Breakfast Believer

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A few weeks ago, my little family of four spent a week with Mr. Spouse’s brother & his family up in Michigan.  It’s one of my favorite times of the year…we’re usually there every 4th of July, but this year we extended our stay for a few extra days.  Anywho, my in-laws are nice enough to host A LOT of us at once…the 4 of us, Mr. Spouse’s parents, and Mr. Spouse’s other brother & his family.  Lots of good ol’ family fun.  One of our favorite things to do as a family is EAT!  Who doesn’t love to do that!?!  This year we decided to throw a couple of savory casseroles into the breakfast rotation for the week and they did NOT disappoint!  My mother-in-law made a delicious egg casserole and I contributed this amazing french toast casserole I found on Pinterest.  I’m not typically a breakfast kind of gal, but I could eat this thing every.single.day…y’know, if I wanted to put on about 20 +lbs :)  It’s made a breakfast believer out of me for sure!

OVERNIGHT FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

recipe via Rach’s Blog

1 stick {1/2 cup} butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

2 loaves Texas Toast

4 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. powdered sugar plus more for sprinkling

White sugar, to taste

Cinnamon, to taste

 

Let’s get this breakfast party started, shall we?!

First up, melt the butter and add in the brown sugar.  Mix until well combined.

 

Now pour this gooey brown sugar/butter mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan/dish.  After all, every good breakfast should contain a copious amount of butter & sugar ;)

In a large bowl, beat eggs on low…or whisk.  I don’t like cleaning extra utensils, so I whisked until I couldn’t whisk anymore.  Add milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar to the eggs and mix well.

Set the egg mix aside and get started with the Texas Toast.  Although I think the crust is the best part of ANY bread, I went ahead and cut it all off for this recipe because 1.) it looks better, and 2.) that’s how I roll. 

The original recipe called for one loaf of Texas Toast, but I realized I was about 4-5 slices short, so I would suggest getting an extra loaf just to err on the side of caution.  Of course, my shortage could’ve been due to chef’s error, but being on the safe side just makes my cooking heart happy. 

Now add a layer of that delicious, crustless {or not} Texas Toast on top of the melted butter/ brown sugar layer.

Now spread/pour half of the egg mix on the top of the layer of bread.  And then sprinkle sprinkle on some brown sugar & cinnamon, to taste.

Now add a 2nd layer of Texas Toast.  Pour/spread the remaining egg mix evenly on top of the bread.  Sprinkle white sugar and cinnamon {to taste} on top of that.  Mmmmmmm….

 

This little casserole will need to sit in the fridge overnight, so make sure you plan ahead!!!  When it’s time to cook, pop it in the oven and heat to 350.  Bake for 45 minutes, remove, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

You can serve it up with some warm maple syrup if you so desire, but I didn’t.  Infact, none of us did!  It was PERFECT just the way it was!!  Just make sure to sprinkle some powdered sugar on top before digging in!

I can’t even describe the deliciousness of this dish…my mouth waters too much just thinking about it.  Heavenly.  Rich.  Savory.  Sweet.  Insert your adjective here.  There wasn’t a crumb left in the pan…or on our plates…when it was all said and done.  It was a winner for sure!

If you aren’t a breakfast believer yet, you will be after eating this.  Trust me.  I’m proud to say that I’m a breakfast believer…and a homecoming queen {Monkees, anyone?!?!?!}  HA!!  

Happy Trails

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At the end of May, I took a little road trip with some of my favorite girlfriends and one of my sweet friends, Amy, made the most AMAZING trail mix.  I’m really not a trail mix kinda gal.  Don’t know why, but trail mix isn’t something I normally choose for a snack.  Amy’s trail mix, however, was irresistible.  I couldn’t get it in my mouth fast enough!  I was lucky enough to get a surprise batch of my very own trail mix when I moved.  Amy knew I needed something for the long drive, so she made sure to send me off with a bang.  I don’t think there was an ounce of it left by the time we arrived at our new house!  If you’re looking for a yummy snack, you MUST try this one! 

 

AMY’S IRRESISTIBLE TRAIL MIX

Roasted almonds with sea salt

Dried blueberries

Dried cherries

Dried cranberries

Yogurt covered raisins {MUST get the   brand!!!}

Raisins, optional

Walnuts, optional

 

Okay, so when Amy made the trail mix, she made it using ALL of the ingredients listed above.  I have an almond obsession, so I decided to forego the walnuts and add in extra almonds instead.  And since I’m already throwing in the yogurt raisins, I leave out the regular raisins too.

Basically, this couldn’t be any easier to throw together.  Take a large bowl and pour in the dried fruits, yogurt raisins, and almonds {to your preference}.  When I make this, I use all the ingredients.  Make sure to mix well so that when you grab a handful, you get a nice assortment of berries & nuts!

