Breakfast Casserole

Everyone loves breakfast for dinner!  This is a great casserole that is easy to make.  It can be made ahead of time, which makes it great for breakfast so you don't have to get up and put it together early in the morning!  It also is great to take to church or another event if you need to take breakfast.

Breakfast Casserole

8 slices white bread, cubed
1 lb hot ground sausage, cooked and crumbled
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
10 large eggs
2 c milk
2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Grease 9x13 glass dish.  Place bread cubes in dish.  Top with sausage and grated cheese.  Beat together eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper.  Pour egg mixture over sausage and cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees until puffed and center is firm, about 50 minutes.  Can be made 1 day in advance.

Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts...just saying the name makes me cringe and think of a little boy sneaking them to his dog under the table.  I never even considered eating them and I don't even think my parents have even tried them.  But, on Valentine's Day, Brent took me to Stella's Southern Bistro.  We both got delicious meals that came with...you guessed it...brussel sprouts.  So, we both tried them for the first time in our 26 years of living.  And they were delicious!  Who knew???  Tonight...I made brussel sprouts.  Aren't you proud, mom?

Brussel Sprouts

10 brussel sprouts (buy small, tight sprouts)
1 beef bouillon cube
salt and pepper, to taste
Put 1 inch of water in a saucepan.  Bring to boil, place beef bouillon and sprouts in water and season.  Cover and steam sprouts about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, allow to steam 5 more minutes.

Sausage Cream Cheese Pastry

Our Sunday School class has someone bring breakfast each week to share with everyone.  This was our week and I wanted to try something new.  I made this from our church's cookbook, but have tweaked it a little to hopefully make it better.  It sounds like a strange combination, but it's surprisingly good and was a big hit this morning!

Sausage Cream Cheese Pastry

1 lb hot sausage
2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
2 pkgs crescent rolls
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Crumble and brown sausage, drain.  Beat softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with hand mixer until creamy.  Spread one package of crescent roll dough in bottom of 9x13 glass dish (do not grease).  Press seams together.  Add sausage to cream cheese mixture, stir.  Spread over crescent rolls evenly.  Top with the other package of crescent rolls.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Can be made a day in advance and refrigerated, cook 30-35 minutes.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dressing

This is another great slow cooker recipe.  It is one of my favorites and a great reminder of Thanksgiving that you can make anytime of the year.  Serve it with a little cranberry sauce and you'll think it's November!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dressing

4 chicken breasts
1 stick butter
2 eggs
1 cup white bread/biscuit
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 tsp sage
2 1/2 c cornbread (1/2 square pan)
1 c chicken broth
pinch of salt and pepper
1. Boil and shred chicken.
2. Mix cornbread, white bread, eggs, sage, butter, pinch of salt and pepper, 1 can cream of chicken soup diluter with chicken broth.
3. Place 1/2 can undiluted soup in bottom of crockpot.
4. Alternate chicken and dressing in crockpot, ending with chicken.
5. Place other 1/2 undiluted soup on top.
6. Cook on low for 3 hours.  Can be made 1 day in advance (cook 4 hours).

White Chicken Chili

Delicious cold day chili!  It is pretty spicy, so if you like things mild, substitute the jalapenos with green chiles and cut down on the cayenne pepper.  Top this chili with shredded cheese and sour cream.

White Chicken Chili

1 tsp oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 4oz can diced jalapenos
2 4oz cans chopped green chiles
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can black beans
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 can chicken broth
3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
2 cans white beans
1 can corn, drained
Heat oil.  Cook onions and garlic until tender.  Stir in chiles, jalapenos, and spices.  Cook about 3 minutes.  Mix in chicken broth, soup, beans, corn, and chicken.  Simmer 15-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Top and serve with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Lasagna

This lasagna recipe has a lot of ingredients, but is the best I've ever had.  It would make a great Valentine's dinner for your loved ones.  My mother-in-law gave me this recipe and has been making this for years!

Lasagna

1 lb beef
1/3 lb hot sausage
1 large onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp basil
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 c tomatoes, drained
6 oz tomato paste
8 oz tomato sauce
10 oz lasagna noodles
1 lb mozzarella
3 eggs
4 c cottage cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp parsley
1/2 c grated parmesan
Brown meat with onions and garlic.  Drain.  Cook noodles.  Add next 7 ingredients to meat, simmer uncovered 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Combine cottage cheese, eggs, seasoning, and parmesan cheese.
Place layer of noodles in bottom of pan.  Place layer of cottage cheese mixture, meat sauce, mozzarella cheese.  Repeat layers, top with mozzarella and sprinkle with parmesan.  Bake on 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Can be made 1 day before.

One Skillet Chicken and Rice

Another simple recipe for a night of soccer!  This recipe is credited to my mom, who would make this for me after coming home from cheerleading practice in high school.

One Skillet Chicken and Rice

3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups Minute rice
1 tbsp oil
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can water
pepper
Cook chicken in oil for about 10 minutes.  Add soup, water, 2 cups uncooked rice, and pepper, stir.  Bring to boil.  Cover and cook on low about 10 minutes.  Serve with peas.

Banana Punch and Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

A couple of friends and I threw a baby shower for our great friend, Erin, on Sunday.  I wanted to post two recipes from that shower.  First, a great banana punch that's super easy and not too strong tasting.  Second, a delicious fruit dip!

Banana Punch

Banana Punch

5 ripe bananas

4 c sugar

5 c water

46 oz pineapple juice

12 oz frozen orange juice

12 oz frozen lemonade

1 2-liter ginger ale

In a blender, puree bananas and pineapple juice.  Combine all ingredients and freeze.  Remove from freezer a few hours before use, serve slushy.  Immediately before serving, add ginger ale.

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 jar marshmellow creme
Mix with electric blender until smooth and creamy.  Serve with mixed fruits.

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

Mediterranean Crescent Pinwheels

In honor of Super Bowl Sunday, I am posting one of my favorite appetizers!  I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and made it for the first time for a New Year's party we had at our house.  They were a huge hit! 

Mediterranean Crescent Pinwheels

1 can crescent rolls
1/3 lb prosciutto
1 c crumbled feta cheese
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp fresh basil (2 tbsp dry)
Spread dough on floured surface; press edges together.  Arrange prosciutto on dough.  Mix cheese, pepper oil; spread over prosciutto.  Sprinkle with basil.  Roll up and cut into pinwheels.  Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.  Makes 12-14 pinwheels.

Slow Cooker Cubed Steak

Today's recipe is for cubed steak.  I have to credit my parents with this recipe.  They would make this often on Sundays and making it now reminds me of home.  I have to warn you, since it cooks all day, it can smell quite strong.  I have even placed it in the garage to cook so that the house wouldn't smell.  It's worth it though!

Slow Cooker Cubed Steak

2-4 pieces of cubed steak, depending on how many you want to serve
1 packet onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can full of water
Place meat inside of slow cooker.  Top with water, onion soup mix, and cream of mushroom soup.  Cook on low 6 hours or high 4 hours.  Serve over rice.