost fork-tender. Add egg noodles and boil according to package directions for time until noodles are al dente. Add more seasonings according to taste and serve.



*The noodles tend to soak up lots of the broth, so I usually have to add several more cups of water and equal amounts of bouillon to make up for it so I have enough broth. This is why I use a huge pot!* This is my favorite basic chicken noodle soup recipe. Nothing fancy or exciting, just plain down-home goodness and it hits the spot each and every time. I try to keep some frozen for those times when someone comes down with a cold and needs some of this soup right away. We like to eat ours with hot, buttered biscuits. Delicious!

Monday, October 6, 2008

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins




Makes 12 Muffins

3 cups flour
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
dash salt

Glaze:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds and salt and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy (about 2 minutes with an electric mixer). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Beat in the lemon juice and zest. Beat in dry ingredients and yogurt, alternating 1/2 cups of each, just until incorporated. Grease or use paper-lined muffin tins and fill each cup 2/3 full. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown, checking with toothpick test. Remove to a platter and brush with glaze immediately. Glaze: Using a wire whisk, briskly whisk together the powdered sugar and the lemon juice. Drizzle on top of each muffin while still warm.



I love lemon poppy seed muffins and always used to just buy a mix until I tried making them from scratch one day. I fell in love and hardly ever use a box anymore! These are best right out of the oven with a little butter.

My Blueberry Muffins


I am not exactly sure what was going on with my blueberry muffin recipe. It wouldn't show the post for the longest time...I just fixed it now, and the recipe is up! Sorry about that!



Blueberry Muffins



Vegetable Tortellini Soup




Makes 6-8 Servings

4 cans chicken broth
2 cups uncooked cheese-filled tortellini pasta
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen peas
2 tomatoes, cubed
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
Dash cayenne
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan

Directions:

Pour chicken broth into large pot. Bring to boil and add tortellini, peas and tomatoes. Boil for 12-14 minutes, until tortellini is cooked through. Stir in remaining ingredients, except parmesan. Season to taste, adding more seasonings if needed. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle generously with parmesan. Serve hot!




This is a soup I just threw together the other night with ingredients I had on hand. My kids all had fevers and sore throats and all wanted soup, but of course this was the one time I was out of chicken noodle soup! This could easily be made into a one-dish meal if you wanted to add some cubed chicken, smoked sausage, cubed beef or even some meatballs if you like. You could also used canned diced, crushed or stewed tomatoes instead of the fresh. I know this can easily be tweaked with different pastas, veggies or seasonings. It's a very versatile base recipe. But it sure came in handy for my sick kiddos!

Crockpot Peking Pork Chops




Makes 6 Servings

6 boneless pork chops, 1" thick
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup ketchup
1/8 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper
garlic powder
onion powder


Directions:

Place pork chops in greased crockpot. Combine brown sugar, ginger, soy sauce, ketchup, hoisin sauce, worcestershire, garlic and seasonings in a bowl and mix well. Pour over meat in crockpot and cook on low for 5 hours, or until tender. Season with extra salt and pepper if desired. Serve over noodles or rice.



These pork chops are so tender and moist and just plain old delicious. My husband requests these often, and we usually eat ours over egg noodles or plain steamed rice. Sometimes my husband will fry up some plain rice and we'll eat it on that...the kids love it. 5 hours is exactly perfect for my crockpot--not too tender so they're stringy and falling apart, but not too tough either.

Unfried Chicken




Makes 4-6 Servings

4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Directions:

Put all dry ingredients in a large ziploc bag and shake well until combined. Put yogurt in a bowl. Dip chicken pieces in yogurt then shake in bag, 1-3 pieces at a time. Place on sprayed baking sheet and bake at 350 for 1 hour, turning pieces after 30 minutes to brown on all sides.



This has been my favorite way to eat chicken since I was a little girl! I used to beg my mom to make this recipe, and I loved shaking the chicken pieces in the bag....but not as much as I loved eating it. I could eat this recipe several times a week and never get sick of it! DOUBLE yum! My kids love it too, what kid doesn't love chicken tenders? 

Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes & Ham




Makes 6 Servings

6 baking potatoes, washed, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 pound cooked or deli ham, cut into 1" pieces
1 can corn, drained
2 tsp. instant minced onion
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons flour
2 cups shredded cheese
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper

Directions:

In greased crockpot, combine potatoes, ham, corn and onion and mix well. In a small bowl, combine soup, milk, seasonings and flour and beat with whisk until smooth. Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheese. Pour soup mixture over ham and potato mixture and stir gently to mix. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover until melted.



This is another easy crockpot meal that everyone loves. You can substitute the veggies for any other veggie you like, or omit them altogether. I have used leftover dinner ham before, but in a pinch, the deli ham is easily accessible and just as tasty! I have also used other condensed soup if I am out of the cheese one. Cream of chicken is just as good, in my opinion! If you like yours creamier, you can always add a bit more milk. Seasonings are according to preference. I always have to taste and sprinkle at the end, just before spreading the cheese on top, to be sure it's seasoned enough.

Cheeseburger Macaroni




Makes 4 Servings

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups uncooked macaroni
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
pepper
dry mustard
2 cups shredded cheese
1 can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
Bacon bits

Directions:

Brown beef (or turkey) in large wok or skillet. Add 1-2 tablespoons butter, depending on how much grease is left after meat. Stir until melted and stir in flour with a fork until well blended and thickened into a paste around the meat. Slowly stir in milk, mixing constantly to avoid lumps. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese until melted and blended. Add seasonings to taste and stir well. In separate pot, boil pasta until al dente. Stir pasta into skillet with meat and toss to coat, adding more milk and/or cheese if needed. Stir can of stewed tomatoes into pasta. Cover with remaining shredded cheese and bacon bits if desired. Cover until cheese is melted and serve.