I REALLY love the Mariani brand yogurt raisins {Wal Mart carries these}.  I’ve made this mix using the Sun Maid yogurt raisins, but I swear it’s not the same!!!  Of course, you can add as much…or little…of the berries/raisins/nuts as you prefer.  I love that it makes a ton!!!  I keep it in a tupperware container and munch on it until it’s gone.  It typically doesn’t last more than a week!!!  This is definitely a MUCH better alternative to the pickles and potato chips I typically like to consume in between meals :)  It’s SO stinkin’ good!!!!

Happy trails to you…until we meet again :)

This is NO Hamburger Helper

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When Mr. Spouse & I were first married, I couldn’t cook to save my life.  I mean, even toast seemed to be a challenge for me.  I eventually learned what a stove could do and I made an INSANE amount of Hamburger Helper for our nightly dinners...yes, we dined on it almost nightly.  I gag just typing those words.  To this day, it’s hard for me to eat any kind of pasta with hamburger meat in it.  However, I found this recipe on Pinterest and thought it looked too good not to try.  It looked like a far cry from the beef stroganof that gives me nightmares to this day.  If Hamburger Helper would’ve tasted like this, I don’t think I ever would’ve stopped eating it!!!

 

SOUTHWESTERN CHILI CON QUESO PASTA BAKE

via Living Light

1 lb. penne pasta

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey {or ground beef}

1 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. ground coriander

2 tbsp. chili powder

Coarse ground black pepper

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped {I used about 5-6!  I LOVE garlic.}

1 jalapeno, chopped

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cups fresh cilantro, chopped

1 can {14 oz.} fire roasted diced tomatoes

 

 

As you can see, I opted for the turkey instead of the hamburger meat :)  In all honesty, I really prefer ground turkey instead of ground beef!!! 

Cook pasta according to package directions.  While that’s cooking, chop your onions and jalapeno.  If you’re allergic to raw jalapenos like I am, have Mr. Spouse do the chopping instead.  Cook the turkey until it starts to brown and then toss in the onion, garlic, and jalapeno.  Cook for another 5-7 minutes.  Drain & return to skillet.  The recipe called for 3 cloves of garlic, but I’m obsessed with the flavor and I used about 5-6.  Just doing my part to keep the vampires away ;)

 

Toss in the cumin, coriander, and chili powder.  Mix well and remove from heat.  Make sure the meat is evenly coated with spices!  Set aside.

In a medium/large saucepan, melt the butter and then add the flour.  Mix until it looks like a flour-y little paste.

Then whisk in the milk until it starts to bubble.  Add in the cheese & cilantro.  The original recipe called for parsley also, but the market was out of it so I didn’t bother.  Once the cheese is melted, toss in the diced tomatoes and mix until combined.  You’ll have a lovely little queso sauce waiting for you and you’ll smile at the pan of cheese sauce staring back at you.

Now take the turkey & all of it’s spices and add it to the drained pasta. 

Pour the queso sauce on top of that and stir until combined.  Now serve yourself a generous helping and prepare for your taste buds to cheer.

So.stinkin’.good.   To my surprise, it wasn’t spicy at all.  I was expecting it to pack a little heat from the jalapeno & chili powder, but it didn’t.  My 3-year-old devoured an entire plate and went back for more!  He’s got a pretty sensitive palate when it comes to anything that has a little kick to it, but he didn’t say a thing about this dish. 

See…totally 3-year-old approved. And let’s be real.  How can you argue with cuteness…and a crazy, ridiculous silly face?!?!

I polished off my pasta with some shaved parmesan and all was right in the world of carbs. My parents ended up stopping by the night I whipped this up and they both loved it, too. As far as my dad is concerned, that says A LOT!!!! He has a very opinionated taste palate. When he served himself a second helping, I knew it had to be good! HA!!

This is definitely NO Hamburger Helper.  A far cry from it, for sure!!

The Not So Teeny Weenie Panini

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I’m all about a good sandwich.  Subway is one of my favorite “restaurants”.  My favorite sandwich at Subway is the 6 inch roast beef on wheat bread with american cheese, jalapenos, onions, green pepper, and extra pickles.  Don’t forget the oil and vinegar, too.  I can NEVER recreate the deliciousness that is Subway when I’m at home.  But I digress.  One of my favorite kind of sandwiches is the almighty panini.  We got a panini maker several months ago and I was all kinds of thrilled.  I didn’t use it for the longest time because I didn’t have any great panini recipes.  What was I thinking?!  When I found this recipe on Pinterest, I about fell out.  Roast beef, onions, and horseradish all wrapped into one?!?!? SIGN.ME.UP!!!!!  I couldn’t make this fast enough and y’all…it did NOT disappoint!!  Amazingly mouth watering good. 

ROAST BEEF PANINI WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND HORSERADISH CHEESE SPREAD

adapted from The Perfect Pantry

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 tbsp olive oil plus a little bit more for brushing on the bread

1/4 cup shredded cheddar

2 tsp horseradish sauce {I used Heinz}

Sourdough bread, 4 slices

Roast beef, 8 slices

First on the list of dinner to-do’s…thinly slice your onions. 

Throw them in a large, nonstick skillet and toss them with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Cook on medium heat.

When the onions start to caramelize…they’ll be a lovely golden brown….remove them from the skillet and set aside.  You might want to sample a few.  And then a few more.  And don’t forget the mouthwash if you plan on kissing your significant other.

Now it’s time for the horseradish cheese sauce.  I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but I don’t follow directions very well.   I’m a skimmer.  I skimmed over the original recipe and didn’t realize I needed prepared horseradish, not horseradish sauce.  I got a little excited.  So here’s my adaptation and I gotta say…it was pretty dang good!

I took a couple of tablespoons of horseradish sauce and added it to a microwavable bowl.  I tossed in 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar and nuked it until the cheese was melted.  I added another squirt of horseradish sauce to the mixture just to give it more of a “sauce” texture.  YUMMMMMMMM.  Now set this aside.

 

I like experimenting with all different types of breads when I make paninis.  Sourdough just happens to be one of my favorites.  Especially when it’s paired with roast beef. 

Take two slices of sourdough and brush one side of each slice with olive oil.  On the opposite side of one slice, spread a generous amount of the horseradish cheese sauce on top.

Now top it with a layer of caramelized onions.  The more, the better.  Trust me.

Now top that with 4 slices of roast beef.  I just used roast beef straight from the deli.  Spread the opposite side of the other slice of bread with more horseradish cheese sauce and then place that on top of the roast beef.

Make sure your panini maker is fired up and ready to go and set the sandwich inside.  Press until it’s nicely panini-ed :) 

Slice and serve.  And prepare for the angels to sing.

Trust me when I say that you want this in your mouth immediately.  It’s the next best thing to Subway, for sure :)

Butta la Pasta!

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My mom’s side of the family is Italian.  My great grand parents both took a boat from Sicily to get to America and this is where they raised their family.  My Mawmaw {great grandma} was the most amazing cook.  Man, I miss her.  She would make pasta by hand…BY HAND, people!!!  Everything she made was from scratch.  She was a phenom in the kitchen.  She started the tradition of family pasta on Sundays.  My grandma has continued that tradition for years.  I usually can’t wait for Sundays to eat pasta.  Truth be told, I could eat pasta every.single.night.  Mr. Spouse?!?!  Notsomuch.  I have to get creative with my pasta dishes so he doesn’t feel like he’s having “the same pasta” dish every time we dine on noodles.  Thankfully, he’s a pretty good sport about it, but what man isn’t when he’s being fed a home-cooked meal?!?!  This pasta dish was a HIT.  It reminded me of Mawmaw.  Tasted like it was made from scratch…and it kinda was :) 

ROASTED PEPPER and BASIL PASTA

adapted from Menu Musings of a Modern American Woman

1 lb. penne pasta

4 cloves garlic

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

1 cup {jarred} roasted red bell peppers, drained

1 cup fresh basil leaves

salt & pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup heavy cream {optional}

roasted rotisserie chicken {optional}

 

Go ahead and get your ingredients ready.

You might be noticing my chicken omission.  I REALLY like meatless pasta dishes, so I opted to leave out the poultry.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  While the pasta is cooking, pour the olive oil into a medium sized skillet and add in the garlic cloves.  Cook on medium heat until the garlic is golden and fragrant.

Oh how I LOVE the smell of garlic.  Rest assured, I am NO vampire.  But that reminds me.  My sister used to date this guy that Mr. Spouse SWORE was a vampire.  I really hope he was kidding.  Anyway…once it’s golden and fragrant, and both garlic & oil to your food processor and pulse.  If you lost parts of your food processor in a recent move, use your blender instead. Pulse until the garlic/oil makes a little paste.  Then toss in the basil, roasted red pepper, parmesan cheese, and salt & pepper {to taste}.  Pulse again until it forms a thick paste/pesto sauce.  I forgot the “after” pictures.  I was too consumed with the amazing smell.  Ooops.

 

Now, once the pasty pesto is prepped, you can add the cream and pulse some more.  I completely forgot this step so I didn’t include any in mine and it was just perfect.  However, if you like a creamier sauce, you might want to add the cream now.

Pour the pesto over the pasta and mix until well combined.

If you’re so inclined, toss some shaved parmesan on top and add a few sliced cherry tomatoes to finish it all off.  Stand back and swoon.

I feel like I’m cheating on Mawmaw when I say this, but this just *might* rank as my favorite pasta dish to date.  You must remember that I love every.single.flavor in this dish…red bell pepper, basil, garlic…it’s like a marriage of all my favorites.  How could I NOT be in love?!?!?

Rotisserie chicken would’ve been a GREAT addition, but I wasn’t in the mood for meat in my pasta.  I mean, y’all.  This was SOOOOOOO good.  SO good.  It’s not often that a meal leaves me speechless…ummm, well that’s not ENTIRELY true…but this one did!  And I might have been extra speechless because I kept shoving the pasta into my mouth before I could swallow the first bite ;)  Seriously people…if you like pasta…and the rest of the aforementioned flavors…do yourself a favor and put this on your menu TONIGHT.

Butta la pasta!  It’s time for dinner!!!!