This is a fairly quick and easy recipe that my kids like. It makes a great weeknight casserole and as long as there aren't any onions in it, my kids will eat it right up!

Menu Monday


It's Menu Monday again!

Here's my dinner menu for this week:

MONDAY
Grilled Bratwurst
Sweet Potato Fries
Salad

TUESDAY
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Biscuits

WEDNESDAY
Crockpot Meatloaf
Mashed Potatoes
Steamed Asparagus

THURSDAY
Beer Chili

FRIDAY
Crockpot Peking Pork Chops
Plain Fried Rice
Steamed Corn

SATURDAY
Whole Roasted Chicken
Broccoli & Cheese Rice
Sauteed Green Beans
Yeast Rolls

SUNDAY
Eat out with the inlaws



Update



Just wanted to let you all know I am really sorry for not updating this week. I am still adjusting so some recent news in our family and I haven't been feeling well, and I am just trying to get back into the swing of things and trying to get myself re-motivated to post on here...I love to cook and love sharing recipes, so hopefully I'll be back to my old self soon. Thanks for hanging in there! =)


Monday, September 29, 2008

White Chicken Chili




Makes 6-8 Servings

3-4 cups cooked, cubed or shredded chicken
6 cans Great Northern or Navy beans
6 cans White Kidney beans (Canellini)
2 cans Rotel tomatoes
1 can green chilies
2 - 16oz. sour cream
2 tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder


Directions:

Put all ingredients in a crockpot and stir until well mixed. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Taste and add more seasonings if needed. Serve with sour cream, tortilla chips and shredded or nacho cheese.



This is my favorite white chili recipe. I have tried several other ones and they are all delicious as well, but the added tomatoes in this recipe and the combination of ingredients is delicious. We always sprinkle shredded cheese on top or stir in nacho cheese and scoop the chili out with tortilla chips. I love this!

Menu Monday


It's Menu Monday again! We had a successful grocery shopping weekend, so I've got a freezer full of meats and veggies now--love it! Recipes for this week's items to follow.

Here's the menu for this week:

MONDAY
Banh Trang

TUESDAY
Chicken Enchiladas
Black Bean Soup
Salad with Italian Vinaigrette Dressing

WEDNESDAY
White Chili

THURSDAY
Cheeseburger Macaroni
Green Beans
Rolls

FRIDAY
Scalloped Potatoes w/ Corn & Ham

SATURDAY
Unfried Chicken
Carrot sticks w/ Ranch
Broccoli & Cheese Rice

SUNDAY
Eat out with inlaws


Friday, September 26, 2008

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies




Makes 2 Dozen Cookies

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 eggs
3 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter, sugars, vanilla and lemon juice. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until mixture is fluffy. Add oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, stirring well after each addition. Add the chocolate chips and nuts and mix well. Scoop by rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and bake for 16-18 minutes.



These cookies are a combination of my two favorites, Oatmeal Raisin and Chocolate Chip. I've added 1/2 cup of raisins to the dough as well and it tastes very good that way. I love these cookies warm out of the oven with a tall glass of milk. The cinnamon flavor in combination with the oats and chocolate is so delicious and really makes it feel like fall! Store in a sealed container and they stay nice and chewy.

Crockpot Bert's Chicken




Makes 8-10 Servings

4 cans cream of chicken soup
3lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast portions - frozen or thawed
1/4 cup garlic powder

Directions:

Grease crockpot and lay chicken in the bottom. Pour soup on top and sprinkle garlic powder over it. Toss and mix until it's all well coated and evenly distributed in the crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours until chicken is cooked through. Serve over hot cooked rice or egg noodles.



EASY EASY EASY!!! You can add any other seasonings or meats if you like, but we like ours just like this, plain and simple. When it's done cooking, we always taste test first and add more garlic, salt, pepper, etc., if it's needed. Hearty comfort food for the upcoming chilly nights! We usually have a veggie on the side and rice underneath...it is also just as good on pasta.

Overnight Breakfast Bake




Makes 6 Servings

1 cup baking mix (Bisquick, Jiffy, etc.)
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
6 eggs, beaten
1lb. breakfast sausage, browned and drained


Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, reserving 1/2 cup cheese for topping. Cover and refrigerate 8-24 hours, or overnight. Pour into a greased casserole dish and bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Turn oven off. Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded cheese over top of casserole and let sit in oven until melted.



This is my favorite breakfast to make on the weekends because it allows me to sleep in! A lot of the time I prepare it the night before along with dinner and just stick it in the fridge. Then the next morning when I wake up, I pop it in the oven. Sometimes I even put it in the oven and go back to bed for one more hour! Then we all wake up to a home-cooked breakfast without the mess and fuss.

Blueberry Muffins




Makes 12 Muffins

1 egg 1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup of milk
1/4 cup of oil
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup blueberries

Directions:

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Beat egg in a large bowl and add milk and oil, mixing well. Mix dry ingredients and add to liquid. Mix until moist. *Do Not Overmix* Stir in berries gently, until well combined. Place in greased or paper-lined muffin tins and bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.



This is our family's tried and true blueberry muffin recipe and it turns out super delicious every single time. I can never stop myself from having at least one...okay...two...fresh hot muffins straight out of the oven. I split those babies open and put a pat of butter between the halves. Delicious!!!